Through it all

Post op

"I want to get out of bed," she told him the following morning, and he raised a tired eyebrow at her. She had woken a few times throughout the night with nightmares and he'd woken every time and managed to soothe her back to sleep.

"Wait for the physio," he smiled as she rolled her eyes.

"Slow down," the physio told her half an hour later, "just sit there for a moment, you'll feel dizzy,"

Connie nodded, "I want to stand up,"

Jacob watched as she walked slowly around the room, before sitting into the chair beside the bed.

"Ring your bell if no one is here, but you're more than safe to walk. You'll just need someone to grab your drains,"

"Thank you," Connie nodded great fully,

"We will need to practise stairs, but we can do that tomorrow, when you have less attachments,"

Connie nodded, "see you then."

Jacob leaned back against the radiator before walking over to her as she stood up and allowed him to hold her into his chest.

She closed her eyes as he cuddled her gently,

"You have no idea how worried I was," he told her quietly and she looked up at him, her chin on his chest,

"Sorry," she told him, before leaning into him as they sat down together on the chair.

"He wants to go away to be part of a stem call trial... But when I researched it I told him he has to wait until he's a year post injury..." She sighed, "i said I'd go with him but told him I wanted a divorce and he just saw red... He punched me, and I ended up trapped between him and the wall and he just kept punching..."

She shivered, "he called the staff straight away, he couldn't stop apologising... He said he didn't know what was going on in his head and said he was sorry and I..."

She shook her head, "the look in his eyes is something I've never seen in him before, he's taking too many medications and he's so angry,"

"He was never a horrible person Jacob... That's why I won't talk to the police, he's got enough on his plate,"

Jacob nodded, his hand brushing through her hair and soothing her. It was a habit of his shed grown to like and she closed her eyes, "everything hurts Jacob,"

"I know sweetheart,"

"I suggest you run," she told him, her eyes filling with tears as she ran her fingertips across his smooth cheeks, "run away from me, find a young beautiful woman without all of this baggage... Find someone who can give you what you need..."

"Look at me," he told her gently, waiting for her to do so,

"I don't know where our relationship is heading... But at this moment, I want to look after you... Will you let me?"

She kissed his lips softly and he returned her kiss slowly and passionately,

"I'll let you if you kiss me like that again," she smiled and he raised an eyebrow,

"That's better, that smile suits you."

"How is she?" Charlie asked a few days later,

"Quiet," Jacob admitted, "she's hurting and I'm at a loss of how to help her,"

"You're helping her by being there... She'll be back to herself soon enough."

He came home to find his house tidy and Connie stood in the kitchen cooking pasta,

He slipped his arms around her waist, "you're supposed to be resting," he whispered as he kissed her neck gently, moving her hair so he could access more of his skin,

"I really like being here, with you," she told him, and she couldn't help but smile as she watched the smile spread across his face.

"I like having you here," he told her gently.

"I thought we could sit outside and eat," she smiled, "I'm sick of being inside,"

He kissed her mouth, "sounds good to me."

She lay with her head on his lap, his hands running gently through her hair. She pushed up her top and watched as he ran his hands across her scar, "Ric griffin did a good job," she smiled and he ran his fingers gently over her toned stomach,

"My stomach won't be this toned after four weeks of doing nothing," she grumbled and he laughed,

"Don't laugh at me, you gym freak."