So I spend at least 90% of Last Tango wanting to beat on Caroline for being so bloody blind when it comes to Kate's feelings and wanting to scream at Kate for letting her do it. My main issue with the first episode of season three is that Caroline let Kate sit through John going on about what had happened with Judith and was dense enough to ask if she was ok. Of course she wasn't ok. Christ. So this is me forcing Caroline to face up to that fact and bloody well do something about it.

This is my first Mcelliot fic so please be kind. Usual disclaimers apply, they aren't mine I just like to play with them!

As soon as she closed the door on John, Caroline went in search of Kate. The other woman had been quiet since before John arrived, had barely eaten anything at dinner and, as soon as Lawrence had been excused from the table she had disspeared too. She realised now the harm that John's words could have done to the brunette and she cursed herself for, yet again, being bloody clueless when it came to Kate.

She wasn't surprised to find Kate in the newly decorated nursery, curled into what had become her favourite chair the moment had been delivered. They had been looking for a rocking chair but as soon as Kate had seen the oversized armchair the would comfortably seat both of them if they curled round eachother, she had proclaimed that she needed it. Caroline was helpless when it came to the other woman's smile.

Kate had one of the babies stuffed toys clutched to her chest, the other wrapped protectiey over her stomach. She was staring into space and although she wasn't crying Caroline could see from the redness of her eyes that she had been.

"Oh love," she murmured, getting to Kate's side in three srrrides and perching on the arm of the chair, stroking her hand lightly over her shoulders. With a gentle tug Kate pulled the blonde so she was sat beside her and curled into her, the tears beginning again.

"The whole time all I could think was how relieved I was that it hadn't happened to me this time. That's awful isn't it?"

"no love, it's human," Caroline soothed stroking Kate's hair lightly, "and I was thinking that it could have been our little girl and I didn't know what I would have done." They clung to eachother for long moments, Kate trying to get her tears under control while Caroline rubbed her back and dropped kisses on top of her head, "I'm sorry I was so bloody stupid and let him come round."

"He needed to speak to someone Caroline."

"but neither you nor I, nor Lawrence needed to hear the details."

"I wish I'd had you to talk to all those times," Kate said, shifting slightly so she could position Caroline's hands on her bump

"Me too Kate," Caroline chased the flutters of the baby moving with her fingers, pressing a kiss to the woman's shoulder. She couldn't imagine what it was like to lose a baby at any stage of pregnancy and she hated that Kate knew all too well how it felt. "She's an active little one tonight,"

"I think it's uou," Kate smiled, settling back into Caroline's body and tracing the older woman's hands with her own. "She reacts to the sound of your voice more than she reacts to anything else. She's a clever girl."

"Takes after her mother." Caroline chuckled "why don't we go to bed? It's been a long day and I thought we could go and do some more baby shopping tomorrow."

"Really?" Kate thought Caroline must be bored of all of the baby shopping by now.

"Yes really," Caroline kissed Kate's temple and stroked her stomach, "this little one has nowhere near enough clothes or shoes. It's time we did something about that!"