Delia sighed as she pressed yet another kiss onto the crown of Patsy's head. They'd settled into a comfortable silence with Patsy leaning against Delia, arms clinging to the smaller woman's waist. Angela was sat on the floor in front of them, completely unfazed, as she attempted to build a hospital out of toy bricks. The task at hand evidently far more important to her than the two lovers' presence. Eventually, Patsy sat up, taking Delia's hands into her own and kissing each one gently.

"Thank you Deels." Patsy murmured.

"What for Cariad?"

"For being here, for being you."

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be." Delia promised running her thumb over Patsy's knuckles. Patsy simply smiled as she continued to stare at their joined hands. "What is it Pats?" Delia questioned sensing her girlfriend had something she wanted to say but wasn't sure how.

"Deels, I can't stay here forever."

"Of course not but there's plenty of lodgings."

"There are but there's not many that will want to take me in once this gets out, not around here anyway." Patsy said, her tone cold and harder than she intended. "I'm going to go look at lodgings up West and I'd like you to come with me." Delia gaped for a moment as her mind tried to process what Patsy was telling her. She struggled to listen as Patsy continued, "Of course, that'll have to be temporary too so… I think it's for the best if I move away."

"What?" Delia squeaked.

"Maybe Manchester." Patsy continued.

"Manchester?" Delia whispered, her voice tight. "But that's hours away!"

"That's the point Delia." Patsy sighed, "I can't stay in London, not once this gets out. I need to move away, it's the only way to protect us both."

"Are you…" Delia paused and collected herself, watching as Angela's tower fell before finally dragging her eyes back up to Patsy's, both sets of eyes were shining with tears as Delia asked a question she'd never imagined she'd ever have to ask, "Are you breaking up with me?"

—

Nurse Crane gently placed a cup of tea in front of Sister Julienne who half smiled in gratitude as the stern midwife sat in front of her.

"It's well sugared." Nurse Crane smiled before pausing, carefully considering her next words, "I had every intention of coming in here and telling you in no uncertain terms what I thought about your insensitive handling of the situation with Nurse Mount but I can see that would be a pointless course of action."

Sister Julienne bit her lip, nodding as she tried to keep her tears at bay. "It's so hard." She conceded.

"And that's why you haven't hang the board or the Mother House? You can't bring yourself to do it even though it's what you must do." Nurse Crane continued.

"I… How did…"

"If you had, investigators would have down on us like a fly to the muck, as it happens they aren't." Nurse Crane commented, matter of factly.

"I know everyone thinks I'm being harsh, and I am, but I have to be." Sister Julienne murmured, "I am the Sister in Charge of this house and I have taken a vow of obedience to the Church. It's important that I put my personal feelings to one side and take care of business."

"And the easiest way to do that is to put a face on it all… to act in a way you wouldn't usually."

"I have to voice the views of the Church."

"But what of your views Sister? What of your feelings?" Nurse Crane implored, hands firmly placed not the table in front of her.

"I'm not allowed…" Sister Julienne paused, "It's not about how I feel, it's about my responsibilities."

"But Sister, this isn't some general case, this is Patsy." Nurse Crane argued, "A woman whom you care a lot about."

"I do." Sister Julienne conceded, "I can't pretend to understand her inclinations, heavens, I wasn't even aware women could be so inclined but… I care for her a great deal. I care for all of our young Nurses a great deal… which makes the actions I must take harder still… Nurse Crane." Sister Julienne's voice broke as she her hands reached for the Nurses', eyes filled with tears, "I don't want to act in this way, I don't want to ruin Patsy's prospects and I don't want to see her leave but don't you see?" By now the Sister was allowing her tears to fall, "I don't have any other option…"

—

"No! No of course not!"

Patsy grabbed hold of Delia's hands squeezing them as the younger woman cried, her tears dropping onto their joined hands. Patsy gently removed one hand from their cluster and lifted it to Delia's chin, gently tilting it so their tearful eyes could meet.

"I never, ever want to be without you." Patsy murmured, "I've lost too much already."

"But Manchester Pats?" Delia cried, "That's two hundred miles away! How on Earth could we possibly still be together? It's hard enough as it is…"

"I know… but Deels, once you finish your training-"

"I'm not leaving London."

"Deels…"

"No Pats! I know you think that you're helping and I know you mean well but you're not. You moving hundreds of miles away to another city is not helping! You're acting like London is a tiny little village."

"And you're acting like it's a vast country!" Patsy refuted. "What do you think I'm going to do in London?"

"What do you think you're going to do in Manchester?" Delia spat angrily, "Nurse?"

Patsy physically recoiled at the sharp dig from her girlfriend. She dropped their joined hands and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, she knew if she opened her mouth now something poisonous would come out and they were already hurting enough without any amniosity between them.

"I'm sorry." Delia croaked through tears, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"This is hard enough Delia without us falling out." Patsy spoke softer now, "I don't want to lose you."

"Then stay…"

"I can't."

"Then go to Manchester." Delia's voice was flat as her eyes lifted to meet Patsy's.

"But?" Patsy asked, sensing a hidden but…

"But don't expect me to follow you." Delia hoarsely whispered, "It's not the answer."

Patsy broke down.

—

Trixie had eventually managed to placate Sister Monica Joan with cake and a promise to bring Patsy to see her as soon as possible - or if all else failed, a promise to take her to see Patsy. Whatever it was the two were hiding, the elderly Nun made it very clear that she had absolutely no intention of telling Trixie. It was a secret between the two of them and that was how it must remain.

After leaving a note on Barbara's bed, Trixie had decided to go and see how her best friend was faring. She knew Delia had already left and by any case she wasn't at breakfast and if she was honest with herself, the older midwife was glad. Sister Julienne had been even colder than usual and had made it perfectly clear that her threats from the night before stood. Trixie wondered if the old Nun actually believed the words she was saying or if she was just trying to keep a grip on her status within the Sisterhood but she'd decided not to question it. After their meeting this morning was cut short, Trixie had managed to avoid the Nun and thankfully made it out the door undetected. She sighed as she wandered down the busy streets - she didn't want to leave Poplar but she did want to leave Nonnatus House and that thought broke her heart.

A/N - I've had a really busy week and a terrible couple of days so I apologise for the angst. On the bright side… it's Call The Midwife day!