Title: In Your Eyes

Authors: Raven Shadowrose/BeethovenRIP

Rating: M

Pairing: ?/?

Summary: A joint FanFic by Raven Shadowrose and BeethovenRIP based on Dixie and Jeff's conversation at the end of Series 26 Episode 36. We have rated it M as future chapters will contain adult themes. Dixie wants to be a mother and Jeff is all too willing to oblige, but, does their conversation in the ED have an unexpected effect on their relationship?

Disclaimer: The authors do not know or own any characters or content from Casualty, any original characters and the story are ours and we do not give permission for anyone to use the story or reproduce it.

Author's Note: Thank you to chan. nelson4444 and olivia. c. king1 for your reviews, enjoy the chapter.

Chapter Eighteen.

Dixie made her way into the ambulance station for the start of another shift, Tamzin was waiting for her when she got there. 'Morning Dixie.'

'Morning Tamzin.'

'How are you?'

'I'm all right for a early morning.'

'I know what you mean. Where's Jeff?'

'He's just locking up the car, he'll be here in a minute.'

'Jeff is a nice man, better than most that I've met.' Dixie wondered what Tamzin was getting at, she couldn't help but wonder if she was after Jeff.

'He is, I am so lucky to be married to him.'

'That's nice.' The tone in Tamzin's voice made Dixie think that she didn't think it was nice at all, it sounded as if she was being quite sarcastic. Dixie tried not to show that she was feeling a little bit threatened by the young paramedic that was stood in front of her. Jeff wouldn't be interested in her, would he? He had promised that he only wanted her and nobody else, certainly not Tamzin, Dixie tried to remember that, Jeff wouldn't do anything to hurt her, she was sure of it.

Jeff saw Tamzin coming towards him, there was no way of avoiding her but he wanted to see Dixie before the shift started and maybe sneak a quick kiss or two to get him through the day. He sighed in annoyance and reminded himself that he had to be polite to her. 'Morning Tamzin.'

'Morning Jeff, how are you today?' He could have sworn he saw her fluttering her eyelashes at him, why was she doing that? Maybe she had something in her eye, he chose to ignore it.

'I'm okay.'

'I'm great, I really like working here, there are lots of nice people at this station. Especially you Jeff, I like working with you.'

'Thanks.' Jeff didn't know what Tamzin was up to, he could have sworn she was flirting with him. It was making him uncomfortable and he decided that the best way out of it was to leave. 'I have to go and see Dixie.' Jeff stepped round Tamzin and left her stood in the middle of the station, he carried on walking towards Dixie's office but he could feel Tamzin's eyes on the back of his head as he walked through the station. Jeff was glad when he reached the door to Dixie's office and he opened it, he was glad to see Dixie in there and he smiled at her. 'Hi Dixie.' Jeff went over to Dixie and kissed her gently. 'What was that for Jeff, what have you done?'

'Why do I have to have done something? I just wanted to kiss you, we are going to be spending hours apart after this.'

'Okay, then give me another kiss.' Jeff smiled and kissed Dixie again, he wasn't looking forward to spending the day without Dixie.

Tamzin was feeling frustrated, Jeff was ignoring her flirting, what was she going to have to do to get him to look at her? Most men didn't need as much effort as she was having to put in to snare Jeff, he was very stubborn, she was wondering if she should give up. No, never, she never gave up on someone that she had decided to ensnare, he would be hers, she would do whatever it took to get Jeff into her bed. She noted that he was very protective of women, perhaps that was her way in, if she could use that protectiveness to her advantage. All she had to do was put herself in a position where his protectiveness would come into play. Tamzin smiled, she began to formulate the plan in her mind, all she would have to do was put it into action at the opportune moment.

Dixie was very suspicious of Tamzin, her instincts were telling her that something was wrong with this whole situation. She'd seen her trying to get as close as she could to Jeff and always touching his arm and shoulder. Dixie wanted to go over and tell her to stop it but she didn't want to sound like the jealous wife, it was probably just innocent and she was just being friendly. Why then was she feeling increasingly suspicious of Tamzin's behaviour? She was watching them right now and Tamzin was flicking her hair and tilting her head towards Jeff whenever he said something, it was obvious to anyone that looked at her. Jeff, to his credit, was ignoring Tamzin and her flirting. He looked quite embarrassed and relieved when Norman came over and started talking to them. Tamzin looked annoyed when Norman stood between her and Jeff. Dixie wasn't sure what to think, would Jeff respond to Tamzin's flirting? She hoped that he wouldn't.

