Rita shut her eyes tightly and took a long deep breath. All of last night came flooding back, flashing before her in horrible fleeting snapshots. Her eyes snapped open again.

"Oh my god" she mouthed.

"Oh my god!" she muttered again, then louder.

"OH MY GOD. What the bloody hell was I thinking!"

Now look at her, shouting at an empty room. You've finally lost it Freeman. Shaking her head, Rita tried to piece together what had happened last night in a dire attempt to see if she could salvage even a shred of dignity.

It had started like the end of any other tough shift. Straight to the pub. She was only going to have one...

Charlie pushed a round of drinks onto the bar table.

"Alright ladies and gents, knock yourselves out"

Rita grabbed her gin and tonic and gulped it down eagerly.

"Blimey. Tough day at the office Rita?" Charlie chuckled.

"Yeah I'd call it that" She grinned cheekily and winked. "Time to celebrate I say"

"Amen to that" Cal took a gulp of his pint.

"How was that RTC patient you had in the end Cal?" Rita asked.

"Rushed in and we had to intubate straight away. Dixie said he arrested twice in the back of the ambulance. We got him back but with multiple fractures and respiratory complications, the outlooks not great" he looked glumly into his pint glass.

"You did what you could mate" Rita rubbed his arm. "Can't ask anymore of you than that"

"On a lighter note" Rita beamed at Charlie. "Someone's got an admirer" she winked suggestively.

Charlie rolled his eyes.

"Mrs Michaels is very sweet but...not my type"

Tess chipped in. "She was so pleased with his patient care she even offered her hand in marriage!"

"Eh eh got the ladies falling at your feet Charlie old pal. Welcome to my world" Cal grinned.

Rita shook her head smirking.

"What about you Ethan? Any lovely ladies captured your attention?"

Cal smirked.

"He wouldn't know one if she punched him in the face" he murmured into his glass.

"Boys play nice!" Tess narrowed her eyes at Cal.

"Urm..no not quite. I mean I'm not saying all the female members of staff in the ED are unattractive...but...what I mean to say is..."

Rita had to put him out of his misery.

"Oh look at the poor boy tripping over his words" Rita and Tess crooned.

"It's alright Ethan. You don't fancy any of us. I think I'll get over it" Rita chuckled.

Ethan smiled weakly.

The gentle conversation of the ED staff was interrupted by the sharp opening of the bar door. In stepped Connie Beauchamp herself. Rita's mouth dropped open. Cal was in a similar state of shock.

"It's alright Rita. I asked Mrs Beauchamp if she would like to join us. We've all had a hard day after all. You don't have to look so shocked."

Rita closed her mouth and blushed.

"Hmm practically begged me to join you" Connie muttered under her breath.

Rita smirked into her drink.

They all shuffled over as Charlie pulled up a chair.

"What are you drinking Connie?"

"White wine please"

"Soooo Mrs B. How are things?" Cal draped his arm over the back of her chair.

Connie just rolled her eyes. "Fine thank you" She spun around and made a show about swatting his hand off the top of her chair.

Tess chuckled.

Rita jumped up. "My round. Same again?"

Met with nods, Rita walked to the bar and wandered back with the drinks. She was eager to work out why exactly Connie was here.

The second round went down well followed by Cal's third. Charlie and Tess made their excuses and left. Cal and Ethan had ventured off to the table in the corner to see who win in an arm wrestle, a tightly contested battle. This left just Rita and Connie sitting awkwardly at the table. Rita had worked up enough dutch courage and drunk enough gin to ask Connie outright.

"Why are you here Con- Mrs Beauchamp?" Rita corrected herself.

Connie leaned in close to Rita.

"Well to tell you the truth Charlie suggested it might be the best way to truly 'get to know' the team in your own environment. Plus Hanssen thinks I need to try out a 'new management style'" Connie rolled her eyes and Rita smirked.

"That's bullshit"

Connie grinned. "Eloquently put. But essentially correct"

"How do you like us in our own environment then?" Rita slid to one side on her chair, tipping over her empty glass in front of her.

Connie glanced from Rita playing tipsily with her glass to Cal and Ethan arm wrestling in the corner.

"It's an...insightful experience"

Rita paused then her eyes lit up.

"I've got an idea! 20 questions style game. Go in turns to answer a question and you can forefit if you don't want to answer"

Connie glanced at Rita frowning. She liked Rita, she could use this to find out more about her? Plus she'd definitely had enough to drink. All these thoughts whirled around in Connie's head.

"Hmm I'm not sure.."

"Oh come on Beauchamp! Live a little" Rita's eyes flashed dangerously.

"Fine. Connie Beauchamp never backs down from a challenge but what's the forefit dare I ask?"

"Shots" Rita replied firmly. "No excuses"

With that she went up to the bar and ordered five tequila shots each and brought them back to the table.

"Let the challenge commence!"

"I'll go first" Rita grinned, she already had a question lined up.

"Henrik Hanssen or Guy Self" she said bluntly.

"What about them?"

Rita's eyes widened incredulously.

"Who would you shag of course!"

Connie cringed.

"Oh come on that's just.."

"Answer the question or forefit!" Rita gestured at the shots.

"Henrik Hanssen"

Rita laughed out loud. "The giant Swede! Why?"

"That's two questions Rita. It's my turn"

Rita huffed like a petulant child.

Connie paused for a second then a wide grin spread across her face. This game could work very well in her favour. Rita looked worried.

"Have you always been into girls?"

Rita was momentarily taken aback but recovered well.

"Well obviously I was married to Mark but that didn't exactly end well... I dunno I felt like I'd met the right person with him" Rita paused and looked down.

"Sorry that was a bit personal..." Connie began.

"Noo no. It's fine. Personals good. The team might function more efficiently if we get to know each other better" Rita grinned. "To answer your question, I've never really been that fussy. There have been girls and guys"

"Fair enough"

"Okay my turn. Is it true 'Connie' is short for 'Constance'?"

Connie laughed out loud.

"Yes. What else would it be short for?"

Rita screwed up her face. "I dunno but like 'Constance'. It just doesn't suit you" Rita scanned Connie's face muttering 'Constance' under her breath again.

"My dad was the only one who ever called me 'Constance'"

"My go then. What's your middle name?"

Rita instantly reached for a tequila shot and downed it in one.

"No way"

Connie chuckled. She had already seen Rita's staff file.

"What not going to tell me? ... Rita 'Gladys' Freeman"

Rita's eyes widened. "Hey no fair. Asking a question you already know the answer to! How did you know anyway?"

Connie giggled. "Accessed your personal file"

Rita looked unamused as Connie laughed out loud. "Hey it's not funny 'Constance'! She shook her head. "it's just so 'grandma'."

"Right you want to play dirty? Better be ready!" Rita grinned.

"If you had to date a member of staff who would it be?"

An awkward silence descended.

"In the ED?"

"Yeah"

"Urm.." For a second Connie considered telling her. It would just be so easy to say her name. But she couldn't, the words were stuck in her throat. For all her Beauchamp bravado, her confidence had failed her. Sat in front of her on the table was her get out of jail free card. Connie took a shot. The pain of the tequila burning down her throat added to the pain in her heart.

Rita acknowledged Connie's action and sighed.

"Knew it was Charlie" She put on a fake smile. Trust her to diffuse the situation with humour. Connie responded with a sad smile.

"Just gonna go to the loo" Connie got up and almost immediately fell over again.

"Whoops" Okay so she was more drunk than she realised.

Rita tried to hide her laughter and helped her up. She staggered off to the bathroom leaving Rita to contemplate her next move.