Sitting bolt up right, her head spinning from the sudden elevation, Sam beamed at the bed bound woman, awake and looking at her a startled expression on her face in response to Sam's sudden movement.
"Hey." Sam felt tears prick her eyes, knowing that now Jo was awake, the real assessment could begin to see if there was any brain damage resulting from the blow to her head. Jo smiled tremulously at Sam, opening her mouth to talk but only managing a weak croak. "Don't try to talk just yet Jo. You've had a tube down your throat to help you breathe, it might be a bit sore for a few days. I'm going to go get a doctor to check you over, ok? I'll be back in a sec." Sam went to leave the room but felt Jo grip her hand, fear plainly displayed, a single tear rolling down Jo's cheek. Moving closer to the head of the bed, Sam attempted to reassure the usually centred woman. "It's ok, you're safe now. No one's going to hurt you. We got him, the only place he's going is to jail, for a very long time." Sam reached for the call button on the wall, summoning a nurse so she wouldn't have to leave Jo, who obviously wished for Sam to stay. The blonde ran her hand down Jo's cheek, brushing the tear away. Without thinking, she leant in close, pressing her lips to Jo's forehead. The brunette's eyes flickered closed and silent tears coursed down her face at the show of affection, relieved that Sam still cared for her despite everything. Just as the nurse entered the room, answering the incessant beeping of the call system, Sam whispered to Jo, "Don't you ever scare me like that again, ok?" The question was rhetorical but Jo nodded anyway.
The nurse took in the newly conscious patient, checking her blood pressure and pulse rate before scurrying off to find a doctor, leaving the two women in companionable silence just happy to be together.
"The doctor's say you're going to need some TLC Miss Masters, think you could cope with being my house guest again for a while?" Sam entered Jo's side-room, armed with a large bunch of flowers courtesy of the entire relief.
"I don't know, Supergran, can I stand to be upstaged by my namesake?" Jo laughed, then regretted it as her chest reminded her why she was still in hospital.
"Who are you calling Supergran, Fishbait? Next time you want to reel a suspect in, can you give us a head's up first so we can hold your line for you?" Phil winked as he followed Sam into the side ward, perching on the edge of Jo's bed, teasing her about the plan almost costing Jo her life.
"Now, now children!" Sam placed the flowers on Jo's bed, leaning over the bed to kiss her forehead. "How are you feeling today?"
"Better thanks. These are gorgeous. I'll thank everyone next week when I'm back." Jo braced herself for the eruption she knew her statement would release.
"There's not a way in the world you'll be back in work next week young lady! Ten days ago, Phil and I rescued you from a man who stuck a knife in your chest, beat you half to death and did his best to re-enact the crucifixion with you in the starring role. If I have to take leave and sit on you to keep you in the house, you will give your body and your mind time to come to terms with what happened."
"Much as I would love to stay here and see that little scene for myself, I've gotta leave you two ladies (and I use the term in the loosest sense) to it, I have a hot date with Cindy later and if I don't get my paperwork finished on time, the only thing on the menu will be my… ears, which she will delight in chewing off!" Phil made his excuses, also planting a kiss on Jo's cheek with a wink at her astonished expression. "Make the most of your R&R, Fishbait, your ass is mine when you get back to work for having to haul that muppet off you!" Phil disappeared through the door, leaving Sam and Jo alone.
"I'm serious about taking time off to make sure you rest up, Jo. You went through a horrific ordeal, you need time to heal, your body especially." Sam filled the space vacated by Phil's departure, knowing that she would have fallen apart had Jo not made it. "I thought we'd lost you. I won't have you going back to work too soon, we need you firing on all cylinders there." Sam hid behind her professional façade, not sure Jo was ready to hear how hard it had hit Sam herself.
"I know you only want what's best for me Sam but the DCI's arranged counselling for me to sort my head out over what happened and my body's recovering well, even the doctor's say that. They're prepared to let me restart light duties in a week, trust them to know what they're talking about. He may have broken a few of my bones but that's all he managed to break. I was lucky and I'll be eternally grateful to you and Phil for risking your lives to save me," Sam thought she could hear the 'but' coming even before it left Jo's mouth, "but I need to get on with my life. If this has taught me anything it's that every moment we have is too precious to waste. I have to get back out there, put the bad guys behind bars."
"We'll see how you are in a week's time, that's the best I can promise and only on the proviso that you come home with me and let me shower you with the TLC the doctor's prescribed." Sam crossed her arms over her chest and pouted like a sullen child, determined not to concede the point to Jo, knowing that she was unlikely to want to return to her house a second time.
"You've got yourself a deal…Supergran! When do I get to meet my gorgeous namesake then? I can't believe Abi named him Joseph because of me, I need serious words with that girl!" Jo grinned, taking in the fondness in Sam's expression at the mention of her newly extended family after receiving a playful punch on the arm for the use of Sam's new nickname.
"I can think of worse role models for him and better you than his second namesake – I'd rather he took lessons in life from you than from Phil, we don't need another sex addict in Sun Hill! I can get Abi to bring him by later if you like, she's dying to see you, check for herself you're still in one piece." Sam absentmindedly ran her hand down Jo's arm, as if she too needed proof that she was really ok.
"Will you be back later too?" Jo had gotten used to Sam's frequent, if brief visits to her bedside, having been ecstatic to introduce her to her parents, both of whom had been suitably gracious.
