8pm

Liam said goodbye to Becky at the end of his shift. "Look if you change your mind about tomorrow night and want to pop in for one drink after work, or bin off overtime Sunday and have ten drinks, you know where I am yeah? And if not I'll see you Monday"

Becky nodded. They walked into room 3 together, they'd found two cans of diet pepsi and two packets of ready salted crisps. Liam placed them on the table "here you are boys, Jack I'm off now and I'm not in the weekend, so I hope you get home tomorrow and good luck with everything yeah?"

Jack smiled at him "yeah, cheers bud, ta for everythin' like" Becky watches as they did that awkward handshake thing that blokes do that turns into a bizzarre hug where they are still holding hands between them.

Becky checked her patients were both ok, they were chatting like old friends, the 30 year age making no difference to their ramblings and laughter. "Nah he's propa rascal him" Jack said when John commented on one of Jacks teammates.

"Right I'll leave you two to it"

"Becky, how many staff are in?" Jack asked her.

"Why do you want to know that?"

"Jus' wonderin' like"

"There's eight of us"

"Thank ya nurse" he fucking winked at her again.

8.45pm

Jack and John were not overly happy. But Becky didn't get why.

The ward was quiet so she found herself back in room 3 as the second half started. She was stood one side of Jack who was sprawled out on his bed while John sat in his wheelchair the other side.

"You're winning?" Becky looked at Jack.

"Yeah but we shouldn't have conceeded any goals"

"It's your lad foden again!" John interupted. Becky looked to the screen.

"Go on Philipaaaaa!" Jack roared at the screen, he absentmindedly gripped onto Becky's arm.

He scored.

"Get in my son!" Cried John, punching the air.

"Eeee-eeeee" Jack made a bizzare noise as his arm snaked around the back of Becky's waist, he twisted her to a one armed hug, leaving his face against her stomach. Becky tried not think about how his touch made her feel. She pulled back from him, relieved that the door buzzer on the main door was going off.

Becky walked into the corridor and laughed to herself as she spotted the dominoes delivery man at the door.

"Hi" she opened the door.

"I've got 10 pizzas for room 3?" The guy looked as perplexed as Becky felt.

"Of course they are" she took the stack of boxes and headed back to Jack.

"Literally starving are you?" She asked as she put the stack down, she could barely see what she was doing over the top.

"Yeah jus' a little snack for me an' John 'ere an' the rest for yous"

There was no point argueing, the pizzas were here, he'd already paid for them.

"Thanks Jack"

"Say a propa thank ya?" Jack pointed to his cheek.

"Ah least the lad deserves" chuckled John, already digging through the boxes.

Becky leant down and gave Jack a quick peck on his cheek, it was nothing, she had given little kisses to patients on the cheek before, Christ sake her and Liam kissed each other alllll the time. It was nothing.

At least it would have been nothing if Jack hadn't brought his hand to her cheek, causing her to close her eyes.

It was only a second, maybe even less, but it was over the line.

She opened her eyes and the look on his face was literally sould destroying. She felt his thumb at her lips.

"I've got things to do"

Becky walked out, she asked Martina to collect the pizza from Jacks room and didn't go back in there herself at all.

She didn't even intend to say goodnight at the end of her shift.

But Jack had obviously had other ideas and had been waiting for her to pass his door.

"Becky?" He called her softly.

She walked into his room, but left the door open.

He gingerly sat on the side of his bed.

"I'm really sorry, I know I crossed a line there"

"Yes"

"Thank ya, for lettin' John watch the game with me, it were fun havin' someone to chat to about the game, I'm gonna delete all me stuff of the iPad and leave it for him so he can watch skysports, I'll leave that logged in for him"

"That's exceptionally kind of you"

"It's shit innit that he's been here so long......"

"Yeah, thanks for the pizzas Jack, that really cheered everyone up"

"Jus' a little thank you...." He fiddled with his hands. "I really like ya Becky" it was almost a whisper.

"Jack you don't know me, I'm your nurse......it's actually like a thing, people thinking they are developing feelings for their nurse or Dr.....it's the same thing that makes people fall in love with their kidnappers"

Jack looked up and smiled at her, that absolutely ridiculous smile "nah Becky I wouldn't go that far......I don' love ya" a deep chuckle escaped his throat.

Becky couldn't have this conversation.

"Goodnight Jack"

"Na-night Becky"

***

Saturday

Becky was aware that Jack was getting restless. It was 11am and the duty Dr had told Jack he was happy to discharge him, but Dr Adams needed to sign it off.

Being a Saturday, Dr Adams was late on the ward rounds.

Jack had gathered his stuff up in readiness. He was wearing black tracksuit bottoms with a simple Nike t-shirt and a denim jacket. He'd styled his hair too. He looked fit. Really fucking fit.

"This is for John" Jack motioned to the iPad on the side, he'd placed a charger with it. "I've deleted all me stuff an' done a factory reset an' put sky sports back on it, he can keep it"

"You know you'll be paying for him to watch sky sports forever" Becky laughed

"Nah I don' mind......I'm sorting him out some match tickets too, he's sound"

Dr Adams appeared and after assessing Jack and checking his chart declared Jack fit to go home.

"Right I'll go and sort your prescription to take home" Becky smiled at him. Feeling both relieved and gutted that he was leaving.

-

"Me parents called, they're at the roundabout up road"

"So when you leave you're leaving through one of the staff exits, the security guards out there are showing you"

"Yeah, I know, Becky thanks yeah, honestly, I know ya gonna say it's ya job, but I know ya have done extra, an' I'm grateful"

"You're welcome, just look after yourself now, don't go and over do it!"

"Nah, me mom won't let me, don' worry 'bout that"

"Good to hear"

Jack was standing looking absolutely gorgeous. He was quite a bit taller than Becky.

"Look, when I'm betta, an' back home like, can I take ya out, to say thank you properly?" He shuffled, he actually looked slightly nervous.

"Jack I can't it would be inappropriate"

"Jus' to say thank ya though....."

"Most people just send a card, or flowers" she smiled at him. Her heart hating her head for saying no.

"Surely it would be ok once I'm not ya patient.....?"

"It's really complicated, morally, ethically, you know? It's not proper"

"But ya would, if ya could? I already told ya I like ya....."

She sighed and looked down at their feet. His immaculate expensive looking trainers and her awful and clumpy but really comfy and practical rubber shoes.

"Yes, if I could I would"

He bit his lip. "can we be friends? Can I add ya on me private Instagram?"

"I suppose that would be ok......"

"Will I find ya easy? Rebecca Hayes?" He queried, like he was checking her name.

"Yeah I'm literally Becks Hayes on there"

"Is that wot ya friends call ya? Becks? I've heard a few of the others call ya that here"

"I'll answer to anything me" she laughs.

He smirked, but didn't say anything.

His phone beeped. He glances at the screen "they're waiting in car for me"

"You ok walking down?"

"Yeah I got them guys out there anyway so..."

"Yeah, well goodbye then Jack"

"Goodbye...... Becks......can I....hug ya?"

"That would be ok"

He grabbed her, tightly with his good arm, tentatively with the other. Becky was careful not to squeeze his ribcage but she hugged him back, her arms slipping around his waist to his back.

Her head fit just inline with his chin.

He smelled lovely.

His beard brushed her forehead.

He kissed her head tenderly. "Thank you Becky, ya beautiful" he whispered into her hair.

She was at work.

This was wrong. So wrong.

"Goodbye Jack"

She watched him leave the ward with a heavy feeling in her chest.