Rita flipped through the pages of patients notes that she held before her. She was looking for something, though she had completely forgotten what it was, and she flipped back and forth between sheets of handwritten notes scanning them for a clue as to what it might be.

She rested her elbow against the nurses station and supported her chin with her hand. She sighed, she would have to go back to Dr Hanna and ask what it was that she was supposed to be doing. She blew a breath from between her lips and glanced up, straightening herself up quickly as she saw Connie in the distance.

The other woman was paused outside her office, notes in hand, she stood for a moment, and then turned back around and slipped back into her office before reappearing with her stethoscope.

Rita watched as she adjusted it about her shoulders so that the cool metal pad hung against her chest and she wondered briefly whether Connie was having trouble concentrating too.

A hand on her shoulder made her jump, and she turned quickly to find Dixie leaning into her.

"You made me jump!"

She whispered. Dixie pursed her lips against a smile.

"I'm not surprised...what were you so deep in thought about?"

She asked, though the glint within her eyes was enough to tell the nurse that she had a fair idea of what thoughts may have been distracting her, and all Rita could do was blush and glance away to the space in the corridor where Connie had been only moments before.

"Take your break."

Dixie murmured, and looped her arm through Rita's.

"I can't! I'm..."

Rita paused and looked again to the file she had been reading.

"Ok."

She sighed, realising she probably wouldn't ever remember what she was supposed to be doing, so instead she closed the notes and allowed herself to be led away by the arm, out to the ambulance bay.

The air outside was cold and crisp and it stung Rita's nose as she breathed in.

"So!"

Dixie opened the back doors to the ambulance and beckoned the nurse inside.

"How was your night last night?"

She asked as Rita looked about tentatively before climbing into the ambulance and sat down on the bed opposite Dixie.

"Fine..."

Rita frowned, glancing away from the laughter within Dixie's eyes, willing herself not to blush.

"I have to say, I never thought fashion sense would be something you and Connie would have in common..."

She murmured, and her eyes narrowed again as she watched the colour creep up across Rita's cheeks as she remembered the last time she had worn the dark blue top that she had leant to Connie, and she mentally chastised herself for not thinking that Dixie would remember that night, when they'd kissed...

Rita looked down to her hands that she had folded within her lap.

"So what happened?"

Dixie asked quietly, carefully, her jaw tensing. Rita glanced up. She touched her tongue to her lip. She thought of Connie, and though they hadn't spoken about it, she knew that their relationship wasn't something she would want gossiped about. But then she looked at the concern within Dixie's pale blue eyes and she sighed. She knew she wouldn't tell anybody.

"We spent the night together..."

She kept her voice low as she spoke, aware of the various staff members or lost patients that may have cause to pass them by.

"At mine."

She added, as though it made a difference.

Dixie's lips pressed together tightly and she nodded slowly.

"Was this an innocent sleepover with a friend because she'd had too much to drink, or...?"

Rita's cheeks burned a brilliant red and Dixie smiled slightly.

"I see."

She murmured.

Rita ran a hand across her forehead, feeling the heat of her skin and she looked across at Dixie whose calm blue eyes were watching her with interest.

"Well, well, well...the Clinical Lead and her Clinical Nurse Manager..."

Her smile spread as she spoke and she nudged the other woman's knee as her eyes widened in dismay.

"Don't panic, your secret is safe with me."

She added, and got up from her seat opposite to sat down on the bed next to Rita.

"Thank you."

Rita whispered. She turned her hands over in her lap and stared down at her palms.

"So, what was it like?"

Dixie asked, and again Rita looked up sharply, her eyes wide and dark.

"Dixie!"

She exclaimed, though beneath her look of mild alarm she smiled.

"What?! Who doesn't want to know what Connie Beauchamp is like in bed...or what she looks like beneath those clothes of hers...or clothes of yours..."

She raised an eyebrow and Rita rolled her eyes.

"To be honest I don't know."

She said with a raise of her shoulders.

"What she looks like I mean."

She added, and she noted the flicker of a frown across Dixie's forehead.

"Don't tell me you did it in the dark..."

"No! We didn't do it...she wasn't ready to 'do it' properly... for me to touch her. She just touched me."

Rita paused, she could feel her ears burning pink and Dixie watched her with pure amusement.

There was a pause, and Rita drew in a long sigh and bit her lip, struggling against the bubble of elation that was rising within her.

"It was incredible...She was incredible..."

She squeaked, and Dixie couldn't help but laugh.

"No, seriously. Why didn't you tell me what I was missing out on?"

