Summary: Nick and Zoe are together, and have a teenage daughter. What happens when she starts showing symptoms of a very familiar illness?
(in this story, Nick didn't have a tumour.)
"Soph, breakfast!" Zoe shouted up the stairs so that her daughter, Sophie, aged 15, would come down and eat with the family.
Sophie was finishing her make-up and looked in the mirror as she had finished. She squinted slightly as the sun shone through her window which hurt her eyes, and rubbed her head to try and get rid of the ever building headache. She sighed, realising that it wasn't going to help, stood up, and walked downstairs.
Zoe smiled at her daughter as she walked into the kitchen, and Sophie sat down at the table not saying a word.
"You feeling okay?" Zoe asked Sophie and she shrugged.
"Headache." Sophie said and put her head in her hands, rubbing the sides of her head.
"I'll get you some paracetamol in a minute to have after your breakfast." Zoe said and Sophie nodded as she checked her phone. "If it's bad, stay at home today."
"No, i've got exams coming up. I missed two days last week. I'm already behind. I can't miss anymore days off."
"We should probably get you a doctors appointment." Zoe said, worried.
"No, it's only a headache." Sophie said. "It will go."
"Then come back." Zoe reminded her. "They always come back."
"Okay, doctors then." Sophie sighed, and began eating her breakfast.
Sophie finished just as her dad, Nick Jordan, walked down the stairs.
"Didn't think you would be joining us." Zoe said, smiling as he walked in adjusting his tue.
"Sorry. Couldn't find my tie." He said, looking in the mirror and adjusting it yet again.
"You have loads of ties." Zoe sighed and sat next to Sophie while Nick sat opposite them both.
"Yeah maybe, but this one is my good tie, and i'm going to be in a meeting for most of the day." Nick said.
"You and your ties." Zoe tutted and tucked into her toast.
"And how are you Soph?" Nick asked, watching her pick at her food. "Quiet this morning." Sophie looked up.
"Headache." she sighed and put her paracetamol in her mouth and took a few gulps of water.
"Another one?" Nick said. "Doctors."
"I know, i'll book her an appointment later." Zoe said as Sophie got up and went to get her school bag.
"Can we just go?" Sophie moaned as her mother was running late as usual. Nick was also waiting impatiently at the door.
"Come on Zoe, you can sort that out later." He said seeing her fluff pillows on the sofa.
"Sorry." Zoe said, picking up her bag and walking to the door. They all walked out and over to the car, where they drove to Sophie's school.
As they were parked outside the school, Sophie got her things together. Just as she opened the door, Zoe began to speak.
"If your headache gets worse, don't hesitate to text and i'll come and pick you up." Zoe said, and Sophie nodded, got out and shut the door.
"Love you." She said to them both and slammed the car door, and Nick and Zoe proceeded onto Holby City Hospital.
They arrived after a few minutes and both went their separate ways. Nick remained in a meeting and Zoe was in and out of resus all morning.
Soon came the afternoon came and Zoe had her hands full in resus when her phone started vibrating. She couldn't check it so she got Linda to.
"Who's it from?" Zoe asked.
"Sophie. She doesn't feel well and asks if you can pick her up." Linda said and Zoe sighed.
"I told her i'd pick her up if she needed me to. She wasn't feeling well this morning."
"I'll go and get her if you want." Linda offered seeing that Zoe was busy.
"Could you?" Zoe sighed gratefully. "Linda that would be great."
"Sure." Linda said and put Zoe's phone on the side. "I'll be back."
Linda reached the school and Sophie came over to the car.
"Where's mum?" Sophie asked as she sat down in the passenger seat.
"She's a bit busy at the minute so I offered to come and get you." Linda smiled as they drove.
"Oh." Sophie said and looked out the window.
Linda kept an eye on Sophie as she drove, as she didn't want her throwing up in the car and she looked pale.
"Sophie?" Linda asked, but Sophie continued to stare out the window. "Sophie?"
"Huh?" Sophie said, turning to face Linda. "Sorry, day dreaming."
"You okay?" Linda asked and Sophie nodded, returning to her position of looking out the window.
Sophie's headache had gotten worse during the morning despite being given the paracetamol by her mother. She was feeling quite sick now, and just wanted to lie down in her mums staff room.
They arrived at the hospital within a few minutes and walked through the entrance.
"I'm just going to go to the toilet." Sophie said and sped off towards them. Linda didn't know whether to follow or not, so she decided to go and tell Zoe instead.
"Zoe, she's just sped off to the loos." Linda told her after finding her in the staff room. Resus had obviously gone quiet.
"I'll go sort her out." Zoe smiled.
"And does she tend to day dream?" Linda asked.
"Sometimes." Zoe replied. "Why?"
"She was daydreaming in the car and didn't hear me say her name." Linda shrugged. "Just wondered."
"Hmmm." Zoe said and turned towards the door. "Thanks for going to get her."
"It's okay." Linda said and watched Zoe leave.
Zoe found Sophie leaning against a sink and looking into a mirror.
"Soph?" Zoe asked as she looked at Sophie still staring blankly into the mirror. "Sophie?" Sophie still didn't move so Zoe put her hand on her shoulder, making her jump.
"Mum!" Sophie said, pulling away. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"
"I didn't, I said your name twice!" Zoe said, putting her hand on her daughters forehead. "How are you feeling now?"
"A little better after, you know." Sophie pointed to one of the cubicles.
"You were sick?" Zoe asked and recieved a nod in return. "Headache still there?"
"Yeah." Sophie sighed with tears in her eyes. "It's literally doing my head in mum."
"I know it is." Zoe said. "I'll get you an appointment later for the doctors." Zoesaid and hugged her daughter who hugged her back.
"Okay." Sophie sniffed.
"Go and lie down in the staff room, get some shut eye." Zoe smiled and walked out of the toilets with her daughter, and went into the staffroom.