Angsty Freechamp because I can… apologies in advance for potentially breaking hearts.
Connie sighed leaning against the desk in her office. It had been an exceptionally long and gruelling shift and she wanted nothing more than to clamber into her warm bed. Running a hand through her hair she began to pack her stuff into her handbag. The door to her office was flung open and shut again hastily, the short blonde figure who had entered quickly using one of the desk chairs to barracade it and pulling the blinds shut.
"Rita? What the hell-" Connie began to yell, before the blonde clamped her hand over her mouth.
"Shh they'll hear you!" she whispered, panic and fear evident in her voice and every line in her face.
Connie frowned, confused as Rita took her hand from her mouth slowly.
"What's going on?" Connie whispered, a look of concern on her face as she saw the underlying terror in the blonde's eyes.
"They- they- they just walked through the doors, started shooting at people. Charlie, Robyn, Zoe, Noel, they just kept shooting!" Rita began to sob as the impact of what had happened hit her like a sledge hammer.
Connie instinctivly pulled her her close as she collapsed to her knees.
"Shh, it's going to be alright. I've got you. You're safe with me." She whispered, holding the shuddering nurse tightly, muffling her sobs with her shoulder.
"They're dead Connie! They're all DEAD! How can that possibly be okay?"
"It can't, you're right, but you're safe now. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."
Rita snuffled quietly, slowly regaining her composure.
"What are we going to do?" she asked, looking up at the older brunette for answers.
"Phone the police."
"I've tried! They've found a way of jamming the signal I can't get through to anyone!"
"The office phone then."
"They've cut the telephone lines."
"… Shit…" Connie swore, biting her lip nervously. What the hell was she supposed to do now?
"Connie?"
"Mm?"
"Are we going to make it through this?"
Connie locked eyes with the blonde in her arms, seeing the terror and the desperation that flickered there.
"We're certainly going to try Rita."
"I- I- I'm sorry."
"Whatever for?"
"For the way I've been. You didn't deserve any of that. I'm so sorry."
"Hey, that's gone and past now. I forgave you for that a LONG time ago."
Rita smiled softly and rested her head on Connie's chest. The brunette stiffened slightly, before pulling Rita closer. The blonde nurse looked up, their noses almost touching. Connie could feel Rita's breath tickling her cheek as she lent even closer, their lips brushing. Rita blushed furiously, but finally took the leap and captured the brunette's lips with her own. The kiss was short lived, but passionate, full of the things the two women had wanted to say but had never found he right words.
A loud banging on the door reminded them of the imminent danger they were in. Connie acted quickly, usuring Rita under her desk and replacing the desk chair, concealing the blonde's hiding place.
"No matter what happens, stay there." Connie instructed, her voice barely audible.
"But-"
"No buts Rita. I can't bear the thought of you getting hurt. Promise me you'll stay there."
"Connie-"
Another loud bang sounded, followed by a gruff voice yelling:
"We're coming in one way or another Mrs Beauchamp!"
"Promise me!" Connie hissed.
"I promise…" Rita whispered, a tear sliding down her cheek.
She watched as Connie straightened up, only able to see her ankles, but able to hear everything.
"It's open." Connie called, standing firm.
The door was flung open and two men wearing balaklavas and carrying guns entered. Connie took a step backwards in fright, but otherwise maintained her calm and collected mirage.
"Ah the formidible Mrs Beauchamp. It's been too long."
Connie could have sworn she recognised that voice, but she struggled to place it.
"Of course, you probably don't remember me. But that doesn't matter. Let's deal with some facts."
The tall imposing man nodded to his sidekick, who quickly restrained Connie, pressing the barrel of his gun to her head as the brunette struggled.
"Fact: your team are all dead. Fact: you have no way of contacting the outside world. Fact: you're going to wind up dead tonight."
It was then the penny dropped. Connie knew exactly who it was.
"Stuart McElroy…" she gasped, eyes widening as she recognised the ex locum CT consultant. The man whose, with the help of the CEO, career at Holby she'd destroyed. Whose career she'd destroyed full stop.
"Oh ho, so you do remember me?"
"How could I forget?" The brunette spat, anger rising in her chest, "You sliced upon my collegues face because she wasn't complying to your dating rules! You forced a very talented CT surgeon into GS because you were jealous of the way he looked at your girlfriend! You lied and decieved about ypur issues to secure a job and push me out of Holby!"
"Well I guess I don't need this anymore." He sighed, pulling of the balaclava, revealing the nasty grin on his face, "Did you miss me Connie?"
"Hardly."
"Aw come on, surely you missed me a little? We made a pretty good team you and I." He sauntered towards her, playing with the gun in his hand.
"I lost my job because of you." He spat venomously.
"You lost your job through your own actions, don't blame for what you did."
"I got banged up for 5 years because you grassed me up."
"You deserve everything you got."
Stuart struck Connie hard across the face, causing her knees to crumple slightly. His cohort held the brunette upright as her eardrum rang with the force of the smack. Rita clamped a hand over her mouth, stifling a sob of terror as she heard the slap and saw the shift in position of the woman she loved.
