Hello there! Thank you to those who left some positive reviews on the first chapter of this story! Considering Chapter 1 (by this website's automatic chapter system) was a prologue, the chapters will be out of sync a bit. I hope it doesn't confuse anyone like it will to me! I'm sorry about that. Also, I have little experience in funerals/memorial services (thankfully) so I was really stuck on this chapter (which is why it's short and a little rubbish). (This was meant to go up yesterday, and I apoligise that it didn't. In truth... I forgot...) Anyway, on with the second/first chapter!

Coping: Chapter 1- The Memory in our Hearts

The only sounds that could be heard in the silent church was the occasional sniff and murmurs of crying from Connie's daughter- Grace Beauchamp. She had her head resting on her father's shoulder- watching the front as her mother's coffin was placed down. There were some flowers arranged in a way that spelled out her mother's name. They were pink, red and yellow. Grace knew, for a fact, if her mother were to see them, she'd like them. That gave her the slightest but of comfort.

Zoe looked around in the church. It felt wrong to be mourning Connie. She hadn't started in the ED long ago, and she certainly hadn't been Clinical Lead for long. The role did suit her, it was a position made for Mrs Beauchamp. Since her death, Zoe had been offered the role, but she turned it down. It wasn't right. It wasn't right at all. She, along with Guy Self, had therefore been hunting down possible candidates. They never came to a decision. Zoe guessed it was partly because it was Connie's job. No one else suited it quite like she did.

Her mind drew back to the ED- where many distraught people were still working. Guy had managed to pull a few strings to allow many time off work to attend Connie's funeral, but a hospital needed staff. There were no two ways about it. One thing that struck her- like it did a few others- was a specific person who was currently sitting a few seats down to her left. Obviously, she didn't blame him from attending the funeral- but he seemed to actively find any excuse to avoid the one person closest to him. She noticed that Cal was working double shifts, he didn't have any time off and he would rarely make the way up to his brother. She forcefully focused on the proceedings in front of her, though. Caleb Knight was a different matter. When he was putting patients at risk- that would be the time to talk to him. For now, she was focused on the funeral of a friend.

Everyone watched as Sam Strachan slowly made his way up to talk about the woman he had Grace with- leaving the child in question to rest her head on her mother's shoulder- sniffing every now and again. Zoe knew, from the snippets about her personal life that Connie had spilled, that she and Sam had a very brief relationship- resulting in Grace. Apparently, they weren't that close- but he fathered her child.

Sam cleared his throat- evidently composing himself a little more, and started. "Connie's and my relationship was never the best. We had our good and bad moments- but in the end, it would always come down to one thing. The most precious thing in the world- especially in Connie's eyes. Grace is the spitting image of her mother," Grace smiled sadly. Although she would always feel halfway between neglected and loved, she was always told she was like her mother- and that Connie truly loved her- even if she may not show it. "Connie adored Grace, almost as much as she loved work," Guy chuckled at that, smiling slightly to himself, "Connie was a great doctor. I know that, and I'm sure all her colleagues know that as well. She was also a loving mother. If the slightest thing happened to the apple of her eye, Connie would be in pieces and try to do anything to save her daughter. That was one of the greatest things about our Connie. No matter what happens, her daughter would always be safe. She exceeded in everything she did- if it be parenting or work or saving people's lives. That's our Connie Beauchamp." Sam stepped down, and almost everyone felt a stray tear in their eye.

Everything proceeded. Everything continued. Some people stood and said a few words about the woman they lost, and others sat in silence- trying desperately not to cry at the loss. A week wasn't that long- and no one was alright. Not yet, anyway.

All watched on as the curtain was gradually hiding the coffin from view. Grace was crying slightly louder now and her father was holding her tightly- like she would disappear if he let go. Grace was burying her head in her father's chest- muffling her sobs into his shirt. The funeral director nodded questioningly at Sam and he nodded in answer. Slowly, he starting to walk towards the back exit. Sam picked his daughter up and followed- soon being followed by everyone else- ending the funeral service for Connie.

Outside, Sam managed to shake many of Connie Beauchamp's colleagues hands. Grace was still being held by him- still in pieces over the death of her mother. Guy was telling Sam about some recent happenings with Connie- and he was laughing sadly. It definitely sounded like she hadn't lost her spark after he moved abroad. Still the same old Connie. He knew Grace was listening, too. Even though she was not even double figures in age, she still seemed to mature. She was too innocent to lose her mother so young.

It broke Zoe's heart, still, to think that Connie was gone- and the funeral made it all too real.