Tuesday Afternoon, Holby City Hospital

Darwin

Jonny exited Bay 2 after changing Mr Jarrett's drip to see Jac in the arms of another man, literally being enveloped in his hug. He felt an instinctive surge of jealousy before his conscious mind intervened with the realisation that the man who was holding Jac must be Daniel. And he felt the sudden and quite alarming anger that had bubbled up unbidden when he'd first spotted the couple dissipate almost as quickly as it had come on him. So this was the famous Daniel, he thought.

Daniel, whom Jil had announced to the staff at the nurse's station, on one of her comfort break expeditions, she was going to have to apologise for in advance. 'He's slightly more over-protective than Jac," she'd explained, "and much, much less knowledgeable. So I'm sorry but he'll be asking you all sorts of stupid questions and making all sorts of stupid requests. So please just ignore him and, if he gets too annoying let me know and I'll try to sort him out'.

Daniel who, Jonny knew, Jil had still refused to call when Jac went to see her as soon as they arrived on the ward, in, he was pleased to note, plenty of time for their revised start-time. He had watched the latter part of their discussion, after getting changed, from the nurse's station whilst he was waiting for Gwen to finish on the phone so she could update him on the news from handover. And though he had no idea what they were saying, he could tell that Jac was trying to persuade Jil of something, but that she was having none of it. His impressions confirmed when Jac, finally realising that she wasn't going to overcome Jil's implacable refusal to do what she wanted, stopped trying and after giving her one of the looks that, if it'd had been directed at anyone else would have made them agree immediately to any suggestion she'd made, walked off. 'She reckons he'll still be asleep' she'd said, 'she said she's not going to phone him till after I've done my first operation so that I can explain everything to him. But she doesn't seem to think it's worth risking waking him up to tell him that's she here. Honestly, she's so stubborn! Which means I need everything ready to go as soon as possible with my list – could you try and get everybody onto it please?' she'd asked, before heading to the locker room to get changed. And Jonny had got everyone working on it, so that by the time she'd emerged on to the ward in her scrubs, and had, spotting Elliott had a discussion with him (Jonny presumed about Jil) Mrs Derwent was just being wheeled from Bay 1 towards the operating theatre, waving to Jil, Beth and Rosie as she went. So Jac was able to escape to the sanctuary of surgery, and for a time to have something to focus on that wasn't Jil-related.

Daniel, who according to Jac had taken the news that Jil had, if not exactly lied to him, certainly not been a hundred percent truthful with him last night, remarkably well, 'much better than I would have done anyway. The cheeky mare even asked him to bring her laptop and some of her box sets down when he comes – and he will too. I wouldn't, but he will – he'd do anything for them, he's totally besotted, still.' And who had, according to Jac not seemed too panicked when she'd spoken to him to try and explain what was going on. 'He had lots of questions but I think I managed to convince him that she was OK for now. I didn't mention surgery either, which probably helped'

Daniel, who Jonny decided it was high time he met. So he walked purposefully over to where he and Jac were talking, noticing with another, what he knew was, irrational flash of jealousy, that he still had a hand on Jac's arm. Jac must have seen him coming in her peripheral vision because she turned towards him and smiling said, "Jonny, this is Daniel." Then turning back to Daniel said, "Daniel this is Jonny."

"Pleased to meet you." Jonny said, holding out his hand, preternaturally pleased to see that Daniel would have to move his hand from Jac's arm in order to shake it.

"Same here" Daniel replied, extending his hand, "It's really good to meet you at last - Jil's told me such a lot about you."

'Now that's unexpected' Jonny thought, 'I wonder why neither of them mentioned that?' "All good I hope?" he asked, as they broke off their handshake.

"Oh, much better than good!" Daniel said smiling, "she's a big fan of yours. If I didn't know her so well I might even be jealous the way she's been singing your praises since she was last down."

"Is that so?" Jonny said, turning to Jac with a very smug smile on his face, "seems like you might have a bit of competition," he continued.

"In your dreams Maconie," Jac replied, "Jil's got heart problems, she's not borderline insane like me."

Before Jonny could think of a suitable reply, the call bell system sounded and looking round he saw there was no-one else at the nurse's station to answer it. "Sorry," he said looking at Daniel, "I've got to.."

"Oh yeah, of course," Daniel replied, "go on. We'll get better acquainted later, yeah," he called after Jonny.

