Sophie and Sian walked out of the cinema into the warm night air, the movie still fresh in their minds. Sian looked down at the brunette's hand and every part of her wanted to take it and hold it but she thought better of it, she was learning to be patient. It had taken a while for the duo to decide upon an activity to do together; finally they had resolved to go have something to eat followed by a film. Sian sometimes caught the girl giving her a sly glance but she couldn't work her out, there was something behind Sophie's eyes; something she was hiding. They had been getting close emotionally over the evening but they had not hit that moment, the moment when things clicked into place. When you're friends with someone and get close to them, sometimes it changes it might be a small insignificant thing; such as a hug that lasts to long, a friendly kiss that catches un-expecting lips. Sian was just waiting patiently for her moment to appear and she would seize it with both hands, this time never letting the younger girl go; she'd follow her to the edge of the world and back.

"I'm not going to be sleeping tonight." Sian admitted with a pale face.

"I forgot you don't like scary films." Sophie lied as she laughed getting a mental picture of Sian hiding under her covers.

"No you didn't."

"You're right what can I say, I just love to see the colour drain from your face."

"With friend's like you who needs enemies." Sian joked as they started the trek to the car. "I've had fun tonight."

"We haven't really talked much we were watching a movie, the restaurant was a bit loud." Sophie frowned.

"Yeah, but I've enjoyed just being with you, just having your company." She admitted and Sophie didn't dare say it aloud but she had too enjoyed their time together.

"Sian…" Sophie tried to start although she was unsure of what she wanted to say, her brain wouldn't let her utter the words that so desperately wanted to escape.

"Let me finish. You have never really let me explain myself or about what's going on with me and Ryan, and I think we are in a place now that I should." Sophie nodded as they continued to walk. "You were right, I was a coward, it's all I have ever been at heart, things get heavy and I run or rather I didn't fight for you when you left for the US."

"But why?" Sophie asked as hard as she knew this conversation was going to be, Sophie knew she had to hear it.

"Because you needed me or because you didn't need me."

"You're not making sense." Her forehead creased in confusion.

"I've practiced this so many times, everything is just getting muddled up." Sian sighed in frustration as rubbed her face. "You were holding my hand as you told me you were going to the states and there was so much passion there when you talked, you were so excited about going. Then Rosie came in and you ran over to her to tell her and I felt you slipped from my hand. It was almost in slow motion."

"So didn't come with me because I let go?" She wasn't shouting but there was a hard edge to her voice, she didn't realise how much she wanted to hear what Sian had to say until this very moment.

"No I watched you go to your family and tell them about it and it felt right that you were there with them. For a while everything seemed fine between you all, you all needed it, I wouldn't have had it any other way." Sian was trying to find her words correctly knowing how sensitive this conversation was, and she didn't want to ruin their progress. "Your parents were fighting all the time because of Molly and…you disappeared and I could feel you looking to me to try and save you. All I could think that while you were my dream America wasn't." They had reached the car and were now resting against it, looking off into the distance of the light evening sky. "I wanted to tell you so many times that I couldn't go, that it wasn't right but I let you believe I was going to the states with you. But you're parents locked horns again and I just didn't know what to say to you, I couldn't say I wasn't going."

"I didn't need you to say anything Sian I just needed you next to me. I wanted you next to me, America wasn't a dream like you were." Sophie tried to explain, thinking that if they had just talked all those years ago they would probably still be together not floating in this limbo between lovers and friends.

"I got scared Soph. Walking away from you was the hardest thing I think I have ever had to do." Sian looked down at her shoes, feeling her heartbreak all over again as she recalled the feelings that she'd felt that night she'd told Sophie that she wasn't going with her and that they were over. "Telling you I wasn't going. It was hard."

"It wasn't the easiest thing to watch you walk away." Sophie admitted as they stared at each other, feeling the weight that was usually surrounding them lifted a little.

"With Ryan, it was never me choosing him. I wasn't planning on anything to happen with him. We were just together all the time, I was sad and in pain, being with him I didn't have to pretend." Sophie listened to every word, although it was not the most pleasant thing to hear it was giving her mind ease. "It was never love, it was gratitude and loyalty, and I know that sounds heartless. But I couldn't lie to him or myself any more. Truth is I could never love him when I loved you. When I found out I was pregnant it just hit me."

