Hold my hand

Rest

(Jac)

"Hey Petrenko, I want a word." She glared at me. "Can't you see I'm busy, go and ask Fletch to do it." I looked over at Fletch who was now staring in my direction. "Your off of the surgery rota tomorrow, Fletch is new to the ward and he needs to be put in place." "Don't tell me, your giving him the famous Jac Naylor test. He will pass you know." "How can you be so sure." "You can just tell if someone is going to pass. Nicky however, she may need some work. One shout from you and she will be crying in the store room for an hour." I smiled slightly. "At least someone is scared of me." "Fletch May act all nicely nice but I promise you, He is as hard as rocks. You'll see in theatre tomorrow." I turned to see Fletch still staring. "Have you got a problem nurse fletcher?" "No, I'm perfectly fine Naylor. Why, have you?" I walked over towards him leaving Freida to do a blood test. "You think your clever don't you. Your in surgery by the way tomorrow." "Great, and who do I owe the pleasure." "Your working with me, you don't get to do light work all of the time. People seem to think that your very capable." "And you don't?" "I don't trust you as far as I can throw you, I don't trust any nurses. They never seem to get anything right. If Hansen seems to think that your good enough to work on my ward, it's only fair to test you like the rest." "That's fine by me." I handed Fletch a blue folder, the stitches in my side hurt so I instantly held my side. "Are you Ok Jac?" "Yes I'm fine. Go and do your job." I walked into my office but Fletch was not far behind. "Your obviously not fine. Would you let me look at it?" He put his hand softly on my waist. "No, thank you. Get your hand off of me."

(Fletch)

As I removed my hand she flinched, I was really worried for her when she got shot but I couldn't do anything about it. She is so determined to do everything by herself. "Seriously Jac, we finish work in 10 minutes. After work I want you to meet me here. I want to check your stitches." "I can check them myself." I looked at her sympathetically, I know she would look at them and say that they are fine, her health isn't her priority. "I know you don't particularly like me but I care for everyone and that's including you, please just let me help you and then I won't speak to anyone about it." She didn't say no but she also didn't say yes. I left her be and went to the locker room to get changed out of my scrubs. "So how was your first day at hell?" "Your very subtle Petrenko! It was alright actually, my head is still on my shoulders so it can't have been that bad." "Just you wait, she will get you tomorrow. Theatre with Jac is the most mesmerising thing but for the faint hearted like you, it may come as a bit of a shock. " "I don't need a heads up, I can handle Jac, she isn't as difficult as everyone makes out." I walked down the corridor feeling a sudden sense of nervousness. I've never had a boss so demanding and controlling as her, I'm used to being bossed about by a usually relaxed Serena, she could be scary at times but nothing like Jac. I walked up to the door of her office and knocked lightly, my hand for some reason shaking. "What, I'm busy!" Jac snapped back at me. I took a deep breath in to brace myself and entered. "I told you I don't want your help fletcher, go away!" "I'm only doing my job, you can moan about it as much as you like but I am only checking on you because I care." She huffed at me, I knew she was annoyed but I think she eventually got the idea that I wasn't going anywhere until I checked her stitches. She sat on her chair and raised her shirt up. I examined her stitches, her wound was infected and it looked very sore. "I'm gonna go and get a trolley, I need to clean around your wound, it's infected so it must be causing you some pain. I'm also going to get you some pain relief." "It's fine, there is nothing wrong with my wound, it's obviously going to hurt, all injuries do." She went to get up but she flinched and then sat back down. "It's really hurting you isn't it. Please just let me help you." She looked at me rather annoyed still. "If your not back in five minutes, I'm gone." I ran to the store cupboard and grabbed a trolley. On my way back, mr Lewisham called me over. "Is there anything I can do for you?" "You don't mind getting me some more painkillers son, I'm really hurting." I knew that Jac would leave if I didn't get back to her but a patient was in need of some help. I went back to the store cupboard, got some painkillers for him and as I walked back to the bays, I bashed into Jac. Jac held her side and shouted. "Watch where your going." "Are you Ok Jac?" Her eyes started rolling in the back of her head and I could see through her t shirt that her side was bleeding. Then Nicky walked past. "Nicky! I don't know where you have been but mr Lewisham has been needing painkillers, give these to him and make sure your on he ward at all times, your on the night shift!" I didn't mean to snap but Jac was laying in my arms, she was still breathing but she had fainted. I took her to an empty side room and laid her on a bed. My arms stayed firmly around her shoulders until her eyes began to flutter. "Fletch" She croaked, her voice seemed dry and sore. "Jac, can you hear me?" She nodded. "You fainted in the Hall. Some of your stitches have come undone so I'm gonna have to redo them, I know that they hurt but I will be as gentle as I possibly can." "Are you sure you are capable of doing stitches Fletch, that's another whole level above taking blood tests!" She smiled sarcastically at me. "I think you'll find I'm qualified Mrs." I rolled the side of her top up and went to the trolley to find some tweezers. "Your hands are freezing!" "Yeah, I'm sorry. I'm in your presence. Your cold hearted nature is freezing me to death." "Very funny, hurry up and get on with it then, I have an early start tomorrow." "Ah, I don't think you'll be going anywhere. You need to rest so your gonna have to stay here." "If that is a joke fletcher, I don't do jokes." "I can tell that. I've never classed you as a girl with a sense of humour. It's for your own good Naylor, you won't get rest any other way." "No, do you know why I won't? I have a five year old little girl who keeps me up half way through the night as they played monsters at playgroup and she has nightmares and then with 2 hours sleep I have to come into work and then go home and re start the whole thing again. Mother's don't get rest Fletch." "I'm telling you, I should know. I have 4 of them and one is a teen and believe you me she is difficult. I'm also by myself Jac and it is hard but if you don't make time for yourself then your gonna burn out, that's obviously what has happened now. So stay in bed, don't get up and just do as you are told for once!" She laid there speechless and I left the room, an overprotective urge just came over me, I don't know why but it did. If I have to sit up here all night then I will, Jac Naylor will not break me, she doesn't know who she's fighting with.