Please read and review :)

Rachel x

Chapter 5

Nausea swept through me the next morning. I lurched out of bed, throwing back the covers and crashing along the corridor to the bathroom. Slamming the door shut behind me, I flung the toilet seat up and collapsed in front of the toilet. Then I threw up, over and over. How lovely, huh? When I was finally finished being sick, I sank onto the cold floor and groaned. So this was what morning sickness was like.

Eventually, I dragged myself to my feet and washed my face and brushed my teeth. When I stumbled out of the bathroom, my mum was waiting for me; she was fully dressed and had a cup of coffee in her hand. She smiled hesitantly and handed me the coffee.

"I'll be going in fifteen minutes, I guess you're coming in with me?" mum asked.

"Yep, I've got some things to sort out" I sighed.

"Ok, well, I'll let you get ready"

I took of my pyjamas and pulled on my underwear. I stood sideways in front of the full length mirror. I was never skinny, or particularly overweight, mind you I did always have a bit of a wobbly belly and bum. But I'd pretty much stuck to the same size for the past year or so. I pursed my lips, I didn't have a bump yet. I was pretty glad about that, but I knew it wouldn't be long before I noticed the swelling of my belly. After a few moments appraising my belly, I pulled on my jeans and a button up flowery shirt. I pulled my hair into plaits and grabbed my bag.

"I'm ready, mum" I said as I jogged down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Ok" mum replied, grabbing her car keys.

I pinched a cereal bar from the cupboard and followed mum out to the car. We drove to the station in silence near enough all the way; we made little efforts at small talk, but really I was too nervous and stressed out to chat. When we pulled up at the station, I walked with mum to her office.

"So, I'll see you later" mum murmured.

"Yeah, I'll see you later mum" I smiled awkwardly.

I turned to leave.

"If you need to talk Casey, I'll be here, ok?"

"Thanks mum; I'll keep it in mind"

I left her office and walked around the corner towards; well I don't know where I was walking exactly. I wasn't sure who I walking towards either; whether it was Nate, Callum or Smithy. I just didn't know. While I was still trying to figure out who to find, I wasn't paying much attention to where I was going. I banged into Nate as he walked down the corridor towards me. I looked up, ready to apologise.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going" I apologised.

I noticed the dark bluey black under Nate's mouth.

"Hey, what happened to your face?" I asked, stepping forwards towards him.

"Oh, that, nothing" Nate responded, I could tell he was lying, "um, anyway, I've been doing some thinking last night, and I want to do this, I want to be a dad"

"Really? Sorry, that's horrible of me to think. I shouldn't have doubted that you wouldn't have stepped up, I really…" I explained but was interrupted.

"PC Roberts!" Callum boomed as he came down the corridor, "aren't you supposed to be on patrol?"

"Sorry Sarge" Nate apologised, his jaw clenched and his body stiffened, "I was just sorting some things with Casey"

"PC Ryder is waiting for you in the yard, I suggest you go now or you'll be doing paperwork for the rest of your career" Callum replied loudly, standing in front of Nate, looking pretty menacing.

A look passed between the two of them and I knew that there was something going on. Nate backed off after a deathly ice swept between them.

"I'll talk to you at lunch, Casey, we need to talk about…stuff" Nate said, nodding at me.

"Ok" I smiled.

Nate walked off towards the yard, leaving Callum and I in the corridor, not far from his office.

"What the hell was that about?" I hissed at him.

"What do you mean?" he asked as he walked towards his office, I was on his heels.

He sat down at his desk and I slammed the door shut behind us. I put my hands on my hips and glared at him.

"What do I mean? You just threatened Nate with a lifetime of paperwork because he stopped to talk to me for a grand total of two minutes! Was there really any need? Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed of something?" I bit angrily.

"How I treat my officers is no business of yours" he shouted "Nate brought it on himself"

"Oh, ok I get it. It was you, wasn't it? You hit Nate didn't you?"

Callum didn't say anything, just set his jaw and glared furiously at the wall.

"Why on earth did you hit him? What did he do to you?"

He still ignored me and continued glaring at the wall. I strode forwards till I was right in front of him. Callum exploded up from his chair; I didn't have time to move back so we were practically standing nose to nose. I hated and loved the closeness all at the same time.

"I don't answer to you, Casey" Callum yelled, striding from the room, thumping the door as he went.

"Fine" I yelled back at him "I'll talk to Nate myself"

Callum strode off down the corridor, shoulders tensed and aggression rolling off him in waves. I groaned and banged my head against the door.

"Why me?" I muttered to myself "why the hell is this happening to me?"

While Nate, Callum, Smithy and the others were out on patrol I didn't have much to do. I sat around at the station for a little while before realising how much of an idiot I probably looked. I knew they probably wouldn't be back till at least lunch time anyway, so I decided to go out for a bit. I left the station and caught a bus to the High Street. I stopped off at the Shake Stop to buy a milkshake. The Shake Stop did the best milkshakes; I bought a vanilla and chocolate shake with crushed Dairy Milk chocolate. It was amazing. I checked my watch. It was ten to ten. I visited my usual shops and bought a few bits and pieces that I needed before making my way to Canley Fields.

I found a spot in the sun and shrugged off my cardigan. I put it down on the grass and settled myself down. I grabbed my mobile and rang the number the hospital gave me. I made an appointment for my twelve week scan in two weeks and at the same time I was going to meet with my new midwife. When the call was over I reached into my bag and pulled out some of my college coursework. We were off for a week at the moment before going back to college for another month and a half before we finished for the summer holidays. I wasn't sure whether I was going to be going back after the summer but I might as well do the work I needed to do complete to pass this part of my work in case I did want to go back. And, it was a good distraction for me from all the madness I was feeling at the moment. I took a sip of my milkshake before getting on with my essay.

I was right about my work being a distraction for me. I glanced at my watch and realised it was going on for half two. Crap, I was supposed to be meeting Nate for lunch. I stuffed my work back into my bag, dusted off my cardigan and pushed my arms into it. I dropped my empty milkshake into the bin and walked to the bus station. Luckily for me, the next bus to Sun Hill was due in three minutes.

When the bus pulled up just down the road from the station, I hopped off, thanking the driver. I walked quickly up the street and into the station. I buzzed myself through and made my way down to the cafeteria. I rushed past Callum's office, I glanced in quickly as I rushed by, he was sitting inside. I refused to catch his eye.

"I'm sorry, Nate, I was in the park and I totally spaced out" I apologised as I sat down at the table with him.

"It's alright, I got here late myself" he said.

He smiled and pushed a plate of food my way; it was piled high.

"Bit much don't you think?" I laughed, gesturing to the mountainous plate of food.

"You're eating for two now, don't want you wasting away" he smiled.

"Not much chance of that, Nate, you know I'm a greedy cow!" I grinned.

We ate our food for a little bit, it seemed that both of us were unsure of how to start the conversation that we knew we had to have.

"So…" I said, clearing my throat, "you said this morning, that you've made your mind up, that you want this baby too"

"I'm a dad now, even though it's not born yet, I'm still a dad. I was awake all last night thinking about it. I want to support the baby, financially. But I want to be a dad too, I want to share the parenting" he explained.

"I've got my twelve week scan in two weeks; you can come if you want?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'd like that" he smiled.