long chapter bla bla bla

"What are you still doing here?" Dylan touched Bella lightly on the shoulder.

Bella ignored the contact, not wanting to turn around and have to make eye contact, "Dylan I need to do this shift-"

"But we agreed, no double shifts and-" Dylan wasn't quite as bad as Nick about the whole overdoing it thing, but he was about a hundred times more stubborn about it. And although the concern for her welfare was touching, she did just want to do her job. Bella looked away, "Please Dyl, don't argue with me on this, I have to work this shift."

Dylan caught the tone of Bella's voice and was concerned. "What's so important about this shift-?"

Bella surprised him by turning into his chest and twisting her arms around his back. She was even less keen on public displays of affection than he was, okay holding hands and maybe even a light kiss in the cheek, but a hug in the middle of CDU surrounded by dozens of staff members? That just wasn't Bella or Dylan. "What's happened?" He extended his arms around her, being careful of the six month old baby bump.

Bella sighed into his chest, "I've fallen out with Nick, properly, and there's this patient who reminds me of how I used to feel just that little bit too much. And I'm fed up of people treating me like I'm a rare form of fragile glass, I'm still me, aren't I?"

Dylan did the appropriate amount of shushing and reassuring before Bella extracted herself from his arms, "It's been a rough shift."

"And you want to do another."

"It can't get any worse." As soon as she said it, Bella knew she was going to regret it.

.

"Bella, Bella, we've got her-" Lloyd and Scarlett helped Jade onto a bed in resus.

Bella sighed in poorly disguised relief. "How are you doing Jade?"

Lloyd read from the monitor, "Pulse is elevated at 108, BP's fine at 118 over 79. She seems to have some tenderness."

Bella nodded, "Side or tummy Jade?"

Jade shook her head, "It's just from where I fell over."

Tess nodded, "Can you show us where it hurts?"

Jade flinched as Bella ran her hand along her side.

Tess looked at Bella, "If we're not needed?"

Bella nodded and the nurses left her to it.

Jade frowned, "Bella, I don't need all this fuss?"

"I just want to take a look at your side, is that okay?"

Jade nodded and let Bella have a look. She had new bruising on her back and side. "Okay, you can lie back down again. When you pass water have you noticed any discolouration at all? I'm a bit concerned about the bruising, your kidneys could have taken a hit?"

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing too concerning yet but I might have to run some tests. Tess can you get me a urine sample and-"

Jade froze. "What is she doing here?"

Bella turned to see Yvonne Rippon standing at the door.

Jade was quick to panic, "Have you been talking to the police?"

Tess rubbed Jade on the back, "It's okay, Bella, don't-"

Bella had marched up to Yvonne. "If you don't get out of my resus, in say, 30 seconds, I will call hospital security, I really don't care If you're a police officer, you're upsetting my patient. Now." Bella have may be six months pregnant but she could still be very scary if she wanted to be and if anything her temper had got worse. She had no patience for interfering and bolshy police-officers today.

Yvonne took one last look at Jade before following Bella out of resus.

As soon as they were out of the earshot of Jade, Bella turned to face the police super-intendant with a frown, "Herranging someone who isn't ready to talk is completely non-constructive."

S.I Rippon was not deterred by the angry pregnant woman following her across the Emergency Department, "Look, I understand she's been through a horrendous ordeal and I'm also pretty sure I know why it happened to her-"

Bella interrupted, "That's all you care about though, getting someone to snitch so you can look good because it's your first job as a super-intendant."

"I care about Jade just as much as you do. She has information about the shooting which could help-"

Bella raised her hands, "There you go again, Jade's a scared, vulnerable girl who has just been raped, she doesn't need a bolshy copper barging in and making things worse."

Yvonne Rippon was on the verge of loosing her cool, "They are trying to silence her. You might think that you are protecting her while she's in here, but-"

"She needs medical attention, and to keep calm. Do you even have any idea what she is going through here?"

