One of the pitfalls of working in a small town was that the personal details of your life rarely remained personal for long. When Jeremy had moved into Kate's home, the rumour mill had gone haywire. Then to make matters worse, her neighbour had seen them kissing outside and well, general curiosity had peaked at that point. For the most part their rabid interest in her love life amused her, but since things in that sphere had taken a rapid nosedive, having people constantly ask her about the status of her relationship with Jeremy Danvers, was taking its toll. She was tired of smiling politely and repeating to all and sundry that they were just friends because telling them the truth – that they weren't even that anymore – was too painful a prospect.

It was three weeks since the last time she'd seen him, three weeks since he'd told her that he didn't love her and that their relationship had been a mistake. But life had a way of moving forward, forcing you to put one foot in front of the other, no matter how difficult it seemed at first.

The drive home from Stonehaven with Clay had been awkward and mostly silent. Kate knew he was aware of what must have happened between her and his father, but thankfully he didn't comment on it. At least not until he'd turned onto her street.

Quietly, he'd asked, "Are you okay?"

Kate hadn't been okay, far from it. In fact, she'd been dangerously close to bawling her eyes out in front of a man she knew must be relieved that her relationship with Jeremy had come to an end.

"Fine," she'd whispered, staring unseeing out of the window.

Soon they'd pulled up outside her house and Kate had been struck anew by a fresh wave of pain, the likes of which she'd never experienced before. She'd last been there with Jeremy. She'd wondered then if this was what her days would be like, fragments of cherished memories racing through her mind at irregular intervals, their clarity so sharp, so vivid that if she closed her eyes she could still feel his arms around her. If that was to be her fate, she'd happily opt for amnesia instead, the torture of constantly reliving their time together, something she just couldn't bear.

Kate had opened the car's door with a muffled "thank you", preparing to lick her wounds in private when Clay had leaned across and grabbed her elbow to stop her. Surprised, she'd looked back at him. His face had registered concern and…guilt?

"I'm sorry things turned out this way," he'd said soberly.

"Are you?" Kate had asked, tired of pretending. "From the moment we met, you made no secret of the fact that you didn't like me. There's no reason why you'd be anything but happy to see the back of me."

His eyes had lowered then, his guilt more apparent. "It was nothing personal, Kate." He ran a hand through his shaggy hair, searching for the right words. "I didn't-I don't, dislike you. You saved Jeremy's life, I will always be grateful to you for that. I just…I feared that one or both of you would eventually get hurt. I guess I thought if you were scared off sooner…then some of what you're now feeling could have been prevented."

Clay had seemed sincere. His sentiments, so different from the confrontation she'd been anticipating had caused her to exhale sharply, the control she had over her emotions dwindling by the second. "Perhaps I should have listened to you then. You were right."

He hadn't looked pleased by her admission. If anything, he'd seemed troubled. "Look, if you ever need anything-"

Kate had given him a half smile, which thinking back had probably resembled a grimace. "Thank you." They both knew she'd never take him up on it. She'd hopped out of the car, grabbing her personal belongings from the back seat before giving him a half wave. "Thanks for the ride."

Kate had let herself into her house, dropping her bags carelessly around her. Emotionally drained, she'd crumpled in a heap to the floor, finally succumbing to the inevitable. Quivering as deep wracking sobs threatened to tear her insides out, she'd been unable to stop the flood of tears that seemed unending. To any listener, the sound would have been heartbreaking, her soul destroying cries reverberating in the stillness. She didn't know how long she'd sat there or where all the tears had come from, only that they kept pouring forth; hot, scalding drops that ran down her cheeks and soaked the front of Elena's sweater.

Eventually, when the well had run dry and all that was left were muted shudders, Kate had gotten to her feet and staggered to her bedroom. Standing in the doorway, she'd stared at the bed, memories of the last time she'd been in it – with Jeremy – flashing through her consciousness with a lucidity that was too painful to contemplate. Like an automaton, she'd turned away from it, grabbing a pillow and blanket from the linen closet in the hallway before making her way back to the front room. There, she'd curled onto the couch, wrapped the blanket around her and closed her eyes. Thankfully it hadn't been long before she'd fallen into a deep sleep, oblivion a sweet escape from the face of a man she didn't know how to stop loving.

