a lift

Nancy wasn't sure what she was after. Really, it was nothing. Just to watch a thing of beauty perhaps. She was down on her luck, now wasn't she? She didn't have a way home. Hardly, a bit of cash on her. For all she know, she might have to prostitute herself out so she could find a way back. She guessed. She really didn't know, and it was beginning to make her feel ill.

"You don't look well at all." The bronzed blond told her.

"Just a bit down on my luck." Nancy felt dizzy just in her presences.

"Well, here, take my water," the lass handed her over what was left of her bottle. "Perhaps a bite to eat would help as well." She told her she was Imogen. "We'll got my uncle's pub." So they walked up the beach to the board-walk. It was quite a maze to get to her Uncle's establishment, but well worth it.

"What brings you down this way this time of year?" Imogen asked after she brought her a hot meal, a roast beef sandwich saturated in gravy.

"It was quite stupid, actually." Nancy told her. "I'd just soon forget it now. I just want to go home."

"Home?" Imogen smiled. She looked at Nancy so interested wanting to hear all about Hollyoaks.

Nancy couldn't help but smile. Really, she didn't know why she'd find Hollyoaks so interesting.

"Perhaps I could give you lift." Imogen smiled. Nancy smiled back. She already had.

what's in a name

Will was determined to see this through with Zoe's baby.

Yes, the poor thing was in a fragile state. Actually, though the doctors assured him that really everything was perfect. He was still growing. But it was hard to tell. It might as well have been a lizard, if anything. But it was human. And definitely needed family even if Zoe wanted nothing to do with it.

"What will you name him?" Amy wanted to know who seemed more interested in the baby than anyone else.

"Dunno." Will winced. Really, it was just him and the baby. Jamie wasn't going to claim it. They hadn't spoken in so long and Jamie seemed dead set on raising a family with Sasha these days. "He is a Dean, you know."

"Is that a good thing?" Amy smirked.

"Doubtful, but maybe so." Will sighed, but his name was on the birth certificate. He'd assumed responsibility for the child. "Just wish I wasn't so alone in this."

"Perhaps, Zoe will come around." Amy gave him a pat on the back. "I kind of know how she feels." She told him about her own bout with Newt and how she'd left him to take care of their baby. "I just wasn't ready, but then Liam got to me, somehow. And here I am back for more." She told him she was with Newt's brother now. She was expecting, again.

They watched the baby hooked up to the monitors and his meds. It was really a frightful sight.

"You should name him," Amy said. "He needs a name."

Will went blank. But Amy was right. He needed his name. And then it came to him.

"He shall be Dean. Dean Hackett." He bit a smile then.

"Dean," Amy nodded. "Short and simple." She sighed. "I talked to Newt, and well, he called someone, thinking you shouldn't be all alone in this, Will." She squinted then.

"What?" He looked at her as if the police were to find him out now. He was still Jeremy at the library, but then he looked up to see who was waiting in the hall for him. It was none other than Spike.

over the horizon

Well, if that wasn't enough to put someone on a bender, thought Nancy as she woke up in a cold bed in a cheap hostel close to the beach. Lydia had left her high and dry.

"Where in the fuck are you!" She left a message for Lydia on her cell.

Here she was alone again. Is that the way it would always be? Suddenly, she felt frightened. Being so alone in this creepy place. Anything could happen here. She'd never really panicked so before. Honestly, she didn't think she had it in her. Perhaps she was getting old. No one to call her own. The baby she'd had sometime ago had been placed in the care of Tony's ex-wife. She'd never really thought of her much until now.

Not that she was going to make a train trip anywhere for a visit. It just felt odd now. It was as if she was the lost one. By accident she got Hannah on the phone. Of course, Hannah was happy these days. She had Freddie and Gilly too. Really, it was just sickening to Nancy who always thought the one person she'd settle down with one day would be Hannah, but it seemed a bit too late for that.

Nancy listened to Hannah's voice on her cell. Tears came to her eyes. She hung up. What was the point? Nancy felt more lost than she ever thought possible. What was she to do? Stranded here at Brighton. Of all places.

She quickly got dressed. She never wanted to lay her eyes on Lydia again. They were through. And she didn't want to go back to Ravi nor Kris, either. It was time to grow up, wasn't it? She buttoned her cut-offs then over her bikini, and wrapped her big bulky scarf around her as she headed to the beach. Perhaps it was fresh air she needed. She hadn't a clue where she might be headed. Hopefully not trouble.

Nancy made her way down to the sand where Lydia had met that photographer. She was long gone now, and it felt good to get Lydia out of her system. Like a breath of fresh air perhaps. Of course, there was a chill in the ocean breeze. Just then she saw a stunning blond in the distance.

a strange time

Zoe couldn't bare to look at the thing she bore. Why were they fussing over it so? Didn't look like it had a chance with the living. But it had eyes and legs and arms so shriveled and barely respondent. Jesus, it even had a penis. But it was taken away so other doctors could inspect it. It was hardly a stone.

Zoe didn't want to think about it. Just Sarah was on her mind.

Was Sarah awake yet?

"Well, tell me something!" She demanded, but Zoe could hardly move herself.

"You need your rest," Will reminded her. Someone else held her other hand too as Zoe was coming out of this nightmare as if she'd landed in wet cement and was stuck in time. She looked over to see Amy. It was a bit strange and awkward. Her of all people. Didn't she hate Zoe?

Will told her the baby was three months to early. He would need massive care, perhaps months of incubation.

"No, I don't mean, it!" She panicked. "I mean, Sarah, what's going on?" Zoe winced in pain.

"Don't you want to name the baby?" Amy looked at her wide eyed.

Zoe shook her head, no. She looked up at Will, thinking he'd take care of that. If he wanted. She hadn't time to care.

"Sarah's lost a lot of blood." He mentioned lots of internal bleeding. "It was touch and go. She flat-lined, I'm afraid, but she seems better, now."

Zoe had tears in her eyes. She knew who did this to Sarah.

"Did they arrest anyone?" She looked at them both. They both shook their heads, no.

Zoe laid there grimacing. She couldn't wait to get better so she could get her hands on Lydia. Vengeance had a way of making her want to heal quickly.