Update! Hope you enjoy, though there is a little cliffhanger at the end- only because the chapter would have been way too long otherwise! It's not my usual style :) Also, how about last nights episode?! I cried for like, 2 hours at Ethan and Connie and then Jeff. I was so upset :'(

Anyway, thankyou for the amazing support, and please do review! -Sophie x

In the car on the way home, Grace suddenly piped up.

"I'm lucky to have you."

Connie was surprised, but she laughed.

"Thankyou darling. I'm lucky to have you too. But where did you hear that phrase?"

"Wheezy said you were the nicest lady she'd ever met, and I was lucky to have you." Grace said matter of factly.

Her mother quietened as she pulled into her driveway and turned off the ignition. She got her daughter inside and into bed, before she let her mind wander to what she'd told her in the car.

It touched her to know she felt like that, and to know she genuinely liked her and not because she was scared of her. And if Connie was being truthful, she had become so fond of Louisa that when she was curled up with Grace earlier, her heart had melted. She felt like the girl wasn't just a stranger anymore, or just a friend. She felt motherly towards her, just as much as she did with Grace, and judging by the fact Louisa had already called her mum, it seemed as if she thought of her as a mother figure too.

Connie smiled to herself at the thought.

Hmm, maybe this emotions lark isn't that bad after all. Damn you Zoe Hanna!

The next day Connie was woken by Grace who bounded in and jumped on her.

"Mummy mummy it's 8 o clock time to get up!" Grace laughed as she jumped up and down on her mother. Connie stirred and sat up.

"Morning sweetheart. Ok, you go get dressed and we'll get up and have some breakfast." She smiled, hugging her daughter.

"Will you straighten my hair to look like Wheezy's?" She asked with her childish, wide eyes. How can anyone resist those?

"Of course I can, anything for my baby." Connie grinned before getting out of bed and plugging in the straighteners. Once the mother and daughter had both dressed, Grace sat herself at her mothers large, elegant dressing table and brushed her hair. Then Connie separated it into layers and got to work.

After half an hour of taming (Grace had her mothers unruly hair), she looked as pretty as a picture. Literally, as Connie made her pose whilst she snapped on her phone. Then it was time for breakfast.

Connie had arranged to drop Grace off at Sam's at 11 that morning. She'll stay until 6 when Sam drops her home again. Not setting off until later meant that they could have a nice, leisurely morning together. Whilst her daughter was attacking some pancakes draped with maple syrup, Connie got her phone out.

"Was woken by Gracie this morning asking if I'd straighten her hair so she'd look like you! I think you've made a good first impression! -Conn x"

Attaching the photo she took earlier, the mother pressed send and set her phone down on the table so she too could eat her breakfast. Soon enough though, it pinged and Louisa replied.

"Tell her from me she looks absolutely beautiful :) And I'm very flattered, though I still don't know why everyone doesn't want to look like me! -Wheezy"

Connie laughed out loud, causing Grace to look at her mother weirdly as she dropped her plate in the sink, but soon forgot about it as she realised Princess Sofia had just come on in the living room.

They spent the rest of their morning watching TV until Connie realised the time.

"Come on Gracie, daddy's expecting you in 15 minutes!" She said, ushering her into the hallway to get her shoes on.

They drove the 15 minutes it took to get to Sam's house, and Connie saw her daughter safely inside before leaving and heading to the ED.

"On my way now -Conn x"

"Ok :) -Wheezy" was her instant reply.

Connie spent an hour talking with Louisa before going down onto the shop floor to see how many reports Zoe had filled for her Department Review. She needed 20 to present to Guy the next day at the Heads of Departments meeting. However, once Connie reached her office, she realised Zoe had only filled out 7.

"Shit." She muttered, searching round her colleagues desk incase she'd missed some. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Sighing, she sunk into her chair and rubbed her forehead.

"It looks like it's up to me, yet again." She sighed, rolling her eyes and grabbing a pen. Where even was Zoe anyways? Connie thought, looking around the room. She was meant to be here.

Zoe was actually in a deserted broom cupboard on the 8th floor with a certain young porter, but sh- Mrs Beauchamp didn't need to know that!

