Chapter 2

Doyle reluctantly turned up for work, having stopped off at home for a shower, change of clothes and a slice of toast. Cowley asked for further news of their patient and Doyle said that there was no change, but Bodie was at least pointing in the right direction now. Cowley didn't dampen Doyle's enthusiasm and he was given surveillance work. Cowley noticed that Doyle didn't kick up a fuss as he usually did at such a job. He was teamed up with Jax who asked half-heartedly of any news. Doyle relayed his story but said that he didn't want it broadcast from the rooftops, as they didn't yet know the consultants' prognosis. Jax, seeing Doyle's exhaustion, volunteered first shift. After four hours, Jax peeped into the bedroom and saw that Doyle was still deeply asleep. Jax didn't object to a further stint at the window. Even then he was reluctant to wake his colleague but Doyle was annoyed that he had been allowed to be lax, but confessed that the sleep had done him good. He took his shift while Jax stretched his legs and got something to eat, bringing back a sandwich and coffee for his mate. They were relieved at midnight and Jax asked if he could go to the hospital on the way home. It wasn't en route, but Doyle didn't object and was interested to see if Jax could detect any improvement in their colleague. So he was introduced to Elsie and they hovered together for a while. Doyle suggested that Jax take Elsie back to her digs and he would look over Bodie for a while yet. Before they left, Bodie rewarded his guests with another look at his irises and a wonky smile.

"I've brought someone to see you," Doyle said quietly but firmly in his mate's ear.

Bodie refocused in the dim light and announced clearly, "Jax." His audience laughed in relief and Jax stayed a while longer before taking Elsie back to her b&b.

"Are you going to say anything more?" Doyle asked once they were alone again.

"Read," Bodie slurred.

"I'm getting a sore throat reading this stuff," Doyle complained, fishing a battered Harold Robbins out of the bedside locker. He didn't think it was the right reading material for Bodie's mum so had kept it hidden at the back. He provided himself with a glass of water and began reading. After a further chapter, he asked Bodie if he were still listening. He got no reply and so he got up. His mind had been wandering time and again to the woman by the phone box. He made his way to the High Dependency Unit aware that he didn't know the woman's name. But then he saw a familiar blonde head a few beds down. The nursing staff had come to know Doyle and didn't stop him wandering about.

"Hello," he started softly, not wanting to startle her.

She looked up and seemed as exhausted as Doyle felt. She smiled up at him and introduced her little girl - Grace aged 7, hit by a bus because she'd run out into the road. She was asleep. Her arm was in a plaster cast and there was an IV feed into her little body but she seemed otherwise unharmed. Doyle gazed at her for a while, seeing the family resemblance, before asking how Grace was getting along.

"She woke up a few hours ago and wanted an ice cream!"

"Would you like an ice cream?" Doyle offered, not knowing how long the woman had sat there.

She got up. "I'd love one, perhaps followed by beef stew."

Doyle smiled. "How about the stew first?"

She nodded as they headed down the corridor to the canteen.

"I'm Ray Doyle, by the way."

The woman introduced herself as Ruth Staples. As they sat down with their meals, Doyle asked when Mr Staples was to come on duty. A cloud passed over her face.

"Dougie died a few years ago."

"I'm sorry …"

"Meningitis. Grace was admitted straightaway once the doctors knew what they were dealing with. It was just a precaution. You may know that meningitis is contagious."

Doyle nodded and she was encouraged to continue. "Grace did get it but, because they were looking out for it, the doctors spotted it right away and she got over it. Dougie didn't."

She hung her head and didn't seem to want to go on any further.

"What was his job?" Doyle felt that he needed to fill the silence.

"He was a copper. Every day I wondered whether he'd come home. Whether there'd be that fateful knock on the door. And then something as small as a microbe got him in the end - Big Dougie." She began crying and Doyle held her hand.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up."

"It's all right. I was doing ok for a while then, when Grace got hurt, and I'm back here again, it - it …"

"It brought it all back?" Doyle finished for her.

She nodded her head.

"Have you got anyone who can help you here?"

She fished in her bag for a tissue and after dabbing her eyes and nose, she told him that her parents were a great support, Dougie's parents being at the other end of the country. Doyle offered to help with vigils, but she said that he'd enough on his plate and she had her parents to help. A silence stretched between them but they both seemed reluctant to leave each other.

"Would you like to see Bodie?" Doyle asked after a while, "He doesn't make much sense when he is awake, so it's probably best that you see him asleep!"

She smiled and they got up. At Bodie's bed, Doyle leaned towards his friend and said clearly in his ear.

"I've brought a lady friend." Bodie stirred. "I thought that'd get some reaction!" he joked to Ruth.

They turned back to the patient and were rewarded with a pair of eyes looking at them.

"Very nice, Ray," he said, to Doyle's embarrassment. He looked shyly at Ruth and she turned away, grinning.

"Have the doctors been in to see you?" Doyle said slowly.

"I'm not deaf, or daft."

"Not sure about either," Doyle countered but could see that Bodie was struggling to keep awake.

"Would you mind staying for a moment, while I see the doctor?" he asked Ruth.

She readily agreed and settled herself at Bodie's side. Doyle made enquiries about his friend's progress at the nursing station. The senior nurse looked at her patient's notes and saw that a Mr Doyle could be informed of any medical news. She said that the consultant had run tests and was cautiously optimistic. He would need to do more assessing as Mr Bodie regained consciousness, but the signs so far were encouraging. Doyle felt tears prickle the backs of his eyes and knew that he wouldn't be able to keep himself together for a phone call to Cowley, late though it was. He would keep this good news to himself until he clocked on at 8. He looked at his watch and saw that it was the early hours. He needed a few hours rest somewhere before going on duty. He tentatively popped his head into the relatives' room and saw a woman sprawled out on the bed and a man snoozing in an armchair. No room at the inn there. He'd have to gird his loins for another all-nighter. He joined Ruth at the bedside and said that he'd take over duty here till he was due on shift. He told Ruth to get some rest.

"And when are you going to sleep?" she countered.

Doyle shrugged. "I'll kip in the Mess for a few hours before signing on."

"Are you a soldier?" He didn't look like one and Ruth had been wondering about his profession.

Doyle smiled. "No. I'm a copper, too."

His declared profession was usually a civil servant, but he felt a kinship to Dougie. Ruth looked delighted and he was glad. Somehow her approval meant something to him. On asking, he found that Dougie's beat had been up north until he'd been promoted to a job in London. It was near Ruth's parents and so it had all worked out - for a while. He'd been finding his feet in west London while Doyle had been easing himself into CI5.

"Now we're introduced, can I get some kip?!" Bodie complained.

"Kip!" Doyle exploded quietly, but Ruth tugged his sleeve. He relented. "All right. We'll leave you for a while, so don't get up to anything, ok?"

Bodie grinned tiredly and went back to sleep. In the corridor, Doyle declared Bodie a menace to the female society. Ruth heard the affection in Doyle's voice and saw the light in his eyes which hadn't been there before. She didn't need to ask if they were close. They held each other's eyes for a while.

"See you," Doyle said reluctantly, and impulsively kissed her on the cheek before turning on his heel.

Ruth watched wistfully as he disappeared round a corner. Somehow she felt that Dougie would approve of Ray Doyle.