Ally sat quietly as she watched Sandra sleep peacefully surrounded by IV drips and monitors, it saddened Ally to see her boss like this.
A woman who spent her whole career looking after her patients was now dying in the same hospital she had spent 20 years of her a career. She had never chosen to marry or have kids.
Her work was her life and she enjoyed every day despite having to tame the younger nurses such as Ally. Even though Ally had only worked with Sandra for a year she had learnt so much off her old boss.
She learnt how to be more passionate about her job, embrace every operation she was involved it..changing that patients life. She was a part of it and Ally owed her new way of doing her job to Sandra.
Sure they didn't see eye to eye a lot of the times but Sandra was there for Ally especially in the months when Katie had came back into her life..although not entirely comfortable with Ally's honesty of her relationship with Katie.
Sandra was still always there to at least support Ally if not guide her in the right direction..
The hospital door slowly clicked open and Katie's head appeared around it glancing at Sandra and then giving Ally a weak smile as she entered the room.
"How is she" Katie asked gripping a chair from the corner of the room and placing it quietly next to Ally as she sat down.
"Still sleeping..she hasn't woken up...what did Dr. Watts have to say" Ally replied as she twisted in her chair to face her ex wife, she knew by Katie's face it wasn't good.
Katie had to break bad news to patients and family members all the time but Ally knew how Katie worked.
She was married to her long enough to know when her ex wife was aching inside as she had to tell bad news.
"Why don't we go for a walk" Ally asked as Katie's eyes locked with her own, the Surgeon gave a quick nod as Ally placed a sweet kiss on Sandra's forehead and followed her ex wife out onto the corridor.
*
Ally and Katie walked in silence towards the benches of a quiet park a short distance from the hospital.
Ally could sense Katie had bad news as she stayed quiet clutching her cup of coffee in her hand as her eyes focused on the ground.
Despite having there ups and plenty of downs the last few days Ally breathed out a content sigh, for these few moments she blocked out everything.
Sandra being sick, Jane, all that mattered was being here right now with Katie just like old times they had a comfortable silence between them.
As Ally took a seat on the wooden bench she watched as Katie's eyes closed for a couple of seconds as she inhaled the fragrance of freshly cut grass.
"Soooo" Ally said as she watched Katie finally taking a seat beside her. Katie looked into her ex wife's eyes.
She hated breaking news to anyone but especially when it was someone she loved. She didn't want to see Ally's eyes in any more pain she had caused enough of it herself the last couple of weeks.
"It's not good babe" Katie finally said
"She's got pneumonia..they repeated some scans this morning and she has four new tumours in her lungs, bowel and liver, the best thing they can do is make her comfortable" Katie said quietly as Ally listened her tears began to stream down her cheeks.
Ally began to sob as Katie pulled her tightly into her chest. She knew how much Ally had respected and loved Sandra.
Katie hate breaking bad news to people and her heart broke as she held Ally in her arms while she sobbed. Katie wanted to be here for Ally..she needed to be here.
Katie knew she had big decisions to make and fast before she finally lost Ally forever.
An hour had past as Katie's fingers brushed lightly through Ally's hair as Ally's head rested lightly against Katie's chest.
She listened to Katie's slow strong heart beat something she loved to do when they were married every morning as Katie would be asleep. She really was glad Katie was back in London with her now while the others stayed at the hen party.
It was two weeks until the wedding, until Ally went back to Australia, for good this time. She couldn't bare the thought of coming back here again with everyone's life so perfect while she still lived in the past, still in love with her ex wife after all these years.
"Let's get back and see if she's awake" Katie said lightly as Ally nodded as she leant back and stood up away from her ex wife.
Ally began to walk slowly towards the direction of the hospital as she listened to Katie gather her bag behind her, within seconds she felt Katie body brush against hers and their fingers found one another.
"Katie" Ally sighed as she glanced into her ex wife's eyes but Katie kept a firm grip on her fingers as they continued to walk.
"Ally" Katie replied giving her a weak smile. Ally just wanted to rip her hand back and tell Katie that she meant every word she said last night outside the club but she couldn't.
