Six Days

Some contents such as plot, characters and majority of dialogue in this chapter belong to the BBC and writers/producers of Holby City, I hold no claim. The rest is my own wicked invention.

Kidnap Day

She begins to stir, her mind cloudy, she can't think, she's cold. She opens her eyes and the room is spinning, she can't focus. She can't see them, this isn't her bedroom and she doesn't know where she is.

"Morning," the deep voice breaks through her consciousness.

She looks up, her eyes adjust. It's Luc.

"You looking for these?"

He has them but why? It's too much to take in and her mind can't make anything out. The thundering pain in her head is drilling away, it's overpowering. She just wants sleep.

"Why this Eddi? Why did I have to result to this?" is the last she hears before drifting off into a state of unconsciousness.

….

She tumbles out of the high bed, almost falling flat on her face as her legs turn to jelly. Luc is nowhere in sight. Where are her clothes? She is sure she was wearing something different. And why is it so bloody freezing? She rubs her arms with her hands attempting to generate heat.

Eddi unsteadily makes her way to the door and with a gentle push it eases open, but she is immediately hit by the bright light, eyes blurring. A few quick blinks and she is able to focus, but what she sees isn't to her liking. Trees, open space, no tall grey blocks in sight.

Where the hell am I?

"Luc. Where are we?"

"Huh?"

"I said where are we?"

"Oh, we're in the grounds of a stately home my friend owns. He lets me park up whenever I fancy it."

"Why are we here?"

"Well, you've developed an addiction to Comoxidan which you won't admit to so we're going to stay here until you'll tell me exactly how many you've been taking, I'll decide on an average amount and then we'll gradually cut it down, sort this out."

He has got to be kidding me. Has he completely lost his mind? There's no way I'm staying here with him!

"Yeah right," and Eddi storms off to collect her clothes hanging on the peg, Luc watching her every move like a hawk. Her skin crawls as she feels his eyes trail her. Then she makes her way back to his campervan to change, making sure to slam the door shut on her way.

"This is bloody ridiculous," she mumbles to herself as she chucks her clothes off that she slept in and proceeds to dress into her clean ones. "I am not addicted. It's just a little set back that's all. Luc on his bloody high horse, who does he think he is! I wouldn't be in this mess in the first place if he hadn't of buggered off to goodness knows where and then he thinks he can walk back into my life like nothing has happen! Well he can think again." Eddi angrily shoves the rest of her items in her trusted brown bag.

"Now where's my phone?" Her eyes scan high and low but to no avail. She can't find it anywhere. "Now he's gone too far," and she comes bursting back out of the campervan, eyes ready to spit daggers at the man who's currently sitting comfortably in a chair reading a book.

"Have you taken my phone?"

"Yeah."

"Have you totally lost your mind?"

"I've taken your wallet as well."

"What?"

"I didn't know how else to keep you here, I thought you might react like this."

"You've kidnapped me you understand that don't you, this is kidnap!"

"If you want to call it that."

"We're going to get in this van right now and you're going to take me home."

"No, no, I'm not."

"Fine, I'll walk," and she spins on her heels and tramples in the opposite direction as far away and as quickly as she can, slipping here and there on the mud as she goes. He is even crazier than I thought!

"Walk where Eddi, you have no idea where you are!" She stops as his words ring true. "Take some deep breathes. Calm down."

Slowly she makes her way back towards him, acting the defeatist. She may have lost the battle for now but the war is far from over. Where there's a will there's a way.

"You really think you can get away with this don't you?"

"We need to talk."

"Talk?" He has got to be joking. I need a plan. "Fine, okay. I'll talk to you."

"Good."

"Got something I really want to say anyway."

Luc stands and makes his way over.

So far so good, my plan is working.

"I need you to listen to me really carefully."

"Of course."

I've got him! This is for all the pain you've caused me Luc! Pow!

"Arrgh!"

And she kicks him squarely in the balls and immediately he doubles over, hands protecting his precious jewels, while Eddi makes a run for it.

Keys in his left pocket. Too predictable!

He hears the engine start and turns to see Eddi attempting to drive away.

Oh no you don't woman. And waddles over to stand in front of the vehicle.

"Get out of the way. Get out of the way Luc!"

However, he needn't worry as the tyres are stuck in the mud and the more she revs the engine the further she's grinding the in. Luc takes this chance to catch his breath back.

"Ahhh," and she slams her hands on the steering wheel in frustration before angrily getting out of the van and storming her way to Luc's side.

"Just, give me the keys."

"Give me my stuff."

"Not going to happen."