By the time she'd gotten ready for work the next day, Kate had vowed to put it all behind her. Switching off all thoughts of Jeremy, she'd stripped both beds and packed all of his belongings into his duffel bag which she'd left at the front door. She hadn't known how she'd get them back to him, but that hadn't been her immediate concern. After ridding herself of every trace of his presence in her home, she'd started to feel as though she could breathe again, all memories of him, tangible and otherwise locked away in a place where she could pretend they didn't exist.

"Doc Shaw? Doc? Are you alright?"

Snapping out of her fog, Kate smiled reflexively at Amy. "Sorry, yes. I was just thinking about…a patient."

Accepting the explanation, the young receptionist nodded and handed her a stack of folders. "Charts that need updating." Amy stared down at her appointment book. "Your 3.30pm cancelled, so you've got some time before Mr Nelson arrives."

Relieved that she'd have some time to catch up on her badly neglected admin, Kate stopped off at the restroom before making her way to her office. The clinic had recently been decked out in reds, greens and golds in preparation for Christmas. It was usually a time of the year Kate loved, but since she'd be alone for the first time in years, she couldn't really muster much cheer. She'd hoped that Sara might visit, but her best friend would be spending the holidays with her parents. Best get used to being alone, Shaw, she thought, still a little disappointed that Sara couldn't make it. Pushing inside the door to her workspace, Kate was startled to see the back of a perfectly styled head of hair sitting in one of the visitor chairs.

"Nick!" she exclaimed in surprise, throwing the folders down and stepping into his bear hug.

"Hey," he said warmly before leaning back. His eyes didn't seem to miss a thing. "You look awful."

She frowned at him, pushing away and closing her office door. "Is that the infamous Sorrentino charm I keep hearing about?"

He smiled, despite his obvious worry. "Are you alright?"

Kate sat down opposite him, waving a hand indifferently. So what if she hadn't been sleeping well at night resulting in constant fatigue during the day? Or that she'd lost her appetite for almost all of her favourite foods? Too bad there's no magical pill for a broken heart. "I'm fine. Just really busy. Between work and shopping for Christmas presents that had to be mailed off last week already if there was any hope of them reaching their intended recipients on time, it's been hectic."

Nick raised a brow. "So, basically miserable then?"

Kate gave him an exasperated look. "Nick-"

"It's me. You don't have to pretend," he said softly.

Slumping into her chair, Kate's face fell. "What do you want to hear? That I thought I'd be over it already? That I'm furious that I'm not? That I'm so annoyed at myself because even after more than three weeks, whenever I hear the phone ring, for one idiotic second I still hope that it's him? That even though I've purged my home of his presence, he's still everywhere and it's driving me crazy?"

Nick's expression softened, his eyes filled with sympathy. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so flippant."

Kate sighed. "Maybe a bit of humour is what I need. I should just take the plunge and go on a date with Steve. Nothing like a new relationship to get you over the old one, right?"

Intrigued, Nick leaned forward. "Steve?"

Kate pulled a face. "Dentist. He's been asking me out every day for the last week. I keep turning him down, but he doesn't seem to want to take no for an answer."

As if on cue, there was a knock at the door, a familiar head popping in. "Sorry, am I interrupting?" Steve asked.

"Not at all," Nick piped up, standing to shake the hand of the squat, redheaded dentist. "Nick Sorrentino."

"Dr Steve Saunders," the older man said, eyeing Nick circumspectly before turning his attention to Kate. "Drinks? Tonight?"

It was a game she knew well. "I can't, sorry. Work." She pointed to the stack of charts.

His eyes flashed with disappointment before he quickly masked it. "Well, if you change your mind…" he cajoled, smiling broadly, his brown eyes almost pleading.

Kate felt bad turning him down repeatedly, especially since he was actually a really nice guy. She just wasn't ready to get involved with anyone else. Putting more enthusiasm into it, she smiled back just as he exited.

Seated once more, Nick grinned, slapping his hands down on his jean clad thighs. "What a catch."

Kate rolled her eyes at him. "Don't be mean."