She couldn't removed her hand from Katie's when they fitted so perfectly, it felt so right. Ally rolled her eyes at Katie who chuckled lightly giving Ally's fingers a light squeeze as they left the park.
Ally smiled inwardly as her heart raced her thoughts went back to her conversation with Tiff last night..
**
"What" Ally blushed as she reached for her dress placing it swiftly over her exposed body.
"I know you are fucking Katie and don't even think about denying it" Tiff smirked as she sat back down on the bed she watched Ally closely.
Ally glared at Tiff as she inwardly panicked. Were things really that obvious between her and Katie?..did Jane or Rach know?
"How'd you know" Ally mumbled as Tiff squealed and clapped her hands together
"I fucking knew it" she laughed as Ally's cheeks blushed further.
"So let me get this straight Katie is having an affair with her ex wife whilst cheating on my ex girlfriend" Tiff asked her bruised ego of the lack of sex between her and Ally had suddenly vanished as Tiff was eager for details.
"Tiff" Ally sighed.
"You can't say a word please"
"How long" Tiff asked as she stood up and raided the mini bar in need of a drink.
"Since my birthday party" Ally mumbled as Tiff turned to stare at her for a moment, deep in thought as her eyes widened.
"Holy shit" Tiff gasped.
"What" Ally panicked.
"It was you two in the bathroom that night..you fucked her in the bathroom...I came in to check the toilets hearing sounds and then I seen her leave a few minutes later but didn't think anything of it...fuck Ally you dirty dog" Tiff teased as she carried on pouring the mini bottles into two cups.
Ally racked her fingers through her hair feeling embarrassed as she thought back on that night.
"Please Tiff, you can't tell anyone" Ally pleaded
"Who knows" Tiff asked stepping towards her as she handed the nurse a cup of neat vodka, watching as Ally knocked it back straight shuddering with the taste.
"No one and I want to keep it that way" Ally warned.
"So that's why you don't want to have sex with me not because you don't like me but because you shagging your ex Mrs" Tiff questioned as Ally shot her a dirty look
"Do you have to be so crude" Ally snapped back placing the cup on the bedside locker
"I'm sorry Alison...aren't you the one who practically dry humped me on the dance floor earlier and asked me to bring you here to fuck you" Tiff teased sipping her brandy as Ally rolled her eyes "so tell me more" she asked.
"There's nothing to tell...we gave in to feelings in a moment of weakness and anything that happened was a mistake and it is over now" Ally replied trying to convince herself with her own words as Tiff nodded her head slowly.
"Over" Tiff questioned.
"Over" Ally agreed.
"Why" Tiff asked taking another sip of her drink.
"Because" Ally shot back "She's with Jane...apparently for two years an all" Ally added dryly
"She's clearly moved on"
"You are something else you know that" Tiff replied shaking her head.
"What's that suppose to mean" Ally snapped clearly offended.
"You ask your Mrs for a divorce because you couldn't get over what you did..piss off to Australia and now act like a bitter ex because she's with someone else after waiting for a year for you" Tiff shot back as Ally frowned
"How the hell do you know all that and what do you mean waited a year for me" Ally snapped
"Nothing..it's getting late maybe you should go to your room" Tiff replied as she polished off the end of her brandy and went to stand up but Ally's eager hand gripped her own.
"Tiff...what do you mean" Ally asked confused as she watched the barmaid chew her lip nervously contemplating on whether or not to open up or just forget she had ever said anything.
Tiff rolled her eyes as she sat back down on the side of the bed.
"Before I bought Ruby's I used to work there..I was there when Shell brought Katie every weekend out on the piss, attempting to cheer Katie up after you left" Tiff said as Ally listened intently
"Your break up broke that girl anyone could see it..I didn't even know either of you but I could see she was hurting..ignoring every girl that went near her for months she just drank and attempted to be sociable for Shell's sake anyway I was seeing Jane at the time..nothing serious but one night Shell introduced to Katie and that was it..Jane found out Katie was a sucessful Surgeon....stinking rich...in fact you clearly didn't rob half" Tiff smirked as Ally shook her head.