Without any other options she turns tail and legs it into the woods.

"Eddi!"

God! This woman is the bane of my life and he swiftly follows her.

"Eddi! This is ridiculous! Eddi, just stop will you!" but the more he yells the harder she runs, slowly draining the little energy she has. At one stage she almost trips over a fallen log, but she is able to right herself before landing in a heap in the mud.

Eventually she rounds a bush and comes across a bridge with Luc hot on her heels. Doesn't that guy know when to quit!

"Eddi! Eddi!" Thank God she's stopped. "Just, just give me the keys. Don't make me come and get them Eddi. Come on."

She turns to face Luc, chest rising and falling heavily as she tries to catch her breath, and holds out a hand containing the keys.

"Go ahead."

However, as Luc goes to take a step towards her she immediately switches them to her other hand and holds them out over the lake.

"You wouldn't." surely she's not that stupid to…

Plop! And in they go.

"You have." Maybe she is. "You do realise that neither one of us will be able to leave now."

"Well you're just going to have to wade in there and get them."

"Do you know what kind of diseases could inhabit that lake? All species of animals pee in there, breed in there, die in there…"

"Well you should have thought about that before kidnapping me!"

"How was I to know you'd kick me in the balls, snatch my keys and then drop them into the lake?"

"How would you expect me to react? Stomp my feet once, glare at you and then give you a sarcastic curtsey before walking away. I'm not Elizabeth Bennet!"

"And you better not think I'm going to be Mr Darcy by diving into that lake to search for the keys you dropped!" But all Eddi does is give him a pointed stare and crosses her arms. "Fine! Fine!" and he turns his back on her and makes his way down the bank to the water's edge where he proceeds to take off his socks and shoes.

"You weren't expecting that were you? You're just so predictable Luc, I mean even to the, to the small little things like, where you keep your keys you've really got to change that up you know. But I guess that that'll be very, very hard for you because you're just so anal."

"Ow, ow!" Luc steps on something prickly as he shuffles around in the grass.

Eddi laughs. "Sorry, sorry. No, no, no, no, y-you please carry on, this is just too good."

"Whatever it takes to put a smile on your face," he says while beginning to roll up his trouser legs and sleeves, "anything's better than that permanent scowl you've been wearing the past few weeks."

"Oh I'm hurt, I am, hurt by that," a sharp pain in her chest grips her and she finds it difficult to breath. Her stomach is clenching and she knows what is about to happen and is helpless to stop it.

"Eddi?"

The next minute she has crunched over and is throwing up the contents of her stomach all over the bridge. This is not good runs through her mind. Not good at all.

Meanwhile, Luc is preoccupied trying to find the keys. Luckily the lake is only about a foot deep and the keys dropped straight down so they'd be relatively easy to find. Shoving his hands under the water he wades through the muddy ground and a couple of minutes later his fingers latch onto something hard and smooth with jagged edges. Gotcha!

Gradually he makes his way back to the edge and heaves himself out, thankfully managing not to get a single item of his clothes soaked. Shaking his legs off he places his socks and shoes back on and rolls his clothing back down before making his way back up to Eddi, dangling his keys for good measure, but she's hardly paying attention. Too busy trying not to throw up again.

"What are you looking at? You never seen a hungover person before?" she wheezes out.

She can't seriously be denial still, not after what just happened!

"A hangover is that what you call this?"

"Argh, give it a rest Luc," and she turns and walks away from him, Luc never leaving her side.

"You've been unravelling at work, stealing prescription drugs, nearly killing patients by giving them the wrong meds, getting so drunk in front of your colleagues that you look completely unhinged. What do you call that, just letting you hair down?" Why can't she just admit she has a problem? "Are you seriously telling me you don't have a problem? Right prove it."

"What?" she stops and looks at him like he's from another planet.

"Stay here, let it play out. If it's just a hangover you'll be fine won't you? Prove it."

"I don't have anything to prove to you. You of all people." God I hate him. "Stay away from me Luc," for good with any luck.

That went well, he thinks as he watches her walk away…again.

A second later he's following and has soon caught up.

"What part of 'stay away' don't you understand?" she huffs, determination in every step.

"I can't let you walk off alone, you don't know where you're going."

"Anywhere is better than with you."

"Don't be stupid Eddi…"

"Just go away Luc."

A moment's silence descends. Nothing but the echo of their footsteps and the sound of nature fills their ears.

"Where are you heading, exactly?" asks Luc.

"Unless you've transported us to another planet this must lead somewhere."

"Oh yeah it does lead somewhere, in about five miles you're going to hit a road, quite a small road."

