Update!

I know I said I'd update twice a week, but I recently accepted a job offer (my first ever!) and I start in two weeks time- meaning I wont have time to write and update twice a week. So I'll go back to once a week, Tuesdays, and I should have enough time to write and update then!

This chapter was written at my friend's house when we had a sleepover, so if it seems a little different then that's why. Also it has a bit of an eerie ending...

Hope you all enjoy and reviews would be lovely! -Sophie x

It took but half an hour to get to Connie's house, and it was only when Charlie turned off the ignition that he realised she was asleep. He paused for a moment, unsure of what to do- does he try carry her in or does he wake her up?

His eyes flickered to the bandage on her head which had faint crimson spots in a vague line- a reminder of the unease she'd be feeling for the next week. After slowly realising he was no longer the spring chicken he once was, he sighed and gently shook her arm.

"Connie? Connie, come on." He whispered, watching her stir and open her eyes blearily.

"Mmm?" She mumbled before slowly letting her eyes fall shut again.

"No- no, come on now stay awake." Charlie urged her, getting out of the car and going round to open her door. "We need to get you inside. Where's your key?"

There wasn't much use trying to speak to her; she was asleep again, the after effects of the morphine and sleepless nights now kicking in. The nurse realised the only way to get her inside was to carry her.

"You're so bloody stubborn." He muttered, pulling her handbag onto his shoulder then slipping his hands under her knees and behind her back, before gently lifting her up and slamming the door shut with his leg. She was surprisingly lighter than he had been expecting, but was still a heavy weight compared to what the nurse was used to lifting.

He fumbled (with great difficulty) in her bag and got her keys out before unlocking the door and stumbling inside. Luckily the alarm wasn't on otherwise he'd have had a real problem, so he took the woman straight upstairs and into what he presumed to be her room.

It was predominantly white with a double bed just as you entered. A large dresser stood in front of it and a full length mirror sat to the side of the largest built-in wardrobe Charlie had ever seen. He gently laid the woman down and pulled the covers over her, but just as he went to straighten up a searing pain shot down the full length of his back.

"Aargh- bugger." He hissed, rubbing it furiously. He found, after much pain, that he couldn't straighten up much or walk for that matter. The nurse silently cursed himself and thought about his options- simply, they were either risk more pain and suffering and try descend the stairs, or stay here and either sleep on the floor or… on Connie's bed.

Charlie weighed up his options. He'd been in this situation before and he knew trying to move was a bad idea, which ruled going downstairs out of the question. He hadn't slept on the floor since he was a student, and he had a feeling that was how he got his bad back in the first place. Which left Connie's bed.

He had no idea what he was thinking when he gently sat on the other side of her mattress, then slowly rolled onto his side and pulled his legs up after him. He could feel Connie's body even at the edge of his side, and he felt very uncomfortable. However it was late now and he had been on a double shift, meaning his eyes were drooping and his muscles ached. He needed a proper bed to sleep in, and unable to move; Connie's was his only option.

It's too late now, he thought, closing his eyes. I'll have to explain in the morning, but with a bit of luck I might wake up before her. Hmmm. I hope so anyway.

And with that final thought, he drifted away to sleep, body now slightly more relaxed.

…

Connie opened her eyes, blinking in the harsh white light that seemed to surround her, to engulf her in its cleanliness. She glanced down and quickly realised she was in a hospital gown and laid on a trolley bed, just as the room came into a little more focus. Her colleagues from the ED were stood either side of her bed, as well as Sam, Grace and Elliot Hope. All the people she cared about. Upon further inspection however, she realised their faces were tear stained, eyes red and bloodshot. Sam stood with both hands on his daughter's shoulders, though the tremors running through them didn't go unnoticed. Lofty had his arm around Robyn who was sobbing gently, and Tess leant against Charlie's side, a crumpled tissue in her clenched fist.

The sound of short beeps from a heart monitor slowly increased as two more figures appeared in front of a bright light, just at the foot of her bed.

"It's time to let go Constance." The first figure spoke, and Connie immediately realised it was her father speaking.

"Dad?" She whispered, and William nodded before the other figure took a step forwards.

"I'm here too Connie. I can speak and move again, it's wonderful. I'm cured and I'm free, and soon you will be too." The second figure was Alfred Maxwell, and the brunette's eyes filled with tears.

"Why are you both here?"

"It's time for you to move on now. Your friends are here, we are here- it's time to go. The tumour spread too much; it's time to rid yourself of this burden of a life. It's time to die." Her father smiled.

Connie's heart plunged as the sound of another monitor began to blare out. Her chest constricted and try as she might, she couldn't move. The woman struggled and struggled to make her limbs do something, anything; but to no avail. She was stuck inside her body which had become, like Alfred's had, but a shell.

The unbearable loud beeps from the heart monitor merged into one long, continuous sound, and all the people around her closed their eyes except for Charlie, who looked up above the Connie's head.

"Time of death, 5:53am, em, em, em." His voice echoed as she began to scream, eyes widening in fear as the scene turned pitch black and her own voice faded away into the dark.

…

"Connie? Connie!"

The woman awoke with a jolt, immediately scrambling to sit up, relieved when her arms and legs co-operated with her thoughts. She was drenched in sweat and panting heavily, tears falling down her now rosy red cheeks as her eyes flickering from the side of her bed to the foot of it, and finally to her right hand side, jumping when she found Charlie looking back at her.

"I'm not dead. I'm not dead, I'm telling you you were wrong! How could you say that?" She gulped for air whilst Charlie sighed, standing and slowly making his way round to sit at the edge of her side of the bed. As soon as he sat down she edged away from him, looking the nurse up and down, evidently still half asleep.

"You had a nightmare Connie. You got tangled in your bedsheet and panicked. You woke me up screaming a minute or so since. Are you alright?" He looked concerned as the clinical lead took some deep breaths, running her hands through her hair.

It was a nightmare. She was alive, she was at home and she was ok.

Well, she might be ok.

The brunette nodded in answer to the nurse's question, tilting her head back to stop the tears.

"Here." Charlie said gently, proffering her a small packet of tissues. She took one gratefully and dabbed at her eyes, before coming to a realisation and frowning slightly.

"How did I end up here?"

"You fell asleep on the way home from your biopsy. I had to carry you from the car and ended up doing my back in, so I had to… well I had to sleep there." He nodded towards where he had been laid, and Connie blinked a few times.

"You slept in my bed? With me?" It was too early to make much sense of the situation but Charlie was quick to defend himself.

"No I slept on top of your bed. And I faced the other way all night, I promise."

There was a weird, slightly awkward silence for a few moments until Connie shook her head.

"I really could not care less at this moment in time. I need a coffee." She mumbled, moving to get up. The nurse stood first though and moved to the door.

"I'll get it, you need to make sure your head's alright before you get up. Black no sugar?" He raised his eyebrows in question and Connie nodded.

"Good guess, thanks."

"No problem- I need one too." He grinned, watching his colleague roll her eyes before leaving. Just as she went to stand however, her eyes caught the time on the clock at the side of her bed.

It read 5:53am.