Together

Prologue

The corridors were silent with people moving about their day without a sound. The typical shortage of staff causing no issues for those unlucky enough to be stuck in the department.

Numerous staff sat around the nurses' station hoping for the department to remain calm after the organised chaos they'd faced all day. Rita moved gently side to side on the computer chair, her eyes unfocused on the desk before her. Robyn stood nearby tapping a pen repeatedly on the desk while Ethan flicked back and forth through the same set of patient notes.

The minutes had never ticked by as slowly as they were now, all watching and waiting for the same time to come so that they could rush home to the warmth and comfort of their homes. Jacob breezed past them all heading for Connie's office.

Sticking his head into the room he noticed it was empty but continued in anyway when his eye caught something on her desk. Picking up the glass frame a smile came to his lips as he smiled at the photo of the three of them; him, Connie and Grace on the balcony of the first place they'd stayed while travelling.

He glanced across to the black and white image which had dropped when he moved the frame. The same smile glowing on his face upon seeing the familiar image before him. To say things were different in his life would be true, however he felt as though he knew he would always get to this point.

Time seemed to stand still as Rita dropped her head back groaning at the 20 minutes they still had left. "I agree... I'm sure this has been the longest shift I have ever worked-" "What about last Christmas?" Ethan had a look of consideration on his face as the idle chat continued.

The sound of expensive shoes coming into contact with the cold floor of the ED broke the piercing silence. The steps echoing slower than normal as she sighed, the long days catching up on her. Connie lifted her head letting her hair fall down her back as she rest a hand to her hip.

Taking a deep breath she slowly let it go noticing everyone sitting around the nurses' station. She threw down the folder she'd been holding causing Ethan to lift his eyes to her. "Mrs Beauchamp, we were just-" "It's fine Dr Hardy, correct me if I'm wrong but that clock is 10 minutes slow..."

Connie turned her back as Rita, Robyn and Ethan looked at one another before jumping up and rushing to the staffroom with smiles. Connie glanced over her shoulder to see they'd all left causing a small smile to grace her lips before she entered her office.

"Hmm, I was wondering where you got to when you weren't sitting around doing nothing with everyone else." Jacob smiled as Connie dropped down onto the sofa beside him. "Remind me why I'm doing this again?"

"Because you're Connie Beauchamp-" "Good answer." She smiled up at him as he gently kissed her before she pulled away and stood up. "Good day then sweet cheeks?" "Define 'good', because I've been puked on, told to lighten up and had a patient with some serious bowel issues."

Jacob smiled as Connie threw her stethoscope down to the desk, raising a hand to her neck. Seeing this Jacob stood up and moved behind Connie replacing her hand with his own. He gently began to rub her shoulders causing her to instantly relax.

He continued to rub her shoulders as they stood in the middle of her office. Connie's eyes lifted to Rita, Robyn and Ethan as they nudged one another walking out of the ED smiling. "They seem happy-" "I told them the clock they were watching was slow."

Jacob dropped his hands as Connie stepped away putting away some folders from her desk. "The one by the desk?" Connie nodded continuing to put things away. "But that isn't slow-" "I know." Jacob smirked watching her. "Mrs Beauchamp letting staff go early, who'd have ever thought it?"

Connie rolled her eyes turning around and pulling her coat on. "It was a tough day, even I have to draw the line somewhere." Jacob laughed before lacing his fingers through hers as they wandered out of the office hand in hand.

Stepping outside Jacob looked up to see the others just ahead. "Eyyyy... Make sure you don't have too much fun tonight without us yeah?" Rita jabbed Cal in the side as Dylan stepped up beside him. "Oh I can assure you working in an emergency department is not supposed to be fun."

Rita pulled a face as Zoe wandered along beside them drinking coffee. "There's the optimistic Dylan I love working with." Charlie appeared shortly after watching as Robyn began smiling. "Less of the happiness around us poor folk who have to work tonight..."

"Sorry Charlie but after the day I've had, I can't wait to get home!" Charlie smiled as Robyn stepped past him. "I can agree with that, getting home really does sound good." Connie wandered closer to the group of staff with a tired face.

Charlie smiled as he stepped closer to the clinical lead. "Happy to be going home? What have you done with Connie Beauchamp?" "Yeah ha ha, everything should be fine for you tonight. There were no urgencies or paperwork, Rita finished off everything she had earlier so you should have an easy night."

Charlie swatted his hand with a smile. "Don't worry, you get home and make sure she rests. See you in the morning." "Have a nice night guys." Zoe smiled to everyone as Ethan, Robyn and Rita continued to walk while the others headed towards the ED.

Jacob kept his hand linked with hers swinging it forwards gently. "You ready to spend our first night in our new home then?" Connie smiled as they walked towards her car. "Nothing sounds better right now-" "But I am driving sweet cheeks, you're too tired and as much as I love you I want my beautiful fiancée home in one piece."

Connie smiled passing her keys over without an argument. "Staff leaving early, you not correcting me, letting me drive... You sure you're okay?" She gently bumped into his side before dropping his hand and standing beside the car.

"Shut up and drive." She smirked looking across the car at him. Jacob climbed in and started up the engine while Connie let her head rest back gently, slipping into the same position she did every night in bed.

By the time they got home Jacob had to gently wake Connie up before heading inside. "Head up sweet cheeks, I'll lock everything up down here." Connie smiled placing a quick kiss to his lips before heading upstairs.

Connie stuck her head into Grace's room seeing her fast asleep. She wandered in glancing down at the book on her lap. It was the album she'd put together of all the pictures from their time away together in the summer.

There were all kinds of photos in there from riding elephants, to swimming with turtles, pictures of them on the beach and ones from the many hotels. Connie smiled reminiscing the many things they'd done before placing it on the table beside her. She switched off the twinkling lights above her bed before placing a kiss to her daughters forehead.

She left the room closing the door behind her and carried on across the landing. Jacob made sure all the doors were locked downstairs before his eyes fell to Grace's homework book which had been left open on the counter.

He looked across the page smiling at the pictures that she had printed out and stuck in. She'd been building up a small diary of things that she'd done in the last year for a school project which included many places they'd been together before the most recent pictures were the same two from Connie's office.

Jacob turned all the lights out and made his way upstairs wandering into an empty bedroom. Stepping back out he noticed Connie standing in the doorway of the other bedroom. He stepped behind her snaking his arms around her waist.

"You okay sweet cheeks?" Connie smiled resting back into his chest as she looked about the room. The light blue walls were decorated with gentle white patterns forming clouds in one corner. The white furniture all in place waiting to be used. "Yeah..."

Connie's eyes drifted to the white cot which had a blue blanket one end and a pink one the other. In the middle sat a small soft elephant which she had been given by Charlie after he found out. "It's all starting to get real now isn't it?"

She placed her hands on top of his where they rest on her bump. Jacob rest his chin on her shoulder as he looked across the room too. "I can't wait until I can wake up to the sound of our baby-" She twisted around in his arms "Ohhh, you will when it's at 1am, then 2, then 3... Needing nappies changing and feeding at ungodly hours."

Jacob smiled down at her. "Like I said, I can't wait to meet them." Connie couldn't help but smile before kissing him gently. "Come on, let's get you two to bed." Jacob led her from the room and into their bedroom settling down for the night.