"Come on, he's a dentist. So what if he's on the short side and a redhead? Even gingers need love," he said with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

Grabbing a stress ball off her table Kate threw it at him. "You're beastly!"

Chuckling, he ducked, the ball hitting the back wall with a soft thud. "Maybe you should get back out there, take the plunge, no pressure. You don't need to get involved with someone if you're not ready, but that doesn't mean you have to cut yourself off from other possibilities."

Moping was obviously not working, so perhaps Nick had a point. However, the idea of dating was massively unappealing at the moment. "I'll think about it."

He grinned, a strange glint in his eyes. "Sounds like a plan."

"What are you doing here, anyway?" Kate asked suspiciously.

"I had some things to take care of in town and thought I'd pop in to see how you're doing. It's weird. For a while we saw you all the time and now that you and Jeremy..." He shrugged apologetically. "I miss having you around."

Nick was a sweetheart and she suspected a lot of his bluster and sarcastic humour was just a defence mechanism. "That's really sweet."

He regarded her pointedly. "So, are you going to ask me?"

"Ask you what?"

"About him."

Kate would be lying if she said she hadn't thought about Jeremy the moment she saw Nick in her office. Her initial thought had been that something must be wrong with him, but with Nick all smiles, she'd discarded that notion quickly. Did she want to know how Jeremy was? Desperately. Was it in her best interests to know? Definitely not.

"I'm not going to," Kate said, determinedly. "Jeremy was clear about what he did and didn't want. There's really nothing else to know." She needed to move on. The reality was that they lived in the same town and perhaps someday she'd even bump into him. But for now she just wanted to put the entire painful chapter behind her. Easier said than done, her sub-conscious mocked.

"Are you sure-"

"Please, Nick," Kate said, her voice betraying some of her inner conflict. "I just want to forget it ever happened."

"Do you think you can?"

"I'm going to try."

He reluctantly nodded and then slowly stood, zipping up the front of his black leather jacket. "It's been good to see you."

Kate smiled and moved around to kiss his cheek. "Same here." She hesitated. "Could I ask a favour?"

"Anything."

Kate stepped behind her desk and reached for the duffle bag she'd had sitting there for weeks. "Could you give this to him? I didn't know what to do with it."

Nick grasped the handles of the well-worn leather bag. "Sure."

Stepping back, Kate swayed, a sudden wave of dizziness seizing her. It was the third time this week. Denial finally gave way to panic.

"Whoa!" Nick said, grabbing hold of her shoulders to steady her. "You okay?"

Oh God. No. It can't be. Shaking her head, she brushed his concern aside. "Just my blood sugar telling me I shouldn't skip meals," she explained easily.

Dubious, he eyed her keenly. "Are you sure?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "Who's the doctor here?"

Visibly relaxing, Nick smiled. "Take care of yourself."

"I will," Kate promised, relieved when he walked out.

Glancing at the clock, she realised that her next patient was due. That would have to wait.

Jeremy was up in his studio, paint brush in one hand and art palette in the other. Stepping back, he observed his canvas critically. He was painting for his own pleasure, for the purpose of relaxation, but instead of soothing him as it always did, he felt more wound up than ever. Looking out of the window at the dense woods beyond that he was attempting to reproduce and then back at his canvas, he sighed in frustration, slamming the palette and brush down onto the table with a loud thud. The colours weren't right.

He cursed out loud. The one pastime that he enjoyed was no longer able to calm him, provided no outlet for his emotion. He felt blocked, closed up, bled dry of all his creativity until all that was left were skilled strokes that lacked any heart and soul.

Three weeks. That's how long it had been since he'd seen Kate, since he'd heard her laugh or watched her smile. He missed her. Every part of him yearned to be close to her, to inhale her sweet scent, to feel her soft curves against his hard muscle. He'd thought that perhaps time would make it easier, would make accepting that she was no longer a part of his life a tolerance he could bear, but it hadn't. Instead, it was getting worse. Knowing she was out there, so close to him, was excruciating. In his mind's eye he kept seeing her asleep in his arms, all soft and utterly vulnerable, her body moulded lovingly against his side. To live every day knowing what he could have had was absolute, agonizing torture. The only smidgen of comfort was knowing Kate was safe, away from him and out of harm's way. But Jeremy had to admit in his weaker moments that even that knowledge was cold comfort when he was alone, tossing and turning at night, his mind incapable of finding peace. Most times he gave up the fight and went for a run, relishing the freedom, the ability to lose himself in the exertion of a physical pursuit.

