Episode
12/12 Someday

Review
A tragedy occurs and Daniel and Meryl's future is undecided. The last in the series of the rural medical drama.

Cast list
Robert Daws, Amy Robbins, Paul Fox, Polly Maberly, Wendy Craig, Michael Starke, Andy Wear, Zoie Kennedy, Linda Armstrong, Michelle Hardwick, Dennis Lil, Daniel Feltham and Sophie Foster

It was the day after the wave had hit, life was slowly getting back to normal. Lizzy had been given compassionate leave because of Dave, likewise Meryl had been given time off because of Daniel. Gordon and Jill had taken a few days off, it had been Gordon's idea, he had cited Tom, Katy and Charlie as the reason, but really he wanted Jill to rest, to make sure the baby was ok. As it was only for a few days Lucy was taking over Jill's patients, likewise as it was only for a few days Dr Alway was taking over Gordon's patients.

Meryl told Daniel all this, he was unconcious but she kept talking to him despite the fact he probably couldn't hear her, if she stopped talking then the room was silent, the only noises were the hissing the machines that were keeping him alive made.

"Daniel please wake up, you were concious before surgery, concious enough to tell Gordon what to do, why won't you wake up now?" Meryl asked him, she didn't expect a reply so when someone behind her spoke she jumped violently.

"I don't think anyone knows the answer to that. except the lord himself." Sister Bridget replied, coming in and taking vital signs, writing them on Daniel's chart. "Although when Dr Travis does wake up I'm sure he'll have some explanation."

"If he wakes up." Meryl added, Sister Bridget bit her lip, she knew Meryl was right, it was a miracle that Dr Travis was still alive.

"Don't think like that, have hope, he's survived against all the odds so far. I'll pray that he continues to beat them." Meryl weakly smiled her thanks as Sister Bridget left, she looked at Daniel, he'd been cleaned up but he still looked like death itself, only the very slight rise and fall of his chest gave lie to that appearence, all the prayers in the world might not save him.

Meanwhile Gordon and Jill were in Cheriton Ward, sitting with Katy and Tom. Although it was fairly certain that they were going to be alright, they were still very ill and needed to be kept a close eye on. Charlie was in slightly better shape than they were, but that was owing to the fact that she was older, she was in Fawcett Ward. Gordon put a well practised hand on Tom's forehead, measuring his temperature, he shook his head.

"It's not coming down." Gordon commented, he then leant over to Katy and checked her temperature. "That's coming down alright though." Jill didn't know what to say, they had been in the water a long time, complications were inevitable.

"He'll be ok." a voice behind them said, Gordon and Jill turned round.

"Charlie what are you doing out of bed?" Gordon asked crossly, he wasn't really that angry, it was worry.

"I wanted to see how they were, besides I'm fine." Charlie told them, sitting down on the edge of Katy's bed because there wasn't another chair.

"You are right now, but you're jepordising your recovery." Gordon started, "I'm taking you back right now."

"Dad I'm fine ok, Sister Bridget said I didn't have a temperature anymore and that I could go home either today or tomorrow." Gordon checked, she wasn't lying, she didn't have a temperature. "I don't get sick easily and if I do I get well really quickly. Good genes or DNA or whatever. So can I please stay, it's boring in that ward on my own." Jill smiled, you couldn't argue with Charlie, she always won.

"I'll get you a chair." Jill offered standing up, Charlie jumped up.

"No it's ok I'll get it myself." Jill frowned, she turned to Gordon who suddenly looked very guilty.

"She knows doesn't she?" Jill asked sitting back down, Gordon pulled a face and nodded. "Does anyone else know?" Gordon shook his head. "Good, we'll tell them when we have to."

"Yeah, soon though, they are professionals, we don't want them noticing."

"Mr Caldwell, Mr Caldwell." Mr Harper called running along the corridor to catch up with him, reluctantly Mr Caldwell stopped, what did Mr Harper want this time?

"What is it Mr Harper I'm very busy?" Mr Caldwell asked, he knew exactly what it was going to be about.

"It's about yesterday." Mr Caldwell rolled his eyes.

"Why don't you come along to my office," Mr Caldwell checked his watch, "This afternoon we can discuss it more then. I'm sorry, I really am very busy." With that Mr Caldwell walked briskly off leaving a very annoyed Mr Harper.

