Jill lay in bed later that night. Gordon lay beside her, deep him sleep, a prospect that seemed to elude her at that moment.

She had, frankly, been too idealistic, way too idealistic.

In fact, none of that she'd thought had actually happened. She'd left him for a while, but when she went to him, he wouldn't open up, wouldn't even say one word to her, and she most certainly didn't get that hug.

She knew Gordon so well, well, thought she did. What she had imaged normally did happen, but not then. That night, she couldn't even tell what he was feeling; he was evasive, distant, his expression blank, and he even seemed to be deliberately avoiding her.

He'd walked out of the conversation she'd attempted to start in the kitchen, mumbling something that once again she was unable to decipher. He'd gone to bed long after her, no doubt hoping she'd been asleep, which she wasn't. She lay still, hoping he'd slide his arms around her like he normally did, but he simply slipped under the covers. When she'd reached out, just a hand touching his shoulder, she'd felt him stiffen, and roll over, the same position he was now in, with his back to her.

The tiny prick of pain that had pierced her heart when he'd evaded her arms earlier now intensified tenfold, providing a somewhat crushing and nauseating sensation. Tears built beneath her eyelids as she thought of the unfamiliar atmosphere of the evening.

She wasn't just hurt though, she was also annoyed; whatever was bothering him gave him no right to simply disregard her. But a bigger part of her was concerned as to the reason.

She just hoped things would be different in the morning.


The phone woke her from her restless slumber, having only just dropped off to sleep. A glance at the clock told her it was nearly time to get up anyway, but still, she could have done with an extra few minutes.

She had just swung her legs over the edge of the bed when Gordon's voice made her pause.

"Do you want me to go?"

Her breath caught in her throat and it took her a moment to reply. The jumble of emotions caused by his demeanour and general distance were just as raw as the night before. But hearing him offer to go instead, as he usually would have done, made her think that perhaps he was back to normal, that last night was a one-off and he'd soon explain.

"No, no. I'm up. You go back to sleep." She leant over to kiss him. But it turned out she was wrong again, once again naïve. Instead of allowing his lips to meet hers, he turned his head away. It couldn't even be considered a coincidence that he turned when she leant in. His intent to avoid her was obvious through his whole demeanour.

She pulled back sharply, feeling foolish and embarrassed enough without having to prolong her unwanted closeness.

The emotions escalated. The hurt and anger increased, jostling nauseatingly for place with the concern and confusion. The crushing, yet sharp pain in her chest which was becoming horribly familiar, returned, emanating out to create a dull ache through her trembling form. Despite the shaky, unstable feeling Gordon had caused, she nevertheless managed to launch herself from the bed, and hurry to the source of the shrill shrieking.

She snatched up the black receiver. "Doctor Weatherill." She listened intently to the voice at the other end, mentally noting the information she needed before replacing the receiver on its cradle. She made her way reluctantly upstairs.

"Emergency on the Cleveland Way, just off Whitby Road. Young girl's fallen off a cliff." She spoke whilst quickly throwing on some clothes. She felt the need to fill the uncomfortable silence that was so unfamiliar in their relationship.

She glanced over at the duvet covered form when she received no response. She might have considered him asleep, but she knew him well enough to recognise when he wasn't. But again, she had to remind herself that if he were capable of acting like this, she might not know him at all. He was less like her husband and best friend with whom she'd shared so many experiences and memories, and more like a stranger, who clearly didn't want her company. And that hurt, so much more than anything had hurt her before.