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.
I got this idea last night and it just wouldn't leave me alone until I'd written it, I haven't proofread because I think I'd probably end up changing my mind and deleting it all if I did so I'm sorry for any typos/errors. I've found a couple of half written oneshots on my laptop that I started before it broke so I'm going to try and get those finished off so hopefully it won't be too long before I update again.
The Lucky One
"Rita" Connie grumbled as once again she was woken by her restless wife's arm being flung over her face as the blonde tossed and turned beside her, "what have I told you about…"
"Mumma, shhh" a tiny voice mumbled as Connie pushed Rita's arm off her head. It was only then that Connie noticed their three year old daughter Emily was curled right into her side, clutching Connie's pyjamas to stop herself falling off the edge of the bed.
"What are you doing in here hmm?" Connie asked, running her fingers through soft blonde curls as she shuffled closer to Rita, gently pulling the toddler away from the edge of the bed.
"Sleeping" she reached out and placed her index finger on Connie's lips, "now shh, it's bedtime."
Connie laughed and kissed her daughter's head, "sweet dreams beautiful" she whispered, sighing in relief as Rita shifted slightly in her sleep before becoming still, maybe Connie would manage some sleep after all.
She was wrong, it was less than an hour later when she woke to quiet whimpering, "shh" she automatically began to rub circles on her daughter's back without opening her eyes, "you're okay baby Mumma's got you." Not long after their daughter turned 2, she began frequently waking her parents, begging them to save her from the monsters that made their way into her bedroom after nightfall. Cuddles, a new nightlight and a lavender scented spray that was promised to keep monsters away had all but stopped the nightmares but their daughter still suffered occasionally. It was only as Connie kissed her daughter's head for a third time that the sleep deprived consultant realised the girl was still sound asleep, the whimpers were coming from the other side of the bed, from her wife.
"Rita" Connie whispered, not wanting to wake their daughter, "Rita darling" she gently shook the blonde's shoulders as she whimpered again, her legs beginning to twitch under the duvet and Connie instantly knew what the problem was. She gently untangled her pyjama top from her daughter's grasp and climbed over the toddler, not exactly sure how she managed to get out of bed without waking her.
She stretched her back once she was out of bed before hearing another pained whimper, reminding her why she was out of bed at 4am in the first place. She walked around to the bottom of the bed, lifting the covers just enough to slip her hands underneath so she could rub at Rita's legs, knowing she'd found the right spot when she heard a content sigh slip from her wife's lips.
"Mumma" Rita now settled, Connie was contemplating how to get back into the middle of the bed without waking either of the other occupants when her daughter solved the problem for her, usually she'd have no problem moving the toddler to the middle but Rita was so restless lately and Connie would rather the blonde fidgeted and kicked against her and not their daughter.
"Yes baby?" Connie moved round the bed and brushed the girl's hair back from her face.
"Why aren't you asleep in bed?" she yawned.
Connie yawned too, "I'd just got up to go to the toilet" she lied, not wanting her to worry.
"Oh" the toddler sat up in bed too, "can I come with you? I need a wee but it's all dark."
"Of course" Connie lifted the toddler onto her hip, the girl snuggling tiredly into her mother as she was carried into the ensuite, Connie shutting the door before turning on the light so it didn't wake Rita. Both Connie and Emily used the bathroom before Connie helped her daughter wash her hands and once again lifted her to her hip, "shall we get you back in your own bed hey?" she asked quietly, the toddler already beginning to fall asleep again.
"Your bed" she still managed to mumble.
"But Mr Bear and all your animals will be getting lonely, there isn't enough room for them all in my bed." Connie tried to convince the toddler to go back to her own room, "you've got your nightlight and the big bathroom light's on so you won't be scared if you wake up. And there'll be lots of room for you to spread out, you won't have to be right on the edge"
Emily nodded against Connie's neck, "my bed Mumma, but you tuck me in?"
"Of course" Connie nodded, slightly relieved that, not only was the girl happy to go back in her own bed, she hadn't demanded a time consuming story, if Rita was settled Connie might manage another hour of uninterrupted sleep before her alarm woke her.
It didn't take long for Connie to get Emily settled and she made her way back to the master bedroom wanting nothing more than to relax into the memory foam mattress and tuck the thick duvet around her tired body.
