"Recovery..."

Chapter 20 - "Promises..."

Chapter 20 - "Promises..."

'What the hell?' John mumbled turning over in the on call bed, which he now realised why he doesn't use it sitting up with a terrible back ache.

He went on a search and scavenger hunt for what ever it was that was making the awful bleeping noise and stared at it finally finding it on the floor.

'Shit' he snapped jumping too, and headed for the locker room.

He was only supposed to be closing his eyes. He was not supposed to fall asleep for 6 hours.

He managed to change his shirt in the locker room and decided it was time to turn his underwear inside out, before putting the same jeans back on, and headed out onto the ward.

'Why the hell did you let me sleep for so long? It was just supposed to be a cat nap' John scolded at Rory.

'Dude tour whacked out, and your not even on the rota again today. They've taken you off' Rory pointed out. 'Go see your Daughter'

'I'll have all the time in the world to see her when she lives with me but I have a promise I need to keep' John said, going towards bay 11 and walked in. 'I am so sorry I'm late' John said, looking at Clara who was in tears. 'What's wrong?'

'So I got the sack' she whispered quietly.

'What?' John said in a yell.

'Seems like they don't believe me. Said in making it up. I said they could come to the hospital but they said not to bother coming in on Monday' she sniffed. 'Did he give any clue he might do this?' Clara whimpered and John's eyes widened.

'Oh my god' he breathed.

He promised. He never breaks his promises.

'It's fine really. I can get another job. I'm sure I'll be fine. Of course id feel a little more assured if I wasn't a single mother with a dead ex-boyfriend and a baby. But hey. I'll be fine' she sniffed bursting into more tears.

'I never called them. You gave me the number and I never called them. Oh my god this is all my fault'

'How? I don't think it would make a difference' she said having giving up all hope.

'I'm so sorry. Everything has been so hectic. Believe me if you knew what I was going to through right now, you would completely understand. I'll go and do it right now' he said, bolting toe his office before she could refuse his offer.

Holy shit this was all his fault. This woman who had put her trust in him had lost her job because of him.

- - -

'No you listen to me. I am having one hell of a stressful week with my own kid laid up in hospital. Now if you don't believe me then you March your ass down the road and come and look at your employee. Stabbed almost to death on Friday night and you think that you can just sack her? Because I don't think that the authorities will approve'

The man at the other end of the phone stiffened up. 'And your who?'

'John smith. Consultant and ward manager for the Emergency Department at London Hospital. I can put you through to the Chief if you like but I've got a feeling you'll be giving my patient a call right about now' John said snugly glad he could have got something out of this. 'Oh and don't send flowers... There not allowed on the ward' John scoffed hanging up and something struck him almost instantly hadn't really come up.

- - -

'Hey I really owe you one. Got my job back. And two weeks sick pay. Joe great is that?' Clara squeaked.

'When did you go back to work?' John asked as he shut the door.

'What do you mean?'

'Your not on maternity leave?'

'No' she mumbled.

'When did you go back to work Clara? And don't lie because I know when her birthday is' John said.

'Two weeks after she was born. That was the earliest I could go back'

'Your choice or Deans?'

'Both' she stuttered.

'Why don't you take it now? Your entitled to up to 26 weeks maternity pay in full pay'

'I can't. It's complicated' she lied. It wasn't complicated. It was annoying. Her boss literally didn't want her to take maternity leave and Clara had to just lump it.

John shook his head knowing he was going to come back to this later, but for now he needed to go and see his little girl.

- - -

'What the hell do you think your doing here?' John snapped, looking at Steve and watching him look through the glass at Adie.

John felt physically sick at the idea of him being near her anymore.

'I'm just seeing if she's okay. I swear. And I just came to check really... Your not going to actually tell social services are you?' He stuttered.

The indicated to John straight away that there is something up with that man.

'She's fine. And no. As long as Rosie keeps to her side of the bargain them no. I won't tell social services. So you'd better go and make sure that when you go home your wife packs enough stuff for Adie for a month, and gets out of that house by January 31st otherwise I will start talking' he said opening the door and stepping in because he saw her stirring.

He sat on the chair next to her bed and smiled when he saw that someone had made it more friendly for her in here, changing in her into a teddy bear gown, with adorable little teddy bears on the bedsheets.

'Don't even think about it. Just stay still' John said readjusting the plastic tube in her nose that was providing her with Oxygen.

'Daddy it hurts' she said in a pained voice, looking tump at John with sad eyes.

'I know. It won't in a minute. Just stay calm' he instructed.

It wasn't enough that Adie was already scared but she could see Steve in the window and she really didn't like that. She was blaming Steve for everything - including steeling her Mummy.

'Don't let him take me Daddy. Please don't go' she cried not letting go of his arm, as a nurse stepped.

'Some results for you' she smiled.

'I'm not working'

'They're Clara Oswald's' she says placing them at the end of the bed as turned back to his distressed Daughter.

'It's okay Adie. I promise you don't have to go home with them if you don't want too. You can come and live with me for a little while' John nodded not really sure what his plan is, but he knew he could think about that later. If he had to put her into care where she would be safe then he would.