Author: Raven Shadowrose

Rating: M

Pairing: ?/?

Summary: Sequel to Epiphany, Jeff and Dixie are trying to have a baby, what happens when it is likely to be more difficult than they first thought?

Disclaimer: I do not know or own any of the characters from Casualty, any original characters and the story are my property and I do not give permission for either of them to be used.

A/N: This is a direct sequel to Epiphany, please read that first to understand this story :) Reviews are welcome :)

Thank you to BeethovenRIP, olivia. c. king1 and chan. nelson4444 for your reviews, I really enjoy reading them. I hope you enjoy the chapter. I like this chapter, squishy alert!

Chapter Thirty-Two.

Dixie looked around the ambulance station, it was her last day here and she was going to miss everyone while she was working at ambulance dispatch. She took the opportunity to walk around the station while it was still quiet and there were very few people around. Dixie wanted time alone with her thoughts and memories of this place. She was going to be working for ambulance dispatch for three months; that was a long time in her mind. How would Jeff cope without her? They'd never really worked apart before, he would be working with Tamzin and Dixie hoped that she would Jeff in line and stop him from doing anything reckless or stupid. Surely he wouldn't do anything now that she was pregnant with their baby, would he? She would have a word with him and talk to him about it, she wanted to know that he was safe while she wasn't working there.

Dixie pushed open the door to the rec room and let it close behind her, she sat at one of the tables and recalled some of the times that she had spent in here with Jeff and some of their colleagues. Polly and Cyd came to mind, she liked to think that Polly was looking in on her from time to time. Dixie wasn't sure that she believed in any form of an afterlife or heaven but she wanted to believe that Polly knew about the baby that she was carrying. Polly would have wanted to be an aunty to their baby, she would have been a great mother to her own children too but that chance was cruelly snatched away. Dixie sighed, she wished that they had found Polly sooner and she would still be alive and able to see the baby when he arrived. Was it silly to hope that Polly would be able to see him when he arrived? Dixie wondered about Cyd, what she was up to and if she was any different. She could get the number and call Cyd but something always stopped her, too much time had gone by and she didn't know what to say to her.

Jeff sat in the ambulance, Dixie had said she wanted some time alone to walk through the station one last time by herself. He wondered what he was going to do without her, being separated from her while she worked at dispatch was going to be hard. It was necessary to protect her and the baby, he would endure the separation from Dixie to make sure that she and the baby were both safe. Working with Tamzin wasn't going to be the same as working with Dixie but she was a nice enough woman and a talented paramedic. He was glad that Tamzin was in charge and Dixie hadn't asked him, he wasn't management material and he wanted to be able to go home to Dixie and the baby at the end of the day without worrying about reports that needed to be filed and other things that would be his responsibility if he was in charge. Tamzin was currently organising a little surprise for Dixie, it had been hard keeping everything a secret from her but he wanted her to have a nice last day and to know how everyone felt about her.

Dixie had moved to her office, she had brought a bag with her so that she could take her stuff home with her and then hopefully she could keep some of it on her desk at ambulance dispatch. Dixie packed her secret supply of chocolate that she hadn't touched since she got pregnant as the caffeine wasn't good for the baby. She went to the desk and packed away the photos of herself and Jeff, the one of Cyd followed and she wondered if she leave it at home from now on. Then came the one she'd had taken with Polly. Jeff had taken it for them, Polly was staring at the camera and Dixie looked at herself on it; she was pulling her tongue out at Polly. She smiled at the photo, that had been taken during happier times, she kept it on her desk to remind her of Polly and the friendship that they had shared. She still missed Polly and the light she had brought to this station, Dixie still felt guilty sometimes, Polly was too young to die. Dixie shook her head, there was no point in thinking like that, she could almost hear Polly telling her off and see her standing there with her hands on her hips looking very unhappy because she was beating herself up over what happened that day. Dixie carefully put the photo in her bag and zipped it up, she took one last look around the office and made sure that everything she owned had been put into the bag. Dixie took a deep breath and took the bag to her locker, leaving here was going to be very hard.

