I can't believe the lack of Sam/Tom stories at the moment, there're literally no stories except 'Only time will tell' by JustBeTrueToWhoYouAre and 'Brave, are we not?' by WaterlooRoadSianandMadi (which btw are excellent fics if you want some more Tam!). It's taken a while for me to get around to writing this and I'm writing it at the same time as my Holby City fic 'Double Trouble' but I should be able to update this every day and I aim for it to be around 20 chapters :)

To Sam and Tom it seemed like any other day; they were a young, newly married couple and were sexually active, so making love in their double bed was nothing out of the ordinary. But what was out of the ordinary, was when Sam put her hand firmly on Tom's bare chest as he hovered above her, to signal that she wanted him to stop, and she squeezed her eyes shut.

"Hey, what's up?" Tom asked worriedly as his chest quickly rose and fell as he caught his breath back. But Sam didn't reply. Instead, he watched as she opened her eyes and then smoothed her fingers over her cleavage with a face of confusion. She was checking for any lumps or bumps, not that he knew that, but she didn't find anything. "Are you in pain again?" He queried as he knew that over the recent weeks, she had had occasional aching pains in one of her breasts but she had always told him that it was associated with her menstrual cycle. She had also assured him that it was not chest pain so it wasn't cardiovascular related; she claimed it was merely part of being a woman. "Sam this isn't normal." Tom stated pleadingly.

"I'm fine." Sam sighed as she forced a smile whilst she placed her hands on his chest and slowly moved them up over his neck until she was cupping his cheeks in her hands; she was trying to initiate intercourse again as she felt bad because she'd stopped them.

"No, don't do that." Tom ordered abruptly and Sam awkwardly slipped her hands off of him and he got off of her and sat up next to her as he pulled their duvet over his lap. He'd been worried about her ever since he'd first noticed her experience pain a few weeks before their wedding in December. But after she had timidly told him that she was due on her period the next day, he'd let it go because she clearly didn't like to talk about it.

Since they'd gotten closer after their marriage, she found it easier to talk about such things, but she still wasn't completely open with Tom and that concerned him a lot. The pains seemed to have become more and more frequent, and he had a suspicion that it was only because Sam was finding them harder to hide that he'd been noticing them more.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked confusedly as she wondered why she'd been rejected by him.

"I'm worried about yo-"

"There's nothing wrong with me." Sam protested bluntly.

"Alright fine. If there's nothing wrong with you, then you'll have no problem with going to see your GP tomorrow morning, will you?"

"I don't need to." Sam huffed.

"Please Sam? Just go for me?" Tom begged. "I can come with you and wait outside or go to the consultation with you; it'll be up to you."

"But what's the point in taking up an appointment when someone else actually needs it?"

"Because you might need it." Tom stated. "Please."

"Fine, I'll go tomorrow." Sam sighed. But Tom could tell by the look on her face that she was trying to conceal a grimace because she was still in pain.

"Thank you." Tom said gratefully after letting out a sigh of relief. "I'll go and get you some paracetamol and then we'll get some rest." Tom said softly as he leant across and kissed Sam on the forehead before he got out of bed, pulled on a pair of clean boxers and disappeared from the room and he soon reappeared with a glass of water and a blue box containing two foil and plastic trays of tablets. "Have you got any family history of breast cysts or problems around that area?" Tom asked curiously as he sat on the bed besides Sam who, in his absence, had pulled on one of his shirts to cover her naked body.

"No." Sam replied honestly before she took two painkilling tablets with a few sips of water. "I'm sorry... For making us stop just because I-"

"Don't be sorry you soppy cow." Tom chuckled quietly as he got under the duvet and put his arm around her back as she snuggled in to his chest. "And for the record, you're not getting out of it tomorrow. We'll get up early, go down to the doctors' surgery and get the first appointment you can before work yeah?" Tom said softly as he gently rubbed his arms up and down her back whilst his wife rested her head on part of his pillow, just in front of his torso.

"You? Getting up early? You're having a laugh aren't you?" Sam joked half-heartedly.

"I can get up early if it's something important. And your health is." Tom replied.

"They'll just say it's related to my periods." Sam stated sleepily.

"Well if they do, you can say 'I told you so'. There's nothing wrong with getting checked out and you should know that given that we spend half the day telling patients that they should've seen a doctor earlier." Tom stated. "And by the looks of it, it's a good job that we did stop because you're knackered." Tom smiled as he began to stroke her hair whilst she laid with her eyes closed and a small smile on her lips. Little did they know, that the next day would mean that Sam wouldn't be smiling again for a long long time...