Meanwhile Lucy and Jeff were in Jeff's office, morning surgery was over, there hadn't been very many patients, everybody was to busy to come in.

"So when shall we tell people?" Lucy asked, her eyes alive with excitement, Jeff smiled, he was happy because Lucy was happy.

"I don't know. I want to shout it from the rooftops, 'I'm getting married to the love of my life'." Jeff mock shouted, "Back to reality, what with everything that's going on at the moment, perhaps we should wait." Lucy nodded, she thought that too but it didn't stop her being disappointed. Jeff reading her expression understood.

"That doesn't mean we can't plan it, set a date, make all the decisions." Lucy beamed.

A little later Ken and Alun drew up in front of Lizzy's apartment building, as soon as Ken walked in the door and saw his wife trying to comfort their daughter, the enormity of what happened hit him. He'd only seen Lizzy once since the wave hit yesterday, that was only for a couple of minutes, he'd been needed to help, now he was needed to rebuild, so he could only pop in during his lunch break. He felt so inadaqute, for the first time in his life he didn't know what to say, he just sat down next to her and held her hand, trying to communicate to her how sorry he was and how he wished he could take all the pain away.

Alun meanwhile stood there feeling increasingly uncomfortable, he'd wanted to come, he wanted to comfort Lizzy, but he like Ken didn't know what to say. He sat down in the chair opposite Lizzy, wishing he could help and knowing he was doing nothing and feeling useless, little did he know that just by being there he was helping, it told Lizzy how much he cared for her and that was worth more than all the words in the world.

That afternoon as promised Mr Caldwell was in his office, as expected Mr Harper turned up.

"Mr Caldwell I want to lodge a complaint." Mr Harper started, Mr Caldwell nodded, cursing the silly little man in front of him and hoping his strategy would work.

"Ok, write it down on a complaints form." Mr Caldwell then looked back down at the paperwork on his desk, he picked up a pen then looked back up. "Something else?"

"I'm making a complaint. It's about Matron giving me a . . ." Mr Harper continued getting annoyed.

"I know what your compliants about Mr Harper, but you have to follow proceadure. There are forms that need to be filled out. You need to fill out a complaints form, in triplicate, submit one copy to me, one copy to the DHA and one copy to your boss. You know how that system works, you're the one who brought it to The Royal." Mr Cladwell smiled genailly. "Now if you will excuse me, I have lot's of paperowrk to do."

"I don't have time for all that." Mr Harper spat, "Surely you can . . ."

"Now now Mr Harper, I can't go outside rules and regulations. If you have a complaint you follow proceadure, you're the one who taught me that. Now if you will please excuse me, I have a lot of work to do." Mr Harper opened and closed his mouth a couple of times like a goldfish, before he accepted that he'd lost and left.

A few days later early in the morning, shift change at The Royal. Meryl had finally fallen into an uneasy sleep, sitting in the armchair in Daniel's room. She was woken by a racking cough, Daniel's eyes were wide open, he was clutching his throat, clearly unable to breathe. Meryl pushed his hands out of the way and quickly made a diagnosis, Daniel had been intubated to help him breathe during surgery, now it looked as if the tube was blocked stopping him from breathing at all, his lips were going blue, testament to the lack of oxygen. Skillfully Meryl removed the tube, Daniel gasped for air and sank back down in the bed, breathing deeply. Meryl didn't move, she watched his every move, terrified that at any moment he might suddenly slip away.

"I . . I." Daniel tried to speak, but his throat was so dry he couldn't form the words, Meryl handed him a glass of water, which he took gratefully, sipping at it, resisting the temptation to glug it down. "Who put that tube in? Could have killed me, that could." Daniel smiled, Meryl smiled back and began to cry, she couldn't help it, she was so relieved.

A few minutes later Jeff and Sister Bridget joined them, Gordon was Daniel's doctor but he was in surgery with Dr Rose who would also need to see Daniel.

"So how are you feeling?" Jeff asked, he'd checked Daniel's vital signs, he couldn't believe them, for a guy who by rights should be dead, he was looking unbelievably well.

"Glad to be alive." Daniel replied, Jeff nodded, given the events of tuesday, with the tidal wave, everybody shared that feeling, they were all glad to be alive.

