For everyone who is reading and reviewing. It means a lot xx

Patrick ran through the doors of the sanatorium breathlessly. He'd come as quickly as he could, Dolly Smart had taken a turn just as he had made to leave. He couldn't leave her. As much as he longed to find Sister Bernadette and hug her to him and never let go he couldn't. Tim had gotten bored and gone to Jacks house so that was one less thing to worry about. But it had been so long since the phone call. Would she even still be here? Had she listened to him? What if she had waited and thought he wasn't coming and left? Had he blown it?

'Excuse me?' A robust nurse appeared behind him. 'Are you alright?'

'I'm looking for someone. A friend of mine. She was getting discharged today, earlier today in fact. I told her not to get public transport, I meant to say I'd pick her up but I got held up at work and I'm worried I've missed her.'

'No problem sir. What's her name? I'll check the register.'

'Sister Bernadette.'

'Ah, our international nun of mystery. Sorry, she left an hour or so ago. She went to the bus stop but I think she walked to the wrong one. I tried to follow her and tell her but she'd disappeared. I'm sure she's probably made her way back to her home by now. Though it was odd -she was wearing layman's clothes. I guess those letters of hers must have been even better than I expected.'

'You saw her read my letters?'

'Oh my. You're Doctor Turner?' She gaped.

'You know of me?'

'Only through the letters. She didn't read them for a while. But when she did she read them all in one go. Had quite the grin on her face.' She smiled at the massive grin spreading across his face. His face dropped suddenly though.

'Wait. She got the wrong bus?'

'I think so.'

'She could be anywhere! Did she have enough money to get a second one?' He panicked.

'I'm not sure. Possibly.'

'She could be lost! Wandering around having no idea where she is! Oh god what if something happens to her?' A thousand thoughts began racing through his head.

'Calm down! Why don't you use our phone? Call wherever she was going, or see if she phoned wherever you were.'

'Thank you.'

'Doctor Turner's office Nurse Franklin speaking.'

'Ah good. It's Doctor Turner. I have an odd question-I don't suppose Sister Bernadette phoned earlier?'

'As a matter if fact she did. Why?'

'Did she say where she was?'

'No.' Trixie formed confused. 'She hung up rather suddenly after I mentioned about you and Miss Baker.'

'Me and Miss Baker? What about us?' He frowned confused.

'The fact that you're dating.'

'What? You told her I was dating Miss Baker?!' His blood ran cold.

'Yes. Doctor Turner what is going on?'

'Did she say when she might be back?' He asked desperately, trying to restsrain his anger towards her.

'Later on sometime. Where are you?'

'When did she phone?'

'An hour or so ago.'

'Sorry Nurse Franklin I have to go.' He slammed the phone down. Had Nurse Franklin just ruined everything? Had she, in her natural gossipy way, just cost him his future? Did Sister Bernadette believe her good friend? She had every reason to. He'd never explicitly told her how much he loved her, he'd always been careful not to scare her off. Had he gone too far in that endeavour? No. He had said what was necessary. But what did that even mean? Necessary? Had she read the letters and made the decision to leave and that was why she had been smiling whilst reading them? She hadn't been prompted to leave and be his forever more? Only that she came to accept that her life as it was was not what she wanted it to be. That was okay. So long as she was happy. If she decided not to be with him he could survive. He had spent so many months without her he coups spend years doing it surely... no, no he couldn't. It had been hell waiting for her, not knowing anything. And she loved him. After that phone call he was sure of it. She'd just been misled. Oh why couldn't she have just waited for him. They could be in each others arms by now if she had. He wanted her there so much. He just had to make sure she knew that. Knew that explicitly. With direct words and not gestures and hidden comments.

'Doctor Turner?'

'I have to go. I have to find Sister Bernadette.'

'Shelagh.'

'Sorry?'

'Her name is Shelagh now.'

'Shelagh.' He grinned suddenly. It was a delicate name, it suited her. Not that he really knew what she looked like out of the habit. He blushed at the mental image the phrase threw up. Shelagh. He didn't know her surname. He wasn't sure it mattered. Soon, he hoped, she would agree to become Shelagh Turner.

I wrote chapters 7 and 8 in a lecture then realised I had to write the interim parts too. Oops

Reviews and comments always appreciated xxx