This chapter may seem a bit strange/out of place but bear with it because it should (hopefully!) make sense as I write more of the story. Thanks to all those still reading. Please leave a review if you have time :-)

A few more days had passed and Jasmine was making a startling recovery from her operation. Michael Spence found himself having to remind George Burrows that the surgery had brought Jasmine time only. As much as he was pleased at Georges enthusiasm at Jasmines progress he felt it was important to keep the gentleman's expectations to a realistic level.

Jac had decided to return to work for a spell. Her work load had been light with part time hours since Amelia so it meant she would still have time to care for Ava. The little girl had gone into the hospital day care that morning without a care in the world. The same could not be said for her Auntie. Jac had spent a long time fussing over the details of Ava's care with the nursery manager. The woman had humoured Jac knowing the circumstances surrounding Ava. To ease the anxiety of the consultant the nursery staff had emailed Jac a couple of pictures of Ava throughout the day showing the little girl was perfectly fine and having the time of her life.

Having finished her electives for the day Jac decided to take the pictures to Keller ward to show Jasmine what her daughter was up to.

'You look so different!' Jasmine greeted her sister; Jac was dressed in navy blue scrubs with her long hair tied up into a messy bun and her stethoscope was still slung around her neck. 'You look like a proper doctor!'

'Thanks' Jac laughed and rolled her eyes 'it is the outfit that actually makes you a doctor of course'.

'You know what I mean' Jasmine laughed. 'Are you having a busy day?'

'Not really' Jac slumped down into the bedside chair. 'I had a couple of valve replacements this morning and then I've got the Hertzig research planed into my schedule this afternoon'.

'Don't know how you do it; cut people open with all that blood and gore' Jasmine pulled a face.

'You get past the 'blood and gore' feeling pretty quickly' Jac laughed at her sister as she pulled her phone out her pocket. 'you have to if you want to help fix people. I came up here to show you these' She scrolled to the pictures of Ava and handed Jasmine the phone.

'Oh she looks happy' Jasmine smiled. 'I'm so pleased it's you and Jonny taking care of her. I feel like I don't have to worry. I miss her like crazy of course.'

'She's an absolute dream to look after' Jac smiled as she took the phone back off her sister 'we're pleased to able to take care of her for you.'Jac took hold of her sisters hand 'I'll bring her up to say goodnight to you before we head home tonight ' She had noticed her sister had looked increasingly fed up over the past couple of days.

'I just can't wait to be at home.' Jasmine said sadly 'Then I could cuddle her when I wanted'.

'You'll be back home before you know it.' Jac smiled reassuringly at her sister.

'Jasmine I'm sorry. We haven't forgotten about you I promise.' Nurse Lane bustled into the room to check Jasmines obs.

'What's this?' Jac's tone changed into the stern one she reserved for her consultant's role.

'Jasmine wanted a bath but we've been so busy we haven't had anyone to spare to help her just yet.' Chantelle explained.

'Oh' Jac's tone softened 'Well I could help with that.' She had noticed Jasmines hair needed a wash and thought a nice soak in the bath might lift her sprits a bit.

'Oh no, I don't think so' Jasmine said firmly. 'You're my sister.'

'So?' Jac stifled a laugh. 'I'm also a doctor who has seen hundreds of bodies over the years.'

'I don't want you seeing me naked' Jasmine huffed

'You'll have to let who ever bathes you see you naked.'

'That's still embarrassing enough but at least once I'm out of here I'll never have to see them again.' Jasmine tried to explain. 'No offence Chantelle'

'None taken' the young nurse laughed as she filled in Jasmines chart.

'Well I'd like to know what you've got that so special nobody else has got' Jac laughed openly this time. 'Come on. I'm a medical professional and if you don't let me help god knows when you'll actually get your bath; the ward is full to the rafters.'

'It would help us out.' Chantelle agreed with Jac. 'The ward is really busy so it could even be as late as this evening.'

'Ok fine' Jasmine said crossly knowing that she clearly wasn't going to win. 'But only if you promise to look as little as possible.'

'That's great!' Chantelle said enthusiastically 'I'll go a fetch a wheelchair for you!'

