So, I seem to have hit a wall with both my ongoing fics so I've decided to write some oneshots that will probably be Freechamp based.
If you have any prompts you'd like me to write then let me know and I'll see what I can do.
We All Need Somebody
This was something I started writing after the episode where Charlie had his heart attack, it's possibly the longest oneshot I've ever written!
Rita smiled as she walked through the corridors, everyone discussing their prefered breakfast choices, the mood dramatically more joyful than it had been just a few short hours ago. "Rita, red or brown?" Lofty turned to ask for, "you get the deciding vote."
"What?"
"On your fry up, red or brown sauce?"
"Brown every time, the beans are in tomato sauce and you've got the tomatoes so…"
"See, I told you" Lofty turned to Robyn, a smile on his face.
"I've left my phone in my locker" Rita paused, "I'll catch up with you" she lied. Her phone was safely in her pocket but she'd just seen Connie walk into her office, her eyes red and a strange look of defeat on her face, "I won't be a minute" she turned, pretending to head back to the staffroom but instead made her way to the kiosk, buying two cups of steaming coffee from the barista who'd taken over after Honey's shift had ended, and then approached Connie's office, somehow managing to juggle the paper cups so she could knock firmly on the wood.
"Come in" Rita could hear the exhaustion in Connie's voice, and she pushed the door open with her elbow, "I thought you'd all gone home" she said, sounding slightly surprised when she looked up to find Rita stood before her.
"I saw you when we were on our way out" Rita said truthfully, "you looked like you needed this" she said as she passed over one of the drinks.
Connie smiled gratefully as she wrapped her hands around the warm cardboard, "it's been a long shift."
Rita nodded and sipped at her own coffee, "you don't need to tell me that" she said as she took it upon herself to sit in the chair opposite Connie, "you did brilliantly though, the girl...there was nothing else you could have done Connie. I know we've had our personal differences but you're a good doctor Connie, we were all under a lot of pressure tonight, any other time and you'd see that it wasn't your fault, you did everything you could."
"It wasn't enough though" Connie whispered, her eyes filling with tears, "she was barely older than Grace."
"It was all you could do" Rita said softly, "I know it's hard when they're so young but you can't save everyone Connie, you know that."
"I'm sorry" Connie whispered as she wiped at her eyes.
"You're tired Connie" Rita said softly, "what happened with Charlie's affected us all too, your shift's finished, go home and get some rest, you'll feel better when you've had some sleep."
"I can't" Connie sighed, "I've got to speak to the police and finish this report for…"
"Connie" Rita said firmly, a hint of concern in her voice, "I know you've been in this building for almost 24 hours, you need to sleep, come on" The nurse finished her coffee before standing and holding her hand out.
"Rita I…"
"Come on" Rita repeated.
Connie sighed knowing Rita wasn't going to give in so she saved the file on her computer and picked up her handbag, phone and keys, "where are we going?" she asked.
"You're going to get a couple of hours sleep in the on call room" Rita told Connie, "and once I know you're asleep and won't be sneaking back to your office as soon as I leave I'll be going home to get a couple of hours myself before I'm back in this afternoon."
Connie nodded and followed Rita to the on call room, as much as she hated to admit it Rita was right, she was exhausted and with both Zoe and Charlie being ill and Dylan being injured she knew it would be a while before she next left the hospital, "thank you" she nodded as Rita held the door to the small room open for her to walk inside.
"Do you want me to get you some scrubs?" Rita asked as she gestured to Connie's white top, now stained with blood, she wasn't even sure who's blood it was.
"I'm okay" Connie whispered as she slipped off the top to reveal a plain white vest top beneath it.
"Don't they hurt your feet?" Rita asked as Connie slipped off her heels and placed them neatly under the bottom of the bed.
Connie shrugged, "you get used to them"
Rita shook her head, smiling softly as she realised how much shorter the consultant was in her bare feet, "I'll stick to my flats thanks, now, come on, in" she pulled back the covers and inhaled sharply as she turned to see Connie stepping from her trousers, carefully folding the expensive material and placing it on the table by the bed before putting her phone atop the fabric and climbing into bed in just her vest top and her white underwear. Rita couldn't tear her eyes from Connie's body as she settled herself in the bed and pulled the covers over herself, "now do you need a lullaby or would you prefer a bedtime story?"she asked, trying to rid herself of the image of Connie in little more than her underwear.
"I'm okay" Connie chuckled slightly before beginning to sob as the events of the night finally caught up with her, she wiped furiously at her eyes and took a shaky breath as she tried to calm herself down.
