It was Monday afternoon. Rita stood in the staff room, her eyes wide with the vacant stare of a daydreamer. She held a cup of tea between her hands, her index finger absently tapping against the rim.

She was thinking about the last few days. The days seemed to have all merged into one long endless pattern, but counting back she realised it had been nearly three weeks since that night, the night that seemed like a nightmare in the past.

She blinked. The strip lighting hummed overhead, though the room still had that dim warmth to it, as rooms do when outside the clouds hang low and grey over the city and rain hisses in the leaves that fall from the trees, and the windows glow yellow and black, pix-elated by raindrops.

She thought of going home, to her empty flat. Though neither woman had admitted it, they would have preferred to stay together at Connie's house, but reality, and the fact that they were keeping the slow burn of their relationship a secret meant that Rita was going back home.

She thought of it now, the white walls, the bare floors, the empty fridge. The thought of crawling into her bed alone, in the cold, shivering beneath the duvet until she began to feel warm enough to sleep made her feel even lonelier.

Despite that she smiled to herself as she thought of the nights she had spent with Connie, her body warm next to hers. For someone so precise and neat in her waking hours, she sprawled herself out in a state of complete abandonment during the night, her hair curled across the pillow in a dark streak as though she were moving at speed, and although Connie still found herself unable to give herself completely to Rita, she would miss the intimacy that they had shared, whispering for hours before drifting off to sleep, holding each other close and the kisses...

Rita felt her face begin to grow warm, and she tightened her arms about herself as she thought of Connie's kisses. How she gave herself completely with every kiss, how she touched her face with just the very tips of her fingers and ran them along her jaw leaving her breathless and her body aching for more.

She bit her lip against the grin that threatened her lips, her stomach wincing with pleasure...

"Penny for them?"

A hand on her back made her jump so that her hands shook and her tea threatened to spill over the rim of her cup.

"Charlie!"

She widened her eyes as he made his way over to the kettle.

"Sorry, I didn't realise you were so deep in thought."

He glanced back at her while the kettle boiled. She had an odd look about her, as though she were both blissfully happy and troubled all at once.

"I wasn't..."

She lied, though she had no idea why she felt the need to hide it.

She watched Charlie making his cup of tea in the reflection of the window. Her own tea was cold. She drew in a breath and set the cup down on the side.

"Everything alright?"

Charlie asked as she stood next to him, though he deliberately didn't look up. Instead he methodically dunked his tea bag back and forth with the teaspoon until it turned the right shade of brown.

"Fine...fine."

Rita pushed her hair behind her ears and then immediately un-tucked it again. She hadn't been alone with Charlie since Connie had told her that he knew about what had happened to them, and she certainly didn't want to have a discussion about it now.

She glanced to the door. The ward beyond showed through the small square window in the door.

"I'd best get back..."

She let her words tail off, and Charlie raised his eyes only to nod in acknowledgement before she left, exhaling a breath of relief as she closed the door behind her and stood facing the ward. She curled and unclenched her fists by her sides, and then she set off, readying herself for what remained of her shift.

The rustle of a curtain caught her attention. It drew back a little way, and she recognised the elbow that protruded ever so slightly from the blue curtain. She felt the flutter of adrenaline as Connie gestured with her hand to Dylan who was busy peering up at the screen above the nurses station.

Instinctively she found herself drawn to her. She by passed the other cubicles and peered in just in time to see Connie passing over the patient notes. She stood with her back to Rita, the red soles of her shoes visible, and Rita allowed herself a moment to just look at her standing their, with all the authority in the world, before clearing her throat.

Connie glanced over her shoulder, the corners of her mouth down turned, but her eyes smiled as she saw her, and she stepped back so that she could turn to face her.

"Everything OK, Mrs Beauchamp?"

Rita asked, and Connie gave a brief purse of her lips and a nod of her head.

"Just handing over to Dr Keogh here."

She said quietly, and the man who lay in the bed paused in his humming of whatever song it was that he had stuck in his head, and stared up at her.

"You're not leaving me?!"

His voice was thick and almost immediately Rita smelled the alcohol, even from where she stood.

Connie glanced down at him, laying on the bed, his legs jiggling.

"I'm sure Mrs Beauchamp has other patients who are more in need of her than you are."

