Through it all

Tired

He found her couldn't help but watch her as she moved around the ED. it didn't matter how busy or over run the department was, she always kept her cool without a strand of her dark hair falling out of place. Her ability to make quick, well informed decisions was something he'd hardly seen in anyone else. Her ability to carry out complex surgery in an open ED with only him and an anaesthetist was something he found incredible and very very attractive. They made a good team, he knew that and so did she.

"Why does that ASIA assessment always take so long," she sighed and Jacob and Charlie looked up at her,

"Because its multiple dermatomes Connie," Charlie sighed, catching Jacobs eye as Connie too sighed,

"Can I see?" She asked, before sitting down beside the patient,

"How are these scored?" Jacob asked and Connie looked up at him,

"The last normal level of injury gives the spinal cord injury level, if they have no sacral segments grade A, then grades B to D are given dependent on the amount of motor activity below the injury level.

"So what is she?" He asked; standing close to her as she looked over the chart,

"T5 ASIA B" she uttered,

"Will I walk again?" The patient asked and she watched as Jacob walked over and stood behind her,

"It's impossible to say," she told her gently,

"You have minimal movement in your legs... But you can feel the area around your bottom, so that shows us your injury is incomplete and there is chance of recovery," she explained, "however, there will be months of rehab ahead, and we will need to refer you to a specialist spinal cord injury centre,"

Connie placed a gentle hand on her patients shoulder as her husband entered the room, "call me back if you have any other questions... We will get you up to a rehab ward when we can,"

Connie exhaled before leaving the ED and disappearing into her office.

Jacob made a move to follow her and Charlie shook his head, "give her some time," he advised, "she's starting to trust you... She'll open up when she's ready."

A few busy hours passed and when Connie didn't reappear, Jacob let himself into her office, surprised to see her laid along the sofa fast asleep. He took a blanket from the back of the sofa and leaned down next to her, taking a moment to look at her properly. Her hair fell gently across her shoulders, her freckles slightly visible on her cheeks. He lay the blanket across her and kissed her forehead gently, before standing up. "Jacob," she uttered quietly and he looked at her, walking back to her and shifting her so he could sit down. She relaxed her head against his lap and he ran his hand up and down her arm gently before taking her hand in his own,

"Go back to sleep, it's quiet out there," he told her gently, watching as her eyes closed again.