"How's the pain?" Daniel gave Jeff a look.

"About what you'd expect, it's worse if I'm move so I'm not going to do a lot of that." Jeff smiled, he then turned to Meryl.

"Could you wait outside for a minute?" the smile that had been residing on Meryl's face since Daniel had regained conciousness immeadiately disappered.

"Why?" Meryl asked warily, Jeff gave her a look that said 'You know why' he then smiled reassuringly until Meryl left.

"Can you move your legs?" Jeff cut straight to the chase which Daniel appreciated, beating around the bush just lengthened an already unpleasant process.

"No, I thought at first it could just be the crush injuries, but I can't feel anything." Jeff nodded, and did some standard tests, Daniel failed them all.

"I'm sorry." Jeff didn't know what else to say, Daniel was paraylsed, his career was over, his whole life was going to change. Daniel nodded somberly, he'd known already, he'd known for a long time, since just after the wave hit and he'd done the first self-diagnosis.

"That's ok, these things happen you know, you just got to deal with them." Jeff frowned, he couldn't have come to terms with it already, he was obviously in shock, the enormity of it hadn't sunk in yet.

"Ok, Gordon will be along to see you as soon as he get's out of surgery. I'm sure Dr Rose will come too." Jeff then turned to Sister Bridget. "They say doctors make the worlds worst patients, so make sure he behaves himself." Jeff winked and left, Meryl came back in, Sister Bridget gave her a look of sympathy and left, Meryl didn't at that moment understand the look, but it worried her.

"What was that all about?" Daniel looked at her, he had to be the one to tell her, he wanted to be the one to tell her.

"I don't quite no how to say this, so I'm just going to say it. I'm paralysed." Meryl looked at him, Daniel tried to read her expression, it was shocked certainly but what else, he wished she'd say something. "Look, I don't quite know what's going to happen, but you've got your career ahead of you, I'll understand if you don't want anything more to do with me." Still Meryl didn't say anything, she didn't know what to say, an agonising moment later Meryl suddenly stood up and ran out of the door. Daniel watched her go, 'that's that then' he thought sadly, Meryl stopped just outside Daniel's door, she hadn't been able to stand the pressure in the there, still she didn't speak, but a silent tear ran down her cheek.

When Gordon went to see Daniel that afternoon he'd expected him to be smiling and cracking jokes, instead he found him wrapped in misery. 'Jeff was wrong' Gordon thought, 'It was just shock that made him seem so calm'.

"Alright Daniel." Gordon greeted, he checked Daniel's chart, he was healing remarkably well. Daniel didn't reply, Gordon looked at him, it took him a moment to realise that Daniel hadn't heard him, he hadn't even noticed that he was here. "Daniel." Gordon called, he reached out and touched Daniel's left arm, Daniel jumped.

"Gordon." Daniel acknowledged, Gordon closed his eyes briefly, this was obviously a case for Lucy, he'd talk to him first though.

"Daniel, being paraylsed may seem to be . . ."

"Gordon, remember I'm a doctor ok. I've delivered that lecture, you don't need to give it me." Daniel told him, summoning a small smile, Gordon sighed and continued firmly on, they did say doctors made the worst patients.

"I think I do, you're obviously depressed, life doesn't end . . ."

"You're not listening to me. Yeah being paralysed is going to change my life, I can cope with losing my job, my career, my independence. What I'm having problems coming to terms with is that well, you'd think that if I could deal with that then Meryl could too right? We split up, I gave her the option, I just didn't expect her to take it. I thought we meant more to each other than that." Gordon didn't know what to say, there wasn't anything to say. He left, he had to sort this out somehow, but he couldn't do it alone, Matron and Lucy would know what to do.

As soon as Gordon left Daniel pulled a book out from under his pillow, he'd asked Nurse Bartlet to fetch it for him from the nurses home. It was a book he'd had years, since his grammer school days, a book he'd always hated, but a book that was going to help him. He opened it to the page he'd been at and unfolded the piece of paper that had been it marking his place, continuing to copy out the passage he wanted. It was difficult writing it neatly left handed and it took him over an hour, until he was satisfied. He then folded it up again writing a name on the front of it, he placed it next to him, when Nurse Bartlet came back he'd ask her to deliver it for him.