"What did?" Sophie asked; she couldn't understand why the aching in her chest had suddenly increased.

"That I couldn't be with him. I thought I was doing the right thing staying married to him, I thought I owed it to him. But I was being selfish really; I was being a complete coward. My stolen moments with you were what kept me moving." The blonde sighed and blinked back tears. "When he suggested us trying for a family I couldn't say no to him, I felt so bad about hurting him that I agreed."

"But you kept taking the pill?" It was a question because Sian had managed to get pregnant and there was thought in the back of Sophie's head that perhaps it was planned and that Sian was lying to her.

"Yes I did, I thought it was better that way. I didn't want a family with him. I know that sounds harsh and heartless."

"But…" Sophie trailed off as she nodded towards the small bump at Sian's belly.

The blonde shook her head trying to decide how she could word it; it seemed like such an untruth that she didn't know if Sophie could believe her. "I was on the pill, you have to believe me okay." She watched as the brunette eyed her sceptically. "I had no intention of falling pregnant. I had an infection and I was taking antibiotics, it was a complete accident. But I'm not going to lie to you now, I'm happy about this baby now." Sian spoke honestly.

"I understand that."

"You do?" Sian asked surprised.

"Of course, this baby is a part of you." Sophie did understand that but it didn't make it hurt any less.

"It doesn't change anything though." The blonde quickly interjected.

"Doesn't it?"

"No I still love you and I still want to be with you."

"Sian…" She wasn't sure if she was going to reply with the same sentiment or if she was going to rebuff the girl she couldn't control it. She felt like she was always running five paces behind her emotions, one moment they were reaching out for Sian the next they were slapping her hands down.

"You don't have to say anything, I needed to get this out, I needed to tell you what a coward I was, and that it was never about Ryan. I had to say that I still love you and that I'm always going to love you. I know it's probably not the right time to say anything, but…"

"I know." They stood there against the car in silence for a long while after the night's truths. A lot had been said and even more had not been, there was a time and place for the rest and tonight was not it. In the quiet Sian reached over to hold Sophie's hand. The brunette looked down at their interlocking fingers, it felt right but then the wave of remorse hit her and she withdrew it. "Not yet." Sophie said quickly while Sian heard the word 'yet' and felt a new hope rise in her, a hope she was trying to ignore, she didn't want to push the younger girl too hard or too soon so she just smiled and nodded.

"Just so you know Sian, what Michelle said, it's not true. Not a single part of it. You are wonderful and caring."

"You might be the only one who believes that." The older woman said sadly unable to lift her head.

"Perhaps, I'll believe it enough for everyone." Feeling brave and also wishing deeply to offer the blonde comfort she reached out and took Sian's hand in her own again. They didn't speak again as they stood their connected by the simple gesture. But at that moment it was keeping them both alive.

The Webster house was always like a safety blanket for Sophie, whenever she was down or in pain she would slip through the front door, curl up on the sofa and it all seemed slightly better. Really she was just indulging in numbing her pain for a while as she wrapped the home feeling around her tightly. Some might call it denial some might call it foolish but Sophie didn't care, it was just another one of her weaknesses that joined the growing pile. She had worse weaknesses, her biggest being a certain blonde. But at that moment none of that mattered as she sat on the couch her feet tucked beneath her while she flicked aimless through the multiple channels. The sound was down low as her parents were asleep upstairs and she did not want to disturb them nor did she want her mother to enquire about her late night visit.

Settling on an episode of CSI she snuggled further down into the crook of the couch pulling a throw over her. The familiar theme tune lulled her into a sense of security and she smiled to herself. Her evening with Sian had been everything she had wanted and everything she had been dreading all wrapped up into it one. When the blonde had held her hand it had felt perfect, the warmth and protection she'd felt just from that little contact had been immense and she felt tears prickle the back of her eyes, but she didn't feel as though they were tears of sadness.

"I thought I heard someone." Sophie looked behind her and saw Kevin coming down the stairs wrapping his dress gown around himself with a lazy smile. "If you keep coming back I'm going to assume you're moving home."

She chuckled at his words as he took a seat beside his daughter and she shifted to lean against him. Kevin moved his arm to place it around his child and pulled her in closer and she tucked her head in the crock of his arm.

"Sorry did I wake you?" She asked and felt him shake his head.

"Nah, your mother was snoring."

