Lexi walked in from work. Covered in mud. Filthy but happy. She couldn't wait to get a hug from her fiancé. His warm brown eyes heated her. His loving arms which engulfed her and made her feel safe and a heart that was hers and hers alone. From the day they had met. She smiled. God these hormones! She burst into tears for no reason the other day when Ethan asked her what was wrong she'd only been able to say that she loved him. He had told her he loved her too. Which had her crying even more. She looked in the kitchen. He wasn't there so she walked into their bedroom. He was probably out helping her dad with something. She opened their wardrobe her stomach dropped when she realised his clothes were missing from his side. She saw his deodorant, keys and junk were gone from his beside cabinet. His picture of their scan was gone from his side of the bed.

She started panting. There was nothing left of him in here. He'd left her again! Tears fell hot and wet down her cheeks. She cried silently knowing if her mum heard her she would worry. She lay down on their bed and curled into a tight ball. Grabbed his pillow and hugged it. How could he abandon them again? They both loved him so much! And he left them. Baby kicked so much just at the sound of his voice. It had kicked for him the first time. They had been lain in bed a month ago. He had his hand on her slight bump rubbing and they'd felt a flutter. They had both held their breath. Nothing. They were frozen.

"Rub again." she told him.

He did and they felt an answering flutter. They had smiled at each other.

"That's our baby in there!" he'd said in awe. He'd had tears in his eyes at the feel of his child kicking and now he left! It didn't make sense. Then it suddenly did. He'd spat his dummy. Warned if she walked out the door this morning. He'd obviously followed her straight out of it! She wiped away her tears and grabbed some shorts she'd bought which were bigger. And a t-shirt. Her old her clothes were snug. It seemed she and Ethan were expecting a big girl. Well daddy thought it was a girl. It seemed daddy didn't care about his daughter anymore though.

"It's ok baby. You'll always have mummy."

She went to shower. To get rid of the tears and heartbreak she felt.

(X)

Ethan was sat in his old bedroom. He had been thinking all day. Going round in circles in his head. He had finally came to some decisions. He loved Lexi. Loved her more than anything in the whole world. More than he would ever love anyone else ever. But she was hurting him and he didn't like it. So he was gonna give her a taste of her medicine. If she was gonna be stupid and work in a dangerous occupation then he was too! He had been mulling over whether or not to join the fire service in Glen Afric. Lets see how she likes it! Although she probably wouldn't care if he died coz she didn't care about his feelings at all! He had also decided that they needed a little space so he had moved back into his old room. It was gonna be so hard sleeping without her. It was scary how fast he had grown accustomed to having her warm body close. How much he was gonna miss lying awake feeling his baby move under his hands as it rested on her stomach. Awww his baby girl! God he loved her so much already. Don't ask how he knew he was having a little girl. He just did. He knew Lexi was carrying a little lady. That he put there. He felt a surge of purely male pride that he gave her their child. He got her pregnant and she would give birth to his child. He was gonna miss not being with them at night but he and Lexi weren't getting along so he had to move out. He didn't want her stressing. Worrying about whether they were gonna argue or not. She didn't need it.

Ethan checked the clock. Lexi should be home by now. His stomach plummeted. He left his room and walked through the house quickly. No sign of her. He had no messages on his phone. If she was staying late she would have rang him! Oh God what if she was hurt again? He walked into their old room looking for his trainers saw Lexi spark out on the bed in some shorts and a t-shirt. She was rolled into a ball. Hugging a pillow tightly. His heart swelled with love at the sight of her. Her sat on the bed lay down and hugged her tightly to him. He ran his hand down her arm and noticed a nasty purple bruise on her upper arm. He frowned. God had someone whacked her with a bat or something? Come to think of it, it wasn't like Lexi to sleep in the middle of the day either! She had been tired and grouchy a lot recently. Far too tired for it just pregnancy! She had a cold recently. Flu. Or was it just flu like symptoms. Fear rose up inside him. Made his heart pound with dread. Those symptoms were…..

He climbed from the bed suddenly scared to death. Was he paranoid or was she really pale? And did her face look drawn in instead of filling out? Oh no oh no oh no! he walked backwards from their room he stared at her in profile. Oh God NO please! He prayed. He walked blindly outside. Tripped over someone's shoe on the veranda. Fell to his knees. Dragged in deep gulps of air.

That's how Alice found him. Gulping breathes. Trying vainly to drag air into his lungs. Forcing air into his body.

"Ethan son are you ok?" Alice asked on her knees beside him.

He shook his hand in front of his face indicating he was catching his breath.

She got up and ran into the house. Grabbed a paper bag. Returned and handed it to him. He breathed in and out. Took it away from his face. Panting but he was breathing was calmer. Not better but calmer.

"Ethan?" Alice asked.

"I'm scared Alice."

She held out her hand and pulled him to standing. "O son all first time parents are scared. You'll be fine son!"