Meanwhile Gordon had found Matron and Lucy, he'd explained the situation to them and as he'd hoped they knew what to do.

"The first thing to do is to talk to Staff Nurse Taylor, find out her side of the story." Matron suggested, looking at Gordon as if that was obvious and he should have thought of it.

"Yes but her side of the story seems obvious." Lucy remarked, "I've seen it many times, though not in such a case as this. Normally it's the fact that the patient can't deal with the fact that he or she is paraylsed. They take it out on their partner, the partner who is trying to help them and that said partner can't cope. That's when they leave, they don't want to commit themselves to a life like that." Gordon nodded, he'd worked on cases just like that, but this one was different in one very important aspect.

"However here the patient is very accepting of his condition. He knows and appreciates the problems it will bring, but as he said himself he can cope with all that, what he's having problems coping and coming to terms with, is the fact that Meryl isn't standing by him." Matron nodded, she herself didn't understand why Meryl wasn't, she'd go and talk to her.

A little later Nurse Bartlet came back for the last time that evening, it was nearly shift change, she checked Daniels vital signs and noted them down in his chart. She was just about to leave when Daniel stopped her.

"Nurse Bartlet." Daniel called.

"Something the matter doctor?" Nurse Bartlet asked, Daniel shook his head, picking up the piece of paper and holding it out to her.

"Can you deliver this for me, it's . . it's for Staff Nurse Taylor?" Nurse Bartlet nodded, took the piece of paper and left, leaving Daniel to his thoughts.

As soon as Nurse Bartlet got to the nurses home she knocked on Meryl's door, Meryl opened it only a crack and peered out. Even though Meryl's face was in the shadow, Nurse Bartlet could see she'd been crying, for sometime too, she didn't say anything though, she thought she knew what had happened.

"Doctor Travis asked me to give you this." Nurse Bartlet told her, handing her the piece of paper, Meryl took it, her eyes lighting up, with just a muttered thank you to Nurse Bartlet Meryl shut the door and opened the paper with trembling hands.

Dear Meryl

I don't know what happened today. I hope it was shock, but if it wasn't, if you really don't want to stay with me, like I said I do understand. I just wanted you to know that I love you and I'll always love you. I always hated shakespere at school, but for some reason I still had my book of sonnets. I thought of this one today when thinking about how I could express my feelings, I always did like this one, the only bit of shakespere I do like.

Sonnet 116

Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit Impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove:

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark

That looks on tempest and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wandering bark,

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.

Love's not time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle's compass come:

Love alters not with his brief hours or weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

If this be error and upon me proved,

I never writ, nor no man ever loved

I hope that this lets you know what I feel, I've never been good with words, thank god for shakespere, he sums up everything I'm thinking and feeling. I love you Meryl, whatever you decide. I will love you forever.

Daniel

Meryl cried while she read the letter, her tear drops smudging the careful printing Daniel had done with his left hand. She clutched the letter to her heart, replaying again for the upteenth time that day the conversation they'd had that morning. It didn't make sense, then she realised what had happened, she'd heard what she'd thought she was going to be hearing. Daniel was different, how could she ever have thought otherwise. Just then another knock came at the door, waking Meryl from her daydream.

Instantly she sprang up, she opened the door, Matron was standing there, Meryl didn't see her pushing past her and practically running towards the hospital. Matron frowned, something had happened, swiftly she followed pausing when she got to Daniel's door.

Daniel had been in a dream ever since he'd given Nurse Bartlet his letter, time seemed to stand still, as he waited thinking all the time, will she come? He was answered by the sound of footsteps and then Meryl burst in the room.

"Daniel I love you too, I heard what I thought you were going to say, not what you actually said. I thought . . I don't know what I thought. I . . ."

"Hey." Daniel held up his hands, "Slow down a minute there, I can't keep up, I heard nothing after you told me you loved me."
Meryl opened her mouth to begin again but Daniel stopped her, he'd reached underneath his pillow again and he'd withdrawn a small velvet covered box. "I bought this ages ago, I was going to give it to you that day at lunch but the wave kind of spoiled it."

Meryl held her breath and sat down in the chair she'd occupied for the last few days. Daniel opened the box, exposing a small ring with a red stone in the centre.