"That mouth of yours does nothing but get you into trouble Connie." he growled, reveling in the pain Connie was unable to mask.
He landed another swift blow to her abdomen, winding her and causing her to cry out in pain as her ribs cracked. Tears slipped from the clinical leads eyes as she hung limply in the grasp of the bulky man holding her still.
"Let go of her Jake. She's not going anywhere in that state."
She was dropped unceromoniously onto the floor of her office, winded and in angony, still managing to keep herself upright. Rita could see the pain in her face, and looked at her with fear and concern as their eyes locked briefly.
"Do you have any idea what it's like inside a prision Connie?"
He kicked her in the stomach, causing Connie to cry out again. Rita didn't know how much more of this she could take. The brunette now lay on her side, breathing laboured as she struggled to regain her lost oxygen. Stuart rolled her on to her back and sat on her stomach, causing a moan of pain to escape her lips.
"Aww did that hurt?" He taunted, grinning wickedly until something caught his eye.
There was movement under the desk.
He gestured to Jake as Connie's eyes widened in fear. The desk chair was thrown back, and Rita was dragged from underneath the desk by her hair, quickly stopped from struggling as a gun pressed into her temple. Her eyes met Connie's, a look of despair in the brunette's eyes.
"Who's this Connie? You don't actually have friends do you?"
"Let her go Stuart. This is between you and me. Please."
"Are you begging Beauchamp? Why would you- ohhhhh…" he laughed evilly as realisation hit him.
"It's more than friends isn't it? Bisexual Beauchamp. Has a nice ring to it!"
"Let. Her. Go."
"I don't think you're really in a position to be making demands Connie my dear. You see…" he nodded to his assistant who lowered the gun from Rita's temple and shot her through the knee.
The blonde let out a screech of pain, one that would torment Connie for the rest of her days. Blood began to pump from the wound as Rita's legs gave way underneath her. Jake forced her to stay upright, ensuring the increase of agony that the blonde nurse felt. Connie strugged to get up, only to be held down by Stuart who got right up in her face and sneered:
"I'm the one in charge of this little situation."
Dragging Connie into a sitting position he hastily cable tied her to the discarded desk chair's leg. Moving from the brunette to the blonde, he grabbed her chin and forced her head upwards.
"She is a pretty little thing Connie I'll give you that. Looks a little bit like Chrisse actually."
Connie tugged at her constraints, desperate to rush to Rita's aid.
"Ah ah ah. One wrong move and I'll blow her brains ALL over the wall." He sneered.
"Stuart please. Do what you want with me. Just let her go." The desperation was evident in Connie's voice as she continued to struggle against her restraints, this time more subtly, trying to ease her skinny, slender wrists out of he cable ties.
"My goodness Connie, you've fallen pretty badly for this one haven't you? What's your name princess?"
"R-Rita. Rita Freeman." She growled through gritted teeth, glaring hatefully at the man.
"Ooo she's fiesty. I can see why you two get on so well!"
"Please." Connie pleaded, eyes bright with terror. "Please just let her go."
"I-I'm not leaving without you." Rita stammered, teeth gritted against the pain, a determined look on her face.
"Rita please-"
"No. I won't leave you with him Connie."
"Well isn't this heart-warming? A shame it has to end. I'm afraid I'll have to kill you both. But who to kill first."
Connie sprung towards Stuart, knocking him off his feet, now free of her constraints. Caught off guard, Stuart dropped his weapon, giving Connie the oppurtunity to pick it up and aim it at his head. It didn't matter that she'd never held a gun before, at his range a single shot would kill him.
"Woah woah woah, let's not be hasty Connie!" He chuckled nervously. Jake cocked his gun and aimed at Rita's head again, seconds away from killing her.
"You don't want your pretty little girlfriend to end up dead."
Connie looked up at the blonde, registering the fear in her face.
"Connie what're you doing?"
"He deserves it. He hurt you. He killed my team. My friends."
"Killing him makes you no better than him. You're better than this Connie. Please put the gun down."
"But he deserves it Rita."
"Connie please put it down. What would Grace say if she could see you now?"
"I-I-"
"Please Con. For me?"
Connie looked from Stuart to Rita and back again. Sighing heavily, she lowered the weapon, throwing it across tje floor to the other side of the office. Stuart siezed his moment and quickly got Connie on her back again, grabbing hold of her throat and squeezing tight. The brunette scratched and clawed at his hands, fighting for air, her head swimming. Somehow, Rita managed to use her good leg to kick Jake in the crotch causing him to crumple. Ignoring he searing pain in her leg, she grabbed hold of Stuart and managed to tug him off.
It was at this point the armed police stormed the office, yelling and wrestling with the two agressors until both were safetly in custody. Connie coughed and spluttered for air, her throat burning. Rita collapsed on top of her, the pain in her leg immense. The brunette pulled her close as Stuart and Jake were dragged from the office, and the police were replaced by the welcome faces of Dixie and Iain as they hastily helped to patch up Rita's leg. No-one said a word until Rita's leg was packed and bound and she was safetly on a strecher, Connie sat in a wheelchair next to her in the back of the ambulance. Connie had a tight grip on Rita's hand, and, not meeting Dixie's eyes, she asked:
"How many Dixie?"