"Well fine, I'll just keep walking then."

"You won't very far Eddi. Your withdrawal's going to start kicking in you must be feeling it already."

"Whatever."

"Right, well you go on, I'll head back to Holby but I'll have to report you. Then again, no one will be surprised; in fact it will explain a hell of a lot. I'm sure they'll be supportive, give you a second chance but it'll be a very public humiliation."

Get off my case Luc!

"Argh."

"Suspension, counselling, rehab. Er drugs tests every single week once you are back at work are you up for that? Or, you could er, you could give up nursing I suppose."

Do what? He hates me that much? "You'd really do that to me?"

"In a heartbeat."

This man can be so vile.

"But listen, you say you're not addicted so, just stay here, prove that to me, that's all I ask."

What is it going to take to get him off my back?

"Fine. But when this is over, don't ever speak to me again, okay?"

"If that's how you feel."

Silently they both make their way back to the van, each lost in thought.

How am I ever going to get out of this? I wish I never knew him. All he's done is mess my life up even more than what it was. I wish he would simply leave me alone. Why does he need to fix things, why does he need to fix me? Am I right? Is he doing this out of guilt? Well, he's not going to get away with it that easily!

I wish she would let me help her. This is all my fault to begin with but that's not my soul reason. I care for her, want to see her safe, but I can't do that if she won't let me. I should never have left, it was a bad mistake on my part. Why did I have to follow my head instead of my heart?

As they come through a break in the trees the campervan comes into sight and Eddi picks her pace up a bit, Luc's footsteps a constant reminder of his unpleasant company.

Reaching the side of the van she flops against it, cold and exhausted, however when Luc goes to wrap a blanket around her shoulders she jerks away.

"No don't, don't touch me Luc, okay."

He is pained by her continuous rejection but he expected nothing less.

That's it Eddi, nice deep breaths, you can do this, stop the pain. Just nice, deep breaths and she rests her head back, closing her eyes.

"I'm sorry," Luc continues. "For what I did, for, for leaving you. I'm, I'm sorry." This is so difficult. "I-I-I could try to e-explain why, but I think you probably…"

Just stop Luc, please shut up!

"You know I did push you away Eddi. You had this really annoying habit of getting under my skin. You still do."

"You really hurt me Luc."

"I know I did," oh how I know. "I know." How can I tell her? "But, I-I care about you and I'm trying to put things right."

"It's too late." Far too late and nothing you will say can change that. "I don't want you in my life anymore, okay. You think these pills are bad. You are ten times more toxic."

Oh no I'm going to be sick again and she makes a move behind the vehicle and spews up her guts.

"Not again," he mutters to himself and slowly makes his way to see how she is faring.

Just stop stomach, please stop! Crunching of leaves, rustling of clothes. Great, Luc's coming.

"You know what's happening don't you? And you know it's just going to get worse. The anxiety, the panic attacks, the aches, the pains. Your stomach's going to keep contracting. Pretty soon you'll probably become incontinent…"

"Oh shut up Luc."

"…and if you've been binging it's going to get worse quicker. Just take one, okay. That's the way to deal with it, a supervise dose. All you need to do is tell me exactly how many you've been taking."

"Argh, you would like that wouldn't you, mmm?" I just want this pain to stop! "Me breaking down…and you having to save me, right? But I'm sorry to disappoint you Luc, but I, argh, I don't need it." You're shivering and the intense stomach cramps are saying otherwise.

This woman is too stubborn and it's killing her! What am I to do? He gets up and walks away but before turning the corner he whispers, "I wish you could see what I'm trying to do."

While Eddi continues to heave her insides up Luc goes back to the book he was previously reading, attempting to keep his mind on other things for the time being. This plan is somewhat hindered by the continuous noise from the overdosed woman. It grates on his nerves and he finally abandons his book to go to her.

"Leave me alone Luc."

"I told you I-I don't need it."

"Are you doing this to punish me?" I can't stand seeing her like this.

"I don't need you, you know," and the touch of his hand on her forehead sends a little tingle through her body. "I don't need anyone, I don't want anyone."

"Eddi, please, please don't do this. I know you hate me but it's just not worth it, if this is a serious as I think, if you've been taking as many as I think you have then this could kill you."

"What would that really matter?"

"Stop it," I can't believe what she is saying!

"It's not like anybody really cares."

That's it she really needs to see sense.