'How can she be so jolly all the time?' Jasmine asked still in her grump.

'All right grumpy pants just be grateful you're getting your bath.' Jac smirked as she rummaged in Jasmines beside cupboard for her wash bag.

Chantelle returned with the wheelchair and they both helped Jasmine move carefully off the bed into it. 'Mr Spence asked me to ask you if you plan on bathing all patients in your role as consultant.' Chantelle chattered as they made their way over to the bathroom. 'I told him not to be so silly.'

'Not really the words I would have used' Jac said good humouredly as they entered the bathroom.

'Right well I'll leave you to it' Chantelle beamed at the two woman 'If you need anything just press on the buzzer.'

'Her jolliness can wear you down you know' Jasmine said from her wheelchair as she watched Jac turning on the taps to fill the bath.

'She's still a bloody good nurse.' Jac defended the young woman 'we need more like her in the NHS. ' They waited for the bath to fill and then Jac helped her sister to undress and carefully step into the warm water. Jac wasn't surprised at Jasmines emaciated frame that was just as battle scarred and stretch marked as her own.

'You better not be scrutinising me' Jasmine said embarrassed as she lowered herself into the water.

'Wouldn't dream of it' Jac said as she sunk down on the floor beside the bath discreetly facing away from Jasmine. 'Just let me know if you need any help.'

'I might need you to wash my hair for me.' Jasmine admits after a few minutes of soaking in the warm water. 'my new scar hurts if I stretch too much.'

'Sure' Jac said as she stood up and located a jug to poor water over Jasmines head. She wetted he young girls hair and then gently lathered it in shampoo.

'What was it like growing up in care?' Jasmine asked quietly as Jac's fingers gently massaged her scalp.

'It was…' Jac paused for a minute and wondered if she should answer this completely truthfully. 'It wasn't good. There were a few good placements but mostly it was pretty terrible' she said at last.

'Granddad said I shouldn't ask' Jasmine said as Jac rinsed through her hair. 'But I need to know' she put her hand over Jac's as she was dipping the jug back into the water 'would it have been ok for Ava?'

Jac spontaneously kissed Jasmine on the forehead. 'You don't need to worry about that now though do you? Unless you've changed your mind that is?'

'No I know you and Jonny will make great parents for Ava'. She let go of Jacs hand. 'Its just when Peter the social worker was here you looked so scared at the thought of Ava going in foster care I wondered what on earth could have been so bad.'

'You don't want know' Jac said quietly as she squirted more shampoo into her hand to give Jasmines hair a second wash.

'Does that mean you won't tell me? I don't mean to be pushy so don't if you don't want to. But I'd like to know'. Jac considered what she should and shouldn't tell this young woman. There was something so familiar about Jasmine that the pair to them genuinely felt like sisters rather than strangers who had met a little over a week ago. Jac felt as though she could tell Jasmine anything and she wouldn't be judged. There was a moments silence before Jac finally spoke.

'When I was fifteen a new care worker started at the children's home I was in. He would have only been thirty at the most and he spent a lot of time with me helping me with my homework. He kept telling me how clever I was and then he started complementing me on my appearance. At first I was flattered but then after a while it started to feel weird.' Jac rinsed her hands sat down on edge of the bath as she dried them on a towel. 'After a few months he finally took his opportunity and he raped me. He told me not to tell anyone else and that even if I did no one would believe me anyway.'

'My god Jac!'Jasmine placed a hand on her sister's arm 'What did you do? He didn't get away with it did he?'

'Of course he got away with it!' Jac said bitterly 'I told one of the female care workers who knew me well. She believed me and did everything she could but unfortunately there wasn't enough evidence. Stupidly I'd had a shower as soon as I could after.' Jac wiped away angry tears

'You were fifteen.' Jasmine consoled her sister 'how were you meant to know about all that evidence stuff?'

'It did go to court but that experience was just as horrific. His lawyer came up with all these lies about me, making me out to be a teenaged slut who was desperate for attention.'

'What happen to him in end? He didn't go back to working with children did he?'

