'If I leave will Elliot be safe from redundancy?' Connie asked Hanssen.
He looked up from his desk. 'It would be preferable that he leave rather than you, seeing as a lot of patients come here because of you.'
'A lot of patients come here because of Elliot as well.' Connie countered.
'What do you want Connie?' he asked.
'If I resign, will you keep Elliot?' she asked.
He nodded.
'Say it.' She demanded.
'Alright, I promise that if you resign, Dr. Hope will be safe from redundancy,' Hanssen agree. 'Is that all?'
She nodded, and walked out the door, closing it on the way out.
()()()()
She stood at her desk, putting her personal item in a cardboard box, when Elliot walked in.
'What are you doing Connie?' he asked.
She snorted in her mind, hadn't he proclaimed not even two days ago, that she was no longer his friend? That he didn't respect her anymore?
'What does it look like Elliot? She asked crisply.
'It looks like you're packing.' Elliot stated.
'Well done Elliot, it looks like you passed Observance 101.' Connie said sarcastically, putting the picture of herself and Elliot, and the photo of herself and Sam in the box, and opening her drawers.
'But why?' he asked, ignoring the sarcastic comment.
'I resigned.' Connie answered.
'But why?' Elliot repeated, finally sitting down at his desk.
'I would rather resign than be made redundant,' she lied.
'They wouldn't make you redundant Connie,' Elliot laughed, 'You're too valuable.'
'Well, it's too late Elliot,' she snapped, 'I've handed the letter in, they accepted it, and now I'm leaving!'
She picked up the last photo on her desk, a picture of her and Grace, when Grace was three, outside her house. They were both laughing and Connie had snapped the photo when Grace was unawares.
She put it in the box, and out it on the chair, pulling her jacket on from the chair back.
Get out of here before you regret it. Her mind whispered.
'Goodbye Elliot, you don't have to keep in touch.' She said, before walking out of the office for last time.
'Connie,' he said, walking along side her, 'Don't leave!'
'I have to Elliot.' She said, her throat clogging with tears.
She stepped out next to her car five minutes later, having ignored anything Elliot was saying about staying and fighting.
You're doing this to save him. Remember that.
She put the box of belongings in the back of the car, and turned back to Elliot, 'I'll see you again Elliot.' She said, hugging him.
'You better.' He whispered into her hair, yet she still heard.
She stepped out of the hug and was about to get into the car when Elliot stopped her, 'I was wrong Connie. You are my friend. I do respect you.'
She nodded, and smiled slightly before stepping into the car and starting the engine.
She cast one more look over the hospital that she'd worked in for the last six years and offered a silent goodbye.
She reversed, and waved to Elliot as she drove out of Holby Hospital.
()()()()
She got home, and realised that she had a few hours before picking up Grace, and picked up the phone. 'Hey Sam.'
'Hey Con, what's up?'
'I resigned today.' She said, he tears coming back.
'What? Why?' he asked incredulously.
'Holby was having financial trouble so they brought in this man who sorted out deficits. Ric's already gone, on grounds of medical leave but he's not coming back, Michael's been shifted around all the departments which he can't deal with, so that's going to screw him in Hanssen's books, and he went after Elliot yesterday.' Connie said. 'I tried to help him without telling him, and it made it worse, because Elliot said that he no longer respected me and he wasn't my friend anymore, so I went to Hanssen and asked if I left would Elliot be safe?'
'And now he is?' Sam asked.
'Yes.' Connie said, sitting down.
'You've had a week of it haven't you?' he joked.
She laughed, her laughter floating through the phone.
'Connie, I think you need a break.' Sam said, 'Why don't you come and visit New York? Come and see Kieran and I?'
'God I think I actually need to.' She said, 'Guessing you want me to bring Grace?' she joked.
He laughed, 'Of course.'
'Okay Sam, I'll see you in a week,' Connie said, before hanging up.
()()()()
Elliot knocked on Hanssen's office door and waited for the 'come in.'
He entered, and waited for the man to stop working.
'Hello, Dr. Hope.' Hanssen said, 'What can I do for you today?'
'I was wondering if you knew why Connie resigned?' he asked.
'Ahh, yes I do,' Hanssen said, 'it was all about you.'
'Me?' Elliot asked confused.
'Yes, I was trying to get rid of staff, and she noticed my attentions on you,' Hanssen said, 'we made a bargain.'
'What sort of bargain?' he asked coldly.
Hanssen laughed, 'She didn't tell you?'
'No,' Elliot answered.
'She agreed to resign if I wouldn't make you redundant.' Hanssen said.
'She quit saving my job?' Elliot double checked.
'Yes.'
'Excuse me,' Elliot said, nearly running from the office.
()()()()
Elliot burst into his office, and was reminded once again that Connie was gone as his eyes automatically flickered to her desk.
Grabbing the phone, he dialled Connie's home number and go to the voicemail, he realised that she'd doen her default setting of running from problems. That included him finding out about this. And he knew that she knew he'd find out in at least a week. So she'd gone.
He left a voicemail though.
'Thank you Connie.'