"Start chest compressions." Zoe commanded taking charge. Cal immediatly began CPR as Robyn preped the defib.

"Charge to 180."

The machine whirred into life.

"Stand clear. Oxyyen away. Shocking."

Connie's body jolted off the bed as the electricity raced through her body. Robyn checked her pluse, shaking her head. Cal clambered back up and began again.

"Come on Connie. Don't do this to us." he mumbled, desperately trying to restart her heart.

"Charge to 200. Clear. Oxygen away. Shocking."

The cycle repeated again to no avail. Zoe swore under her breath.

"Give her one microgram of adrenaline, and start compressions again for twenty reps."

She moved round to check the wound in Connie's abdomen. The pacs that they'd put in there seemed to be having little affect. Chewing her lip nervously, she watched as Cal attempted to revive his boss.

Tess burst into resus, as Zoe looked around. The senior nurse froze and looked at her friend, trying to figure out what was going on.

"How is she?"

"She's in a bad way Tess."

"Zoe we've got output with pulse." Robyn called as the bleeping of the monitor returned to its normal rythm.

The consultant let out a sigh of relief, gripping the edge of the bed hard.

"Right, let's get 2 units of O-Neg into her and crossmatch 10 more. Page the on-call general surgeon and the on-call CT surgeon."

Tess looked at Zoe confused.

"Her left lung's collapsed. Broken ribs."

"Theatre says they can't take her for half an hour yet."

"Give me the phone." Zoe held out her hand for it.

"Hi this is Zoe Hanna, acting clinical lead. This patient needs to go to theatre now. Well I'm sorry, that's not good enough! She will die if you don't see to her NOW. Who's the surgeon in theatre now? Put me through to him."

She glanced at Connie. She couldn't let her bleed out in resus. Not after everything she'd been through.

"Well put me on speaker phone then! Ric?"

"I can hear you Zoe. What's the problem?"

"I need you to see this patient now Ric."

"I'm in the middle of an op."

"Ric. This patient is Connie."

There was a silence on the end of the phone.

"The Connie?"

"How many other Connies do you know?"

"Give me five minutes."

The line went dead and Zoe sighed.

"They'll take her in five minutes."

The doors to resus opened again, and Jac Naylor entered.

"I was paged?"

She strode over to the bed and looked down.

"Bloody hell! Is that Connie?"

Tess nodded.

"What the hell happened?"

"It's a looong story."

"CT complication?"

"Collapsed left lung."

Jac took stethoscope from around her neck and listened closely to her mentors chest.

Air entry on the right is poor as well. Can we fit a chest drain before she goes up to theatre?"

Zoe beckoned to Cal who preped the kit. As they connected the drain, Connie moaned softly, regaining conciousness. Zoe shone her torch in her eyes, checking her pupils.

"Connie, it's Zoe. Do you know where you are?"

"I'm sorry." she whispered.

"You have nothing to apoligise for." Zoe replied. She went to put a hand on her shoulder, but Connie flinched away, fear in her eyes.

"I'm sorry. Please don't hurt me again."

Zoe's eyes softened as she looked at the clinical lead. She was a shadow of her former self, broken by the abuse she had suffered at the hands of her kidnapper. She slipped away from her bedside to stand next to Tess.

"Have they caught him yet?"

"They're still in pursuit."

Zoe glanced over at her again, chewing at her lip.

"Theatre's ready!" Robyn called. Nodding, the consultant released the brakes and they wheeled out of resus, Jac hot on her tail making arrangements for CT equipment to be taken to Keller One.


Rita stared into the depths of the coffee that Dixie had bought her. The two were sat in the Peace Garden awaiting news on Connie's status.

"Why didn't you say something before?" Dixie asked.

"He'd threatened to kill her. You saw what he did when the police turned up. I couldn't risk it."

"At least she's safe now."

Tears began to roll down the younger blonde's cheeks.

"What if they can't save her Dixie? What if she- if she-"

"Hey come on, this is Connie Beauchamp we're talking about!" Dixie cried as Rita broke down, shoulders heaving with the force of her sobs,

"She'll pull through just to spite everyone!"

Rita laughed, leaning against her friend.

"I love her so much Dixie. If I ever get my hands on him, I'll kill him."

Rita spotted Robyn running towards them. She stood up quickly as she reached them.

"How is she?"

"In theatre. Jac Naylor and Ric Griffin are operating on her."

"But... but Jac's a cardio tharasic surgeon..."

"One of her lungs collapsed."

Rita sank onto the bench, her hand covering her mouth, her tears spilling out in torrents. Dixie put her arm around her shoulders, whilst Robyn knelt in front of her holding her free hand.

"She was stable when we sent her up to theatre. Her chances are good."

Rita looked into Robyn's eyes, too overcome with emotion to comprehend what she was saying. It felt as though she was in a nightmare, unable to wake herself up and forced to watch as everything crumpled around her.

"I need to be alone." she mumbled, getting up off the bench and hastily walking away. Dixie called after her but so continued to move away, now running.


"I need some more light in here!" Jac called. Both surgeons frantically tried to pack the bleeding.

"Where's all this coming from?" Ric asked, trying desperately to find the source.

"I've no idea."

The monitor began to bleep furiously.

"BP's dropping!"

"For God's sake! Where is it!" Jac swore as the bleeping increased in pitch and speed.

"Wait I've got it! Cross clamps please! Quickly!"

He quickly cut off the blood flow coming from the tear in her spleen.

"BP's still falling"

"What?"

"Damn, there must be another! Have you checked the aorta?" Jac asked.

"No, can you see a tear?"

Jac inspected the aorta carefully.

"More light! Hang on, yep, I've got it!"

She grabbed the clamps and cut off the bleed.

"BP's rising."

Jac sighed heavily in relief, "I bet you think you're funny, don't you Connie? Scaring us like that." she muttered as they began to stich the tears.


Rita staggered round to the side of the ED, breathing heavily from running. She lent against the wall, trying to catch her breath. She resolved to go back and reassure Dixie that she was okay.

A hand reached around her mouth and pulled her backwards into the dark alley, preventing her from calling out. She was flung against a wall her arms held in place by two strong fists. Her eyes blazing with fury, she glared at the man in front of her.

"Let go of me Mark. I won't be held responsible for my actions."

"Ooo fiesty! Come on Reets, we're meant to be together!"

"No we're not! It's over Mark. I've moved on!"

He ignored and began to kiss her. She kneed him hard in the crotch. He groaned in agony, but instead of releasing her as Rita had hoped, her gripped her by the throat.

"Fine, if I can't have you, nobody can."

His grip tightened and Rita clawed desperately at his hands. She began to feel naseous and her head swam. She could feel the blackness creeping in, but fought against it, determined to stay awake.

"OI!" a voice yelled. Ian was racing towards them. He barrelled into Mark knocking him over. Rita collapsed in a heap, coughing and spluttering.

"Get off me!"

"Not a chance mate. You alright Rita?"

The blonde just nodded, fighting to get her breath back. Her throat ached and the strength had left her body. Charlie appeared at the entrance.

"I've found him!" he called, kneeling down next to Rita. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." she croaked, smiling softly at him.

"Well I went to get you checked out just in case."

The police officers that had arrived at the scene pounded into the alley and dragged the kidnapper off the floor and cuffed him.

"Mark Ritche, I'm arresting you for the kidnapping, sexual assault and attempted murder of Constance Beauchamp, as well as a charge of Grevious Bodily Harm against Rita Freeman. You do not have to say anything, but should remember anything you do say may be held against you in court."

"This isn't over Rita! You'll see!"