"Hey" Rita dropped her bag onto the chair and knelt beside the bed, "hey you're okay" she said softly as she reached for Connie's hand and squeezed it softly, "you're okay."
"I'm sorry" Connie whispered as she wiped at her eyes, "I'm just overtired and being stupid."
Rita shook her head, "you're not being stupid Connie, you're being human, what happened tonight has hit us all, you're not the only one of us that's cried tonight, in fact I think we all have" she admitted.
Connie looked up at Rita, will you, will you stay?"
Rita nodded, "of course" she said softly, running her thumb over the back of Connie's hand, Connie bit her lip before shuffling over in the bed and looking up at Rita, "do you want me to…?"
Connie closed her eyes, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…"
"Hey, no" Rita let go of Connie's hand briefly so she could slip off her battered converse and well worn jacket before laying down beside Connie and pulling the covers over them both before she held Connie closely, giving the clinical lead the comfort she so desperately craved.
"It's been a long time" Connie admitted, "since I could lay with someone without them expecting anything."
Rita nodded, "yeah, I, I know what you mean."
"Did you say you're in again this afternoon?"
"Yeah" Rita nodded, "we're short staffed as it is, and now with Charlie...I'm going to go home and get a bit of sleep and then come back."
"You erm, you could stay here if you want" she whispered, "but I, I understand if…"
"Connie" Rita interrupted, "I'll stay if it's what you want."
Connie nodded, "thank you" she whispered, shuffling slightly in Rita's lose embrace before sighing softly as she tried to relax.
"Are you okay?" Rita asked quietly
"Yeah, it's, it's been a long night hasn't it."
Rita nodded, "yeah, yeah it has, and today's probably going to be the same unless the agency get their finger out and find us some cover quicker than they usually do so you should probably get some sleep, I know you like to think you're superwoman but you're still human, you need to rest just like everyone else, don't wear yourself out."
"I'm sorry" Connie whispered, "about how I treated you when…"
"You're forgiven" Rita said before Connie had chance to finish, "let's forget about it and move on, we're both adults"
"Are you okay?" Connie asked as she felt Rita shuffle against her.
"Yeah, I, I'm okay" Rita nodded.
"Are you sure?"
"I guess when I got dressed yesterday I didn't think about the practicalities of sleeping in my clothes, I assumed I'd be back in my pyjamas before I tried to sleep again."
Connie shuffled away from Rita slightly, "you don't have to stay".
"I'll be okay."
"You could change into some scrubs?" Connie suggested.
"Would you mind if I just took my jeans off?" Rita asked, "I mean I won't be offended if you'd rather I didn't."
"Of course not" Connie shook her head, "I mean, I can't really say anything can I?" she smiled slightly knowing she hadn't even thought about undressing before she'd got in bed.
"Thanks" Rita carefully got out of bed and slipped off her jeans, placing them on the chair with Connie's trousers before once again joining her under the duvet, "what?" she asked as she saw a smirk forming on Connie's face.
"I never knew you were a spongebob squarepants fan."
Rita blushed slightly, the bright yellow cotton of her underwear a vast difference from the silk and lace she'd caught a glimpse of before Connie had hidden herself beneath the covers, "yeah well my Wonder Woman ones were in the wash." Connie laughed slightly and Rita smiled before yawning slightly, "come on now, let's get some sleep before we've got to go and save the world again."
Connie smiled, "thank you" she whispered as she closed her eyes, "thank you."
It didn't take long for Rita to hear Connie's breathing slow down, her body relaxing slightly as she slipped into the sleep she so desperately needed. Once she was sure Connie was settled Rita allowed her own heavy eyelids to close, she'd feel better once she'd had some sleep, she'd be ready to face whatever the rest of the day had to throw at her.
Rita woke first and clumsily reached out, Connie's phone being the first she grabbed, a quick tap of the screen told her all she needed to know, she'd slept for almost three hours and she felt suitably refreshed. She placed the phone carefully back down before relaxing back into bed and closing her eyes once again, smiling softly as she realised Connie had curled right into her whilst they both slept, her head was now lolling against Rita's shoulder, her lips parted slightly as she slept, her arm draped over Rita's stomach and her legs, the softest skin Rita had ever felt, were tangled with the nurse's own.
It was then that Rita allowed herself to take a look at the woman sleeping beside her, she'd noticed her beauty the second she'd first set eyes on the other woman, Connie had always given off an aura of perfection, but now, laying this close to the other woman Rita couldn't help but notice the little imperfections, the tiny wrinkles forming at the corner of her mouth, her makeup smudged slightly in her sleep revealing pale skin and dark bags under her eyes and Rita couldn't help but wonder when Connie had last had a decent night's sleep. Rita knew how tiring her own shifts were but Connie, she was always there when Rita arrived and she was still there after Rita left, the nurse knew there was only so much more Connie's body would take before it just gave up, and, although she wasn't completely sure why, Rita decided she was going to do her best to stop Connie burning herself out.