Often he wondered if he'd always feel this way, hollowed out and empty, as though the best parts of him had been ripped out and all that was left was a vacant shell.

Shaking his head, he grabbed a paint stained rag and wiped his hands. There was a knock on the door and Jeremy glanced over his shoulder to see Clay. "Sorry to disturb. John called. I said you were busy so he asked that you call him back; preferably before tomorrow. He wants to talk final preparations for the gallery showing."

"Thank you. I'll get back to him in a bit."

Clay hovered and then stepped further into the room. "Giving up on this one?" he asked, gesturing to the abandoned canvas.

Jeremy shrugged. "It's not exactly what I had in mind."

Father and son stood side by side as they regarded the painting silently. Finally, Clay asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"There isn't much to say," Jeremy replied, not bothering to pretend that he didn't know what Clay was alluding to, even though he was surprised by the question. Clay had never directly spoken to him about Kate.

"When you've been up here for days with nothing to show for it, I think there is."

Jeremy crossed his arms over his chest. "I just need some time." Even as he said the words, he didn't know if he believed them. Would the constant ache ever go away?

"I know how you feel, perhaps better than anyone. When Elena left, I fell apart for a while and you were the one who helped put me back together. I want you to know that if there's anything you need…"

Grateful, Jeremy gave his son a smile. "I know, Clay."

They were silent again. "Kate thought I hated her." At Jeremy's startled look, he explained, "When I drove her home that day, she told me she thought that. It made me wonder, do you think it too?"

"That you hate her? No. Disapproved of her, perhaps."

Clay scowled. "It wasn't that either. What I did to Elena, biting her, was probably the most selfish thing I've ever done. I did it to protect you, and her, but also because a tiny part of me wanted desperately to believe that if a woman was ever going to transition safely, it would be her. She's always been so strong, so capable. But I also know that her situation was unique, one that's probably never going to be repeated, despite all the various attempts. Kate will never be like Elena. There's no chance of that. I didn't want you to get hurt, Jeremy. I knew that eventually you'd have to part and that if you loved her as much as I now know you do, it would tear you apart."

Emotion flooded through him. "I've accepted that she's lost to me. I'm just having difficulty moving on."

Footsteps sounded down the hall moments before Nick strolled in. "Hey."

Jeremy frowned, his heart stuttering when he noticed the bag dangling from the younger man's hand. "Where did you get that?"

Nick glanced down and placed the duffel on the floor. "I…uh…bumped into Kate in town. She asked if I'd return it to you."

He'd wondered about what would happen to his things, a part of him knowing that he should let it go, another wanting to use it as an excuse to see her one last time. Quietly, he asked, "How is she?"

Walking further into the room, Nick stopped beside him, nodding at Clay. "She says she's okay, but she looks tired. Much like you, actually."

Jeremy felt a pang of concern, ignoring Nick's latter comment. "Did she-" He stopped himself from asking the one thing he desperately wanted to know.

"Ask about you?" Nick finished intuitively. At Jeremy's curt nod he shook his head. "I don't think she wanted to talk about it." Nick moved to the window, exchanging a look with Clay that Jeremy missed, before casually continuing, "She's trying to…uh…move on. In fact, she might have met someone."

The words made Jeremy snap to attention, blinding jealously lancing through him. "What? Who?"

His expression completely neutral, Nick turned to face him. "Nice guy actually. A dentist. We were introduced. He seems to really care about her."

Jeremy knew he should be glad that Kate had found someone else, but the unreasonable part of him that refused to accept that she wasn't his, was furious. "Are you sure? He's not a wolf?"

Nick quirked a brow at him. "If he was, do you think I would have left that information for last?"

Pacing up and down, Jeremy brooded.

"Are you sure you've done the right thing?" Clay asked.

"What choice was there?" Jeremy retorted, the anguish he'd been suppressing bleeding into his voice. "You heard Roman. He knows about her. Do you think he'd hesitate to cut her down just to get a rise out of me?"

