Hiya All. Me again – procrastination has taken over from work (yet again) so here I am at the start of another Jac/Jonny fic. For those of you who haven't read my previous story (Jac&Jil) it might be best if you did [just click on my name and you'll find it] but just in case you don't have the time or inclination a short summary: in my Holby-verse Jac has a pregnant best friend (Jil – short for Julianna) she has known since they were at nursery together. Jil has very recently been introduced to Jonny and has told him all about Jac's amazingness, and helped to move him and Jac forward with their relationship (in a major way). For those of you who have read it, this story is set 2 weeks after the end of the last one. Also, to save any confusion the title (Broken Hearted) doesn't relate to anything that is going on between Jac and Jonny, as for this story I really wanted (and I think it needs) them to be together (so there'll be some Jac/Jonny loving for all of us to enjoy!) Anyway, enough of my ramblings …Hope you enjoy!
Saturday Afternoon, Darwin
Jac swept on to the ward searching for the person who had put the kybosh on what she'd been expecting to be a lovely afternoon. She spotted him (or the back of his head) at the nurse's station, and called out as she approached it "So what's this emergency? I'm telling you it better be good! And where the hell is Elliott?"
Jonny, span round on his chair to face her and said confused, "Didn't you get my message?"
"No, well yes sort of" Jac replied, continuing, as she saw Jonny's confusion grow, "this blinking replacement phone they've given me is no better than the other one – the signal just keeps dropping out for no reason, so all I heard was that you needed me to come in, no other details at all!"
"Yeah, I'm sorry about that, but Elliott phoned in sick and we've got th…"
"Is he OK?" Jac interrupted, concern evident in her voice.
"Sort of" Jonny answered, "reckons he's picked up some sort of stomach bug, so not seriously ill, but not fit for work either – d & v" he concluded, lowering his voice.
"Right." Jac said, her facial expression telling Jonny all he needed to know about what she thought of that. "So, why am I here?"
"Oh yeah, I was just saying we've got a transfer from St James' – a patient who needs an immediate mitral valve repair following endocarditis"
"But surely they can do that there" Jac objected
"Normally yes, but their ITU is only running on 2/3 capacity and they've no beds – so because we do have spare capacity she has to come here."
"And it really couldn't wait till Monday" Jac said, still hoping for a get-out clause.
"They didn't seem to think so" Jonny said, "and, I know I'm no expert, but they sent over her test results and scans, and they don't look good to me" he continued, handing Jac the tablet to check for herself.
She studied the results for a few moments, before conceding defeat. "No, they're right – it can't wait…Dammit!"
"I didn't think you'd mind that much" Jonny said, surprised. "You're always complaining about not getting enough time in theatre, and it means you get to spend some time with me – surely that's a win-win situation" he concluded, smiling.
Despite herself, Jac returned his smile but said, "Yes, but Jil's down this weekend!"
"Oh jeez," Jonny replied. "I'm sorry. With all this I just forgot. Is she OK?"
"Oh yes, she's fine – but I had to leave her in town didn't I? Luckily, we'd just about finished lunch, but we were meant to be indulging in some retail therapy this afternoon, and she'll have to get a taxi back now too. Still, can't be helped and like I said she was fine about it, it's just this isn't quite how I imagined the day panning out this morning. You have got someone to cover tonight though, right?"
"Yes – Mo's on again. She was on last night too – that's why I couldn't ask her to come in today."
"It's ok, you don't have to explain yourself. I'm second on call and if Elliott's sick, then, well there's nothing to be done." Jac said, moving around into the nurse's station and taking a seat.
"I know" Jonny agreed, "but I'm still sorry. How is Jil anyway?"
"Fat. Even fatter!" Jac said smiling, "and disappointed that she won't be seeing you at any point this weekend. I can't think why, but it seems she's taken rather a shine to you."
"Ah well" Jonny interjected, "that's easily done. On which topic, did you miss me?"
"Miss you?"
