It was almost half past seven.

Jetta glanced at her watch once more, chewing hard on her lip as she watched the second hand tick slowly around to join the minute hand once more. Another minute passed, and her gaze flitted to the door of the little side room - but still there was no sign, and despite herself she felt hollow inside. Only her fierce self control kept her from breaking down and crying, but she knew that, after their conversation earlier on, she had no reason to expect Justin to show up at the hospital.

"Words." She muttered under her breath, sinking back against the hard hospital pillows with a discontented frown. "I open my mouth and shoot them out far too much without thinking about the effect they have. I'm a tactless, stupid bitch sometimes an' I always choose the worst bloody moments to do it. I did it in Vegas, before 'e almost drowned 'imself. An' I've done it today, when I'm stranded 'ere an' alone. You'd think I'd learn to keep my bleedin' tongue still after all this time."

She sighed, biting down on her lip once more as she fought back her tears again.

The doctor had left her about ten minutes before, and even though she had resented his inquisitive behaviour and his many questions, at least it had been company. Now she was alone with her thoughts, and she didn't like it.

A sound from the door made her glance up, her heart sinking as she realised it was only the nurse. This was the woman she'd given the hotel number to when she'd arrived, she recalled, and at her glance the newcomer offered her a smile.

"Are you feeling any better?" She asked gently. Jetta shook her head mutely, and the nurse hesitated, then came to sit down beside the bed.

"I shouldn't be hanging around like this, but you look a little lost." She said kindly. "Do you want me to get the doctor? If you're feeling unwell..."

"No, I'm feelin' fine." Jetta spoke quietly. "There ain't nothin' the doctor can do, so don't worry yourself. I'm fine. Really. I'm just...fed up with bein' here."

"Your husband hasn't arrived yet?"

"No." Jetta said shortly, and comprehension flooded the nurse's face.

"Do you think he won't come?" She murmured. Jetta started, then shrugged.

"We 'ad an argument." She admitted. "I'm not expectin' to see him."

"About the baby?" The nurse pressed. Jetta nodded.

"Sort of." She agreed. She sighed.

"I shouldn't be talkin' about this to a stranger." She added. "It ain't noone else's business an' that ain't my style."

"Sometimes it helps to tell a stranger." The nurse shrugged. "I'm good at keeping secrets, you know. Nurses have to be. Otherwise, why would our patients trust us?"

"Good question." Jetta muttered. "The lot of you are mad, to choose to work in a place like this all the time."

"Maybe we are." The nurse acknowledged. "But we do it, all the same."

She smiled.

"My name is Lianna." She offered. "Yours is Sheila, I know that already. Will you trust me and tell me what's wrong?"

"Everything, so unless you got all night, you probably don't want to ask me." Jetta sighed heavily. "Besides, it won't change things. Obviously he ain't comin' to get me...which speaks volumes in itself, to be quite blunt. We 'ad words an' he's makin' 'imself pretty clear with 'is lack of response on the matter."

"Does he want you to get rid of the baby?" Lianna asked softly. Jetta stared. Then she shook her head.

"No." She said flatly. "Actually, that was me. That's why we fought. I didn't want children. Still don't. It was one of the conditions of us gettin' married...that babies an' all of that were off the agenda. An' now I'm in this state an' I sure as 'ell don't know what to do about it, but..."

"So your husband wants you to keep it?"

"He hasn't said it, but I know he does." Jetta grimaced. "The git keeps sayin' we should discuss it an' work out this or that but I damn well know what he wants. He's just not admittin' to it and it's drivin' me crazy. I guess I reacted badly when I found out - hell, it's a shock, what woman wouldn't? So I lost my temper with 'im an' said some things I shouldn't 'ave. But damn him, he's got no right to jus' leave me 'ere to stew, even if he's mad at me! Dammit, you jus' don't do that to a woman! Especially considerin' everythin'!"

"You don't know that he's not coming." Lianna said sensibly. "When I called the hotel, there was no answer from your suite. They told me they thought he'd gone out and that they'd get a hold of him as soon as possible. Maybe he just hasn't got the message yet."

Jetta sighed.

"Maybe." She owned. "I'm sorry. Just twitchy, is all. An' wantin' to leave here. It creeps me out. All the needles an' the solemnity of bein' here on me own...I don't like it."