"I'd have thought you'd have had enough of me by now. I'll see what I can do. You should get some rest, you look exhausted." Sam rose from the bed gathering the flowers and passing them to a passing nurse before collecting her coat and preparing to return to work to finish off her days paperwork.
Without thinking, or maybe due to her fatigue, Jo quietly spoke the words which had formed in her mind, "I could never have enough of you."
Elated by the admission, however unintended, Sam took one of Jo's hands tenderly in her own. "In that case, I'll definitely see you later. Sleep well, you'll need your energy for a Nixon invasion this evening!" Sam smiled impishly, stooping to place a kiss on Jo's cheek, feeling her contented sigh tickle her earlobe as she leaned in close. Pulling back, she looked deep into the eyes she had become so fond of, wondering if her overzealous senses were tricking her or if Jo really was tracing the shape of her lips visually, an expression of longing lurking amidst the weariness. Despite the kiss they had shared before Jo's abduction and the assurance that both wanted to see how things developed, recent events had put paid to any further exploration of their feelings. Now it seemed both were unsure how to resurrect the opportunity, Sam reluctant to put Jo under any more emotional pressure, Jo afraid that she would mess up. "I'll erm…I'll let you rest." Sam stuttered, tearing her gaze away with considerable difficulty and breaking the spell between them.
"Jo was asking after you both today. She'd love to see you and is very impatient to meet this little fella." Sam chucked her grandson on the cheek as she addressed her daughter. "I told her that we'd try and pop in later if that's ok with you?"
"Are you kidding? Of course it's ok with me! You know how much I want to see her." Abi was elated at finally getting the chance to see the woman she considered a friend. "Did you talk to her today, tell her how you felt?" The astute young mother had seen how Sam had been losing sleep, too much on her mind to relax.
"No, I didn't get a chance. Besides, I'm not sure right now is the best time. She's been through so much, I don't want to push her into something she's not ready for." Sam busied herself making a coffee, knowing that she was delaying telling Jo more for fear of rejection than for Jo's capability to deal with the knowledge.
"The longer you leave it the more she's going to think you don't want to talk about it and then it'll start to drive a wedge between you. It's not going to go away and I don't think either of you would want it to. Stop allowing your fear to prevent you from finding happiness. You're so much more relaxed around her, so free and happy. If you only gamble once in your whole life Mum, take a chance on Jo. Talk to her, tonight, tell her how you feel – how the thought of losing her made you feel." Abi turned and walked from the room taking her son with her, leaving Sam to mull over the words of wisdom.
Jo looked up as her door opened, hoping for some release from the tedium of hospital life. Her face broke into a huge grin as Abi bundled through the door, her not so tiny son slumbering soundly in her arms.
"Hi, how are you?" Abi crossed the small room, Sam trailing in her wake laden with a bag full of necessities for the travelling babe. She leant over the bed kissing Jo's cheek and carefully settling her son into Jo's waiting arms. Jo let his weight rest on her right arm, still contained in a sling to give her shoulder chance to heal, supporting his head in the crook of her left shoulder as she gazed down at him.
"Hi Abi, he's gorgeous! He's going to be a bruiser, look at the size of him already." Sam stood back, watching her daughter and grandson be coo-ed over by the brunette, a fond smile illuminating her features.
"He was ten three when he was born." Jo raised her eyebrows at Abi's statement, pursing her lips as she thought of passing something so large through a comparatively small opening.
"Wow. How are you finding motherhood?" Jo seemed genuinely interested in hearing about Abi, all the while switching her gaze between the new mum and her son, placing one finger in his hand and watching in awe as he gripped onto it, steadfastly refusing to let go.
"It's tough but Mum's been great. I don't know what I'd have done without her." Sam smiled at her daughter, happy to take a back seat while Jo became acquainted with the newest Nixon.
"What's with calling him after me? Did they give you too much gas and air when he was being born?" Jo grinned at the young girl to show she was pulling her leg.
"Joe's a good name and if he grows up to be anything like you, I'll consider it a job extremely well done. I'm planning on having him baptised. I know it's early days yet and feel free to say no if you want to but, I was wondering if you'd consider being a God-parent?" Abi blushed as she asked Jo, rubbing a finger down her son's cheek. When Jo failed to answer immediately, both Nixon women looked at her, finding her fighting back tears.
"Abi, I'd be delighted to." Jo let out a short bark of derisory laughter at her own mushiness. "Look at me, I think someone left a tap running when they stopped that bleed in my head – I seem to cry at the drop of a hat just now." Sam approached the bedside for the first time since arriving, wondering if holding Joseph had made Jo consider what it would be like to have a child or whether she was thinking about Tessa's impending birth.
"Give it time, I'm sure everything will settle down again. Did you see the doctor today? Has he said when you can come home?" Sam thought it wise to change the subject, glad to see Jo's mood brighten instantly.
"He said that he's happy to discharge me tomorrow morning." Jo liked the way Sam referred to it as 'coming home' even though she would be a guest in their home, it made her feel secure.
The three women chatted for a while until Joe junior decided it was supper time and started grizzling to be fed. Abi took him back from Jo, excusing herself as she went in search of somewhere private to feed her son, knowing it would also give her Mum opportunity to speak to Jo about their relationship.