Jeff had never been so glad to see Norman, normally his facts and statistics wound him up no end but this time he was so pleased to see him. He was fed up of Tamzin touching his arm and moving closer to him all the time. He kept trying to put space between them but she wasn't taking the hint, he really was trying to be nice about it but it was getting harder and harder. 'How are you Norman?'

'I am well, thanks Jeff. How are you?'

'I'm good mate, how is the birdwatching going?'

'Just last week I saw a Nightjar, a very rare bird in the UK, I am quite fortunate to have seen it.' Jeff wanted to laugh at the look on Tamzin's face, it made listening to Norman worthwhile.

'Really, are there many rare birds in the UK?'

'Twelve per cent of all birds in the UK are endangered due to the fact that people are damaging this planet beyond repair.'

'That's interesting.' Norman was about to say something else when Dixie came out of her office.

'Come on Norman, we have a shout.'

'Take care Dixie.' Jeff went over and kissed Dixie on the cheek. 'Stay safe princess.'

'Don't worry, I will.' Jeff kissed Dixie again and he watched her drive off in the ambulance to the shout.

Tamzin wondered what on Earth was wrong with Jeff, he'd rather talk to Norman about birds and endangered species than talk to her. She really was going to have to try something else, she hated being obvious but if that's what it was going to take then it is what she would do. She was just going to have to get him alone and then take her chance, what would he do if she kissed him? How would he react, she knew that he'd cheated before and if she kissed him then she thought that he would react like most men and take advantage of what was offered to him on a plate. Her plan was taking shape and she had another idea, getting Jeff away from Dixie was going to mean splitting them up. Jeff obviously was not going to pay any attention to her so she was going to have to be smarter than that. She had planned to tempt him by having something happen to her but if she could make Dixie distrust Jeff then she would be in prime position to take her place. Tamzin thought about Jeff's past and his cheating, what if she brought up cheating in a conversation with Dixie, would it be enough to make Dixie doubt Jeff? It was worth a go, she had to do something, she wanted Jeff in her bed and she would do anything to make that happen.

Dixie pushed the button for a coffee, she had managed to escape Norman after their last shout, he was a nice bloke but every so often she needed a break from him. She picked up her coffee, it was in her favourite mug; Jeff had bought it for her simply because he thought she would like it. Dixie smiled at the memory and sipped at her drink, she was still absorbed in her thoughts when Tamzin came in and got herself a drink. 'Hi Dixie, on a break?'

'Something like that, I needed five minutes away from Norman.'

'I can imagine, he is very talkative.'

'He doesn't mean any harm though and is a very talented paramedic, there isn't anything that he doesn't know.'

'I have a friend like that, she thinks she knows everything except she doesn't know anything. She's always going out with the same bloke and he keeps cheating on her. I've always said that men never change, if they've cheated once then they'll do it again.'

'Do you think so, I wouldn't put everyone in that category, not everyone is the same and some people have a good reason for doing the things that they do.'

'Maybe you're too trusting Dixie.'

'Maybe you're not trusting enough, not every man is a cheat and a liar.'

'I wouldn't be so sure.' Tamzin walked out with her coffee and Dixie just stared after her, she wasn't right, Jeff wouldn't do that to her, would he? No, of course he wouldn't, she could trust him.

Tamzin smiled, she was sure that her words would make Dixie doubt Jeff, she was sure that Dixie would know all about Jeff and his ex-wife and how he cheated on her in the past. All it would take to get Dixie thinking was a few words and hopefully the little speech about her friend and the man that kept cheating on her. It was all rubbish but the important thing was that Dixie thought it was the truth. All she had to do was get Jeff somewhere and kiss him, with any hope Dixie would see and she would think even more about what she had heard. All she had to do was be there when things started falling apart and then she could comfort Jeff and be in perfect position to to end up in his bed.

Dixie was trying her hardest to forget Tamzin's words, Jeff would not hurt her in that way, he loved her and cared for her. They were nearly at the end of the shift and she just wanted to get away from Tamzin and her poisonous words. She went out into the garage and found Norman cleaning their ambulance. 'You didn't have to clean the ambulance alone Norman.'

