What Should Have Been

Part 34

Connie woke in a blissful haze. She yawned stretching her arms up before Sam propped himself up on one arm. "Oh morning..." Connie smiled dropping her hands to his shoulders as he looked over at her. "Hey beautiful, sleep well?" She laughed a little before nodding. "I'd say I slept pretty well after you left me alone."

Sam smirked running a hand across her side before cupping her cheek. "Sorry-" "Don't apologise." He met her gaze seeing the smile on her lips before kissing her gently. Connie rest her head back on the pillow while Sam continued to watch her. "You in the ED today?" "Mhm... Pulling a double shift, I know sorry."

He sighed running a hand through her hair. "You need to rest too-" "Now who's being the bossy one?" Sam rolled his eyes before Connie loosened her arms from his neck. "I should really get ready-" "Can't take one more hour maybe?" The sly smirk returned to her face as Sam moved across her, straddling her waist. "Oh I don't know Mr Strachan, I'm sure I could stretch to that."

He laughed coming down to meet her lips feeling her smile against his. He rolled backwards on the bed pulling Connie above him causing her to laugh. His hands roamed her body as she deepened the kiss, the touch of his hands on her skin making the butterflies in her stomach take flight.

They were interrupted by small footsteps across the landing. Connie broke from Sam looking up to the bedroom door causing him to sit up too. His hand was pressed to the small of her back as he bent down lifting his shirt from the floor. "Here-" "Thank you." She smiled slipping into it before sliding down into the bed beside him, his arm wrapped around her.

Grace came inside carefully unsure if they were awake or not. "Hey baby." She smiled seeing them both sat up before running in and jumping onto the bed. "Mummy!" Connie smiled hugging Grace before she lay down across their laps. "Comfortable missy?" Grace nodded with a wide grin as she held onto the small teddy. "You've never let go of that since you got it."

Sam smiled reaching down to Grace's head, gently stroking her hair back from her face. "Mummy is it school today?" "Yes sweetie, but Sam's going to take you while Mummy goes to work. Is that okay?" She nodded enthusiastically before moving from the bed and heading to her room. "Coffee?" "I'd love one." Connie smiled kissing him once more before getting out of the bed heading downstairs.

An hour later and Connie was dressed for the ED strutting about the kitchen. Sam wandered out putting Grace's breakfast bits into the sink before snaking his arms around Connie's waist from behind. He moved her hair out the way before pressing his lips to her neck. "Sam... I really need to go-" "Do you though?" She leant her head back to his shoulder as he continued to place kisses across her neck.

Connie turned in his arms just as he began walking back with her until she was pressed to the wall. His lips overpowered hers, his hands falling over her body. She wrapped her arms around his neck enjoying the closeness before the kitchen door flew open with Grace skipping in. Sam broke from her lips turning to face her making Connie smirk at his awful attempt of subtlety.

"Ready to go Grace?" "Yes Sam, Mummy are you going to work now?" Connie coughed moving out from behind Sam to bend down before Grace. "Yes sweetie, I'll be home to put you to bed okay?" She nodded as she placed a kiss to her forehead before standing up. "And I'll see you later?" Sam smiled pulling her in by her hips. "I'll come down on my break?" "Okay..." She was stopped by his gentle kiss before she pulled back. "I love you-" "I love you too Queen Beauchamp."

Connie levelled her eyes before turning away and picking up her stuff. She could feel Sam's eyes on her as she got to the front door. "See you both later, love you!" "Bye Mummy-" "Bye Con... Right you, shall we get you into school?" Grace smiled picking up her bag before rushing to the door with Sam following closely behind.

They walked to the school, chatting all the way. "Sam?" "Yes Gracie?" "Are you going to stay with me and Mummy forever?" Sam smiled looking down to her with the smallest of frowns. "Well I'd like to-" "Does that mean you'll live with us all the time too?" He hadn't really thought of it, but for the last few weeks he had barely been home. "Well that's up to your Mummy too. Maybe I'll talk to her later about it if you like?" Grace nodded as Sam squeezed her hand before they continued on their way to school.

After dropping her off Sam had received many looks from those around him. Although he wasn't Grace's father he felt the only male parental figure she had. "I'll be getting her at the end of the day too, Connie's at work all day." "Okay no problem." Sam smiled kissing Grace goodbye before leaving, making his way back to his place for a few hours before his shift.

Sam had been back in the UK for almost six months, all of which he'd had Connie on his mind. Now they were finally together it seemed strange to think there had ever been a time that they weren't like they are now. Sam sat on the sofa looking about the still empty walls. He hadn't tried to make this very homely, he'd had no need to recently.

What Grace had said played over and over his mind though. He knew Connie wouldn't be ready to live together, and neither was he. But spending time here, in this house as it was now wouldn't help anyone. Sam didn't want to ever have to be apart from Connie or Grace, and on days like today when Connie was working he'd love to have Grace back here. Maybe it was time to finally have a home of his own, not just for himself but for the little girl he was quickly making his own.