AN: today I chose a name for Tom and Nikki's baby apologies that the updates will become less regular now I'm back at school! The next chance I'll get to update is probably Friday.

13. Every little thing is going to be alright.

Nikki's eyes fluttered open, the first thing she saw was white, and funnily enough it was also the last thing she remembered. The white she saw now was the ceiling of the hospital room. As she acclimatised to her surroundings she realised that she was wearing a backless hospital gown and had a tag around her wrist, she stroked her bump with her other hand and then noticed that her hand was in fact hooked up to a drip. She panicked, lifting her arms and looking around to see where all the wires and tubes went, her head stung, and when she reached up to touch the source of the pain she felt her stitches, all 8 of them.

'Nik?, Nikki?' she heard Tom's voice, he spoke softly and laid his hand oh her arm in an attempt to clam her.

'Tom, I.. What happened? What… Is…How.' Nikki wasn't sure which question to ask first. Tom's hands were on her shoulders, she wasn't sure what he was about to say. Nikki felt a lump in her throat and panicky tears stung her eyes as clutched her tummy.

'Tom?'

'Oh Nikki, you had us all worried! The doctor said you've just got low iron levels, so you're just a bit anaemic, that's what made you feel dizzy then when you fell you must have hit your head, they've patched you up though'

'Tom what about the baby?' her voice was thickening.

'Hey, its ok love, baby's just fine'.

Nikki felt her breath come back into her body and now the tears flowed freely as she clasped her stomach. Tom sat on the edge of her bed and pulled her in, which was a little awkward and uncomfortable as the hospital bed was no where near big enough for both of them, but she didn't mind, she welcomed physical intimacy. Nikki wanted to be back in her own bed,

'When can we go home?' she muttered into his shoulder.

'Nik, you had a bad fall' he said, trying to make her realise that she needed to rest 'I think they want to keep you in over night..'

She sighed, 'can I not just stay in bed'

'I don't think it's quite the same love, I'll ring Josh to let him know you're ok'. He pulled away from her and took this phone out of his pocket, as they sat in silence Nikki could hear Josh's phone ringing on the other end of the line. He picked up.

'Hiya Josh..yeah….Im just ringing to let you know that Nikki's come round, she's fine…Yeah…She's just a bit anaemic that's all….well they're keeping her in over night, you could come down for a couple of hours if you like?.. Ok…Yeah that's fine…see you then'.

He turned back to her, 'you don't mind if Josh comes down do you?'

'No, not at all, it'd be great to see him'.

An hour or so later, josh arrived at the hospital he came tentatively in to the room obviously being put off by the sight of the usually strong Nikki Boston who was now lying in a hospital bed, her face was ghostly white against her dark hair the contrast was made more vivid by the red of her blood which corrupted her ivory skin.

Josh plonked himself down in the chair next to his father,

'hey' Nikki said, she was genuinely pleased to see Josh.

'hiya, you ok then?' asked Josh.

'meh, I'll be alright'she said calmly, the last thing Josh needed was to be worrying about her, especially in the final stages of his school life, he had modular exams coming up.

'cool', he said. He didn't really know what to say to her, he was glad she was ok but a heart to heart with Nikki was always awkward when tom was in the vicinity.

'Do you fancy a cuppa?' tom said, trying to break the monotony of the conversation. 'there's a machine down the hall'

'Oooh yes please love'

'yeah, cheers dad', and with that Tom left the room.

'Nikki, I'm glad you're ok', he could finally speak his mind, doing so was much easier with her than with his father 'I was dead worried about you'. Nikki smiled at him.

'Im always ok Josh, you can't get rid of me that easily'. It was Josh's turn to smile.

'Im glad you and dad and getting married' he said suddenly, it had just came out, 'I mean.. it'll be nice y'know, being a family and that'.

'yeah, it will' she said thinking about what Josh had said, she was proud of him and how far he'd come this year, how far they'd all come. She didn't know it yet but she loved him like a son. He took her hand and held it. she looked at her hand in his and beamed.