Sitting alone on a park bench, Holly stared at the crumpled envelope she held in her hand. It was some ridiculous hour in the morning and God knew who could be lurking around but she didn't care. Who could be worse than what she had just escaped?

The gentle rustles of the wind through the trees had calmly drifted Mia off to sleep and she lay peacefully in her car seat next to Holly. She was glad someone was relaxed.

The silver moonlight illuminated the tatty piece of paper, concealing so many thoughts and feelings that for a year and a half had been left unsaid. The envelope was stamped and addressed but Holly could never bring herself to send it, terrified of what would happen, what Patrick would say back. She wasn't all together sure that she even intended to send it when she wrote it.

She had left in such a hurry, after everything that happened with Tom. She was confused about what she felt, but by the time she had sorted her life out, she had left it too long. When she discovered she was pregnant, she wanted more than anything to go back to Holby and be a perfect little family with the two people she valued most in her life but she didn't want to face all the questions. And there was no guarantee that Patrick would even want her after the way she hurt him.

Holly took a deep breath and stood up. The only way to find out, she decided, was to go back to England and find out for herself. She knew she could have everything she wanted if she just swallowed her fear and did something she should have done a year ago, but she was aware that there was a very real chance that he would have moved on.

* * *

Lara stood outside the doors to A&E, taking a break after a hectic half hour in resus. There had been a house fire and they had been stuck with all six casualties. After all this time in this profession, after spending time in a war zone, she still hadn't got used to watching people die.

Her thoughts were disturbed by a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see a familiar face and her mood immediately lifted when she saw who it was. He wrapped his strong arms around her waist and a huge grin spread across her face, despite feeling guilt that she was so happy when someone's wife and son lay inside dead.

"Dr. Spiller!" she scolded, trying to sound angry but failing dismally, "shouldn't you be working?"

"What? Am I not aloud to spend time with my gorgeous wife anymore?" His face took on a serious expression but that soon disappeared and was replaced by the same lopsided grin that people so rarely saw but it was what she loved most about him. He seemed cold and uncaring to the outside world but she had found the best man in the world underneath that rough exterior and she wasn't about to let him go.

* * *

Holly stepped out of terminal 1 at Heathrow airport. Here she was. Home. She suddenly felt very nervous. Up until now, all she was concentrating on was getting away from Richard and keeping Mia safe but now that she was actually back in England, she was having serious second thoughts. The closer she got to Holby, the closer she got to seeing Patrick and having to explain to him about why she didn't do all this sooner.

She was not a hundred percent sure herself why, but she kept telling herself that she'd know what to say when she saw him. She picked up her one, tiny bag and Mia in her car seat and stepped closer to the curb, hailing herself a cab before she allowed enough time to talk her self out of going to see him.

"Holby, please" she told the driver. "I'll give you more directions when we get there."

* * *

"Hey!" Anna greeted her flat mate enthusiastically as Chloe walked through the doors to the staff room. "How are you feeling this morning?" she asked with a knowing grin on her face.

Chloe flopped down on the sofa, groaning and rubbing her head. "Remind me never to do that again." Anna giggled and poured them both a cup of coffee. "You know" Chloe continued, "I have no idea how you can drink that much and still be able to yell across the room without you head exploding. What's your secret?"

Anna smirked at her friend, enjoying watching her obvious discomfort. "Hangover?"

Chloe glared at her and slumped back down on the sofa. "You bet."

The door to the staff room opened and Max stuck his head round the door. "There's been a major RTA on the A road coming in to Holby, meet at reception in 5 minutes to discuss our plan of action." He closed the door for a moment then opened it again. "Oh, and Chloe? You're late."

Chloe grimaced as their consultant disappeared again and the both reluctantly left their cups of coffee and stood up, ready to go into lifesaving mode.