"Did you speak to Dr Callan about...about your options where the baby is concerned?" Lianna questioned. Jetta faltered, then shook her head.

"I didn't really know what to say." She admitted. "People look at you...like a woman is meant to be 'appy if she's expectin' and doin' all them maternal things women do. They ain't supposed to come in 'ere feelin' like I'm feelin' and I know how it would 'ave been if I'd said anythin'. I'd have been looked at like I was unnatural. All women are supposed to want babies, right?"

"Not all women do." Lianna shook her head. "And you shouldn't feel that it's wrong to think that way, either. Things are never that clear cut in any circumstance, you know. I don't think people would consider you unnatural if you didn't want to be maternal. It's not for everyone, after all."

"I'm just a fish out of water bein' here an' I hate it." Jetta toyed absently with the edge of the bedcover. "I don't want this - any of this! I feel like I've stepped out of my bloody life into the Twilight Zone an' I want to step back into it an' get back to the way things were before! Everything's been mental since I married Justin in Las Vegas an' that's the bleedin' truth of it...I don't know if I'm comin' or if I'm goin'. And now your blessed doctor 'as confirmed for certain that I'm knocked up, well, that ain't 'elpin' anything. I don't want to be a mother."

"I could speak to him for you, ask him to come explain your options and what happens, if you like." Lianna suggested. "If you wanted to talk to him - would that be easier?"

"I don't know." Jetta confessed. She rubbed her temples. "I really don't know."

"Well, in your own time." Lianna said softly. "There's not as much of a hurry as you think there is. You're early along yet and you've time to think it over. Really. You have time to consider all the angles and all the problems."

"That's almost what's botherin' me." Jetta laughed, but it was a hollow laugh and lacked any real humour. "Time to think is what's drivin' me nuts!"

At that moment an alert crackled over the loud speaker and Lianna got to her feet, smoothing down her uniform.

"I have to go." She said apologetically. "Sounds like there's an emergency and they'll need my help. But if you want me to talk to the doctor for you, I will. All right? Think it over."

Before Jetta could reply she was gone, closing the door behind her, and once more the Misfit was left alone to ponder her situation in silence.

She cast another glance at her watch, noting with some bitterness that the minute hand had crept around to the nine.

"Almost time for visitin' to end." She muttered. "Bloody typical, an'..."

She stopped, her brows knitting together as she heard a commotion from the corridor outside. Listening intently, she could just make out the voices of two nurses, and then a third voice, which sent relief and hope stabbing through her confused heart.

"Justin?" She whispered, then, "Oh dammit, girl, get a flaming grip on yourself! Bleedin' hormones, what are they doing to me? Makin' me crazy!"

"I don't care if it's almost eight o' clock!" Now it was clearer, and Jetta knew that it was indeed her husband's voice. "I was told my wife was here and I'm not going anywhere until you tell me where I can find her."

Jetta could not make out the nurse's response, but clearly it had not impressed her husband any.

"Then please, get out of my way and I'll find her myself." He said, and Jetta climbed carefully off the bed she had been resting on, moving cautiously towards the door. "I've already told you, I don't care what time it is. I haven't come all the way across the city to just go back again. She's here and I'm going to see her...I don't care if you do call security on me."

Another pause, then,

"No, you listen to me." Now it was clear Justin was losing his temper. "My wife is pregnant and she's not been at all well in recent weeks. I get a call telling me she's been brought to this hospital and that's it - no information, no nothing. Obviously, I'm worried about her. If you want to have me arrested, you go right ahead. I'm sure there are plenty of people who'd love to hear about the wonderful bedside manner available in some London hospitals!"

At this, Jetta pushed open the door of the sideward.

"I'm here." She said simply. "I thought you'd never bleedin' come."

"Well, I've been trying to get past these two ladies for the last ten minutes." Justin shot the nurses a bad tempered glare, folding his arms across his chest. "They seemed to think that because visiting time was almost over, I shouldn't be allowed up here. Which is interesting considering the hospital called me and asked me to come here...don't you think?"

"I think they'd better get lost before they 'ave a law suit on their 'ands." Jetta said levelly, watching as the young nurses exchanged apprehensive looks. "But anyway. You found me."

