Hello! So, this is my first Freehcamp fic... (which is another way of saying it's more than likely terrible as I've never written them before and I'm not altogether sure I ship it, though you guys are definitely turning me I think xD) I got the idea from an OTP prompt on tumblr so credit to that :D

Reviews would be lovely, just so I know whether to attempt to write them again sometime xD I hope you all enjoy it though :) -Sophie x

It was 11pm and Rita was snuggled under her duvet, fast asleep. It had been her first day back at work after her week off and she was absolutely exhausted. Her eyes were drooping over her takeaway supper, and she eventually clambered into bed a whole 2 hours earlier than usual. The sky outside was now littered with stars, and the light from the moon shone between the gap in the woman's curtains. All was calm. All was still.

However, all that was about to change.

There was harsh knock at Rita's door, and she stirred in her sleep, unable to wake from her slumber. Another knock rang throughout the house, but again she lay still. Until a handful of rocks hit her bedroom window that is, and she awoke with a jolt.

"What the…" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes and sitting up, trying to get her bearings and figure out what had woken her. Another handful of stones clattered at her window and she jumped before sliding out of bed, pulling on her night gown as she made her way to the window, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she did so.

Rita looked out to see a swaying figure stood on her doorstep, a glass bottle containing a dirty brown liquid in her hand. Even from above, that hair was unmistakeable, and the blonde's heart momentarily stopped.

It was Connie.

The clinical lead staggered back and gestured to her with her bottle. Unable to hear what was spewing from her mouth (which was most likely a good thing), Rita sighed and went downstairs, grabbing her door key from the hallway table and unlocking the door.

As soon as it opened, an icy chill snaked around her ankles and bit at her bare legs. She shivered as she looked up into the very drunk face of her boss.

"Connie. What a pleasure." She said dryly, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow as the brunette clutched the wall for support. "What can I do for you." On the outside she remained cool, but on the inside, well, that was a whole other story…

"You," she hissed, jabbing at the smaller woman's chest, "you have cossst me everything! Everything! My rep-reputation, my daughter, everything!" She raised her arms and waved them about. "I have nothing left, all thanksss to you."

"Whatever." Rita muttered. "Go home."

"No." Her boss said shortly, standing tall and indignant in front of her. Looking closer, the small woman noticed that her eyes were red-rimmed and blood shot, and not just from the drink either. Her face was pale, deathly so in the moonlight, and she trembled where she stood, whether the woman knew it or not.

She couldn't expect her to walk home in this state, even she wasn't that heartless. Rita sighed and stood to one side.

"Get in. You'll get frostbite if you stay out here any longer." She nodded towards her living room, though her voice remained emotionless, looking at her boss expectantly who stood still, seemingly frozen.

"Well? In!" She still made no effort to move, she was seemingly engulfed by her own thoughts. Rolling her eyes, the nurse pulled her by the sleeve into her hallway and gently pushed her towards the sitting room. Connie went obediently, looking around as she tried not to stumble in her heels. Rita pointed to the sofa, and the taller woman sat, still clutching at her beloved bottle. As she raised it to her lips, it was promptly yanked from her grip and taken to the other side of the room where it was inspected with wide eyes.

"Jesus Connie, how much have you had to drink? This is almost pure alcohol!" The blonde haired nurse exclaimed, but Connie just looked down, muttering to herself.

"Almost…" Was the only word audible as she ran a hand through her hair. This was one action that had always made Rita weak at the knees, even when she was a teenager. Her heart began to race as her boss looked up, brown orbs suddenly wide and anxious.

"Rita…" She mumbled, "I have no-one left. I'm alone. No-one else likes me." She spoke as if she were realising this for the first time, and the nurse manager felt her heart tug, whispering to go to her from deep within her chest.

"No you're not, don't be ridiculous." She said quietly, going over to her and cautiously sitting down. Connie was the most unpredictable drunk she had ever met, and she herself being one, it was a pretty big statement to make.

"I am." She shook, looking around. "No-one loves me. I had Grace but, but even she doesn't love me anymore." Her eyes began to fill with tears and Rita took a deep breath.

Here comes the emotional drunk, she thought to herself as she reached over to the coffee table and retrieved her tissues.

"Look, Connie, seriously. There are loads of people that care about you, whether you know it or not."

Rita's heart was now thumping ten times as loud as usual, and she almost became self-conscious in case the other woman heard. She had dreamed of a chance like this, to tell the Ice Queen exactly how she felt. But something stopped her for the minute- something was holding her back. She needed the exact, perfect moment.

"Name me three. Go on." Connie spat, and the blonde thought for a second.

"Alfred Maxwell." She said firmly, then another came to her.

"Charlie. He cares, you know he does."

This was it. This was her chance. Rita bit her lip slightly before speaking again.

"And me." She said softly, fingers fiddling with the tie on her night gown as Connie turned to look at her, a sneery look on her face.

"Yeah right. You just can't think of a third person."

"No, I was being serious." She said slowly. "Ever since you walked through those ED doors, I have admired you. And since then, that admiration has turned into… Well, love. There's no other way to explain it."

Connie's mouth opened ever so slightly, and Rita lifted a shaky hand and gently closed it, brushing her thumb gently across her cheek as she did so. Connie felt the place their skin had collided, and it felt warm and inviting, something she hadn't experienced since her days with Sam. Something inside her began to stir, to crawl up through her icy exterior and break through into open air.

"I love you…" The brunette whispered, still with shock at what she had just realised. This fuelling hatred, their spiteful words and bitching fights; they had all been yet another mask, another curtain to hide her secret behind. Because the truth was, that Connie Beauchamp was in love with her clinical nurse manager.

"That must have been why I came here tonight…" She whispered to herself, though Rita heard every word and began to smile to herself.

"Shhh." The blonde whispered, placing a small finger on her soft lips and pausing, leaving it there until letting it fall back into her lap. Their eyes locked, both sets of deep brown eyes searching the others, getting lost within the depths of their minds.

Before either of them knew it, they both began to slowly move forward, and soon enough their lips collided.

It was sweet. It was soft. It was love.

Rita gently ran her petite hands through Connie's hair and broke away for a breath, leaning forwards so their foreheads touched. She had remembered the drink as the stale aftertaste slowly entered her mouth, and looked into her boss' eyes.

"You need to sober up. I need some rest. Why don't we both go to bed- you can sleep in the spare room for the night."

"Spare, room? Not yours?" Connie looked slightly hopeful as Rita grinned, moving away and standing up.

"If you feel the same way tomorrow then maybe different arrangements could be made." She raised an eyebrow and held out her hand. "Come on."

Connie took it and she stood too, before letting the nurse lead her out of the room and up the stairs.