Jeff had gone to the rec room to talk to Tamzin for a little while but his mind kept wandering back to Dixie and the baby. The scan to test for abnormalities had gone well and their baby was healthy, he was so happy to hear that. He knew for sure that he would love the baby no matter what but he wanted him to be healthy, as long as the baby and Dixie were healthy then that was all that mattered. 'Tamzin, is everything ready?'

'Yes, the card is going around the staff as we speak, Nicola is taking care of it.'

'I think it will do Dixie good to know that everyone is thinking of her.'

'We are thinking of her and the baby, everyone is overjoyed that she's pregnant. You know as well I do that everyone in this station likes Dixie.'

'I know, I found that out the hard way when I said something stupid to her and everyone sided with Dixie, nobody spoke to me that day unless the had to.'

'Dixie does inspire that kind of loyalty, we're all going to miss her, especially you.'

'Yeah, especially me.'

'Don't worry Jeff, it won't be for long and you'll still see each other at home.'

'I know, I just wish that I could be around to keep an eye on her.'

'Dixie will be fine Jeff and so will the baby.'

'Yeah, you're right.' Jeff tried to be positive, being away from active duty meant that Dixie and the baby would be safe and he wanted that more than anything in the world.

Dixie went looking for Jeff, she was sure that something was going on, people were acting a bit strange around her. She always knew when something was going on in her station and right now something strange was definitely going on. 'Dixie,' she heard Jeff shouting her name from behind her, she turned to face him and he ran up to her.

'What is it?'

'Tess said she needed to see you, something about some paperwork that hadn't been completed properly.'

'Just what I need at the end of our shift, I'd rather go home and put my feet up right now.'

'Come on princess, we'll deal with this and then we can go home.'

'All right.' Dixie sighed, the last thing she needed on her last day was Tess chewing her out over some paperwork, sometimes she really hated being the boss.

Jeff didn't like lying to Dixie but it was necessary as he wanted her to be surprised, she was probably going to kill him when she found out what he and Tamzin had been up to but it would be worth it. 'Noel, where's Tess, she wants to see Dixie.' Noel was in on it all and he knew exactly where to send them.

'She's in the staffroom getting a coffee.'

'Cheers mate. Come on Dix.' Jeff hoped that everyone was ready, now that Dixie was here there was no going back. Tamzin was supposed to let them all know as he brought Dixie into the building, the staffroom door was closed and that was a good sign. 'Go on then princess, the sooner we get this paperwork stuff over with the sooner we can go home.'

'You're right.' Jeff stood back as Dixie opened the door, it was his job to make sure that she didn't run off as Dixie hated being the centre of attention.

Dixie opened the door and she was met with the sight of nearly all of the emergency department crowded in there. Dixie was aware that she had been set up, she turned to get out and saw Jeff stood behind her. 'Sorry princess, I am not allowed to let you leave.'

'Come on Dixie, you didn't think that we'd let you go without saying goodbye properly did you?' Dixie didn't know what to say or do, she hadn't expected them to do anything for her.

'Go on princess.' Dixie gave in and went into the room, Tamzin took her by the arm over to a table that had been filled with food and drink and a cake that was blue and had little stars and moons on it and a baby lying on a fluffy white cloud. Dixie felt herself becoming a little emotional, they had done all of this for her, she was grateful that they had. 'As we all know Dixie is going to be having a baby in a few months time, we all got together and bought you a few gifts.' Dixie stared at Tamzin, they had bought her presents? 'This is first.' Tamzin handed her a wicker basket and she looked inside it; there was a sleep suit, hat and mittens, a hooded towel, a pair of bunny slippers and a little cuddly rabbit for the baby.

'It's beautiful, thank you.'

