Wow guys I'm surprised that there is still so many of you reading this after me leaving it so long! Thanks for the nice reviews I've had and the suggestions as to what to include. they're all great ideas some of which I will putting into my story so thanks :) anyway another short update follows :)

Connie lay on the gurney that was being rushed through the hospital she looked up at the bright hospital lights and reflected on the life she had lived. She had most certainly accomplished a lot in terms of her working life she had done everything she had ever wanted in those aspects. She had been Director of Surgery, run her own research campaign and was now clinical lead in emergency medicine. Having done all of that and achieved more than what most people achieve in a lifetime Connie still felt a large black void in her heart. Although she had given birth to a beautiful daughter she hadn't been a proper mother, she hadn't been there to tuck her daughter in at night, to read her stories, to listen to her silly childhood problems and for that Connie would regret. If she could take all of those accomplishments away and be the mother she wanted to be she would.

The sound of Zoe's voice brought her away from her thoughts.

"Connie Beauchamp. 42 year old female involved in a major RTC. She's tachycardic, oxygen saturation is slow and shes lost at least 30% of her blood volume. She's had major trauma to the head possible concussion and has a serious injury to her right arm. She's been in and out of consciousness and is at the minute responsive." Zoe wasn't going to leave Connie's side she was going to see her treatment through to the end.

"Connie can you hear me? It's Elliot." Elliot said shining a light in Connie's eye whilst at the same time moving with the gurney.

"Elliot?" Connie asked lifting her uninjured hand up. In turn Elliot clasped it in his own. The sight of his dear friend and usually one to keep her emotions to herself in such a state sent shivers down his spine and tears to his eyes.

"Yes Connie it's me. I'm going to make sure you get through this in one piece ok?" Connie nodded too weak to speak anymore.

"Ok lets get her into resus" Tess stated directing the gurney into the trauma room. They lifted Connie up onto one of the beds and Elliot and Zoe began to asses her.

"Ok lets do U's and e's and LFT's. Lets get some blood crossmatched." Zoe began directing as soon as Connie's body hit the bed. For the next few minutes everyone in the room was moving around frantically trying to get their bit done. Tess busied herself attaching wires and inserting pain relief into Connie. Zoe was listening to Connie's heart beat and checking her pulse. Elliot moved over to assess the injured arm.

"I think i can stop the bleeding lots like its coming from one of her arteries. As soon as the bleeding is stemmed I think.." As he was about to finish his sentence Connie mumbled something under her oxygen mask, shortly after her eyes rolled into the back of her head and the heart rate monitor began to beep erratically. Zoe quickly removed the stethoscope and sprang into action.

"Ok she's going into cardiac arrest!" Zoe shouted. Everyone moved into their positions, Tess cut through Connie's blouse and placed the pads in which Zoe placed the paddles on.

"SHOCKING!" Everyone stood back away from the bed. Although they had seen this before both Tess and Elliot flinched as Connie's body reacted to the shock.

"And again!" Zoe instructed. They waited a few seconds but still no change.

"Charge to 300. Shocking!" There was another pause until they heard the heart rate monitor beep again.

"We have output." Tess confirmed, releasing a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

"Ok we need to find out what caused that lets send her for a chest X-ray and CT scan and then we need to get her to theatre to sort out the arm." Zoe ordered still busing hresell reviewing Connie.

"It's going to be a long night." Tess said solumly passing Zoe to top up Connie's pain relief who was still unconscious from her cardiac arrest.

Elliot closed off the blood spilling artery and began lifting the railings up on Connie's bed. Max entered the room ready to take Connie for her chest Xray Zoe noticed this and approached him.

"I want her bumped up the waiting list if anyone gets in the way call me. Don't leave without the results." Max couldn't remember her acting this way with a patient before he didn't even think that Zoe liked Connie after everthing that went on with the Clinical Lead job and with Connie being the Ice Queen that she was well known for. With that Max started to wheel the bed to its destination with Elliot in tow. Before they left Elliotpulled Zoe to one side.

"Could you do me a favour?" He asked quietly so that no one else could hear.

"Of course, anything." Zoe replied enthusiastically wanting to do anything to help.

"Grace shouldn't be alone at this time. I know she has Charlie but I think she needs more than that." He knew that when Connie awoke and she heard about this she would be furious but Grace's needs at this time were more important than the fear of being in Connie's bad books. "I need you to make a long distance phone call for me and I need you to do it straight away."

Connie's Office

A knock at the door alerted both Charlie and an emotionally tired Grace. Grace looked at the individual walking into the office expectently. Zoe wasn't a child person she had never been able to get along with children very well. However Grace was very mature for her age which had a lot to do with having to fend for herself and having to grow a big backbone at such a young age. Zoe sat herself next to Charlie and wiped her brow.

"Hi Grace my names Zoe." Zoe said with a small smile. " I've been looking after your mum."

"She's here?!" Grace exclaimed "I want to see her!"

"Grace, your mum is very ill at the minute we've sent her to get a few tests done so we find out what's wrong with her. As soon as she's well enough I'll personally take you to see her"

"You mean you don't know whats wrong with her?" Grace asked slightly confused.

"Not quite no. But the tests that she's gone for should tell us." Zoe said. She didn't want to go into too much detail like saying that her mother heart had stopped because she didn't want to frighten her.

"My mum would know without doing tests. She's really clever you know, one of the best surgeons in the world." Grace replied proudly. At first Zoe thought it was an insult being thrown her way but after she knew that every child thought their parents were superheros.

"I'm sure she would." Charlie replied in Zoe's place.

"Listen Grace, I've made phone call for someone to take care of you while you mother is in hospital. Elliot gave me the number and they'll be here as soon as possible."

"I'm not going back with the Nanny! I hate the Nanny. And I don't want my Grandma either. I want to stay here so I can be here when mum gets back from her test." Grace had dramatically changed from the sweet little girl that Elliot and Charlie had been looking after to a little Madame with an attitude. In these circumstances it was to be expected but Zoe could see where Grace got her fire from.

"I haven't phoned either of them Grace. I've phoned your dad. He's on the plane back to England as we speak." Grace's face lit up.

"Dads coming here? To look after me and mum?" Grace asked gleefully. Charlie looked shocked he'd never seen Connie with a man before, he didn't even think her capable of having a daughter until he had met her. Connie wasn't one he expected to fall in love or have relationships although he didn't know whether Grace was a one night stand or not. Connie's personal life was a secret and now it was slowly unveiling itself bit by bit.

CasualtyFanForever81 you may recognise an idea or two :) good thinking! More updates to follow thanks again for your patience!