Have No Emotion, Show No Weakness

Heartless

                 

Over the past few days things had been getting more heated with every passing moment.  Connie and Rita had been arguing over everything, no matter how little.  Charlie was still trying to get through to Connie, but he was ready to give up now.

"Look Connie, all I've tried to do is show you you're not alone but you've made it quite clear you want to be."  She looked up at him as he went to leave the office and tried speaking up but nothing came out.  It was too late anyway, he was gone and he wouldn't be coming back anytime soon.

Putting down the paperwork she picked up her stethoscope and decided to go out into the department.  Things had been running better in the last week though.  Everything was finally ordered and the department as a whole was working well together, despite a few exceptions.

"Nurse Freeman with me please."  Rita looked up "Joys" she muttered to the other nurses before joining Connie at the entrance waiting for the RTC.  "I just wanted to say I appreciate you coming in today, I know it was your day off."  Rita looked across at Connie in slight shock but couldn't say anything as the ambulance arrived.

The two women walked in with the paramedics and unloaded the young male into resus.  "Okay I need to get LFTs Us and Es, can we get an X-Ray and CT scan ordered and get theatre on standby.  Right Mr Bennett I'm Mrs Beauchamp have you got any pain?" 

"You're funny, I've been in a car accident and you're asking if I'm in any pain?"  he laughed slightly before reaching for his ribs as he began coughing.  "I'll take that as a yes then?  Can we cross match bloods and find out if the next of kin has been contacted... Right Mr Bennett-" "Call me Jack-" "Right Jack, it looks like you've broken some ribs which may have pierced your lung explaining your shortness of breath."

"We'll run some tests before sending you up for surgery."  The young man nodded as Connie indicated for Max to get him upstairs as quickly as he could.  Without saying anything to Rita, Connie left resus and went towards cubicles.

Rita walked out and bumped into Tess and Cal.  "Were you just working in there with Mrs Beauchamp?"  Rita nodded "Why-" "We didn't hear any shouting, just wanted to check."  Rita gently pushed Cal's arm before walking away and to the nurses' station.

As the day drew to a close Connie returned to her office.  She was staying on for the night shift as Zoe was 'ill'.  Taking off her stethoscope she moved a hand to rest against her neck forgetting the door was open. 

"Long day?"  Connie spun round to see Jacob standing in the doorway.  "Staff Nurse Masters what do you want?"  He shrugged walking further into the office.  "Some of us are heading over to the pub for a drink, wanted to know if you were coming."  Connie laughed dropping her hand and moving around the desk.

"My shift hasn't finished-" "But you've been in since 8 this morning-" "Indeed but Dr Hanna is unable to make it in tonight, so my shift doesn't end until tomorrow morning and even if I wasn't working I wouldn't come."  Jacob smiled leaning against the desk causing Connie to stand up.  "What if I asked you out for dinner, would you come then?"

Connie raised a perfectly arched eyebrow "Really?"  Jacob smiled as he looked across at her.  She put the stethoscope around her neck before walking around the desk.  Jacob reached out for her and caught her wrist turning her back to face him.  He expected her to shout but was surprised when she just stood there.

"That wasn't really an answer, was it?"  She looked at him noticing his hand still on her wrist.  He'd begun to gently move his thumb along the back of her hand before she pulled it away and folded her arms across her chest.  "It's not going to happen Staff Nurse Masters-" "I don't ask twice-" "Good, wouldn't want to make you look stupid twice."

He smiled standing up realising how close he was to her.  They were close enough to kiss but he wasn't that stupid, no matter how many times the thought had run through his head.  "Whatever you say Queen B-" "It's Mrs-" "Beauchamp, I know..."  He passed her and stopped in the doorway.  "But I still think sweet cheeks suits you better."  He winked before wandering out the office leaving Connie in disbelief.

Connie didn't sit down again until almost 3am, and all she could think about was him.  Well him and how stupid she was for letting herself feel anything for him.  Would it really matter if anything happened, maybe she could keep control of all this without any real feelings involved.