Guest: It is and let's hope so. Alicia does need to tell someone, and fast. You have a point there and I'm pleased that you're enjoying the story. More to come. Thank you for your review.

Citylightsonthew: Aww, that's incredibly sweet of you. I'm glad that I make you smile. Me too, I never thought that I'd love Lily and Iain so much but I do. Thank you for your review.

Guest: Hopefully Connie will be back on our screens shortly. The episodes that she's directed have been amazing though! I'm glad that you like the story though and thank you for your review.

Chapter Seven

"You're late, Doctor Munroe!"

Alicia rolled her eyes, as she heard the sound of Ethan's newly found strict voice. Since he'd become clinical lead, it was as if he was a completely different person, and she didn't like it. Slowly, she pivoted her body so that she was face to face with him.

"Care to explain?" He asked, gesturing to the other colleagues who'd managed to turn up on time.

Alicia knew that he was trying to make a point, but his words and his actions still brought tears to her eyes. She mentally kicked herself at how sensitive she'd been lately.

"I'm sorry, Ethan," she apologised quietly. "I had to pop to the shops."

God, she sounded so weak. She hated it.

"The shops?" He raised his eyebrows. "Could that not have waited? You knew what time you were supposed to start this morning, Alicia."

Alicia could have been wrong but she felt certain that he was bullying her because of everything that had happened with the blog.

"Just get to work," Ethan spat. "You can make up the lost time by working a couple of extra hours tonight."

Alicia just decided that it was best not to argue with him and faintly nodded her head, before making her way towards the bathroom. She walked into one of the cubicles, locked the door behind her and unzipped the top of her handbag. She pulled out the pregnancy test that she'd bought that morning and gulped anxiously, before quickly sending a text to Lily.

"How did you sleep last night?" Iain asked, as he and Lily strolled into the ED hand in hand.

"Good, thank you," Lily replied. "And yourself?"

"Me too," Iain sighed and turned to give Lily a goodbye kiss before he left for his shift. "So, what do you plan on doing with yourself today? You practically have all day to yourself."

"I'm not sure," Lily laughed. "I might head into town, grab a coffee, look around the shops."

"That sounds bliss," Iain said. "Can I join you?"

"You, girly clothes shopping?" Lily laughed even louder. "Please, you wouldn't last two seconds."

"I would for you," Iain said and gave her a kiss on the lips. "I love you lots, gorgeous. I'll text you on my break, okay? Have a good day and make sure that you treat yourself to something, you deserve it."

"Thank you," Lily whispered, tilting her head to one side as she kissed him back. "I love you too, and thank you for last night."

"What do you mean?" Iain frowned.

"Thank you for not judging me or blaming me," Lily said.

"I'd never do that, Lily," Iain said. "I'm just pleased that you trusted me enough to tell me. I know it may have happened a long time ago, but it is something that stays with you so if you do feel low or anxious at any time, then it's nothing to be ashamed of. I'm here for you, alright?"

Lily nodded, as he gave her another kiss.

"Have a good day," he said, and hugged her gently before walking away to the ambulance station.

Lily sighed deeply and ran a hand through her hair. She was about to walk in the opposite direction towards the shops, when her phone vibrated in her pocket. Stopping to get it out, she saw that she had a text from Alicia.

She wanted to see her.

"Alicia!" Lily called, as she cautiously entered the women's toilets. "Alicia, are you in here?"

There were three cubicles, two empty and one locked. She guessed that she must have been. She sighed and bit her lip anxiously as she knocked lightly on the closed door of the middle one.

"It's me," she said. "I'm alone."

Slowly, the door clicked open and Alicia stood there with a tear-stained face.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked her straight away, arms folded across her chest. "Your text sounded pretty urgent."

Alicia just sniffed and held up the pregnancy test. Tears trickled down her face but she made no effort to wipe them away. Lily's eyes darted from the test to Alicia's face, as she tried to find the right words.

"Is it...?" She went to say.

"I don't know," Alicia quickly interrupted her. "I haven't taken it yet."

