Thank you for reading. Please leave a review if you have time; they are important to me as they help my writing :-)

'You're home early' Jonny smiled as she walked into the flat. He was tidying up after Mo had gone home. He looked at Jac's face 'what's wrong?'

'Joseph Byrne has just told me he's still in love with me.'

'Oh' Jonny's face fell.

'Don't look at me like that!' Jac snapped 'the feeling is most definitely not mutual!'

'Thank god for that' Jonny couldn't help the relived look that now spread across his face.

'Auntie Jac?' Ava's sleepy voice sounded from her room. Jac didn't say anything more to Jonny as she slipped into Ava's bedroom to settle the little girl back down.

By the time she had re-emerged Jonny had made her a hot chocolate.

'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you' she gently kissed Jonny's cheek. 'This has been an awful couple of days.' She sighed as she sat down on the sofa.

'What can I do to make you feel better?' Jonny asked her with a smile.

'I don't know' Jac couldn't help the tears that ran down her cheeks, the stress having become too much.

'Hey' Jonny soothed her as he pulled her into his arms 'why don't I run you a nice bath? You can have a soak and everything will seem better.'

Jac nodded her head and Jonny headed to the bathroom. He called her when the bath was ready and helped her to undo her dress. He took the dress into the bedroom to hang it up as she sunk down into the hot bath water.

'Jonny?'

'Yes' he poked his head around the door.

'I don't suppose you'd want to get in with me?'

'Of course' Jonny stripped off his clothes.

'Don't get any ideas though' she warned him 'I'm too tired. I just need you to hold me'

'Sure' Jonny got into the bath behind her and Jac rested her skinny body against his.

'So how did the speech go?'

'Good' Jac closed her eyes letting the hot water relax her. 'Brilliant in fact seeing as we put it together at the last minute.'

'Well you looked gorgeous up there' Jonny kissed her cheek

'How do you know, you weren't even there?'

'Serena sent me a picture. I guess she thought I'd be worrying.' Jonny chuckled.

'Well next time you can come with me, protect me from boring surgeons and over affectionate ex-boyfriends' Jac sighed.

'He didn't try anything did he?' Jonny's voice suddenly became anxious.

'No, he wouldn't do anything like that.' Jac took hold of Jonny's hand. 'He knows I'm with you.'

'Yeah well I don't trust men who think its ok to hit a woman' Jonny stated 'I know I've got a temper but I would never lay one finger on you'

'I know' Jac sighed 'but I was hardly the most innocent of parties in that relationship. We both did things to hurt the other. I was in love with him but it was destructive.'

'What did you say when he said he was in love with you?'

'I didn't say anything. I just got the hell out of there' Jac suddenly laughed 'what a bloody mess, poor Joseph.'

'Poor Joseph?' Jonny started laughing too 'the man's practically psychotic. He actually said it was a waste of potential for you to give up on your career for some nurse.' They laughed together, the ridiculousness of the situation getting to them.

'But what about his poor wife?' Jac suddenly stopped laughing. 'And his son?'

'You can't be responsible for everything Jac.' Jonny kissed her shoulder. 'Joseph must love the woman or else he wouldn't have married her'

'Maybe I won't see him again, he's probably already on his way back home to Cornwall.'

'Maybe' Jonny kissed her shoulder again.

'You know you don't have to worry don't you? You know how much I love you?'

'Of course, you've told me you don't feel that way for Joseph and I believe you.' Jonny trailed kisses down her neck. 'If you hadn't discussed this with me then I'd be worried.'

'You're doing that on purpose' Jac moaned as Jonny continued to kiss her neck.

'Is it working?' he smirked.

'Yes' Jac sighed and got out of the bath. 'Come on then' she smiled as she wrapped a towel around herself and walked out of the bathroom towards their bedroom. Jonny didn't need telling twice, he pulled the plug out of the bath, hastily wrapped a towel around himself and followed his fiancée.

Jac awoke at six the following morning and looked across at a sleeping Jonny Maconie. Her Jonny Maconie she thought with pride; safe, dependable and encouraging Jonny Maconie. Sometimes she took advantage of his easy going willingness, she knew she did, but she knew that he knew she loved him and did appreciate him even if she didn't say it.