"Don't let her hear you say that."

"Tell me about it, she's been denying she snores ever since we started dating."

"You mean back in the stone age."

"I might be a caveman but I can still get down with the kids." Sophie laughed and Kevin couldn't help but think he'd almost forgotten how sweet it sounded.

"Down with the kids? Bless you dad." She said as she leaned up and kissed his cheek sweetly.

"So…" He started and Sophie tried to focus on the television suddenly, the older man chortled. "Very subtle little one."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Shrugging she continued to stare at the T.V hoping that her father would drop his questioning, even though she knew it was a hopeless wishing.

"You're my daughter-"

"I am?" She interrupted with a smirk.

"Funny. What I mean is, I know something is on your mind."

"It's nothing." Kevin squeezed her closer and Sophie felt a unexpected need to cry, combined with her bubbling emotions and her father's caring tone she knew tears were going to come. "I don't know what I'm doing dad." On the last word her voice broken and she burrowed her head into the male's chest and he held her tightly.

"What do you mean sweetheart?" He asked as he kissed the top of her head. Slowly she pulled back and looked up at him with tear stained cheeks.

"Please don't judge me."

"I would never judge you." He said lowering his brow and looking deeply at his child. "There is nothing you could ever say that would change who you are and what I think of you." Kevin said sincerely and the words sprung deeper tears to Sophie's eyes.

"I still love her." Sophie said bowing her head with a heavy sigh. "I try not to, I do. I've tried to stop it and tell myself it's over that it was some teenage romance but it's not. It was so much more than that."

"Soph, what are you talking about?" He asked, although he had a slight idea where this was going.

"Sian." She stated quietly her voice and heart breaking all at once. It hurt every time she spoke about it, like a constant pain that ate away at her and she didn't know what the cure was. The aching was rooted so deep inside her it felt like it was growing around her organs feeding off her, owning her. There was no escape merely excepting its permanent fixture within her.

"I can't say that I am entirely surprised." He almost laughed, but knew that it was clearly not the right time for it.

"We were having an affair." She admitted quietly, suddenly feeling like a teenager again, getting scolded for smoking.

"I'm the last person who can judge you for that." He acknowledged with knowing sad eyes, the pain that his infidelity had caused fractured through their entire family and he always thought Sophie going to the US was her way of running away from it. "Is that why she left Ryan?" He asked and Sophie simply nodded silently. "Then why are you here on our sofa and not with her?"

"Because it's not that simple, I broke up a marriage and she's carrying his child."

Kevin nodded slowly. "Yeah I had heard about that." He gave his daughter a small sad smile and wished that it could offer her some comfort. "Does it change things?" The older man suddenly asked and the question caused Sophie's head to snap up so she could look at her father's face.

"Of course it does." Sophie exclaimed loudly, and then hoped her mum wouldn't hear their exchange. "She has a child with him. I can't compete with that."

"I have a child with someone else Sophie, although Jack is my son he lives with Tyrone and your mum forgave me. Every day I am so grateful of this fact. Having Jack doesn't change how I feel about your mum. If anything it makes me love her more, when I have him for the weekend and she looks after him like he's her own."

"That's completely different." Sophie interjected with a soft eye roll in Kevin's direction.

"Yeah because I realized that I had made a mistake and couldn't leave my wife and family. Sian realized that what she was doing was not a mistake and the mistake was staying with Ryan." Her mind tried to find logical sense to argue against Kevin's rational argument. But her heart was starting to purr as his words started to sink in through her hardened walls.

"But could you imagine trying to live here in Weatherfield, the gossip, the sly glances and blatant staring." She found herself grabbing at straws with her rebuff and more than anything she wished that she had not been so weak to seek comfort in the former home. Then she would have been at home with her brain telling her she was doing the right thing. Instead here she was listening to her father, telling her how she should follow her heart and she was starting to sway towards the idea.

"Again do you know who you're talking to? This family has always dealt with it head on, we face it. And so will you because you are a Webster." He told her, moving his head lower to make direct eye contact with Sophie. "We only get so many people in our life who have the ability to give us those butterflies and make us feel like we can't eat or breathe. So my advice to you is, if you've found someone who can give you those then don't let it go." Sophie sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and chewed on it lightly while she mewed over her dad's words of wisdom. It wasn't like her father to talk in such an open and honest manner and it was a beautiful moment; tender and sweet with just a small amount of truth to reach inside her and quiet her growing beast. But as quickly as the feeling of stillness settled over her she became instantly unnerved and stood up abruptly.