"I'm sorry I can't get down on one knee. I love you Meryl and I always will, till death us do part. Will you marry me?" Meryl stared at Daniel, Daniel prayed to every god he knew, outside the door Matron held her breath.

"Considering the way I've treated you today, I should be asking will you marry me." Meryl finally replied, with the biggest smile ever Daniel with trembling hands put the ring on Meryl's finger. Matron started walking down the corridor, she hadn't been needed after all, all was now right in the world.

The news of Daniel and Meryl's engagement spread swiftly around the hospital, everybody was pleased for them, though a few people wondered to themselves what Meryl was letting herself in for. There was talk of a party which Gordon immeadiately postponed for a few weeks, even Daniel couldn't recover that fast. Tom and Katy were now at home, they were pretty much recovered though that didn't stop Gordon and Jill from spoiling them, they were going back to school next week, Charlie had already gone back, she was doing her O levels so couldn't take that much time off. Lizzy after the memorial service insisted on going back to the hospital, she needed something to do to take her mind of it, Alun kept a close eye on her.

A week after Daniel's proposal Meryl went to see Matron, Matron already knew what she was going to say, had in fact been waiting for her to come and see her all week.

"Matron." Meryl knocked on Matron's office door, Matron looked up from her endless pile of paperwork, she put her pen down, motioned for Meryl to come inside and looked at her staff nurse.

"What is it staff nurse?" Matron asked, knowing full well what it was already.

"I want to move out of the nurses home, I've found a flat, this is the address." Meryl handed over a piece of paper, Matron looked at it, she knew the address it wasn't far from here, there would be no problem with this, after all she knew for a fact that Daniel had been living at the nurses home since just after christmas.

"That's fine, when?" Meryl's eyebrows raised, she'd expected a problem, she didn't know why but she had.

"End of the week." Matron nodded agreement and Meryl went to tell Daniel.

Over the next few weeks Daniel recovered at a rate never seen before while being a typically bad patient, Gordon reckoned he knew why, it always helped a lot if the patient was happy. Three weeks after the wave hit Gordon had something to tell Daniel that he hadn't expected to be able to say for at least another two weeks if not more.

"End of the week you can go home." Gordon told Daniel, as he wrote in his chart. Daniel hadn't really been listening and even though he thought that's what he'd heard Gordon say, he wasn't sure though.

"What did you say? End of the week?" Gordon nodded, Daniel grinned, "About time too, I can't be doing with this patient thing, foods horrible and you never get a moments peace." It was now Gordon's turn to smile, Daniel had been the worst patient he'd ever known, wearing thin even Sister Bridget's patience.

"You're to take it easy though." Gordon reminded him, Daniel rolled his eyes.

"I don't see why, I'm fit I know I'm fit. There isn't anything wrong with me now, hell if it wasn't for the damn paraylisis thing I could be going back to work, well if I had a job I could that is." Gordon didn't know what to say to that, it was pretty much true, there wasn't much wrong with Daniel now. He would have to get used to the different muscles that he would use and it would be much harder for him to get about now than it had before, but he had been in very good physical condition, he wouldn't have too much trouble.

"Now you don't give Sister Bridget anymore grief you hear." Gordon warned him, Daniel just smiled, he'd be good now or at least as good as he knew how to be, he was going home.

That afternoon Lucy went to see Daniel, more as a colleague than as the in-house shrink because Daniel didn't need a shrink, but protocol dictated that a patient like Daniel had to have his mental state evaluated before they'd let him go.

"Good afternoon." Daniel greeted from his wheelchair by the window, Lucy smiled to herself she'd been told by the ward sister he was in bed, Daniel regularly got sick of that however and went walkabout round the hospital, the fact that he'd stayed in his room was remarkable.

"Afternoon, you all set to go home?" Lucy asked, Daniel laughed.

"Overly I should think, Meryl's sorting everything out, though what there is that needs to be sorted is a mystery to me." Daniel paused giving Lucy a look she often gave her patients. "Enough about me, have you and Jeff set a date yet?" Lucy smiled, they'd told everybody about their engagement about a week and a half ago, she still got a happy feeling everytime somebody mentioned it.

