Jade is up later than usually and goes into the living room with a frown on her face. Madeline waves hello and picks her up.

"What are you doing up, little one?" She asks, propping Jade on her hip. Jade's eyebrows knit together, creating a little V shape.

"I'm up late," Jade says slowly. "You're so silly, Maddie!" Maddie smiles, a grin creeping up her face.

"It's the weekend, don't you know?" Jade tilts her head and Maddie laughs. "You get two days off every week - it's a lifesaver!"

"But I want to go to school," Jade protests. Maddie shakes her head, putting Jade on the floor. She smiles at Jade.

"I'm afraid you can't," she says, "but if you really want, I'll take you to one of your friend's houses, if you ask one of them first." Jade blushes and brushes her hair out of her eyes, looking up slowly.

"I would," Jade sighs, "the thing is, I don't really know where he lives. Anyway, I don't think he'd like to play."

So they spent the morning together. They had great fun, splashing in the pool till they were worn out, and watching Valentina laugh at the bubbles they blew. Their whole morning shone with laugher and happiness until that knock on the door – the moment the laughter was broken in two, the moment when Valentina started to scream, the moment Maddie was never the same.

"I'll get it," Maddie said, getting up. "Make sure not to blow the bubbles in the baby's face, okay?" Jade nodded, watched Maddie walk out and smiling at Valentina she blew another bubble. Maddie came out with a shocked face, her hair over her eyes, and wordlessly picked up Valentina.

"Please don't do this," Maddie says, clutching her close. "I love her so much, it hurts." The lady who trailed in behind Maddie shakes her head and sighs.

"I'm sorry, I really am, but I need the baby. Hand her over," the lady reached her arms out. "There's a good girl." Jade wasn't sure who she was talking to. Shakily, Jade stood, and pulled on the hem of Maddie's cardigan.

"Who's she?" Jade whispers. Maddie lifts Jade and swings her on her hip. She wraps her remaining arm round herself, and digs her nails into her sides.

"She's a lady who's come to take away Valentina, and ruin my life," Maddie says bitterly. "Haven't you?"

The lady presses her lips together. "No, I'm not. Take no notice of her. You listen to me, okay?" Jade shrinks back from her, and her finger pointing at the both of them.

"But I don't know you," Jade says. "Mommy says no strangers." She pauses. "Well, mommy doesn't, but that's what they say mom's say, isn't it?" Valentina laughs in spite of everything, but it's a false, forced laugh.

"Say goodbye, Jade." Maddie says. "Please." There's desperation in her voice, and Jade leans over and kisses Valentina's soft cheek.

"Goodbye, Valentina."

Cat's eyes are so heavy. Just five more minutes, please? She's drifting in and out of consciousness, her eyes snapping open whenever she wakes up. She feels so drowsy, colours swirling in her head, movements in her mind. She squeezes her eyes and sits up.

"Mom?" she asks, reaching up to brush hair out of her eyes. She tugs at her arm but nothing is happening. "Daddy, my arm is stuck! Mommy, I mean!" She kicks her legs but they're stuck too. Cat sobs in the darkness, and starts to retch. She feels so sick, and suddenly she's thrown up on her bed. That makes her cry even harder. She calls out for someone – anyone. A nurse comes in and puts her hand to her chest, flicking the light on. Cat looks down and sees she's strapped down to the bed. Her lower lip trembles.

"Please," she says shakily. "Please don't shout at me." The nurse walks over slowly, as not to frighten Cat.

"Let's get these undone," the nurse says, unravelling the ties around her arms and legs. She picks Cat out of the bed. "Okay. Stay there?" Cat nods, promising to stay and the nurse turns to get sheets. Cat thinks about running, but decides not to. This nurse is the only nice person she's met today, after all. She wriggles about, stretching her arms and legs.

"Why don't you like me here?" Cat asks. The nurse turns round, her brow creasing.

"No one doesn't like you," she says. "I don't know why they bound you to the bed."

"Me either," Cat says. "I only remember mom and then black."

"Mom?" the nurse asks. "Why was your mom here?" Cat looks up. She sighs.

"She loves me, that's why. She wants to take me home." The nurse's face is full of sympathy.

"I know, darling. She can't, though. I'm sorry." She looked down at Cat and looked genuinely sad.

"I'm sick of sorry. Sorry means I won't do it again – but no one seems to ever put things right." She tilts her head. "Though maybe I'm getting it wrong, maybe sorry means 'oh well, I mean I have sympathy but I'm not that bothered.'" The nurse's eyes fill with tears.

"Oh dear," she says. "Not everything in life is sad. Not everything comes with sorry tagged along, you know?"

"Not really," Cat admits. "Mommy came home every night and said sorry when daddy left. Daddy said sorry when he left."

"Sweetie, I don't know what you think of me, but I promise you won't hear any more half-hearted sorrys." Cat shakes her head, and shuffles her bare feet on the white floor. The noise set her teeth on edge.

"You can promise all you like – mom did. It won't make any difference." Promise was a hard word for Cat to say. It left a little lisp. Cat looked up at the nurse. She played with her hands, waiting for approval. When the nurse said nothing, Cat swallowed her pride. "Sorry."

The word left a bad taste in her mouth.

A/N:

So here it is. It took a long time, sorry. It was my birthday on Monday, and then it was school that got in the way, and on Friday and Saturday I was working on it, but kept getting distracted.

Did you see the new episode? They ruined the end! It was cute though, Bade, Tandre and Cabbie. :)