"Charlie, Zoe, Noel, Robyn, Ethan, Lofty. About 10 agency staff. About 20 patients and pedestrians."
Connie closed her eyes tight, scarcely daring to believe it. Rita began to sob again, covering her face with her free hand. It was a horrendous outcome, many of their friends dead and gone, innocent people caught in the mix.
Connie began to cough, her ribs aching from the force of it. She covered her mouth her hand, and upon pulling it away noticed the small pool of blood that had collected in the centre of her palm. Dixie noticed too, and immediatly sprung into action as Connie started to cough again.
"Alright Mrs B, try and stay calm for me. Iain? We need to move a bit faster mate!"
"Got it Dix!" The ambulance picked up speed as they hurtled towards St James'.
"Connie?" Rita asked, panic flaring in her chest.
"I'm okay." Connie smiled softly at the blonde, "I'll be fine."
They halted to a stop and Dixie flung open the ambulance's doors, wheeling Connie out first as Iain came round the back to pull Rita out.
"Iain what's going on?"
"I don't know, but she'll be fine. This is Connie Beauchamp we're on about!"
"I can't lose her Iain, not after everything that's happened today."
Rita watched as Dixie broke into a run, racing through the doors of St James' ED, shouting for help.
Connie moaned softly as she regained concioussness. Her head throbbed and ribs ached. Her first thoughts were of Rita. Where was she? Was she okay?
"R-Rita?" She croaked, feeling a hand take hers.
"Connie?"
The brunette turned her head and opened her eyes, her heart leaping as she saw the blonde nurse by her bedside.
"Are you okay?" She asked, squeezing Rita's hand tightly in her own.
"I'll be fine. A couple of months on crutches but it'll heal."
"Thank God." Connie breathed, a soft smile tugging at her lips.
"How'd you feel?" Rita asked, tucking a stray lock of her behind the brunette's ear.
"Like I've been hit by a truck."
"I'm not suprised. You've been out for three days."
"What?" Connie jolted upwards, stabbing pains shooting through her ribcage.
"Hey, hey it's okay! Everything's okay."
"The ED-" Connie started, before realisation hit her, "Oh…"
A sad smile crossed Rita's face as she hopped up on the bed beside Connie.
"They've closed it down for a while. It's not permanent, but it gives the police time to recover the evidence and for it to be redecorated. Hannsen gave a press confrence about it yesterday."
"Right."
Connie put her head on Rita's shoulder, tears rolling down her cheeks. Rita wrapped her arms around her shoulders, pulling her close.
"It's okay Connie. It'll be alright."
"It's my fault. They're all dead because of me."
"You had no idea he was going to do that. As far as you were aware he was long gone. You'd forgotten all about him."
"My friends, my collegues, you. You all got hurt because of what I did."
"You made the right decision Connie. There was no way you could have predicted it."
"I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to apoligise for."
Connie sobbed heavily into the blonde's chest as Rita held her tighter, heart broken that Connie was blamed herself for the atrocity.
"It's okay Con. You're going to be alright. He can't hurt you anymore now."
"I just wish I could undo all of it."
"All of it?" Rita asked, looking down at the brunette.
She stroked the side of her face a small smile on her face. Connie lifted her head up until their lips brushed again.
"Well maybe not all of it. There is this one bit I really quite enjoyed."
"Do you want to revist it?" the blonde asked, leaning in closer.
"It was the only good bit of the whole day."
"Well then…" Rita pressed her lips together, moving her head to get a better angle. Connie deepened the kiss, her hands snaking up to the blonde's neck. After a few minutes Rita broke away, a large grin on her face.
"How did the police find out?" The brunette asked.
"No idea." Rita shrugged.
Connie chewed her lip nervously before opening her mouth and confessing:
"I love you Rita."
Rita froze, momentairly caught of guard.
"S-Sorry-"
Rita interupted the stuttering brunette with another kiss.
"I love you too." she whispered, a small grin on her face.
"If there's one good thing that came out of this, it's the fact that I have you." Connie mumbled snuggling in close.
"That's true." Rita looked down to find the brunette asleep on her chest. She sighed softly, lying her head on Connie's chest. Little did the brunette know, Rita had convinced Dixie to take her back to the blood stained ruins of the ED. There, whilst laying flowers in remembrance of her lost friends, she'd been confronted with a furious Dylan.
It had been Lofty. Lofty that rang the police. Lofty that shielded the agency nurse as the round of bullets flew. Lofty who had died in Dylan's arms.
Tears slipped down the blonde's face, as she adjusted her position, shifting the weight off her damaged knee. She wanted to sleep. God knows she needed it. But every time she closed her eyes the screams of the dying, the splatters of blood, the intoxicating fear came flooding back. Images of Charlie leaping in front of a nine year old girl and taking a bullet to the heart. Images of Zoe's eyes widening as the unsuspecting consultant took the first bullet in her back. Images of Noel cowering under his desk in fear before being dragged out by his ponytail and shot point-blank in the head.
Connie could never know the truth of what really happened in the ED that day. It was Rita's job to protect her, and she vowed silently to herself to do so. Always.