Finding our way back

Chapter 12

Authors note: i know Jacob has already been shot in the series but decided to shake things up a little seeing as Connie is still on the fence with her feelings. Also i wasnt entirely happy with the previous chapter so hope this makes up for it.

Over the course of the following week, arrangements had been made for Connie to take some leave, a replacement was soon to be appointed and Grace was settling back into the house and routine with her mom; with it been the summer holidays and Grace's last six weeks before she hopefully returned to school, Connie had wanted to spend as much time as she could with her daughter having fun. This meant Jacob hadnt seen her properly in a week or spoken to her in 48 hours; that morning, with Grace at therapy with her health carer, Connie was taking the opportunity to have a little time to herself until there was a persisting pounding on her front door. Fearing it would give way any second, she quickly opened it, causing an injured and bloodied Jacob to fall to the floor; gasping, she dropped to her knees and stroked his forhead.

"What happened?" She asked. "Let's get you on the sofa, can you walk?"

Within minutes, he was settled with an icepack on his eye as Connie checked the bruising to his chest and abdomen.

"Grace?" He muttered.

"At physio, wont be back for another hour and half; what happened?"

"Got jumped...at the park" he winced as she touched a particularly bad area.

"Did you see who it was?" She asked, checking the cuts to his face.

"No"

"I think we need to get you checked out; at the very least you have severe bruising and probably a concussion"

"I'll be fine" he grimaced as he tried to stand up before the dizziness overtook him and he collapsed to the floor.

The following half hour was a whirlwind of paramedics and doctors; everyone in the department wanted to know what was happening but Charlie and Duffy managed to keep them out of the way. As he was rushed up to theatre for internal bleeding, Connie spotted her daughter by the lifts; she hugged her tight as she kissed her hair.

"I thought you were taking time off til September?" Grace said, questioning what she had been told earlier that morning.

"I am darling; how was physio?"

"Good; why are you here?"

"We need to go upstairs"

"Why?" She asked, concerned.

"Jacob...Jacob was hurt this morning; he's having an operation right now..."

"Is he...is he gonna be okay?" Grace asked as they entered the lift.

"I hope so darling, i really do" she whispered, holding her close.

Two hours later, they were sat at the side of his bed in a private room in the High Dependancy Unit; ironically, the same one she and Grace had been in after the crash. The surgery had gone well and he was to make a fully recovery; they had found a fracture to his ribs and arm but otherwise, he was lucky.

"You have to wake up now Jay, we need you" Connie said as she took his hand and kissed it. "We both need you, dont we sweetheart?"

Grace nodded and chewed her bottom lip, holding back the tears she felt.

"Not going anywhere" he muttered, his eyes fluttering open.

"Hey" she said softly as she brushed her thumb over his cheek. "You gave us a scare"

"Sorry"

"You need anything?"

"Nuhu" he answered, still groggy from the anaesthetic.

"Get some rest; i'm gonna be right back"

Kissing his forehead, she and Grace left the room; after getting Charlie to have Grace overnight, she headed back upstairs where Jacob was dozing . Taking her seat next to him, she took his hand and leant against the bed; it was a short while later when his eyes opened again to find her head resting upon her hands on the bed.

"Hey, where's Grace?" He asked.

"With Charlie; what happened this morning?"

"I was jumped..."

"By who?"

"I...dont know" he hesitated.

"Is that the truth? Or are you protecting someone?"

"I honestly dont know; they had a mask over their face"

"Okay, you really did scare me; i thought i'd lost you" she admitted, tears glistening the corner of her eyes.

"Sweetcheeks, nothing is gonna keep me from you"

"You were out of it; there was blood everywhere"

"Con, it's okay; i'm here and i'm okay. I'll be out in a couple of days; you should be spending time with Grace"

"She's okay; i'm sorry...for everything. I love you Jacob...always have; i never stopped..."

"Neither did i; we'll get there"

As he carefully sat up a little, Connie leant over and kissed him before he moved over enough so she could lie next to him; within minutes, she was asleep, the adrenalin having long worn off.