She was still in resus by the time her shift finished. There had barely been any ebb in the flow of patients being wheeled in, and there wasn't enough space in AAU to take those who could move from the department to allow others to use the beds. She left the room once she was certain her patient was stable enough to be taken to X-ray, handing over to Dylan and heading straight up the stairs, her focus entirely up and forwards until she reached the on-call room. She turned the handle, relieved when it gave and opened, and shut herself in on the other side. She inhaled deeply, shakily, before pressing a hand to her mouth to suppress a sob as her back slid down the door. She sat against the cold wood, shoulders heaving as tried to pull herself back together, exhausted. She could hear people as they walked past, some of whose footsteps she could see the shadow of underneath the door. Blowing out a long breath, and shaking her hair from her shoulders she stood up, adjusting her stethoscope and brushing a hand under her eyes as she turned the handle again, pressing both hands behind her as she shut it and looked out on the busy corridor.
"Connie?"
She visibly jumped as she heard her name, her head snapping to the side to see Charlie stood at the top of the stairs. He motioned for her to follow him downstairs, and she shook her head before clearing her throat.
"I'm going, now." She looked at him, and he could tell she had been crying. There was also no reason for her to be up here, coming out of the on-call room.
"Connie, please-"
"I'M FINE, CHARLIE." It wasn't quite a shout, but her raised voice attracted the attention of everybody on the corridor, which immediately fell silent as people stopped to look at her. She pushed past them, and past Charlie as she went down the stairs, straight down into the emergency department and through reception to her office. The door swung shut behind her, but opened again seconds later as Charlie came to stand in front of her desk, facing her as she stood with her arms tightly folded.
"Please don't push us out, Connie."
"I'm not pushing anyone out-"
"You're struggling. We just want to-"
"I am not struggling!" She walked around her desk to take her coat and bag from the stand. "Just let me get on with my job." She left the office, walking quickly out to her car, stopping as she saw Jacob standing in front of it, leaning against the bonnet.
"Jacob? Why-"
"I thought you'd be tired, so I'll drive us back."
She looked at him, her keys held in one hand and her other holding her back over her shoulder.
"I can drive."
"I know, but-" He stopped as she walked past him, opening the car door and putting the keys in the ignition. As she was fastening her belt he opened the other door and sat down, watching as she looked behind her before pulling out of the car park and turning out of the hospital. Her jaw was set and her fingers were tense on the steering wheel, she didn't say a word the whole way to the house. When they arrived and she stopped the car, she got out quickly and fumbled with the door keys. After a few seconds they were taken gently from her, the door opened, and she turned to look at him as he stood next to her on the front step.
"Come here." He opened his arms, allowing her to step forward and close the distance between them. He gathered her to his chest, his fingers stroking her hair as she exhaled, her bag sliding down to the floor as she reached her arms around his neck. "Bad shift?" He murmured, not the question he meant, but she knew that too.
"Not the best." She whispered, before drawing back, taking her bag and stepping into the house.
