What Should Have Been

Part 37

After two months of treatment, Sam was finally beginning to build up strength again. Although the chemotherapy was still affecting him, he was coping more than he ever had been. Having Connie and Grace help him through was all he seemed to need.

He had decided to return to work wanting to regain some normality to his life. "Morning Sam-" "Morning Charlie. Have you seen Connie about this morning?" "Her office last time I saw her." He smiled wandering in that direction before hearing her voice echo from the office. Deciding it was best to wait, he stood leaning against the wall beside her door.

After a few minutes, a doctor he didn't recognise came out trying to keep her head high. Connie came out a little while after not noticing Sam. He smirked pushing off the wall to follow her. "Now I knew you could be scary, but that was something else." "Sam?" She watched as he leant against the nurses station beside her. "I thought it was only ever me you shouted at like that Mrs Beauchamp." "Oh no, there's been plenty of others since you."

Sam smirked wandering across the department with her before stopping beside the staircase. "What are you doing here anyway?" "I'm returning upstairs today. I wanted to make things as normal as I could." Connie nodded looking to him, Sam able to see that she was worried. "I'll be fine, I promise."  "Okay..." He smiled looking along the corridor before dropping his hands to her waist pushing her backwards.

She laughed as his lips came into contact with hers. It wasn't at all desperate, but it was a passionate embrace. Connie smiled into the kiss as she wrapped an arm around his neck. Sam broke from her lips, his arms still around her waist. "Elliot will be watching me, don't worry." "Good, and eat something too-" "Yes mother." Connie pushed his chest as he turned to walk up to Darwin while she disappeared into the ED again.

Upstairs was quiet which he was thankful for. "Ah Mr Strachan-" "Mr Hope. What can I do to start?" They walked towards the office they shared before Elliot passed over a file. "I assumed Connie has already given you the take it easy lecture, so I figured I'd give you a surgery this afternoon. Seeing as she no longer works the department, she can't say a word." Sam grinned taking the notes from him beginning to read up. "You really trust me to get back into it?" "I wouldn't have suggested it otherwise."

Sam nodded sitting down at the desk while Elliot returned to the department. It was a routine surgery, but it was something to help him feel in control again. He switched his computer on seeing all the unread emails flash across his screen. Emails from the hospital he worked at back in America, emails from Hansen, the odd one from Connie. There was so much he had to catch up on, but for once he wasn't bothered by it.

Before he knew it, it was already 2pm and he was due in theatre. Dressed in the green scrubs he headed along the corridor towards his patient. "Miss Carey, a nurse will be along shortly to prep you for surgery. Are there any last minute worries or questions?" She shook her head with a smile as Sam nodded. "Okay then, I'll see you on the other side." She smiled warmly before he walked towards the theatre room.

Scrubbing in was such a strange sensation after so long. It was still second nature to him, but it was certainly weird not having Connie with him. Entering the room he felt at home in an odd way, smiling to the others around him he recognised straight away. "Mr Strachan, good to see you again." "You too... Now lets not give Mrs Beauchamp any reason to moan at me, please." A small laugh was shared before they began with the operation.

Connie strolled through the department barely realising the time. She'd been nonstop all day, patients coming in faster than they could discharge or transfer them. Soon enough she was falling down to her sofa letting go of a long breath. Her door was slightly ajar as Charlie poked his head around laughing at the clinical lead. "Long day?" "Could say that... How's cubicles now?"

Charlie came in taking a seat in the chair opposite her. "Good, no breaches and people are finally shifting upstairs." Connie smiled letting her head fall backwards as Sam came bounding into the room. "Well someone's happy-" "Guess who just had a successful surgery?" Connie lifted her head looking to him unsure whether she was happy or annoyed he'd been operating.

Sam lifted her legs sitting on the sofa before laying them across his lap. "I'm assuming from that entrance you did?" He nodded towards Charlie then looked to Connie. "Before you start, Elliot just wanted me to have a normal day. He figured I was fine to go in." She couldn't help but smile at how happy he was. "However the patient you sent up from the RTC." "Emma?" He nodded with a solemn face. "She didn't make it?" Connie sounded deflated as Sam nodded once.

Charlie looked to Connie who let her head fall backwards. "You did all you could Connie, don't beat yourself up." She forced a smile before sitting up, Sam immediately pulling her into his chest. "If it helps she spoke the world of the doctor who treated her down her." She smiled gently before Charlie excused himself leaving the two of them alone.

"You really sure everything went okay today?" "Connie everything was fine. I'm starting to get myself back again." She looked up to him seeing the genuine happiness returning to his face. "Good. Think you've got enough energy in you to entertain two tonight?" "Always. I'll have dinner on for when you get there." He leant in kissing her lips gently before pulling back. "On that note, I need to get back upstairs and finish my shift." "Alright, take it easy." He nodded kissing her once more before heading back to Darwin.