"I care," he whispers. "Eddi, look at me, look at me. Look at me. I care." Please see this Eddi, please believe me. "Okay?" Her gazing at him is enough for now. The feel of her skin under his touch is like heaven. He's missed this more than he knew. He kisses her forehead, I've been longing to do that for a while. "Come on, give me your arm, come on. Come on, come one," and with her arms around his neck he struggles them to a stand and once steady, lifts her up in his arms, cradles her like a baby and carries her over to the chair the other side under cover.

Gently placing her down he then disappears for a moment into the van and then returns to her with a blanket.

"Eddi."

Once placing it around her shoulders he kneels down by her and sets about rearranging it around her body, making sure she stays warm.

"You-you know everyone leaves Luc, everyone always leaves."

"Shush, come on it's okay."

"No, it's, it's really not okay. I think, I think I had this coming though."

"What?" now what is she going on about?

"I left Liam," as she looks at him there is fear in her eyes. "When he needed me I left him."

"Come on, it wasn't that simple."

"Hmm, he never really went to school. 'Cos she, she, she just, she wasn't up. She was either too drunk or she just wasn't there. The first day I ever could I just ran away, and left him. And now, everyone leaves me, don't you. You left me, Max left me. I really thought Max cared about me."

Oh God Eddi, please stop torturing yourself.

"I won't leave you. Eddi. Eddi. Never again. Do you want me to help you?" Come on Eddi, please, let me help you.

She grunts her agreement. "Just one."

Luc kisses her once again on the forehead before standing.

"Just one."

"Just, just take the edge of a little bit."

"Just take the edge of, is that all it is?"

I can't believe he is doing this to me! "Oh no Luc, please. Just give them to me…"

"You can have one when you admit of a problem Eddi. When you admit…"

"Just one, please give them to, please give them to me, Luc!" and she leaps forward in desperation but only ends up falling in the bud in a pathetic heap.

"Oh, Eddi." She has really sunk as far as I feared. Crouching down he helps her into and into a sitting position between his legs. "Come here, shhhh, it'll be fine, come here," and he cradles her to him her in a ball clinging on to his shirt, trying to keep the tears at bay.

The cold, damp bud seeps through his trousers but he doesn't care. He doesn't care about anything but the vulnerable creature curled up in his arms.

"Come on trust me. Let go." Let me in Eddi.

"I can't. I can't Luc." I can't do either. I did that once and it destroyed me.

"Come on, what's the worst that can happen?"

"I'm so scared."

"Course you are, course you are. Can't be any worse than this though can it. Can't be any worse than this," and the emotion finally gets to him with the last. Seeing her like this is killing him inside and he feels completely helpless.

Finally it gets all too much for her and the tears burst their barriers. "That's it, that's it. I've got you. I've got you." Luc hugs her closer to his chest, comforting her, trying to absorb her pain. "Let go. Do you want me to help you?"

Eddi nods her head and a squeak of 'yes' escapes.

"Yeah?"

Yeah, please help me Luc.

"I need to hear you say it."

I can't.

"I need to hear you say it."

I can't but I know I need it.

"I need you to help me. I need you to help me."

That's it, that's my Eddi, I'm here.

Eddi takes and swallows the pill Luc's given her then clings to him as if her life depended on it….actually it does. If it weren't for him she could be lying in a gutter or worse, dead! His heart breaks that little bit further especially as he knows he's the cause of her downfall. From this moment on, he'll try and protect her with all that he has.

I'm here for you, always will be.

Gradually her breathing eases as she calms down. She relaxes in his arms bit by bit.

"I-I'm sorry Luc."

"It's okay, it's okay. I'm here now."

"I'm afraid."

"So am I. More than you'll ever know."

After a quiet moment or two of gentle breathing, she shifts to get up.

"I need some air," and once standing she smiles down briefly to Luc then strolls over to the middle of the field and lets the wind embrace her and clear away the stress.

There is nothing like the sound of birds tweeting and fluttering from tree to tree, nature singing its tune that's endless. It soothes her, relaxes her and she takes this time to think on him.

Luc in some shape or form has been there for me when I needed him the most, but will he always be there? Will I always be around? I wish I had faith in us but it's hard to when neither one of us is stable. Can I really achieve what he wishes me to? How did is come to this?

Closing her eyes she takes in a deep breath and breaths out again. Behind she can hear Luc making his way towards her. When he reaches her side a secret smile lights up her features and she can't help but reach out and hold her hand. She's missed the contact, no matter how many times she wishes to deny that fact.

"You can have another two in four hours. Obviously it takes longer to come off them than the time you were on them, but it's okay. We'll do it. We'll do it."

I wish I had the same faith in me as you do Luc.

I'll never leave you again Eddi. I can't. Not now I've fallen in love.