A/N - Since I've been struggling to actually finish anything recently I thought I'd look for a new angle and try some one shots. The end result of which is this... Tales From The Skyline. This first 'one shot' is stupidly short but it is, really, just an introduction. Much much more to follow...
PS - If anyone wants to offer up a drinking partner or drink as a prompt, I'm happy to try and respond!
Black Olive Martini (Connie/An Intro)
Home (noun) ~ Where your Wifi automatically connects
The Hilton Skyline had been a second home to Connie for years; since her original tenure at Holby. She hadn't found it straight away, originally favouring a bar nearer to the hospital where she could chat up Ric Griffin at every given opportunity, but when Michael took over as Chair of the Board, and it became blatantly obvious that she was going to run the risk of bumping into him and some floozy on every visit, she diverted and that was when she discovered The Skyline.
She remembered the night in question all too well. Her career was on a splendid downward spiral - all Michael's fault, not that she knew that at the time - and then within the hour of the board meeting from hell she'd found him, in her office of all places, with his tongue down the throat of the Clinical Matron from her ward.
Arsehole.
She'd walked away from both him and the hospital, trying to maintain the very slightest shred of dignity, still stunned by the indignity and insensitivity of it all and with no real clue where she was going. She'd considered a bit of revenge based shoe shopping but the truth was she hadn't got the energy. The betrayal had hit her hard and all she really wanted to do was get completely and utterly wasted. She wanted to forget absolutely everything.
And that was when she'd found The Skyline. An anonymous bar in an anonymous hotel; on the top floor where she could sit and gaze out over the vista of Holby and be anyone she wanted to be.
Not that she'd done a lot of staring at the views that night. That night she'd been 'Anna', screwed Juan the bar tender in the staff break room and then been introduced to his speciality; the Black Olive Martini.
When she'd returned to Holby, some 8 years after their first meeting, Juan was managing the place, and she took considered and matured approach and decided she'd outgrown sleeping with him. That said by that point she considered him a friend, and since his Black Olive Martinis were still to die for, she kept coming back.
Something weird happened second time around though. In her Darwin days The Skyline had been her sanctuary, a place where she nearly always - with a few notable exceptions - drank alone. Where she settled herself on one of their leather padded, stainless steel bar stools, leant against the surface of the marble bar and whiled the hours away enjoying her own company; except when Juan was trying it on.
Not so now.
Somehow, since her return to Holby, and the start of her new career as ED doctor turned Clinical Lead, her beloved, secure and safe sanctuary had been infiltrated. Suddenly everyone wanted piece of her nirvana. Whereas once upon a time The Skyline had been her locked bathroom door, with bubbles up to her chin and glass of wine in hand, now it was - for want of a better word - different. It was a roast dinner on a Sunday, family gathered round. Cosy, cuddly, and often far far too noisy. Even Juan had commented on it.
But, although she'd never admit it, Connie kind of liked it that way. It was strange; and at times uncomfortable but she liked it.
And at least the Black Olive Martinis hadn't changed.