She slowly and carefully managed to shuffle out from Connie's embrace without waking the doctor, smiling slightly as Connie rolled over, sprawling out on her stomach as she mumbled something incoherent in her sleep. Rita smiled softly and straightened the covers over Connie before slipping her jeans and shoes back on, taking her purse from her handbag and leaving the room, making sure to close the door quietly behind her so she didn't wake the sleeping consultant.
The slight click of the door stirred Connie from her sleep and she rolled back over onto her side, pulling the duvet around her as she did before frowning slightly as she tried to work out why she wasn't in her own bed, then it all came back to her, Rita, Rita had wanted her to sleep, Rita had even got in the bed with her to comfort her but then like everyone else Rita had left, probably just to tell everyone how stupid Connie had been, about how Connie had cried like an idiot, about how Connie hadn't been able to settle without someone holding her. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice Rita's bag and jacket were still on the side by her own.
She was only broken by her thoughts by the click of the door again, her head jerking up just in time to see Rita walking back into the room, "hey, you're awake" she smiled, "are you okay?" she asked as she saw the tears that had pooled in Connie's eyes.
"You...I thought you'd left me" Connie whispered.
"No, no, I thought you were still sleeping" Rita gestured to what she was holding, "I went to get something for us to eat when you woke up."
Connie nodded, "thank you" she whispered.
"It's okay" Rita said softly, putting down the cups and paper bag before sitting on the edge of the bed and wiping at Connie's cheeks with her thumbs, "I meant what I said earlier, what's happened in the past is forgotten, you don't have to bottle everything up any more Connie. If you need someone, I'm here."
Connie smiled softly and nodded, "thank you."
"It's okay, now, I'm starving, let's eat" Rita smiled as she took one of the paper cups from the cardboard holder and placed it by the bed for Connie, "I didn't know what you'd want to eat so I got a selection" she smiled as she began laying out the food on the bed, a fruit salad, a cheese sandwich, museli, muffins, yoghurts and a chicken salad, "I didn't know if you'd want breakfast or lunch."
"Thanks" Connie smiled as she picked up the fruit salad, "can I have this?"
"Sure" Rita smiled as she passed her a plastic fork, "do you want some juice too?" she offered Connie bottles of apple and orange juice.
Connie nodded and took the orange juice, "if you tell me how much this was I'll…"
"It's fine" Rita said softly as she opened the salad and picked out a slice of cucumber, "I don't mind."
"But…"
"But nothing, I was going to get myself something anyway, don't worry about it."
"Thank you."
Rita simply smiled, a content silence falling on the room as the two women ate, Connie still tucked up in bed, Rita sat on the edge tucking into a double chocolate muffin once she'd finished her salad, Connie choosing a strawberry yoghurt once she'd eaten the fruit.
"I suppose I should get back downstairs" Connie sighed, beginning to play with the duvet once she'd finished eating.
"The department won't fall apart if you have half an hour to yourself, "why don't you have a shower and freshen up? It might make you feel a bit better, I can get you some scrubs if…"
"I erm, I keep a bag in my office" Connie confessed, "with a change of clothes and things."
"Okay" Rita nodded, "Do you want me to fetch it for you?"
Connie looked up at Rita, shock obvious on her face, "you, you'd do that?"
Rita nodded, "of course, where are your keys?"
"On the table, by my phone."
"Okay" Rita smiled, "I won't be a minute."
Rita quickly made her way downstairs and retrieved Connie's overnight bag from her office before taking it back up to the on call room, "thank you" Connie smiled as she stood from the bed and took the bag from Rita, taking out the necessary items, not caring that she was hardly wearing any clothes.
"I'll leave you to it" Rita smiled softly as she picked up her jacket and bag, "but you know where to find me if you need anything."
"Thank you" Connie nodded, pausing for a moment before calling Rita's name.
"Yeah."
"What happened this morning, when I…"
"Don't worry about it" Rita said softly, "I'm hardly likely to tell anyone I was cuddled up to you when I woke, even if I did no one would believe me, your secret's safe with me."
Connie nodded, "thank you."
Rita winked cheekily as she reached for the door handle, "anytime."
Connie smiled softly as the door clicked closed behind the nurse, she might have to take her up on that offer.