Dylan murmured, glancing through his notes.

"I wouldn't say that..."

The patient smiled a lop-sided leer of a smile and looked Connie up and down, his gaze deliberately lingering on the curve of her hips and the rise of her chest beneath the white cotton of her shirt.

Rita felt her body tense, and she watched Connie took a step backwards, and how her foot seemed to wobble in her shoe as she moved.

"Is it true that you were found sellotaped to a lamp post?"

Dylan asked, frowning, oblivious to the patients wandering eyes.

The man in the bed tutted and swore under his breath.

"...must have taken an awful lot of sellotape."

Dylan added, more to himself than to anyone else.

"Can she just check me over once more, yeah?"

The patient gestured to Connie with two fingers, and narrowed his eyes.

"I'm perfectly capable of..."

"I don't want no other man touching me. It's my right isn't it? To request that she does it?"

He interrupted, and Dylan visibly winced at the man's poor grasp on the English language.

"'Don't want no...?' That's a double-negative, which I think you'll find..."

Connie exhaled sharply, cutting Dylan off mid flow and she made to lean over the patient one last time to check the puncture wounds on his arm, but as she did so he raised himself up off the bed just enough so that he could draw in a loud sniff, smelling her neck and laughing as she shied away from him so quickly that Rita had to grasp hold of her to stop her from falling backwards.

"Oh you're repulsive..."

She hissed, feeling how Connie's arm shook within her grasp, and the blue curtain billowed out behind them as Charlie peered in, a frown creasing his forehead.

"Rita? You're needed in cubicle two..."

He looked from the nurse to Connie and then to Dylan, who was watching the scene that played out before him with obvious interest.

"I'm sorry you'll have to find somebody else."

She said quietly.

"I hardly think it takes two consultants and a nurse to treat a drunk man?!"

Charlie attempted humour but was met by Rita's glare, her dark eyes so full of anger and her lips so pinched and white.

"I'll be fine, Nurse Freeman."

Connie felt the grip on her arm tighten, and behind Charlie she saw Dixie stop mid-stride, her eyes upon Rita.

"I am not leaving her alone with him."

Her voice was thin and brittle, as though she were struggling for breath and she looked sourly toward the man in the bed who yet again rolled his eyes and sucked his teeth.

"Rita...?"

Rita looked up at the sound of Dixie's voice. She stood between the curtain and Charlie, her hands on her hips, a look of confusion on her face and she looked out of breath, as though she had been running.

"Mrs Beauchamp is more than capable of looking after herself..."

Dixie raised an eyebrow at Rita, who merely stamped her foot slightly and turned away, too full of whatever this feeling was to do anything but remain by Connie's side.

"Thank you Dixie, but I would like Nurse Freeman to stay."

Connie spoke so sharply that even Dylan looked mildly alarmed, and Charlie found himself stepping into the cubicle completely, blocking Dixie's view of Connie almost entirely.

"I think it would be best all round if I stayed here and took over with Dr Keogh. Connie, you and Rita...take a break."

He looked between them, his blue eyes firm, his mouth set.

"I don't mind if they both want to stay...there's more than enough of me to around..."

The patient started up again, his eyes wide, his pupils dilated.

"I'm afraid you don't get a say in the matter."

Connie snapped, and Rita sucked in a breath through her nose before leaning closer to the bed, her eyes sparking.

"I'm sorry? Do you really, honestly think that somebody like you, could have somebody like her? Do you honestly think you are impressing her with this macho man crap? Because let me tell you...

"Alright! Nurse Freeman. Dixie?"

Charlie gestured for Dixie to retrieve the nurse, but as she made to reach out for her, the patient did the very same, and his grip on her wrist made her panic. She felt her whole body jerk backwards as though she had no control over herself, and from somewhere behind herself she felt Connie move.

"Jealous?"

Laughed the man in the bed. He spat as he spoke and Rita struggled to draw a breath, she could feel the tendons twisting over the bones in her wrist.

"Excuse me?! Get your hand off my nurse!"

Connie's voice made her jump. It had been weeks since Connie had raised her voice at work. Weeks since she had felt able to.

The patient paused, eyeing her with a look of such irritating amusement that she could do nothing but place her own hands upon his arm.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF HER. NOW."

