When connie woke the next day, she was in bed and sun was shining brightly into the room. When she turned to check the time, she found the alarm clock gone and a note from jacob resting there instead. "I've sorted cover for a few days so stay right where you are, and I've told the girls you hurt your face tripping in your heels. They've both done it, so they didn't question it. I'll be back with them about 4, and i hope I find you a little less connie Beauchamp and a little more connie masters. Love you."

"So, what happened last night?" Jacob asked Robyn casually. As the gossip, she was bound to know.

"She didn't tell you?" Robyn frowned.

"She told me a version of it that i know isn't the whole truth. Come on, Robyn! I know you know." Jacob smiled at her.

She was confused. If Connie hadn't told Jacob about what had happened in resus, then maybe she should refrain from telling Jacob? Connie didn't do anything without having a good reason to. Everyone knew how loved up they were, she didn't want to ruin that by divulging information that wasn't hers to give.

"What did she say, Jacob?"

"Robyn, come on. I'm not falling for that."

"For what, I didn't-"

"I don't want you to try and protect her."

Robyn's face fell in confusion, and she looked up at Jacob as his smile disappeared.

"Please, Robyn. Something isn't right and she's already got so much on her plate right now. She barely slept last night, and if what she says happened did happen then she would have been fine, I'm sure. But she isn't."

Robyn noticed how his voice cracked a little and got quieter, and she reached out an arm instinctively but retracted it quickly.

"Not here. People think you know, so me telling you would look odd. Staff room?"

He nodded, his stomach twisting anxiously. He hoped that Connie had taken the opportunity to relax and sleep, what with her cover organised and the girls out, and he would go home this evening, and do what he needed to do to make things right.

"Okay." Robyn shut the door and went to sit at the table, motioning for Jacob to take the seat opposite. She was confused as to why Connie hadn't told Jacob the truth, and she wanted to know what she had told him for him to not believe her. She fiddled with her hair before she started speaking, propped up on her elbows and faking as much confidence and surety as she could.

"She fainted. She was checking some monitors and she said she needed to step out, so we gave her some space. Cal tried to catch her as she was falling but she caught her cheek on whatever was in his hand-"

"Cal was there?" He had seen the doctor multiple times already this shift, he hadn't said a word. Robyn had said that everyone would have thought Connie would have told him and that was why she was off, but even so...

"He took her to the staffroom to try and calm her down. I don't know what happened after, I'm sorry."

"Oh, I do." He whispered, so quietly that Robyn nearly missed it.

She would have shouted at Cal, and asked to be left alone so that she could compose herself, before beginning to think rationally about how to cover it up so he wouldn't worry.

"You won't tell her I told you, will you?" Robyn finally asked, concerned.

"Course not." Jacob smiled. "Listen, I don't suppose I could ask a favour?"

At home, Connie usually just wore underwear and a singlet to bed, and when she finally decided to get up, she found nothing that looked comfortable and warm in her wardrobe. In frustration, she'd opened Jacob's side, and small though it was she quickly found a warm jumper that flooded her frame. Slipping her feet into the unworn slippers she'd received from Grace years ago, Connie then made her way towards the kitchen.

When Jacob arrived home, she was lying on the couch watching a bad midday movie and was curled up under one of Ava's blankets. She didn't seem to hear him come in, but jumped when he was suddenly in front of her. "Is it 4 already?" She glanced at the clock, confused.

"No, I've come home early." Jacob replied as he slid off his shoes, trying to keep the concerned frown away despite the state he'd found his wife in. He didn't think he'd ever seen her watch a midday movie, even when she was sick, and she'd definitely never worn his clothes or a pair of slippers.

"Why?" Connie questioned, pushing herself to sit up

"I know I might look like superman, sweet cheeks, but even superman gets tired." Jacob sat beside her and then pulled her back into his chest so she could lie back again.

"But who is-" Connie began.

"It's sorted." Jacob yawned, pulling the blanket back over Connie's bare legs, though she'd kicked it away as soon as she'd seen him. "This movie any good?"

Connie shook her head but made no move to reach for the remote. Instead, she slipped a hand under Jacob's shirt to rest against his skin as she settled down to watch the rest of the movie.

Despite actually being tired, Jacob just watched her. He knew that she probably knew why she'd fainted, and he was desperate to ask her, but he knew if he pushed her too soon, she'd clam up. So instead, he just dropped a kiss to her hair and contented himself with just staying here with her until he had to go and pick up the kids.

"I'm sorry."

His head turned towards her when she spoke, for the first time in nearly an hour.

"What for?"

She didn't answer, but gestured down towards herself as if to say "this."

