We'll Always Have Holby : pt 10
We'll Always Have Holby
Part 1 ~ Part 2 ~ Part 3
Part 4 ~ Part 5 ~ Part 6
Part 7 ~ Part 8 ~ Part 9
This time she just woke up. No sudden movements; he'd be onto her in an instant. Besides she almost liked these nightmares. Ones where she could just wake up and not be able to get back to sleep. Normally she'd go for a run but she wanted to be here when he woke up. Turning over so she was facing him she just studied his face, taking it all in. All those nights in Serbia she would close her eyes and picture him to settle her homesick feelings. Her favourite was on the rooftop of the hospital, the start of that first night.
~~
From: Charlie
To: Maggie
Subject: Getting worried
You do realise this is officially the longest we've gone without any contact since you left? I suspect you're pretty busy at the moment, but drop me a line soon please? Just so I know you're OK. Call me over-protective, but I think I have the right to be when a week goes past without anything!
C
x
~~
Louis looked from one to the other and then back again.
"If this is a problem..." Charlie said cautiously.
"It's not that," Louis said.
"Then what?"
"She asked you? Way to take a hit for the male sex, Dad. You do realise she's going to tell all her friends that she had to be the one to make the move, that she..."
"Yeah, yeah," Charlie said, relieved that if his son was making jokes then he really was OK with this.
"I promise not to be the evil step-mum," Maggie said as Louis hugged her.
"As if you could," he replied. "So is there anything I can do?"
"Like what?"
"Like organise an engagement party?" he said hopefully.
"Why?" Charlie asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.
"Because if I have to sit through a party that you organise then I'd probably die of boredom."
Laughing and ducking to avoid his father's playful swing, Louis headed upstairs to get his stuff.
"You sure you want to marry into this?" Charlie asked.
"If I wasn't before then I would be now," she replied, slipping her arms around her waist. "This is exactly where I want to be."
"Exactly where I want you to be too. With maybe one small adjustment."
"Which is?"
"There's a position opening at Holby. The woman who, well, replaced you has got a better offer. Your old job's available."
"Come back?"
"Why not?" he asked.
"Charlie..."
"What?"
"I've already got an interview."
"At Holby?"
She shook her head. "I just think that working together, living together..."
"What?"
"I just don't want to overdo it. A bit of space to ourselves will do us the world of good."
"Or we could end up barely seeing each other."
"I won't let that happen."
"This is important to you, isn't it?" he asked.
"A little. If you want me to apply for Holby..."
"I want you to do what's right for you, Maggie. If you want to abandon Holby, turn your back on your friends..."
"Oh very funny," she smiled, silencing him with a kiss. "It's not Birmingham, it's still in Holby. I will come home to you every day. It's just a job."
"You don't want to come back?"
"It's still weird."
"Marilyn's gone, the private clinic's gone. Like it never happened."
"But it did," she said. "One thing at a time, OK? Deal with getting home first..."
"OK. OK."
"Thank you."
"So when's your interview?"
"Monday morning."
"You'll knock 'em dead."
"Hope not," she laughed.
~~
"Maggie?" he said, picking up the phone handset Tess had laid on the desk.
"Hi," came the distant reply over the satellite line.
"Hi," he repeated with relief. "When I asked you to get in touch, I wasn't expecting a phonecall! Not that I'm complaining of course."
"Charlie..."
"You OK?" he asked, it finally registering that she was unusually quiet.
"Can you do me a favour?"
"Of course."
"Tell me you love me."
He couldn't help but smile. "I thought that was against the rules."
"Please."
She sounded lost now, like she was pleading for affection or a connection.
"I know what I said, Charlie, but I just..."
"I love you," he said quickly. "I love you," he repeated with more warmth.
"Thank you," she breathed.
"Everything OK?"
"Bad day. Bad week. Bad couple of weeks really."
"You had me worried."
"Did I? Sorry."
"Did you not get my email?"
"No. Not yet."
"What's wrong, Maggie?"
The line on her end went quiet, as if she'd covered the mouthpiece to talk to someone else.
"I have to go," she said when she came back.
"Maggie..."
"I'm sorry. It's not my phone, international rates... I'll call again when I can."
"OK?"
"Charlie?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you too."
~~
"Oh Charlie, that's fantastic news!" Tess declared, pulling him into a hug, "So have you set a date?"
"Not yet," he laughed "This only happened last night. Still plenty of time."