She stepped back into the room, indicating for Justin to join her. Once she had closed the door, however, she sank back down onto her bed, taking a deep breath. Justin eyed her keenly.

"What the hell happened?" He asked softly. "I want the truth, Jetta...and all of it, please."

Jetta eyed him sharply, taking in his expression as she did so. There was a mixture of anguish and annoyance in his dark eyes, and his lips were set in a thin line. He sat down on the end of the bed, his gaze never leaving her face, and in the end it was her eyes that dropped first.

"Don't look at me like that." She muttered.

"Like what?"

"Like I've broken curfew or somethin' stupid! I'm an adult, Justin. I don't 'ave to account to you for anythin'."

"That depends on how seriously you take your marriage vows." Justin said quietly. "Do you have any idea how scared I was when I got that call? I didn't know what had happened, what you'd done...where you might have ended up! When you left the hotel you literally just took off and I had no clue where to find you! Not even a hint or a telephone number. I went out with my camera to try and kill some of my tension, but I wound up looking out for you half the time instead of taking photos. And then I get back to the hotel and I'm greeted with this message. Now you're not even going to be straight with me about why you're here in the first place?"

Jetta did not answer at first, his words stinging into her as she digested them. She had never heard him use that tone with her before, and despite herself, she didn't like it.

"Well?" Justin sent her a piercing look. "Can you at least look me in the eye when I'm talking to you? Because I'm annoyed, Jetta. No, I'm more than that. I've about reached the end of my patience. I love you - you know that, I've told you it about a thousand times since we got together. But sometimes you frustrate even me with the way you change your mind. Your moods. Everything has to be on your terms and I'm tired of it. I don't know if I can do it any more and that's the truth."

"You can't make me do something I don't want to do." Jetta raised angry grey eyes to his. "You know that as much as I do."

"I wasn't even talking about that." Justin said quietly. "I'm not a confrontational guy and I'm used to life moving fast. But sometimes I think you take it for granted that I don't have an opinion of my own to add to the discussion. This afternoon you yelled...God knows what at me, then stormed out of the hotel without a word to anyone as to how to find you. I would never have forced anything on you - if you feel even the slightest amount for me the way I do for you you'd know that. But you weren't even prepared to talk about it. It was just my fault. It's always my fault. It's always something I've done, never something you were a part of. We got married - I forced you into it. You got pregnant, I seduced you with intent and you're yelling about divorce and a ton of other crazy stuff. I can't deal with that every time we have an issue, Jetta. I can't. You have to start taking your share of the blame too, else we're just not going to go anywhere."

Jetta stared at him, unable to speak, and Justin pursed his lips.

"I can't be your fall guy forever." He added softly. "That's not what being married is all about."

Jetta swallowed hard, but it was in vain. With a choke, the tears came and she shook her head slowly.

"Stop it." She begged. "Stop yelling at me. I can't take it either, you know! Not right now. Not...not with these bleedin' hormones rocketin' round my body!"

Justin sighed heavily.

"What are we doing?" He asked her wearily. "Are we playing at being man and wife, or are we actually man and wife, Jetta? Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do, you git! Do you think I'd 'ave bloody well married you if I didn't?"

"I wonder that all the time." Justin admitted. "I worry that Michigan shocked you into choosing something you weren't ready for and that you didn't even really mean. That it was something you did in the aftermath of a big shock and that when it all came down to it, it's not what you really want. You keep setting rules...boundaries for our relationship. Things we can and can't do. Like it all has to be controlled and organised and...and structured, I guess. You're so focused on things not changing - the group, and your life, and everything else. Hell, even your damn weight is an issue, apparently, if you're worrying about putting five pounds on over Christmas! It just seems...it seems wrong, Jetta. Just...wrong."

Jetta did not answer right away, and for a moment there was silence between them. Then she sighed.

"Those five pounds weren't Christmas indulgence." She said quietly, her voice shaking slightly as she struggled against the tears that still fell. "They were the baby, Justin. The doctor told me so. And the dizziness, the sickness, my moods...all of that has been the same thing. Maybe even my reaction to Michigan. Maybe that too. I don't know."

