This was going to be the last chapter of Fractured - I wanted it all to take place on the day of the accident, but I am wondering about writing an extra chapter set a little way in the future where we find out if any of the characters have got the jobs and relationships they wanted. Would you like one more chapter? If not, thank you so much for reading, reviewing and enjoying this story and I hope you like this chapter.
bronny9, thank you for your pm review. I'm really happy you enjoyed the last update - I hope you'll like this one too.
Bonnie Sveen Fan, you won't have to wait for long to find out the news about Grace! Lofty would be brilliant with Rihanna and I doubt he'd be as squeamish as Max, so he'll help Dylan a lot. I didn't want any messy love triangles in this story - I want the brothers to love each other! Thank you for your review.
Guest, thank you for your review. I'm glad you liked the Zax. You'll find out in this chapter whether they'll get their happy ending or not. (I'm sorry for teasing you, but I don't want to give anything away!)
totti10, thank you for your review. I'm so glad you've enjoyed this and that you were happy when Rita and Iain reunited at last. I'm actually planning a story set about ten years in the future - it won't feature every character in depth, but Rita and Iain will be two of the major characters. Thank you for your review.
Tanith Panic, I don't think Cal was that bothered about Alicia, luckily. He only agreed to the date to keep Ethan happy. He might have a bit of hurt pride, but as you say, he has other things to think about! I think Dylan is very happy his friend is back. Imagine all the bromantic hugs! It could happen! Thank you for your review.
InfinityAndOne, I'm glad you liked Amira. I don't think she was very popular, but I liked her story and I wanted one of the regulars to appreciate her as a person, as well as a nurse. I think Ethan definitely does have a chance and this Alicia might even deserve him! I'm glad you liked the way I wrote Connie's emotions - she's always difficult to write. Thank you for your review.
"Yes!" said Max without hesitation. "Of course I will, Zoe. Yes."
Zoe hugged him tightly. "I love you, Max. I love you. And I promise, I will never hurt you again."
They parted when they heard a light cough.
"You asked us to let you know if there was any news about Mrs Beauchamp."
"I've spoken to social services," said Lily. "Considering Matilda's health concerns and the fact she's comfortable with us, they're happy for the three of us to look after her. I'm assuming you'll move in with Cal, Louise."
Louise had to laugh. "Sorry. I just never thought that was something I'd consider doing. But yeah." She smiled down at Matilda. "Your daddy's actually not nearly so much of an idiot as I thought he was."
Matilda giggled as though she knew exactly what Louise meant.
"Perhaps I should have said 'moving in with Matilda'," said Lily, and there was a definite twitch about hr lips. "We'll wait here until Matilda's been to cardiology. Then we'll leave as soon as Cal is ready."
"That could take a while," said Louise.
Lily did smile that time. "Then we'll have to wait to see what social services say."
"It seems wrong to hope we'll get to keep her," said Louise. "But…"
Lily considered. "Perhaps you are hoping you won't have to say goodbye."
"I feel fine now," said Lofty. "I'd like to help. I'm sure I don't need to be in Resus."
Dylan looked unconvinced. "If you really think you're fit to work, Ben, I'm booking you in for an MRI scan."
"Lofty, you've been through a lot," said Robyn.
Lofty looked helplessly at Dylan. "But you've all been through a lot All I've done is get between a bookcase and a floor."
"Well, all I've done is get between a piece of flying debris and the opposite wall," offered Robyn.
"You're a patient," said Dylan. "And not a particularly good one. So do as your told, don't make a fuss and I might discharge you later today."
"I just feel like I should do something," said Lofty.
"There will be a lot you can do," said Dylan. "We've all been through something very difficult and I should think most people will need support. I can't think of anyone who'd be a better support than you."
"Sorry, Ethan. I should probably take Matilda back to Lily and Louise," said Cal, as he took his daughter from Ethan.
Ethan didn't know what to do. He didn't want to leave Alicia when she'd been through so much, but he could guess how emotional Cal was feeling. He'd got his little girl back against the odds – but as things stood, he had no right to keep her.
"You'll see her when you get home," said Cal.
The tugging on Ethan's heartstrings became a wrench.
He felt Alicia touching his arm. "You go with them, Ethan. My dad's on his way. He should be here soon."
"I'll wait with you till he arrives," said Ethan firmly, taking her hand in his.
He glanced rather guiltily at Cal, but Cal was smiling. "No, I definitely don't think you should leave Alicia on her own after what she's been through, Nibbles. But don't worry. Matilda has to go back to cardiology as soon as they open properly, so we'll be here for a while. You just give me a call when Alicia's dad gets here and I'll let you know where we are."
"Okay," agreed Ethan, feeling slightly better.
"We'll see you later." Cal patted Ethan's arm. "Say goodbye to Uncle Nibbles, Toad."
Alicia made a face. "Why does he call you 'Nibbles'? And why does he call Matilda 'Toad'?"
"Matilda looks a bit like a toad," said Cal.
Alicia gasped. "She doesn't! She's beautiful!"
"A beautiful toad," amended Cal. "And Ethan is called Nibbles because he used to take really tiny bites of food when he was little. He still does, actually."
Ethan gaped at him. "But you told me it was when I used to play Hospitals with my toys and I decided Sally Strawberry had-" He broke off, blushing.
Cal looked uncomfortable. "Maybe I wasn't completely telling you the truth about that."
Rita held tightly to Iain as he kissed her. "I love you, Iain," she whispered when their lips finally parted.
"I love you too, Rita," said Iain. "And I'm going to help you through this. I promise."
"A-and I'll help you too," stammered Rita. "It's much worse for you than-"
She stopped as Iain placed a finger on her lips. "I know it's difficult not to compare, Rita. I've known other soldiers with PTSD. Some of them had limbs missing; some had seen their comrades die in agony. And then there was me."
