I know that not many people read casualty fanfiction so I'm not expecting a monumental amount of reviews though some would be nice! I was just re watching some old casualty and I stumbled across Maggie's last episodes and when they were on I was still a little young to truly understand 'Shipping' as such so this is just a little one-shot of what I think should have happened when Maggie came back to say goodbye to Kelsey
I don't on Casualty, if I did Maggie would have never left and married Charlie long ago :c
Maggie's breathe clouded in front of her face in a way it hadn't for more months than she cared to think of; after living in Africa for the past 18 months the bitter cold of a December morning had hit her like a slap in the face when she had stepped off the plane; she had spent the night before huddled under a quilt in a hotel room with all the windows clamped firmly shut and the heating on high. She had been totally calm until she stepped onto the familiar entrance road when her stomach had started doing somersaults; they were irritating the butteflies who had decided to flap their wings in a more aggressive manner, making Maggie regret having breakfast before she came. She was sad that Kelsey was leaving, and looking forward to seeing the team again but her mind couldn't pull itself away from the prospect of seeing Charlie again, it was also throwing unwanted questions her way. What if he left? What if he's dead? People die all the time here, it wouldn't even have to be an accident, he's older than you, it could have been a heart attack. You could turn up and ask Tess where he was and watch her face turn sombre with grief. He is dead. You should go. Run away and get on the next plane going back to Africa.
Maggie beat down her disagreeable thoughts and forced herself to take the last step thought the swing doors to be greeted by the familiar bombardment of senses she was used to. Bright sterile light glared in her eyes, disinfectant pinched her nose, the sound of unruly patients assaulted her ears, and the cool dry air swirled around her, it felt like coming home. But she couldn't focus on the setting, it hadn't changed since she left, her eyes were sweeping around, taking in the familiar faces and a few new ones but she couldn't find the one person she desperately needed to see and her heart started beating faster in fear. There. He was coming around the corner, probably having come out of the staff room, she didn't realise how much she had truly missed him until her eyes could drink him in once again. Maggie couldn't stop herself, she sprinted across the lobby and flung herself into his arms, her head fitting right into the crook of his neck, the way it always had. She could feel the tears seeping down through her hair, which was longer now, and pressing into her scalp. He was crying. Charlie was crying. He was the bravest person she had ever met, he never cried. She immediately pulled her head back, resting her forehead on his, her arms wrapped around his neck, his still resting comfortingly on the small of her back and they just stared at each other with teary eyes until their vision blurred and he pulled her into the on call room; conscious of the stares from colleges. This was an intensely personal moment.
When they were alone they could finally wrap themselves around each other, both had become skinnier since they last saw each other so it was easier to press themselves flush against each other. Even though the on call room was warm and being in Charlie's company made her tingle all over she still shivered, even in December in Africa it was around 20 degrees in the daytime and hotter indoors, much warmer than the room she was currently standing in. Charlie felt the shiver and guided her to the bed, both of them toeing their shoes off as they went. He pulled back the covers and the both lay down, fully clothed on the white sheets, still pressed up close to the other because single beds weren't exactly made to house two people. Not that either of them minded, they just lay there, wrapped around each other for 'warmth' and talking about what had happened to them since they had parted. Nothing worth writing home about Charlie's insisted, but Maggie's stories were much more interesting, he could happily listen to her tales of being a relief doctor in African slums all day, but a reluctant Tess was forced to interrupt their chat.
"Charlie, I'm really sorry, but we need you, the just been a snow storm and there's a massive influx of minor injuries." She told him unhappily, she hated separating them seeing as they would only have a few days together as it was. She resolved to give him tomorrow off so they could really have a chance to catch up.
Charlie jumped out of the bed, still dressed in his dark blue scrubs and Maggie offered her help. She knew she couldn't assist clinically, not being currently employed by the hospital, but she offered to give a hand with paper work. If it was anything like when she left Noel would need all the help he could get. Tess reluctantly declined her offer, they could really use the help, but Maggie was a surprise for Kelsey. A going away present if you will; a chance to talk to an old friend who had helped her through so much. So Charlie disappeared into the bustle of a busy E.D and Tess came back a few minutes later with a stack of old magazines for Maggie to lose herself in until Charlie could come back.
The minor injuries were taking much longer than expected and Maggie had worked her way through Tess's reading material and was left pacing the room with boredom, she desperately wished to be in the E.D helping out the team in any way she could on one of the most annoying days of the year. A day with snow. Until finally Charlie slipped back through the door and she crushed her lips to his, he kissed her back with passion and when their lips finally parted they stayed as close as they could to the other, not wanting to spend another minute apart. She felt like she had finally found a piece of her heart she didn't even realise she was missing. It was the piece she had left with Charlie the day of the court case. The piece she should have given him many years before that day but was too scared to try.
"Stay" he whispered, staring her down and never had a word ever seemed so sweet. Those single 4 letters gave her something to aim for, something to want more than anything in the world. This was why she had never even visited, because she would have come back in a heartbeat and she desperately needed that time away. But, honestly, how could she say no?
"Okay" she whispered back and he once again treated her to a tender kiss. She was sure that if she was hooked up to an ECG machine it would flat line whenever his lips brushed hers.
"Marry me" He told her again. Did he even have to ask?
"I was always yours" She whispered back and once again kissed him softly. They could have happily kissed each other until the sun came up, but they didn't have time for that because Tess was knocking on the door. Less inclined to burst straight in after discovering them in bed, even if they were fully clothed, they sprang apart like guilty teenagers and Charlie called "Come in"
Seeing them standing at practically opposite ends of the room made Tess give a knowing smile that brought a blush to Maggie's cheeks while she ushered them out of the room and towards the staff room. Maggie would sneak in the back door while Charlie could walk straight through the front. They were reluctant to leave each other and Charlie dropped a quick kiss on Maggie's lips before opening the door and heading in with Tess. Kelsey didn't notice Maggie until she spoke and then the party really began, well as much as it could in the middle of a busy E.D and Kelsey repeated Charlie's offer. Begging her to stay, but she had been beaten to the punch and Maggie was all too happy to tell her.
"I already am" She told Kelsey excitedly
"Really?" Kelsey asked in disbelief "Oh, I wish I weren't leaving now!" She said in a distraught voice until her brain finally got around to asking the inevitable question "Why?"
Maggie was about to tell her, the whole staff room was quiet, it was the perfect moment but she could see Charlie pushing his way through the crowd and desperately wanted his hand in hers. They had been in different continents for 18 whole months; she was not spending any time without him touching her in some way if he was close enough to do it. With their fingers now interlocked Maggie realised that several seconds had passed and she hadn't said a word so Charlie stepped in and said them for her.
"Say hello to the future Mrs. Fairhead" And the staff room suddenly went pin drop silent for a few seconds before erupting into ecstatic cheers and surging forwards to envelope then new happy couple in hugs. It didn't matter who pulled at them, their hands never became separated and that was the way both of them hoped it would stay forever
