Thanks again to all those still reading, hope you enjoy this chapter! Please review if you can; I would value opinions on how this is reading. Suggestions also welcome too!

Jonny woke up at five thirty in the morning to the sound of water creaking through the pipes to the bathroom. He moved his arm to across the bed to ascertain if Jac was still beside him. He groaned as he only felt cool sheets and his suspicions were confirmed. He rolled out of bed and headed towards the bathroom. He walked through the door to see his fiancée enjoying a nice soak in the bath.

'Jac what the hell are you doing? Its five thirty in the morning!' He exclaimed grumpily.

'Mulling things over.' She raises an eyebrow at his grumpy expression 'You knew I was a habitual early riser before you moved in with me' she defended her actions.

'I don't have to get up for another two hours' Jonny muttered.

'So go back to bed.' Jac grined at him 'or get in here with me'.

'Scoot over then' he said removing his boxer shorts.

Jac moved forward so Jonny could get in the bath behind her. 'Are you sure you still want to marry me Jonny? Even after meeting my crazy family?' she says as she rests against his body.

'Of course I do.' He plants a kiss on her shoulder 'who wouldn't put up with crazy family members and ridiculous early mornings to marry a woman as gorgeous as you?'

'Did you mean what you said to Granddad? About helping?' She asks next.

'Absolutely. Your family is my family' He pushed Jac forward a little so he could massage her back. 'Ava is a pretty great kid isn't she?' he continues 'extremely cute and so clever for her age.'

'She shares my genes of course she'd be clever.' Jac closed her eyes relaxing as Jonny rubbed away the tension in her back. 'What are we going to do Jonny?'

'Take it one day at time' he says simply. Jac let out a soft groan as she enjoyed the massage.

'Keep doing what you're doing Maconie and you may discover there are advantages to early mornings.'

'Oh will I now?' Jonny said kissing the back of her neck. 'Wait a minute' he suddenly stopped removing his hands from Jac's back. 'Unless you're talking about making me breakfast because your lumpy version of porridge is so not worth a back massage.'

'Just keep going and you'll find out' Jonny replaced his hands. 'And my porridge is not lumpy'.

'Never argue with a Scot about porridge' Jonny laughed kissing her neck again.

…

'Auntie Jac!' A small red haired child ran up to Jonny and Jac whilst they waited for coffee in the hospital coffee shop.

'Hello Pumpkin' Jac said as she scooped the child up into her arms. 'Are you here on your own?'

'No Sacha and Mo brought me breakfast.' Ava answers her aunt playing with strands of Jac's lose hair with her fingers. Jac turned around and saw her friends sat a table watching the interaction between the red head and the small child. Jonny picked up their coffees and they walked over to join them.

'Morning' Jonny said with a smile. Mo and Sacha returned the greeting. Mo sat intently watching, her mouth slightly agape, as Jac sat down placing her niece on her lap. This soft child friendly version of Jac did not occur very often. Jonny stepped down hard on Mo's foot to make her stop staring before Jac noticed.

'I didn't think you were working today Jac' Mo says to cover her interest.

'I'm not' Jac answers brushing through Ava's soft hair with her fingers 'I'm just here visiting.'

Mo knew that was all the information she was likely to get. Jac never was forthcoming with particulars regarding her personal life. She knew Jonny would fill her in later and then she would have to pretend she did not know whilst fully knowing Jac knew she knew but would also be pretending otherwise. Why Jac had to make life so complicated Mo did not know.

'Right. Well I'd better get up to the ward. Who knows what Professor Hope will have managed to lose without supervision for an hour.'

'Please make sure he keeps to own desk.' Jac said as she drank some of her coffee. 'I had to remove half-eaten food off mine last time.' She rolls her eyes.

'Gotcha' Mo said 'you coming Jonny Mac?'

'Sure' he said standing 'see you later' he kissed Jac on the lips whilst Sacha pulled disgusted faces at Ava making the little girl laugh.

'It was nice to meet you Ava' Mo said to the little girl. 'She's gorgeous' she mouthed to Jac over the top of Ava's head. Jac grinned back knowing full well her niece was easily making friends and influencing people in a way Jac never could.

'Bye Mo' Sacha calls after the registrar. They exchanged goofy grins and Sacha blushed.

'Bye Mo' Jac mocks her friend. He sticks her tongue out her. 'Childish. Why don't you just do us all a favour and ask her out?'

'I have…' Sacha starts to protest

'On a proper date.' Jac interrupts him 'Asking her for drinks along with the rest of us is not a date.' Sacha just smiled at his friend. He had missed her mocking but always accurate advice.

….

Jac walked to Keller ward with Ava in her arms ignoring the ill hidden looks and whisperings that developed in her wake. Clearly the hospital gossip grape vine had been working overtime.

'Ah Ms Naylor' Mr Hassen greeted the consultant as she entered the ward. 'I've just been having a nice conversation with your sister. Lovely young woman. Very intelligent.'

'Good morning Mr Hassen' Jac responds to him 'why have you taken an interest in my sister? I thought Spence was treating her?'

