“What?” Charlie asked in wide-eyed shock. He looked at the baby lying helpless on the bed and then up at the paramedic. “Where is she?”

“In the relative’s room” Fin replied. “Duffy’s with her.”

“Who’s Tina?” Simon asked, in his usual, tactful way.

“She’s a nurse.” Fin said, “She used to work here.”

* * *

Duffy walked up to the door of the relative’s room. She paused for a second, not at all sure of what to say. Not sure of what she could say to make things any better. She hadn’t seen Tina for 3 years. These weren’t the best circumstances to be meeting again.

She knocked and then quietly opened the door. Tina lifted her head out of her lap, her face was red and blotchy and tears were streaming down her face. Duffy looked sympathetically at the younger nurse and walked across the room, sitting down next to her.

“How’s Imogen?” She stammered nervously. “She’s dead isn’t she?”

Duffy put her arm around her former colleague’s shoulders. She’d had plenty of experience in comforting distraught parents, but it was different when it was someone you knew. “No” Duffy told her honestly, “but she’s very ill. They’re doing all they can to help her.”

Tina took this in. She just sat there in numb shock, staring into space. Duffy didn’t know what to do, she wanted to help, but she didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t imagine how she was feeling.

“Is there anyone I can call?” Duffy asked after a few minutes, she didn’t want to push. “What about Sean?”

“He’s not around anymore” Tina told her, and covered her face with her hands. “Oh God, I can’t believe this is happening.”

“We need to know exactly what happened, Tina” Duffy said firmly, “You’re a nurse, you know the score. We need to know so we can treat your daughter.”

“I know” Tina said, sitting upright again. She just stared blankly at the wall. “I just can’t…”

Duffy sighed. They’d just have to be patient. She reached over and put a put an arm around Tina. She still didn’t move, but a single tear fell down her cheek. There was another knock at the door and it quietly creaked open.

“Umm, Duffy? Mrs. Peterson’s been rushed into resusc with breathing difficulties. Harry said she was your patient?” Roxy stood nervously in the doorway.

“Oh, for God’s sake Roxanne, can’t you see I’m busy?” Duffy snapped. “Go and find someone else!”

“There isn’t anyone, I’m sorry.”

Duffy softened and sighed. “I’ll be right there.” She turned to Tina. “I’m sorry Tina, I have to….”

Tina snapped out of her trance and turned to the senior nurse. She gave a little halfhearted smile. “It’s ok, I’ll be fine, and you’re needed.”

“I’ll be back as soon as I can” she said, and regretfully walked out of the room. She didn’t want to leave Tina when she was in this much of a fragile state, she knew what it was like to be in grief, and knew that she needed someone around her for her to lean on.

* * *

“How are you feeling?” Roxy shyly walked into the room and sat down opposite Tina.

Tina looked up. “Sick, worried. I just want my baby to be ok.” She paused, “how is she?”

“Better” Roxy replied, smiling. “They’re still working on her. She’s been revived and she’s on a ventilator. They’re just running a few tests, you can go through and see her in a few minutes.”

Tina took this all in. “Could she be brain damaged? I mean, I don’t know how long it was before I found her, she could’ve been unconscious for a while…”

Roxy sat there fiddling with her necklace, not knowing hat to say. There was no use doing the nurse to relative routine, this was different. Tina knew the situation, she’d probably seen it many times before, and she knew the possible outcomes, not all of which were good.

“Would you like me to stay with you?” Roxy asked.

Tina nodded. “Thank you. I don’t really want to be on my own.”

There was a pause. They both sat there in silence, not knowing what to talk about. Roxy finally spoke up. “How old is your daughter?”

”Imogen. She’s 8 months old.” Tina wiped her teary face and sat forward on the chair.

Roxy smiled. “They’re so nice when they’re that age, aren’t they? My baby’s 18 months now! And a complete handful!”

Tina looked surprised. “You’ve got a baby?”

“Yeah, a daughter. Her name’s Nicole.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…”

“No, it’s ok. I know I’m too young. Stupid huh?” Roxy smiled.

Tina seemed to relax a bit more but still had the same worried expression on her face. Roxy could tell she didn’t really want to say much, so she continued.

“It was a mistake, I didn’t mean to get stuck with a child. I considered having an abortion, but I wouldn’t dream of being without her now.”

Tina began to cry again. “Me neither.” Roxy stood up and walked over, sitting down next to Tina.

“She’ll be Ok” she reassured the worried nurse, “they’re taking care of her.”

“I know” Tina said then quickly changed the subject. “What happened? Why did you decide to keep her?”

Roxy shrugged. “I guess I knew I’d regret it. My Mum was around to help me, I knew I’d cope. The only person who wasn’t supportive was Nicole’s father. What about Imogen’s father?”

Tina tensed up and shifted slightly on the sofa, moving away a bit. “He left.”

“I’m sorry” Roxy said, “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I know it’s hard being a single parent.”

Tina turned around quickly. “No, I wasn't. Sean was wonderful, he loved me and I loved him. Stuff happened, that’s all.” She was quick to jump to his defense. She may not ever talk about Sean anymore but she still loved him. She still felt that he was in her heart and would stay there forever. Even if he wasn’t here now.

* * *

Tina walked slowly towards resusc, frightened of what she might see. She was told that she was fine, but the words didn’t mean anything until she could see for herself. Roxy walked with her and pushed open the door.

Imogen was lying helplessly on the table with wires and tubes coming out of her. Tina had seen many patients like this but it was totally different when it was your own child.

“She’s stable, we just about to move her up to ITU. You can come with us. We still have to run some more tests and she’s not out of the woods yet, but she’s fighting.”

Tina smiled, despite her tears and looked down at her daughter. Stubborn, just like her parents. She refused to give up, just like Tina had refused to let Sean go when he moved half way around the world.

She followed as two porters wheeled her out to the lift. She was only slightly aware of Duffy standing next to he. Tina took hold of Imogen’s little hand as they walked and stroked her blonde, tufty hair. She felt in her gut that everything was going to be fine, she couldn’t go through everything again.