Johns POV

She made Abe take me for dinner. I haven't been away from the hospital this long in days, I'm still not sure if I should have left but Abe convinced me to give her time to process the afternoons events. I ate like a Trojan shoving it down with haste, my heartburn will flare up later.

Walking into the hospital in the dead of night I gather my thoughts, would she take this in her stride, break down or worst, far worse, ignore everything. Am I man enough to hold her strong, keep the strength of two.

Walking the flights of stairs help the thoughts, working through and sorting my mind. I open the door to the floor and the lights are dim, visiting hours are finishing off so I hurry to miss the traffic of other patients family and friends. I can't smile and sign autographs and pretend my life is a bowl of roses, it's a mess of feelings and emotions and stress for the lives of two people I care deeply about.

I push through the doors into Cats room a big smile across my mug, I was going to lead with what a great meal I had with Abe but my eyes landed on the bed, the empty bed. She's gone. I sat for a bit maybe she was in the loo, then as the minutes ticked by I was pacing. Had she sent me to dinner for another reason.

"Mr Lennon, ummmm, sorry but I need you to come with me please" The nurse that had been looking after Cat all week was in the doorway, not bothered by the empty bed which made me slightly less stressed.

"Is everything ok?" I was in the poor girl's face doing my overbearing thing a bad habit that I have when I'm angry or scared

"Just come, quickly" She pushed me out the door, she was a good nurse not a grumpy biddy or too silly fangirling, she called a spade a spade and didn't put up with Lennon fever. She was here for Cat, and Cat alone.

As she led me through the corridors I knew the path before she turned the corners. We were heading to the intensive care nursery where our bub was in a special crib. We got to the last set of double doors and she stopped and turned, smiling. "Go on in, remember to wash your hands thought!"

So in I go and the hand washing ritual is so important its second nature now, I scrub til my hands a red raw, clean and sterile.

As I silently pass the other tiny babes I pray for them too, some much tinier than our bub, especially twin boys born a few days ago and many much sicker, the doctors and nurse, all miracle workers on a daily basis.

I look through the crib, the oxygenated walls are up and open and I'm scared but then I see them together, our bub and her mum.

Sitting in a big comfy chair is our Cat, tough as nails Cat, gazing down on our bub who is snuggled into her bosom, a tiny crocheted hat on bubs egg sized head, oxygen tubes and special lines for monitoring attached all over but she is snuggled into her mum, skin to skin. I kneel before Cat and touch her cheek wiping away a stray tear falling down her cheeks.

"Cat you scared me" I whispered and kissed her lips and she returned the kiss carefully, gently like she was kissing the baby. "You two look beautiful"

"John she's so small. I'm afraid. I can't keep her safe"

"But you already are, Cat, you came as soon as you knew, you came to her. I'm so proud of you" My turn to shed a tear, I swatted them away but she saw them and caught my hand bringing it to her lips.

"What's her name, John, you gave her a name?" Cat was looking down on the baby, the monitor was recording the event, even my untrained eye could see the calm the baby was in, no stress.

"We were waiting for mummy" It was the truth I knew she would be back to us soon and it was Cat's choice "No other person would chose a name to befit our baby. I love you Cat" I wiped another tear off her cheek and she leaned into my hand taking my warmth. "Look at my family, so beautiful you both are"

Rats POV

I got the nurse to bring me down, I wasn't going to procrastinate over this, if I did I would surely curl up into a ball and blubber the night away. No this is right, this is the best for me and, I guess, the baby.

His hands are like a warm blanket to my skin strong but gentle, warm and right. The poor little mite is so tiny, I really should have known, I might have been more, I don't know, safer, feet up and resting, that's what mums need to do I think.

"So this tiny little darling is the reason of the marriage proposal Len"

"Well she tipped the scale a little but nearly losing you, seeing you trying to fight to stay another day. That's what made me realise I needed you to be mine, how much I love you. This little one is just icing on our cake"

"This is so massive, such a little thing up unending my world, and yours. I wish I had known, the booze, my pills I was such a fool. So selfish ignoring her needs, how did I not know! John, don't marry me because of her, she's yours with or without me, I would nev-"

"Stop right now, you'll end up upsetting yourself and her, we can talk about this later. Let's just be together right now, ok" John made himself comfortable on the ground near my legs gently touching our small child's head and back, he stopped and I laid my hand over his just holding her close, as one.