You can thank kle107 for reminding me I said I'd update this weekend… I have a goldfish brain at the moment.

Also once again I have changed my idea about how this story should end and by my plan there should be a good 25 or so more chapters coming after this one. (damn I never meant to make this story so long!)

As Sam slammed Zoe's car door shut and stared around her, a shiver went down her spine. She found herself staring at the exact spot he and his brother had been standing the day everyone thought she was going mad.

As she stood there, another shiver down her spine made her look over her shoulder as the feeling of being watched came over her. She frowned slightly when she looked back and saw not only was the carpark reassembly empty by there was no one around.

She was roused from her thoughts by a gentle touch on the shoulder from Zoe, who gave her an encouraging smile and nodded towards the doors. Sam gave a small smile and a nod back as they made their way through them and over towards reception.

As soon as the automatic doors peeled back to reveal reception Sam's heart almost skipped a beat. Nothing had changed here either. Same old Noel and reception, Charlie directing patients to cubicles, Tess writing up paperwork and Sam caught a glimpse of Jordan rushing through the double doors that lead to recess at the back along with Tom.

"Right, let's get changed in the staff room and…" Began Zoe

"Hey Sam you're back!" Shouted Noel from reception.

As soon as Sam's name was said everyone appeared and gathered around her and Zoe. Suddenly she was faced with a barrage of questions and found herself confused as to how they had come across the fake information they were stating.

"That cancer scare must have been terrifying!"

"So is the flu completely gone now?"

"You stayed at Zoe's right?"

"Welcome back, I mean… you are back now, right?"

The questions abruptly ended as Zoe shouted for calm as a slightly shell shocked Sam backed away a little.

"In answer to the 20 or so questions I heard you come out with just now... yes Sam has a bad case of the flu, yes her doctor was afraid is was something more sinister when the cough refused to go, yes she is fine and yes she stayed with me throughout this."

The murmuring stared to cease as the crowd nodded in acknowledgement until it turned into a loud round of applause and everyone yelling 'welcome back!' After which the crowds dispersed.

As Sam was led by Zoe, Tess and Linda into the staff room she couldn't help the small smile that had appeared on her face at the sight of her co-workers welcoming her back. When Linda and Tess sat her down while Zoe shut the door her smile faded slightly.

"So anyone care to explain why they all think I'm recovering from a lung cancer scare?"

"Well people were asking questions and we needed something to tell them so I tried telling them you were off sick but they kept wanting to know more so Zoe and Linda came up with the idea of a bad case of a flu and a cancer scare." Tess replied with a slightly smile. "I hope you're alright with this."

Sam took a moment to digest this nugget of information before turning her frown into an even wider smile.

"Thanks, I don't think I could have handled too many questions today." She replied as cheerfully as she could manage.

Just as she said this there was a soft knock at the door and Nick Jordan's head appeared around the frame a second later.

"Mr Jordan." Sam said, a little surprised.

"Good morning everyone. I trust that you are well enough to be returning today?" he asked in his usual formal manner.

Sam gave a smile and a nod.

"Good. Then I look forwards to working with you." He said with a small smile and closed the door with a click.

"Well" Tess said barely a second after he had left. "We better get you in some scrubs. They're in your locker as usual."

Sam nodded, then stood up and walked towards her locker before placing her key in the lock and turning it. It opened with a click and just as Sam had said there was a neatly folded pile of fresh scrubs waiting for her.

"…Right I'm going to head out on the ward. When you've got changed come and find me, Sam." Tess said. "I'll give you your first patient."

Linda and Zoe followed her out, both giving her a cheerful wave which she returned as they left. As Sam turned back towards the locker and took her jacket off, she noticed how badly the scars on her neck stood out and let out a small sigh. She had nothing on her to cover then up so was going to have to walk around the hospital drawing a load of questions.

As she took her jeans off and pulled on her top and pants she noticed a small container that resembled a lipstick sitting at the bottom of her locker with a post-it note stuck to it. The note read:

'It should save them asking too many questions... I hope I got your skin tone right. Linda x.'

Sam couldn't help but smile as she covered up the scars on her neck and a couple of almost faded bruises on her chest with the concealing stick before placing it in her pocket and locking her locker. Next she strode purposefully over to the staffroom door and opened it, stepping out onto the chaos that makes up ED.

As she headed over to Tess who was still busy with paperwork she got several more welcomes back and a few smiles and waves as well. As she got near Tess she tapped her shoulder and smiled.

"Where do you want me?" She asked confidently.

"Cubicle 4." She said, pointing at the drawn curtains.

Sam nodded and headed over, pulling the curtains back to reveal a drunken old homeless man who was cradling a bottle of whiskey and sporting a gash to the head.

She sighed dramatically and looked back with an expression that summed up her pleasure at having to deal with that patient. She saw Tess and several others followed suit, making it all too clear how well she had been stitched up.

Sam sighed and smiled as she turned back around, today was going to be a good day, she could feel it.

"So we attack now, yeah?"

"No you idiot! By the way you described how they welcomed her this must have been her first day back after what you did to her, meaning everyone's going to be watching her every move!"

"So what do we do?"

"We wait a while."

"How long?"

He considered this for a moment, pacing up and down his brother's living room before giving and answer.

"Three weeks. We'll 'talk' to her in three weeks."

And so it begins….

If anyone is interested in getting some very cryptic hints about what's going to happen in future chapters, PM me.