Connie spoke so loudly that a hush descended on the ward beyond the curtain. And with one almighty tug she pulled his arm from Rita's.

Nobody spoke for what seemed like an entire minute. Dylan merely raised his eyebrows and glanced about expectantly. Dixie stood open mouthed, whilst Connie's eyes remained on the man in the bed, and Rita's whole body shook as she stood next to Charlie, his hand on the back of his neck.

"Could we meet in your office please, Mrs Beauchamp?"

He said eventually. His voice unusually cool, and without looking at anyone he turned his back and pushed his way out through the fluttering blue curtain.

Connie stood up straighter. She drew in a breath, and as she excused herself, she slipped behind Rita and placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing her gently before following Charlie.

Rita exhaled, and glanced over to Dixie who was standing, arms folded, one eyebrow raised.

"Her nurse?"

She repeated.

Rita frowned quickly, and made a motion with her hands to usher her from the cubicle, leaving Dylan to mutter something as she closed the curtains and followed the paramedic out onto the ward.

"Her nurse?"

She repeated.

"Hmm?"

Rita feigned innocence as they made their way into reception, Rita following Dixie to the ambulance.

"She said 'get your hands off of 'my nurse'"

She repeated what Connie had said for the third time.

"I'm sure she meant to say 'nursing staff'"

Rita began, and Dixie stopped abruptly, placing her hands on her hips as she stood with her back to the ambulance.

"Well, he didn't have his hand on the entire nursing staff did he...he had his hand on you."

She raised both eyebrows in an look which was both accusatory and concerned.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

She asked when Rita offered nothing more but a glance to the ground.

"No."

Rita folded her arms across her chest, mirroring Dixie, she didn't care if she sounded like a sulky teenager. She couldn't bring herself to care about anything at that very moment, except for Connie.

"Well! That's the first honest answer that's come out of your mouth so far!"

"I'm sorry?"

Rita's eyes widened in defence.

"Rita, sweetheart, something is going on, and maybe it won't help to talk to me, but maybe it will..."

"Connie was raped."

She said it quickly, before she had time to stumble over the word. She blinked quickly and looked to the ambulance window, seeing the reflection of the sky above the hospital looming back at her, and again she thought how lonely she would be tonight...

"What?!"

"I met her for a drink."

Rita spoke quietly.

"You were with her?"

Dixie asked, her face was crumpled with confusion and disbelief, and it was only when Rita braved looking her in the eye to tell her the rest that she truly believed what it was that she was saying.

"They didn't touch me. They tried...I suppose they thought I was the easier target. But Connie said that if they left me alone...then they could have her. They wanted her all along...and that's what they got..."

She felt the burn of bile rising in the back of her throat as she spoke and she could hear Dixie breathing in the silence.

"Rita..."

She whispered, but the nurse shook her head and drew her lips into a tight white line.

"Don't feel sorry for me. It wasn't me that lay there in the dirt while those men..."

A strangled noise came from her throat and she stopped speaking mid-sentence, her eyes wild and she had to steady her breathing before she continued.

"I lay in bed, and I watched her sleeping, and I knew that I did that to her..."

Her voice was barely audible over the distant hum of traffic and the faraway sound of a police siren.

"I'm sorry? You lay in bed with her? What?"

Dixie struggled to string a sentence together, the thoughts within her head had been shot so far apart that she could barely locate them in the confusion.

"I've been staying with her."

Rita whispered.

"In her bed?!"

Dixie asked, lowering her voice as she glimpsed Iain heading towards them from the ED entrance, his boots making the puddles sparkle as he walked.

"Its complicated..."

Rita murmured, already she knew that she had said too much. Dixie drew in a breath and exhaled, her breath showing white in the air.

"You don't say!?"

She exclaimed.

Thank you so much all of you, for the extra lovely reviews! It took me so long to actually get that update written, so I'm glad you liked it.

As for this latest update, it's not my best, but I'm tired and I'm not feeling that well, so please forgive me! I will do better tomorrow ;)

CandyTV: Don't worry, the crime will be reported, because of a later incident...don't worry, Rita will make sure that they don't get away with it ;) thank you ever so much for the review!

LittleBooLost: Your review made me smile so much, I had to show my husband :)

Oh! Also tomorrow we will find out the results of Connie's tests...