"Of course" Jonny called back, before heading off to see Mrs Thele.

As he came out of the side room he heard a burst of laughter coming from Bay 1, and reaching the nurse's station saw Rosie sitting on the end of Jil's bed, with Beth practically hanging out of hers, with Jac sitting between their two beds and Daniel on the other side of Jil's. Someone had obviously just said something very funny because he could see that they were all still amused – and he was especially pleased to see that Jac seemed to be having a good time. He had been worried that she wouldn't take her breaks today, instead preferring to remain in theatre all day to avoid the uncertainty that swirled around the ward with regard to Jil. However, these fears had not been realised, and though he really could have done without Jac's outburst, if that's what you could call it, at lunchtime, he didn't think they'd done too badly in the circumstances. …

ooooooooooooo

"Where is everybody?" he'd asked a harassed looking Tara as he came back from a loo break to find the nurse's station empty and the call bell panel lit up like a Christmas tree.

Tara, who looked like she was either about to start juggling or drop the files and folders she was holding, said "I don't know about Steve but I think Suraya and Lynn are getting carpeted by Miss Naylor."

"What? Why?"

"Something about obs I think" Tara replied, uncertainly, "she didn't really say just ordered them into her office. Sorry, I can't help" she continued, indicating the panel, "but I've got to do all…"

"It's alright," Jonny interrupted, "I'll sort it." And so saying, headed off towards Jac's office. As he reached the door he heard her raised voice which caused his heart to sink,

'..upid of me to expect people to actually do their jobs. I mean how ridiculous a concept would tha.." She was stopped mid-sentence by Jonny opening the door

"The call bell's going crazy" he said, with no preamble, "I need them" indicating with his head the two nurses standing in front of Jac's desk, "on the floor. Now"

Jac glared at him, but, as she could hear the call bell herself couldn't really deny his request. "Fine" she'd snapped, "Go!" an order directed at the two nurses, who almost ran out of the room. "But," she'd said to Jonny as he left the office, "that is not the end of this."

'No' he'd thought to himself, 'it certainly is not!'

Later, when the call bells had been answered, lunch had been served and things were as calm as they ever were likely to be, he again made the short journey from the nurse's station to Jac's office. He knocked this time, a courtesy he hadn't even considered on his last trip, and waited to be invited in, which he was, after just long enough to be considered rude.

He walked into the office to see Jac staring stony-faced at him, she waited for him to close the door before beginning. "I don't want to hear any excuses – it's just not good enough. 30 minute obs are 30 minute obs for a reason and when I ask for them to be done I expect my instructions to be followed."

"Jac"

"Don't Jac me," she snapped, "All I want is for people to actually do the jobs they're meant to, that they're paid for. Surely that's not too much to ask for?"

"Well, in that case," Jonny replied, "why don't you let me do the job I'm paid for? I'm ward manager – the nurses are my responsibility, and if you have a complaint about any of them you should come to me, and I'll sort it."

"Well maybe if you were better at your job and actually managed the nurses I wouldn't need to complain."

"That's not fair Jac, and you know it." Jonny said. "We're short-staffed again and everybody's working flat out, doing their best – but you have to realise Jil is not our only patient."

"You think I don't know that? I've just operated on two of them, which" the words spilled from her, giving voice to her fears and frustration, before she had a chance to censor them, "is more than I'll be able to do for Jil." And Jonny knew at once what this was all about – Jac was desperately trying to exert as much control as humanly possible over the little she could about Jil's treatment. He knew that surgery was looking more and more likely and that Jac would be able to play absolutely no part in it if, indeed, it came to that. She would have to put her trust, and more importantly the life, no lives he corrected himself, of two of the most precious people in her life, into the hands of someone else. And he knew how difficult that concept was to accept, doubly so for Jac, who was so used to being in control - the one who saved people and who, he knew, would do almost anything for Jil. "It was bad enough before," Jac continued, "but at least then I wasn't properly qualified, so, I don't know, it didn't feel so bad. But now, now I'm a qualified bloody C.T. surgeon, a consultant and all I'll be able to do is watch. And I know it's Elliot but….but it's Jil and, and I should be doing more – she's my best friend for godsake. It should be me looking after her – that's my job, it's what we do."