"Yeah, last night"
"Miss you?" Jac repeated, turning her chair towards Jonny and moving towards him. "Why on earth would I have missed you?" In truth, she knew the answer to this question – since 'that date' nearly two weeks ago, until yesterday, they'd only spent three nights apart, all when Jonny had been working. In fact, after their date Jac's car hadn't moved from the hospital car park for another three days because she'd been sleeping at Jonny's every night and, for some reason, he always insisted on driving. And then after a pause, Jac admitted, "Well, maybe a tiny bit," and smiled, moving her chair even closer to Jonny's so that her knees were between his. "Of course," she continued, leaning in, "the real question is did you miss me?"
"Mmm," Jonny pretended to consider this. "Maybe, just a tiny bit!"
"Oh," Jac said, leaning in even closer, "only a tiny bit, eh? Well I can see I'll have to do something about that, to make sure you miss me a bit more tonight, won't I?" And so saying, she lent in and briefly brushed his lips with her own, moving away before Jonny had even had a chance to register what she had done, let alone respond to it.
"Mmm, that would be nice, very nice." Jonny replied, leaning in again only to be wrong-footed once more by Jac sitting backward in her chair away from him, and smiling wickedly before becoming business like and asking, still with that smile.
"So, when should we expect her in?"
And Jonny, who realised that she'd already achieved her aim of making him miss her more tonight (although, if truth be told, he wasn't sure how he could miss her much more than he had last night) conceded defeat, and smiling back at her (because what else was there to do?) replied. "They were just stabilising her at St James' when I phoned you, so I expect they'll be here in the next hour or so."
"And," Jac asked, looking around the ward, "where is everyone? We do have everyone we need to do this, don't we?"
"Of course," Jonny replied confidently. "In fact, Suraya and Kay are just getting the theatre ready now. Stephen's down with Mrs Dakers in X-Ray, Kate and Louisa are on their breaks and Tara's in the nurse's office working on her research project. Incidentally, she'd like to be involved in this."
"Of course she would." Jac said with a characteristic roll of her eyes.
"Jac," Jonny chided gently.
"I know, I know!" Jac replied. "It's just, sometimes, well her enthusiasm can get a little bit wearing you know."
"Oh, I don't know. I've always found it quite cute, endearing even." Jonny replied, earning another roll of Jac's eyes. Before continuing, "You know a bit like a 'love-sick puppy on speed'" which caused Jac to smile, as he'd hoped it would, as she recalled the conversation where she'd first used that line. "And you certainly can't fault her commitment – she was in before me this morning and I know she was still working on that project when I left here last night after my late shift."
"Mmm," Jac said, "well one person's endearing is another's annoying I suppose. And as for that flaming F1 prize, if I never hear another person mention it it'll be too soon. Honestly, I could wring the neck of the person who instigated it."
"You're just annoyed, cos there wasn't one when you were an F1" Jonny countered. "Anyway, I don't think you'd reach."
"What?" Jac said, incomprehension flooding her face.
"It was one of Hanssen's initiatives, and there's no way that you'd be able to wring his neck – you're not tall enough."
"Bet I could if he was sitting down." Jac said smiling wickedly. "And I hope you're not calling me short!"
"No," Jonny said quickly, "I'm calling him unnaturally tall. You," he continued, smiling at her and leaning in to smooth her hair, "are the perfect size. And, if there had been an F1 prize when you were one, I'm sure you would have won it."
"You've got that right. Top of my year, every year." Jac replied simply, the pride evident in her voice.
"Impressive!" Jonny said, and noticing the flash of hurt that crossed Jac's face and, realising that she thought he was being sarcastic, rushed to reassure her. "No, I'm serious! I know how hard you work to be as good as you are."
"Thank you," Jac replied simply, smiling that wonderful smile of hers, and reminding Jonny how important he'd decided it was for him to compliment her more often.
"Just saying what I see." He answered, and taking her hand in his continued, "I know you don't get to be as brilliant as you are on talent alone"
"Right, ok. That's probably enough ego massaging for now" Jac said, although how she was blushing so fetchingly and the way her smile brightened, belied her words.
