Rachel POV

It was hard to believe that waking up today I was another year older - my sixteenth birthday. I wanted it to pass as a normal day, I hadn't reminded Mom and I didn't expect her to remember it. Walking in to the kitchen I saw Ella eating her breakfast at the table and laughed at the mess she was making.

"Oh I'm sure you find that hilarious don't you? Well you can clean it up for me then since you find it so amusing, I need to go to work." Mom said as she filled her thermos with coffee, ready to rush out the door.

"Well get going then, you start in twenty minutes! Do you mind if I take her in to the city this afternoon? I need to get some things for school and then we can go to the park for a while before we head home." I asked, hoping she'd say yes - there was a surgical conference I was dying to attend. A pair of high heels, some make-up and a young child all helps a person to pass a medical student.

"Yeah sure that's fine but make sure you're back here before 4 okay? We have company for dinner." She called as she headed out of the door. I didn't get a chance to ask her who the 'company' was before she left.

After I cleaned up Ella's mess and got her ready for the day, I got dressed in to my most expensive suit and heels before getting ready to go out.

We arrived at the hotel at 2 o'clock - the first speaker was scheduled for 2:15. I got in and took a seat near the back before looking up and feeling the urge to shrivel up in to a ball and pretend I didn't exist. There, right in the middle of the table, was a placard that said the most feared name in all the world - none other than Dr. Robert Romano. I kept mumbling myself reassurances, 'He won't recognize me.','He doesn't know what I look like.'

The conference went well and I was just getting ready to leave when I got tapped on the shoulder, my body when I went rigid as I turned slowly around.

"Hi, Rachel isn't it? Now what would you be doing here without Elizabeth? and with Ella for that matter?" He asked in a harsh tone.

"Look, Dr. Romano. I know you don't like me, but I'm actually begging you to not to tell my Mom I was here. Ella's here because I'm babysitting but I didn't want to miss the conference so I just brought her along. Please!" I asked, pleading with him and hoping I would see a shred of humanity.

"Why would you think I don't like you? And why don't you want Elizabeth knowing you're here?"He asked, seemingly more friendly all of a sudden.

"You didn't like my Dad so you probably don't like me. Elizabeth won't like the fact that I came without telling her, and she'll kill me if she thinks I'm considering surgery." The last part was half a joke, everyone knew Mom was a surgeon in England.

"I did like your Dad Rachel, he was a good man and he made Elizabeth happy. And Mom's the word." He said, I felt entirely relieved.

Elizabeth POV

Walking in to work I was greeted by a very cheerful Haleh asking me if Rachel suspected anything.

"Nope, she thinks we've got someone joining us for dinner, I'll call her later and tell her that something's happened at work and I need her and Ella to come here." I explained, quite proud of myself for keeping it secret.

The fact that Rachel hadn't even questioned the fact I'd 'forgotten' her birthday was slightly unnerving, but then again she was used to being everyone's last priority - even mine. I got settled in to the steady flow of work and the day flew by quite fast before I had to make the call.

She picked up on the second ring.

"Hey Mom, what's up?" She asked almost immediately.

"Look, something's happened at work. I need you and Ella to come over here and I'll speak to you when you get here, take a cab if you need to. I've got to go now Rach'. See you soon, love you, bye." I hung up before she could object and got to work helping Jerry with the decorations.

About twenty minutes later, Rachel turned up with Ella in her pram - she ran through the door looking flustered and worried.

"SURPRISE!" Everyone exclaimed in unison and Rachel looked shocked - like a deer in headlights. She ran straight over to me and asked what the hell was going on.

"You didn't really think I'd forget your 16th did you? Happy Birthday sweetheart, you can have your presents soon." I explained to her while everyone milled around us gleefully. A pile of wrapped boxes was forming in Rachel's arms and soon there were too many for her to carry - I took half of them off her hands and walked towards the lounge.

"Mom, I didn't expect you even remember, let alone do this for me." She said as she put down her gifts on the couch and turned around to give me a hug.

"Here's your present from Ella - I was in the store with her and she took a liking to it so I ended up buying it for you, I have to say she has quite the eye." I said, handing a black, velvet box to her. "I left your gift from me at home so you'll have to wait for that...and there's something else at home I have to give you." This was the first of Mark's letters that she would get to open - the first fragment of what he had left her.

She opened up the box and her eyes lit up when she saw the small necklace inside - it was a small teddy bear charm on a silver chain.

"It's beautiful Mom! Thank you so much! I love it." She exclaimed before rushing back to the desk to show Chuny and Abby presumably. I've always thought of County as my family, ever since I arrived really but after me and Mark got married - things became even more clear because everyone had a specific role. When people leave, they can't ever be replaced - new people arrive and take a different role but the old are never forgotten. Most people who are invested in their work have a strict divide between work and home life - but in a place like County, the two blend together.

My husband was my colleague even longer than he was my husband, my step-daughter was known by everyone I work with before we even met, and my baby daughter was born here and spent weeks of her life here - but most of all my colleagues are my friends. I've been through so much since I started working here and everyone has gone through it with me. I have no life outside my work because my work contains my life - in times of crisis I would sooner run to my colleagues than my family.

I suppose that's just what happens when you work in a place like County.