Mistakes of our past | Rhekker

Chapter 36- Visitors

After a relatively calm shift Ava was itching to be back with her daughter.
She stood by the door to the doctors lounge, checking her watch and peeking through the blinds.
"You know Sharron hasn't run off with our child" Conor reminded her gently, placing a hand on her back.
"You never know, you've seen how cute our girl is" Ava joked, bumping his hip.
Just than Sharron came through the elevators with a little blonde girl. Rushing out of the doctors lounge Ava scooped her daughter up in her arms.
"Mama" Sophia shrieked as Ava tickled her.
"Oh my girl, did you enjoy it at tannie Sharon's house"
Sophia nodded, before reaching out for Connor. "Dada"
Ava handed Sophia off to Connor, before turning back to Goodwin.
"Thank you so much Sharron, for looking after her in such short notice"
"It's fine Ava, you know how much I love that girl. How are you doing?" Ava knew immediately what Sharron was talking about, not wanting to say it out loud in the Ed.
"I'm coping yeah, it's was a shock certainly. I have a lot of guilt around it, but I think I've processed it" Ava told her, nodding her head a lot.
Sharron placed a comforting hand on Ava's arm, "I know Connors already told you this, but it wasn't your fault, Ava. Someone set you up to take the fall"
"Yeah I know, I think I'll rest easier once they catcher whoever's doing this" Ava told her.

Saying their goodbyes Ava returned to Connor and Sophia. "Hey sweetheart", Ava scooped Sophia into her arms, holding her on her side. Sophia yawned into Avas shoulder, getting comfortable. "My sleepy girl" Ava kissed her head.
Placing Sophia carefully into her car seat, Connor and Ava drove home.
"What was Sharron asking about?" Connor asked her in a hushed tone, spotting Sophia dosing off in the back seat.
"She was just asking how we were doing, and reassuring be that I wasn't to blame" Ava explained. Connor took Ava's hand in his, keeping one in the steering wheel. Such a small, silent gesture, but it spoke volumes, Connor was here for her, throughout it all. They'd get through this together.

*

It was early the next morning when Ava heard a knock on the door. She'd been up early anyway, her body used to early morning shifts. Pulling a robe on over her pyjamas she slipped out of bed to go answer the door.
"Hank?"
"Morning Ava" Hank greeted her, a somber tone lingering in his voice.
Ava stepped aside to let him into the apartment, "As a much as I love you Hank, I wish we were seeing each other under better circumstances"
"You and me both"
Ava poured two cups of coffee for themselves and sat down at the breakfast bar.
"So what have you got, should I get Connor up?"
"No, let him sleep. I'd prefer to do this separately anyway"
Ava took a sip of her coffee, letting it warm her in the cold early hours of the morning.
"We'd concluded that whoever is threatening you and your family most likely works in the hospital or spends a lot of time there. So staff, long term patient" Hank told her, drinking his own coffee.
Ava froze, holding her coffee in her mouth feeling it burn her tongue.
"I figured so, after the photo of Sophia and I; that was taken from within the hospital. And it's a hospital, it's not as if you can just walk in without checking in" Ava swallowed.

"So Ava who in the hospital knew about your relationship with Connor, before you left for South Africa"
Ava thought about it for a moment, they had never exactly been open about their relationship. The only time they had publicly gone out together was at the gala, but even then it appeared they were colleagues before anything else.
"Beth Cole, I told her about it, but she would have kept to herself. People could have figured out that we were together after the Gala, that's when the threats started. Most of the hospital staff would have been their, Goodwin, Gwen Garret, most board members" Ava speculated, trying to pin point who could do this.
Hank made notes in his booklet, "Would any of these people have an issue with you, to want you gone from Chicago?"
"Not at that time, no. Connor and I broke up days later, and then after that it was his father's death. Then people certainly would have wanted me out of Chicago, but the threats started much earlier than that. I can't imagine someone having an issue with both me and Cornelius"
"The might not have necessarily, it's could be an attack on the Rhodes family, on Connor, and you just happened to be a good target"
Hank studies in information before him, names, and relationships. Trying to figure out a common thread between this jumble of information.
"Until we assess who is and is not a threat in the hospital, just carry on like normal. Any sudden change in behaviour like taking time off might scare our suspect off. We don't want them catching onto us" Hank explained.

Ava nodded taking in the information, "Ave?"
Ava turned in her stool to see Connor in the doorway, running a hand through his tousled hair. "Hank is everything okey?" Connor asked, wrapping a supportive arm around Ava.
"Everything fine Connor, Hank just wants to ask us some questions separately" she said squeezing his hand.
"Okey, I'll go have a shower while you finish up" Connor kiss her head before Ava caught his cheek in his palm, pulling him in to kiss him on the lips.
"It's good to see you smiling again, Ava" Hank commented once Connor was out of ear shot.
"You ever going to lay off him with the disapproving looks?" Ava teased.
Hank grinned and shook his head no, finishing his coffee.