"Do you have any idea what is at stake?"

Bella rolled her eyes, "Actually I think I do, a lot more of an idea than you have anyway. You're working on the assumption that if you get Jade, you'll get Stevie and then you'll get Anton. That's a lot of ifs. This isn't just a black and white training exercise, there are real people involved. And do you honestly think that the rest of the Farmead crew are just going to sit around and-"

S.I Rippon interrupted. "If I don't get to talk to Jade all of this will-"

"Exactly my point."

Tess saw this as a good opportunity to interrupt, "Dr Jordan, please-"

Bella turned on Tess, "If you mention the fact that I am six months pregnant I will-" She paused, realising that she was close to yelling, "Sorry Tess, mate." She gave Yvonne a glare.

Tess caught Bella's arm, "Bella, I think that it would be a good idea if you-"

Dylan wandered over with a dog on a lead made of twisted bandages, "I'm just popping to the vet with Cadmus here." He had noticed the disturbance and thought it might be a good idea if he distracted both Tess and the police-officer-woman for long enough for Bella to calm down.

Bella tried her best not to laugh at the expression on Tess's face. "Dr Keogh I cannot allow-"

Dylan frowned, "Is everything okay here?" Bella was looking daggers at the police-officer-woman and the way that Tess was standing between them suggested that something had gone on.

Bella said "Yes!" at the exact same time as Yvonne said "No."

Tess rolled her eyes. "Bella is going to get a coffee, DCI Rippon is just on her way to my office."

Dylan nodded, "Come on Bella, go get a coffee, I'll be back."

Bella looked like she was going to disagree. She shook her head in frustration and marched off after Dylan. "You bought the dog into an E.D? Why do you always have to be so bloody-"

Dylan turned around and smirked at Bella. "Coffee."

"I can't even have cup of fucking coffee- stop smirking at me Dylan I am not in the mood."

Dylan picked up a cup of decaffeinated coffee from the nurses station that he had made for her earlier. It was still warm enough to drink. Bella took it, but still kept the sulky scowl on her face. Dylan smiled again, she did amuse him.

"What?"

Dylan shook his head, "Nothing. And Bella, if Nick asks I've gone for a break, I'm taking the dog to the vet."

"Go ahead..." Bella smiled as she said it, that was one of the reasons she loved Dylan, his unfaltering kindness to all those who really deserved it. She stroked the dog on the head. "Hey sweetie."

"It's a him."

"Oh all right." Bella was calm, she was even happy, in fact she was on the verge of laughing at her Dylan, attached to a dog by a lead of twisted bandages in the middle of a busy emergency department, as pedantic as ever. "Have fun at the vets."

.

Jade was still desperate to leave the safety of the hospital resus, "I can see what you're trying to do?"

"What am I trying to do Jade?"

"You're trying to keep me here."

"And why would I want to do that?"

"Because you and that copper are friends-"

Bella almost rolled her eyes, "Trust me Jade, me and that copper are anything but friends. Whether or not you want to talk to her, or indeed any other police officer, is completely your choice. Can you sit back for me?"

Scarlet appeared at Bella's shoulder, "I've got the results from the urine analysis, they showed gross hematuria."

Bella nodded, "Cheers Scarlett, okay, I'm sorry Jade but these results confirm what I was talking about earlier."

"Is it bad?"

"Well the good thing is that you're up and talking to me, so it can't be that bad, okay? Tess can you organise me a scan please?"

As soon as they were alone together Jade whispered to her, "How long is this going to take?"

"I'm sorry, that really depends on the results of the CT scan. Have you got somewhere to be?"

Jade shook her head. "No."

.

Jade was getting worse, vomiting and cramps, and asking repeatedly for Stevie. Bella relented and let her have her phone, knowing that the police were trying to arrest Stevie. She hoped that was the right thing to do.

.

