After all this time...A FLAC story

Chapter 5

After what seemed like one of the longest shifts, the Darwin staff handed over to the night shift. For so many staff members leaving tonight would mark a time to go home and say goodbye for now to loved ones, a time to pack bags and to make plans.

As Jac waited for Jonny to come and pick up Emma, she walked in to the empty room where Sacha had been staying. She hoped beyond hope that this crisis and his grief would not push him to the dark places he had been not too long ago. She thought back to her own struggles with her mental health battles. She knew as well as anyone that dealing with grief and trauma the right way was so so important. Jac thought back to the people who had been by her side throughout that time in her life. Elliot, Sacha. Fletch. Her thoughts were broken by the door bell ringing. Time to say bye to Emma. Jac had talked to Emma about why she was going to stay with her Dad for a while. Emma seemed to understand and knew that whenever she wanted to she could facetime Jac. As the front door closed and Jonny's car drove away. Jac allowed the realisation of what was ahead hit her. She thought back to the events of the day and she realised she had never spoken to fletch about what his plans were. It had been awhile since Jac and Fletch had communicated outside of work but she knew she needed to know that him and his family were going to be ok. Jac picked up her phone from the kitchen counter and began to type out a message.

--Fletch, I am following up on Max's email. I am looking at staffing for the next few days. I need to know if you have decided to shield at home...

Jac couldn't bring herself to use Max's email as an excuse to ask him. She knew Max would have asked Fletch directly and would have let Jac know if she was down a senior nurse. The thought that Fletch was putting himself at risk to help others made Jacs stomach tighten a little. She picked up her phone, deleted the message and started again.

--Fletch, Just said my goodbyes to Emma. She's is going to Jonny's in Scotland for a while. She wanted to tell Theo she will miss seeing him at creche everyday. Hope you can pass on the message. How are you and the kids? Have you to make any plans for them? Jac x—

Jac paused at the thought of the 'x' at the end of the message. Her mind straight back to the same dilemma she had the day of the shooting. Not giving herself time to over think it. She pressed the send button.

*Fletchs POV*

Walking through the front door after the end of his shift Fletch was delighted to see his Mum had already arrived and was sat with all the kids watching the TV in the living room. As much as life could be a challenge, Fletch never felt more grateful than when he saw how happy his family were. He knew he would have to explain to the kids about being separated from them for a while. Knowing everything they had been through with the loss of their mum, uncle Raf and now Essie he knew they would find it difficult, the older kids especially. Bracing himself for the conversation ahead Fletch felt his phone buzz in his pocket. Reaching for it with the thought to turn it off until later in the evening, he stopped when he saw the message was from Jac. The sight of her name on his home screen made his heart beat a little faster. It was a long time since they had spoken outside of work so Fletch knew it must be something important.

Having read Jac's message Fletch tried not to focus on the 'x' sitting at the end of the message. It was only then it dawned on him that hi had made plans to keep the kids safe, but he hadn't thought about where he was going to stay. Stopping at his mums whilst she was at his would have been logical however it was at the other side of the city and would have added another hour on to his commute to work twice a day. Rubbing his hand across the back of his neck he typed out his reply to Jac.

--Jac, glad you've got Emma sorted. Jonny will enjoy he extra time with her. I will pass on the message to Theo, I'm sure he will miss his mischief making partner in crime too. As for my kids. I've sorted for my mum to come and stay with them for the foreseeable. I'm sure the kids will love having her here to spoil them! Only just realised though that I haven't thought about where I'm going to go! Typical Fletch I guess! F.

Fletch lingered over putting an 'x' on the end but had sent the message before he left himself add it on. Racking his brain, he was thinking about where he could stay. Could he arrange to stay in the hospital nurses' quarters? An option he assumed would already be more than full with the current crisis. Fletch began typing an email to the CEO to see if other options were available his phone buzzed again. Another message from Jac.

--There's plenty of space at mine if you need somewhere to stay. With Emma gone and Sacha back home I have rooms to spare. Just an option for you if you need it. Have you checked nurses' quarters? Jac.

Of all the responses he could ever have imagined. That was not one of them. Fletch decided not to respond straight away. He needed to look into his options first. He decided before speaking to the kids to go upstairs and pack his bags. As he was dragging out his suitcase from under his bed his phone started ringing. Without looking at the caller ID he picked up. It was Ange. Her voice full of concern. After a few minutes chatting Ange still couldn't understand why Fletch wasn't putting himself first, but she decided not to push it as she knew she couldn't change his mind. Fletch was first to bring up living arrangements by asking Ange her plans. She already lived alone and was happy to carry on doing so. She had tried to convince Chloe to come stay with her but Chloe wanted to abide by Max's request to limit across ward contamination. Fletch saw this as his chance to bring up his situation. Ange was silent down the phone when he told her Ms. Naylor had offered him a place to stay. Although Ange was not around for most of the time Jac and Fletch were close, hospital gossip had made its way back to her once her and Fletch had started dating. Ange knew her and Fletch hadn't seen eye to eye over a few things since Essie became more ill, but she had never questioned their relationship. Knowing that if she made a fuss it would put more pressure on them both, Ange told Fletch that taking Jac up on her offer might be a good idea. Fletch took what Ange said on board and told her he would consider it. He knew now his main jobs this evening was to talk to the kids and to spend as much time as possible with them.

*Jacs POV*

Why had she sent that so quickly she asked herself? Jac had let herself respond without over thinking. When she had offered Fletch a place to stay it just seemed natural. Who am I and where is Ms Naylor she thought? Having no. Having had no reply from Fletch in over and hour Jac assumed he had taken the offer as a joke or had found something else suitable. Either way she had decided that she wouldn't bring it up again and would carry on. Business as usual she thought.

After her dinner and a small glass of Red. Jac took herself of to bed. Knowing the next few days and weeks were really going to test her. Before climbing in to bed she picked up her phone to call Sacha. She wanted to check he was ok and to chat about his return to Keller. As she was just about to place the call her phone rang making her jump. – Adrian Fletcher – the screen read. After a moment she picked up. The conversation was brief and at the end Jac felt a bit dazed. Had she really offered Adrian Fletcher a place to stay? Whether she could understand why she had done it or not, it was happening. Jac decided to forget about it for now and get back to the task in hand. Checking in on Sacha.