The door clicked gently as it shut, but Jacob offered no words and instead sat quietly on the sofa.
"Jacob." His name came out so softly and with so much emotion that Jacob shut his eyes so he wouldn't have to see how she was looking at him.
"You said you needed me. The department is short staffed, and-" Jacob attempted.
"This place doesn't need you as much as your mother seems to, Jacob. You need to go and be with your family." Connie replied.
"...I can't." Jacob admitted so quietly that Connie didn't hear but only saw his lips move. "I can't do it. I didn't even say goodbye."
As Connie stepped forward, about to pull him into her arms, there was a knock on the door and a moment later Lily pushed her head into the room. "Sorry to interrupt, Mrs Beauchamp, but you're needed in resus."
"Can you lot not deal with things alone for five minutes?!" Connie snapped, making Lily look shocked.
"Sorry, I-" she began.
As Connie went to snap at her again, Jacob stood up and she grabbed his arm, trying to catch his eye." Not you. Stay in here, I won't be long."
...
"She's gone into VF, we're losing output!"
Lily pushed the doors open as Cal spoke, Connie following through behind her. Her eyes were pulled immediately to the bay where the little girl was lying, surrounded by doctors, nurses and bleeping machines. She tried to summon what she could of her professional integrity, to make it override the desperate intention of returning to Jacob, and so stepping forward she pushed past Cal and took charge.
Ten minutes later, every attempt to resuscitate had failed, and she could do it no longer. She looked to Cal, a definite lump forming in her throat, her eyes prickling, the monotonous and consistent bleep ringing in her ears. She stood back from the bed, and blew out a long breath, feeling a light hand at her shoulder as she was told there was nothing more she could have done. She shrugged it off, and walked from the room, only to turn straight into Jacob.
He caught her arms, and looked down at her as she looked up at him, her eyes telling him all he needed to know. She motioned for them to go back to her office and once inside, he pulled her straight to him and held her as tears shook her frame, his own threatening to spill from where they collected in the inner corners of his eyes.