A/N: Thank you for the reviews! This is a shorter update but the next update will contain Rita. xx

~Mini Peacelet~

Smothered Shadows - Part 6

Connie's curled fingers hesitated, fluttering in the air momentarily, as she contemplated knocking on Hanssen's office door. She could perceive talking. Well, actually, it was just his voice. A sharp tap followed subsequently, she needed to know how long it would take for Rita's x-ray results.

"Connie," He peered up from his desk as she entered and tentatively shut the door behind her, "How can I help you?"

"I'm sorry, I'm not interrupting anything am I?" Hovering by the door, a moderately anxious expression had adopted the female's features as she shuffled on the spot and adjusted her jacket sleeves, "It's just I heard you talking-"

"You weren't disrupting anything." Henrik clarified with a reassuring smile. His deep eyes had locked with the social worker's. Lustful in awe. Perhaps smitten.

Perplexity creased the brunette's face, manner equally bewildered, "So who were you speaking to then?"

"Mabel." Mutedly, the consultant noted her puzzlement escalate as she scanned the office with a hint of awkwardness until he elaborated with a simple gesture, "My plant."

The female displayed a presence of incredulity. Had she really heard that correctly? "Right...well, I came to see how long it will be before Rita's x-ray results will be back. We have been waiting a while."

He nodded quickly and tapped at his computer, "I'll just have a look." Flicking through the screen he confirmed that they were still being processed. But he wasn't about to allow her to leave just yet. "I never had you down as the type for marriage."

She perched against the wooden unit at the side of the room, perfectly manicured fingertips curled around the edge securely, "What makes you think I'm married?" Head tilted to the side, her luscious mane of chestnut-coloured curls cascaded over one shoulder.

"Well, since you're here with presumably your daughter...I just presumed-"

"Well, you judged incorrectly." Connie stated sincerely, glossy lips pursed together in apprehension as she paused fleetingly, "As a matter of fact, she is my daughter. But she is also your daughter, as well." With her dark orbs narrowed scrutinisingly, she impatiently waited his response.

Hanssen's face fell immediately, faltering over words that he failed to string into a logical sentence, "Wha...how?!"

"You are a doctor, Henrik. I hardly think I need to explain nor draw you a diagram." The brunette rolled her eyes dramatically at his incompetence, "We were at a party, ingested far too many alcoholic cocktails and we kissed, then one thing lead to another. She was the result of our irrational one night stand! You superciliously ran when I confined in you, never to be seen again once you had signed those papers minutes after her birth. Dropping all your responsibilities. Remember?"

"We agreed to have her adopted. She was adopted. We both signed those adoption forms together." With intense concentration, he could reminiscent those very moments currently in debate.

"Yes, and she was adopted." Connie confirmed, nodding briefly, "Until she was seven. Then it didn't work out and she returned to the care system. I was and still am the head social worker at the home she lives in."

The doctor was beginning to understand, "I always thought that you intended to create your stamp in medicine. We were studying to qualify as doctors together back in university."

"I did, but I had a change of heart." Her gaze diverted towards the carpeted floor, "I'm still helping people - which is what I always had intentions of doing - just now it is targeted at a differing audience."

There was a pause, both basking the silent ambience, until Connie spoke again, "Rita recently discovered that I'm her real birth mother; well, yesterday to be precise."

"Does she know about me?"

The brunette rolled her eyes repeatedly with a sharp scoff, "Is all you men think about is yourselves? I guess some things will never change." A shake of her head, "But considering she located her real birth certificate that I would imagine that she does know your name. Whether she has made the connection between that name and you being the doctor, however, is another story. As she isn't exactly 'with it' at the minute, I'd assume not."

Hanssen nodded again - he only wanted to be prepared in advance, "Right, now to these x-ray results. They're back." He collected his tablet off the desk and clicked on the appropriate photograph. After detailed study and scrutinisation, "It's not good news I'm afraid, that's a nasty break. Rita will require an operation in order to fix the damage."