Sam and Tom sat in the waiting room of their local general practitioners' building, away from the hospital as they awaited her appointment that they had managed to get at 7:30am with Dr Stevens who wasn't Sam's registered GP but she just wanted the first appointment available so that they could then go straight to work after.

"I can wait outside if you want." Tom offered. "I'm not ecstatic to say this because you're my wife and I hope you feel comfortable talking to me about anything but, if it'll mean you'll be more honest without me there then I'd rather you go by yourself." He admitted.

"Honest about what?" Sam questioned.

"You and I both know that breast pain is normal maybe a few days before your period, possibly during it and then it should go once you're finished but you seem to have it several days every week. You've got to know that this isn't right." Tom stated in a hushed voice and Sam just rolled her eyes. "Look, I know you might be scared but you're doing the right thing, getting yourself checked out."

"You don't say." Sam said sarcastically and a long silence fell over the two of them until Sam spoke up. "Alright, I'm sorry for being a bit... Y'know." She shrugged. "And I want you to come in with me, I don't want to hide anything from you." She added confidently.

"I'm glad to hear it." Tom replied as he let out a sigh of relief before he put his arm around her shoulders.

"Mrs Kent, please come to room 7." Was spoken over the tannoy in the waiting room.

"It'll be alright." Tom said reassuringly as he stood up and then held his hand out. Sam took it and then they walked down a small corridor until they reached the room. Tom entered first and then held the door open for his wife as she timidly entered. It was too late for her to turn back now despite the fact that she didn't want to be there.

"Mrs Kent, I'm Dr Stevens but you can call me Dawn." A woman who was younger than Sam by a year or two smiled as she sat at a desk whilst Sam sat and Tom sat on a chair each on the other side of her desk. "Now, what can I do for you?"

"I've been having some pains, in my breasts." Sam admitted slowly. "And sometimes it spreads to my underarm. I think it's just to do with my menstrual cycle but someone kept on bugging me to get checked out." She explained as she glanced at her husband and then back at the doctor in front of her.

"And how often or frequent are these pains?" Dawn asked as she began typing on the computer with the screen facing away from her patient so she had no idea what she was typing.

"Every day." Sam replied quietly as she looked at the floor to avoid eye contact with her husband who she knew would be shocked.

"Would you say the pain is a stabbing pain, throbbing-"

"No. No, it's more of an ache." Sam interrupted. "It's usually a dull ache but sometimes it'll flare up and I'll have to stop what I'm doing because of it."

"Okay. We'll let me just get a few things straight, you've been on the contraceptive pill for six years now yes?"

"Mmhmm." Sam nodded.

"And you're on no other medication other than Beconase for hayfever which you take daily." She read off of the screen.

"No, I don't take the hayfever tablets since I moved to Holby last year; the environment I was in before I moved here aggravated hayfever but I'm fine now." Sam stated.

"Okay. Do you smoke?"

"No."

"Do you drink?"

"Yes but not a lot. Probably only around 8-10 units a week, if that." Sam replied.

"Good to hear. Do have any family history of breast cancer, benign tumours or cysts on the breast or anything like that?" Dawn asked, all whilst Tom sat with a hand on Sam's knee to show he was there for her without being inappropriate or taking her mind off of things because she needed to be focused.

"Not that I know of, I left home at 16 so I'm not entirely sure." Sam replied awkwardly.

"Okay well never mind about that." The doctor smiled to change the subject for Sam which made her feel a bit more comfortable. "Just a few more questions about your current health, have you had any discharge or bleeding from your nipples?"

"No."

"Have you noticed any changes in the size or shape of your breasts?"

"No, I normally check once a month and I checked again this morning; as far as I can tell there're no lumps." Sam stated confidently.

"Right..." Dawn paused whilst she caught up on typing Sam's notes up on the computer before she opened her top draw and took out a pair of gloves. "If you just want to jump on the bed, I can give you quick examination and see what's going on." She smiled as she stood by the wall where the bunched up thin curtain was. Sam got up and got onto the bed, whilst Tom sat there and then the doctor pulled the curtain around the bed so that Sam had some privacy. He waited for several minutes until he heard Sam get given the all clear so that she could get dressed again. And then the curtain was opened and Sam sat down next to him again. "Well as far as I can see, there's no obvious cause of your pain. However, I would just like to refer you to Holby General hospital for a mammogram to get a better look." Dawn stated.

"So it's nothing then, it's just because of my menstrual cycle, right?" Sam questioned.