This was what was different between what she had with Jonny compared to what she had had with Joseph. It didn't matter how many pointless arguments she had with Jonny, they were both passionate people rows were inevitable, they always forgave each other and forgot what had been said. Jonny could be hurtful with his words, a habit he had tried to break after he had said some disgraceful things he hadn't meant to her in a heated row outside theatre. But Jonny didn't use her past to hurt her in the heat of the moment, and not once had she been afraid of Jonny physically. Joseph had a dark side he rarely let people see. Jac remembered how her heart used to pound so hard she could hear it in her ears whenever Joseph got angry, an element of danger always being there. It was only once she had fallen in love with Jonny she realised that it hadn't been right. You shouldn't feel afraid of your lover.

Of course Joseph could be tender, kind and loving but he also had a way of making her feel slightly inferior to him. He would judge her on her upbringing although they both knew Joseph's own was hardly conventional. When he had tried to comfort her over the horrific facts of her past Jac couldn't help but feel belittled. He would berate her sudden changes in mood, her stubbornness, her need to be alone. Jonny understood her, worked with her moods, trusted her and never judged her. That was difference she thought to herself, Jonny loved her for precisely who she is. He hasn't asked her to change, to mould her into something she was not. That was how it should be.

Jonny opened his eyes and smiled as he registered Jac staring lovingly at him. 'What?' he mumbled.

'Nothing' Jac smiled and moved closer to him so she could brush her lips against his. 'I love you Jonny Maconie' she whispered to him.

'Well who wouldn't?' he whispered back and then yelped as Jac dug her elbow into his ribs. 'Sorry, I mean I love you too' he chuckled as Jac laid her head on his chest to hear the steady, reliable beating of his heart.

'What is it with men?' Jac Naylor barged into Michael Spence's office, dragging a bedraggled Sacha Levy by the hand behind her.

'Is this a Maconie problem?' Michael asked as Ric Griffin gave a self-satisfied smirk.

'You can wipe that look off your face' Jac scowled at Ric 'it's a Joseph Byrne problem.'

'I'm guessing an I told you so wouldn't be helpful here?' Ric couldn't help himself as Jac continued to scowl at him.

'Maybe if you told us what he did, we could actually help you' Sacha said as he helped himself to a seat.

'He drove me home last night, which I thought was a nice friendly thing to do' Jac looked at Ric as she empathised the word 'friendly'. 'When we got to the flat he told me that he was still in love with me.'

'Oh. Well…that was….' Sacha searched around for the right word. 'What did you say?' he said finally.

'I didn't say anything, I just got out that car as quick as I could.'

Ric's deep laughter rumbled around the room.

'What is it with you men?' Jac said again, choosing ignore Ric. 'you decide you don't want us, leaving us heartbroken and then when it suits you swan back in and tell us that you love us as though nothing has changed. Never mind the fact that I've fallen in love with someone else.'

'Well love is a confusing concept for men' Sacha shrugged

'Evidently' Jac rolled her eyes at him. 'But why?'

'I don't know' Sacha wined 'it's been a long night shift, I can't be answering philosophical questions about men.'

'I haven't got to the best bit yet.' Jac sighed 'I got here twenty minutes ago to find his car in the car park. So in all likelihood Joseph Byrne is upstairs on Darwin visiting Elliot, on the same ward my fiancé is currently working on, who by the by knows what my ex-boyfriend said to me in the car last night.'

'Wait a minute, how does Jonny know Joseph declared his undying love to you?' Michael asked.

'Because I told him' Jac answered.

'ooh' the three men said as they all winced.

'What?' Jac looked confused 'should I not have told him that?'

'Possibly it might have been better to wait until you knew Joseph had definitely left for Cornwall' Ric answered her.

'Jonny's not the jealous type' Jac waved aside their criticism.

'He's a man, he'll be jealous' Sacha explained to Jac as though she were Ava.

'But last night he said…'

'There's a big difference between what a man knows to be true and his male pride' Ric interrupted her.

Michael nodded his head in agreement 'Another man has made a move on his woman, he's not just going to let that pass if he gets the opportunity to defend himself.'

'Bloody men!' Jac exclaimed 'right well, one of you needs to do something.'

'Such as?' Michael asked.

'I don't know, go up to Darwin and tell Joseph to leave or send Jonny elsewhere' Jac said exasperated. 'I don't care really what you do but I can't face Joseph.'

'okay, okay' Sacha decided that he would have to take action for his friend 'you stay down here and I'll send Jonny down telling him Jasmine desperately needs to discuss wedding plans with the pair of you.' He stood up and placed his hands on her shoulders 'would that make you happy?'

'Ecstatically' Jac smiled at her friend 'thank you'.