"Not of being a father." he paused. "Look we've all been distracted recently. I looked at Lexi before. She is shattered. Bruising easily and she has had flu like symptoms."

Alice paled. She knew the symptoms well.

"You think she…?" Alice couldn't finish the sentence.

He collapsed onto a chair with his head in his hands.

"No. She'd have told us!" Alice said trying to squash the panic she was beginning to feel.

"What if she hasn't realised?"

The woman in question walked out on the veranda. She was rubbing her stomach.

Her eyes bugged at the sight of Ethan. "Ethan? You're here?" she gasped. Threw herself in his arms as he stood up.

"Of course I am! Where else would I be?" he replied.

"How do you feel Lexi?" Alice asked. Calmly. Immediately.

Lexi pulled herself from Ethan's warm embrace. "A little sick. Tired. Pregnant." she twined her fingers with Ethan's. Opened her mouth to talk to him.

"You know when you feel sick does it recede when you eat or get worse?" Alice asked.

Lexi frowned. "What's up with the questions? Of course I feel sick. I'm pregnant!"

"Lex we're worried. We noticed you've been sick and sleeping." Ethan told her.

Lexi was annoyed. "Well excuse me for my condition which you helped cause!"

"And you bruise easily and have had a cold." Alice added pointedly.

Lexi's hand flew to her mouth as she realised what her mother was saying. "I'm gonna be sick!" she whispered and then dashed to the bathroom. Ethan followed her. Alice's mind ran with possibilities. Lexi and Ethan returned quickly. She looked pale.

"C'mon let's talk this through rationally!" Lexi told them. "When your pregnant you get sick and tired and all sorts of other stuff will not doubt come. Doesn't mean I'm ill!" Lexi told them calmly.

"We need to get you to hospital for a blood test. The earlier we catch it the earlier the treatment can start." Ethan said.

Lexi's head spun. "Treatment? If I'm ill you expect me to have treatment?"

"Erm yes Lexi. It's a no brainer!" Ethan told her simply.

"Excuse me. If I'm ill there will be no treatment till after the baby is born!" she said stubbornly.

Ethan stood ramrod straight suddenly. "Yes there will. I'm not losing you!"

Alice stood up realising tensions were rising. "Look we're getting ahead of ourselves here!"

"You can't make me have treatment!" Lexi yelled ignoring her mother.

"Wanna bet Lex? A few words to the right people and I can make it so you HAVE to have treatment! I'm a psychiatrist remember!"

Lexi's jaw dropped. "You would have me sectioned? That's sick!"

"Look c'mon people. Lexi will be fine!" Alice tried to say but they didn't hear her.

"I love you too much to…" Ethan started.

"NO your trying to control me and I don't like it. At all!"

"I won't let you kill yourself for a child. If it comes to choosing I'd pick you! Every time." his dream echoed in his mind.

"Well you shouldn't. Our child should be more important. And if I am ill I won't be having treatment I guarantee it!"

"Don't force me to do something rash Lexi." he warned. "Don't underestimate how much I love you. How far I'd go to keep you with me!"

"You can go to hell Ethan. Don't threaten me and don't threaten my child either. It's my baby and my body! Your bluffing like you can force treatment on me!" she scoffed.

"I believe the term in my profession calls it compulsory admission to hospital. I get you sectioned. Under a section 3. Means I can keep you there for up to 6 months maybe longer. Where you will receive the treatment you need whether you want it or not!"

"C'mon kids calm down please. Lexi c'mon baby. Think of the baby yeah. You shouldn't be stressing!" Alice pleaded.

"He's threatening our child. Or shall I say my child. If he thinks he's getting anywhere near it he's crazy!"

Lexi walked into the house.

Alice looked at Ethan

"Were you serious?" Alice asked softly.

"Deadly!" he replied.

"You'd have her sectioned?" she asked in disbelief.

"If I have to. Like I said don't underestimate my feelings for her!"

"Don't underestimate her feelings about your child."

"The way I'm gonna do it, it won't matter. I'll ensure she gets any treatment she needs!"

"Whether she wants it or not?" Alice asked.

He nodded.

"And the baby?" she asked

His eyes darkened. Filled with pain. "I love my baby but I love her more. I wouldn't be able to survive if I lost her. What would you do? If it was Danny? If you had a chance to save him?"

"At the expense if Lexi you Daniel or Amie? I couldn't. He'd never forgive me."

"But we are here. She is pregnant we don't even know what we are having? What it looks like!"

"Doesn't make HER any less real. That's your child Ethan. Think about her for a second. You're her father and your talking about her in such a callous manner. Think about your and Lexi's baby girl as a person except a unborn foetus. It'll be harder for you to contemplate if you do that. I'm gonna ring the hospital. They may want her in tonight. I suggest you clear the air."

He nodded.

A/N family harmony gone poof. didn't last long did it? hmmm now how will they sort this out i wonder? x