"But you think that you might be?" Lily questioned her, confused.

Surely something must have made Alicia buy the test.

"I don't know," she just repeated herself. "I've been feeling sick, and my period is late, so maybe."

Lily nodded, her eyes on the test and said, "That doesn't necessarily mean pregnancy though. You've been stressed and worried, haven't you? It could just be that."

"But I could be," Alicia sobbed. "I just want to make sure, but I'm too scared to take it."

"Well, I certainly can't do it for you," Lily said.

She then realised how she must have sounded to Alicia, and she felt awful.

"Sorry," she whispered, shaking her head at her. "Take the test. I'll stay with you, alright? I'm sure it's nothing to worry about though."

"Do you think so?" Alicia asked, and Lily nodded at her. "I'm sorry. I...I just needed someone to calm me down, to reassure me, and I wasn't sure who to call. I've been panicking all morning and then Ethan went and made me feel even worse."

"What did he do?" Lily asked.

"He just shouted at me for being late," Alicia said, suddenly beginning to cry harder. "I really miss him," she cried. "Now, I...I have this horrible secret and I might be pregnant."

"You won't be," Lily sighed. "Come on. Put Ethan out of your head for a bit and focus on this. Take the test and I'll get you a tissue."

Alicia nodded and Lily left the cubicle, just as Robyn went to enter the bathroom.

"Get out!" Lily quickly shouted, and the red-head left immediately.

Lily felt awful for shouting at her, especially when she hadn't actually done anything wrong, but Alicia was already really upset and she didn't want anyone in the ED to know that the young doctor was taking a pregnancy test. Many questions would get asked.

Lily waited outside the cubicle door, until Alicia told her that it was safe to come in. Then she walked in and locked the door behind her.

"Thank you," Alicia whispered, as Lily began to gently dab at her watery eyes. "It says to wait two minutes. Did you and Iain have a nice time last night?"

"We did," Lily said, kneeling on the cold floor in front of Alicia who was sat on the closed toilet seat. The pregnancy test balanced on top of the toilet roll, the tension rising between them. "I'm sorry I didn't stay."

"You don't need to apologise for spending time with your boyfriend," Alicia said. "It was probably good for you."

"I guess."

Lily didn't really want to tell Alicia what they'd talked about. She didn't need to know that Iain knew about her past. She'd only panic and assume that he knew about her as well.

"How much longer?" Alicia said, her knees trembling anxiously.

"Thirty seconds," Lily whispered, glancing at her watch, and Alicia nodded. "Hey, look at me," Lily said and gave her knee a comforting rub. "Whatever the result, I'm here. If it does turn out to be positive, then you've got me. Whatever decision you decide to make, I'll be here for you."

Alicia nodded, feeling at a complete loss for words. It felt nice to hear that from someone who was never exactly a close friend of hers. Before either of them could say anything else, the time was up.

"Do you want me to look?" Lily asked, sensing Alicia's anxiety.

"Please," she choked out.

Alicia's chest began to rise up and down. Lily gently took hold of her hand and picked up the test gently in her other hand, making sure to hold it with a bit of dry tissue. Silence filled the air and Lily was certain that she could hear the sound of Alicia's heartbeat. Alicia squeezed her eyes shut, her knees knocking together, and Lily let out a huge sigh of relief when she saw what the result was.

Smiling, she held the test out to Alicia so that she could see for herself.

"Negative," Alicia whispered.

"It is," Lily said and nudged her arm. "See? I told you that you had nothing to worry about."

Alicia nodded, more tears escaping her eyes, and said, "It's not that I don't want kids. I...I just don't want kids in this situation. I'd always planned to be married first, to Ethan, enjoying time for ourselves, before we decided to have a baby."

"You could still have that," Lily said. "It isn't too late."

"Can I though?" She asked, hanging her head and focusing her attention on the negative test that Lily had passed to her.

"Of course you can," Lily said. "You've just got to keep going."

Not my best chapter unfortunately, but I hope it was okay. Please let me know what you think x