Author's Note
Hello again to you all, this story has been bubbling away on the back-burners for several months and I figured now would be the best time to get it done. I don't know if anything like this has been done before...
Just a few bits of housekeeping before we get going...
The usual disclaimers – I'm only playing in the Holby City and BBC Sandbox, I solemnly swear I'm up to no good but will try to put the characters back where I found them when I'm done with them.
In this universe, Edward doesn't suddenly decide he's an alcoholic and start drinking at any and every opportunity; in fact, although he's a bit of an idiot, he's a vaguely competent anaesthetist (this is TV Land after all) and that isn't going to alter and he never left. Oh and the canon Holby time line is pretty much completely ignored so if things like that put a bee in your bonnet, don't say I didn't warn you. AU all the way!
Warning - this won't be a happy tale, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel but if you want fluff and cuteness, this isn't it so look away now.
After all that...
…
"Come on, come on."
Serena Campbell just about manages to get through her front door before the nausea hits her and she sinks to her knees on the hard floor of her hallway. Shutting her eyes, she breathes deeply, willing the sensation to pass without incident, trying to focus on staying upright and not vomit, knowing that there is nothing in her stomach to bring up if she does start to retch.
Eventually the pounding in her head, linked to her elevated heart rate starts to recede but her arms and legs feel leaden. It takes several more minutes before Serena feels like she can move without feeling like she going to lose consciousness and a couple of deep breaths do little to ease the trembling which has taken over. Her left hand connects with the front door and pushes it shut, she's glad to hear the latch click shut before leaning against it, taking the opportunity to remove her boots before slowly pushing herself up onto her feet and staggers along the hallway to the living room, the short journey taking far longer than it should.
Serena is exhausted and positively collapses onto the sofa, sliding down onto her left-hand side until her head is resting on a cushion, the position she finds herself in is ungainly, unladylike but she doesn't have the energy to care. It crosses Serena's mind that she needs to eat something but the thought of food makes her stomach roll and she rapidly abandons that plan, instead focusing on not being sick.
Eleanor is back from University later tonight and Serena will need all her energy reserves to make her daughter believe that everything is normal – she can deal with Ric Griffin and the problems he's causing later. A harsh sound escapes the consultant, the second that Eleanor claps eyes on her mother, she will know that something is very wrong. She is so tired and her eyes are half-lidded and getting heavier by the moment, Serena gives up the fight against sleep, wanting just to rest for a while.
Later, Serena doesn't know how long she's been asleep, she slowly wakes, drowsily aware that the sun is lower in the sky than earlier, the lack of sunlight is soothing and urging her to close her eyes again and drift off to sleep again.
"Eleanor..."
The thought of her daughter coming home and finding her in this state, passed out on the sofa is enough to rouse Serena, the consultant slowly bending her knees and groaning as she turns onto her side, hands against the sofa as she strains to raise herself to sitting up.
'At least the trembling has stopped', Serena thinks to herself, thankful for small mercies and she stands up too quickly, the movement making her sway on unsteady feet. The dizziness passes and Serena moves away from the sofa towards the unlit kitchen, she curses loudly to herself as she catches her leg on the corner of the wooden kitchen table but steadies herself, rubbing the affected area for a few seconds knowing that it will inevitably bruise, all she seems to do these days is bruise and moves towards the sink.
The splash of cold water to her face makes Serena gasp, wakes her up and makes her open her eyes. She stands at the sink, avoiding her reflection in the window in front of her, not wanting to see the dark bruises around her eyes or the drawn skin. A glance at the clock tells her it's later than she thought and she needs to get a move on with rustling something up for her daughter's dinner.
Serena turns to reach for the fridge to see what food she has in there but never makes it, the still wet hand which had been holding her upright slips against the wet porcelain sink and Serena pitches forward, hitting the side of her head hard against the kitchen unit as she falls.
The consultant doesn't move from where she lies, unaware of the red wetness slowly escaping from the injury, creating a visible blood stain on the cold kitchen floor.
…
AN2: Ouch!
Just a short chapter to kick us off. Any guesses as to where we're heading?
Your thoughts, as always are gratefully received.