Wait For Me

Heavy On My Heart

Connie hadn't long finished her shift and been home to change before ending back in the hospital at her daughter's bedside. It had been a few days since she'd spent an evening away from the place, but she had very rarely been alone. Elliot had come down on more than one occasion in the last few weeks, Charlie was always checking on her and Chris had vowed to never leave her side in whatever capacity she needed.

He wandered through the car park as the sun began to lower in the sky slowly, something about it bringing a smile to his face. He hadn't had a day quite like that one with Connie since but he promised that they would have days like that once again. Smiling briefly, he nodded towards the older gentleman he recognised as being a close friend of Connie's.

Charlie watched as he wandered upstairs in the direction of the same hospital room he had just come from. Wandering towards his own office, Duffy sat in there with a coffee as she smiled to him sitting down beside her. "How's Connie today?" "She's doing better, Grace is picking up quickly... But they truly won't know anything until she wakes."

Nodding in understanding she smiled gently as she placed a hand to his thigh. "She'll get there, you know that..." Charlie nodded moving his hand on top of hers as they began to relax a little, taking a break from what had been a hectic day within the department. A gentle knock saw Jacob stepping inside, but before he could speak Charlie answered his question.

"Grace has had a small improvement, and Connie is, well she's smiling again. Chris just arrived to take her out for the evening." "Good." He smiled genuinely, despite the part of him that still ached to be with her. "That's good." Charlie nodded as Jacob pushed his hands into his pockets before looking into the department. "I best- Better get going." "Okay, bye Jacob."

Moving from the room, Duffy sighed following him out before glancing to Charlie. "He's struggling isn't he?" Nodding Charlie leant back with no idea of what they could do. "It's complicated for him. He wants her happy, but he doesn't want to admit that he's lost her." Duffy frowned with a sad smile as they sat quietly, enjoying the separation from the rest of the department.

"Connie?" She lifted her head with a smile as Chris carefully came into the room. "How's she doing?" "Good, she's improved in the last couple of hours. They're starting to sound hopeful again." Chris smiled as he knelt beside Connie. "That's so good! I'm pleased for you..." She glanced to him with a grin before looking to Grace.

Standing up, he held his hands out towards her. "Come on-" "Where we going?" He shrugged as she took his hands. "That's for me to know, but you need a change of clothes." Beginning to refuse, she turned her attention to Grace before sighing. Taking a moment she kept her eyes on her before turning back to Chris. "Okay..." He smiled moving a hand to her cheek as he stepped closer to place a kiss to her forehead.

Wandering out of the hospital, they passed through the ED as Connie needed to swing by her office. As they did, Connie caught sight of Jacob standing in the staff room his eyes falling to her as she passed. In that brief moment, every emotion she had ever felt for him returned to her. Each unspoken word, each missed opportunity, right there in front of her. I love you. The biggest mistake she would always carry with her was never telling him the truth. Keeping everything from him thinking it was for the best.

Dropping her head, they wandered towards her office together everything filtering from her mind. "I just need my coat, I left it earlier." Chris smiled leaning against the door frame as she slipped her arms inside. Taking his hand, she left the hospital with him in the direction of home.

Jacob remained in the staff room, his locker door open as he looked to the image he had stuck to it. Lifting his fingers to run across it, he held his breath seeing how happy they looked. Sometimes he could convince himself they still were but it never lasted. Reaching further into the locker, he picked up the small box running his fingers over the velvet material.

Pushing it back into the locker he went to shut the door before something else caught his eye. A small smile came to his lips as he picked up it up. Looking down at it, he looked to the time keeping hold of it before shutting the locker and heading out of the room.

"You really didn't have to do this you know, I'd have been happy with a take away." Chris laughed as he poured her another glass of wine. "Well I wanted to treat you, you deserved a real break tonight." Connie smiled sweetly as she looked around the elegant restaurant. "I can't believe I've never been here before-" "Expensive taste in food have we?"

Connie tilted her head to one side with a smug smile. "Could say that... Let's just say, I was once very particular on all of this." "What changed you from being so particular?" Connie went to answer before realising what that response would be. Stopping herself from admitting it, she bit her lip briefly. "Guess I just realised that there were more important things to life." Chris nodded with a smile taking her hand once again as they continued to chat, Connie's mind never truly resting from the thoughts of other things, other people.

The ward was silent as he moved through the corridor. A warm smile on his face as he wandered past the women he'd got so used to seeing up here. "You know I'm sure she'd appreciate knowing that you came by everyday." Jacob looked up shaking his head gently. "We don't get on so well anymore, I just like to know they're both okay though."

The nurse glanced to the time causing Jacob to apologise. "I know it's late, I should get going sorry-" "Wait. Mrs Beauchamp's gone home tonight... I suppose there'd be no reason for her to know if you wanted to sit with her." Jacob glanced down at the floor rubbing a hand over his face before looking back to the nurse. Nodding gently he smiled before she wandered away.

Jacob walked across to the room he always spent so much time outside of, it was strange to rest his hand to the door. Pushing it open, the only noise was that of the monitors beeping consistently. Taking a deep breath, he had never expected it to be so hard to be in this position. Moving one foot forwards, he gradually made his way to the side of the bed.

His eyes were fixed on Grace as she stay deathly still. The pale colour of her skin a far cry from the energetic girl he had last seen. Sitting down, he didn't dare move his eyes from her. Reaching forwards, he hesitated for a moment before placing his hand over hers. "Hey there firecracker..." He watched as there was no response, no recognition that he was even there.

Glancing down to the chair beside him, he remembered what had bought him here in the first place. Smiling to himself, he scoffed picking up the small stuffed animal. "Hukuna Matata... That's what you always said wasn't it?" Running his hands over the fur of the animal, he laughed thinking of the many occasions they had talked of the film.

"Just another thing that makes you like your Mum, the same love of films." Smirking to himself, he leant across to place the lion on top of one of the small monitors. "Something small to make you smile when you finally wake up, because I know you will firecracker... I'll never give up hope on you." Caressing her hand he began talking again, stories of them all before. The memories helping to ease the ache in his chest at the reality of everything he lost all those months ago.

They walked along the path to her driveway, stopping at the door. "Thank you for a beautiful night." Chris shook his head keeping her hands within his. "Thank you for an amazing evening. I'll call you tomorrow." She nodded stepping forwards, pressing her lips onto his. His arms moved to her waist, holding her gently as she wound hers around his neck.

Everything about the moment seemed perfect. Breaking from his lips, she smiled gently knowing that in other circumstances, this would never have ended out here. As different things moved through her mind she felt his lips press to her forehead. "Get yourself inside Mrs Beauchamp, it's cold out." Smiling gently, she pushed the keys into the lock as he stepped down the driveway.

"Chris?" Turning back, he looked up to see her illuminated gently by the light of her home. "Wait for me..." He smiled gently dropping his eyes to the floor before looking to where she stood. "I would wait for you for forever and a day, I'll be right here." Connie sighed with a smile as she retreated into her home while he disappeared from sight. She couldn't promise to be the girlfriend he wanted right now, but that wasn't saying she didn't still want him around. She just needed Grace to be better, and then she could do this... At least that's what she told herself.

As he walked away, he was unaware of how she leant back against the front door slipping down to the floor. The tears rolling down her cheeks as she dropped her head to her hands. Sobs racked her body as she thought of the life she lost six months ago, everything she hid from the world outside of these walls weighing heavily on her.