Thanks to everyone who reviewed and to everyone reading. I'm sorry this has taken so long to update. Hope this chapter was worth the wait.

Disclaimer: Not mine

Chapter 4

Jo felt like she was going to go mad, in fact she was sure she was. She paced around her small apartment with a large mug of, now cold, tea clutched in her hands. She'd been doing this all morning, only stopping to refill her mug of tea.

Every now and then she kept stopping at the window to look down upon the noisy street below her building. Hundreds of people were rushing around like scurrying ants. Some of them were clearly on their way to work. They were wearing expensive suits and carrying briefcases. She continued to watch as a delivery man and the baker unloaded a small truck of supplies just a few doors down from her building.

Just up the street the mail man was emptying a post box, even the bin men were out this morning. Everyone was working but Jo. With a frustrated growl she turned her back to the window and yelled, "Ellie, you're going to be late for school!"

Ellie came rushing out of her bedroom desperately trying to stuff some more books into her already cramped school bag. "I was trying to find my science homework. Have you seen it anywhere?"

Jo just shook her head. "No, but hurry up, Ashley and Laura are going to be waiting downstairs for you and you'll end up making them late too."

"Mom I need my homework, I don't wanna get a detention, not when I've actually done the homework!"

"Well then you should be more careful where you put things!" Jo told her sternly.

Ellie just looked at her, hurt. She shook her head and continued trying to pack her bag. Jo wandered back over to window and looked out to see Ellie's friends now stood on the street waiting for her. "They're here." she told Ellie, pulling a disgusted face as she took a swig of cold tea which she quickly spat back into her mug.

She turned and watched as Ellie pulled her bag onto her back noticing that it looked far too heavy for her. She also noticed that Ellie still wore a hurt look that made Jo suddenly feel terribly guilty.

"I'll be late home because Mr Davis will give me an afterschool detention for not giving in my homework." Ellie said bitterly and made her way over to the front door.

Jo set her mug down on the coffee table and ran after Ellie, grabbing hold of her school bag to stop her from stepping out of the front door. Ellie turned round to face her, looking wounded. "I'll call Mr Davis, I'll tell him that the dog ate your homework." Jo said to her.

"We don't have a dog." Ellie reminded her.

Jo just smiled which made Ellie smile. "I'll tell him I spilled my tea on it. I'll sort it out for you. He won't give you detention and I'll search the place for it whilst I'm not doing anything."

"Thanks Mom." Ellie smiled and threw her arms around Jo. Jo held her back and kissed the top of her head.

"Go on, baby or you're gonna be late."

"Ok." Ellie said as she stood straight and smiled at Jo.

"And I'm sorry for being such a grouch." Jo said to her.

"You're only a grouch since you haven't been able to work." Ellie reminded her. "Bye, Mom." she said and then disappeared out of the front door.

Jo just scoffed, she knew Ellie was right. She wasn't sure how much longer she could go without working. She decided she needed to talk to Mac, to ask him…no beg him, to let her return to work. She rushed off to her room to get changed, the whole time praying that Mac would see sense and realise work was the only therapy she needed.

~0~0~0~0~

Mac was with Adam in his lab, looking at the young man with a look of fascination on his face. He was sure he had asked Adam a simple enough question, "Have you got the results back yet?" but that had been asked about five minutes ago and Adam was still rambling on about something that Mac knew was not relevant to the results or the question. Finally he had to put his hand up to silence Adam.

"So the answer is no, you haven't got the results?"

Adam smiled and laughed nervously. "No, not yet, but I'll let you know as soon as I do."

"Sure you will." Mac replied with a smile.

Adam turned his head when he heard the lift doors ping open - it was a force of habit. "Hey, there's Jo. I didn't know she was coming back to work today." Adam said happily.

"She's not." Mac told him and turned on his heels and stormed towards Jo who was saying 'hi' to a young lab tech. Adam quickly followed after Mac, excited to see Jo.

The lab tech hurried off as Mac stepped right up to Jo. Adam stepped around Mac and threw his arms around Jo. Jo could only laugh before she could wrap her own arms around Adam who seemed intent on squashing her in a bear hug.

The hug seemed to go on and on until Jo finally had to say, "Adam, sweetie, I can't breathe."

"Oh, sorry," Adam said. He instantly released her and took a step back. "I'm so glad you back -" he said but then suddenly noticed the look Mac gave him and remembered his last words, "I mean that you're here."

"Thanks, Adam." Jo smiled, already feeling so much better for just being here. She felt at home standing in the lab, and she was suddenly more than willing to get down on her knees and beg Mac to let her work.

"Adam, don't you have work to be getting on with." Mac said as he turned to face him. His tone told Adam that is wasn't a question but more of a warning to leave them.

"O…oh, e…err, y…yeah." he stuttered. "Good to see you Jo." he said before he scurried off.

Jo suddenly felt the tension in the atmosphere drop down on her, hitting her like a slap across the face. She didn't want to look up at Mac, knowing he would only be looking angrily at her, but she forced herself to do it.

"My office, NOW!" he told her.

Jo felt like a naughty child but as he took a step towards his office she began to follow, until a familiar voice called out her name. "Jo!"

She turned to see Lindsay and Danny walking towards her. She gave Mac a sorry look and then stepped towards Lindsay and both of them threw their arms around each other.

"It's good to see you." Lindsay told her.

"Thanks." Jo replied as she moved to give Danny a hug.

"It's good to have you back. The place isn't the same without you here." Danny said to her.

"Thanks, Danny." she said.

They all turned to look at Mac and saw the look on his face. He looked pissed off.

"Okay, so we're gonna carry on." Lindsay said quickly turning away from Mac's icy glare. "See you later Jo. Mac." she said as she grabbed Danny's hand and they rushed off, Danny quickly flashing a 'good luck' smile at Jo.

"Change of plan," Mac said to her sternly, "Let's take a walk!" he said.

He knew once it got round she was back in the lab that more people would be rushing over and queuing up to talk to her. His best bet of talking to her without any interruptions was to get her out and away from the lab. He gently took hold of her elbow and led her over to the lift. He wasn't sure where they were going but he had a good idea what he wanted to say to her.

TBC

This chapter is shorter than I originally planned but the next needed to be longer so I stole some of this one and put it on the next. There's lots of talking in the chapter to come and maybe even a little something else…

Thanks for reading. Hope you liked it.

Please review and let me know what you think.