"My whole body aches" she grimaced "Richard, what happened to me?"

He sighed, moment of truth…

"Darling, what is the last thing you remember?" he asked, steeling himself for what was about to come out of his girlfriend's mouth.

Her big brown eyes flitted shut for a moment as she recalled her last memory "I was working the evening shift at the hospital so I came to your office before you left. Dr. Isaacs was filling in for you. Richard I'm scared…what happened to me?" her eyes were pleading with him for information, information he had no right to deny her. Amnesia triggered by psychological trauma was very common but he had to provide her with the missing parts of the jigsaw puzzle.

She took his hand in hers and nodded, she was ready.

He took a deep breath and started "Yes love you came to the hospital for an evening shift. You came into my office and we started arguing about a patient as we sometimes do…" none of the two could resist a small grin, remembering their first meeting. "I'm afraid I said some pretty stupid things and upset you. You flew out of my office, probably to gather your thoughts and met Billy Jones on the way, it was pretty late so you decided to walk him home-"

"Kittens!" She smiled fondly, remembering the wooden box full of small mewling animals.

"You remember the kittens?" he asked, bewildered...the mind was a funny little place.

"Yes it was raining and we did not want them to get wet." She seemed confused and was probably wondering why she was only remembering bits and pieces. She looked back up at him, waiting for new information which would tell her how she ended up in this condition.

"While you were walking… you were attacked by a man." She gasped and he tugged on her hand to pull her to him while he gave her the distressing account. "Billy said you screamed for him to run and he left you to get help."

She squeezed her eyes shut, tears wetting his shirt as she relived every kick and hit and the fear…especially the fear. Mindful of her injuries he pulled her just a bit tighter, wishing like hell he could take all this away from her.

"The police say it was classic theft, they never found your purse. I'm sorry. Isobel, I'm so sorry if I hadn't upset you, you would have been safe at the hospital-"

Before he could continue, Isobel pulled away, setting her jaw. "Don't you dare apologize Richard. It was I who shouldn't have run like that. Had you known what was going to happen, you would have locked me in your office!" she was glad to see him smile a bit, probably thinking about the unlikeliness that anyone would have kept her anywhere without her will.

"How's Billy?" she asked, putting her hand to his shoulder "And the Kittens?"

Richard shook his head incredulously "You are coming out of a traumatic attack and you're asking about others already…" he touched his lips to hers for a brief moment "You don't know how loved you are."

She gave him a smile and rested against him once again, enjoying the warmth and safety of his embrace "I do know - you tell me every day!"

"No, love it's not just me that adores you. Everybody in the house asks constantly about your condition; upstairs and downstairs. I cannot go anywhere in the village without having to give everyone an update on their 'darling '. Your house looks like a greenhouse at the moment."

Isobel's cheeks flushed. She was flattered and she had to admit, it did feel good feeling loved by both who she considered her soul mate and the rest of the community in which she lived. She looked around the room, lavender, lilies and roses on every surface "I really must thank everyone."

"Oh not these though. These are all from the Dowager's garden, she even insisted on us using these sheets…they're pure silk apparently and she made Mrs. Hughes promise that everything should be perfect. I know you two don't see eye to eye all the time but she has spent a lot of time sitting here with you while you were sleeping. I must say the nurses were quite scared of her…" he chuckled. Remembering nurse Watson almost getting hit with a certain black stick when she tried to tell the dowager that she should rest as well.

Isobel laughed and it was music to his ears.

AN: Okay, okay I could resist getting fluffy. Next time round, you'll see more of the other characters too ;) What do you think about this chapter?

Little teaser will be given to all those who review :D