Rating: PG
Pairing: Sarah/Harry
Beta: hhertzof
Spoilers: Invasion of the Bane
Summary: Sarah attempts to get used to the relationships she has with her children.

Sarah could hear footsteps and the echo of doors shutting on empty corridors. Strangely, she thought she could smell paint and she struggled to work out where she was. Her eyes opened when she heard a baby cry nearby. A look round confirmed she was in a hospital bed, with Nat sat beside it, although she was staring out the window.

"Nat?"

Nat looked round and smiled at her, although not very convincingly. She reached forward to take Sarah's hand.

Sarah frowned, unable to remember what could be wrong. "What...?"

"You've got eclampsia. Um..."

The events of Luke's party came back to her in a rush. "I know what it is." She'd had the lecture more than once. The gist was if she didn't rest it was possible she would be very ill. It all seemed so unlikely at the time, though, and she felt fine now.

"I found you on the lounge floor. You looked like you were having a fit."

Nat's fingers squeezed Sarah's. She probably looked worse than she felt, given what she remembered. "I'm sorry."

Nat shook her head. "You know they're going to deliver the baby."

"No!" Sarah snatched her hand back. "They can't, it's too soon." And she was small, they kept telling her that. What if Georgia didn't survive?

"They have to," Nat said softly.

Sarah shook her head. Her concerns and fears about her life after the baby was born instantly vanished. She just wanted her to be all right. "Where's Harry?"

"I don't know."

"He has to be here. I promised him he could be."

Nat smiled. "Don't worry, I'll find him."

Sarah nodded as Nat left. She almost called her back, not really wanting to be on her own. But she also wanted her to find Harry and Nat couldn't do both.

She wasn't alone for long, though. It was only a minute before Nat stuck her head back round the door and said, "There's someone here to see you."

Luke bounded through the door and Sarah managed a real smile for him. He ran over to hug her. "Oof!" she said, but rubbed his back and said, "Everything's going to be all right."

He didn't say anything, just held her tighter. Sarah was grateful for something to distract her. "I'm sorry about your party. We'll have another one later, okay?"

He nodded and said a muffled "Okay" before loosening his grip and pulling away from her.

"Sit down." She gestured to the chair next to the bed, and he did as he was told.

"You'll get to see your little sister soon, aren't you looking forward to that?" There was at least some good in the situation.

He frowned. "But you said it wouldn't be until September."

"I know, but babies don't always do what they're supposed to." She tried her best to sound like this was normal. While it was true babies were premature for no reason, she just wished it was true in this case.

He twisted his hands in his shirt and didn't look at her.

She frowned. "Luke?" She waited until he looked at her again before she continued. "I'm sorry I scared you." Although she was glad it was Nat who found her and not Luke.

He shook his head. "I know it's too soon for her to be born. Harry gave me a book."

She smiled. It was sweet of him to think of it, but if it was anything like the book he'd given her it would probably frighten rather than reassure him. Harry, with his medical training, likely wouldn't see it in the same way they did. "You're right. But the doctors know what they're doing. We just have to trust them." There was a lump in her throat, though.

He nodded.

Sarah reached out to take one of his hands. "Will you stay here for a bit and keep me company?"

He smiled and nodded.

"Tell me about your party. You sounded like you were having fun."

He grinned and told her about the games he and his friends were playing, and about who was friends with whom and which of them was cheating. She listened, wishing she could make it all less complicated for him, but it was a part of growing up and Luke would have to work it out on his own. Eager to find the silver lining, she thought how nice it was to spend time with Luke. She would have to make sure they still did that, after the baby was born.

Sarah was much more comfortable and relaxed by the time Nat came back. Sarah looked up at her.

Nat answered the question without Sarah having to ask it. "I left a message on his voicemail, but...." She sighed. "I tried his parents but they weren't there. I don't know where else to look."

Sarah shook her head. She didn't know either. She couldn't even name Harry's close friends because he never talked about them. They had probably been at his funeral but she hadn't been thinking about that then. "They'll wait until he gets here, won't they?" Her voice was more hope that anything else.

Nat shook her head. "They can't. What if he's a long way away and can't get here for a couple of days?"

Sarah swallowed the lump in her throat and blinked back the tears that she refused to allow to fall, especially in front of Luke. It wasn't just because she promised him, either, she really wanted Harry to be here.

When she thought she could speak with her voice sounding normal she asked Nat, "Will you stay with me?"

"Of course I will," Nat said, smiling. "I won't let you be on your own."

Sarah smiled at Nat. "Thank you." But even Nat's presence wasn't going to guarantee anything.

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Fandom: Sarah Jane Adventures | Type: Character: Luke Smith, Character: Nat Redfern, Character: Sarah Jane Smith, Length: Long story, Pairing: Sarah/Harry, Series: Soap Opera, Type: Het | Link

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