It was later, and Bella was waiting in resus with Jade. She turned around at the sound of a trolley rushing into resus, "What have we got?" Tess was following a burns patinet through the doors of resus. Bella knew that she shouldn't technically take the case, but there was no other docter in resus. Bella made the decision, not waiting for an invitation. Tess raised her eyebrows and Bella stuck her tongue out with a stubborn shrug, "I'm all you've got."

Tess nodded, she couldn't care less where Bella treated as long as she had enough staff to run her department, personally being of the opinion that Bella was a capable enough doctor to decide where and what she treated, "This is Anton, he's sustained-"

Jade began to get distressed, "It's him, it's Anton, I don't want him anywhere near me-"

Bella turned back towards Jade's bed, trying to look reassuring, "Okay Jade, I have to do my job but Lloyd and Scarlet are going to take you to the CT scan now? Lloyd Scarlett. Now." The nurses nodded, and began to drag the trolley out of resus."

She turned back to Anton, who was shouting his mouth off. "Shut up you, you have been in an accident and we are going to treat you but we don't have to enjoy it. Okay? I don't care who you are on the streets, in here your name is Anton and you are my patient. So, Tess can we have pads on these burns quickly?"

Anton looked at her, "You gonna treat me? Girl, you're up the duff."

"Okay, the burns don't seem to be affecting the patients vision, or his ability to talk which is of course unfortunate."

She was interrupted by Mr Jordan and S.I Rippon bursting past Jade's trolley and into resus. Nick looked slightly flustered, something that would have made Bella grin if it wasn't for the copper in front of hm, "Yvonne, you can't-"

The policewoman ignored him. "Someone try to kill you did they Anton? Shame they didn't try a little bit harder eh? Just tell me who it was-"

Bella looked up from the treatment chart. "Can we get rid of the police officer, if you could?"

Nick pulled Yvonne back from the bed, "Out."

Yvonne scowled. "If you could let me know if he's going to pull through, that would be very handy."

Bella added to her request. "Please? Always say please, please is important, eh Anton?" Her patient gave her a confused look and groaned with pain. "Just gimmie some morphine all right?"

Bella shrugged, "Obviously missed that one."

Yvonne ignored her, glaring at Nick. "Meanwhile, I'm going to try and contain this mess."

Nick raised his eyebrows at Bella, who wasn't meant to be treating in resus. "And you?"

Bella rolled her eyes, "Please Nick?"

Nick was insistent, "Out. Go and see Jade. Now Bella."

Bella scowled and followed Yvonne out.

Nick sighed taking the burns chart from where Bella had thrown it, "Go ahead then Tess."

Tess continued, as usual remaining calm amidst the chaos. "Airway seems clear, that's the first litre of saline."

.

Bella was in CDU, she'd got Jade sorted and left Lloyd with her and she was just getting her stethoscope, when a group of lads came running in. The first one, lobbed a sharps bin at the others over his shoulder, and then all hell broke loose. She jumped out her cubicle and confronted one. "Hey, this is not on. Put that down."

He tried to avoid her, and then decided it was more fun to have a fight. Bella soon forgot all the reasons why fighting with a patient was a bad idea. She was aware of Dylan next to her and that was a distraction. The guy lunged towards her, and because she was trying to avoid hitting Dylan, he nearly got her, but thankfully the police men got there in time. The enormity her stupidity hit her as if she had just been slapped round the face. She looked around, struggling in the chaos, and someone was shouting. Adrenaline, well more like panic. She was scared, all of a sudden she was completely petrified, for herself, for her baby, for Dylan, Nick and all the other staff at the emergency department, all the girls like Jade- The chaos had stopped, the combination of police officers, hospital porters and security guards had regained control. Nick. He shouted at her from across the room, "What the hell Bella? How many times do-" Of course she deserved that, how could she have been so stupid?

And then Dylan was shouting in furious reply, "Whatever it is, don't take it out on Bella, okay?" Bella looked between Nick and Dylan and then around CDU, suddenly panicking, she stepped back and ran out of CDU and into her office.

