Wait For Me

People Change, I've Changed

It was almost midday and Connie had arranged to meet with Hansen, a few details of her leave needing clarification, although she couldn't understand what was so hard to get. Jacob groaned, his arms around her waist from behind as she continued trying to pull free from his grasp. "Do you have to go?" "Uhmm, do you fancy Hansen on your case because you couldn't let me leave for an afternoon?"

Jacob rolled his eyes as he pushed his lips to her neck lifting her up from the floor. Connie squealed not having expected him to lift her up. "Jacob!" He placed her back down with a laugh as she spun round to face him. "I did not take a day off thinking you'd be going into the hospital-" "Well it makes sense doing it, this way you can look after Grace for me." She smiled sweetly as he narrowed his eyes. "I guess you're lucky I love you and enjoy spending time with Grace."

Nodding quietly she tiptoed up to kiss him, Jacob pressing his lips to hers a second time but more firmly. She moaned against his lips taking a couple of steps backwards until she felt the kitchen side pressing against her back. Wrapping an arm around his neck she let her other hand fall down his chest. Jacob's arm moved around her waist while the other dropped to her thigh.

He pushed the dress slightly higher as his hand slipped across her bare skin. It sent shivers up her spine as she leant into him, her chest pressing to his entirely lost in the moment. Deepening the kiss she almost forgot they weren't alone in the house until Grace's voice echoed from the living room. "Muuuuum!" Connie pressed a hand firmly against Jacob's chest as she answered. "Yes sweetheart?"

Looking up to Jacob she saw the smirk on his face while trying to hide her own. Glancing over his shoulder she noticed Grace slowly wandering into the doorway. "Everything okay baby?" "Is Jacob looking after me this afternoon?" She nodded looking to him as he turned to see Grace. "That okay?" "Will you be gone long?" Connie stepped away from Jacob shaking her head as she cupped her daughters cheeks. "I'll be back in a couple of hours, tops." Grace nodded as she kissed her gently before looking back to Jacob. "I'll see you later muscles." "Later sweet cheeks."

Connie moved past Grace, looking to Jacob as she caught her bottom lip between her teeth turning away to grab her bag leaving the pair alone. "Right firecracker, what's the action plan?" "Can we sit outside? It's really warm in here." "Of course we can..." Moving into the garden, they continued chatting and laughing.

Her heels echoed across the otherwise silent corridor, commanding all eyes around onto her. Her hair fell down her back in long loose curls, the black dress fitting tightly to her curves as she strolled towards Hansen's office. Not stopping at all as she passed someone in the department before knocking at his door barely giving him an opportunity to answer.

"Ah Mrs Beauchamp, glad you could make it." Connie smiled curtly wanting to get this over and done with as quick as she could. "Mr Hansen, I'm not sure I understand the problem. I'm taking time away to care for my recovering daughter. What more is there to understand?" Hansen watched as Connie flicked her hair back over her shoulder, her hands moving to her hips.

Hansen sat back down behind his desk indicating to the seat opposite his desk. Remaining where she was for a moment, she rolled her eyes before dropping her hands and moving to sit opposite him. Leaning back, she folded one leg over the other and crossed her arms against her chest. "Is this a permanent decision?" She thought she'd know the answer to that as soon as it was asked, but as she sat there various thoughts flew around her head.

"Does that matter right now?" Hansen's expression widened a little before he masked it over with the same empty expression he usually wore. "Well it would make a difference to the replacement I'm finding. Am I getting someone on a temporary basis, or is it something a little longer." "I need this month with my daughter, after that- After that I'm not sure." He dropped his head looking to the desk as he picked up a file passing it over to her.

"What's this?" "A candidate... I wandered what your input would be." Seeing the name on the front of the file she smirked looking back to him. "As though this wasn't your first choice anyway? Other than the obvious points she has with you, she's a good doctor. If anyone can keep standards up it's her, but as for the paperwork-" "It would be handled." Connie nodded with a minimal response as she placed the folder back onto the desk.

Crossing her arms again she let her eyes wander across the room quickly. "I won't leave permanently. But I need to know that when I come back, I'll be able to leave when I need to for my daughter. Nothing is coming before her-" "And your relationship? How's that going to impact." "Excuse me?"

Hansen smiled quickly before looking to her. "News travels fast-" "I don't quite understand what news you're referring to, but my personal life certainly has nothing to do with you." "It does when it could affect the hospital. Mrs Beauchamp, your job-" "Is my job and I will do it regardless of who is sharing my bed. Now if that is everything Henrik, I have a daughter to be getting home to..." Standing up she began to walk away before looking back. "And yes, a partner too if that makes all the difference."

With nothing else to be said, Connie left the office wandering down into the ED. "I thought you weren't in today." "I'm not. Hansen needed a few things." She nodded as Charlie smiled gently sensing there was more to it then that. "And what aren't you telling me?" Connie watched him from across the counter shaking her head before he turned his gaze on her. Sighing, she resigned quickly dropping her head to her hands. "Fine. I've taken some leave, to care for Grace without the worry of this place looming over me."

Charlie smiled as he watched her lift her head. "What? No lecture-" "Would I dream of it? I think you've done the right thing." Connie smiled gently as Charlie placed his hand to her arm kindly. "You've got a good thing there with those two, don't let it slip away." "I don't plan on it Charlie." He smiled wandering towards the exit with her, stepping into the warm air.

"When will you be back?" She sighed heavily as she looked across the street. "I don't know... I've changed Charlie, I might have been all about the job once but that's not me now. Now I don't even know if it's what I want... I want a family, I want everything I could have had nine months ago now." Charlie looked across with a smile, the same caring expression on his face. "You know I'll always support you, whatever you decide."

Connie turned to face him accepting the hug as she held onto him tightly. She never appreciated how much Charlie used to do for her, the support he offered. He was a father figure when she didn't have one, and it was only now she was realising how much she needed him in her life. "Does this mean I should be expecting an announcement anytime soon?" Connie scoffed standing up with a smile before shrugging. "I guess you'll just have to see what happens..."

Wandering towards her car with a smile she waved to Charlie before getting into the car heading home. She thought about what he'd said and what he'd meant by it. Connie had thought about Lilly an awful lot recently and what the future held for her and Jacob. She was certain that there would never be anyone else she felt this way about, but what did that mean for them.

Getting home, she headed into a silent house, a frown across her face unsure of where everyone was before she heard the laughter coming from the garden. Standing in the doorway, she looked down into the garden to see Grace up on Jacob's back as he ran across the garden. Grace's laughter was loud as he smiled holding onto her. Nobody had ever made the time for Grace the way he did. You only had to watch him to see how much of an amazing father he'd be. One thing was for sure, that in that moment seeing Jacob with Grace, she knew she'd made the right decision to be at home with them.