"Don't want to leave it too long though..."
"Why? In case she changes her mind and does a runner? No chance. I have no intention of letting her leave ever again."
"Hey, did you tell her about the job?"
He nodded. "She's a bit reluctant to come back after everything. Lined up an interview at St James' this morning."
"Working for the enemy?"
"I know," he quipped, rolling his eyes in mock despair. "As long as she's happy I don't care where she works as long as it's in this country. And this city." He stopped when Tess smirked at him. "What?"
"Nothing. It's good to see you this happy that's all. You deserve it."
"Yeah, I do," he declared with a grin. "Last night was good for another reason. We finally talked. About Serbia, about her nightmares and what's been eating away at her since she came home."
"And?" she asked. "I mean, I don't want to pry but..."
"Let's just say it explained a lot. She's fine though. Well, she will be. Few things to work through but she'll get there. I think the whole thing affected her more than she realised."
"Is that why she came home then?"
"I guess so," he replied. "To be honest I wasn't questioning why she came home, I was just glad that she did."
"Of course," Tess said, moving away from him and picking up a nearby file.
"Only now I am starting to wonder if there's something I should know."
"Like what?"
"You tell me."
Tess sighed and put the file down. "I'm sure it's nothing."
"Let me be the judge of that."
"I don't know what happened out there - and I'm not prying - but a few weeks ago she emailed me, talking about going over to Malaysia to see Jamie. She wanted to mend bridges. She seemed excited about the idea and then..."
"Then she turns up here," Charlie finished.
"It just seemed a little odd, that's all."
"But you were still worried?"
"Even more so when she turned up on my doorstep."
"Yeah..."
"So. Am I worrying over nothing?"
"From what she told me last night... Things changed for her out there and she wanted to come home. It's sweet of you to worry but it's fine. Really."
"See, now I'm worried about whatever happened to her," Tess said. "Will you tell her that I'm thinking of her and if she needs to talk..."
"I will," he smiled. "And don't worry about her. It was hardly a picnic for her, but aside from being mugged in Belgrade..."
"That's a point."
"What? The mugging?"
"No. Well, yes. She lost her engagement ring."
"And?"
"And you need to replace it now that it's official."
"Do you know how much that last one set me back?" he laughed. "But you're right. I need to do something about it. Been thinking of little else since."
"And?"
"And... And I'm still thinking about it."
~~
He called her that afternoon on his break under the pretence of asking how the interview had gone.
"Really well," she enthused. "Got a good feeling about this, Charlie."
"Well I've got my fingers crossed for you"
"What? Even though you wish I were coming back to Holby?"
"Even though."
"Should know by the end of the week."
"We'll have to go out to celebrate."
"I've not got the job yet."
"You will."
"Hope the board have your faith in my abilities."
"Oh it's pure bias," he quipped.
"That'd work too."
"So what are you up to for the rest of the day?"
"Well I was going to see Jo and Lana, but she's just cancelled on me so now the plan is to go home, soak in a long hot bath..."
"Make the most of an empty house?"
"Something like that."
"Sounds like a plan to me."
"See you tonight then?"
"How about I bring home dinner?" he offered.
"Throw in a bottle of wine and you've got yourself a date, Mr Fairhead."
"Deal." He hesitated, debating whether or not to ask the question.
"What is it?" Maggie was the one to say something in the end.
"How do you do that?"
"Do what?" she aasked. "Know when something's up?"
"Yeah."
"Well, on top of being a good doctor and mother of two, I know you."
"I know you too. So why didn't you go to see Jamie in Malaysia?"
She sighed. "Tess."
"You said you wanted to get out of Serbia..."
"Short answer? I asked Jo for Jamie's address. He wouldn't let her pass it on, so I asked her to give him my details, leave it up to him whether to make contact or not. And while I was waiting... that all happened and I just wanted to see you and Louis. All there was to it."
"OK."
"Really?"
"Really."
"You thought there was more, some deep dark secret, right?"
"Thought had crossed my mind."
"I missed you. I missed you from the moment I got on that plane and so I came home. Now I don't want to leave. Pretty much all there is to it."
"Sorry."
"For what? Being concerned? One of the things I love about you."
"I need to get back. See you tonight."
"See you," she said before ending the call.
Charlie knew what she'd said made sense and was entirely plausible. But there was that little bit of doubt in the back of his mind that wasn't so sure.
tbc...