"Iain, you can't compare-" Rita said without thinking.
Iain smiled. "Exactly. We can't compare. It's not easy - I still have days when I compare myself to the others. But the truth is we both need and deserve help. And we'll both get it."
Rita nodded. "Together."
"Together."
David and Amira both jumped when the text arrived. David felt as though he couldn't move.
He managed to turn his head enough to meet Amira's gaze.
"Go on," she said.
"Do you think…" David couldn't finish the sentence.
"Probably not at this time in the morning," said Amira gently. "But you won't know unless you look."
David nodded and slowly pulled his phone from his pocket. He started to laugh.
Amira looked startled. It was fair to say David didn't laugh in the way people expected him to. But then she smiled and started laughing too. "It's not Oliver then?"
"No, it's Charlie," said David. "One of the senior nurses. He probably hasn't been mistaken for a ten-year-old boy for nearly sixty years."
"I met him," said Amira. "I thought he was a moany old fogey. But he's all right."
"He's more than all right," said David. "And he wants to meet us in reception."
"Then let's go," said Amira.
Zoe and Connie hadn't done a lot of hugging when they'd worked together. but Zoe put her arms around Connie without thinking about it.
Connie didn't hesitate about hugging her back. "It's good to see you, Zoe. It really is."
"How Is Grace?" asked Zoe, when Connie released.
"She's alive," said Connie, "and even that is a miracle considering everything she's been through. But it's going to be a long, hard road for her, Zoe."
Jacob nodded sadly and put his arm around Connie.
"If there's anything I can do…" said Zoe inadequately.
Connie looked almost pleading. "Please… stay for a few more days? I know we didn't always get on, but apart from Jacob, you're the closest thing I have to a friend."
"I think you're selling yourself short there, Connie," said Zoe. "There are a lot of people downstairs who are genuinely worried about you. But I'm here for a week and I might be able to manage another week, considering what's happened."
"I would appreciate even one week," said Connie. "Grace…" Her voice cracked.
Zoe took her hand.
"She's in a coma," said Jacob. "We're waiting for the test results. Her injuries are very severe."
Connie spoke almost in a whisper. "Even if she does wake up, we don't know… if she'll still be Grace."
"She will always be Grace," said Zoe firmly. "She'll always be your little girl."
Charlie walked through the doors of the ED with Josh and Duffy. In thirty years, he must have walked through those doors thousands of times. He knew he'd do it a thousand more times if his body let him.
He found his colleagues gathered around reception. They looked tired, dishevelled and upset, but Charlie knew they hadn't given up yet. They couldn't give up – any more than he could.
Zoe gave them the news about Connie and Grace as clearly and calmly as she could. "I'm going to stay and support Connie for the next week or so."
She said no more, but Charlie hadn't missed the way she was holding tightly to Max's hand.
He hadn't missed the fact Rita and Iain were holding hands too.
But it wasn't just romantic relationships that had been renewed today. Dylan was gripping the handles of Lofty's wheelchair. If asked, he'd probably say he had to put his hands somewhere, but Charlie knew there was more to it than that.
And perhaps there was more romance to come. Ethan was blushing as he gave them the latest news about Alicia. "Her dad's with her now, but I'm sure she'd like to see you all. She'll probably be moved out of ICU today, though she'll be in hospital for a few days."
Cal looked positively emotional as he introduced the baby he was holding in his arms and explained her presence in the hospital. "She's going to stay with me for now. Louise and Lily have offered to help me care for her. I don't know if I'll be allowed to keep her, but I love her and I'll do everything I can to make her happy."
Charlie looked round at the others. "Look, I know this has been… well. what can I say? I just hope you don't have too many days like this again in the future in your careers. But this is far from over and we can't run away from that fact." He indicated Duffy and Josh. "So we – the old guard – are going to stop on until it's done and our lot are all safe. Now, if you need to go home, you have to consider that to be your absolute right to do that. And believe me, thirty years in this place, and the only thing that hasn't changed is the amount of work that the staff put in. Nobody appreciates that more than I do. But Grace, Connie, Alicia and Matilda depend on us from now on. Lofty, Robyn, Cal and Iain will be needing us for a while too – we'll all be depending on each other. So whether it's tonight or when you come back in tomorrow-"
"Charlie," said Elle. "I'm going to stay. Until we know."
Ethan nodded. "Yeah. I-I'd like to stay. I know I won't be much use with my arm, but I'd like to stay."
"Definitely," said Cal. "Matilda needs us, but we can care for her just as well in a hospital as we can at home – and she won't need us every minute."
Lily nodded. "I'll stay. I imagine the hospital is much more sanitary than Cal's bedroom. Not that we were all planning to go in Cal's bedroom."
"He'd be lucky!" said Louise. She faced Charlie. "I'm staying too."
Rita spoke hesitantly. "I'd like to stay and help if you'd let me."
"You're one of us, Rita," said Charlie, and watched in relief as everyone turned to reassure her of that.
"There's loads of food over in the pub if all you lot haven't eaten it," said Robyn. "We could bring it over."
Lofty smiled. "You can wheel me over and I'll carry it back on my lap."
Dylan frowned. "What did I tell you two about resting and looking after yourselves? I'll get the food. You can help us eat it."
"There's also, alcohol, if people need," said Max.
Charlie looked around at the others. They were all nodding; all agreeing to stay. "Okay: we'll get the food into the staff room and recharge our batteries. Then we'll do everything we can for each other." He paused. "I've always thought the ED was like a family. Now, I realise that isn't true. We're not just like a family. We are a family and I couldn't be more proud to be part of it."