"I gotta go." Sophie exclaimed with tears attacking the back of her eyes.

"You don't have to do that. You know your room is just upstairs." Kevin offered.

"I should go home." Sophie spoke quietly trying to avoid her dad's intense gaze. "Thanks though, for all of it." He opened his mouth to argue but the attempt fell on deaf ears as Sophie was already picking up her coat that lay discarded on the arm of the chair. "I'll call you tomorrow." Were her final words before she walked out into the night air and got trapped within the night and drown by her own thoughts.

After leaving her parents it had taken her a while to fall asleep, Sophie had tried watching T.V, reading a book with no avail eventually she had decided upon counting sheep. Slumber hadn't come immediately but finally she fell into a deep sleep, which her body deeply craved. As her eyes tiredly shut for the final time she hoped that they wouldn't open until at least midday tomorrow.

*Don't stop believing…*

Sophie's phone rang for the third time and she turned over in her old bed with a groan. She'd ignored the first call in hope that sleep would come back to her. The second attempt from the caller had caused the brunette to toss a pillow over her head to try and block out the invasive noise. This third attempt however caused her to throw the pillow off her head before releasing a string of expletives and reaching her hand out blindly. As she looked at the screen she saw all three calls had come from Rosie. With one eye still firmly closed she hit redial and placed the phone to her ear waiting for her sister answer.

"Where the fuck have you been?" Came the shrill voice of her sister.

"Funnierily enough i was asleep, this better be important." Sophie replied groggily, a pout appearing on her lips

"It's Blake." Rosie's voice instantly broke and Sophie could hear her sister break down into tears through the line causing the brunette to sit bolt upright in bed as panic seeped in.

"Rosie? Rosie, what's going on?" She heard mumbling down the line and a fear started to ran through her chest, suddenly feeling very awake.

"Soph, it's Jason. We're at the hospital-"

"What why? Is Blake alright?" She cut over him as her fears became very real. Sophie was out of her bed throwing the covers aside with such force they fell on the floor.

"He had a really high temperature so we brought him in. They-they think it...it could meningitis." He managed to get out and Sophie knew through his tone he too was trying to hold back tears.

"I'm on my way."

"Thanks." He said sincerely as she started to look around her room for any clothes discarded nearby.

"I'll be there as soon as I can." Sophie's mind felt blank, like nothing was able to processes through her mind. It was all just a rumble of words and she thought she might be sick.

"Could you tell your parents, Rosie hasn't been able to get in touch with them."

"Course. Jason..."

"Yeah?"

"He will be alright." It wasn't a question Sophie was stating a fact. He was going to be fine. There was no other option.

"I know." But she heard underneath his false bravado, his voice shook and Sophie had to bite her lip hard to prevent her own tears from falling.

"See you soon soph." He cleared his throat through the line as though to try and hide his out of control emotions.

"Yeah okay bye Jase." Sophie stood there for a moment the phone pressed tightly against the side of her head listening to the tone through her mobile. She couldn't seem to move the fear that had seeped through her veins held her stuck in time. The emotions she felt were like a tidal wave against her small frame. Slowly she put the phone down and got dressed.

Sophie was sitting in the waiting room between her mother and sister. Rosie's head was resting upon Jason's shoulder her eyes red and puff from the tears that had spilled freely for the since her arrival at the hospital. Eileen was pacing back and forth in front of them her face creased with concern, Sophie watched her intensely as though it might somehow distract her from the gnawing worry inside her. Every time a doctor or nurse walked by everyone's head shot up expectantly only for them to continue walking or uttering that they were still waiting on tests. Sophie could see the fear written all over Blake's parents faces, they wanted to be with their son, hold his hand, push his hair back and kiss his forehead. She wished she could stop the helpless feeling they were clearly experiencing, instead she reached out and squeezed Rosie's knee tightly. They had performed a spinal tap just under an hour ago and they had yet to hear anything back.

Feeling like she needed to be doing something Sophie stood up abruptly and looked at the people around her. "Does anyone want a drink, tea, coffee?"

"No." Rosie instantly said not lifting her gaze from the floor.

