Rachel had flinched slightly at the sound of her name but remained otherwise motionless, taking in the gravity of the pain she felt. She knew that it was Millie, and she knew that she should let her help, but she found herself wary of everyone. She could see Sally some distance off, staring wide eyed at the sight before her.
"Hang in there, Sarge, the ambulance will be here soon." Said Millie, attempting to reassure her.
Rachel simply rested her head in her hands in response, a position that seemed to calm her.
Millie cautiously reached forward and touched her superiors shoulder, not quite knowing how to comfort her. Rachel shook slightly at her touch, but made no attempt to shrug her off, so Millie took that as a good sign. Sally came and crouched down beside them, staring in shock at the blood all over her superior.
"Sarge... What happened?" gasped Sally.
Rachel shook her head, unwilling to divulge.
Millie looked at the torn clothes and glanced at Sally, who caught her drift.
"Sarge, were you..?" began Millie, not wanting to finish the sentence.
"No." croaked Rachel, jerking her head up and staring at the constable.
"Ok, ok relax the ambulance will be here soon." Reassured Sally quietly.
Rachel rested her head back on her hands as a flashback took hold of her mind. Him standing over her, laughing at her crumpled form, then turning her over and slashing the knife… Then he was gone, walking out of the alleyway as if nothing had happened, leaving her there to stare at his retreating form as waves of pain took hold of her…
She wanted to yell out, to scream but found she could do neither, her body was becoming strangely numb, and there were black spots in her eyes.
"Sarge!" Yelled Millie as she lost consciousness, eyes rolling back up into her head.
The ambulance crew arrived a moment later, and laid her flat on the ground, keeping her neck as still as they could. Millie and Sally gasped as they moved her from her couched position, seeing for the first time the slashes on her stomach. The paramedics quickly staunched the large beads of blood with pads before injecting something into her arm. They then quickly moved her onto a stretcher, and ran towards the awaiting ambulance, Sally and Millie following close behind.
Rachel awoke again just as she was placed in the ambulance. She let out a startled cry at the people surrounding her, and struggled against the neck brace she was wearing.
"Get me out of here!" she screamed at Sally and Millie, who had just climbed in behind the paramedics.
"Sarge no one is going to hurt you, I promise. The paramedics are just here to get you to hospital and-" began a startled Millie.
"No! No hospitals! Please no hospitals!" She screamed, making passers by stare into the ambulance.
Millie shut the doors as Sally got out to disperse them and talk to CID, who had just arrived on the scene. She nodded at the driver to go, and as he pulled away Rachel reached out to Millie, who gripped her hand and murmured words of comfort and support.