Have No Emotion, Show No Weakness

Protection

Connie walked into the cubicle hearing Jacob talking to her. "Why do you wear a white uniform when everyone else is wearing blue? Are you special or something-" "Oh he's definitely special..."  Amy laughed as Connie smiled closing the curtain again.

"I'll take that as a compliment boss-" "You're the boss here?"  Connie smiled nodding before standing beside the bed looking at the test results of the bloods they'd taken. "I am indeed-" "Do you like bossing my Uncle around?"  She laughed seeing Ethan still in the cubicle.

"One of them, I'll let you decide which one I like more."  Ethan smiled before Connie spoke to her again. "Your wrist is broken so we're going to put something on it to help it heal-" "A cast? Can I pick a colour?"  Jacob smiled "Of course you can, now let me guess... Pink?" 

"Pink?"  Both Connie and Amy said it at the same time causing Ethan and Jacob to look between them. "I mean come on, she's a football girl... I'm assuming you're more of a blue kind of girl?"  Amy nodded as Connie smiled back at her.

"Staff Nurse Masters can you go with Dr Hardy to get everything sorted?"  She looked at Ethan and he knew she wanted to talk to Amy alone. "Of course, won't be long."  Once they'd left she moved forwards and sat on the side of her bed.

The smile soon began to fade from Amy's face. "You don't have to say anything just nod or shake your head okay... Is this the first time you've hurt yourself?"  She shook her head.

"Okay, is it the first time you've been to hospital?"  She nodded. "Did you really fall today?"  Amy didn't do anything for a moment before she shook her head. "Okay... Amy you can talk to me and I won't say anything unless I'm worried that you're in danger-" "But Mummy won't believe me, she never does. She says it's always my fault and that I'm just clumsy."

Connie held onto Amy's hand causing her to look up at her. "Did Mummy's boyfriend do this to you?"  She nodded quickly before Connie spoke again. "Amy how many times has this happened?"  She didn't know, more times than she could remember. "I don't know... It stopped when Uncle Cal was coming round more then we left and it happened more.  I just wanted to come back and see them, but he said they didn't want to see me anymore."

Tears began to cascade down her face as Connie pulled her into a hug. "Everything's going to be okay, I can promise you that... I'll make sure it's all okay, I won't let anything happen."  Connie rubbed a hand up and down her back trying to comfort her as she rested her chin on the top of her head. Ethan and Jacob had pulled the curtain open after hearing the last few things of what was said.

Connie noticed them standing there and had a sympathetic look across her face noticing Ethan. "Go and get Cal..." She didn't say it out loud but Jacob understood her. He nodded and walked away with Ethan following. "I think it's best if they don't see you with me, I can pass it off like he's needed with another patient." "Okay."  Ethan stopped and went to the nurses' station.

Jacob pushed the door open everyone moving about. "Sorry Dr Knight you're needed in resus with a patient, I wouldn't have asked if we weren't short staffed... Apologies."  Cal knew they weren't short staffed so knew Connie wanted him. "I'll be back as soon as I can Luc..." She nodded leaning into her partner again much to Cal's annoyance.

He followed Jacob to where Ethan stood at the nurses' station. Connie opened the curtain quickly. "Max! Can I have your help for a moment please?"  Cal worried but Connie smiled. "It's fine... I'll be a minute." He nodded then watched as Amy was moved into one of the small side rooms the other end of the department, out of the way.

10 minutes later and several people were gathered around. "What!?"  Rage began to boil within Cal as he listened to Connie. "She spoke- she tried telling her Mum and she ignored her?"  Cal started shouting but soon went quiet not wanting to draw too much attention.

Zoe, Dylan, Charlie and Ethan stood with their backs to the department while Connie told Ethan and Cal what had happened.  "Listen this isn't the first time-" "Sorry? But Amy's never had any admittance to hospital."

Connie raised her eyebrows with her arms folded against her chest. "Her arms been broken at least twice before today... I also ran some other tests and the wrist that she's broken isn't the only thing that's been hurt before." 

Zoe looked at Cal who looked like he was about to hit someone. "What has she said?"  Connie turned to Zoe "That it's been happening more since they moved away-" "That was 5 years ago Mrs Beauchamp..."  Connie nodded sympathetically towards Ethan.

"That's it..." Cal turned and started to walk away before Connie ran and grabbed his wrist. "You go in there and they walk out of here with her! Trust me Cal, I've seen this too many times to know that's how it'll go."  He sighed looking down at her. "Please, just trust me."  He nodded as Connie turned back to everyone.

"Dr Hanna I need you to phone social services, tell them I need them here in the next hour... Dr Hardy, I know it's hard but I need you to stay with your sister in the relatives room. You need to act like you know none of this."  He nodded as Connie looked to Charlie. "Can you stay with her and Staff Nurse Masters for a while? And Dr Keogh can you keep an eye over the department please."

Connie moved back to Cal resting a hand on his shoulder. He was looking through the window to where Amy sat laughing with Jacob applying her cast. "I need you with me, there's a few things we need to talk about before speaking to her Mum."