Part 1 ~ Part 2 ~ Part 3
Part 4 ~ Part 5 ~ Part 6
Part 7 ~ Part 8 ~ Part 9
This time she just woke up. No sudden movements; he'd be onto her in an instant. Besides she almost liked these nightmares. Ones where she could just wake up and not be able to get back to sleep. Normally she'd go for a run but she wanted to be here when he woke up. Turning over so she was facing him she just studied his face, taking it all in. All those nights in Serbia she would close her eyes and picture him to settle her homesick feelings. Her favourite was on the rooftop of the hospital, the start of that first night.
~~
From: Charlie
To: Maggie
Subject: Getting worried
You do realise this is officially the longest we've gone without any contact since you left? I suspect you're pretty busy at the moment, but drop me a line soon please? Just so I know you're OK. Call me over-protective, but I think I have the right to be when a week goes past without anything!
C
x
~~
Louis looked from one to the other and then back again.
"If this is a problem..." Charlie said cautiously.
"It's not that," Louis said.
"Then what?"
"She asked you? Way to take a hit for the male sex, Dad. You do realise she's going to tell all her friends that she had to be the one to make the move, that she..."
"Yeah, yeah," Charlie said, relieved that if his son was making jokes then he really was OK with this.
"I promise not to be the evil step-mum," Maggie said as Louis hugged her.
"As if you could," he replied. "So is there anything I can do?"
"Like what?"
"Like organise an engagement party?" he said hopefully.
"Why?" Charlie asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.
"Because if I have to sit through a party that you organise then I'd probably die of boredom."
Laughing and ducking to avoid his father's playful swing, Louis headed upstairs to get his stuff.
"You sure you want to marry into this?" Charlie asked.
"If I wasn't before then I would be now," she replied, slipping her arms around her waist. "This is exactly where I want to be."
"Exactly where I want you to be too. With maybe one small adjustment."
"Which is?"
"There's a position opening at Holby. The woman who, well, replaced you has got a better offer. Your old job's available."
"Come back?"
"Why not?" he asked.
"Charlie..."
"What?"
"I've already got an interview."
"At Holby?"
She shook her head. "I just think that working together, living together..."
"What?"
"I just don't want to overdo it. A bit of space to ourselves will do us the world of good."
"Or we could end up barely seeing each other."
"I won't let that happen."
"This is important to you, isn't it?" he asked.
"A little. If you want me to apply for Holby..."
"I want you to do what's right for you, Maggie. If you want to abandon Holby, turn your back on your friends..."
"Oh very funny," she smiled, silencing him with a kiss. "It's not Birmingham, it's still in Holby. I will come home to you every day. It's just a job."
"You don't want to come back?"
"It's still weird."
"Marilyn's gone, the private clinic's gone. Like it never happened."
"But it did," she said. "One thing at a time, OK? Deal with getting home first..."
"OK. OK."
"Thank you."
"So when's your interview?"
"Monday morning."
"You'll knock 'em dead."
"Hope not," she laughed.
~~
"Maggie?" he said, picking up the phone handset Tess had laid on the desk.
"Hi," came the distant reply over the satellite line.
"Hi," he repeated with relief. "When I asked you to get in touch, I wasn't expecting a phonecall! Not that I'm complaining of course."
"Charlie..."
"You OK?" he asked, it finally registering that she was unusually quiet.
"Can you do me a favour?"
"Of course."
"Tell me you love me."
He couldn't help but smile. "I thought that was against the rules."
"Please."
She sounded lost now, like she was pleading for affection or a connection.
"I know what I said, Charlie, but I just..."
"I love you," he said quickly. "I love you," he repeated with more warmth.
"Thank you," she breathed.
"Everything OK?"
"Bad day. Bad week. Bad couple of weeks really."
"You had me worried."
"Did I? Sorry."
"Did you not get my email?"
"No. Not yet."
"What's wrong, Maggie?"
The line on her end went quiet, as if she'd covered the mouthpiece to talk to someone else.
"I have to go," she said when she came back.
"Maggie..."
"I'm sorry. It's not my phone, international rates... I'll call again when I can."
"OK?"
"Charlie?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you too."
~~
"Oh Charlie, that's fantastic news!" Tess declared, pulling him into a hug, "So have you set a date?"
"Not yet," he laughed "This only happened last night. Still plenty of time."
