No prizes for guessing the plot unfortunately! Ha ha! Thank you for all the lovely reviews. They are really encouraging.

Jac sat down in the seat beside Jasmines bed. The young woman was still sleeping; a combined effect of morphine and lack of sleep.

'I think I'll take this with me' Michel says as he removed the file of notes from the bed end. 'Just so you won't be tempted' Jac pulled a face at him and Michael stifled a small laugh. The young woman stirred from her sleep. 'Hi. How's the pain?' Michael asks her.

'Much better. Thank you'. The young woman smiles at him.

'Well I'll leave you two alone' Michael nods his head towards Jac. Jasmine turned her head in the direction of Michael's nod to see her older sister sat beside her.

'Hi' Jasmine smiles at her sister. 'I can't believe you came.'

'If I'm going to be honest nor can I' Jac gave her sister a small smile trying to alleviate the awkwardness of the situation. 'How are you feeling?'

'The pains better so that's good.' Jasmine let out a long breath 'I'm not exactly sure how to describe how I'm feeling though'. She took a long look at her sister. The paleness of her skin and her bone structure was almost a mirror image of her own. Jac's striking red hair was lose showing off its length with a slight wave at the ends. Jasmines own hair matched in colour but she still grieved the loss of its length. After stopping chemotherapy it had regrown quickly but had yet to reach her shoulders. She noted how skinny her sister looked and that there was a hint sadness surrounding her like a light shroud. 'I feel as though I've waited a long time to meet you Jac'.

'So why now?' Jac asks. She hadn't meant it to sound as harsh it did.

Jasmine shook her head slightly, as if trying to clear it. 'You must have so many questions and I promise I will answer them honestly. I'm not going play with you Jac. Our mother used to frustrate me with her games all the time so I prefer plain speaking. So here it is as plain as day; I have a child that I am going to leave motherless soon. I'm terrified of her being alone and ending up with strangers. I have no one to turn to so I'm seeking out family and it would seem you are it.' Jasmine closed her eyes the effort of her speech having drained her.

'Are you asking what I think you're asking of me?' Jac asks finally.

'Yes' Jasmine kept her eyes closed. 'I know what I'm asking is massive thing. I'm not pretending it's not but there is no one else'.

'What about the child's father?' Jac asks but she knows the answer will be obvious.

'He didn't want to know about her even before she was born.' Jasmine sighs 'and before you start a list of other potential candidates I'll tick them off for you. My friends are all their twenties and as much as they love spending time with Ava none of them are ready for the commitment of a child. I never knew my father. 'Unknown' is a hard name to track down.' Jasmine laughs lightly at her own comment. 'I haven't heard from our delightful mother since I sent her photographs via email when Ava was born. She doesn't even know
I'm sick. Granddad has been fantastic but he's an elderly man. As fit as a flea still but nowhere near fit enough to look after an active child'.

There's a long silence as Jasmine recovers herself again. Jac bites back the hundred and one questions she's longing to ask. She can see from Jasmines pallor that things will have to be slow and frustratingly time consuming. After what feels like an age Jasmine opens her eyes. 'I'm not asking for a decision right away. All I'm asking for now is for you to spend a little time with Ava. Get to know your niece.' She looks Jac directly in the eye 'And I want to get to know my older sister'.

Jac nods her head. 'You must have so many questions' Jasmine laughs a little.

'One or two' Jac smiles at her sister. 'I don't know where to start actually'

'Well just ask away. I'll stick to the promise not to embroider the truth.' Jasmine closed her eyes again.

Jac thought for a moment. 'How is Granddad?'

'Oh he's fine. Much the same as he always is just a little slower. He misses you.'

'He didn't come after me'.

Jasmine opened one eye. 'Do you think that is fair? You were hardly receptive to the idea of seeing me. He thought it best to let you go and hope you might come back. I think on that one you are both a little at fault.'

Jac was staggered at Jasmines maturity. At twenty one she already had the world sussed. 'Why didn't you return to India?'

'Well our mother could always drive me crazy with her games but a secret child she left behind in the UK whilst she went on an adventure really took the biscuit'. Jasmine fully looked at her sister now 'and to be frank the fact she sought you out purely for a kidney and then tried to leave without so much as a goodbye to you made me feel physically ill.'

Jac nodded and swallowed hard trying to get rid of a bit of built up emotion. She absentmindedly played with the engagement ring on her left hand. It was a habit she had picked up since she'd lost weight through grief and ring had become a little lose. Jasmine watched her for a while and then finally broke the silence.

'You're engaged?' She asked.

'Yes' Jac nods and a small natural smile forms on her lips.

Taking a lead from this Jasmine speaks again 'To a doctor?'

Jac let out a soft laugh 'No he's a nurse actually'

'Sorry I should learn not to assume things' Jasmine similes 'I always thought I'd fall in love and get married one day. Do the whole white dress and church wedding thing. Our mother would be horrified' Jasmine laughs.

'Yes she would' Jac agrees. 'Jonny and I aren't quite so conventional. I think if we finally manage to organise a day it would be a small and quiet affair'. Jac isn't sure why she is confiding with this woman of whom she knows so little but there is something so familiar about her it's almost comforting.

Nurse Lane suddenly appeared at the door. 'Sorry Jasmine' she spoke softly 'Ava really wanted to see if you were awake'.

Jac couldn't take her eyes off the small red haired child clutching hold of Chantelle's hand. Her hair was long and lose with slight curls at the ends. The child looked into Jacs eyes and Jac could see they were the same green as her own. Her pale skin was freckled and Jac could tell she was a healthy well cared for three year old. 'Oh Ms Naylor I'm sorry' Nurse Lane smiled at the consultant 'I didn't see you there.'

Jac suddenly came to. 'No don't worry' she stood up abruptly. 'I'll come back later' she said quickly as she slid past the nurse and child out the door. She walked swiftly and purposefully down the ward, past the office with a confused looking group of men inside and out the stairwell door. Only then did she allow herself to let out a single sob.