"Yes, the fourth of July this year." Lucy replied, her eyes sparkling.

"Made any other decisions, you know flowers, best man, food, best man?" Daniel asked not being at all subtle, Lucy shook her head.

"Yes we've made some other decisions but not the one you want to know about. Jeff will decide about the best man this week or next week." Daniel nodded, then almost nonchantly asked

"Maid of honour?" Lucy rolled her eyes.

"No, that too will be decided soon. What about you and Meryl? You made any decisions?" Lucy asked, deliberately changing the subject, Daniel took the hint.

That evening Jeff was on his way back to the hospital after house calls. He hummed to himself as he drove along the cliff top road, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel and smiled to himself, thinking about Lucy and the date they had later. He turned the corner not noticing the lorry until it was to late. He wrenched the wheel left and slammed on the brakes, trying desperately to avoid a collision. His car spun out of control and fishtailed off the side of the cliff landing with a sickening crunch on the jagged rocks below. Instantly the two drivers of the lorry ran to the cliff edge, what they saw made their hearts sink. The older driver turned to his apprentice.

"Ed, run as fast as you can to the nearest telephone, phone the police, an ambulance, fire brigade and a mechanic."

Ed didn't hear him, staring at the twisted and crushed hulk of metal that just a minute ago had been a car, Ed thought of the driver and a knot formed in his stomach, leaning into the bushes which miraculously seemed to be undamaged, he threw up. Mick shook his head, poor kid was in shock, he'd feel worse later, if he hadn't crashed the lorry into the hillside, if he hadn't taken that corner so fast, they wouldn't have blocked the road.

"Ed!" Mick shouted, Ed turned round wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "Run to the nearest telephone, get the police, the firebrigade, an ambulance and a mechanic. You hear me?" Ed nodded and ran off.

Mick stood there, not quite sure what to do. Suddenly he had a horrible thought, what if another car came? He ran to his lorry and pulled out a sheet of plywood, part of the consignment he was carrying. He then rummaged in his 'tool box' for the paint he knew was there. In big letters he wrote the word STOP, he then ran down the road to fix it to something, anything to prevent another accident.


'Dring, dring. Dring, dring.' the phone at The Royal rang, Gordon who was passing on his way home picked it up.

"The Royal." he answered, "Yes I know it . . ten minutes . . ok we're on our way." Gordon replaced the receiver and thought for a moment, before he picked up the receiver again and dialled a number.

"Helicoptor ambulance base." Paul answered, he was over at the local RAF base with the helicoptor, he'd just qualified as the pilot, this would be his first actual shout.

"This is Gordon, there's been an accident over on the cliff top road, at Leewards bend, a cars in the sea. The fire brigade are lowering a couple of men down so they can help with the rescue.

"Ok, I got that. We're on our way." Paul told him hanging up, Gordon pressed the disconnecter button down and dialled another number. Over at his house Dr Rose had just sat down to dinner, frowning crossly he got up to answer the phone.

"Dr Rose." he snapped.

"This is The Royal, it's an emergancy we need you right away." Dr Rose sighed, thinking of his steak and ale pie, why did he ever become a doctor.

"I'm on my way." Dr Rose said between clenched teeth, slamming the phone down. Gordon grimaced, Dr Rose annoyed was not pretty. He then depressed the disconnector button for the last time and dialled home, to tell Jill that he was going to be late.

Ten minutes later it was a hive of activity over at Leewards bend Gordon saw as he pulled up in his car, the police had arrived and had closed off the road, the fire brigade had managed to get the lorry to the side of the road, out of the way and were now lowering a couple of men down to Jeff's car, Gordon ran over to the firemen, he needed to get down there, in the distance the sound of rotor blades could be heard.

Down the bottom of the cliff, the first fireman reached through the drivers window and checked for a pulse, it was faint but steady, he nodded to his colleague who gestured for Gordon to be lowered down. Gordon at the top of the cliff, looked at the car with a vague sense of unease, as he got closer and closer the feeling grew worse, when he saw the driver his worst fears were realised.

"Oh my god." Gordon muttered.

"Doc?" the firman questioned, Gordon shook his head as if to clear it, he had to be calm, he had to be professional, for Jeff's sake.