'I have no idea. I was moved on and given to a new social worker. Fortunately to a social worker who believed I wasn't a troublemaker.' Jac stood up and rinsed away the second lot of shampoo from Jasmines hair. 'I was homed with a couple who were used to dealing with teenagers who had suffered trauma and they were fantastic. I can't have been easy to live with in those early days but they preserved with me. If it hadn't been for them I definitely would not have made it to uni'.

'That's positive at least.' Jasmine said quietly. 'Sorry for making you tell me.'

Jac squeezed the water from Jasmines hair and wrapped it up in a towel. 'Just promise me you won't tell Granddad? He has enough guilt from our mother's actions to contend with without him knowing this.'

'Of course I won't' Jasmine thought for a minute 'you have told other people though haven't you Jac? Jonny knows doesn't he?'

Jac nodded 'Jonny knows and I once had to tell Sacha so naturally that means Michael must know' Jac rolled her eyes 'I've only told one other person and I'm not I'm not sure if he would have told Elliot Hope or not. Sometimes I think Elliot does know but then I'm not so sure'.

'I'm glad at least you've got some support.' Jasmine said sadly.

'Hey!' Jac put her hand on her sister's wet shoulder and forced a smile 'I'm a survivor ok? Yes it was terrible but at least I get to live with knowledge that I survived it so therefore I win!'

Jasmine smiled back 'I wish I was a strong as you.'

'You are strong.' Jac said as she helped her sister step out of the bath. 'you've just had a wobble that's all'. She wrapped a large bath sheet around her sisters naked form. 'A minor set back and soon you'll be back at home mothering Ava and arguing with Granddad.'

'Debating.' Jasmine corrected as she dried herself 'debating with Granddad. We don't call it arguing.'

The sisters laughed together and Jasmine let Jac help her get dressed into clean Pyjamas her earlier embarrassment now vanished. They made their way back onto the ward and commandeered a hairdryer from Nurse Lane.

'Wow you look like a new woman!' Chantelle commented as popped her head into the side room. 'Are you ready for visitors? Your granddad has arrived.'

Jac had used the excuse that she was needed back on her own ward to escape from her happy grandfather and sister. She walked at a hurried pace trying to track down Jonny knowing it was he she needed. She tracked him down making tea in the, mercifully, empty Darwin staffroom.

'Hey there stranger' her fiancé greeted her warmly 'I was wondering when you'd be back.'Jac didn't responded to him with words instead she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him. 'Hey, what's happened?' Jonny asked her softly wrapping his arms around her.

'Just hold me' Jac mumbled into his chest.

'I need to know Jac' Jonny kissed the top of her head.

'Jasmine was asking a lot of questions today' Jac rested against Jonny for a minute before continuing. 'About what happened to me during my time in care.'

'Oh.' Jonny squeezed her tighter the realisation of what they had likely discussed dawning on him. 'Did you tell her about…?' Jonny let his voice trail off.

'Yes' Jac breathed against his chest once more. They were silent once more as Jonny held on to Jac as though both their lives depended on it. 'Why didn't I fight back?' Jac's voice broke with the sound of sob.

Jonny hadn't heard an edited version of the rape. Jac had recalled almost every detail of it to Jonny once he'd finally gotten her to break down the barriers. He had been astounded at the Technicolor detail with which Jac still remembered the horrific event. He knew that flashes of it could catch her unawares prompted by particular smells, sounds and unexpected physical contact. Jac had been left with a deep rooted feeling of shame because she had been powerless to fight off her attacker. The question of 'why didn't I fight back?' was one Jonny had heard escape her lips on the few occasions they had discussed the rape. Oddly it was this that really made him burn with anger at what that man had done. He guessed this question must have entered Jac's head almost every day since the assault. He knew that no matter how many times Jac was told it wasn't her fault, she'd been over powered, terrified, incapable of successfully fighting the simple truth was Jac would forever blame herself. This was lasting effect of that man's crime; the victim didn't believe that they couldn't have prevented his actions so therefore they should be ultimately responsible.

Jonny guided Jac over to one of soft chairs. He pulled her onto his lap and held her as tight as he possibly could. 'But you are fighting back' Jonny reminded her 'every day you fight back with all you have become.'