"Don't want to leave it too long though..."
"Why? In case she changes her mind and does a runner? No chance. I have no intention of letting her leave ever again."
"Hey, did you tell her about the job?"
He nodded. "She's a bit reluctant to come back after everything. Lined up an interview at St James' this morning."
"Working for the enemy?"
"I know," he quipped, rolling his eyes in mock despair. "As long as she's happy I don't care where she works as long as it's in this country. And this city." He stopped when Tess smirked at him. "What?"
"Nothing. It's good to see you this happy that's all. You deserve it."
"Yeah, I do," he declared with a grin. "Last night was good for another reason. We finally talked. About Serbia, about her nightmares and what's been eating away at her since she came home."
"And?" she asked. "I mean, I don't want to pry but..."
"Let's just say it explained a lot. She's fine though. Well, she will be. Few things to work through but she'll get there. I think the whole thing affected her more than she realised."
"Is that why she came home then?"
"I guess so," he replied. "To be honest I wasn't questioning why she came home, I was just glad that she did."
"Of course," Tess said, moving away from him and picking up a nearby file.
"Only now I am starting to wonder if there's something I should know."
"Like what?"
"You tell me."
Tess sighed and put the file down. "I'm sure it's nothing."
"Let me be the judge of that."
"I don't know what happened out there - and I'm not prying - but a few weeks ago she emailed me, talking about going over to Malaysia to see Jamie. She wanted to mend bridges. She seemed excited about the idea and then..."
"Then she turns up here," Charlie finished.
"It just seemed a little odd, that's all."
"But you were still worried?"
"Even more so when she turned up on my doorstep."
"Yeah..."
"So. Am I worrying over nothing?"
"From what she told me last night... Things changed for her out there and she wanted to come home. It's sweet of you to worry but it's fine. Really."
"See, now I'm worried about whatever happened to her," Tess said. "Will you tell her that I'm thinking of her and if she needs to talk..."
"I will," he smiled. "And don't worry about her. It was hardly a picnic for her, but aside from being mugged in Belgrade..."
"That's a point."
"What? The mugging?"
"No. Well, yes. She lost her engagement ring."
"And?"
"And you need to replace it now that it's official."
"Do you know how much that last one set me back?" he laughed. "But you're right. I need to do something about it. Been thinking of little else since."
"And?"
"And... And I'm still thinking about it."
~~
He called her that afternoon on his break under the pretence of asking how the interview had gone.
"Really well," she enthused. "Got a good feeling about this, Charlie."
"Well I've got my fingers crossed for you"
"What? Even though you wish I were coming back to Holby?"
"Even though."
"Should know by the end of the week."
"We'll have to go out to celebrate."
"I've not got the job yet."
"You will."
"Hope the board have your faith in my abilities."
"Oh it's pure bias," he quipped.
"That'd work too."
"So what are you up to for the rest of the day?"
"Well I was going to see Jo and Lana, but she's just cancelled on me so now the plan is to go home, soak in a long hot bath..."
"Make the most of an empty house?"
"Something like that."
"Sounds like a plan to me."
"See you tonight then?"
"How about I bring home dinner?" he offered.
"Throw in a bottle of wine and you've got yourself a date, Mr Fairhead."
"Deal." He hesitated, debating whether or not to ask the question.
"What is it?" Maggie was the one to say something in the end.
"How do you do that?"
"Do what?" she aasked. "Know when something's up?"
"Yeah."
"Well, on top of being a good doctor and mother of two, I know you."
"I know you too. So why didn't you go to see Jamie in Malaysia?"
She sighed. "Tess."
"You said you wanted to get out of Serbia..."
"Short answer? I asked Jo for Jamie's address. He wouldn't let her pass it on, so I asked her to give him my details, leave it up to him whether to make contact or not. And while I was waiting... that all happened and I just wanted to see you and Louis. All there was to it."
"OK."
"Really?"
"Really."
"You thought there was more, some deep dark secret, right?"
"Thought had crossed my mind."
"I missed you. I missed you from the moment I got on that plane and so I came home. Now I don't want to leave. Pretty much all there is to it."
"Sorry."
"For what? Being concerned? One of the things I love about you."
"I need to get back. See you tonight."
"See you," she said before ending the call.
Charlie knew what she'd said made sense and was entirely plausible. But there was that little bit of doubt in the back of his mind that wasn't so sure.
tbc...