"I need to get to him, can you open this door?" the fireman shook his head, he'd already tried. "What about the passenger door?" the fireman looked over at his colleague on the other side of the car, he nodded. With difficulty Gordon got over to the other side of the car, he opened the passenger door, the fireman then leaned in and swept the remains of the windscreen off the seat, Gordon then clambered over to his colleague to give him a thorough examination, cursing whatever ill luck had caused this to happen.

Back at the royal Lucy was starting to worry, for the past twenty minutes a vague sense of unease had come over her. 'Jeff should have been back by now' Lucy thought to herself as she stared at the paperwork, not seeing it, instead seeing Jeff's face. 'It's just parinoa talking, he's just a bit late, you know how talkative some patients can be.' Lucy shook her head it was no use, she'd never get anything else done tonight.

With a sigh of relief Lucy decided the paperwork could wait and began packing up to go home, they'd leave as soon as Jeff got here. Meanwhile over in her office Matron put down the phone, she would now have to do something that Mr Middleditch had had to do before, only this time the news wasn't so grave but with the waiting the agony would be the same. Matron sighed and decided she couldn't put off the inevitable, though ignorance Matron decided truly must be bliss.

Back at Leewards bend they were in difficulties, the front of Jeff's car was crushed, the steering wheel column had been forced back, pinning Jeff to his seat, the wntire weight of the engine and all of the components had come down on Jeff's legs crushing them. The young doctor literally couldn't move, not that he was trying to, he'd been unconcious from the moment the car had crashed because of a massive head injury.

Gordon could tell from his examination that that was the worst injury he'd sustained, it was a miracle really considering the horrendous crash. Gordon looked up, they were lowering equipment and two more firefighter, they were going to try to cut the front part of the car away, it was a proceadure that would take a while. The helicoptor ambulance had landed half a mile away to conserve fuel, as soon as he was free they would relaunch and take him to The Royal.

Gordon checked his watch, it had been twenty minutes since Jeff had crashed, it would take probably an hour to free him, he would be in surgery in an hour and twenty minutes at the most Gordon hoped, any more time delay and the consequences didn't bear thinking about.

"Dr Klein" Matron called, Lucy turned round and went back down the corridor, she'd been heading for reception, she'd left some papers there.

"What is it Matron?" Lucy asked, she then saw Matron's face and her smile disappeared. "What's happened?"

Eventually they got Jeff out of the car, they strapped him to a rigid wooden stretcher and winched him up, they then winched Gordon up, he would be needed in surgery back at The Royal. They then flew back as fast as they could, once there they got Jeff into surgery as quickly as they could. An X-ray had revealed that the head injury was even worse than Gordon had feared, a specialist was flying down from London to assist in the operation, he'd arrive in about an hour but until then it was up to Dr Rose.

Lucy waited with Matron outside the operating room in silence, all Lucy's thoughts were focused on the man lying on that operating table, the man she loved with all her heart, the man who may soon die from an accident, for no reason at all. It was so unfair Lucy raged, Why did this have to happen? Hadn't they all suffered enough recently? Not far away Daniel and Meryl sat together waiting, Daniel had been released from hospital that afternoon, he'd hung around until her shift was over and so they had heard the news. Both of them knew the pain that Lucy was going through, they knew they couldn't offer any comfort at the moment, so they stayed and waited.

The operation took seven long hours, seven hours in which Lucy, Matron,Daniel and Meryl waited. Holding their breath everytime they heard a door opening, twice Dr Rose had come out of the operating theatre to fetch something, but he was in such a hurry he hadn't had time to stop and tell them how things were going.

"The longer it goes on, means at least that Jeff . . well it means that he hasn't given up the fight yet." Daniel observed, he was tired and every part of him ached to go home, to go to sleep, but he couldn't, he needed to be here, to lend support whatever the outcome. Jeff had become a good friend, he needed to be there for him even if he didn't know it.

"I guess, but it also could mean there was more damage than they thought." Meryl replied, resting her head on Daniel's shoulder.

"Perhaps." Meryl heard him say, then she felt him stiffen, he was listening so she listened too. She heard the door from the operating room open, she saw the light spill out into the dark corridor, she saw Gordon step out. She watched him as he walked over to where Lucy and Matron were sitting, they conversed for a couple of minutes, no tears Daniel noted probably good news, no tears Meryl noted probably bad news.