She paused, then,

"But I wasn't pregnant when I married you." She added, her tones barely more than a whisper. "And when I did it, I knew exactly what the hell I was doing. I might have got scared the next mornin', true enough. But I knew what I was doin' when I made those choices in Vegas. An' I meant everythin' I told you in Michigan, too. Whether you believe me or not. I can't believe you're takin' this out on me right now, when everything is so crazy an' when I'm in a bleedin' hospital t'boot!"

"Well, I'm tired, frustrated and honestly, frightened." Justin sighed. "Frightened of what had happened to you, frightened that I didn't know where you were, frightened that you really aren't as committed to this relationship as I am. All those things, Jetta. It's been a damn long day. And I understand why you wanted rid of the baby, but to go and do it without even discussing the matter..."

"Woah!" Jetta held up her hands. "Is that what this is? I'm gettin' the third degree because you think I took off across the city an' got rid of it, an' that's why I'm stuck in this place? That I made a rash decision an' wound up payin' for it?"

"Well, that's what you told me you were going to do." Justin looked confused. "Didn't you?"

"I did." Jetta acknowledged, sinking back against the headboard. "But I didn't do it. Not yet, anyway. I...I'm not rash or impulsive by nature, Justin. I needed to think about it. Find out things. An' whenever I came close to goin' for it, I kept thinkin' about our argument an' how pissed you'd be with me if I did it."

She glanced down.

"I was afraid that you'd leave me." She admitted in a small voice. "When I was sitting here, on my own, and you didn't show up. I thought you weren't comin'. That you'd 'ad enough an' you'd gone already. An' I was scared, Justin. Honestly, truly scared. Because I've always been on my own...and I really don't want to be any more."

Justin's expression relaxed.

"You didn't get rid of it yet?" He echoed. Jetta shook her head.

"No." She replied. "The truth is I blacked out in the middle of a shopping centre an' hit my head or somethin'. Someone called an ambulance, an' that's why I ended up 'ere. That's all. Nothin' else."

Justin drew a deep breath of air into his lungs.

"Maybe I owe you an apology, then." He owned. "Coming at you like that...but I thought...and well..."

"No, you are right." Jetta sighed heavily. "Every bloody thing you said an' probably more. I know it as well as you do. But you did choose to marry a bitch, you know. A Misfit. We ain't perfect. We 'ave our issues an' you chose to deal with them 'ead on when you said I do. That works both ways, you know."

"Yes, I know." Justin nodded his head. "And I didn't..."

He frowned.

"I guess it bothered me more than I realised, the idea of you getting rid of our child." He admitted at length. "I wasn't really angry with you until I saw you just now, and that's the truth. I was scared, yes. Worried, definitely. But angry? No. That just...well, came out. I'm sorry, I guess this means more to me than I thought. I guess it does matter to me, whether or not I have children."

"Which is another of my rules an' boundaries, ain't it." Jetta sighed again. She held out a hand, taking her husband's in her grip and pulling herself closer to him, leaning up against his shoulder.

"I want things to just settle down and be normal." She said eventually. "But things never are for me. That's what you don't realise. Everythin' everyone else has, I don't get. Not ever. I ain't 'ad a family growin' up. I ain't 'ad things other kids my age always 'ad. No proper Christmases. No real 'olidays. Not many school trips unless Grandpa forked out for them. And I came here to make money, because I never 'ad any of that, neither - except I found out that makin' money doesn't do anythin' but pay for clothes an' musical stuff an' nights out on the town. It doesn't answer any questions, Justin. It doesn't change anythin'. Just makes you a Misfit with money instead of one without...it doesn't change the way the world treats you. Or you treat the world."

She bit her lip.

"I'm gettin' weird on you now, so maybe I do have a concussion." She owned ruefully. "But it's true, nonetheless. When you had your accident in Michigan, I thought it was my fault. That I'd cursed you. An' that somehow you were out there because of my perennial bad luck."

"That is the craziest thing you have ever said to me." Justin stared. "And you've said some pretty crazy things recently, Jetta. I didn't think you believed in all of that fate stuff anyway?"

