Scarlett: Thank you. That's so sweet, and I am trying my best to get Lily's perspective across. I think you'll enjoy this chapter. It's nice to meet someone who likes Connie and Lily scenes just as much as I do.

Chapter Nineteen

"How did you get on with Helen then?" Connie asked, as she and Lily sat down in her office.

Lily gave a small shrug of the shoulders and folded her arms. Her mouth remained shut, and although Connie was surprised that she wasn't talking to her, she didn't push the matter. Sometimes, Lily would talk to her and Iain as if nothing had happened. Other times, she'd just go completely mute.

"She's nice, isn't she?" Connie added, when Lily didn't even respond with movement. "I know you've had a tough week, Lily, and I feel for you. I really do. I was hoping that we could just spend some time together to talk, and help you. I know that you've spoken to Helen but sometimes it's easier to talk to someone you know."

Lily shrugged again and diverted her eyes to the floor.

"Do you remember when you read Alice in Wonderland for me?" Connie asked, reaching across her desk for the book. "Why don't you read some more?"

Lily shook her head, pulling her knees up to her chest in a protective manner. She zipped her jacket up and wrapped her arms around her waist protectively, her eyes then focusing on a dirty spot on one of her trainers.

"Okay," Connie sighed. "Let's try something else then."

She stood up and set the book back down on her desk, before picking up her iPod and earphones. Lily knew what was coming and she started to feel sick.

"Put these in," Connie whispered, handing the iPod to her.

The door opened at that point and Alicia walked in. She went to say something, but stopped when she saw that Lily was there. She couldn't believe that the registrar had been raped, and the news really upset her. Lily was her mentor, but lately she'd become a friend as well. She'd been wanting to talk to Connie about her feelings, but she couldn't possibly talk to her in front of Lily.

"Doctor Munroe, I'm busy," Connie told the junior doctor in a stern voice. "Is it urgent?"

"I...I just wanted a chat, that's all," Alicia whispered. "Will you be free today?"

"I don't know," Connie answered, and sat back down beside Lily.

Lily cautiously glanced across at Alicia, whilst popping the earphones into her ears. She said nothing.

"Could you talk to Doctor Gardner instead?" Connie suggested. "If not, I might be available later on." Alicia faintly nodded, forcing a smile. "I can't right now, Doctor Munroe," she sighed. "Alright? Get back to work, please."

"Of course, Mrs Beauchamp," Alicia promised. "Will do."

As soon as Alicia had gone, Connie picked up the book again and turned back to Lily with a sigh.

"Okay, choose a song," Connie said. "And read a bit of the book, yes? It's just us in the room and last time, I don't think you actually noticed but you spoke incredibly well when you had music on."

Lily began shaking, as she scrolled through the list of songs. She didn't know what to listen to, she'd already listened to Little Mix and Ed Sheeran and the majority of artists she hadn't even heard of. She decided on Take That in the end.

"Why don't we pick up from where we left off?" Connie suggested, and handed the book to her. "In your own time."

Lily took one look at the book and gulped nervously. She coughed and took a deep breath, trying to listen to the lyrics of the song that was playing. She could feel Connie watching her carefully and she suddenly felt extremely self-conscious. Connie didn't say a single word though, she just patiently waited.

Lily gulped and turned the volume up so that she was unable to hear her breathing.

"Alice," Lily whispered, and dug her nails into the sofa. "Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it." She paused and continued, "and what is the use of a book,' thought Alice 'without pictures or conversation?"

Lily read the whole first paragraph in such a quiet whisper, and so fast as well, that Connie struggled to hear exactly what she was saying. She was smiling though, pleased to hear Lily talking for a change. She thought that she'd stop, but to her surprise, she carried on.

"So she was considering in her own mind," she continued. "As well as she could, for the hot day made her feel very sleepy and stupid, whether the pleasure of making a daisy-chain would be worth the trouble of getting up and picking the daisies, when suddenly a White Rabbit with pink eyes ran close by her. There was nothing so very remarkable in that; nor did Alice think it so very much out of the way to hear the Rabbit say to itself, `Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be late!'....when she thought it over afterwards, it occurred to her that she ought to have wondered at this, but at the time it all seemed quite natural."

"Okay, stop there for me," Connie spoke, and placed a hand on the book.

Lily gulped and tears stung her eyes. She looked towards Connie and faintly nodded, determined not to cry in front of her boss. Why had Connie asked her to stop though? She'd wanted her to read, hadn't she? And that was exactly what she had done.

"No, no, you're doing really well," Connie reassured her. "That was beautiful. Do you think you could try and read some without the music?"

Lily shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut to try and stop her tears from falling. She hated the fact that she was so emotional. She couldn't possibly read without the music though; it drowned out the sounds around her. When she had earphones in, she was unable to hear the sound of other people, or her own voice, and it made her feel comfortable.

"That's fine," Connie said. Lily was grateful for that. "Why don't you try and be a little bit louder though? That was beautiful and you read loads, but how could I possibly hear you properly?"

Lily shook her head, flapping her hands around in an anxious manner. A single tear rolled down one side of her face and landed on the first page of the book.

"Hey." Connie leaned in closer and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Just give it a go."

Lily faintly nodded and slowly turned the page.

"But when the Rabbit actually took a watch out of its waistcoat pocket, and looked at it, and then hurried on," Lily said, her voice risen ever so slightly. "Alice started to her feet..."

"Louder," Connie encouraged.

Lily took a deep breath and shifted uncomfortably, before continuing.

"For it flashed across her mind that she had never before seen a rabbit with either a waistcoat pocket, or a watch to take out of it." Lily was practically shouting now, and Connie's smile grew wider and wider. "And burning with curiosity, she ran across the field after it, and fortunately was just in time to see it pop down a large rabbit-hole under the hedge."

"And stop there," Connie said, closing the book for Lily and gently taking it from her lap. "Now, where did that come from?"

"I...I'm s...sorry," Lily stuttered and removed the earphones, her voice immediately quietening again

"Don't be sorry, that was brilliant," Connie praised her. "I didn't realise you had that in you. I am so proud, Lily, and I know that can't have been easy. You just read two pages of that book though, so a huge well done to you."

Connie wrapped her arms around her and gave her a hug. Lily just nodded, feeling herself blush with embarrassment. She was smiling though, and a small laugh escaped.

"Well done," Connie said again, as she gently rubbed her arm. The smile remained on her face. "Maybe next time, we can try without the music. Baby steps, yeah?"

Lily nodded against her, hesitantly returning the hug. For the first time in ages, she felt happy.

So, a whole Connie and Lily chapter there that I have been planning for ages now. I have a huge love for their friendship, and think they have a mother/daughter type relationship. I hope you liked it.