Then Lucy and Matron stood up and with Matron supporting Lucy they walked down the corridor, that could lead to intensive care, or that could lead to a quiet room where Lucy could stay the night, so she wouldn't have to be alone. Gordon then turned and walked in their direction, he'd already loosened his mask so that it was hanging around his neck, he now took of his surgical cap and ran his hand through his hair.

"Good or bad?" Daniel asked, he couldn't stand not knowing anymore.

"He's alive but barely, he's completely dependant on the iron lung. I don't think he'll make it." Gordon observed wearily.

Meryl closed her eyes, poor Lucy, she'd go and see her in the morning, let her know that she was there for her, that she understood. Gordon shook his head faintly, he was having problems accepting his own statement. He was good friends with Jeff, after all Jeff had been his best man. David would have been his best man Gordon knew, but he'd died just like Jeff was going too. It wasn't fair. Why did his colleagues have to dies like this? Accidents, no meaning or purpose, just an accident. Daniel read all this in his eyes, knowing as he spoke that this wasn't the time, but what choice did he have.

"You'll be looking for a new doctor then, at first in a locum position but probably permenant?" Gordon's eyes narrowed, he didn't want to think about this now, he wanted to go home, he was tired but then wasn't everybody.

"Yes, I'll draft an advert in morning unless you've got something else in mind?" Gordon replied, hoping his reply would make Daniel realise now wasn't the time, he knew already he wouldn't have an answer, except he did.

"Why? Unless I'm very much mistaken you've already got a good doctor right here." Meryl stared at Daniel, he couldn't be meaning what she thought he was meaning, it wasn't possible. Gordon had now been awake for about twenty-one hours and hadn't yet grasped what it was that Daniel was saying.

"Who?" Gordon asked.

"Me." Daniel replied, Gordon looked at him in shock, he could see he was serious, but it just wasn't possible.

"Now hang on a minute, you only got discharged today. Even if it wasn't for . . well you wouldn't be able to go back to work for at least another month or so." Gordon protested, Daniel shook his head.

"That's not so and you know it. It would be so for any ordinary patient, but I've not been ordinary have I? I'm ready Gordon, I'm fit enough. I can do nearly all of it, the only thing I can't do is house calls and we could trade those. I see more patients during surgery hours or something. I can do this Gordon and you know I can."

Daniel made his case, hoping he sounded more confident than he felt, he wasn't at all sure he could pull it off, but that was something only time could tell. He'd been born to be a doctor, it was a part of him as much as being a soldier was to a soldier, you just couldn't take it away.

"This hospital is now riding the wave, we wanted to modernise and hell we've modernised. So much so we're now more modern than some city hospitals. We're revolutionising the way emergancy medicine is practised, that means people have to change their way of thinking. Society has always said cripples are useless, but why is that so? The only difference between me and you is that you can walk and I can't. I'm just as good a doctor as you, well actually maybe not but that's experience something I can get. At least give it a try." Daniel finished, Gordon bit his lip, Daniel was right as he nearly always was. Meryl held her breath, he'd been convincing but then he always was.

"Ok, there's no harm in trying. I'll talk to Mr Caldwell about it in the morning. We'll see how it goes." Daniel nodded, pleased that he could now go back to work, he'd missed it badly. Part of him though was sad that it could only be this way because of what had happened, but at least a good thing had come from what was just a tragic accident.

"Thanks Gordon, guess I'll see you tomorrow." Daniel checked his watch, "No actually it's tomorrow already. I'll see you in a few hours." Gordon nodded and then watched as Daniel skillfully wheeled his was out with Meryl beside him, they made a good couple and if anybody deserved happiness it was them.

Gordon then looked at his watch and groaned, it was nearly 3AM, just time to go home get a few hours sleep and then be back here for eight thirty. He wanted to go home, he needed to see Jill, he hadn't seen her since lunch which he thought to himself was about the longest time they'd been apart since well, since he'd found out she was pregnant. He knew it was stupid but he had to see her regularly just to check she was still there, but he knew she always would be. They had a life together, everything was going to be alright.

In the iron lung room Lucy sat next to Jeff crying silently.
Camera fades out on Jeff's pale face

The End