What Should Have Been

Part 85

"How's your Mother getting on after the surgery?" Sam looked up from the folder he was carrying as he came face to face with one of the young nurses on Darwin. "Sorry, that was sort of upfront-" "No, no, it's fine. She's fine, Mrs Beauchamp and Professor Hope did a good job." The nurse smiled sweetly as she leant forwards on the counter.

Sam placed down the patient notes looking through them once again, aware of the eyes that were on him. Although he paid her little attention, he wouldn't deny that the attention he was getting was rather nice. "Something else you wanted?" "I was just wandering, if you'd be at the staff party this weekend?"

He raised a brow looking across at her. "You're aware I'm engaged right?" "So?" "To Mrs Beauchamp, and that we have a child together with another on the way?" She shrugged causing him to roll his eyes walking away. "No. I won't be there." "Suit yourself." Sam glanced back seeing her gone shaking his head to himself.

There would have been a time when that sort of an offer didn't even need consideration. The last time he worked at this hospital that was exactly the sort of thing he would have done. When he had changed so much he had no idea, but it probably came with the realisation that there was never any promise of tomorrow. If today was his last day, he'd be happy knowing he'd spent it making Connie happy.

Slipping his phone out of his pocket he frowned not seeing any sort of response from her. Trying to ring her once he frowned as it was ended, maybe by accident or maybe she was busy somewhere. He left it for now and continued on to his office where Elliot was still sat sorting through paperwork.

"That nurse, the new one? What's her name?" "Emily?" "I don't like her." "I think Connie would say the same." Sam smirked laughing to himself as he sat down pulling himself closer to his desk. He smiled looking to the framed photo that sat there of Connie and Grace. They both looked so happy together.

The day drifted on and before he knew it Sam's shift was over with. "I'll see you tomorrow Elliot-" "Tell Connie I said hello." He nodded with a smile as he grabbed his jacket leaving the office. Slipping it on he wandered along the corridor towards the stairwell, heading down. Pulling his phone out once again he tried ringing her but it just continued to ring and ring.

He frowned yet again, looking from the window to see if her car was parked outside. Nothing there, so he continued down to the car park walking to his own car. Pausing outside once more, he gave it one more try.

The constant ringing over and over was all she could hear. Unsure of where she was, or what was happening she focused on the sound of her phone. Moving a hand she retracted it quickly when she felt glass beneath her fingers. Beginning to open her eyes, she squinted at the light that flooded into them.

She blinked a few times before she was able to see but unable to make sense of her surroundings. A small groan escaped her lips as she tried reaching for her phone once again, hearing it ring again. She could see it's light from opposite her but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't reach it.

When she stretched too far a sharp pain ran down her side. Pulling her arm back quickly she cried out at the movement. All her senses came rushing back as she felt the pain that now filled her body. Dropping a hand she quickly pressed it to her stomach not feeling any movement from the baby. Complaining again Connie looked around trying to see someone, or a sign of something that there was help coming.

Taking a deep breath she began to smell a scent that was all too familiar to her. Her eyes widened a little as panic began to fill her body. Patting across her legs she flinched at the sudden pain that came from her stomach. Continuing on, she checked as best she could that her legs were okay before moving her hands up to her head. She felt the warmth along her hairline before glancing to her fingers that were now coated in blood.

Inhaling once again, the smell of petrol was becoming stronger and stronger. She knew she had to get out, staying in here would be worse. Clenching her jaw she moved the arm that hurt in search of the release for her seatbelt. Once she'd found it Connie looked across for some space but found none that wasn't covered with shattered glass.

Finding her coat she pulled it from the back to cover the floor before pressing her stronger hand to it. When she was balanced she released the seatbelt causing her to drop forwards. Connie cried before lifting her head looking around to the smashed windows. Grabbing her phone she reached up bracing herself as she stood quickly, leaning against whatever she could.

The sound of sirens filled her ears causing her to release a quick breath knowing that someone was coming. They came breaking to a halt quickly but as they did Connie felt her head spin, falling back down in the car. Pain filled her body rendering her speechless as she sat there.

"Right Jez let's get the two vehicles on the road checked first." Iain jumped out pulling the bag behind him as they rushed to the cars. "No pulse here..." Iain frowned before shaking his head. "Damn it." They moved to another car finding a young girl in the back who was beginning to come around.

Connie kicked something out of her way making some noise snapping Iain's attention up. She could hear them talking to one another across the road and so tried forcing herself back onto her feet but with no avail. Taking a deep breath she did the only thing she could. "HELP! SOMEONE, PLEASE!" "You hear that?" "Yeah, you stay here I'll take it."

Another ambulance arrived moving to where Jez was assisting the young girl while Iain moved closer to the overturned vehicle. As he got closer his suspicions rose smelling the strong fumes. His eyes fell to the car itself before he yelled back. "JEZ! I'm going to need you over here!" Iain ran forwards hearing the other paramedic close behind him.

Connie let her head fall backwards as she knew Iain had realised who it was. "Mrs Beauchamp? Can you hear me, it's Iain?" "Iain, Iain I can smell petrol-" "Alright we're gonna get you out." Jez had quickly caught up with what was going on moving to the other side of the car. Iain climbed onto the top of it ignoring the creaking that came from the car.

"Alright, I need you to stay to one side I'm coming down." Connie nodded as Iain dropped down through the window into the car beside her. He crouched carefully aware of everything around him and the smell that was continuing to get stronger. "Okay, where's the pain-" "My arm, I think it's my shoulder... Iain my baby, I can't feel her moving." He nodded glancing down seeing more blood than was good. "Okay I'm gonna get you out of here... Jez I'm gonna need you ready to help!"

He nodded hearing Iain help Connie onto her feet, the pain and fear evident in her responses as she moved. "I can't, I can't..." Connie cried out before Iain wrapped an arm around her helping to support her further. "Jez!" "I hate to rush you but this is getting bad." His eyes looked to the flames that were beginning to flicker not too far from the car.

Ian got her as close to the window as he could before throwing off his jacket, placing it over the smashed glass that remained on the window edge. Jez quickly did the same before Iain spoke. "Okay, I'm going to lift you up it's going to hurt but we've got to get you out of here now." She nodded, the tears falling down her cheeks as he lifted her up.

Connie took hold of the hand that reached out towards her, helping to pull her out of the wreckage that was her car. "Okay she's out-" "Be careful! I think there's more problems than we can see." Iain was quickly sat on the window of the car looking to the flames that were rapidly growing. He moved himself quickly, wrapping an arm around Connie before lifting her from the top of the car.

Jez grabbed the equipment from beside the car before running the opposite direction moments before the car went up in flames. He stood the short distance away staring back to the places they had been only seconds before. "Jez!" He spun round rushing towards the ambulance. "You drive, and get there quickly, we haven't got long with this." He nodded saying nothing as Iain got into the back beside Connie who was gradually falling unconscious.

"Stay with me, Mrs B... Come on, we need you awake for this." Iain's eyes flickered to the monitor quickly shaking his head. "Come on Jez!" The sounds of sirens filled her ears as her vision became unfocused, blurry. "Stay with me Connie." She focused on his voice letting it keep her aware of what was happening but her eyes soon became heavy, letting the darkness overtake.