'Mr Spence asked Mr Griffin and myself to consult on your sisters case. We both know for reasons of patient confidentially I cannot discuss these matters with you.' He smiled kindly at Jac 'However I would advise you to talk to your sister about her treatment.' He walked away from the confused red head.

'Why can't you ever just actually say what you mean?' Jac muttered under her breath. 'Nurse Lane?' she called over to the blond nurse.

'Good morning Ms Naylor. Good morning Ava!' the nurse s greeted them brightly. 'What can I do for you?'

'Could you watch Ava?' Jac asked trying to look as friendly as possible. 'I really need to talk to Jasmine alone.'

'Of course! I'd be delighted too!'

How could she be so jolly all the time Jac thought to herself 'Great. Thank you.' She said placing Ava on the floor. 'Go with Nurse Lane Ava and I'll be back soon.'

'No Auntie Jac I want to stay with you' the little girl grabbed hold of Jacs leg and looked up at her with a quivering lip.

'Now come on Ava. Let's not be naughty. We had such fun yesterday!' The young nurse prised the child off the consultants leg. Having overheard some of the conversation between Jasmine and Mr Hanssen Chantelle knew it was imperative she talked with her sister. 'Auntie Jac will just have a little chat with your Mummy and then she'll be right back. Won't you Auntie Jac?'

Jac nodded her head to confirm the nurses words whilst thinking if someone had told her she would be referred to as 'Auntie Jac' a few days ago she would have told them to stop being so ridiculous.

Ava stood holding onto Chantelle's hand taking a few deep breaths. 'Please don't cry or scream, please don't cry or scream' Jac privately prayed into the thin air.

'Ok' Ava said sulkily.

'Good girl. I'll be back before you know it' Jac smiled at her niece before quickly heading to Jasmines room, not knowing how long even Chantelle would be able to pacify Ava for.

She entered the room to find Jasmine wiping away tears. 'Right it's time for you to starting talking missy.' Jac handed her sister some tissues 'I want to know what Mr Spence, Mr Griffin and Mr Hanssen have been planning.'

'Hi to you too.' Jasmine said accepting the tissues. 'Is this your bedside manor?'

'Pretty much' Jac noded her head. 'So?'

'They want to operate. Remove as much as they can to ease the pain and possibly buy me more time.' Jasmine blew her nose. 'I've said no way. I've had enough.'

'Enough of what?' Jac asked. 'Those three surgeons are the best there is. If they want to operate you should let them'.

'Enough of what? How the hell can you ask that question?' Jasmine glared at her sister. 'Two and a half years I've had tests, chemo, radiotherapy and surgery. It's all been for nothing; I'm going to die anyway. Better it's quick rather than a few more months of suffering.'

'What about Ava?' Jac matched her sister's glare 'She doesn't deserve a few more months with you?'

'DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME ABOUT AVA!' Jasmine suddenly roared 'I ONLY MET YOU YESTERDAY!'

'HOW THE HELL CAN YOU BE THIS BLOODY SELFISH?!' Jac roared back. She turned on her heal and stomped out of the room, pushing past Michael Spence and kept going until she found herself sat in the peace garden with no recollection as to how she got there.

…..

'I hear you've been doling out advice Naylor style again' Sacha appeared in front of Jac holding out a cup of tea.

'Yeah well she deserved it.'

'We both know you don't mean that.' Sacha sat down next to Jac 'personally I'm just glad you finally had a blowout. We've all been waiting for months since you started back at work. It's like we've been waiting for a volcano to erupt or something. Very tense.'

'Thanks Sacha. I always could rely on your honesty' Jac said dryly rolling her eyes. 'How are things back on the ward?'

'Well'. Sacha took a swig of his tea. ' Dr Digby had a panic attack, Ava had a minor melt down because you left the ward without consulting her first, Jasmine cried a bit more, Mr Spence has pretty much single handed cleaned up the fallout and Mr Griffin has started a petition to get any Naylor or Borrows evicted and banned from darkening the hospital doorstep ever again.'

'Wow. That was particularly impressive even for me' Jac said with a smirk. 'What did Mr Hanssen do?'

'He hasn't emerged from his office yet. But I'm sure he heard.'

'There goes my chances of full time' Jac said bitterly.

'I don't know. He may think it's a sign you're getting back on top peak form'

'I meant what I said to Jasmine.' Jac looked at Sacha 'If I could spend just one more day with my daughter I would give anything.'

'Come on Jac' Sacha looked sternly at his friend. 'Give her a break. She's young and afraid. For all she knows she agrees to this op and could die on the table. Thus Ava suddenly gets no time with her mother at all.'

'But she wouldn't even consider it.' Jac pointed out.

'Well whether you regret what was said or not it doesn't really matter because whilst you've been out here brooding she's agreed to have the op.' Sacha finished his tea and threw the empty paper cup into the bin. 'Come on' he offered his arm to Jac 'you've got family who need your support'.

'I'm not sure I'm going to be a very welcome face' Jac said as she pulled herself up using Sacha's offered arm.

Sacha grinned at his friend 'Ah well it seems just like you your sister doesn't bare grudges. It was her who sent me to get you.'