Jess was obviously surprised to see me, especially in my scrubs and announcing myself as her nurse.

"Hey" I softened, worry encasing me. Why was she here? What was wrong with Lucy? Placing my clipboard on the chair, I turned and looked for the nurse in charge. She looked up, as if sensing my stare. Catching her eye, I waved her over.

"What are you doing here?" Turning back to Jess, I found her staring at my scrubs. Her eyes darted to the name badge on my chest, as if the little lion beside my name would help explain the situation.

"I work here" I wondered, briefly, if I looked as guilty as I felt. I should have told her sooner.

"What's wrong with Lucy?" Getting a good look at the sleeping child, I figured she had a virus or something. Not good with her fragile lungs.

"Possible cold or something. She was fine earlier, and I only noticed issue a couple hours ago. She went down hill pretty fast" I nodded, takin a moment to really look at Jess. She was putting on a good show, the perfect picture of calm, but I could see the truth. She was terrified. She knew what could happen if Lucy got too sick. She had been through it before, and probably had a few extra scares along the way.

I couldn't tell her everything would be okay, because I didn't know that for sure. I could only step closer and wrap my arms around her tightly. She didn't resist, head finding my chest. Kissing her on the forehead, I rubbed her arms gently. Comforting her was all I was allowed to do.

"Nick? You need something?" Jennifer, my supervisor, was awkwardly standing at my side. She probably already knew what I was going to say, those hawk eyes missing nothing.

"Yeah. I can't treat this patient. Conflict of interest and all that. Lucy will need another nurse" Jennifer nodded, eyes darting to the shift board.

"I'll send Connie over. I need you to take her spot on the desk until five, though. At five you can do handover" I smiled at the older woman, knowing she was nicer than she let on. I was supposed to be working an extra hour today, due to short staffing. Instead, she was letting me off.

"Thank you. If I can, I'll come back in and pitch in-" she waved a hand, silencing me. When Jennifer signalled for you to shut up, you did. Even if she was literally half your height.

"Nonsense. Go relieve Connie" she was soon gone, probably off to find another poor soul to work the extra hour. Lucy coughed, forcing me to completely release Jess. She jumped up, suctioning Lucy. I pulled the triage curtain across a little, habit kicking in. There was a mother in the next bed staring at Jess, like she was upset with the noise. I'd been having issues with her since she got here.

