The unusually pale-faced Clinical Lead sat in her office – what was also unusual was that she was sat curled up on the sofa – rather than being sat rigidly behind her desk – as was usually the case. She was now painfully thin and sickly-looking, and whilst still as beautiful as ever, her tired eyes showed every single year of her life.

There was a knock at the door and Ethan popped his head around it. "Your coffee, Mrs Beauchamp."

"Thank you Ethan." She answered as he pushed the steaming mug into her cold, clammy hands.

He sat down next to her and hesitated. "You should eat something, Connie. You need the energy...oh, I think Charlie wants a word." He added looking up at the older man who had poked his head through the open door. "I'll go and get you a sandwich from the shop." She nodded vaguely as he stood up.

Charlie knew now. He'd watched Connie getting paler and thinner day by day – and with her frequent dizzy spells and breathlessness – both of which she was getting worse and worse at hiding as she got generally weaker, he'd long since suspected something was very wrong with the doctor. When she had hurriedly asked Elle to take over from her in resus, before promptly collapsing a few days ago, Ethan had had no choice but to tell them what was wrong with her. Connie had been angry with him about that, but she knew that she shouldn't have put him in that position in the first place – it hadn't been fair to ask him to keep her secret.

Charlie sat down next to her. "I take it Sam doesn't know?" Connie didn't answer and just stared at the floor, so he continued. "...because if he did, he would have been on the first plane he could get back over here with Grace."

"He wouldn't." She murmured. "He'd just think I'm playing games – trying to get him to bring her back...because, that's what we do, isn't it! _Play games with each other!" She suddenly seemed very angry with the situation.

Charlie shook his head at her in disbelief – surely she didn't really think that? "Connie..."

She stopped him. "Besides, it's not something I want to tell him over the phone – or Grace. I should have gone over there when I first found out – I know that, but I'm not well enough to travel now, so what can I do, Charlie?"

"Can't you just tell him you need to see her? - tell him it's an emergency..."

Yeah, like he's going to believe that!" She retorted. "Anyway, I haven't really spoken to Sam since he left – I don't know how to any more..." She trailed off.

"So...you're not going to tell them? But, Connie – you need surgery!"

"How can I, Charlie?...no, I'll just take the hand I've been dealt." she shrugged, indifferently.

Charlie shook his head at her again in exasperation at her apparent ease at giving up.. "...but, you want Grace here – right?"

Connie sighed in frustration. "Of course I do – I want them both here – Sam as well, though I don't...think he...wants to be here...I just...don't know what to tell them...- how to tell them..." She paused – trying to get her breath back. "I mean, I thought...we were ok, you know? - me and Sam...I thought we...were having a fresh start...the three...of us...as a fam...ily. That's what I...wanted, he said that's what...he wanted – what...Grace...wanted, but then...he just...went without...telling...me and...I...just don't...know what...to say to...him...any more...I...just don't..." she gasped with the effort it took to get all her words out.

Charlie rubbed her back gently as Ethan reappeared with a sandwich for her. "Easy. Easy, Connie." Charlie warned. "You need to slow down or you'll get worse."

She sighed, exhausted. "...getting...worse...anyway...Charlie." She muttered taking the sandwich off Ethan. "Thanks."

The two men stepped out of her office and closed the door behind them.

"Did you ask her about Sam?" Ethan whispered. "He needs to be here, Charlie – she needs to have Grace here."

Charlie nodded. "I know, Ethan. Yes, - I asked her and No – he doesn't know. She doesn't know how to tell him. I'm going to ring him later – don't say anything to her yet – I don't want to get her hopes up about seeing Grace."

Charlie was confident that Connie was wrong about Sam. He would want to be there for her.