"I don't, not usually." Jetta pinkened. "But it just seemed like my lot -as usual. My family are gamblers, Justin - gamblers who lose more than they ever win. The only time I've ever placed bets on the table an' come away with cash at the end of it was when we went to Vegas. It was like an omen. So I took another gamble. You asked me to marry you an' I said yes."

"Some gamble."

"When you survived the boat accident, I knew I'd gambled and won." Jetta bit her lip, finally getting control of her emotions. She reached up to dry her eyes. "I jus' didn't realise there'd be an askin' price for it. But there always is, when you gamble. You always put up stakes before you go in for the big one. I should've seen it comin'. Known there'd be a reason you didn't drown out there. The baby is it. My luck might 'ave almost drowned you, but the baby 'as your damn luck. It brought you back. So I wouldn't be on my own any more."

"You're getting crazier by the second, you know that?"

"Yes, I know." Jetta sighed, closing her eyes. "I'm tired an' I'm babbling, but you wanted me to trust you. The bottom line is, Justin, I can't get rid of the baby. That's why I'm so freaked out. So upset and scared of the whole deal. Even when I was tellin' you an' myself what I was goin' to do, I guess some part of me knew I wasn't going to do it. Because if I was, I would 'ave done it by now. If I felt that strongly about what was right, I wouldn't 'ave hesitated. I might not be impulsive, but I am decisive an' I don't go back on decisions made."

She swallowed hard.

"So here we are." She managed. "Guess this is where the rules an' boundaries start to break down. I am a control freak - more than I realised, actually - an' it scares me that I can't control this. So if you back out on me too, I probably will need to be sectioned. I've felt close to the wire a few times...so really, it's up to you whether you can stand it."

Justin stared at her for a moment. Then, very gently, he took her in his arms, holding her tightly. Jetta buried her head in his shoulder, feeling strangely safe and comforted by his grip.

"We'll be fine. We'll just yell nonsense at one another at random intervals over the next sixty or so years." He murmured in her ear, his voice playful and light. Despite herself, she smiled, punching him idly on the arm.

"Git." She said affectionately. "So even after all of this, you still want to bother with me?"

"I take my vows extremely seriously." Justin nodded solemnly. "And I think we can make it work...so long as you think we can."

"I don't know, but I want to try." Jetta admitted. "But Justin...about the baby?"

"Mmm?"

"It's a lot for me to 'andle, emotionally an' physically an' I can't promise to be logical or stable while it's all goin' on." Jetta said honestly. "I may say things...do things...that make no sense. I just...have to get used to it. To everythin'. To the way our life is goin' to change."

"I guess I understand that. And probably need to understand it more." Justin acknowledged. "I'll try and take that in, I promise."

"And you have to promise to be there when I need you." Jetta raised her eyes to his. "When it's born...whenever that is. I can't do that alone. I won't...I won't do that alone. So you better be there, else we'll be having serious words."

"I wouldn't not be." Justin assured her. "That's easy to promise. I'd want to be there."

"If only you could be there instead of me." Jetta looked rueful. "Bein' tough really isn't about fist-fightin' someone you hate, you know. It's about doin' somethin' that scares the crap out of you."

"I guess we all grow up sometime and realise we aren't the only person in the world any more." Justin remarked philosophically. Jetta nodded.

"It's just 'it me a little later than most people." She agreed sheepishly. She glanced at her watch. "It's half eight. Guess we scared the nurses away, huh?"

"Guess we did." Justin nodded. "Hey, are they keeping you in here tonight or are you fit to leave?"

"Doctor said I could go if you came to get me. Otherwise he wasn't happy me leavin' on my own, with my propensity to dizziness, as he put it." Jetta sighed. "But you are here, so please, Justin, can we go? I'm tired an' I'm hungry...I couldn't face food when they offered it an' it's gettin' late. I know we'll have missed dinner at the hotel, but honestly, I jus' want a comfortable bed an' I'll eat pretty much anythin'. Please? Will you sign me out of this hell-hole? God knows today has been enough for anyone without spendin' the whole night here."

"I think the sooner we left Chad's Memorial Hospital, the better." Justin said dryly. "You're not dizzy now?"

"No, just tired and emotional."

"Then we'll go." Justin stood, and Jetta allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. "And if the doctor doesn't like it, well, that's just tough!"