'It's all right Dixie, you're a busy woman being the Duty Manager and all.' Dixie smiled, Norman was a sweet man, Tamzin was wrong, not all men were out to hurt women. Norman and Jeff were two such men, Jeff had cheated before but that was in the past and she wasn't going to hold it against him or bring it up again. Jeff had been faithful to her throughout their marriage and she wasn't about to let a jealous woman like Tamzin ruin what they had together.

Jeff finished cleaning out the ambulance and shut the doors, he was glad, Tamzin had been brushing against him all evening and deliberately touching his arm, it was driving him crazy, he just wanted her to stay away from him. He was trying to be diplomatic about it for now, he hoped that whatever attraction she had to him would wear off. Jeff wandered over to Dixie's office and put his head around the door. 'Hey Dix, how did they day with Norman go?'

'As all the days with Norman go, the man is a walking encyclopaedia.'

'You love him really.'

'I know, he is a very competent paramedic and we could do a lot worse.'

'Dix, Tom and Fletch have invited me out for a drink or two, do you mind if I go?'

'Of course not love, I'm going to finish off this paperwork and then head home.'

'Are you sure Dix?'

'Yeah, it has been a long day and I just want to go home and relax.'

'Okay, are you sure that you're all right Dix?'

'Yeah, do I not sound all right?'

'You just sound a bit off Dixie.'

'I'm just tired love.'

'Okay, I won't be home too late, I'm only going for a couple. I'll be back about nine.'

'See you later Jeff.'

'See you later princess.' Jeff kissed Dixie on the head, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong with Dixie, he would talk to her again about it later and hope that she would open up to him.

Dixie headed off home once she'd finished the paperwork, she fixed herself something to eat and then sat on the sofa with Little Abs at her feet. 'Here you go boy.' Dixie gave Little Abs a bit of her potato and then finished off the rest of it herself. Dixie let Little Abs out in the back garden and waited for him to do his business, normally she would have taken him out for a walk but she was tired and wanted to get to bed as soon as possible. Jeff wouldn't like her taking him out by herself anyway, he always worried about her in the dark. Dixie looked at the clock and noted that it was nearly nine, Jeff would be home soon, she went upstairs and got herself ready for bed. Once she had finished cleaning her teeth and putting her moisturiser on she went into Jeff's room and climbed into the bed, she picked up her book and took the bookmark out, she would read until Jeff got home.

Dixie looked a clock a little while later and noted that Jeff still wasn't home, it was nearly half nine, where was he? What if something had happened to him? Tamzin's words came rushing back, what if he was with someone else? Had he found someone younger and thinner than her, someone like Tamzin. Dixie began to worry, what if he never came back? What if he did come back and then told her he was leaving her for someone else? Dixie knew that deep down she was being silly and that Jeff wouldn't run off and leave her like that but it didn't stop the tears escaping her eyes and running down her face. She lay down on her pillow and tried to stop crying, she didn't know why she was letting Tamzin get to her, she didn't know why the words about men cheating over and over again were running through her mind. Dixie closed her eyes and tried to calm down, she refused to believe that Jeff would hurt her in that way, he would come home to her and he would call her princess and tell her that he loved her.

Jeff saw the light on in his bedroom, it must mean that Dixie was awake and waiting for him, he knew that he was in trouble for being late. He'd lost track of time talking to Tom and Fletch and by the time the taxi had arrived it was already gone nine. Jeff locked the door and went up the stairs, he opened the door to his room and saw Dixie lying in the bed. She was lying on her side and he went and sat next to her. 'Princess?' There was no answer, Jeff looked closer and saw that she was asleep, he saw the tear marks that had run down her cheeks, why had she been crying? Jeff wondered if it was because he was late. 'Sorry princess, I didn't mean to be late.' He kissed Dixie on the head and got himself changed for bed, he climbed in next to Dixie and put his arm around her. Dixie stirred and slowly opened her eyes.

'Jeff, is that you?'

'Hush love, I'm here.' Dixie sounded worried, Jeff was sure that he was missing something in this whole situation. 'Go back to sleep princess.'

'Why were you late?'

'I just lost track of time and the taxi was late, I'm sorry Dixie.'

'I'm just glad you're home.' Jeff stroked Dixie's hair and cuddled up to her, he turned out the light and held Dixie close, she seemed tense but relaxed when he put his arms around her. He was worried about Dixie, just what had made her so upset? He vowed to find out tomorrow once they'd had some sleep.