Something Has To Give

All It Takes Is A Second

Connie had kept her distance from both Elle and Jacob for the last two weeks as best she could.

She knew she couldn't control what he did and she had no right to think she could. After all they knew each other, grew up together, of course they'd be close.

Connie had just never anticipated the feeling she'd have while watching Jacob talk to someone else. That morning she walked into the department to see Jacob and Elle together by reception.

Jacob looked up and saw Connie. Without thinking he placed a hand to Elle's shoulder as he spoke, laughing with her. Connie watched as he shoved this new relationship in her face.

She stormed past them not even acknowledging them. "What's her problem, is she always this rude?" Jacob sighed knowing it was his fault, he'd expected her to at least pretend like it didn't bother her. That's how he knew she really was hurting over something.

"Connie's got a lot going on, give her a chance Elle." A frown came to the new doctors face at the use of the clinical leads first name by him but she asked no questions. "Alright, come on I better get on."

Hours passed and the day had flown by. Connie spent all of it in her office shut away knowing that it was the easiest option. However she'd spent a lot of the time glancing out of her window at Jacob.

He seemed like he didn't have a care in the world. His normal, happy and laughing self. It made her smile as she watched him joke his way around with the other nurses, that was until Elle caught up with him too.

Connie found herself angered by their brief encounter but it soon turned into upset. She decided she'd had enough for today. Connie packed her bag up quickly and decided to find Zoe to let her know she was off.

Jacob rushed to catch up to Connie before walking around her and standing in front of her. "You can't stand it can you? Why are you so jealous, it's not like you care. We're not together anymore remember-" "Of course I remember Jacob! How could I not? Every time I see you its just hanging there reminding me."

He hadn't expected her to snap at him like that. "Look do what you want, like you said we're not together and you have history with her... You've got a lot to catch up on." She spoke bitterly before trying to walk away but Jacob just got in her way.

"Unless you hadn't realised we've got history now too Connie." She took a breath and held on to it as she looked up to him.  He gently placed a hand to her cheek causing her to release the breath slowly.

Jacob dropped his hand causing Connie to drop her gaze. "I don't understand though... Why does it bother you, I mean you ended this-" "I know. I know I did, but... It doesn't matter I just want to go."

"Not until you tell me why. Connie I know somethings been bothering you and I want to know what-" "It's nothing to do with you! I am nothing to do with you!"

Jacob sighed shaking his head as she yet again tried to move from him but he held onto her wrist. "Connie just because we're not sleeping together does not mean I stopped caring-" "Yeah well I did."

Jacob scoffed as he shook his head. "You're a liar-" "Don't act like you know me... You know nothing Jacob." "Enlighten me then Connie. Come on, what don't I know!?"

Connie glared at him as she finally started to speak. "You think it's really that easy for me to forget? You think I moved past this? Like I'm some kind of heartless bitch who never really cared about you, just used you? You saved my life more than once and I really thought that I'd found someone who I could be happy with."

Jacob took a small step closer to her as she continued. "I couldn't forget about you no matter how hard I try, but that doesn't mean we can go back to what we had either-" "Why not?"

She sighed as she lifted a hand to forehead. "Because we can't Jacob. I can't have everything, things are never perfect in my life and it was always going to be too good to be true with you." He frowned as he watched her expressions change from annoyance to upset.

"We just can't be together Jacob-" "Of course we can, me and you, that's real. It's not forced or fake, what we had... What we have, I spent years looking for it and when I found it with you I couldn't have been happier."

Connie hated what she was doing to him. It was ruining him just as much as it was her but it was only now she was seeing the full extent of it. "Please, even if you say we can't do this... Just tell me why."

She wanted to. She wanted nothing more than to explain everything but of course it wouldn't help. Connie thought for a moment as they both stood quietly. Grace was the reason behind a lot of this yes, but she didn't blame her daughter. Their relationship wouldn't have lasted anyway, Connie would have messed it up at some point.

"Why do you care so much anyway Jacob? You've got someone else here who knows you better than me." Jacob could have sworn he heard the emotion change in her voice. "You'll always be my favourite girl, someone who I used to know turning up won't change that."

That got her attention, her eyes on his intently once again. She'd not expected all of her feelings to ever come flooding to the front like this. "Sweet cheeks, you think I can really feel like this about anyone else that isn't you?"

In a moment of weakness Connie found herself letting Jacob close the space between them but she was the one to lean up and place her lips onto his. It was both expected and not.

Jacob was reluctant unsure as to whether she'd pull away and run like she had done so many times before. Connie could tell what he was thinking and right now that wasn't what she wanted.

Connie wrapped her hands around his neck urging him to deepen the kiss. He let his hands fall to her waist as Connie's lips parted while he deepened the kiss. All it took was that moment of weakness for everything she'd been attempting to cover to become exposed.