Mel turned slightly, "Mm? No, Mel actually. Kay?" she asked once again facing her friend. "Kay, what is it? Are you ok? I thought you were down in wherever it is, visiting Christophe" Mel stopped , glancing between Kay and the couple who stood beside her. There was something – something …..no. No, it was late, she was tired and her imagination had been playing havoc with her lately. It was almost as if she was seeing something she should remember in every single person that she came across. "Sorry. Long day and all that. Listen, come in for a sec, it's chilly out here"

Kay glanced over at Tom and Zoe, who had been silent for the entire conversation. Kay had caught Tom's whisper, and if any further confirmation was needed, she only had to look at his face. Tom was frozen, his heart beating nineteen to the dozen, his mind floundering as he stared at the woman in front of him.

"Maggie" he whispered again, but this time she hadn't heard, as she currently wrapped in a Luka hug, and Luka hugs really left no room for anything else. Light laughter brought Tom back to his senses, as he watched Maggie – Mel – as he watched her lead Luka into the house.

"Tom?" Kay asked, and Zoe answered for him.

"It's her. It's Maggie. That's Maggie Doyle. Oh my god, it's Maggie."

"Kay?" a voice called down the corridor, followed by some carefully lumbering footsteps as Luka returned to the front door.

"Mum, Melly says you have to come in or the boys will get cold. You too Mr. Tom. Melly says so." Luka said, taking hold of his Mum's hand and Tom's, gently pulling them inside, Zoe following behind them. Luka led them into the lounge, before going back into the kitchen. A few moments later he returned, carefully balancing a tray as Mel walked behind him. Kay and Mel smiled as, with intense concentration, Luka approached each of them, and offered them a glass of water.

"Thanks Luka," Zoe said, as she placed her glass at her feet, settling back into the couch. Tom smiled and wordlessly nodded his thanks, his eyes drawn back to Mel. Perhaps feeling his gaze, Mel turned and looked at him – really looked at him. For a moment, just a moment, it seemed as if she was going to say something, but a wail shattered the moment, and her attention was drawn to the closed door of her sons' room.

"'Scuse me, back in a mo," she said.

Left in the lounge, Tom was unable stay sitting, and rose, his eyes drawn to the photographs that edged along the mantelpiece. Photo after photo of the boys, some of them with Mel, some not. Tom found himself smiling as he stared at them. Maggie. Maggie and her sons. Peering more closely, he felt his heart stop, and then the smile widened. Their sons. Dark hair, piercing blue eyes, and that smile – he'd know that smile anywhere. Pure Hasham charm, that smile. And as fast as Tom's smile widened, it disappeared.

It was Maggie.

Alive.

Zoe caught him as his legs buckled, eternally thankful that there was a sofa right beside her. "Tom? Tom, are you all right?"

"It's her, Zoe. It is, isn't it, it's Maggie. I'm not – it IS her, isn't it" Tom said, gently shucking off Zoe's help. Zoe nodded, as Maggie came back into the room.

"Sorry about that, have to get in there before whichever one it is wakes the other one. They're usually pretty good sleepers, but if they do wake up…." She broke off with a resigned smile, before her gaze came to rest on Tom. "Hey, are you all right? " she asked, confused by the protective streak that she suddenly felt. "I – do you need a doctor?" she turned to Zoe, "Can you – " she stopped.

"I'm fine" Tom said quietly. "I'm fine. Just had a bit of a shock, that's all."

"A shock?" Mel asked, sitting down next to Tom, worried about the man in front of her. He was pale, shock written across his features, and the urge to help him was growing stronger by the second. Mel had no idea why, but this, this Tom was it, she was drawn to him.

"I'm fine M- Mel. Just, just feel like I saw a ghost." He said, glancing over at Zoe.

"What – Kay, what's going on?" Mel said, turning to look at Kay, but remaining seated, close to Tom.

"Tom – " Kay said, unsure of what to say.

"Tom?" Mel stopped, staring at Kay. "His – " she turned, "You're name is Tom?"

Tom nodded, watching as Maggie struggled. "Tom Croydon"

There was a silence, as Mel stared at Tom, and Tom stared back. Something was happening, something was connecting, and inwardly Tom was praying to whomever was listening that Maggie would return. That Mel would fall away, and that their Maggie would once again surface.

Mel, however, remained silent. This man, this Tom, he – there was something, something tickling the back of her mind, and for the life of her, she couldn't find it. "Tom?" she whispered, "Tom – I – Kay, what is it, who are they, Kay please – " a lone tear made it's way down her tired face, and Tom could withstand it no longer. Reaching forward, he wrapped Maggie in his arms and gently rocked her.

"It's all right, Ma – Mel. It's all right."

Now, it should have scared the living daylights out of her, but Mel gave up trying to sort out the should have beens. Instead she let herself get lost in the confusingly familiar hug, sitting silently for a few minutes, before she sat up again. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I did that, it just – I – " she stopped. "I know you, don't I? From before? I know you." Shaking her head, she stood up, her frustration evident. "I know you, I'm sure I do, but I can't – "

"Maggie, I – "

"Maggie? Is that my name? Not Mel?" she said, grasping at any straw. "Maggie? It sounds – " she took a deep breath, trying to make some sense of the thoughts that were freefalling around inside her mind. "Ok" she turned back to Tom, fixing him with a steely gaze, and he had to bite back his smile as he recognized that classic Doyle interrogation stare. "Talk to me. Tell me everything you know. I know you, and I want to know how. Did you know my husband? Did you know Rick? What did – how did you know us? Tom, I need to know what you know, and I need to know it now."