Thank you so much for reading/reviewing, I was so nervous about posting this, it's a subject that's quite close to my heart so I hope I it justice. That being said, there may be a few things that aren't true to life or that I've had to twist slightly to take the story where I want it to go. I'd love to know what you think to chapter 2 and I'm open to any suggestions anyone may have.

TRIGGER WARNING: Eating disorder.

Secrets-Chapter 2

"I've got it" Dylan dashed over from his own, stable, patient and caught Rita's head just moments before it cracked against the tiles, "I'll take her next door" he gestured to the empty room, "Can you keep an eye on Mrs Jenkins, call me if you need me?" he asked Tess who nodded in response. He braced himself to lift Rita from the floor before frowning as he realised just how little she weighed.

"How is she?" Zoe asked, walking into the room after her own patient had been stabilised and moved up to theatre.

"She needs a good meal, I've lifted bags of shopping heavier than her, she's still unconscious, her blood pressure is through the floor and she's bradycardic. Why has no one noticed how ill she is? I've sent off a full set of bloods but I'm in no doubt that they will tell me she's severely malnourished and lacking in all the essential vitamins and minerals and her liver and kidney functions are probably impaired. I'm giving her what I can intravenously but short of referring her to the psych ward for an evaluation…"

"No" Zoe interrupted him, "let me talk to her first, sending her up to psych isn't going to do her any favours."

Dylan nodded and handed over Rita's notes, "it's your call" he said before walking out of the room.

Zoe sat with Rita for a while before being called off to see another patient meaning Rita was alone when she finally woke. She groaned softly, her head was pounding, every muscle in her body ached and her eyelids felt like they were made of lead, what the hell had happened to her? It took her a while but she eventually managed to force them open, swearing out loud as she realised she was laid on a hospital bed, "you idiot" she mumbled to herself as she pushed herself to sit up, the simple action taking more energy than Rita thought she had. She turned off the monitors she was attached to so they wouldn't audibly alert anyone when she disconnected them. She didn't notice the IV line going into the back of her hand until she tried to get up from the bed and she swore again, she had no idea how much time she'd have to spend on the cross trainer to burn off what she'd been given and she wasn't even sure she had the energy anymore, especially not now everyone in the department would know her biggest secret. She carelessly pulled the cannula from her hand, not caring about the blood pouring from her skin as she slipped from the bed and checked the coast was clear before slowly leaving from the department.

"Dylan have you seen Rita?" Zoe asked as she came back from treating her patient to find the room empty.

"Not since I left her with you why?"

Zoe pushed open the door so Dylan could see into the room, "she's gone."

"Yes, I can see that...you might want to try and find her, I don't think I need to inform you of the risk she's in."

Zoe rolled her eyes, "thanks for stating the obvious Dylan" she said, making her way to the staffroom and retrieving her phone from her locker, she found Rita's number in her contacts and pressed call before swearing as she heard the phone ringing from inside Rita's own locker.

"Zoe, you seen Rita?" Dixie appeared in the door to the staffroom after finishing her shift.

"No, she erm, she passed out earlier, she was in the smaller resus room but she's gone."

"Gone?" Dixie frowned, "are you sure she's not gone back to work?"

Zoe shook her head and gestured for Dixie to shut the door, waiting until she had before telling her, "this stays between the two of us, but she's not fit to work, she's bradycardic and her bp was one of the lowest readings I've ever seen...Dylan picked her up after she passed out and he said she weighs nothing…" Zoe knew she was breaking every patient confidentiality rule there was, but she was worried about Rita, she trusted Dixie to keep the news to herself and thought that if Dixie knew just how ill Rita was she might help find her.

Dixie's face fell as she pieced together the information, "you mean she's...how long?"

Zoe shrugged her shoulders, "your guess is as good as mine."

Dixie swore, "I've just finished my shift" she said as she pulled her keys from her pocket, "I'll find her" she promised, "she'll be okay."

Zoe nodded and watched Dixie leave, she only hoped the paramedic was right.

It took over an hour for Dixie to find Rita, she checked the hospital grounds and drove to the nurse's house before finding her, curled into a ball on a bench in the park, "Rita" she said softly as she sat beside her, sighing softly as she noticed the tears running down her cheek and the dried blood on the back of her hand from where she'd ripped out the IV, "come here" she said softly as she helped Rita sit up. She bit her lip as she realised Dylan had been right, she weighed nothing, "Oh Rita" she whispered as the nurse clung to her, sobbing into her chest, Dixie feeling each of Rita's vertebrae protruding through her skin as she gently stroked Rita's back trying to calm her down. Dixie only pulled away when she felt Rita shiver against her, "here" she said softly, shrugging off her jacket and wrapping it around Rita's trembling shoulders, "can I take you home?" Dixie asked softly, "back to mine?"

Rita nodded before looking up at Dixie, "I...I need help" she whispered feeling like a tonne of bricks was lifted from her shoulders as she finally admitted her secret.

"Okay" Dixie nodded, "let's get you home and warmed up yeah, then we can talk if you want to."

Rita nodded shakily, "I...I don't know if I can…" she didn't feel like she had the energy to move anywhere.

"Okay Darling, not to worry" Dixie smiled softly, knowing exactly what Rita meant, "my car's not far away, I can carry you."

Rita nodded again, "thank you" she whispered as Dixie scooped her into her arms. She didn't know what it was but there was something about the older woman's embrace and Rita found herself unable to keep her eyes open a moment longer. She didn't wake as Dixie sat her in the passenger seat of her car, reclining it slightly to stop Rita's head lolling forward and she didn't flinch as Dixie leaned over her to fasten her seatbelt.

'I've got her' Dixie took a moment to text Zoe once she got in the car, 'I'm taking her back to mine. She's told me she needs help D x'

Zoe's reply came quickly, before Dixie had even had chance to start the engine, she'd kept her phone in her pocket, waiting to hear that Dixie had found Rita. 'Thank God you found her, if it's okay with Rita I'd like to come and see her after my shift, just to talk, I won't judge her or force her into anything xx.'

'She's asleep at the minute, I'll talk to her when she wakes up and let you know.'

'Thanks, don't force it if she doesn't want to, let her do things at her own pace.'

'I will. I'm going to get her home now but I'll let you know how she is later.' Dixie sent the message before beginning to drive home, knowing she needed to help Rita but not entirely sure of the best way to go about it.

Dixie carried Rita into the house once they were home, she laid her carefully on the sofa and covered her with a thick blanket before carefully cleaning the blood from Rita's hand. She stood watching Rita sleeping for a few moments before making herself a cup of tea and settling herself in the armchair with her laptop, hoping the internet would have some suggestions on how she could help her friend.