And, Jonny noticed, she was still holding his hand, and even when they heard voices approaching the nurse's station, and both looked up and saw Kate and Louisa returning from their break she didn't let go. And, even now, nearly two weeks after the shift in their relationship that 'that date' (and its aftermath) had precipitated, Jonny was still amazed at how relaxed Jac now was about showing the world that they were together. It probably helped that their 'coming out' as an official couple hadn't caused quite the maelstrom of gossip that, he assumed, Jac had feared – it seemed that everybody on Darwin had either known, or guessed, that they were an unofficial couple, but had just been too frightened of Jac's wrath to talk about it. In fact, Gwen, who had been in Albie's that night, confided in him the next day, that the only thing anyone on Darwin had ever been unclear about was whether he and Jac were 'on' or 'off' on any given day. And, when Dr Cummings actually came out to her colleagues on her 30th birthday (by kissing her long-term partner after she'd blown the candles on her cake out), interest in Jac's and his relationship from staff in other parts of the hospital dwindled away pretty quickly. Although, he had been taken to one side by Arthur (one of the porters) and told that he was a lucky man to get 'such a cracker as Miss Naylor' and that he was to be sure he looked after her, which was something he was more than happy to agree with and to. In fact, as far as Jonny knew the only notable incident resulting from their 'relationship reveal' involved Michael, who had collared Jac by the lifts and said something to her whilst she was waiting for him to get the coffees in, on the first Wednesday after their date. She hadn't told him what Michael had said (when he'd asked her in the lift she'd simply said it was 'nothing worth repeating' before kissing him), but from his position in the queue he could tell it was something which had annoyed her but also something that, from the look on Michael's face after their exchange, she had managed to best him over with one of her killer one-liners. But he was still surprised by quite how open about their relationship she was being.
(In fact Michael had said, 'A nurse Naylor, your standards are slipping!' [Which was something Jac immediately decided never to tell Jonny.] But to which she'd replied, without missing a beat, and wearing her most dangerous fake sweet smile. 'No Michael, not at all. But even if they had, they'll never slip so low that you'll stand a chance with me. Sorry!')
"Hey," Jac said, smiling at both of the nurses as they approached the desk and then addressing Louise asked, "How's your daughter now?"
"Oh she's ok. Moaning that her leg's itchy and that the cast is too heavy, but otherwise fine. The pain doesn't seem to be a problem anymore, which is a definite bonus."
"Oh, that's good then." Jac replied, before continuing, "Is there anything either of you think I need to know about anyone on the ward before I start to tackle my inbox? Might as well do something useful now that I'm here, I suppose." Both of the nurses shook their heads, which prompted Jac to say "Well in that case, and now that you're here for Jonny to talk to" squeezing his hand gently as she said it, "I'll be in my office." And so saying, after one final squeeze she finally let go of Jonny's hand and standing up said, addressing Jonny, "You'll let me know as soon as she arrives?"
"Of course," Jonny confirmed.
"Or," she added, looking back at him meaningfully and smiling as she walked to her office, "if anything else comes up in the meantime."
And Jonny tracked her progress to her office door, enjoying the view (as he always did), and it was only when Jac had disappeared from view that what Jac had said last, and more importantly how she had said it properly penetrated his consciousness. He knew what that look meant – he was going to have to find (or even invent) some reason to see her in her office, when he was absolutely sure that something would come up. And even though he knew this would make him miss her more desperately tonight, he also knew it would be worth it. "Right," he said, getting up to put 'Operation Find a Reason' into action, "best do something I suppose. Kate can you do Mrs Phillips' obs and then check on Mr Waite for me. I'm going to see how Rosie's getting on with her infusion pump, I was a bit worried about her earlier. And Louisa when Stephen gets back with Mrs Dakers from X-Ray can you let me know, I think Miss Naylor might need to have a look at her scan."….
This is just to set the scene really but hopefully you have enjoyed it. Just to add, in this story the Sean thing, Japan and the aftermath of Jac hitting her head [which I loved ] haven't happened yet (it wouldn't fit with the timings). Do have an idea which looks at all that but want to wait to see how this pain thing all pans out, plus have had the idea for this story for so long really wanted to get it down. As always, please review – constructive criticism always welcome – I do really like to know what everyone thinks.