Fletch dropped the kids off and headed to Darwin.
He had an uneasy feeling that he couldn't lay his finger on. Just generally uneasy
"Fletch, Fletch, Mr Fletcher" suddenly he was aware of someone calling his name
"What? Sorry" he said to Nicky
"Where is your head this morning? You're all over the place"
"I know, I know. Sorry. Listen I'm going to take an early lunch. I'll get my head back in the game"
As he stood in the queue for pulses his mind wandered to Jac. This was not uncommon. She actually really didn't look too well this morning. On impulse he added a chicken salad to his order and decided to drive over and surprise Jac with lunch.
He rang the doorbell but no answer. He didn't want to bang on the door too much in case she was asleep. He got the spare key out which they had had made when he stayed for the week when she got out of hospital, and tentatively opened the door.
"Jac? It's me" he said softly
From the front door he could see straight into the kitchen where Fletch suddenly spotted Jac's unconscious form
He dropped the lunches and ran to her
"Jac, Jac" he said urgently, gently shaking her. He checked for a pulse - weak and fast but there and he put his head on her chest, breathing but very shallow
"Shit. Come on Jac" he said dialling 999 on his phone whilst gently rubbing her back
"Yes ambulance please"
"What's your emergency sir?"
"It's my girlfriend, I've just found her unconscious" He didn't even register that he'd referred to Jac as his girlfriend
"Is the patient breathing sir?"
"Yes but it's very shallow and she's tachycardic. Please hurry"
"Are you a medical professional sir?"
"Yes, yes I'm a nurse but she needs to be in hospital"
"Sir, there will be a crew with you as soon as possible. Keep an eye on her and if her condition deteriorates call back. Make sure the crew have access to the property"
"Ok just please hurry"
Fletch realised that he hadn't shut the front door so he didn't need to leave Jac's side
"Come on Sunshine" he smiled "wake up and start shouting at me for making such a fuss"
Fletch was fighting back tears
"Don't do this to me Jac" he stroked her hair
After what seemed like hours but was probably only about 10 minutes the ambulance arrived.
Jac was rushed straight to ITU and placed in an induced coma. The medics found signs of sepsis.
"Are you next of kin sir?" Asked one of the junior doctors
"No, no I'm... I brought her in that's all"
He left and made his way down to Darwin
"Nice long lunch break" Nicki said
"Jac's in ITU. In an induced coma. They think she's got sepsis" Fletch turned and went to the locker room, leaving Nicky stunned into silence
Once in there he locked the door.
Oh my god, I'm going to lose her,
after all we've been through together. Fletch couldn't breathe, his heart was racing he was sweating. He recognised he was having a panic attack, not dissimilar to ones that Jac experienced before the shooting but there was no one to calm him down, no one to hold him until it was over.
There was a knock on the door
"Fletch, it's Serena let me in"
Fletch opened the door with relief - he needed contact with another human being
"Bloody hell" said Serena "come here. Nicky called me. She told me about Jac" she said taking him in her arms
"I don't know what to do Serena" he sobbed
"Well you're no good to her like this Fletch. Let's go to your office, get a cuppa and you can tell me all about you and Jacula"
Fletch briefly smiled at Mikey's old nickname for Jac and followed Serena.