"Come on babe, just have a tea, please." Jason said softly and she finally looked up into his eyes and nodded slowly, he smiled with as much energy as he could muster. "Can you grab me a coke or something?"

"Sure, anyone else?" She asked again this time to the three adults.

"Can I get a black coffee?" Eileen asked and nodded swiftly.

"We'll just have two cups of tea." Sally answered and Sophie didn't hang about any longer as she walked to find the cafeteria. As much as she knew her family needed her she just needed five minutes to escape, to flee the heavy atmosphere that was hang upon them. She knew it was completely selfish but she just needed to breathe, to feel fresh uncontaminated air fill her lungs.

With the coffees and teas on the side Sian slipped some money into a vending machine; she pressed the button for a coke and waited for it to clang down to the opening at the bottom. The noise from the machine seemed to echo through the small room and it caused all other sound to drain away.

"Sophie." Hearing her name Sophie knotted her brow and looked around confused until her eyes fell upon a certain blonde who had appeared. Sian was jogging towards her and Sophie looked around confused. Was her pain so intense that it was creating mirages to try and ease her fear and concern? But now the blonde was standing but a few feet away the brunette realized that if she was going to dream anything it would have been that Blake was well and fine, so this moment could only be real.

"Sian?" She still asked aloud just to make sure the person in front of her was real.

"Yeah, are you okay?" At Sian's words a new worry came to the brunette and instead of having time to prepare herself for the question the words spilled out.

"What are you doing here? Are you alright? Is the baby okay?" Instinctively her hand reached out and touched the blonde's stomach that seemed to be getting bigger each time she saw her. The blonde could not help the corner of her lips rising ever so slightly at the tender gesture but she quickly pushed through it.

"Yeah I'm fine." Sian reached down and took Sophie's hand in hers. "I just saw Rita opening up and she said that Blake was rushed to hospital-"

"That's why you're here?" Sophie couldn't stop the relief that accompanied her words; she couldn't have taken any more bad news. She felt her hand being tugged forwards and Sian's arms wrapped around her as she pulled her close to embrace the brunette. Sian just wanted to be there for Sophie, take some of the weight upon the younger girl's shoulders, hold her and tell her everything was going to be okay. Sophie couldn't stop herself from placing her head tenderly on Sian's shoulder.

"Of course, I drove straight here. I had to make sure you were alright."

"You mean Blake." Sophie rudely snapped as she stepped out of the blonde's embrace and Sian frowned at her confused by the sharp tone.

"Yes and Blake." She said slowly trying to make her point, Sian knew how much Blake meant to Sophie and she also knew the brunette would be inconsolable if anything happened to him, and she just wanted to be strong for Sophie so she didn't have to be.

"This isn't some part of our game Sian." The blonde took a single step back so she could look into Sophie's narrowed blue eyes.

"What game? Sophie I came to help, maybe get food for everyone-"

"And you think I'll suddenly fall back into your arms." She hissed through her clenched jaw and Sian's mouth fell open, she couldn't believe that Sophie would think that little of her. She loved Sophie more than anything, she was willing to wait but in the mean time she wanted to be the brunette's friend.

"Sophie, you're worried and hurting and you're taking it out on me but-"

"Do not patronize me Sian. I know what I am and what I'm doing." Sophie shouted through gritted teeth, she didn't want to shout with people walking about, but her rage was growing by the second.

"I'm not patronizing you, I wouldn't do that. I just want to be here for you." All she wanted to do was try and defuse the situation, get back to one minute previous where she had been holding the brunette so closely.

"What do you think? That you'd come here and hold me while I'm falling apart and then I'll end up falling into your arms?"

"No of course not. I'm being your friend Soph."

Sophie couldn't prevent the bitter laugh that escaped through her parted lips and the sound rattled all the way to Sian's heart. "We aren't friends, we've never been friends."

"Soph I…" Sian wanted to try and find words, anything that could make this tension disappear but nothing else left her mouth.

"You should go." The brunette said folding her arms. She had swapped one hard situation for another and now she just wanted to crawl into a ball and wait for everything to right itself.

"But-"

"No, please just go." He voice went quiet and she refused to look up into Sian's eyes in fear that she would lose all her will power.