"Oh Jac sweetheart," Jonny began, but then realised that he didn't know what else to say. Knew, in fact, that there was nothing he could say that would make this better, so instead he walked round to the back of her chair put his arms round her and kissed the top of her head. "I'm so sorry" he said, reasoning that that was the best he'd be able to do

"Not half as sorry as I am" Jac replied, "Bloody BMA and their stupid rules!"

"Hey,"

"I know, I know!...I know why they say it, and I know they're right to, but that doesn't mean I have to like it, does it?" She said, tilting her head back to look up at him.

"No, I don't suppose it does," he admitted, smiling sympathetically down at her before leaning over to kiss her forehead. "But," he continued, walking out from behind her chair and turning it slightly as he did so, so that they were facing each other, "you can't take your frustrations out on everyone else."

"Why not?" Jac asked, "it's what I always do. You think they'd be used to it by now. I mean, it's hardly a new thing is it – me shouting at people?"

"Well no," Jonny admitted, "no I don't suppose it is, but" he continued "that's not to say it's OK, because it's really not, not by any stretch of the imagination."

"But," Jac protested, "if people just did what they were asked to, when they were meant to, then I wouldn't get frustrated, so I wouldn't need to shout. It's quite simple really."

"Oh Jac," Jonny, who had got Suraya and Lynn's version of events after the call bells had been dealt with, gently admonished, "you know nothing is ever that simple on a ward like ours! The obs were done late, but that was because we're a nurse and a HCA down today and there's only so much everybody else can do, and sometimes other things have to take priority. And," he continued, trying to pre-empt whatever it was Jac seemed about to say, "I'm sorry about that – I really am, and I've been trying to sort the staffing situation out since this morning to no avail. And before you ask – yes I am still trying."

"Right, OK." Jac said, although she didn't sound entirely convinced, "just try and make sure that it doesn't happen again. And," she continued, remembering something Jonny had said earlier, "it's not because it was Jil that I was annoyed, I was just as angry that everybody else didn't get their obs done on time. Well," she admitted, "maybe not quite so angry, but I still was"

"I know, I know," Jonny replied. And he did know, he had never had cause to doubt Jac's commitment to any of her patients and although it was obvious that Jil was a special case he did realise that she would have been pretty peeved whoever it was. "It's just you have to remember that sometimes"

"things happen." Jac finished for him, "and I know that too. Really I do, but well that doesn't mean I'm not going to complain about it. On which point – do you need me to phone anyone to get you some more staff, because I'd be more than happy to."

"I'm sure you would," Jonny answered with a wry smile, "but no. Thanks for the offer but think I'd rather handle it myself."

"Suit yourself," Jac said. "But I'm sure I'd be able to kick them in to touch so…"

"That's what I'm afraid of" Jonny said very quietly to himself earning himself a suspicious look from Jac who nevertheless continued,

"…if you change your mind, well, you know where I am."

"I certainly do" Jonny agreed, thinking 'and if I need a sledgehammer to crack a nut I'll know exactly where to come. "But you don't need to worry – I'll get it sorted.

"Ok" Jac said, not sounding particularly convinced.

"I will" Jonny persisted, smiling in that really annoying way that Jac hated (because it made him look so appealing and because it was so difficult to resist) "I promise."

"Alright, alright, I believe you," Jac replied, finding it impossible, yet again, not to respond to him with a smile of her own. "Well, go on then," she continued, determined to prove that he couldn't completely charm her, "get to it. I'm expecting to see at least one extra member of staff on the ward by the time I've finished my paperwork, sooo…."

"So, I'll go and sort that then" Jonny finished for her, before walking over to the door.

"Yep," Jac said continuing sarcastically, as if to prove that she hadn't gone soft, "brilliant idea. Well done!" But Jonny, who knew what she was doing, and why, just ignored the tone of her voice and replied.

"Glad you think so too. It's nice to know you recognise genius when you see it!" before opening the door and heading back towards the nurse's station. And Jac, realising that he'd managed to have the last word, could only smile, before she too got back to work.

ooooooooooooo

So, Jonny was more than pleased to see Jac sitting down and seemingly enjoying herself. He was still worried about the strain she was under but wondered if, now that Daniel was here, that burden would lighten somewhat – he could only hope that would be the case. His musings were interrupted by the call bell sounding, 'No rest for the wicked' he thought to himself, 'which obviously means' his train of thought continuing as he glanced smiling at Bay 1 once more, as he got up, 'that Jac isn't such a wicked witch as she pretends to be.'