A Beginning - a Patsy/Delia Call The Midwife fanfic

Chapter 7

The library was too warm. The material too dry. And Delia was far too sleepy to stifle the yawns that kept coming, cracking her jaw and making her eyes water.

“Really Delia. Are we that dull?”

Delia gave a soft chuckle and raised her eyebrows. “Yes. It is Latin after all. I was also up late.” She felt another yawn coming on and fought it, waving a hand. “Sorry.”

“Oh! Did you go see your blonde gentleman friend even after our big day at the hospital? You must have got back after curfew. Delia, you naughty girl!” 

A few members of Delia’s study group tittered at this juicy bit of entertainment.

Delia stumbled over her sluggish thoughts. “I...uh...no, no. I was up late. Reading...studying. You know how it can be. Just wanting to get through one more chapter.” Really, it had been her new Virginia Woolf book from Patsy that she couldn't put down.

They obviously didn’t want to believe her, with their smirks and sniggers. This was one of those situations where she shouldn’t protest too much, or gossip would become fact. She would just have to ride it out, they would likely lose interest shortly.

Thankfully she was distracted from the discomfort by a flicker of movement caught out of the corner of her eye. All of her fatigue washed away at the sight of Patsy peeking around the edge of the doorway with a shy grin and a small wave. 

Delia excused herself, nearly toppling the chair behind her in her excitement. “I think I need a bit of air. Don’t wait on me.” She hurried off without another thought to the giggles that followed in her wake.

In the hall, Patsy smiled at Delia, pressing an index finger to her lips and quietly stepped backwards until she stopped in front of another door, slipping inside. 

With a glance over her shoulder, Delia eagerly followed when she saw the hall was clear.

Safe inside the supply closet, with the door closed and the scent of floor cleaner surrounding them, Patsy pulled Delia close, hugging her tightly. 

Delia buried her face against Patsy’s neck, the uninjured side. Her fingers lightly grazing the bandage. “How does it feel?” She kept her voice low, as soft as possible to hold onto this private moment for as long as possible.

She felt Patsy’s lips against her temple. “It’s fine. But…” She pulled away. “I was hoping you would change the bandage for me before I have to go to work?”

Delia crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. “So I’m here in a purely professional context, am I?”

Patsy shrugged. “Maybe not purely.”

Delia leaned in and kissed the newly exposed skin that was hidden beneath the bandage. Inspecting the wound, she took the items from Patsy and began to clean and redress it. “It looks good.” Her voice was small, her fingers gentle. “I was so afr—”

Patsy interrupted Delia’s dark train of thought. “Nope, stop right there. It was scary, but you handled it and here we are on the other side. So stop. Thank you.” She pulled Delia’s hands up and pressed a heartfelt kiss to the pulse on the inside of each wrist. “Being a nurse can put us in any number of potentially dangerous situations. But you proved that no matter where you are from, Ms. Delia Busby, you can deal with it. And I am so proud of you.” She leaned down and captured Delia’s lips, holding her close with a hand to the back of her neck.

Snuggling into Patsy’s embrace, Delia wrapped her arms around Patsy's waist. “I have Saturday free if you want to do something.”

She could feel Patsy grin as she kissed her forehead. “I know you have. We’re doing something. But it’s a surprise.”