Luck wasn't on her side though, it was obvious as soon as Connie walked into the room that Rita had moved in the short time it had taken Connie to take Emily to the toilet and get her back in bed and she was now sprawled out taking up most of the bed. Connie sighed and made her way into the spare bedroom taking the duvet and pillows from the bed so she could sleep in the bedroom floor.
She'd offered to sleep in the spare room when Rita first began getting restless in her sleep but it wasn't to be, her simple suggestion of letting the nurse have the entire king sized bed to herself had ended in the other woman sobbing apologies, clinging to Connie and begging her not to leave so she'd stayed, clinging to the edge of the bed each night to try and avoid Rita's flailing limbs.
Connie settled herself down on the floor on Rita's side of the bed so her wife would see her if she woke, glancing at the alarm clock she saw it was 4.37, her alarm was set for 6, she just hoped she'd be able to get the hour of uninterrupted sleep she was so desperate for.
She managed it...almost, she woke when she heard Rita sleepily padding to the ensuite just after 5 but she was able to fall almost straight back to sleep, Rita not awake enough to realise that her wife was sleeping on the floor instead of beside her in bed. The next time Connie saw the clock it was 5.57 so she yawned and stretched, kneeling up to turn off the alarm before smiling as she watched Rita sleep, there was a small smile on the blonde's lips as her hand rested gently on the pillow where her wife usually laid, "I love you so much" she whispered, kissing her cheek before she took the duvet and pillows back to the spare bed.
"Mumma" Emily yawned, walking out onto the landing, a tatty pink bear clutched in her left hand, "I'm awake."
"I can see that Darling" Connie smiled, "did you have a nice sleep."
Emily nodded, "hungry."
"Well" Connie tapped her daughter's nose gently, "if we're quick I think we'll have time to make pancakes before I go to work."
The toddler's face lit up, "really? With syrup and berries?" Connie nodded and Emily grabbed at her hand, "come on then" she beamed, leading Connie to the stairs.
Connie lifted Emily to sit on the worktop once they were downstairs, "okay, you sit there and I'll get what we need."
Emily nodded, gently swinging her legs before frowning as she watched Connie, "Mumma" she frowned, "I don't want bacon."
"The bacon isn't for you baby don't worry."
"Mummy's bacon?"
Connie nodded and laughed, "pancakes for you, bacon for Mummy and cereal for Mumma."
"No" Emily shook her head, "pancakes for Emmy and Mumma."
"Hmm" Connie pretended to think, usually she prefered a healthier diet, pancakes were a rare treat for her daughter, but Connie could never say no to the girl, especially not when she was smiling sweetly like she was now, "okay, pancakes for Emily and Mumma" she smiled.
"Muuuuuuummmmmyyyyy" Emily called as she walked into her parent's bedroom almost an hour later, carefully carrying a plate loaded with bacon "waaaakey waaaaakey."
Rita yawned and stretched before heaving herself into a sitting position and rubbing at her eyes, "hello baby" she mumbled, still half asleep as she held her hands out to her daughter.
"I gots you bacon" Emily smiled, holding out the plate to Rita who took it gratefully before helping the toddler onto the bed.
"Thank you Darling" Rita kissed Emily's hair "are you going to help me eat it all?"
"Nope" Emily giggled, "I had pancakes and syrup and berries with Mumma." she pointed to the woman Rita hadn't noticed standing in the doorway watching her wife and child.
Rita gasped playfully and smiled at her wife, "Mumma had pancakes?"
"Yep" Emily nodded, "and berries but no syrup."
Connie smiled and walked over to the bed, putting the tray she was carrying onto the bedside table so she could kiss the woman she loved, "Good Morning" she smiled softly, "you've got tea and toast to go with a full pack of bacon."
Rita groaned softly at the mention of the bacon, "you know I love you."
"Hmm" Connie teased, "because I cook you bacon or because I woke before you did when you got cramp in the night?"
"I woke you again?"
Connie nodded and softly kissed Rita's lips, "I don't mind, I know you can't help it, you were a bit restless and then you got cramp but you settled again once I'd massaged your leg, we ended up with a little monkey in here too." Connie said, deciding to leave out the fact she'd ended up sleeping on the floor.
Rita smiled and looked at Emily, "did you have a bad dream?"
