What if…

When I was six years old, my parents died in a suicide bombing. When I was 19, they re-appeared on my wedding day. When I met the Doctor, all I asked for was a goodbye. What I got was way more than what I bargained for.

What if they came home that night?

What if I hadn't meant Sherlock Holmes?

What would my life be like?

"Mum!" I called up the stairs, "Mum, have you seen my uniform?"

"It's hanging up in the laundry room, hun, I washed it for you last night!" she called back.

I ran into the room at the back of my house, grabbed my uniform, ran back into the kitchen, grabbed my lunch and nearly knocked my dad over.

"Sorry Dad!" I apologised, sorting my hair, "I'm running really late."

Dad laughed, "I can see that. Let me drive you."

"You're a lifesaver!" I said kissing him on the cheek.

"Bye Abi!" Mum shouted down the stairs.

"Bye Mum!" I shouted back and followed Dad out the door.

Half an hour later, I was at the hospital and about to start my shift.

"You'll be glad you came in today, Abi." Said Nicole, handing me some files "We've got a VIP coming in!"

"Oh really?" I asked taking the files and looking over them. One of my mothers had gone into early labour overnight, 2 had delivered healthy babies and the other was in for monitoring. "Who is it?"

"The wife of an MI5 agent!" She said, excitedly.

"You'll have to take it Nicole," I said sighing, "Karen Manley went into labour last night and I said I'd stay on her case, as exciting as an MI5 agent sounds." And I walked off to find my patient.

Karen was a lovely woman, forty years in age, short brown hair and a 2 year old daughter. Since this was her second pregnancy, we had kept an eye on her during the early stages, but all seemed to be normal.

"Morning, Karen." I said, walking into her cubicle. "How are you this morning?" I asked cheerfully.

"I'm alright, uncomfortable, but alright."

"That's good." I sat down next to her. "I'm just going to do your obs and then I'll do an exam and see how we are getting on."

She nodded in response. A few hours later and Karen was holding a perfectly healthy baby boy in her arms. She called him James Peter.

I walked back to the station and sat down to do the paperwork. Nicole was stood there, chatting to Beth, another friend.

"How's the VIP case going?" I asked as I opened Karen's file.

"Great. The Dad is really handsome!" said Beth.

I looked up, "Beth!" I said, "He's married!"

"I know," she said, looking off into the distance, "I can dream, can't I?"

I rolled my eyes and laughed.

"He's just you're type Abigail," said Nicole innocently, "Tall, blonde haired and cute!"

I looked at her, "And married. Honestly, am I the only one to have any sense round here?"

Nicole poked her tongue out. "You're just boring!" she paused, "Go take a look… you're finished on Karen for now. Plus I'm not entirely certain I got her measurements right."

I sighed and held out my hand for her file. "When did her contractions start?" I asked looking at her notes.

"Last night at around seven. It's her first labour as well." Commented Beth.

"She should be almost dilated by now." I looked at my watch, it was half two in the afternoon. I hadn't even eaten yet.

"I got that she had a few centimetres left." Said Nicole.

I looked at Nicole. "Here's the deal. You buy me a sandwich and I'll look at your tall, handsome stranger."

Nicole smiled widely, "Deal!" and she ran off excitedly.

I walked off, with the notes to room 221. I read the notes as I walked. Bronagh Holmes, 23, first pregnancy, normal so far was down for a natural delivery. I put some gloves on as I walked into the room. I smiled as I looked up.

"Hello, my name's Abigail and I've just come to…" but I faltered as I looked up at the father. A sudden chill went down my spine…like someone had just walked over my grave.

"Are you ok?" asked Bronagh in a deep Irish accent.

I turned my attention back to the mother. "Sorry. I just felt like someone walked over my grave." I shook my head quickly and composed myself. "I'm just going to do a quick exam to see how you're doing."

I did the exam and found that she was fully dilated.

"Ok, Bronagh, you are now ready for delivery. I'm going to arrange for you to be moved to our labour ward and Nicole will go up with you." I smiled at her, "Good Luck and congratulations."

"Thank you," said the father as he shook my hand.

I couldn't look at him, so I mumbled, "That's quite alright sir, I was just doing my job." And I quickly left the room.

I was probably over-reacting but I swear I had seen him before and I didn't know where. I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't see Nicole and I walked straight into her.

"Hey!" she said, in surprise.

"Sorry Nicole, I wasn't looking where I was going."

"I can see that! What happened with VIP?" she asked.

"Fully dilated. You need to follow her up to the labour ward."

"Ok. Are you coming?" she asked.

"No. I've got paperwork to do and this is your case." I said.

"Ok. Your sandwich is on your desk."

"Thanks. I owe you." I said and I walked back over to the station.

The rest of the day was relatively normal and I got stuck in with tasks and rounds all day. The end of my shift came and I went outside to wait for Dad. When I got outside, I saw Bronagh's husband there, having a smoke.

"Hey." I said walking over to him. "Are you ok?"

He turned around in surprise when he heard me. "Oh," he said when he saw who it was, "Yes. I'm fine. Just waiting."

"Yeah, it can be a long wait." I said, "But at the end you will have a beautiful baby."

He didn't say anything.

I looked at him curiously. He laughed. "Why are you looking at me?"

I shook my head. "I'm sorry. It's just I swear I know you."

"Well, you shouldn't. I work in computing. You may know Bronagh, she's a weather reporter."

"Ah well, I must be thinking of someone else then. What's your name?"

"Matthew, Matthew Archer." He said holding out his hand.

"Nice to meet you Matthew." I said shaking his hand. "And congratulations on becoming a dad."

He rolled his eyes. "It's not my child." He said, taking a puff on his cigarette. "My wife slept with my best friend and the next thing I know she's pregnant and I have to raise his child as my own."

"How do you know it's not your child?" I asked.

"Because I had been away on work business for almost half a year so I knew it couldn't be mine and then she confessed to sleeping around."

"I'm sorry to hear that Matthew," I said, touching his arm. "But I believe that you have what it takes to raise this child and be awesome as well."

"How do you know?" he asked.

"Call it my magic power. I have a thing with people." I said smiling.

"You'll have to tell me about it one day," he said, smiling. "Here's my number."

I took it smiling and then I saw my dad in his car pulling up in the pick-up zone. I started to walk towards him but he got further and further away so I began to run towards his car.

"Abi… Abi… Abi!" someone was calling my name but I kept on running towards the car. I didn't want to lose my dad.

"Abi! Abi!" the voice was yelling now, "Abi! Wake up! It's a bad dream!"

Suddenly, my eyes snapped open and I sat bolt upright. I looked around. I was in my bedroom, in my house. I looked to my right and I saw my husband, looking at me worried. He was rubbing my back as I calmed myself down.

"Hey." He said, "You ok?"

I smiled, "Yeah. It was just a dream."

"Want to talk about it?"

I shook my head. "There was nothing to talk about. Reality is a lot better."

Just then the door opened and Anthony came running in.

"Mummy, mummy! It's time to play!" and he jumped onto the bed.

I laughed, "Ok! Go put your boots on and we'll play in the garden."

I sighed. Living the life of Abigail McNiesh had been fun especially with my parents but my life with Daniel and Anthony was what I wanted. Nothing would beat it!

THE END