Hi. A bit of a shorter chapter this time and it's got a bit of a fake ending but the next part will be longer and I wanted to get something posted today because internet access is going to be an issue over the b/h weekend. As ever, please review (it'd be lovely to get to 30 with the next couple of chapters) and enjoy...

Monday Night, Holby

Jac's Apartment

Jonny waited as Jac struggled to open the door to her flat, he had never been in it before and, under normal circumstances would have been excited about seeing it now and, perhaps, learning a little more about her. But these, he reminded himself, were very far from normal circumstances, evidenced by the fact that he was watching Jac, who's hand-eye coordination he'd never had reason to doubt before, struggle to open her front door. He considered, as he had before they'd reached the communal door downstairs, asking for her keys but, once again didn't, unsure what her reaction to such a request would be. They'd always gone to his flat before now because it was closer to the hospital and, crucially, the route to his was much less trafficky than the one to Jac's, and the speed at which they could get to where they wanted to be (or more accurately to what they wanted to do) had always been a major consideration in their dealings until recently. And after completing the journey a few times to pick Jac up over the past couple of weeks (when she'd always been waiting for him in the foyer) he was somewhat relieved this had been the case – reflecting that if he'd had to wait to get to hers as long as it had taken him on those, and indeed this, occasion, he might well have exploded. He was also beginning to gain a real appreciation of why she loved her motorbike so much, offering her, as it did, the opportunity to escape the traffic jams that seemed to beset the route from her house to the hospital.

Jac finally managed to undo the final lock on her door and stepped inside, with Jonny following close behind. She flicked the light switch, put her bag down by the door and then keys in hand stopped in the middle of the hallway, seemingly not quite sure what to do next. Jonny decided to take control of the situation for her, and said, "I'll make something for us to eat then shall I? You must be hungry." He knew she'd only had a cup-a-soup, yoghurt and one of her flapjacks (that he'd found in the 'magic biscuit tin') since lunch and that her lunch (half a sorry looking sandwich, a cereal bar and an apple) hadn't exactly been substantial.

"No, not really." Jac replied, truthfully knowing that her appetite was one of the first things to go when she was worried about anything.

"Well," Jonny said, ever practical, "you still need to eat. So, why don't you go and get yourself ready for bed, whilst I rustle us up something."

"Right , yes," Jac replied, still sounding to Jonny like she wasn't really in the conversation they were having, before heading off down the corridor to what Jonny presumed was her bedroom. Which left him to look for the kitchen and then to, hopefully, find in Jac's cupboards, something comforting and nutritious that he could cook quickly.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Little more than a quarter of an hour later he had managed it – conjuring up a pasta dish complete with a cheesy bacony tomato sauce, that he thought would just about fit the bill. He'd thought that Jac would have finished whatever she was doing by now, and after serving up and calling her name with no success, followed the route she had taken to her bedroom only to discover that she wasn't there. Instead, he found her sitting, pyjamas on, in her darkened lounge, the only light visible coming from the hallway and the streetlights outside, shining in through the windows across which the curtains had not been drawn. The settee she was sitting on faced the doorway he was standing at but she was obviously in a world of her own, gazing at the things she was holding, one in each hand. But she must have sensed his presence because she looked up at him, and as she did a strangled sob escaped her. Within moments he was by her side, and after gently taking the items she was holding from her and placing them on the coffee table in front of them, he held her in his arms, kissing the top of her head as he did so. He rocked her gently, holding her tight and feeling her slowly relax into his arms. He looked at what was on the coffee table and, though it was dark, could see enough to make out a photo of a beaming Jil, obviously taken on her wedding day, and what looked like an ultrasound scan picture, which he presumed was of Robin. "Hey, hey" he found himself saying to her, "it's OK, everything's ok"

"But" Jac replied, as he felt her trying to sit up, and so relaxed his hold to let her, "but it might not have been. If she'd done that" she said looking up at him, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears "on the train – collapsed like that, then it wouldn't have been, would it?"

"But she didn't" he reminded her, "and she's perfectly safe now – in the best possible place."

"But she's probably going to need more surgery Jonny," Jac began, and Jonny could see her distress increasing, "and you know how dangerous that could be. I mean, probably not really for her, but for Robin, and if anything happens to this baby, this time, this late on I really think it'd destroy her – and there's nothing I can do Jonny. Nothing!"

"That's not true" Jonny objected. "You've already done loads – you kept her safe today, brought her to the hospital even though she didn't want to come, didn't think there was anything wrong. You've had everybody bending over backwards to get everything done for her – using your 'Miss Naylor charm' to make sure she gets the best care in the fastest time. And you were there for her too – being the best kind of best friend there is! You might not know what that means but, believe me, Jil will"

"Yeah, but…"

"But nothing," Jonny said forcefully, tightening his hold around her again, "but nothing!" And then he silenced the objections he could tell she was going to make with a gentle but firm kiss, before once more kissing the top of her head whilst he rocked her in his arms. And he moved back on the sofa, gently taking him with her so that they were both sitting more comfortably. And he continued to hold her, gently stroking her hair and kissing the top of her head from time to time, and he felt her slowly relax into his arms. They stayed sitting like that for some time, neither of them would have been able to say how long, in a comfortable and comforting silence, until Jonny felt Jac fidgeting slightly and after he'd loosened his hold on her she sat up slightly and gave him the smallest of smiles. "Right," he said, "now that's all cleared up – you still need to eat. Come on," he said standing up, and offering her his hand, "to the kitchen." And she gave him another slightly bigger smile as she took his hand and he helped her up, before leading her towards the kitchen.