"I gotta go to the desk. I'll be back in half an hour, okay?" She nodded, not meeting my eyes. She was upset with me. Leaving her and Lucy, I headed to the front desks. Connie was more than happy to switch with me, not even questioning it. I sat there for a long half hour, processing patients. The whole time, however, my heart was stuck on the look on Jess's face and the little girl sleeping on the bed.

~~~

Handover took forever, but I was eventually able to get back out to the triage area. Jess was gone, a new patient sitting in Lucy's spot. Spinning, I did a quick check for them. Not here.

"They're on the ward" Jennifer didn't pause long enough for me to ask which one, bustling off to do something. She was always going somewhere. Grabbing my things, I headed to the elevators quickly. Normally I would take the stairs, but my mind was too occupied to consider it. Stopping at level 8, I headed to the main desk to see if anyone knew where Lucy was. I knew she was technically too old for this ward, but she had spent two years in it. They may have put her in there to be around familiar faces.

"Hi, I'm looking for Lucy" a short, plump woman glanced at me. She knew Lucy, recognition lighting her eyes.

"She isn't here, love. She went home the other day" I realised it would have been smarter to ask downstairs, rather than coming straight up.

"Jess brought her into ED earlier. They must be upstairs"

"She okay?" I could see the nurse cared for Lucy, and probably had known her since she was little.

"Respiratory infection, most likely. Jess brought her in as soon as she noticed it, so she'll be getting treatment early enough" nothing else has to be said. I went upstairs, instructed to tell Jess a 'Nancy' said hello. The desk upstairs wasn't as familiar with Lucy, and it was sheer luck that I remembered the last name Jess had put on the rent paperwork.

"Lucy Webster" the nurse nodded, pointing me to the corridor. I was still in my scrubs, so they must have thought I was there for business. I wasn't going to correct her.

"Room 11" staff didn't pay me any attention as I went down the hall, aside from the usual glance at my size. This was why I didn't work in the wards. I was too big for the little corridors. There was always stuff and people milling through, so I was like a bulldozer. I sighed in relief when I got to Lucy's room, spotting her name on the door. She was orange carded, having a seperate room because she was contagious.

Jess was beside her cot, gently stroking Lucy's sleeping face. She had her back to me, making it easier to creep up behind her. I didn't need to see her face yet, knowing she was probably still upset with me for not telling her I was a nurse. I should have just told her. Gently resting my hands on her shoulders, I waited while she stiffened.

"How is she?" Her shoulders slumped, relaxing. Her head came back gently, resting against my torso. Keeping one hand on Lucy, her other came to the top of mine.

"She's okay. They're going to monitor her. If she deteriorates at all, a course of antibiotics will be started. Hopefully it'll pass after a couple days" letting go of her, I found the spare chair and pulled it beside her. Making sure she still had room to suction Lucy, I rested an arm over her shoulder.

"What about you?" She leant against me, head going back to my chest. I didn't care that the chair was digging into my ribs. It was worth the discomfort to comfort Jess.

"I'm okay, now. Just a little rattled. I mean, she can get so bad so fast. And she's been doing so well lately. I've even been reducing her oxygen. She hadn't needed as much. I don't want that to all be ruined" and it could be, if Lucy got too sick. Her brain could easily become more damaged. Jess didn't say it out loud, but she was terrified of losing her baby. Again.

"You look tired. Do you want me to sit with her while you have a sleep?" Stroking her hair, I smiled at the knots. She had been raking her fingers through it. She tilted her head back, getting a good look at me.

"Marie's coming. I can have a sleep when she's here. You look like you need a sleep, though" I nodded, chuckling.

"Probably. Look... About my job... I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was a nurse. In the beginning I didn't know you, and I didn't want to work at home- if that makes sense. Then it became my guilty little secret. I didn't want to show you was had been hiding my job..." I didn't look at her, unable to. I was an asshole. It was as simple as that.

"It's okay" my eyes jerked to hers. The hurt was gone, tenderness replacing it. She wasn't angry at me. She understood.

"I get it. You probably deal with enough sickness at work. That last thing you want to be is a nurse at home"

"Originally, yes. It isn't working with Lucy. She's too beautiful to be considered work. I enjoy spending time with her" and with her mother. Jesus, I was in love with her. It was as simple as that. Unable to resist, I kissed her on the cheek. Just a little peck. Then another on on the forehead. I left a final peck on her mouth, barely touching her lips. Pulling away, I just rested my head on top of hers, willing myself to stop. I wanted to kiss her again and again. I couldn't, though. The last thing she needed was me making a move on her while her baby was sick.

"I'm gonna get changed, mind if I used your bathroom?" I didn't move, waiting for her affirmative.

"Go ahead. You can bring the bed over here and have a sleep, too" I pulled away, giving her a quick smile. Grabbing my backpack, I used the ensuite attached to Lucy's room. Pulling a pair of jeans and a shirt on, I shoved my scrubs back in the bag. Dropping it beside the door, I focused on pulling the little bed across the room.

It was just a little fold up one, probably uncomfortable to sleep on. We had one in ED for suicide shifts. It would make getting into the room a little more annoying, but wasn't dangerous or breaking any safely codes. Making sure it was flush against Jess's chair, I didn't bother with the pillow and used Jess's lap instead. She didn't argue, letting my head remain there. Even when I turned over and faced her, my faced pressing against her belly. Letting myself drift off, I felt her fingers spread through my hair. The hum of Lucy's oxygen put me to sleep, an easy slumber taking me under.