Emily shook her head, "I just waked up and wanted cuddles. I cuddled Mumma then we went for a wee together and she tucked me back in my bed."
"I'm glad you didn't have a bad dream" Rita smiled softly as she ate some more bacon, "and I'm sorry for waking you" she told Connie.
"It's okay Darling, I know you don't do it on purpose."
"I'm still sorry" Rita whispered, "are you working today?"
Connie nodded and glanced at her watch, "I should probably get dressed, I won't be in for long, Dylan's away on a course and Zoe's got a meeting upstairs so I said I'd go in and cover until Zoe's done, is that okay?"
Rita nodded, "I'm fine, if I need you I'll call you. Me and Em can have a nice quiet morning snuggled in here watching Princess films can't we, then if we ask really nicely Mumma might take us out for pizza when she gets home."
"Mumma" Emily gasped, "can we, can we?"
Connie laughed and kissed first Rita then Emily, "only if you're good for Mummy."
"Mumma" Emily frowned, "I'm always good."
"You are" Connie agreed, "so yes, I'll take you for pizza when I get home" she kissed Rita again, "I'm going to get ready, I'll come and see you before I go."
Rita finished her breakfast before heaving herself from the bed, promising her daughter she'd be back soon before going in search of her wife.
"You okay?" Connie asked when she saw Rita walk into the main bathroom where Connie was applying her makeup.
Rita nodded and carefully sat on the edge of the bath, "I just wanted to see you" she whispered.
Connie smiled and put down her mascara, holding her arms out for her wife who accepted the hug gratefully, pushing herself as close to the other woman as physically possible, Rita had thought her stomach was huge when she'd been 41 weeks pregnant with Emily but now she was almost 38 weeks pregnant with twins, the bump she'd had with her first pregnancy seemed tiny in comparison and Connie wasn't even sure how Rita managed to stand up any more. "Are you sure you're okay?" Connie asked as she gently rubbed Rita's back.
Rita nodded, "I want to cry but there's nothing wrong" she mumbled, "and I know I'll be okay with Em while you're at work but I don't want you to leave us."
"Oh Darling, I'm not going to be in for long." Everyone had been surprised when Connie had announced she was cutting down on her work hours, Rita had gone part time when she was 20 weeks pregnant and started her maternity leave at 30, that was when Connie had made her decision, Emily was so full of the energy that Rita's pregnancy drained her of and Connie knew, her family needed her more than the hospital did. Grace moving to America still haunted her, she'd lost one daughter, she'd missed out on Grace's childhood and she'd never forgive herself for that. She could never thank Rita enough for giving her a second chance at motherhood, she wasn't going to waste it. She'd considered stepping down as Clinical Lead but had somehow been convinced to jobshare with Zoe who had also roped Dylan in to help with the paperwork and somehow, between the three of them, things were running more smoothly than anyone could ever have imagined. The department had still been shocked however when Connie had announced she'd be taking 6 months leave once the twins had been born, leave that Connie considered bringing forward every time Rita had a moment like this.
"I know, and we'll be absolutely fine...I'll just miss you."
"Come with me?" Connie suggested.
"What?" Rita frowned.
"I can't leave the department 2 consultants down so I have to go in, but I can stay in my office and do paperwork unless I'm needed, you can sit in my office and watch films on my iPad with Emily and we can go straight out for pizza when Zoe gets back from her meeting. I'm sure everyone would love to see you both."
Rita nodded, "yeah, okay then."
Connie kissed Rita softly, "you go and get dressed and I'll get Emily ready."
Rita leaned her head on Connie's shoulder, not quite ready to break their embrace just yet. "I love you."
"I love you too" Connie gently rocked Rita slowly knowing that her wife had been suffering from terrible backache lately and rocking seemed to help it.
"Mmm, that's nice."
"Go and get ready" Connie whispered, "I'll stand and rock with you when we get to the hospital if you need me too."
"I'm so lucky to have you" Rita mumbled as she slowly straightened up and stepped from Connie's arms.
Connie shook her head, Rita had changed her life, Rita had been the one to show her what it was like to have a real family, what it was like to truly feel loved, "no" Connie whispered as Rita left the bathroom in search of something that would still stretch over her stomach, "I'm the lucky one."