"You're beautiful." He murmured, catching her chin with his finger and lifting it so he could see her eyes. He kissed her lips softly, noticing how she didn't deem to really respond, before pulling away and watching her head settle into his side. Her legs were curled up on the sofa next to her, and she was so quiet. Not even because she wasn't talking, but her body was just so quiet and unresponsive to him, to anything.

"There's nothing for you to feel like you need to apologise for."

She nestled closer into his side, shutting her eyes again and placing her hand on his ribs. He put an arm around her and stroked her back gently, and checked his watch to see that he had fifteen minutes until he needed to leave. His eyelids felt heavy, but he didn't dare to give in to sleep whilst she was still not herself, just in case she suddenly turned or fainted again perhaps.

"My head..." She whispered more to herself than to him, pressing her fingers just above where the steristrips held the skin together.

"Con, what's happening?" He released his arm around her to sit straighter, instead taking her hands and caressing them, worriedly. He still couldn't understand why she didn't tell him what had actually happened.

She still kept her head turned slightly away so she wouldn't need to look into his eyes and see the concern she knew was in them. Pulling her hands gently from his, she sat up too, pulling her knees to her chest before hugging them tightly to herself. "It's just been so strange recently...Grace..."

"I know, but things are getting better, things are settling down." Jacob reached out a hand to brush away the curtain of her hair that was stopping him seeing her face. After tucking it behind her ear, Jacob let his finger's brush a stray tear away from her cheek. "Please talk to me."

Connie swallowed, shutting her eyes tightly as she shook her head. "I can't. It can't happen."

"What can't happen? You're scaring me, Connie." Jacob moved closer and met with little resistance when he pulled her back against his chest. Legs still pressed tightly to her body, Connie unlinked her arms to wrap them around Jacob's neck as she buried her face into him, still shaking her head. "Are you sick?" He finally managed. She could feel his heart beating harder and faster in his chest, and she knew then that he was scared, but yet she still couldn't bring herself to tell him.

"You need to go or the girls will be waiting." She managed to get out, but her voice caught in her throat and wobbled so much that instead of releasing his hold, Jacob just tightened it.

"Talk to me. Maybe I can help." Jacob attempted, the frown on his forehead deepening as she just shook her head again.

"I can't. I can't." Connie repeated, but when she shook her head, she made the mistake of catching Jacob's eye, and when she saw the concern in it, she couldn't stop the words falling from her lips. "I'm pregnant. I can't do it again..." She whispered, her eyes looking into his, begging him, pleading with him. After the complications with Grace, she had been doubtful as to whether she could have another child yet she did, but now... She was too old to have another baby. She didn't think it would be possible, it wasn't a possibility they had considered once since Ava. Evidently, they should have.

"When did you know?" He spoke quietly but softly, running his fingers through her hair as he did so, noticing how her body trembled with uncertainty and something else, maybe fear. He had no idea how long she had intended on keeping this to herself, he could barely imagine how she must have been feeling whilst he was working.

"Two days ago." She briefly looked down, fiddling with the hem of his jumper that she wore. "I was sick, so I ran some bloods yesterday, before..."

"You fainted."

She looked up at him, her eyes wide.

"How did you-"

"Not important." He pressed a kiss to her hair, holding her to him before resting his head just over hers. "Connie, I love you. I love you so much. I'm not going to force anything on you, you know that." He spoke softly, holding her gaze. He was shocked, but he tried not to let that affect his voice and how he spoke to her, right now she needed his reassurance.

"I can't, I can't have it." She spoke, choked by the idea she was considering and the guilt that she was letting this happen. They both medics, it was a situation they shouldn't even be in.

"Let's think it over for a few days." Jacob spoke gently, and when Connie nodded, he dropped a kiss to her head before he resumed rubbing her back. "It's okay."

Connie felt a weight off her shoulder's from telling Jacob, but a moment later she felt even worse. Both times she'd told him she was pregnant, she'd robbed him of feeling any happiness about it. The first time she'd just yelled it in the middle of the ED and then refused to talk to him again for days, and now... "You need to go and pick up the girls."

"I'll call someone else-" Jacob began, but Connie shook her head.

"YOU need to. In fact, we both do. I'll come too. I'll go and get dressed." Connie pulled away to stand up, and Jacob released her reluctantly, watching as she rushed from the room towards the stairs. When she was out of sight, he sat back and closed his eyes, letting out a long sigh.

He was still in the same position when Connie returned a few minute's later dressed as he'd never seen her before. In jeans, with a fluffy blue and cream jumper, and on her feet were a pair of flats. She's washed her face and applied a little make up, and wore a false smile on her face. "Come on, or we'll be late!"

Jacob forced himself up from the couch and followed her from the house, wondering when he'd next be able to broach the subject and whether she'd even let him talk about it again. "Con-"

"Not now." Connie snapped.

Sighing, Jacob climbed into the car, but when he rested a hand on her knee a moment later, she gripped it tightly.