Okay firstly I must apologise for my lack of updating, life has been so crazily busy and I just could not find the motivation to start typing.

Secondly this is going to jump ahead a little bit to Shannon being released from hospital, the conversations that occurred between Shannon with Lawson, Josh and Stella will happen over the next few chapters as little snippets.

….

"You ready to go home yet?" Lawson asks walking into her hospital room relieved it would be the last time he would have to enter this room again.

"Yeah, I got my stuffed packed and I am ready to go, papers have already been signed." Shannon said slowly standing up and going to pick up her bag.

"I got it." Lawson says grabbing the bag instead and linking his hand through her's, giving her a light kiss on the head before leading her out of the hospital.

Breathing a sigh of relief when they have stepped outside the hospital, Shannon smiles at the fact she is finally free from being stuck in the hospital, to her she felt like she had been in there three weeks too long.

Opening the passenger side door, Lawson ensures that Shannon can get inside without his help before he places her bag in the back and hopping into the driver's seat.

As he drove off, Shannon asked the question she had been trying to figure out the answer to all day.

"Lawson, how are the team working today being two team members down and without negotiators?"

"Kerry wants them to do some navigational course to ensure they know what they need to do in certain situations, her and Josh have plotted a course for them to go through in the bush." Lawson says with a smile.

"Oh that sounds like fun." Shannon says sounding genuinely disappointed.

"Don't worry, I am sure when your fully recovered she will put you through some form of a course, she wants them to learn to not always rely on their superiors to make the judgement calls, to learn to use some initiative, but Dom will be with them just in case something serious does happen, especially if they have to end up camping out there for the night." He says.

"Actually, staying at home putting my feet up sounds like a good idea." She says as they pull up to his house and he helps her out of the car.

…...

Having settled into the place she has now decided to call home, Shannon sits on the couch with her feet up thinking what led them to being here, together, while Lawson organised some dinner.

Opening up her eyes at the sound of the door opening and closing, she sees Lawson standing there looking relieved when he realised she was staring back at him. Deciding they needed to talk, and to reassure him that she was okay, she holds out her hand for him to take. Walking over slowly he takes her hand gently in his and he sits down next to her.

"Thank god you're okay, you had us all really worried Shan, and you had me really worried." Lawson says.

"I know, and I am really sorry." She started apologising noting how worn out he appeared and her concern for his wellbeing increased worried about the toll all of this had taken on him.

"Don't apologise Shan, it wasn't in your control." He said squeezing her hand gently.

"I'm not apologising for that, I am apologising for not recognising your feelings for me were more than just as a friend." Shannon said.

"What do you mean?" he asks curious as to how she knew.

"You know what I mean." She says looking at him with knowing eyes.

"I don't really know what you are talking about." He whispers as a nurse looks over at him while she checks Shannon's vitals.

Once the nurse had left out of earshot, Shannon says "I heard you telling me you loved me."

"You heard that?" he asks shocked.

"That and little snippets here and there, some of it is a bit of a blur, but I recall Josh telling you I could probably hear you, and how you said that you and Josh wouldn't cope if you lost me, I am so sorry, if I had known how you felt about me I could have sorted that out for you." She says starting to fight the darkness that was threatening to come and take over her as she fought the drowsiness she was feeling.

"And how is that?" Lawson asks.

"I would have told you I had the same feelings for you too." She says with a slight smile as her eyelids slowly begin to droop.

"Oh yeah and how is that?" he asked with a big grin appearing on his face.

"I love you." She says softly letting her eyes close knowing she was losing the fight.

"I love you too." Lawson whispers in her ear and gives her a soft kiss on the lips as she surrenders herself to the blackness.

...

Walking into the living room with dinner in his hands, Lawson sees Shannon looking relaxed with a big smile on her face.

Walking up to her he hands her, her dinner before lifting up her legs so he can sit down next to her with her legs hanging over his.

"What are you smiling at?" He asks while eating his dinner.

"Just thinking back to the hospital and the first conversation we had." She says.

"About how you were eavesdropping in on our conversations?" he jokes.

"I was not eavesdropping, you shouldn't have a discussion near a sleeping, injured person." She says with a smile.

"Well I am glad you did eavesdrop." Lawson says leaning over and giving her a slow, passionate kiss before pulling away.

"I'm glad too." She says with a smirk before focusing back on her dinner.