'…it has everything to do with me pal' Jonny's Scottish accent sounded loudly from the Darwin staffroom 'if you want to declare your undying love for my fiancée then…'

'She told you?' Joseph Byrne's angry voice interrupted Jonny

'Of course she told me, we don't have secrets'

'Jac Naylor will always have secrets' Joseph mocked with a laugh 'you expect me to believe she's confided everything to a nurse' he sneered.

'Well I know all about you and how you could be physical with her' Jonny looked at Joseph with disgust 'made you feel like a man did it? Knowing you could overpower and frighten a woman like that? Knowing you've raised your hand to her frankly makes me feel physically sick' he glared at his rival as the door to the staff room swung open.

'I suggest if you two gentleman wish continue in this manner you take it outside. I am sure Ms Naylor doesn't require the details of her personal life to be broadcasted to the entire ward' Henrik Hanssen spoke as he entered the room.

'I apologise, I was just leaving' Joseph breathed angrily.

'I think that would be best don't you?' Henrik gave the man a steely glare, hearing what he had had lowered his opinion of the great Byrne dynasty somewhat. Joseph exited the room and pushed past Sacha on his way out of the ward.

'Hey!' Sacha exclaimed but Joseph just kept on going. 'What did I miss?' he asked Mo who was stood at the nurses station looking anxious.

'I'm not sure I know where to start' Mo answered him.

Jac was on her way to get a hot chocolate for Jasmine when Joseph saw her.

'Hi' he smiled at her hoping the conversation he'd had with Jonny hadn't reached her yet.

'Oh Joseph, hi' Jac looked a little flustered.

'Can we talk?'

'I don't think that's a good idea, do you?'

'I'm sorry for what I said last night, I shouldn't have said it'. He smiled at her again 'please? Just to clear the air that's all.'

'Ok then' she said finally but she didn't meet his eye. The sat at a table in the coffee shop and Joseph brought them both coffees.

'I am sorry, you know that don't you?'

'You have a wife Joseph' Jac looked him in the eye now 'do you love her?'

Joseph shook his head. 'I thought I did, but then I saw you again and I realised I didn't. It's not the same as you and I…'

'It shouldn't be Joseph' Jac looked at him sternly 'you shouldn't be comparing her to me, you should have found the reasons why you love her for her' Jac sighed 'what a bloody mess you've got yourself into again.'

'Do you love Jonny?' Joseph asked looking down at his coffee.

'Yes and you know I do' Jac sighed again.

'He's a nurse' Joseph still didn't look up.

'Don't be childish Joseph' she snapped 'he loves me for me which is more than you ever did.' She stood up and started to walk away.

'Where are you going?'

'I need some air' she spoke angrily. As she reached the doors she felt Joseph's hand grab hold of her wrist. He pulled her through the doors and then off to the side of the entrance.

'Joseph what are doing? Let me go!' Jac tried to pull away from him but he held her wrist even tighter.

'Do you not have any feelings for me at all?' Josephs face was angry now 'you expect me to believe you feel nothing for me, that the Scottish nurse loves you more than I do?'

'Yes he does' Jac willed herself to stay calm 'and I love him in a way that I never have anybody else, including you. It would never have worked between us Joseph, you must see that?'

'We'd have made it work' Joseph tightened his grip on Jac's wrist making her wince. 'I love you so much.'

'This isn't love Joseph and you're hurting me' Jac spoke with pain in her voice.

'You have no idea what you do to men do you?' Joseph practically spat at her as he pushed her up against the wall of the building 'you're a beautiful creature Jac, but my god you are cruel.'

Jac had stopped listening, all she could hear was the pounding of her own heart. 'You're really hurting me now Joseph!' she manage to shriek out.

Her panicked words brought the attention of both Sacha who was on his way out the hospital and Antoine Malick who was on his way in.

'Hey, let the lady go' Malick spoke as authoritatively as he could, placing a firm hand on Joseph's shoulder. This seemed to bring Joseph back to himself. He released Jac's wrist.

'I'm sorry' he mumbled 'I'm sorry, Jac are you ok?'

Jac was unable to answer him as she leant against the wall of the building breathing deeply and shaking like a leaf.

'I suggest you leave Joseph before I call the police' Sacha spoke in a voice Jac had never heard him use before, it was almost threating. 'And I also suggest you stay away'.

Joseph nodded and walked away, his head bowed with the shame of what he'd done. His darker side had reappeared once more with the stress of the realisation that yet again he had made a mess of his life with the wrong choices.