"Jane chased Katie for almost a year...hounded her to go out with her for dinner but for months Katie just ignored her..she worked and came out once a week to see Shell and Rach keeping her distance from Jane as much as she could..Katie had even gotten drunk one night and admitted to me she wasn't interested in Jane or any other girl in the club for that matter little did I know I'd be trying to bed the love of her life over two years later" Tiff laughed.
"She finally gave in and they have been together since..you can't blame her for moving on..she waited long enough for you Ally" Tiff added as Ally's tears began to stream.
She was torn with her feelings for Katie, she knew she was just to blame for sleeping with one another but she hated how Katie still had a hold over her.
She loved Katie suddenly feeling guilty yet she empathised with her wife because thats exactly how she spent her first year in Australia...miserable.
"I'm such a fuck up" Ally sobbed as Tiff closed the gap between them and wrapped her arms around the nurse
"I'm sorry for saying what I said..I just think you needed to know that Katie isn't as bad as you think she is" Tiff replied as she held Ally who sobbed into the older woman's shoulder.
"Honestly I know how Jane works she was more in love with the title of Katie being a surgeon than actually Katie and honestly I think Katie let her in just to fill the gap of not having you around" she added.
"I broke her heart when I cheated and then when she came to London I broke it again..she deserved better than me..better than Jane but seeing her now when I came back I realised I don't want to her to have better..I want to make her happy...try a make up for what a shit I was in the past...I want her in my life so bad it actually hurts in here" Ally cried as she held hand close to chest.
"I know babe" Tiff soothed Ally as she continued to cry.
"You need to make your mind up about what you want because if Jane finds out she won't give Katie up without a fight Ally" Tiff warned as she wiped the brunette's tears away.
"I know" Ally mumbled as she sat up
"Thank you for putting up with me" she added as Tiff gave her a sweet smile.
"How about we raid this mini bar and watch some telly" Tiff asked knowing leaving Ally alone in this state was the last thing the broken hearted nurse needed.
****
"Hey sleepy head" Ally smiled as Sandra's eyes began to flicker open. Ally sat on the edge of her old boss's bed.
"Alison what are you doing here, shouldn't you be surrounded by strippers now" Sandra replied weakly as she coughed.
"Nahhhh I decided I would surprise my battle axe of an ex boss with some flowers" Ally replied casually pointing to the pink flowers on Sandra's window ledge.
"Cost me ten quid them lot" Ally added.
"How are you feeling" she asked a little more serious as she stared at the pale woman.
"Good considering I'm about to kick the bucket any day now" Sandra replied weakly.
"Sandra" Ally warned as Sandra smiled but broke into a coughing fit as she struggled to breath.
Ally twisted the knob of the oxygen tank higher, allowing her ex boss to breath more in through her nasal prongs as she soon settled back.
"Thank you for being here" Sandra said as she reached for Ally's hand and entangling it in her own.
"You don't need to thank me besides Katie came too, she's just nipped up to her office" Ally replied
"Katie" Sandra smirked weakly as she attempted to wiggle her eyes brows but it was no use she had no energy
"You need to fill me in on that but first Alison I need you to do something for me" Sandra asked her eyes becoming heavy
"Anything" Ally replied placing a sweet kiss on Sandra's forehead.
**
"Thanks for taking me home" Ally said as she opened the door to her old flat as Katie followed swiftly behind.
"No problem" Katie replied standing close to the door as Ally stood nervously in the middle of the room.
"We need to talk" Katie blurted out nervously as Ally nodded taking a step forward.
"I really want us to talk, no shouting just talk" Katie said as Ally was now stood in front of her.
"I know" Ally whispered as her fingers brushed against Katie's soft cheek. Katie's breathing became ragged as her eyes closed momentarily she brushed her cheek into Ally's touch.
Ally leaned forward as she allowed their lips to brush against one another, a sweet short kiss Katie was hesitant at first as she waited for Ally to pull back and regret it but she soon found herself moaning as Ally's tongue brushed against her own.
"Stay tonight..talk tomorrow" Ally whispered breathlessly against Katie lips.
Katie nodded as she reached behind her shutting the flat door. Ally grasped Katie's hand in her own as she lead them to her room.