- [It is Ruth's first day as clinical standards officer. Her staff are playing pranks on her because they do not respect her after she moved Charlie out of the ED to the psychiatric ward because he knows that her husband is gay]
- Charlie Fairhead: Ruth, why don't you just tell the truth?
- Ruth Winters: Scuse me?
- Charlie Fairhead: You didn't dump me because of efficiency or budgets, but because I know something.
- Ruth Winters: [unconvincingly] I've no idea what you're talking about.
- Charlie Fairhead: I'm right, aren't I? You find it very uncomfortable working with me because of what I know.
- [Ruth tries to barge past Charlie]
- Ruth Winters: You're in my way.
- Charlie Fairhead: Exactly. I've worked in this ED for more years than I care to remember, and one of the principles that I've always stood by is that you do not gossip about your colleagues or your colleagues' partners.
- Ruth Winters: Oh well that's funny because Staff Nurse Durrani just gave me a very strange look and asked me how I was, so she has clearly heard something.
- Charlie Fairhead: [shouts] She didn't hear it from *me*!
- Charlie Fairhead: What exactly do you want? You're obviously not out to make friends, so it must be power. Let me tell you something about power. True power does not come from bullying people. True power comes from people *wanting* to do things for you.
- Ruth Winters: Oh, and you'd know about that, would you?
- Charlie Fairhead: Yes, actually, I think I would.
- Ruth Winters: Not that it is any of your business, but my only ambition is to make this ED the best in the country. In return, I would like the respect that I deserve.
- Charlie Fairhead: [sarcastically] You've certainly got that.
- [Ruth think for a minute, works out Charlie's hidden meaning that she's getting very little respect because that is all she deserves, and walks off]
- [Ruth has summoned her husband Edward to her office to challenge him about his secret]
- Edward Thurlow: I never meant to hurt you.
- Ruth Winters: You're gay, Edward. Why can't you just admit it?
- Edward Thurlow: Because I wish it wasn't true.
- Ruth Winters: The fact remains: you never should have married me. Do you love him?
- [Edward is lost for words]
- Ruth Winters: Edward, do you love James?
- Edward Thurlow: Yes.
- Ruth Winters: I don't get it. Why pretend to be someone that you're not?
- Edward Thurlow: I know. It's time I came out.
- Ruth Winters: Is that what you want?
- Edward Thurlow: Not desperately.
- Ruth Winters: Then don't!
- Edward Thurlow: But if we get divorced...
- Ruth Winters: Who said anything about a divorce? I wanted a real marriage. Now I haven't got that, but there are advantages to keeping up the charade.
- Edward Thurlow: Are you serious?
- Ruth Winters: You do all you can to help me professionally and in return you get to lead the life you want to lead.
- Edward Thurlow: A marriage of convenience.
- Ruth Winters: But I want you to stop seeing James. I mean it. The fact that we all work in the same hospital - it's too close to home. Do we have a deal?
- Edward Thurlow: If that's what you want.
- Ruth Winters: It's not what I want. Not remotely. But it's what I'll settle for.