It was November, and the hospital car park was filled with a low mist, with frost casting its cold shadow over the car windows. Malik was leaving after a busy nightshift, much to his dismay. He stepped out of the sliding doors and pulled up the collar on his black duffle coat, the air he breathed turned to mist as he made his way to the car park. Jac Naylor was making her way in. They quickly exchanged glances and acknowledged each other before turning away and heading their separate ways. As Jac entered the doors she quickly pulled off her scarf, the temperature inside was noticeably warmer than outside, but then it always was – it is a hospital after all.

As she made her way through the foyer her eyes were drawn along the floor at a trail of mud, which carried through to the Café area, where a rather depressed looking Oliver Valentine stood leaning against the counter with a pair of muddy shoes in his hand.

"What are they?" Jac asked as she joined him leaning on the counter, "Skinny Latte" she said to the young girl behind the counter.

"Don't ask" replied Oli.

"Well I am asking" replied Jac bluntly.

Oliver hesitated.. "Well I walked down my stairs this morning to find my entire house has been turned in to a swamp. The pipes have frozen and burst in this weather. Everything is ruined, and I've had to call out emergency plumbers because the water was still flowing, god knows how much that is going to cost me, and to top it off my shift started two hours ago, so, so far my day is not so good"

"So?" exclaimed Jac

"Well thanks for the concern" muttered Oliver

"No you moron, Why the mud?" asked Jac

"Oh these were the only ones that weren't completely sodden. I didn't have time to clean them; I was late enough as it was"

"Hmmm interesting" said Jac

"Why?" questioned Oliver

"No reason, you just seem like a bit of a fairy…I mean I wouldn't have put Oliver Valentine and mud in to the same sentence, you're always too pruned" laughed Jac

"Is that meant to be a compliment?" asked Oliver

"No" Jac replied bluntly. "He's paying" she said to the girl behind the counter as she took her coffee and turned for the lift.

"Oliver nodded with raised eyebrows to the girl as he handed her a £5 note. "Keep the change" he said smiling as he turned to join Jac in waiting for the lift which seemed to take all day.

Jac broke the silence "So, how are you and your lap dog getting on?"

Oliver scowled at her "If you are referring to Dr Lowe then we are getting on fine"

"How do you cope?" she asked

"With what?" he queried

"Well with... it… the lap dog.. She has to be the most annoying F1 I have ever had the displeasure of mentoring"

"She's just keen that's all, it's not always a bad thing" he argued.

"Keen yes I will give her that, but she is a pain in the arse. I don't understand why you choose to spend any more time than necessary with her" stated Jac

"Well we have fun, and we share similar interests… isn't that supposed to be what relationships are based on?" he said bluntly.

"Hmm yes that and trust Dr Valentine, we both know you are no expert in that field, your image has never really been whiter than white in that area has it?" she said as they turned to face the lift door, she waited impatiently for Oliver to press the button.

"This is coming from the infamous Jac Naylor, who has had nearly every doctor in this place… Including me!" he said with a raised eyebrow.

"Point taken" she smiled.

Jac felt she could open up to Oliver more than anyone else in the hospital, she had always had a soft spot for him, and seeing him with Tara was not something she liked. Truth be told she wanted to be with him, and she was going to find a way.

The lift doors drew open, they both took a deep breath before stepping out on to the already bustling ward. Today was going to very busy, it was only 2 days until bonfire night and people were already starting to light up their bonfires and sparklers, much to Jac's dismay.

She headed for her office, leaving Oliver behind to answer the loudly ringing ward phone.

"Darwin" he said as he picked it up, "Yes okay thank you"

He turned round and headed for Jac's office; she was taking off her coat.

"Miss Naylor there are two incoming traumas, an RTA from just down the road" said Oliver

"Why are they sending them up here!?" She argued "you should have said no…"

"I couldn't, they said ED are only running on 20% capacity today for some reason and it's already packed out, and Keller is struggling for beds already. Seems there aren't enough people dying of heart attacks, they think we need occupying I think.."

"Oh well as long as they are in and out.. I'm not having them clogging up my ward. Anyway where is Mr Spence? Why isn't he in on this? She asked

"Don't know" Oliver replied

" Oh well best get going, preferably while wearing the correct footwear?" she said looking at Oliver's feet. He was still shoe-less.

Oliver looked down.. "Ahh yes.." he turned and headed for the locker room,

As he entered he saw Tara buried inside a book in her locker. He crept up behind her and squeezed both of her sides as he shouted 'BOO'

"Je-sus Oli you scared me!" shouted Tara

"Good morning" he said to her as he turned her around to face him in his arms "What were you doing in there?" he asked as he pointed to her locker.

"Oh nothing just looking over some notes" she said as he hugged her tightly.

"I missed you last night.. but you will be glad you didn't stay after the morning I have had.. "

Tara looked at him puzzled.. "Wait until you see the state of my kitchen floor" he said quietly.

Jac opened the door to see Tara stood in Oliver's arms, "Oi Bill and Ben there is work to do you know" she said as they jumped apart, Jac motioning them out of the door.

"I'll explain later" he said as he pecked her on the cheek and grabbed his clean shoes.

"Uchhh" Jac rolled her eyes and stared at Tara as Oliver walked past her out of the door. Tara's eyes immediately dropped to the floor- a little embarrassed. She knew Jac quite well by now but was still intimidated by every look she ever gave her. Jac let the door go just as Tara was about to reach it. She took a step backwards as to not be hit in the face by the returning door. Because of Jac's intrusion, Tara had forgotten that she had left her locker wide open.

Bak out on the ward Jac was dishing out instructions to all of the Doctors and nurses.

"Right I want you Dr Valentine with me, we will be doing initial assessments, and I hope I can trust you Dr Lowe to sort out next of kin for both patients?"

"Yes of course Miss Naylor but wh…" queried Tara

"Good Jump to it everyone" she cut off Tara mid question

Tara turned to Oli – "but what is going on?"

He bent down to tell her.. " There's been an RT…."

"No time to explain Dr Lowe, just take each case as it comes please, like I asked" she said bluntly, addressing Oliver as well she began to explain, "there has been an RTA down Stamford Gate street, one elderly patient, the other has suspected paralysis from the lower back. Quite a nasty bump by all accounts"

Oliver looked at Jac in amazement, how did she find out these things so fast?

"Right I see" said Tara "But why are they sending them up here?"

"Because they think Cardiothoracics aren't of any importance in this place" she said with a sigh. "I'm going to have to cancel my electives for this morning… Where's Jonny? ..come to think of it where's Mo? She should be here by now"

As the words left Jac's mouth, the three of them turned to see Mo and Jonny bursting through the doors with an elderly patient on a trolley.. "Right this is Mr Edwards, he's got swelling of his upper abdomen… his BP's through the roof and…"

Jack jumped in "We need to get him straight down to CT please to find out what is going on" she said as she examined his head. "you see this?" she asked Mo.

"Yes, doesn't look good does it?" Mo replied

"Not from where I'm standing" said Jac quietly, as she removed the pressure bandage off the elderly man's head to reveal a huge deep laceration above his right ear.

The next patient was wheeled through the door

"Bed 4 please" shouted Oli as he grabbed one side of the trolley, Tara took hold of the other. As they walked Oliver removed the blanket which covered the patient's legs. Tara let out a gasp, as Oliver's eyes grew wider.

"Oh my god" said Tara letting go of the trolley as her legs kept her fixed in one place, her hand covering her mouth…