"What have we got Dix?"

"Unidentified male. Aged approximately mid-30s. Stab wound to the right upper chest quadrant. Difficulty breathing, query collapsed right lung."

"Okay resus 1 please guys."

Rita fell into step with the paramedics as they wheeled the man through the double doors and into a packed resus. Nurses were rushing by, Zoe was in the middle of performing CPR on an elderly man whose heart had stopped. In the next bay Dylan was shocking a woman who had gone into VF on arrival. Robyn bustled past with bloods for the lab, a panicked expression on her face. Dixie and Iain aligned the beds and moved the patient across.

"Jesus Reets. Bit busy in here isn't it?" Dixie grinned.

"Absolute chaos." Rita rolled her eyes.

"We're inundated with patients. We're two agency nurses down and Connie's nowhere to be seen. Emergency board meeting apparently."

Dixie chuckled. "Trust the officers to abandon the troops on the ground in their hour of need. Good luck kid," she winked at Rita before leaving with the trolley. Iain followed her out flashing a smile in Rita's direction.

"Try and not to bring us anymore yeah Dix. Haven't really got the room." Rita called after her smirking.

Rita set about stemming the bleed and dressing the stab wound.

"Tess. I need some help here!"

"Alright. He needs to go to theatre. His breathing's laboured, BP's falling."

Tess rang and got a theatre space. "They're ready for him."

Max wheeled the patient away.

"Nurse Freeman. A word." Connie stood tall and imposing in the doorway arms crossed.

Rita gritted her teeth and turned around slowly. The sarcastic smirk she saved just for Connie came back with a vengeance. Connie beckoned at Rita with a perfectly manicured finger. Rita stiffened, anger washing over her. She followed Connie outside.

Despite them standing in the corridor Rita couldn't help herself.

"Nice of you to join us Connie. We've had 4 critically ill in resus since you left us. I'm afraid you've missed the party." Her voice was laced with sarcasm.

Connie pursed her lips. "I don't expect to return to scenes of utter pandemonium in my resus. I left that responsibility with you. This isn't a playground."

It was Rita's turn to shake her head. "No. No you don't get to do that. Swan off to play politics with management upstairs and leave the life saving to us then come down here and make demands." She raised her voice. "You knew we were stretched and understaffed but the beck and call of Henrik Hanssen was more important. Get your priorities straight Connie."

"Don't you dare talk to me like that!" Connie took a step nearer to Rita, using her height to be intimidating. "My main priority has always been to put this department first. I should be able to rely on other senior members of staff. Do your job Nurse Freeman. And it's Mrs Beauchamp to you."

With that Connie spun on her heel and marched off leaving Rita in the corridor red-faced and fuming.

"I hate that bloody woman!" Rita stormed off past Charlie in the other direction.

Outside in the car park Rita took a deep breath and let her shoulders drop. She needed a walk, she couldn't go back in there this angry. Stuffing her hands in her pockets she wandered around to the ambulance depot. Dixie was nowhere in sight but Iain popped his head around the door on the ambulance.

"Rita. Nice surprise." He noticed the frown on her face. "You alright?"

"Hmmm not really. Just had another run in with 'Queen Connie'."

Iain smirked at her use of the nickname.

Rita looked down and kicked a stone across the floor. "She only seems to have criticism for any of the work that we do. Arguing with her is frustrating and tiring."

"So stop."

"What?"

"You heard. Stop. Give up. Let her win."

Rita eyes him incredulously. "Over my dead body."

Iain grinned broadly. "There she is. That's the Rita we like. Full of fight. Never gonna back down."

Rita smirked in response. "How do you see everything so clearly? It's black and white to you." She wandered over and sat on the bottom step of the ambulance as Iain carried on cleaning.

"I don't. I know you. You fight for what you know is right. Plus I'd rather not let Connie have the satisfaction I mean lets face it she's a pain in the neck sometimes."

Rita chuckled. "I'll say." She paused before getting up. "I should be getting back before she strings me up. Thanks mate."

He flashed her his trademark smile and watched her walk off back in the direction of the ED.

"Mate..." he rolled his eyes and got back to his cleaning.