'That's not all Dixie, there's more.' Dixie took the next package that Tamzin handed to her, it was a blanket and it felt lovely and soft. 'We thought you could wrap the little one in that when he is born.' Dixie was trying hard to keep back her tears but it was getting harder, she felt Jeff's arm move around her shoulder and squeeze it. 'This is for you and Jeff.' Jeff took the book that Tamzin handed to him. 'It's a baby book, you can document everything that happens and put pictures of him in there.' Dixie felt the tears slide down her cheek, she buried her head into Jeff's shoulder and tried to compose herself, she really hadn't expected that everyone would have done something like this for her.

Jeff sensed that Dixie was feeling emotional, he hugged her and kissed her head. 'It's all right princess.' He held Dixie close until she moved her head away from his shoulder and spoke to everyone gathered there.

'Thank you, all of you, I didn't expect anything like this. I know that thank you isn't enough but I am touched by all of the effort that you've gone to.' Dixie hugged Tamzin and slowly other people from the department moved forward to hug her too. Jeff took a few pictures on the camera, he had brought it with him specially so he could remember this occasion. Once Dixie had got over her shock and emotional moment she had started enjoying herself. He had taken a picture of the cake and gifts and of Dixie with everyone that he could.

Dixie was still feeling a bit stunned and overwhelmed, nearly everyone in the department had turned up at one time or another to wish her and Jeff well, the party was winding down now as people were having to go back to work and soon it was just Tamzin and Jeff left. 'Dixie, I wanted to give you this when everyone had gone, this is from me.'

'Tamzin, you've done so much already.'

'I know but I really want you to have this.' Dixie took the little package from Tamzin and shook it out gently. It was a baby blanket that had a cross-stitched pattern on it of Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh.

'Tamzin, did you make this?'

'I did.'

'Thank you, it's lovely, this must have taken you ages.'

'It did, but it was worth it.' Dixie hugged Tamzin, she was a sweet woman. 'There are some flowers and a card for you as well.' Dixie looked over in the corner where Tamzin was pointing and she saw a huge basket of flowers with some little blue roses in the middle. Dixie felt the tears in her eyes again.

'Dix, I'll start taking this stuff to the car.'

'Okay love.' Dixie took advantage of Jeff being gone to talk to Tamzin. 'You will look after Jeff for me while I'm away, won't you?'

'Of course I will, don't worry Dixie, I won't let him do anything risky.'

'Thank you.' Dixie hugged Tamzin again, she felt relieved that she had someone she could trust to look after Jeff for her.

Jeff came back just in time to hear Dixie ask Tamzin to look after him, he would pretend that he hadn't heard but it made him feel happy that she cared about him and had asked Tamzin to take care of him. He went into the staffroom and picked up the baby book and the card, Dixie was holding her flowers and the blanket that Tamzin had made for them. Dixie looked happy, he was glad that he had let Tamzin organise this little party as it had put a smile on Dixie's face. 'Are you ready to go princess?'

'Yes, unless you have any more surprises for me?'

'I think you've had plenty of surprises for one day Dixie.'

'I do too.'

'Come on princess, time to go home.' Jeff held his arm out and Dixie slipped hers through it, they left the hospital through the main entrance and Jeff opened the door for Dixie to get in and then closed it after she had got in. He put the last of the gifts and then got in the car, Dixie was reading her card and smiling at the words people had written in it. 'Are you mad at me for making you the centre of attention?'

'No, it was a very sweet thing you did Jeff.'

'I am glad to hear it princess.'

'Take me home Jeff, do you think we have any chilli sauce in the house?'

'Chilli sauce princess?'

'I just have a sudden craving for it.' Jeff looked at Dixie and chuckled.

'I think your cravings have started, very well, I will get you some.'

'Can we get some cookie dough ice cream too?'

'Yes, Dix, you're not going to eat them together are you?'

'No, I'm not that weird Jeffrey.' Jeff laughed and started the car, he wondered if Dixie would start craving anything else. Whatever she wanted he would get her at whatever time of day or night it was. Jeff smiled, he did have another little surprise for Dixie up his sleeve but he would leave that until tomorrow.