Standing in the rain

Jac's back

All too soon her leave was over.
They sat drinking tea the night before she returned.
"So, weird that I will be going back and you'll be off for a couple more weeks "
"I know. What will you do without me?"
"Oh we'll muddle through. You're not indispensable you know. Well not at work any way. You're pretty indispensable here though" she added softly.
"I'd better get going"she said
"Stay"
"You know I can't Fletch. It's too much"
"We have spent one night together since I was attacked and I know that we've grabbed the odd hour here and there for, well,you know, but I miss waking up with you" he grumbled
"Not yet hun. Sorry" she gave him a brief kiss and got up to get Emma ready to leave.
"I'll pop round after work ok?"
"As long as it's not too much" he snapped
"Don't be like that Fletch. It's not you"
"Sorry. I'll see you tomorrow "
"Bye" "love you" she added
"Love you" he mumbled
He felt really stupid for reacting like that. She was right. If it hadn't been for his attack they wouldn't be anywhere near this position with the kids. But he hated being apart
"Stop being pathetic Fletcher" he said to himself
Jac lay awake in her bed. She loved Fletch, his kids were great but there was still a small part of her that needed more time. She eventually drifted off to sleep.
It was hard getting up with the alarm after a month off. As she showered she reflected on that month. Her pain was manageable and getting better everyday with the physio, she'd spent lots of time with Emma and taken hundreds of photos so they had memories in years to come and of course Fletch.
She dropped Emma off at crèche and made her way onto the ward.
It was early but Frieda was already there.
"Ms Naylor good to have you back"
"Petrenko" Jac acknowledged her nodding "I'll be in my office if you need me"
She turned the computer on and realised that she wasn't supposed to know why Fletch wasn't here. She smirked to herself  she would have to be careful not to slip up
At around 10am she stepped out of her office to find coffee, musing that it wasn't often that she had to do that because Fletch invariably appeared with a cup mid morning
"Where's Fletch?" She asked Frieda who was reviewing scans at the nurses station
"You don't know?" Frieda asked mischievously
"Well I wouldn't have asked if I did would I?"
Frieda played along. Maybe she really didn't know "he's off work. Recovering from a mugging, broken leg"
"Fletch was mugged?" If anyone had seen her bring him in they hadn't told  Frieda
"Apparently"
"Oh. He's ok though?"
"According to Essie yes"
"That's good. Do we know when he's coming back?"
"Not sure. Why don't you call him?" Frieda smirked
Jac gave her a look of disdain "do you think I'm just twiddling my thumbs in there. If you're so bothered why don't you ring him?"
She turned on her heel and returned to her office struggling to hold in a snigger.
She glanced at her phone and noticed a text from Fletch
Hi
How's it going. I hope your pain is not bothering you. Any gossip?
Sorry about being grumpy last night
Love you
Fletch xxx
She smiled to herself
Hey you
All good here. Petrenko might call you to find out when you're back because obviously I don't know that information and don't have time to call you.
Work's weird without you
See you later
Love you
Jac xxx
He imagined her treating Petrenko with her trademark disdain and once again couldn't believe that he had broken down those walls