"I can walk" Jac said as Fletch arrived at her new bedside with a wheelchair
"Apparently, according to Roxy, downstairs is too far just yet so it's this" he gestured to the wheelchair "or that" he pointed to the bed " or I could give you a fireman's lift"
Jac laughed "ok ok. Wheel me Fletcher and remember the brakes this time " she smirked, remembering the last time he pushed her in a wheelchair after the shooting.
They arrived outside the bank of lifts. Jac noticed Fletch go quiet and look tense.
Raf. Of course Fletch avoided lifts since the shooting, she had noticed that. Now she thought of it she noticed a lot about him without realising. She knew him so well- they knew each other so well. Jac reached for his hand - "Hey" she squeezed his hand, conveying in that simple gesture that she understood. He gave a small smile. Grateful that she was aware
"Let me meet you downstairs Fletch"
"No I've got to get over this sometime. You being with me will help" he squeezed her hand back.
"Ok. Let go now" she said as a couple of nurses approached "we're going to blow our cover"
The lift arrived and soon they were sitting in pulses
"This is not going to work Jac"
"What's not going to work?" She said starting to panic
He saw the look on her face
"I mean it's not going to work pretending that we're nothing more than colleagues. I want to hold your hand, kiss you if I want, brush that piece of hair off your face"
She subconsciously brushed the hair off her face and released the breath she began holding when she'd thought he meant that they weren't going to work. Worried that she'd ruined everything by insisting on telling him how she felt.
"Jac, you didn't think I meant that we weren't going to work?" he laughed "you big dope"
Jac laughed despite herself "you're a big dope" they grinned at each other.
He was right, anyone looking at them now would be in no doubt that they were a couple.
"Oh alright" she said "let's go outside"
He nodded and pushed her out whilst she held the coffees on her lap. He gently massaged her shoulders with one hand whilst steering with the other. Revelling in the knowledge that he was finally allowed to express how he felt about her and not have to hide it from her and the rest of the world.
They stopped at the peace garden, just near Arthur's plaque. Jac regarded it.
"Wonder if they'll put a plaque up for me"
"Well no one is going to have to make that decision for a very long time"
"I'm just trying to be realistic. Would be classic me wouldn't it - finally admit that I love you and then promptly die"
"Oh shut up Naylor" he said and leant in to kiss her "I refuse to listen to anymore of that negativity. You're going to be fine"
He wasn't stupid, he knew deep down that there was a real possibility that Jac could die from complications arising from this operation but the only way he could carry on was to ignore that knowledge and encourage Jac to do the same