.

Dylan was mad. In all the time that Bella had known him he had hardly ever raised his voice. Dylan was the epitome of calm. Yet he was shouting now. They were in Bella's office, she had just taken on an a set of aggressive teenagers, the Farmead Crew, who were causing havoc in CDU. She hadn't given a second thought to her safety, or the safety of her child before confronting them. Luckily the police arrived before it got too serious but there was one scary moment when one of the lads swung his fist a little too close to Bella's stomach.

"What the hell were you thinking? One blow to the stomach and- this isn't just about you any more. You can't go running in every time, you've got to accept that you can't save everyone."

Bella had always been famous for her short temper, and even know she had done wrong, she couldn't help but react to Dylan, "If you hadn't jumped in then he wouldn't have gotten near me, I was distracted by watching your back as well as mine. "

"Don't you dare try to turn this on me. You confronted a a gang of teenagers unarmed. You completely ignored protocol, you could have been killed. They could have had a knife, or even a gun."

"He didn't though did he? And its not like I deliberately picked a fight, I was practically ambushed."

Dylan stepped forward, meaning to illustrate his point and Bella flinched visibly and stepped back without even thinking. She was tired, stressed and it was an automatic response. Dylan froze immediately and stepped back. Bella turned away, furious with herself for displaying that kind of weakness to Dylan. The air in her lungs hissed out through her teeth. He would never hurt her, but years of abuse had left her with instincts that was hard to override. Perhaps she was jumpy, after what had happened in CDU. She clenched her shaking hands into fists. Dylan's reaction surprised her, she expected him to be hurt, maybe even still angry or perhaps he wouldn't deal with it at all and leave her standing there alone. Instead he stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned back against him. "All I've ever known is violence and abuse. Fighting is the only way I know. It was reckless and stupid and I'm sorry."

"What am I going to do with you?"

"I don't fear you, I know you, I- You know that, don't you?" Bella spun around to face Dylan, keeping his arms closed around her. She looked into his eyes for a long five seconds, letting them say all the words that were failing to form on her tongue and then placing her head against his chest, letting the warm scent of Dylan wash around her and calm her. Dylan answered, "Yes." They stood in silence for a bit before Dylan added. "I love you." He kissed her hair.

Bella smiled, "I love you too."

And then there was a gunshot. Bella tensed immediately, spinning around to face the door, "What the-"

Bella ran out, Dylan followed her, keeping one hand protectively on her back. "Bella- wait. It could be dangerous-"

Bella was already assesing the situtation. Stevie had shot his brother. Bella went into auto-pilot, everyone else was still reeling from the shock of the shot. She shouted, above the noise. "Don't bother with a trolley, everyone grab a bit and straight into resus. Someone put pressure on that chest. Quickly guys."

She rushed into resus. "Fast-bleep the-"

Nick finished the sentence for her. "Anaesthetist. Dr Lyons CPR. Get a-"

Bella continued, letting Nick pause for breath, "-line in. Scissors, get those clothes out of the way. Now please."

Nick nodded and cut through the clothes. "Fluids. Adrenaline. 2 units of O neg."

Bella looked at the position of the wound. "Thorocotomy kit on standby."

Nick was investigating the wound."It's a through and through, we need a throro-"

Bella handed Nick a scalpel before he could even continue the sentence, "You cutting?"

Tess looked concerned. "This is a catastrophic injury Bella, Mr Jordan."

Nick waived Tess off. "Yes I know that Tess. Quickly."

Bella added, trying to explain, she knew that the chances of patient surviving were lower than low, but she also knew that Nick had to try, "You always cut the patient open, just to see. And if it's not penetrated the-"

Nick ignored them both, pulling the chest open with spreaders, "Lenny out the way."

Bella knelt down and peered into the chest. "It's punctured the heart."

Nick began to make a second incision.