The blonde opened her mouth as if she was going to speak but she couldn't think of anything that would make this better. She didn't want to hurt the brunette any more, she could already see Sophie was hanging on by a thread and she didn't want to be the one to cut the cord. So with this in mind the blonde did the only thing she could do and that was to bow her head and turn on her heel. Sian could feel the warmth of tears behind her eyes but she refused to let them fall until she was out in the fresh night's air.

Sophie stood rooted to the ground and was thankful that her body felt like lead at that moment because if she thought for a second she could move she would probably be after the blonde. She knew that Sian was right; she was taking her mood out on the blonde causing Sian pain that might equal her own. She knew it was wrong, Sian didn't deserve it but it was too late and all she could do was watch as Sian walked further and further away. She wished she was brave enough to chase her, tell her that she was sorry and more than anything tell her she wanted Sian beside her, holding her hand. But there was too much going on, still too many obstacles between them; some that she thought might be impossible to overcome.

Quickly Sophie wiped away at her eyes before the tears were allowed to fall down her cheeks. They weren't just tears for Sian but tears for Blake and she needed to be strong for her family right now. And she knew that if she succumbed to her moment of weakness then the tears might not stop, so she pushed them back, hidden away with everything else. Carefully she put all the drinks onto a tray, but before she left down the hallway she looked one last time to where the blonde was now approaching the exit.

"Was that Sian I saw?" Sophie looked over her shoulder to see Sally, who was looking past the brunette to see the other woman walking away towards the car park.

"Erm yeah." Sophie quickly said after clearing her throat trying to mask how her voice was threatening to break.

"She was a nice girl." The older woman stated randomly.

"She was." Sophie said with a shrug as she tried to forget about the blonde even though her mother was trying to prevent this with her topic of conversation.

"I know I wasn't the most supportive of your relationship when you were younger. But I got through it." She said quite proud of herself, for a time she had thought she'd never get used to it. Especially after the time her and Kevin had walked in on them half naked on the living room couch. However given time she was able to see what they had was special and she came not only accept it but love it.

"I know you did mum." Sophie said with a smile and began to walk back to the waiting room; tray in hands. Her mother walked beside her silently for a few moments and Sophie was thankful for the quiet.

"She was good for you. She always was. And as soon as I saw that I didn't care." The youngest Webster stopped walking and mother did so also with an innocent expression plastered across her face.

"Why are you telling me this?" Sophie said with a frown as she scanned her mother's appearance suspiciously, trying to understand what they were really talking about.

"I just want you to be happy sweetheart." There was something lurching behind Sally's words and Sophie watched her expression intensely.

"I am." Sophie replied quickly with a small shrug.

"You were when you were with Sian."

"That was years ago." Sally chuckled lightly and tried to smile at Sophie, she was in a world of panic at that moment but looking at Sophie right now was the best distraction she could have hoped for.

"You are my daughter Sophie Webster and I know you better than anyone." Sophie eyed her mum with surprise.

"You know don't you?"

"Perhaps. But I also know that happiness is hard to come by. Our family knows that better than anyone. And you shouldn't push the people who can make you happy away. We're standing in a hospital where life comes and goes so quickly, some things are worth the risks." The brunette just stared at Sally in disbelief. She had underestimated a mother's ability to understand her children. "I know it's probably complicated and there's much I don't know but when it comes to love there is no right and wrong. And there's no automatic switch to turn it off." They stood there in silence for a moment as Sophie gazed at her mother a brief smile ghosting across her pale face. "Ooo is that my coffee?" Sally suddenly said startling the brunette out of her daze. As quickly as her mother's insightful moment had occupied it was gone again. Taking the tray Sally walked back to the group who were still in the same positions as she left them in. Immediately Sophie felt guilty for allowing her own problems to take over her mind. But she couldn't ignore her mother's words as they mingled with the advice given to her by Kevin. Right now however it was all about Blake, and thoughts of Sian sat patiently in the back of her mind waiting for Sophie to find her again.

They had been waiting for hours, being allowed to see a sleeping Blake who could barely keep his eyes open a handful of times. The little boy was unable to talk but you could tell that he was just content to have his family around him. Sophie left his room with a kiss on the forehead and eventually they were all sat out in the waiting room again nursing another round of warm drinks. They were waiting, waiting to hear anything and Sophie wasn't sure that she could cope with it any longer.

