In the Club Chapter 6, a casualty fanfic

Hey guys! Thank for your reviews! I thoroughly enjoyed writing this chapter- This wasn't supposed to happen but the fiction decided it was going to so it did! I brought Michael back into Connie's life to help her regain her old self, and by what happens in this chapter, will aid the woman to start regaining her confidence in her ability as a mother as well as other aspects of her life. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please read and review! And finally, massive respect and love for my gramps who battled with CPD for 18 years and sadly passed away 09.07.14. Always my hero. Miss you more and more each day- this for him & all of those suffering with CPD. Xxxx

Chapter Six

Connie stood in the reception, leaning against the desk with a frown stitched across her dainty face as she studied the piece of paper that was in her hands. Louise was sat opposite her in her swivel chair, staring at her, trying to figure out if the rumours were true. If only this woman would take a tiny step to the right, so that she could catch at least a little glimpse of her stomach, she'd definitely be able to certify the ED gossip.

Mrs Beauchamp glanced up from her paperwork at the receptionist, "Is there something I can help you with, Louise?"

"Well Mrs Beauchamp, I was just wondering if the r-" Noel suddenly slid next to Louise in his swivel chair, interrupting her, "Ah Mr Beauchamp has been requesting to see you. He's in ward-"

"I'm fully aware of Mr Beauchamp, thank you Noel." The clinical lead turned her attention to Louise, "What were you saying?"

Louise looked at her colleague who was urging her telepathically not to ask the boss whether or not she was with child, "I was just wondering if the.. The.." Noel sensed that Louise was having some trouble searching for an alternative question so he quickly intervened, "She was just wondering if the... the er..the receptionist! obviously meaning me," He paused, with a fake laugh, "had informed you about Mr Beauchamp's request. Which I just have, so no need to worry, Mrs Beauchamp!" Connie raised her eyebrows, shaking her head before she walked off down the corridor, not wanting to waste another minute of her life continuing a pointless conversation with them.

"Wait! Mrs Beauchamp! He asked to pass this onto you." Connie span around and took the envelope that Noel held out to her before turning on her heel and she wandered off to her office to read whatever her ex had written to her.

Con,

I know you don't want to visit me. That's fine. You're a busy woman. But I just wanted you to know that I think you're making the right decision about your baby. You can do anything you put your mind to. You'll be fantastic. Don't worry yourself so much, I know you have confidence- apply it within ALL aspects of your life.

Take care,

Michael x

She read the letter, feeling slightly guilty for not even sending her well wishes to him, but he'd be better soon so Connie decided not to drown herself too much within that guilt and instead she decided to take Michael's advice on board.

Connie took a deep breath before slowly opening the door to her ex husband's hospital room, she found her feet walking to his bed as he lay there sleeping. It had been three days since he had been admitted to the hospital after he'd been involved in a minor RTC, it wasn't his injuries from the accident that the doctors had decided to keep and observe him for, however. Michael had been diagnosed with constructive pulmonary disease a few years earlier and after he'd developed a chest infection within the week, it had caused his oxygen levels to drop considerably and his carbon monoxide levels had increased dramatically.

Mrs Beauchamp had received a phone call from Michael's doctor, who informed her she was his next of kin and that his condition was serious. And that it would only be a matter of hours.

Connie couldn't let this man die alone, nobody there to hold his hand or to say goodbye. Despite the years, she loved him, she cared about him.

"Hi Michael." She whispered gently to him, reaching to touch his hand.

The doctor who was stood beside the other side of the bed gently whispered, "I'm going to take his mask off now, Mrs Beauchamp. Is that ok?"

Connie glanced at the doctor, her eyes glazing over as she nodded her head. She watched the slowing of Michael's chest rising and falling, his lungs struggling to fight for the final time. After the doctor had left the room, the clinical lead stroked Michael's hand gently. Her mind felt so jumbled, like somebody had got a hammer to her thoughts and smashed them to pieces. Michael had been her first love, he'd been the first man to passionately kiss her with real love and lust all at the same time and what an incredible feeling that was, to feel as if your heart was fluttering around in your chest but in a wonderful way. He'd been the first man to propose to her, to get down on one knee and say those three words that every girl would love to hear. She remembered how ecstatic she felt when Michael had asked for her hand in marriage, she had thrown her arms tightly around him and they had locked in a passionate embrace that both of them silently wished to never end. Connie placed a gentle kiss on Michael's cheek, "You asked me once if I was happy with you. If I was content with spending my whole entire life with you. I didn't answer, I couldn't give you an answer. I wish you had asked me that several years earlier, because I would have told you that you did make me so incredibly happy. I didn't need anybody but you, and you didn't need anybody but me. We were inseparable, Michael. We were so in love that we were completely oblivious to the world around us, and that was so great. To love another person so much that everything around you becomes insignificant. I didn't realise at the time, but I don't think I've ever been so content with my life. It was perfect because I had you, we had each other." She paused, squeezing his hand gently, "But then success happened. My career happened. I forgot about you and my vision began to focus on the world that we'd became so blinded to. I didn't realise it happening, and I'm sorry that we were too late to fix it." Connie placed a soft kiss onto his hand as she focused on Michael's chest again.

Rising and falling.

"Thank you Michael." Her voice was gentle, "For asking me for directions under the bridge." She whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek as a smile toyed at her lips. She wiped her eyes with her free hand, "Death is a funny thing. No matter how sick somebody is, it's always a shock. The shock that you'll never ever see that person again, you'll never see their smile or hear their voice because they're gone. But it feels impossible that they have gone because they were fine the last time you saw them, they were laughing, they were smiling, they were talking- they were alive. And then it takes a while to register in your mind, it sounds silly but when dad died, it took me a while to realise he'd gone. Even seeing him in the chapel of rest, it didn't feel real. I couldn't feel a connection with that man lying in the coffin because he wasn't my father, my father didn't look like that. He didn't look so empty." She gazed out of the window, thinking of her dad and how she longed to see him. Just one more time, so that she could have the chance she never had to tell him how much he really did mean to her.

Her eyes wandered to Michael's chest again.

Rising and falling.

Her hand rose up to his cheek and she gently stroked it, "I'm sorry that you have to leave so early, Michael." Her voice was shaky, "You'll always occupy a special place in my heart. I mean that, you took the whole thing once upon a time, but didn't quite manage to take all of what remains." She smiled, "I'll never forget you, Mr Beauchamp."

Rising and falling.

"Sleep well, darling."

Michael's chest fell for the last time as he returned to an angel and his soul slipped away.