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A fix it for tonight's episode.

1. Love?

Annie walked into the alleyway. Alan was going to be annoyed with her. Once again she had disobeyed a direct order. Once again she hadn't told anyone where she was going. Unable to shake the feeling she was being watched she answered the call as her phone sprung back to life.

"Hi. Listen." She took a few steps as Alan berated her for missing Helen's celebration drink. She smiled slightly before the sharp pain in her side overwhelmed her.

"Annie! Annie!"

"I. I think." She looked at the blood on her hand. "I think I've been stabbed." Her side burned. The red liquid oozing over her jumper and onto the floor confirmed her suspicions.

"Stay where you are. I'm on my way."

"Alan."

"Stay on the line. Keep talking to me. Keep talking to me, Annie." He motioned for Helen to follow him as he told her to order an ambulance while Vince and Ken followed. Vince picked up his phone; ordering a trace on Annie's location. Banks was unaware. The only thing that mattered was getting to Annie.

"Alan?" Annie whispered. The effort of speaking getting too much.

"I'm here."

"I love you."

"Annie, you tell me that when I get to you. Ok? You're going to be ok. You are going to be fine."

"No." Annie lay on the pavement staring up at the stars. "Too much blood. Hurts."

"I know." Alan whispered. "Stay with me. Please, Annie. Just stay awake and keep talking."

"Ayla."

"She needs you too. I need you."

For once he was glad of Helen's boy racer driving abilities. The car lurched as she ignored the speed limit, a wheel left the floor as Alan realised they were only a few minutes away. An ambulance siren could be heard ahead of them and he thanked God for Ken's forethought.

"We're nearly there." Alan left the car as Helen slammed the brakes on. He was running towards the scene when he realised Annie hadn't answered him. He could hear paramedics talking, the sound of a monitor being turned on - the sickening thud of the defibrillator as electricity was forced through her battered body. He came to a halt as he reached the scene.

"DI Morton. DCI Banks." Helen announced as the paramedics worked. Alan barely heard a word.

"Airway secure." One paramedic announced. "IV access. What's the rhythm?"

"VF to Sinus. We're good to go." The young man looked up.

"She's alive?" Alan wanted to scream.

"Yes But." The paramedic stated. "We need to go. Now."

"I'm coming with her."

"Who are you?" The paramedic and his partner continued working to save the young woman.

"Her fiancé." Alan lied. The young man nodded for him to get in the ambulance as Annie lay deathly pale on the trolley. He did as he was told praying that Annie would come back to them. This couldn't be the end. It just couldn't.

Xxxxxx

Ken walked into the overcrowded and noisy hospital waiting room. He had barely said a word since securing the scene. Annie was his friend. The thought of someone deliberately hurting her made him feel sick. He nodded as he saw Dee across the waiting room with his boss. The other man looked broken. He had never seen Alan Banks look so devastated.

"Hi."

"Ken."

"Helen and Tigger are still on scene. The SOCO lot are there." Ken explained. "Anything?"

"She went into cardiac arrest. They got her back." Dee explained. Ken felt his heart break a little. "Surgeons have taken her to theatre. Ruptured spleen and severe blood loss."

"Annie is tough." Alan spoke for the first time since Ken's arrival.

"Yeah." Ken agreed, "Did she tell you? He's out? David?"

"What?" Dee glared.

"Two days ago. Released for his father's funeral. Escaped. Not been seen since." Ken paused. "I only found out when I was on the way in."

"She wanted to tell me something." Alan paused. "I asked if it could wait. I should have stayed with her. I should have listened." Alan buried his head in his hands as Dee wiped a tear away. She knew recriminations were useless.

"He did this?"

"Ayla!" Alan got to his feet. "I."

"She's with Tariq and Dannielle. She's fine." Ken looked him in the eye. "Just to be safe I had uniform go over there. If this

was him then Annie would want Ayla protected."

"She's not dead." Dee stated firmly. Alan nodded; about to speak when a nurse called his name. His heart rate seemed to treble as Dee ushered him towards the nurse.

"We're with Annie Cabbot." Ken explained. The nurse nodded.

"The surgeon will speak with you soon. But we're preparing to move her to the ITU. The operation finished." She ushered them into the side room as the surgical consultant appeared. The tall, stocky built man looked as exhausted as Alan felt.

"DCI Banks?"

"Yeah."

"I'm Simon Hucklehurst. I did the operation on your fiancé. She's headed towards ITU as I speak. Mr Banks, she's very very unwell. The spleen was straightforward to remove but the amount of blood she lost put her into Hypovolaemic shock. We have transfused her but she's very poorly."

"She's alive?"

"Yes."

"Thank you." Alan wanted to cry with relief.

"She's not out of the woods yet. We've done what we can. We'll keep doing all we can but its up to Annie now." He shook Alan's hand before leaving. Alan closed his eyes, silently praying that she'd be ok. That they'd get their second chance.

Xxxxxxx