Rita couldn't help but laugh as she spoke. She was relieved to have finally told her, relieved to have somebody to talk to about it all. Inside she wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but for now, Dixie would do.

"Well now you know."

Dixie said quietly. She could feel the warmth of Rita's body next to her, she could feel her elation prickling and radiating from her skin. She was like a ball of sunshine, filled with happy energy, and it made her smile just to be near her, though she couldn't help the knot of worry that niggled away at the very back of her mind.

"Are you in love with her?"

She asked, her question taking Rita completely by surprise. The nurse blinked and rubbed her fingers against her forehead.

"Would you think I was ridiculous if I said yes?"

She asked slowly.

"Ridiculous?!"

"Because it's so soon..."

She explained, and Dixie shrugged, drawing up her shoulders slowly and heavily.

"If you fall in love, you fall in love. There's not much you can do about it."

She paused.

"Have you told her?"

She asked, and Rita nodded, a grin spreading across her lips.

"She said she loves me too."

She whispered, her voice higher than usual and even the sunlight that pooled in through the ambulance doors seemed to dance for joy within her eyes.

"Well there you go!"

Dixie nudged her, and again Rita looked towards her hands and as she inhaled an odd sort of nervousness seemed to shroud her. She couldn't help but feel guilty for telling Dixie all of this, and her stomach hurt when she thought of telling Connie.

Her train of thought wandered, she thought of the night before and how perfect it had been. The butterflies in her stomach began to swarm again and she frowned. What if when Connie finally did feel able, she found she didn't know what to do...or worse, she couldn't give Connie the same mind-shattering pleasure that she had given her?

"What is it?"

Dixie asked gently, feeling the change in the other woman's mood. Her whole body seemed to droop and Rita just looked at her, suddenly dejected.

"What if I'm not good enough?"

She asked quietly, and Dixie exhaled a breath of a laugh and placed an arm about Rita's shoulders.

"Don't be silly!"

"I'm not being silly! Dixie, last night was the best I've ever had...she didn't even kiss me, she just used the tip of one finger. That was all. The single most erotic experience of my life. How can I compete with that!?"

She slumped against the side of the ambulance and Dixie clapped a hand onto her thigh.

"Well, you might not be able to top it, but you're more than capable of matching it."

She said, patting Rita's thigh, and Rita rolled her eyes and blew out a breath between her lips.

"What if she's some sort of sex God? What if all she's ever had is mind-blowing sex and now she's got me...she'll expect..."

"She will expect you to enjoy yourself, not spend the entire time worrying. You will be fine, trust me."

Dixie cut in. She could sense Rita was beginning to panic, and she knew that if she did, she would be plagued by the worry of it, and then she would be certain not to enjoy it when they did decide that they were ready.

"But it's Connie!"

Rita pouted.

"You'll be fine."

Dixie repeated, though when the other woman put it that way, she could see why she was worrying. It was, after all, Connie Beauchamp they were talking about. Most members of staff, everyone knew a little bit of everything, they knew each others types, likes, dislikes, what they found attractive in a person. But nobody knew anything about Connie...

"Do you think she's had relationships with women before?"

She asked before she could stop herself, and she immediately regretted asking when she saw Rita's body stiffen.

"I don't know? Do you think she has?!"

She asked, wide eyed.

Dixie tilted her head and clasped her hands together between her knees.

"Now how would I know that?"

She smiled, Rita was particularly endearing when she was worrying, she realised.

"Oh...now I'm definitely nervous."

She sighed and let her head fall back, closing her eyes.

"Well, why don't you do some research?"

Dixie asked, and Rita opened one eye to peer at her from her position against the ambulance wall.

"Google it."

She added.

"What? 'How do I sexually satisfy the most attractive woman on the planet?'"

She laughed again at the thought.

"Well, it's either that or you worry yourself silly until you actually do do it, and then you'll probably be too nervous to do anything other than dribble on her!"

Dixie exclaimed. Rita raised an eyebrow.

"Ugh. I've already done that."

She sighed, and again there was a moment of silence whilst Rita collected her thoughts. She knew Dixie was right, and perhaps doing a little bit of research might be a good idea...She smiled to herself as she thought of earlier when Connie had stood before her and she glanced to Dixie who was watching her with thinly veiled amusement.

"I did see her this morning in just her underwear."

She whispered, feeling silly, as though she were a teenager all over again.

"And?"

Dixie laughed, and Rita screwed up her face into a look of adolescent excitement and let out an almost silent squeal of happiness.

"Thought so..."

Dixie laughed.

A long update for you all! Hope you enjoy it and you'll all having a lovely weekend :) xxx