Bella sighed, "Nick..." She looked at Tess and nodded. "This isn't salvageable."

Tess stopped respiration. "Mr Jordan, the patient is dead."

Nick stopped and threw his gloves off and marched out of resus. Bella nodded at Lenny. "Call it mate." The Scottish doctor nodded, looking up at the clock and saying the time. Bella didn't wait to hear it, she quickly followed her father out of resus. "Nick-"

Nick didn't even turn around as he strode across the Emergency Department, "You shouldn't be treating in resus in your condition."

She ignored his blatant attempt at changing the subject. "Nick. Nick!" But her father ignored her. His face was a line. Bella tried a different tact. "It wasn't your fault."

"A boy gets shot metres away from our resus and we can't save him."

"Some cases outcomes are predetermined, you can be moments away or miles away and it won't make any difference. And sometimes it doesn't even make a difference who is on the operating table, it could had been the worlds best surgeon, but he wouldn't have been able to save him. Once you've been shot, it's out of our hands. If Stevie had held that gun a millimeter higher or lower the outcome could have been different, and the same for Jacob or any other gunshot wound I have ever treated. It's out of our hands, we can only do the best we can with the situation we are given. So don't beat yourself up about it, you're the first doctor I would have chosen to have by my side today."

Nick smiled, suddenly teasing, "Not even Dylan?"

Bella was sincere, "Not even Dylan or any other surgeon I've ever worked with. And that's the truth."

Nick's eyes suddenly seemed very far away, "When did my daughter grow up to be so wise? Not long ago and you would be more furious with yourself than I could ever be."

Bella shrugged, "Dylan's good for me. I know you're always going to think of him as the grumpy, maverick doctor who got your daughter pregnant and made her cry, but he's- He knows me and yet he still loves me."

"And do you know him?"

"I know enough to know that he doesn't want to talk about it. And I know what that's like."

"Are you happy?"

"I am happy." And then Bella grinned, "I haven't said that in a long time." And then she looked concerned, "Are you okay?"

"I will be fine. I shouted at you, I shouldn't have-"

"I did a stupid thing, you're my father, you're allowed to tell me off. We were all stressed today." She squeezed his arm.

Nick smiled, looking over to see Dylan waiting for Bella. "He's waiting for you, go on, leave your old man in peace."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, go." Nick walked away and out of the emergency department. Bella stood for a moment and watched the E.D spring slowly back to life. Noel went back to reception, the nurses went back to work, Big Mac went back to doing the crossword. Dylan came and stood next to her. Bella leant her head on his shoulder, "Take me home, please? I'm too tired for this."

.

Bella lay asleep on the sofa, in her usual evening attire. Lounge pants tucked into long fluffy socks and a vest top stretched over her baby bump. A loose cardigan covered her arms. She was fast asleep, muttering as usual. Today it was something about nurses. "Don't forget to tell the nurse. Write it down." Dylan didn't understand what went on in Bella's head when she was awake, let alone when she was sleeping. She stopped muttering, and Dylan couldn't resist checking if she was still breathing. He knew he was being stupid, and that she was fine. He gently placed a blanket over her, and went to feed Dervla. Poor Dervla was getting a little less attention from Dylan as of late. Bella liked dogs, and loved to walk Dervla, but had very strict ideas about dogs sleeping on human beds.

dun dun daaa

Now that was a lot of words. Sorry if you got lost or bored or confused, I know I did. But I've done it. I haven't actually written the next chapter, but I might introduce some Nick and Zoe? But it will mainly focus on Dylan's life. You might even get to meet his parents, who knows :) Love to hear your thoughts, as always, so please drop me a message or review or whatever, even if you hate it, I would love to know.

NB. I think I might have mucked up the six/seven months pregnant in here, I think I've changed them all, but Bella should be about six months pregnant at this point, if my calculations are correct hahaha, knowing how rubbish I am at maths they probably aren't, but I'll use my artistic license.