"Mr and Mrs Grimshaw?" All their beverages were instantly left disregarded as the doctor approached them. Finally Sophie thought, she could stop the hope building up in her but her brain tried to tether it back down.

"Yeah?" Rosie said as she stood up on unsteady legs but Jason was right beside her wrapping a strong arm around her.

"As we first suspected it is meningitis." Sophie felt her heart sink while her mother went ridged and Rosie almost slumped to the floor. "Wait, let me finish." The doctor continued before Jason could start speaking. "Naturally when you hear meningitis you hear the worst, but this is not as serious."

"What? I don't understand." Rosie said shaking her head back and forth.

"Your son has viral meningitis."

"What does that mean, is he going to be okay? Can we see him please? I don't want him to wake up alone." Blake's mother rambled; she couldn't get her thoughts in any order. She simply required hearing five words; 'Blake's going to be okay.'

"It is treatable, very treatable. We can give him antibiotics and he will require plenty of rest and an watchful eye-"

"Wait, are you saying he's alright? Blake's okay?" Jason said and Sophie was sure that she could see the man's eyes glistening with tears. The brunette waited silently across the hallway for the next words from the doctor. Every one held the breath.

"Yes he is going to be fine." There seemed to be a collective sigh, Kevin pulled Sally into a hug while Jason kissed the side of Rosie's head. The feeling of relief that transcended upon Sophie were impossible to put into words, it was like everything felt perfect and more than anything else she wished that Sian was next to her. Rosie and Jason were being led away to Blake's room and Sophie watched the complete happiness radiate off them and she smiled.

"Mum, I have to pop out." Sophie suddenly blurted out as though she had no control over her own mouth.

"Where are-" Sally said but stopped herself with a knowing smile.

"I'll be back as soon as I can. When you see Blake tell him I love him loads." Sophie called as she raced out of the hospital with only one destination on her radar.

Sophie rang the doorbell and waited. Her head screamed at her to run, to be an adult, to admit that things weren't as simple as her heart was telling her. For the first time in months she ignored the voice, she'd had enough of it ruling her life, attempting to protect her. Her core cried as it realized what was happening; it argued with her brain, telling her this was the right thing. While her insides warred Sophie suddenly grasped that she had no idea what she was going to say, it had been a complete compulsion to run to Sian's and now standing here fear started to spread through her. She looked down at her watch 23:57 three minutes to midnight, maybe she was asleep, perhaps she was out. The brunette contemplated ringing again as her finger floated over the button she sighed.

This was a sign, she had completed the romantic gestured of speeding across town to race to Sian's front door only for it to remain closed in her face. Was this the metaphor for their relationship? Waiting another few seconds she turned to retreat back to her car as the realization began to seep through her. It was a mistake. Before taking her third step however she heard the door click behind her and she swung around as she saw Sian wrapping a robe around herself.

"Sophie? What, what are you doing here? Is Blake okay?" The blonde's face clearly became panicked at seeing Sophie standing at her door.

"He's okay. Thankfully." Sian's expression visibly relaxed and it touched Sophie that her ex cared so much about her nephew.

"Then why are you here? Not that I'm not happy to see you because I am. It's just you didn't seem that happy to see me before." Sian said nervously looking at her feet.

"Can I come in?" The brunette asked and watched as Sian opened the door wider. The older girl walked further into her flat and Sophie followed shutting the door behind her. Sophie stayed facing the door for a moment wondering if her body was going to open it and exit the scene. She shifted on the balls of her feet as she tried to think of what to say now that the moment was right in front of her. With a deep breathe she calmed her feelings and turned to face the blonde who was fidgeting with her fingers. "Sian I-"

"If you're here to tell me this isn't going to work…well, I get it Sophie, we can't be together. Message received loud and clear." The blonde said as she turned to walk towards her living room. She couldn't keep doing this is herself, putting her body through the pain. She wanted Sophie more than she wanted her next breath to inflate her lungs, but she was physically and emotionally exhausted.

However as turned to leave Sophie grabbed Sian's wrist firmly. A moment of silence hung over them followed by Sophie tugging on her the girls arm causing the blonde to stumble closer. In one fluid motion the brunette reached out her hand to cup Sian's cheek and bring the older girl's soft pink lips to her own. Sophie kissed her, she kissed her with every unspoken word, every emotion, kissed her for all she's worth and so much more; and Sian accepted it all.