For Mel! You may remember this it was originally posted on the BBC's Casualty Boards, more updates when I find the rest of it.


I tucked my guns back into my waistband and prepared to dive into the thick jungle swamp,

I swatted away a jungle fly that threatened to bite, I made it safely to the other side of the swamp and hoisted myself out, only to come face to face with a ….

'Beep beep beep… beep beep beep' I sat bolt upright as I brought my hand down on top of my alarm clock to shut off the incessant 'beeping'.

Laying back I recalled what I had been dreaming about- Being Lara Croft.

"Stupid alarm clock, you ruined my dream" I said out loud knowing it was just me and my tropical fish in the flat. I rolled over onto my stomach and thought about phoning in sick- there were a lot of things I could get done if I took the day off, like fixing the dodgy pipe in the bathroom, fixing the leaky tap in the kitchen, cleaning out the fish tank, separating the babies from the adults.

Oh what the hell I thought, I need the money and I can't let a little problem keep me away from the job I love.

I dragged myself out of bed and into the shower, I wrapped a towel around my body as I made my way out of the bathroom. I let my towel fall to the floor as I brushed my hair in front to the mirror, picking up my hairdryer, the doorbell rung. I sighed- picking up my towel I made my way downstairs to answer the door.

Wrenching open the door I found Patrick Spiller stood on the doorstep holding a bunch of roses,

"How did you find out where I live?" I said sharply before he could speak,

"I looked it up on the computer"

"How dare you!" I screeched

"If you're going to be like that" Patrick said turning away

"I'm sorry" I said softening, I found it sweet that he had come to find me after yesterday's little problem

"Come in" I said stepping back to let him in, "Come through to the lounge, I'll go and get dressed" I grabbed the towel as it began to slide revealing far more leg than I would have liked

"Nice legs Stone" Patrick said quirkily closing the door behind him, I led him through to the lounge

"Wait here, I'll just get dressed" I smiled and hurried back upstairs.


I looked for my lilac shirt and finally found it screwed up in the wardrobe, slipping on my trousers, I hung my stethoscope round my neck and made my way downstairs clutching my shirt

"Nice to see you're not shy!" Patrick smiled

"Oh!" I shrieked in mock horror "You shouldn't be looking Patrick Spiller" I carried on into the kitchen and got out the iron

"Nice place you've got here" Said a voice behind me making me jump

"Sorry didn't mean to make you jump, here let me do that" Patrick said noticing me struggling to get the water into the iron.

"I'm fine" I said defiantly "Shit!" I swore loudly realising I'd be late for work if I didn't get a move on.

"Here these are for you" Patrick said handing me the red roses

"Aww thank you" I said blushing a deep shade of crimson.

Patrick took the iron off me,

"Coffee?" I said flicking the switch on the kettle

"Yeah, please" Patrick replied smirking

I pulled out two mugs and a bowl:

"Do you mind if I eat breakfast?" I asked although I knew I should be allowed to do what I wanted in my own house

"No of course not, I don't want to make you late for work"

"You won't" I said though a mouthful of Shreddies

"Here's your shirt" Patrick said as I stuck out one arm for him to put it on

"What did your last slave die of?" He quipped

"Exhaustion" I shot back sliding my other arm into my shirtsleeve.

"Lazy!"

"I know"

"Did you want me to button your shirt as well?"

"Nah, I can do that bit" I smiled

I stood up bowl in hand dropping it into the sink, I buttoned up my shirt. Going into the lounge I dropped some food into the fish tank and watched the fish snatch it.

"Do you want a lift?"

"Yeah if you don't mind, it'll save me the hassle of getting a space, you can have the hassle instead" I smiled

"Nope, I'm not on 'till ten"

"But…but…I mean its putting you out by dropping me in" I stuttered, stumbling over my words

"Nah its not, if you give me your car keys, I'll leave my car at the hospital and bring yours in when I come in at ten"

"If you're sure" I said doubtfully, grabbing my bag, keys and mobile

"I wouldn't suggest it if I wasn't" Patrick snapped

I looked at him scornfully as I shut the front door behind me. The next time I spoke we were speeding towards Holby:

"So what time you off? I asked nosily

"Well I'm on at ten, off at six and not back until six tomorrow morning, you?" Patrick replied not once taking his eyes off the road

"On at seven as you know, off at three, back on at five, so I get to go to bed for one hour and forty minutes"

"And I get to go to bed for a whole eleven hours- woohoo!"

I laughed as Patrick applied too much sarcasm and made it sound like he hated going to bed. Patrick pulled up outside Holby and before I knew it I was kissing him gently. I pulled away suddenly, shocked at what I had done.

"Thanks for the lift, here's my keys" I said dropping them on them into the seat behind me. I closed the door behind me and jogged into the staff-room, I made coffee wondering why on earth I kissed him- it wasn't like I fancied him

"Go on Lara admit it" I heard a voice in my head say, Alright I'm really interested in him but could my heart stand being broken again if it all went wrong?

My last relationship was a disaster, two words that spell trouble: Luke Warren. I loved Luke and I thought he loved me until he ran off with his ex-wife Bex- our receptionist. What made it worse was the fact that Bex and me had just started to become friends.

I sat down heavily, tears threatening to spill down my cheeks, yesterday Luke left me and Patrick was so insensitive that I had to go home.


I stood up coffee cup in hand and walked over to the sink, I rinsed it out and left it upside down on the draining board, reading the oddly familiar words. I heard voices coming from reception, I looked out of the window and saw that Jack, Anna and Dillon had it sorted so I went back to reading the words on my mug:

'Lara (from the Latin Lareaus meaning Angel)
She strives to achieve perfection in everything she does.
A true diamond, her warm, caring and loving personality shines for miles all around. Something of an action woman.
The caring compassionate nature makes her ideal as a doctor or nurse'

"How strange" I thought, looking at the mug next to mine I saw it was Anna's, out of curiosity I read hers as well:

'Anna (From the Latin Annea meaning lively spider)
Youthful and energetic many people find just watching Anna tiring.
Due to her boundless energy, she is best suited to being a children's entertainer'