"Well given that you experience pain daily, I wouldn't think so. We'll just have to see what the mammogram says, and if that doesn't show anything then you'll probably be given a blood test to check for an unusual infection."

"Do you think its cancer?" Sam asked bluntly.

"I honestly can't say. I mean, it's unlikely with your age, good health and lack of symptoms however it is possible; you'll just have to wait for the mammogram results." She explained. "Now the earliest slot for a mammogram is... In five days' time, so on Monday at 1 o'clock. Is that alright?"

"Five days?" Tom questioned.

"I know it's a long time to wait but the schedule is full I'm afraid. That's the earliest I can offer you."

"That'll be fine." Sam sighed.

As Tom drove Sam to the hospital after her appointment for their shifts in the ED, the couple were in complete silence. And Sam hadn't said a single word since they'd left the building.

"Do you want me to try and pull some strings and get your mammogram sooner?" Tom asked. "I've got a few mates from uni in radiology and I'm sure there'll be somewhere that they can squeeze you in."

"Go on then." Sam replied. "I thought we'd come out and I'd get the all clear." She admitted.

"Well, at least they're being thorough. You wouldn't want them to miss anything."

"There isn't anything for them to miss." Sam said adamantly.

"Yep, let's hope so." Tom had to force a smile because he was getting frustrated at Sam's stubbornness that she was perfectly healthy when he was so worried about her, but he didn't want to stress her out by protesting. Soon, he parked up in the hospital car park and the couple got out and walked around the building to the entrance of the emergency department. "Right, you go and get changed and I'll catch up with you while I try and pull some strings." Tom smiled as he pulled his phone out and Sam then jogged to the staffroom so that she wasn't late, whilst Tom went to an empty corridor for some peace and quiet before he dialled someone on his phone. "Hello? Hi James, it's me Tom. I was just wondering if there're any mammogram appointments going spare today... Well it's just that it's my wife who needs an appointment and apparently they can't fit her in for five days but she wants an appointment as soon as. You couldn't fit her in some time today, could you?... 11am? Yeah, that's great mate, cheers... Alright, see you in a bit... Bye." Tom put his phone in his pocket and he just caught a glimpse of his boss trotting past the doors in front of him so he quickly caught up with her until he was in her office. "Zoe." He announced.

"Tom, what can I do for you?"

"Me and Sam need to take an early lunch break from about 10:45."

"No. No way, I can't just lose two of my doctors like that at such short notice." Zoe replied.

"Please Zoe, it's important." Tom pleaded.

"What is?"

"I can't tell you but it's a medical appointment and we can't miss it." Tom stated.

"There's no way a medical appointment would require both of you." Zoe protested. "And if it did, you can book it when you're not due on shift. You're already late as it is."

"I know, but it's just... Sam really needs my support okay? I can't let her go through this on her own." Tom pleaded.

"Go through what?"

"She's scared Zoe. I know she is, but she won't admit it."

"Scared of what Tom?" Zoe demanded.

"She's got to have a mammogram. She's been having these pains and she's saying it's nothing but I know her and I know she's worried."

"Oh right... Well, I suppose I could try and borrow a doctor or two from upstairs for an hour." Zoe tried to hide her astonishment at the revelation as she knew Sam wouldn't like a fuss made.

"Yeah, that'd be great. Thanks." Tom smiled sadly. "I'd better go and tell her." Tom said to excuse himself and he walked through to the staffroom where he found Sam securing her yellow stethoscope around her neck as she stood in her turquoise scrubs. "I've got you an appointment at 11am and Zoe's given us the all clear to leave at quarter to. Okay?"

"Yeah, thanks." Sam said meaninglessly as she closed her locker and she went to leave the room but she stepped into Tom's chest as he tried to stop her from leaving.

"You said this morning that you didn't want to hide anything from me so please just stop pretending you don't care." Tom pleaded as he wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on the top of her head.

"What do you want me to do?" Sam sighed as she closed her eyes and inhaled the distinctive scent of his aftershave. "Break down in your arms crying?"

"If that's what you feel like doing." Tom replied softly. "I just don't want you to pretend that nothing's happening." Tom stated as he rubbed his hands up and down her back. "But saying that, no matter what happens, we're gonna be okay. I promise." Tom whispered before he kissed the top of her head. But despite the confidence he said that with, both were still dreading the rest of the day and what news her appointment would bring.

Coming Up: What happens when Sam and Tom receive more inconclusive news and have to wait even longer to find out what is happening? Is there a strain beginning to form on their marriage?

Thank you for reading, please leave a review :)