"We can fight Roman. If anyone can protect Kate, it's you, with us at your side," Nick said vehemently.

Jeremy glanced at him sharply. "That's out of the question. I cannot ask you to do that."

"You're not asking," Elena interrupted from the door. He'd been so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he hadn't even heard her approach. "You're a father to all of us, Jeremy. Each one of us owes you our life for different reasons. Let us do this for you."

Jeremy was stunned, staring at them all in amazement. "This is madness."

Clay piped up. "Kate would never be safer than right at your side. That I know for a fact."

"Let Roman come. It's about time someone put him in his place," Elena said, a hand gently touching Jeremy's arm.

Nick grinned. "Bring it on. I'm always ready for a fight."

Shaking his head, Jeremy threw the rag he's been toying with into a waste basket. "What you're proposing is dangerous and irresponsible. I cannot take her life for granted-"

"Have you ever asked her how she feels about it?" Elena burst forth.

"What?"

"Kate," she explained. "Have you ever asked her how she feels about this entire situation? Whether or not she wants to be a part of it?"

Jeremy frowned. Of course not. He knew what was best for her. "No."

"If there's one thing I regret, Jeremy, it's not having had a choice." Elena quickly glanced at Clay, who nodded encouragingly. Clearly they'd had this discussion before. "I'm not saying I wouldn't have chosen this life over possible death, but I would have liked to have been the one to decide for myself. Kate's a grown woman, who knows exactly what we are and she hasn't run away. Maybe you should have faith that she knows what's best for her before taking away her autonomy. It's arrogant, presumptuous and disrespectful, Jeremy. Very unlike you. If you love her, then you know she deserves more than that."

"What is this? An intervention?" Jeremy asked irritably, his own convictions suddenly in doubt as he contemplated Elena's words.

"Logan may be the shrink, but I don't think we suck completely." Nick said. "Besides, we're all just about sick of all the brooding in the nude. That's more Clay's style."

His son gave Nick a withering stare. "Shut up."

Elena gazed at him earnestly. "It's time to fight for what you want, Jeremy. You were the one who taught all of us that nothing worth having was ever easy to come by."

"Roman won't-" he started to protest.

"Screw Roman!" Nick exclaimed.

Jeremy ran a hand across his forehead. He wanted so badly to believe that this was possible, that he could be with Kate and still keep her safe. "I appreciate what you're all trying to do, but I can't take that kind of risk. Not with her life." He deliberately turned to face his unfinished canvas. "Now if you'll all excuse me, I have some work to finish." Picking up his discarded brush, he dismissed them.

"Jeremy-" Elena said.

Clay grasped her arm. "Come on. Let's go."

"But-"

"Not now, Elena."

With a sigh of frustration, Elena stomped out, followed by Nick and Clay, their departure allowing him to brood in solitude.

After finishing her last patient for the day, Kate, fully unnerved, sank into the nearest chair, her mind rapidly doing calculations. The spotting, tummy cramps and tenderness in her breasts she'd attributed to the start of her period – which never came – a thing she'd assumed was because of all the excitement of the past few weeks, the mild headaches, tiredness and back ache, the loss of appetite and now the dizziness.

She dropped her head into her hands, both of which were shaking. Oh God. It can't be. She was fastidious about taking her birth control pills, even though she hadn't been in a relationship for months before she met Jeremy. It had become a part of her routine, one she thought was a good practice to uphold in case she ever met someone else. She was a Doctor. She knew that no method of contraception was absolutely foolproof but she hadn't thought…Oh God.

Her heart in her throat Kate jumped up and went to the locked cabinet in the corner of her office where she kept a few common medical supplies she used for patients, fumbling with the key a few times before she managed to open it. Grabbing what she needed, she shoved it into the large pockets of her lab coat before hurrying off to the bathroom. There, she waited for three agonising minutes, trying to control her rising hysteria.

Finally, taking a deep breath for courage she looked down at the flat rectangular apparatus she held clutched in her hand. She gasped, her stomach lurching.

Kate took another test and waited. Then another. The results were all the same. Two distinct blue lines.

Oh, dear God.

She was pregnant.