Connie opened her eyes and the world slowly faded into focus.
Pain.
Sharp pain, all over.
Stones and grit pricked lightly at her skin, in the places on her body where her clothes had ripped, exposing the flesh beneath them.
She could smell the damp earth, which was only inches from her nose, as she lay on the ground where her body had been flung to upon impact.
Connie willed her body to move, but to little avail, as her limbs refused to cooperate.
She needed to get to her daughter.
"Grace." She tried to scream, which announced only as a slight whisper.
"Grace..." She tried again, only for her voice to fade to nothing, as she drifted back into unconsciousness.
Half an hour had passed when Connie's eyes drifted open again.
She was helpless. Unable to move.
She was waiting for help.
She could see the car, which was turned on its roof, a distance away from where she was laying. Grace was still in there, but she couldn't get to her to help her.
Without warning, bright orange flames leapt up from the car, engulfing it in a roaring fire.
Connie's heart stopped. Grace.
"GRAAACE."
Connie used every ounce of energy in her body, as she screamed desperately for her daughter.
The sound of footsteps came from behind her, followed by a familiar voice.
"CONNIE" Jacob shouted as he ran towards Connie's lifeless body.
He fell to the ground beside her and immediately cupped her face in his hands.
"Grace." Was all that Connie could manage to say.
She looked towards the burning car, tears rolling from her eyes. "Grace." She repeated, motioning towards the car.
Jacob shook his head.
"She's out of the car Connie. She's safe. She's in the ambulance heading back to Holby now." Jacob reassured her gently.
Connie gave him a look of confusion. She didn't understand.
"You've been in and out of consciousness Connie. Me and the paramedics arrived a short while ago. We got Grace out of the car first, because we knew there was a risk of explosion."
Jacob examined her fragile body, which was covered in blood and dirt.
"It's alright. It's going to be alright." Jacob muttered as he waited for Jez to bring over a trolley.
"I'm scared Jacob." Connie admitted quietly.
Jacob looked her in her eyes and smiled the best he could.
"I've got you. Look at me Connie...I'm not going to lose you, I promise." He whispered.
"Promise... is a big word Jacob."
Connie looked at him in fear.
Jacob shook his head and looked away.
"Jacob...look at me." Connie pleaded.
Jacob focussed his eyes back on hers and held her hand tightly in his.
"You know that in medicine promise is a unfulfillable concept. There's a line between life and death...and there's very little between them. The line is unpredictable...it doesn't take much to shit that line...often without warning it can move closer to death..." Connie's voice faded out and she paused, as a crippling pain travelled through her body.
Jacob hated to watch her in agony. "Shh" he tried to quieten her.
But Connie continued, once the worst of the pain had subsided a little.
"In those situations, we can never promise the patient that they are going to be ok, it's impossible."
Jacob shook his head. "Listen to yourself Connie..."
Jacob was interrupted by the sound of the trolley wheels travelling towards them.
Jacob gave Connie's hand one last squeeze, in preparation to get up and help Jez and Iain transfer her on to it.
"I'm not going to let you die. I promise." He smiled.
---
It was touch and go in the ambulance on the way back to the ED.
Connie's condition was bad and Jacob knew, that this was serious.
But he never stopped reassuring her, he never let go of her hand.
