I thought it might be interesting to revisit my first ever fanfic, so I have decided to pick up from where we left off! I have typed only a small snippet, just to see how you all feel about this? Obviously if you'd prefer my attention was primarily on 'Dirty Secrets' and 'Perfect Illusion' I will just bin this idea but I thought it might be nice to see how this goes? Let me know what you think :) XX

"Where's Sam?" Duffy questioned cautiously, not wishing to further aggravate the already seemingly distressed Clinical Lead. She'd come rushing in with a four month old Noah clutched to her chest, her expression vague and voice panicked. Duffy had clocked her as soon as she entered the ED and knew straight away something was wrong and thus dashed over to her as quickly as possibly and ushered her into Charlie's empty office.

"Grace." She croaked, shaking her head as she squeezed her eyes shut as if that'd help her catch her train of thought again. "He's with Grace, they went to see a film."

"Alright, perhaps I should give him a call?"

"No, just tell me." She moved back over to the veteran nurse who was delicately and calmly checking over the young infant. "I'm right aren't I?" Her voice wavered with emotion at the sympathetic expression she received in response. "He can't hear anything can he?"

"Look, let's not make any hasty judgements just yet-"

"I dropped a vase right next to him, Duffy! He didn't so much as blink at the noise!" Her words were raised and heightened with worry and fret. Her hand came up to her mouth instantly, shocking herself with her own emotional outburst. Duffy had spent the last ten minutes checking over him and he was indeed showing signs of hearing impairment but this wasn't her strict area of expertise, thus she didn't want to cause any unnecessary upset with an assumed diagnosis. Tugging his little blue knitted cardigan back down she scooped the tiny child up, handing him back to his frantic Mother. She took him warmly, holding him upright and flush to her chest again and swaying to soothe him as his head came to rest to the side of her chin. He had dark wispy hair and big blue eyes, partnered with his chubby little cheeks he was an absolutely stunning baby.

"Connie, we don't know anything for sure yet." She wrapped her hand around Connie's wrist as it remained supporting Noah. "We need to get him up to paediatrics, get him looked over properly." She raised her eyebrows sweetly. "Are you sure I can't call Sam?"

"No, no he'll have his phone switched off." She sniffed, grabbing her handbag as Duffy kindly rushed to grab the baby bag for her. "I just want him seen to as quickly as possible." Throwing her bag over her shoulder she glanced down at him dotingly, he'd calmed a little but could obviously sense some sort of tensity from his Mother and it was distressing him.

Being parked in a bay on Paediatrics whilst they waited to be seen to really didn't help matters. With Connie's growing concern and impatience, Noah was becoming increasingly more distressed and agitated in her arms. She was pacing slowly, bouncing him gently and soothing him but he was teetering on the verge of having crying fit.

"Here, perhaps if I look after him for a minute you can go and find Dr. Saunders?" The polite offering was a risky suggestion but to Duffy's surprise she reluctantly accepted. She stopped pacing before heading towards the expert Nurse seated on the visitor chair and gently handed her baby over. He was still fussing and squawking but Duffy hoped her own calmness would help settle him.

"I'll be right back." She breathed steadily, pulling the curtain aside and heading out on to the ward. She knew Dr. Saunders from when she was a surgeon up on Darwin, she'd even assisted with Grace when she'd fallen down the stairs as a young child.

"Connie." The voice startled as she reached the nurses station. "Sorry, I'm run ragged with patients today-"

"No, please, I'm just glad you could see us."

"Lead the way." She smiled warmly, extending her arm to motion for her to guide them in the right direction. "I haven't seen Grace since she was a baby, I'll bet she's just as brainy as her Mother." She smiled, making small talk as they walked quickly.

"No, actually it's my son, not Grace."

"Apologies." She held her hands up sincerely. "I just assumed it'd be Grace, I wasn't aware you had a son actually-"

"He's only four months old."

"Well that'd explain it then!" Her face was warm and kind but it still didn't ease Connie's racing mind. They reached the curtain and let themselves in before drawing them closed again. "Well, who do we have here?" She grinned, moving over to Duffy and the small baby. He was still grumbling but settling slowly.

"This is Noah." Duffy smiled with a warm whisper, adjusting her hold on him in preparation to hand him over.

"Do you mind if I have a little cuddle?" She cradled her arms, supporting him as soon as he was in her embrace. "Oh, you are such a handsome little boy, aren't you?" She cooed softly. "So what's going on with you, little man? Hey?" He wriggled in her grip, his face twisting as he began to mewl. It was an instantaneous reaction, even if he was in safe hands, but Connie moved over indicating to take him back and Dr Saunders obliged straightaway. She shrugged and looked at Duffy. "We don't have the magic touch I guess." She laughed delicately, referring to Noah's quick decline in movement and sound as soon as he was back in his Mother's arms. She had one under his bum, her hand holding his side and the other one cradling his head on her shoulder. "Do you mind?" She motioned to her stethoscope, only putting it to use once Connie nodded in approval. "Heart sounds fine." She breathed, pulling the medical device back out from under his cardigan on his back.

"Yes, I checked his vitals as soon as Connie arrived with him." Standing from the seat, Duffy made her way around the empty bed in the middle of the bay. "He's very healthy-"

"But he can't hear a thing." Connie interrupted sadly. "I was moving a vase from the windowsill and I dropped it, he didn't react at all. He didn't even flinch-"

"Alright."Dr. Saunders soothed quickly, noting the distress in her body language. "Let's pop him down on the bed for a minute, shall we?" Connie obeyed, placing him down gently in the middle of the bed. His tiny, delicate frame made the bed look even bigger.

"Dad?" Grace called out from the kitchen as she sat one of the bags of shopping down on the kitchen side. Her eyes remained focused on the smashed glass over the floor. They'd finished their cinema visit and even done some food shopping on the way home.

"What?" He moved into the kitchen too, both hands carrying three shopping bags each as he too sat them down.

"Did you do that?" Her head turned to face him, watching his expression change as his eyes moved over the smashed vase littering the floor.

"No." He pulled his phone out of his pocket, turning it on quickly. "Turn yours back on too, Gracie, see if your Mum's tried calling." They both fell silent, looking at their bright phone screens before connecting gazes again.

"No, nothing." She paused. "Bit weird that she's not here though, isn't it?"

"I'm sure she'd just popped out for a bit, that's all." He smiled convincingly. "There's a couple more bags in the car, you go get those and I'll start unpacking." He watched her abide his instructions obediently, his smile fading instantly as he pulled his phone out again and dialling her number.

"It's Sam." Duffy handed her phone to her gingerly. "Maybe you should answer-"

"Just leave it, I'll call him back." She bit back abrasively before wincing with regret, her hand swiping down the side of her face with stress. "Sorry, I just-"

"No, no, I know. It's a lot to take in." She comforted as best she could, her small hand resting on the devastated Mother's shoulder. Dr. Saunders had ever so cautiously broken the shattering news as kindly as she could but it still didn't lessen the blow.

Her beautiful baby boy was deaf and there was nothing she could do to undo it.