A/N - This chapter has Chloe telling Sam about what happened to her during the attack, it is nothing too graphic but thought that a warning might be appropriate...
Chapter 11 –
Tom looked at Sam carefully as she sat in the wheelchair, the cut on her head had been stitched up but her eyes were not their usual bright colour.
"Hey I'm ok Tom."
"Ok come on then."
Tom smiled as he pushed Sam out of resus and towards the room where Chloe, gently knocking on the door as Linda quickly got up to open it.
"Hello Sam it's good to see you."
"Thanks for staying with her Linda, how is she?"
Linda glanced back towards the bed before she looked back at Tom and Sam.
"Ok I guess, she hasn't said much but hopefully that will change now that you're here, I'll leave the two of you alone."
Linda reached down and took a hold of Sam's hand and squeezed it tightly before she left, Tom wheeled Sam next to the bed before he carefully kissed the top of Sam's head.
"I'll be around if you need me."
Sam nodded her head as she waited until he had left, only once the door was shut and the two of them were alone did she attempt to reach out for Chloe's hand, finding it at the second attempt. Chloe was sat up in the bed, she had been staring at the opposite wall until Sam made physical contact with her and slowly she moved her head to look at Sam, unable to stop the tears streaming down her cheeks as their eyes met.
"Hey it's ok Chloe."
Sam's voice broke as she spoke, gently she caressed Chloe's hand but Sam knew that they slight contact was not enough.
"I'm sorry Sam."
"You did nothing wrong Chloe."
Sam's voice was weak as she climbed out of the wheelchair and leant over the bed, reaching across as she embraced Chloe sobbing onto each other's shoulders.
"Are you ok Sam?"
Chloe pulled away and started at the cut on the top of Sam's forehead, Sam smiled as she reached up and gently brushed the tears off Chloe's cheeks.
"I'm good, a bit of a headache just sorry that I couldn't stop Alison from hurting you."
Sam dropped her head slightly as she spoke before she took a deep breath and looked seriously at Chloe.
"Did she hurt you?"
Chloe quickly turned her head away from Sam but Sam gently placed her hand on Chloe's head and stroked her hair softly.
"Chloe?"
"It's not going to change anything if I tell you, it still happened."
"I know sweetie but you've got to talk to someone if not it's just going to eat you up inside, the nightmares they'll just keep coming."
Sam spoke softly as she kept her arms around Chloe as she turned back towards Sam and clung tightly to her, crying once again.
"I've got you Chloe let it out."
Sam moved so that she was perched on the edge of the bed as she held onto Chloe she knew that she could just read her notes or speak to Zoe about Chloe's injuries but she wanted Chloe to open up voluntarily to her.
Tom breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the policeman move to stand outside Chloe's room, he hadn't wanted to return to work and leave Sam and Chloe unprotected but now it looked like he was left with no choice as Zoe walked towards him.
"Where's Sam?"
"In with Chloe, I see that the cavalry has arrived."
"Yes well I'm not going to take any chances with anyone else's safety, are you ok to work?"
"Yeah."
"Good, thanks for earlier Tom."
Tom nodded his head as Zoe peered through the door and saw Sam holding onto Chloe.
"Right well I think that those two need some time alone so we'd better get to grips with this backlog."
Zoe smiled as she patted Tom's arm and the two of them went to see what else had arrived while they had been busy treating Sam and Chloe.
The sobs had stopped and slowly Chloe lifted her head to look at Sam who smiled warmly at her.
"She wanted to kill me, my own mum! She shouted that I had killed Jason and made up a load of lies about him."
"But you didn't Chloe."
"I kept looking at you on the floor and she said that you were dead and I deserved everything. It seemed to last for ages, she rammed her fingers into me Sam as she called me a whore."
Chloe's voice dropped to a whisper as Sam wrapped her arms around Chloe once again but Chloe raised her head slightly as she spoke again.
"It wasn't the first time she did that to me, she and Jason took turns Sam."
"I'm so sorry Chloe but I want you to know that I'm going to keep you safe now no matter what nothing like that is ever going to happen to you again. Look at the door Chloe."
Sam waited as Chloe moved her head and looked over and saw the figure standing protectively outside.
"The police are here?"
"Yes but to make sure that your mum cannot come near you and hurt you ever again."
"She's still out there?"
Sam nodded her head as she felt Chloe stiffen slightly.
"I remember Tom pulling her off me. Did she run off?"
"Yes I'm afraid so but I'm not leaving your side ok?"
"Thanks Sam."
Chloe managed a smile as she rested her head against the pillow allowing Sam to keep a hold of her hand as the room fell silent.
Tom puffed out his cheeks as he finished writing up the chart, his shift was finally over and he wanted to go and check on Chloe and Sam. Showing his credentials to the police officer who then stood aside and let him enter. Tom was quiet as he opened the door, a smile crossed his face as he saw that Sam had gotten onto the bed and was lying beside Chloe, both of them holding hands with their eyes closed but as he closed the door Tom noticed Sam's eyes creeping open.
"Sorry I didn't mean to wake you."
Tom whispered as he smiled and walked closer.
"That's ok neither of us are asleep."
Sam shifted slightly as Chloe opened her eyes and saw Tom smiling at her.
"Hello Tom."
"Hello Chloe, how are the both of you feeling?"
Chloe glanced at Sam deferring to her to answer for the both of them.
"A bit better thanks. Any news?"
"Not that they'd tell me I think that you'd better check with Zoe."
Tom nodded as he watched Zoe and the police officer talking in depth before she opened the door and walked in causing three pairs of eyes to look hard at her.
"Sorry there isn't any news yet, I've come to see if the two of you are ready to be released then you're coming home with me."
Sam opened her mouth and looked at Tom but he had already looked at Zoe and nodded his head.
"Good idea it's not safe for you to go home and it's a mess at the moment."
"Ok if it means that we can get out of here. Chloe?"
Chloe shrugged her shoulders as Zoe smiled.
"Right well that's sorted then I'll just get the paperwork."
Sam let out a heavy sigh as she had wanted to go home but it was Chloe she had to think about now and if that meant staying with Zoe then so be it.
