What Should Have Been

Part 89

Belle began to cry as she wriggled about in the small bed. For someone born a matter of days ago she could be loud. Sam's lips twitched as he lay on his back asleep with Grace curled into his side. His eyes still closed as his mind was overrun with images and thoughts of other things.

Grace curled further into his side causing him to drop his arm around her protectively. He sunk further down onto the sofa releasing a deep breath. Belle's cries quietened slowly as she settled within the warm arms that held her.

Looking out of the window she gently rocked back and forth smiling down at the baby in her arms. "I think Daddy and Gracie picked a great name for you, hmm... I mean I know why she chose it, but it makes it special knowing she did. I'm not sure why I'm talking to you, it's not like you understand any of this..."

She smirked as Belle gripped onto her finger tighter, her eyes wide open as she looked up. Looking back over her shoulder to Sam fast asleep with Grace a warm feeling built within her chest. "Your Daddy certainly knows how to make me smile... I'm sure he's going to make you smile an awful lot too."

Turning back to the window she continued to rock Belle carefully. From the sofa behind, Sam stretched with one arm beginning to wake. He opened his eyes to see her back to him, Belle no longer in her bed. A smile moved to his lips before he frowned looking around at the office.

Moving from the sofa carefully, he let Grace's head settle onto the pillow. Walking across the room with wary steps he paused beside her, looking across. "Con?" She lifted her head with a smile looking to him as he watched on confused. Shaking his head he ignored the thoughts in the back of his mind to step closer and place a kiss to her cheek.

"She's beautiful isn't she?" Sam nodded down to Belle in her arms before looking to Connie. "Who is?" Another frown crossed his face as he looked back to her arms to find them empty. Looking around the room the bed that had been there was gone, as was Grace.

Facing Connie again she looked to him with a small smile. "Con where's- where have they gone?" "You need to wake up..." He looked to her before looking around the room again, no sign of them having been in here. Looking back to where she had been stood he stared at the now vacant space. "Con? Connie!?"

"Sam..." He shot upright feeling a hand on his shoulder before noticing Charlie crouched before him. Groaning he dropped his head into his hands beginning to rub at his eyes. "Rough night?" "Hmm, something like that... Where's Grace?" Looking around the room he saw her shoes and bag but nothing else.

Charlie smiled as he stood up. "That's what I came to say to you. She's through here." Sam furrowed his brow before rubbing a hand over his face once more preceding to stand up. He stretched, bending down as his back ached from the uncomfortable positions he'd been sleeping in on the sofa of the hospital room.

Since the accident Sam had refused to spend a night at home when his fiancé and daughter would be stuck here. Whether she was awake or not didn't bother him, he wasn't willing to leave her here alone. Grace had stayed the first night with Sam refusing to go anywhere else, but she had quickly agreed to stay with Charlie for the last two.

Wandering through the corridor half asleep he remained oblivious to the smile on Charlie's face and the noise from the room at the end of the hall. Sam followed Charlie into the small kitchen where he passed him a mug of coffee. "I thought you said you were taking me to Grace-" "I am, but I thought you'd want to be awake first."

He smirked with a small nod beginning to have a drink looking back over to Charlie. "Awake for what?" He frowned before slowly placing the mug onto the table. When Charlie didn't speak Sam's eyes grew wider. "You mean there's been a change?" "A pretty big one if you ask me." Sam stood up walking across the room to Charlie where he placed his hands either side on his arms. Leaning in he kissed his forehead with a grin before turning and rushing from the room.

Charlie continued drinking his coffee with a smile listening as Sam ran along the hall, apologising as he nearly knocked staff off their feet. Making it to the room he paused briefly noticing movement through the glass of the door.

Grace sat with her feet swinging from the bed, Elliot standing opposite as he spoke to her causing her to giggle. His eyes moved slowly to the empty bed Belle had been in earlier that morning. Finally he looked back to the bed where Connie was now sat holding onto their daughter.

Her eyes were transfixed on her, never moving despite other people being in the room. It was as though she were in a trance. Sam placed a hand to the door for a second before pushing it open carefully. Her attention snapped up to him, their eyes meeting as she smiled brightly. "Sam-" "Hey you, gave me a fright..."

Crossing the room he pressed a kiss to her temple, his arm draping around her shoulders. Connie inhaled leaning into his chest as he looked down to Belle. "I assume you had help with the name..." An arched brow caused him to smile, she was acting so, normal. "Yeah, I got a little stuck and besides... I figured having Grace's input made it more special somehow-" She nodded gently bringing her eyes back up to his. "I like it..."

Sam sighed with relief before looking over at Grace. "Morning princess-" "Morning Daddy. Mummy said she's going to come home." He immediately looked back to Connie folding his arms against his chest. "I don't think so Beauchamp. You're staying right here until I've had every doctor possible look you over."

Connie rolled her eyes looking back to Grace as she pulled a face. Sam smirked as Connie shifted in the bed making room for him to sit beside her. "How are you feeling, really?" "Can we talk about this later... Right now I just want to spend a few hours with you and our daughters." Sam clenched his jaw quickly before surrendering with a nod. "Fine. But you'll tell me if you're in any pain?" "I promise."

Sam nodded moving his arm around her as she leant into his chest. He placed his other hand to his daughter's stomach as Grace shuffled up the bed to Sam's lap. Elliot wandered from the room giving them some time together, the four of them looking happier than any of them had in days.