Jacob hadn't seen Connie in over eight months when she left for London with Sam and Grace.
He knew she didn't want to go, she had told him, shown him when she spent the night before she left in bed with him, but she had to go, for Grace's sake if not her own.
Jacob had wanted to protect her from him, but he couldn't. Sam was violent with Connie, reassured her that he didn't mean it but neither her or Jacob believed it for a second.
Leaving Sam hadn't been an option for her, because he was adamant on keeping Grace which meant she wasn't safe.
So Connie had kissed Jacob goodbye, they told each other they loved each other, then she left.
/////
Dixie and Iain flung open the doors of the ED and pushed a trolley inside.
"This is Connie Beauchamp, slight bruising and minor lacerations to the face, quiery fractured wrist and ribs. GCS of 13 at the scene improved to 15 on route, was KO'd, pulse of 73, blood pressure 96 over 80, gave birth less than 12 hours ago. This is Grace and Mia, her daughters, no apparent injury" Dixie said as Connie lay on the bed with Grace walking next to it carrying Mia.
Jacob watched as she was wheeled in and he was shocked, not at what Sam had done, because he wouldn't put that past him, but at the baby lying in Grace's arms, Connie and Sam's baby.
He snapped out of his trance then ran over to the trolley and pushed it through to resus.
"Connie? Sweetcheeks can you here me?" He asked her gently.
"Jacob, the baby" Connie mumbled as she reached out for his hand.
"It's ok, she's with Grace, they are both fine. He can't hurt any of you anymore" Jacob said softly before she slipped into unconciousness again.
"Louise I need you to order a head ct, chest and wrist X-ray, full bloods an ultrasound, just to check there's no bleed after the birth" Zoe said, then Louis nodded and left resus.
"Do we have an idea who did this?" Zoe asked.
"Sam" Jacob muttered angrily.
"Sam? He loves her, they've just had a daughter" Zoe said.
"Maybe he didn't want a daughter, maybe he wanted a son" Ethan said.
"Or the baby's not his" Rita suggested as she applied an oxygen mask to Connie's face.
Jacob's head shot up at the thought, "where's Grace?" he asked urgently.
"With Charlie, why?" Zoe asked him.
"I need to see the baby" he said before rushing out of resus.
Jacob ran into Charlie's office to find him cradling Mia with one arm and comforting a crying Grace with the other.
"Oh my god" he said as he looked at Mia.
"Grace do you know why your daddy hurt mummy?" he asked her as he bent down to her level.
"Daddy isn't Mia's daddy, so he hurt her. Mummy left London with me and Mia when she found out but daddy followed us and attacked her, I was so scared Jacob, I thought he was going to kill us all" Grace cried.
"It's ok Grace, you're safe here" Charlie reassured her.
"Are you and Jacob going to look after us? And Auntie Zoe?" Grace asked.
"Yeah princess we are, Charlie would you give us a minute?" Jacob asked.
Charlie nodded knowingly towards Jacob then handed Mia over to him before leaving his office.
"Grace, when Mia was born do you know how pregnant your mum was? 9 months? 8?" Jacob asked her.
"Eight and a half I think, why?" Grace replied with a sniff.
"It doesn't matter princess" Jacob told her as he hugged her.
"Is mummy going to be ok?" Grace asked him sadly.
"I hope so, I really do" Jacob said softly.
Grace went silent for a couple of minutes as she cuddled into Jacob before something clicked.
"Jacob, are you Mia's daddy?" She asked him.
"What makes you say that princess?" he replied, slightly worried about telling her the truth.
"Because mummy loves you, I know she does Jacob. Daddy, well Sam, went away on a conference one night and I heard mummy crying from the bed room. I thought she was crying because she missed him, but I went in when she was asleep and she was holding onto a photo of you and her" Grace told him.
Jacob sighed then looked down at Mia, "yeah princess, I think I might be her daddy, and I'll let you into a little secret, I love your mummy too" he said.
Grace smiled then cuddled back up to Jacob as he wrapped his arm around her.
Charlie knocked on the door an hour later and popped his head around, "she's awake, you can go in" he told Jacob and Grace.
Jacob smiled then stood up from the couch and took Grace's hand in his free one and led her to resus.
"Mummy!" Grace screamed as she ran towards Connie.
"Hey sweetheart, are you ok?" Connie asked as she started to cry.
"Yes mummy, are you ok? Did daddy hurt you too much?" Grace asked sadly.
"No sweetheart, just some cuts and bruises and a sprained wrist, my ribs are ok" Connie told her just as Jacob came in carrying Mia from where he had been waiting outside.
"Jacob" Connie said as she held her arms out for Mia.
"Hey sweetcheeks, how are you feeling?" He asked as he handed her over.
"Like I've been hit by a truck, but I've never been so happy to see you in my entire life" Connie said.
"Connie, is she mine?" Jacob asked her although he was pretty sure he already knew the answer.
Connie nodded as the tears rolled down her cheeks and she squeezed Grace's hand.
"Oh Connie don't cry, please sweetcheeks" he begged.
"I'm so sorry Jacob" she cried.
"You don't need to be sorry sweetcheeks, it's not like you knew when you left, and I know why you left. I don't blame you at all" Jacob replied softly.
"Do you still love Jacob?" Grace asked Connie.
Connie looked at Jacob and nodded, "yes I do" she whispered.
Jacob smiled, "I love you too Sweetcheeks, and you Grace and Mia" he said before gently kissing Connie's forhead.
"I'm going to protect you, no matter what it takes. I won't let anyone hurt any of you anymore" he told them.