Tess came in a few times looking for Zoe during the few hours Connie spent in her office. She didn't tell her why, but the clinical lead presumed it was to do with Fletch's wife being admitted. Must have been awkward, and Zoe had helped her so much through everything.

She hadn't realised until then, but Tess was starting to look really tired recently. It was probably just her age, but Connie was sure there was something else, she just couldn't put her finger on it. Maybe it was a spat with Fletch. There's no point wondering, she thought, it's not the sort of thing anyone here would talk to you about.

It was a sad thought really. Connie didn't have many friends in the ED. Cal, she knew, had his eye on her, and Lily agreed with her principles and ruling, but everyone else seemed very off with her, and they had been since she started work in the ED a few weeks ago.

She didn't mind though. She wasn't used to having friends- her childhood situation made her seem a little strange to the other kids. She didn't speak much, and she never had any of the latest clothes or accessories. In secret, the little girl used to pore over elegant fashion magazines, and spent hours looking in the Argos catalogue, looking at all the toys and accessories she would buy if she had all the money in the world.

Connie sat back and tapped the end of her pen on the table, deep in thought, with a small smile on her face.

Look at her now. Clinical lead in a hospital ED, a 4 bedroom detached house with conservatory and attic conversion, a beautiful daughter who she loved more than anything in the world, and happiness. That was something she thought she'd never have, during those dark days when her only friend seemed to be the blade in her pencil sharpener. But now here she was. Happy and content.

The woman worked until 5 when she went home to tidy before Sam dropped Gracie off. She hoovered quickly and got her daughters pajamas out ready on her bed. She had just finished when her doorbell rang, so she went downstairs to open the door.

"Hiya again mummy!" Grace said happily, hugging her mum.

"Hey, Conn." Sam said quietly, smiling at her as she hugged her daughter back.

"It's Connie." She said shortly, before smiling at Grace. "Have you had a nice day with daddy?"

"Yes! We had cheese toasties for dinner then we went to the big park with the big play area!"

"Wow, that sounds so cool!" Connie grinned. She looked up at Sam. "Everything ok?"

"Yeah, I've actually settled down with-"

"Not you, with Gracie." She interrupted.

"Oh. Yeah, uh, as she said we had cheese toasties for dinner, then we had um, some spaghetti for tea." He replied. "Right darlin', I've got to go." He said, leaning down and hugging Grace.

The two parents said their goodbyes and Connie shut the door. Grace bounded into the living room and jumped on the couch.

"What are we doing tonight mummy?" She asked.

"I don't know sweetie. What do you want to do?"

The little girl thought hard for a minute. "I want to go see Wheezy so she can read to me again!"

"You want to go see Louisa again?" Connie asked, pleasantly surprised.

Grace nodded her head enthusiastically.

"Ok, let me just message her." She smiled and turned the TV on for her daughter, whilst she got out her phone.

"Hey, Gracie wants to know if we can come see you? She would love it if you would read to her again -Conn x"

She sent the message and set the phone on the couch arm and waited for a reply. However, half an hour later there was still no word from her, so she tried again.

"Louisa? Are you there? -Connie x"

Again, there was no reply. At this point Connie was starting to worry. She went into the kitchen and opened her Facetime app. Choosing Louisa's contact, she pressed the AudioCall button, placed the phone to her ear, and waited for the call to connect.

After a few seconds there was some fumbling, and Louisa's voice filled Connie's ear.

"Connie? Is that you?" She said, her voice jumpy.

"Yes, Louisa are you ok? You haven't answered either of my messages and I got a little worried." Connie replied, her voice full of concern.

"Um, no, not really, no. The police visited me and said I had to go to court and I'd have to see them again, and Mavis said I have to leave the hospital soon and-"

Connie cut her off. "Louisa, Louisa calm down sweetheart it's ok, I promise. Look, I'm going to grab my coat and I'm coming to see you, ok?" She said.

"Ok, but what about Grace? Is she coming with you?"

"I can leave her the neighbours if you like." Connie replied, looking into the living room where her daughter was clutching one of her books and looking at her mother.

"No bring her along, she might cheer me up a little." Louisa replied quickly.

"Ok, she's looking forward to seeing you." Connie said as she gave her daughter a thumbs up.

"Ok, see you soon."

"Bye lovey."