Training camp

Lights

She woke up and grimaced as everything hurt. Then she remembered, the Lorry, the lights.... The darkness. She screamed... Grace... Where was Grace. She screamed again, before noticing her daughter had remained in her car seat, despite the way it had pushed against the passenger seat. She wriggled, and wriggled until with brute strength and determination she managed to push the seat away from her daughter.

"Mumma," she cried, reaching out her hands and screaming as Connie couldn't reach her.

"I'm here baby..." She uttered, wincing as her leg stung. She managed to call the ambulance before the pain became too much and she passed out, trying desperately not too.

"Connie... Connie it's Iain... Can you look at me? Open your eyes," he told her and she did, cursing as the pain shot through her,

"Get Grace out Iain... Please... Get her out," she sobbed and he nodded,

"Lily's got her... She's okay Connie..."

"My leg," she hissed, "I'm giving you some morphine now okay... The fire brigade are going to cut you out..."

"Stop..." Iain yelled, "stop... She's screaming.. Jesus Christ Connie what's going on?"

She winced, "the pain..."

He held her hand tightly, nodding at the fire crew, "get this over with... Connie look At me okay... You can do this... Jacob will never forgive me if I don't get you back to him..."

She drifted in and out of consciousness in the ambulance and Iain breathed a sigh of relief as they reached the ED.

"Connie Chase, 38... Trapped in an over turned vehicle following a collision with a Lorry... Anteriorly displaced left shoulder where she pushed the chair away from her daughter and severely severed right leg... GCS 15 on scene... But now she's drifting... She's had 20 of morphine but she's struggling..."

"Grace Chase... 11 months old... Appears bright and alert..."

"Jacob," Charlie warned... "You're her partner only... If you get involved in anything medical you'll be out you understand?"

He nodded, and appeared by her side in an instant, "Jacob," she uttered, tears streaming down her cheeks,

"It's okay princess, I'm here," he told her, "they're getting you ready for theatre... You have to stay strong... For me and for Grace okay... We need you,"

She nodded, "I can't bear this pain..." She hissed and he nodded, pressing his lips against her forehead.

He paced the entire hospital before Iain managed to get him to sit down with a cup of tea. "I've never seen her like that Iain," he admitted, "the woman worked in a war zone and she never once screamed in pain like that,"

"She dislocated her shoulder pushing the passenger seat away from Grace," he told Iain, "she's tough... You know that more than anyone."

A few hours later she was wheeled out of theatre and he sighed with relief as the surgeon nodded at him, "she's got a lot of rehab ahead... But the leg is salvageable... And she had multiple liver lacerations that will take time to heal."

"We're going to wean her sedation tonight, but she's pumped full of morphine so she'll be drowsy."

He sat beside her, her usually tanned, freckled face, pale and lifeless. "Oh Connie," he spoke gently, "now I know how you felt when I got shot... I need you... I've never needed anyone before but you..." He ran his fingertips gently over her face, "I need you sweetcheeks... I'm not me without you... I can't imagine a day without you in it,"

He eyes flickered open, "grace..." She uttered and he smiled, "she's with Charlie... I'll call him... Get him to bring her to you." Sh watched as he called Charlie who promised to bring their daughter straight up.

She smiled, "kiss me Jacob," she whispered, "I was so scared I'd never get to kiss you again,"

He placed a gentle hand on her cheek, the other in her hair. He leaned forward and kissed her gently, his lips pressing against hers as he kissed her over and over again.

"I love you more than I could ever tell you," he told her, "I wouldn't be me without you,"

"Mumma," a small voice cried and Charlie placed a wriggling Grace on her mothers chest. The two men, and Duffy, smiled as they watched Grace cuddle into Connie gently, as settled and closed her eyes immediately, "I've got you baby... I've always got you," she whispered,

"We've got an hour of our shift left... Shall we come back and take her home with us then?"

"Please," Jacob nodded as he watched how Connie ran her hand gently down Graces back.

"Go and cuddle them Jacob, she needs you too," Duffy told him gently.

Jacob slipped onto the bed beside Connie and wrapped his arms around her as she cuddled into him, "I'm so sorry Jacob," she whispered, "I didn't see him coming into me until it was too late,"

"Hey... Hey... It's not your fault... You're the most amazing mother Connie..."

"She could have died Jacob," she sobbed.

"She's okay sweetcheeks," he soothed, holding her as tears ran down his own cheeks,

"I was so scared we'd lost her Jacob," she whispered and he nodded, "she's okay Con... You've got her, you can feel her heartbeat against yours... She's happy... She loves you,"

"I'm so sorry," she whispered,

"You don't need to be sorry Con... Close your eyes... I've got you,"

"I need you too," she whispered, "I will always need you."