Patsy did what she had always done, she dusted herself off and put on her brave face. Trixie nodded and followed her out of the ladies. Patsy's eyes immediately found Delia as they were want to do in any given situation, she had returned to her young doctor friend's side, looking visibly upset and it appeared, was being comforted.

Patsy felt a knot in her stomach as she watched Trixie move back into the throng of the dance floor. She had often wondered at Delia's outbursts and displays of emotion, part envious and part furious at her love for behaving as she did. She also knew that her own seeming indifference made Delia equally as annoyed. Patsy wondered what Delia was saying to her male companion, how exactly she was explaining away her tears. She felt shaken by a familiar fear, one that she had never been able to fully disconnect from her feelings for Delia.

The band announced a break and someone turned on the jukebox as they filed off stage. The music that played now was much more to Patsy's taste. The Ronettes "Be My Baby" blared from the large speaker and though some of the crowd dispersed, this only freed up room for the other dancers to twirl happily together.

Patsy tried not to look as Joe led Delia onto the dance floor, placing his hands on her waist as he took one of hers and popped it on his shoulder. For a moment they looked awkward and Patsy was pleased, Delia, still upset was looking at the floor. Then Joe spoke beside Delia's ear and her face was lit briefly by that old smile. Delia's eyes went to Patsy and Patsy looked quickly away, trying to focus on the words that Ed was saying to the young chap he had struck up a conversation with, still on the topic of his car.

Patsy glanced now it was safe, to see a much happier looking Delia, swaying in time to the music, her hand held in Joe's.

"Darling? I want to dance." She said now to Ed as he paused in conversation.

He looked surprised at the request but nodded and excused himself from his new acquaintance, as he took Patsy's hand and led her the few steps to the dance floor. Ed had knocked back enough drinks to be comfortable despite his lack of natural rhythm.

As they arrived and took position the song ended and the next one began. A slower more melancholy tune and couples moved more closely together. This was an older song, Patsy hadn't heard in awhile. The Skyliners, she recalled buying the record when she had been pining for Delia, just before her accident, what seemed an absolute age ago. Patsy put one hand to the back of Ed's neck, her fingers brushing his collar and the line of his short neat hair cut.

Ed pulled her in closely, one arm circling her waist. Patsy gazed over his shoulder and to the couple she watched across the floor. Joe held Delia in a slightly less intimate embrace and turned her around a little more, but Patsy felt what she knew was jealously burning hotly in her chest. She was glad to be pressed to Ed, for fear that others would see the fire.

"I don't have anything, since I don't have you…" The song played on.

"Are you quite alright old girl?" Ed mumbled as he tried to guide a stiffened Patsy a little.

"Yes, of course." Patsy assured automatically, making a conscious effort to try and loosen up somewhat. Her hand must have been digging quite painfully into Ed's shoulder now.

Joe moved he and Delia around and a little closer to Patsy, dipping her a little and grinning broadly as she giggled at him.

Patsy thought that if she were a man, now would be a good time to ask him to step outside and hit him on the nose.

"Since you walked out on me, in walked in misery and he's been here since then.." The singer lamented.

Patsy was now eye to eye with Delia again, another couple having drifted away from between them. Patsy's brow crinkled and she felt the spring of tears at the back of her eyes as she met Delia's searching gaze.

Patsy pulled away from Ed before the song finished.

"I'm sorry. I want to leave. I have a headache." She told him, already turning her back, racing from the dance floor and knowing that he followed.

Xxx

As Patsy hit the street and the cold night air she breathed deeply and felt her lungs fill, calming herself she held onto the breath.

"Patsy? You sure everything's alright?" Ed checked as he joined her.

"Yes. Just walk me home will you?" Patsy asked, linking onto the arm that Ed instantly proffered.

They strolled quietly, side by side until Ed asked.

"That friend of your's Delia, you hardly looked at her. The way Trixie spoke, the two of you were the best of friends." Ed pondered.

Patsy sighed, she didn't want to lie to Ed, they had always been brutally honest about things.

"We were. For a while, Delia knew me better than anyone. We had plans to live together and then…" Patsy stopped. Then what? "It's complicated. Delia ended up going back to Wales and I suppose I was upset about it."

"Was she the girl who had the accident? On your bike?" Ed remembered.

Patsy hadn't expected him to know the story, though she realised she had mentio

"But you kept in touch? You must be friends again now surely?" Ed reasoned.

"We didn't. I didn't expect to see her again, I really didn't." Patsy replied honestly.

They continued to walk arm in arm and as they neared home Ed patted Patsy on the hand.

"I think you just need to clear the air. She's staying at Trixie's place, you should go and talk to her." Ed recommend.

"Perhaps." Patsy replied vaguely.

"I know you won't be happy until you do." Ed said wisely.

Patsy smiled up at him and delivered a quick kiss to his cheek as they stopped outside Nonnatus.

"Goodnight." She called as she slipped away and inside, she couldn't linger tonight.

Xxx

"You're here, I wasn't sure…" Patsy had checked Trixie's shifts and she knew that Roger would be at work but she hadn't been sure that Delia would be here at all.

Delia opened the door wider to let Patsy in and they moved through to the sitting room.

"I'm sorry about last night, I didn't mean for you to rush off like that, I should have been the one to leave…" Delia began quickly, her arms folded across her middle.

"I couldn't stand seeing you with that ghastly boy, his hands all over you..." Patsy admitted honestly.

Delia tried to suppress her large grin. "He wasn't really, he was just trying to cheer me up."

"I came to clear the air a little. I don't want to have bad feeling between us Deels, it's the last thing I want." Patsy told her, opting not to sit but to stand in the doorway.

"You love him." Delia said suddenly, as if she spoke for Patsy, perhaps making it easier for them both.

"I do. I wouldn't have agreed to marry him otherwise." Patsy admitted.

Delia nodded several times, her eyes cast downward. "I didn't come to cause trouble Pats, but I'm not sorry I came. I needed to see you, to see for myself that you were happy."

"I am, I was, I think… I think I could be…" A tear slid silently over Patsy's cheek.

Delia couldn't stop herself from taking Patsy's hand as it reached to wipe away the tear, she pulled it quickly to her lips and kissed the knuckles.

Another tear was followed by more and Patsy let them flow now.

"What will you do?" Patsy asked, her voice thick and cracking.

"I'll go home for now." Delia replied. "I have a cousin in Birmingham, I may join her there. Closer to home, but far enough away." Delia joked through her own tears.

Patsy nodded and took a handkerchief from her purse, passing it to Delia first, who pressed it to her face with trembling hands. Patsy couldn't bare to see her shake and took the white cloth from between Delia's fingers, dabbing gently at the corner of eyes that watched her closely, She calmed at the simple, practical act and her lips curled to a smile as Delia's tears all but disappeared.

Delia reached up for the hand that hovered at her face and laced her fingers through Patsy's, pressing her lips to them again before pushing them away.

"I'll always love you Patsy." Delia vowed sweetly.

"And I you." Patsy agreed feeling the heavy truth of that settle on her chest so she felt she may never breathe again.

Xxx

A/N - Of course there shall be one final part. Thanks for reading. Xx