World's Apart

New Beginnings

Jack shakes his head furiously.

Blake nods "Right, then get the fuck out of my office," he shoos Jack away.

Jack salutes quickly before turning and scuttling from the office.

"And shut the door behind you!" Blake hollers.

As Jack leaves, the door slams behind him and a small smile plays on the lips of Captain Blake.

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"So what do you think? Katie asks. Ali can hear the smile in her voice.

Ali jerks the swing to a stop and Katie cranes her neck to gaze at her sister.

"I think it's great Katie," Ali smiles warmly "Peter makes you happy and that's all I want for you,"

Katie grins then "Thanks Ali!"

"Now, push me again!" Katie spins forward and grabs the ropes tightly.

Ali rolls her eyes but grins as she takes the ropes from behind, pulls back and lets them go. She pushes against Katie's back and before long her little sister is soaring higher and higher.

Ali steps back and laughs at her sisters excited screams. This same swing, which Thomas Dawes had built back when Ali was six, had given them endless memories when they were younger.

As she laughs her stomach tightens and Ali rubs a gentle hand across it.

"Ali!" squeals Katie through her laughter.

"You asked for it," Ali calls back still grinning.

Another sharp pain.

Ali cups underneath her bump and staggers back to the bench. Sitting down she winces and tries to breathe deeply.

Katie, oblivious, still sings and squiels as she soars high on the swing.

Ali watches her. Backwards... Forwards... Backwards... Forwards... Backwards...

"Ahhhh!" Ali shrieks now and cradles her stomach. The tightening and pain radiates through her.

Katie shoots off the swing with a daring jump and sprints towrds her sister "Ali?" Katie is crouching beside her.

With a pained expression and rosy cheeks Ali meets her eyes "The baby,"

"Mum!" Katie is on her feet hollering towards the house "Mother!"

"Oohh," Ali chews her lip and taps her foot quickly. She holds her breath as the surging cramp tightens once more across her stomach.

"Mother its the baby! The baby is coming," Katie briefs Mrs Dawes who is wiping her hands on her apron as she hurries down the garden towards Ali.

"Shhh, there there my darling, come on we need to get you inside," Elizabeth Dawes touches Ali's cheek gently and together with Katie the three of them walk slowly and carefully back towards the house.

_______________________________________

The bus had dropped him at the edge of the village and he was idly walking the familiar route up the old tree lined lane.

He had his large rucksack slung over his shoulder with one hand and his other was buried deep in his trouser pocket. His fingers flipped and caressed the small brown envelope and he smiled to himself. As he was packing his things back at Uxbridge, he'd come across the envelope resting on his bed. Two words in elegant writing were written on it 'Thank you'.

As he reached the front gate of the cottage he unslung his rucksack and approached the front door.

Tap. Tap. Tap.