Michael Spence opened the stairwell door to see Jac Naylor standing on the landing with her back to him looking out of the window apparently engrossed in the view of the hospital car park. Her hands were griping the banister tightly; a sign Michael knew well that she was trying desperately not to cry.

'What the hell happened Naylor?' he speaks softly behind her.

'Leave me alone Michael' she answers without looking him.

'Hey look at me' he places a hand on her shoulder. She turns her head to look at him and he can see her eyes are brimming with unshed tears. 'Oh Jac' he says as she uncharacteristically allows him to hug her. 'I guess I'd better not tell Levy about this or he may get jealous'. Jac laughs in spite of herself. 'A hug from Naylor is like gold dust'.

'Shut up Spence' Jac says thickly wiping away a few tears with the back of her hand. Michael searches his pockets and finds a clean tissue. 'Thanks' Jac mutters taking it from him.

'It's ok to cry you know' Michael says taking a seat on the stairs. He pats the space next him and Jac obliges by sitting down next to him.

'I know but I seem to have been doing rather a lot of it' Jac gives him a watery smile 'I've got my reputation to think of. Besides I'm trying to convince Hanssen to let me go back to full time at some point in the near future. Having a mental breakdown every five minutes isn't helping my cause'.

'Full time huh?' Micheal says. Jac nods her head at him. 'You think you're ready for that both mentally and physically? Because I remember full time to Jac Naylor was a 20 hour day.'

'Your exaggeration is just hilarious' she rolls her eyes at him. 'In answer to your question mentally yes because I feel better at work. The distraction is good for me. Physically I don't know but there is only one way to find out.'

'It would probably help if you ate a little more' Michael uses the opportunity to nag her once more about her lack of eating.

'Oh for goodness sake' Jac sighs and moves to stand up. She is easily annoyed by the well-intentioned advice she receives regularly from her well-meaning friends. She knows they can't help it and she knows they are right. However she also knows they cannot know what the grief of losing Amelia feels like physically. She tried once to voice it into words for Michael but found the English language lacking.

'Sit back down' Michael speaks authoritatively, pulling her back down with a tug on her skinny wrist. 'Jeez' he sighs. 'So what happened back there with Jasmine?'

'You and Sacha are right. She appears to be genuine.' She grinned at Michael. 'She shares my gift for plain speaking' Michael grinned back. 'Her maturity though Michael' Jac's face became serious. 'I know I had to grow up fast but I when I was her age I was very much focused on what was best for me, much like my mother. Jasmine appears to have sussed out the world and all its inhabitants'.

'Hey' Michael says putting his arm around Jac once more. 'You are nothing like your mother. I've seen you be selfless so many times over the years. You need to give yourself more credit.' They sat in silence for a while. 'So why did you rush out in tears?'

'Her daughter…' Jac tries to think of the best way to describe how she felt at seeing Ava for the first time. Some nurses' walked up the stairs and Jac squashed up to Michael to let them pass, ignoring the strange looks the party of four bestowed on the odd looking couple sitting on the stairs. Jac waited until she heard the stairwell door bang close on the intruders before she begins again. 'I know this will sound strange but she reminded me of Amelia. I picture her in my head all time. By now she would have been 7 months old and I can see her healthy, sitting up, trying out different solids for the first time, cutting her first tooth.' Jac turned her head to look at Michael. 'You must think I'm crazy'.

'No I don't' Michael reassures her softy 'go on'. It was rare to hear Jac talk like this.

'I see her growing older learning to talk and walk, starting school, growing up into a teenager, making us proud with exam results, graduating from University'. Jac ticked off these major mile stones on her fingers. 'When I picture her at age three or four, well Ava pretty much fits the description'. She wiped fresh tears away with Michael's tissue 'so it just completely freaked me out'.

'I do that too' Jonny's Scottish accented voice broke into the silence behind them making both Michael and Jac jump.

'Jesus Maconie!' Michael exclaimed as Jonny took a seat next to Jac filling the remaining space left on the stair. 'How long have you been stood there?'

'I slipped through the door before it closed on that group of nurses' He put his arm around Jac 'I didn't mean to eavesdrop' he added apologetically. Jac snuggled into his chest.

'You picture Amelia too?' She asked her fiancé.

'All the time' Jonny tells her 'I picture her as beautiful as her mother, as charismatic as her father and with a genius intelligence inherited from the both of us.'

'The kid sounds dangerous' Michael joked which earned him a swift dig in the ribs from Jac's elbow. 'Ouch!' he exclaimed rubbing the inflicted area with his hand.

'Maybe it's more normal than I thought.' Jac contemplated aloud. 'Jasmine probably thinks I'm some crazy heartless woman with no maternal instinct after the way I rushed out of there.'

'To be fair she wouldn't be the first' Jonny laughed. Jac gave him one of her most formidable looks. 'Those don't work on me' he laughed pulling her back into his chest.

'If you want me to I could go and explain your situation to her?' Michael offered the couple. 'Might be easier for me to fill her in and then you can go back and see her at your own pace.'

Jac thought for a moment listening to the thud of Jonny's heart through his chest. 'Ok' she said quietly.

'It's a beautiful day outside' Jonny spoke 'why don't we grab some food and go for a walk whilst Michael speaks with Jasmine? You hardly ate any breakfast and fresh air might do you good'.

'Ok' Jac spoke softly again. She allowed Jonny to help her up. 'Thanks Michael' she says over her shoulder as Jonny leads her down the stairs.

'Anytime Naylor'. Michael called after her 'I'm really starting to enjoy these surreal situations your family keep putting us in'. As he watched the couple walk down the stairs he hoped Jonny would be successful in getting Jac eat something fattening. Those bony elbows of hers were a serious weapon.