Go home.

Connie couldn't have Rita at work, she hated knowing this and at the end of the day Zoe should have come to Connie in the first place to suspend Rita but she gave her a chance which was obviously the wrong choice. There was clearly some deep issues going on with Rita and there was no way especially after the early office incident she could allow Rita to carry on working….sometimes Connie hated her job.

"A word Zoe."

Holding her stethoscope in one hand Zoe looked up seeing Connie in her professional stance giving nothing away.

"I'm a bit busy here Connie." Zoe said looking at her patient then at Connie.

"Ten minutes, my office."

Connie swiftly turned and walked out, the sound of her heels echoing.

"She's nice." Came the sarcastic reply from Zoe's patient.

"She's something alright." Zoe muttered.

On her way back to her office suddenly stopped in her tracks after hearing a loud crash,

"For god sake Lofty! Will you look where you're going?" Rita's voice rang out.

Lofty on his part looked positively shocked he genuinely wasn't anywhere near Rita but he saw what happened. Rita was obviously deep in though and was not paying attention to her surroundings and she walked into an empty wheelchair left by the side and the paperwork in her hand spilled out onto the floor. Rita instantly looked up seeing Lofty there who had just come over to see if she was okay but instead of accepting his caring nature she blamed him for it.

Connie stalked over to the scene,

"What's going on here?" She questioned pointing at Rita and Lofty.

"Nothing." Rita answered icily and walked away.

Connie turned to Lofty waiting for an explanation,

"Urm it wasn't my fault Mrs Beauchamp, I only came over to see if Rita was okay she walked into the ah wheelchair and then she had a ago at me. I don't know if I should say but she doesn't seem herself at all and I'm pretty worried about her."

Lofty's caring side always came through and Connie sighed hearing what he said, see now other staff were picking up on Rita's behavior which would lead to gossip and that was something Connie did not want an she was sure Rita wouldn't want it either.

"Okay I'll look into it…thank you."

Lofty glanced at Connie and did a double take; she really did just say thank you didn't she? Connie walked away and Lofty just smiled…what a weird day he thought then got back to work.

Connie caught up with Rita and before she could treat a patient she stopped her,

"Rita my office ten minutes."

"No I have Mr O'Brien to treat."

"Charlie would you be so kind as to take over for Rita."

"Uh yes, is everything okay?" Charlie said looking to Rita who was shooting daggers at Connie.

"It's fine Charlie, ten minutes Rita."

Connie hurried back to her office, she was hoping to speak to Zoe beforehand about suspending Rita and thankfully Zoe was waiting in her office. As soon as Connie entered the office Zoe asked what this was about.

"I have to suspend Rita; I have no other choice Zoe. Until she freely admits she needs help and gets it professionally I cannot have her working in my ED. She's breaking apart out there and other staff members are picking up on it."

Zoe sighed deeply,

"I wanted to give her a chance Connie, Rita's a great nurse. But I understand you think that's best and I stand by your decision and I'm sorry for telling you about Rita saying she did it because of you. Between you and me I think she used that as an excuse she didn't look to sure when she said it, she's looking for someone to blame and because of your history I guess that's you."

"Okay well I've asked Rita to come here and she should be here any minute…now." Connie finished as Rita walked straight in.

"I'm here so what do you want?" Rita said directly at Connie.

Connie was dreading having to tell Rita she had to suspend her, she looked at Zoe and she knew by looking at Zoe's face she felt the same.

"Um Rita why don't you sit down?" Zoe asked.

"No thanks I'll stand."

It silenced among the three women and Rita did wonder what on earth she was doing here? She could be treating patients and before she had chance to ask Connie spoke up.

"I'm really sorry but I'm going to have to suspend you Rita. I can't forget today's conversation and how you are acting around the ED, people are worried about you and I'm worried about you. I'm asking you to please seek professional help I cannot have you in my ED until you get yourself better. Is that clear?"

"You're suspending me?" Rita whispered not quite believing it.

"Rita you will benefit from this, you need time to sort yourself out let's not forget what I walked in on. You need to understand this is only happening because we care about you." Zoe added and Connie was silently grateful.

"This is shit! I'm fine; this is all your fault you know!" Rita spat pointing at Connie.

Connie dismissed the last part of what Rita said, for now it wasn't the most pressing matter although she wanted to know why Rita apparently blamed her but she had other times to ask that.

"You're not fine Rita." Connie said softly.

"Yes I am." Rita's voice cracked and you could hear the full emotion behind it.

Seconds later Rita fell to the floor in tears, Connie went straight over kneeling beside her she looked up at Zoe and silently mouthed to her to go please. Zoe nodded and quietly left the room, Rita was shaking as she continued crying and Connie wrapped an arm around Rita pulling her close. This kind of affection from Connie was rarely seen but there was something about Rita that got to Connie if you looked through all of the unnecessary arguing they did you would see that they actually respected each other and Connie though there was a certain charm about the younger nurse, she had a fun free spirit something that Connie envied.

"I'm not okay." Rita sobbed clinging onto Connie.

"Oh Rita I know you're not that's why I have to do this, can't you see I have no choice?"

Rita sniffed back the tears and let go of her hold on Connie, she had managed to reduce the sobbing but the tears still silently fell.

"I understand." Rita said somewhat robotically

"Promise me you will get professional help? This is the only way you will be allowed back into the ED, I need to see that you are serious about getting better."

Rita hesitated then nodded it didn't exactly fill Connie with confidence but she didn't want to push Rita anymore than what she had already done.

"Do you want to talk about this?" Connie said standing up and offering her hand to Rita to help her up.

Rita shook her head,

"I'm going to pack up my things and go." Rita said.

"Wait!" Connie exclaimed stopping Rita at the door.

"If you ever need to talk Rita, I'm here. You have my number; I just want to help you. Please let me know when you have an appointment with a counsellor."

Rita nodded then walked away, truthfully she hated herself for breaking down in front of Connie and Zoe and she was also confused. Confused from the affection Connie gave her but most of all confused by what she was feeling.