Chapter 26

"I knew it! I knew I should never have trusted you!" Andrew said, as he swung for Charlie again.

Charlie stepped back, but couldn't avoid his fist, as Andrew hit him right on the nose, a cracking sound was heard.

"Andrew please, stop!" Duffy said, as she then managed to stand between him and Charlie.

"Just good friends?! Pfft!" Andrew spitefully said to him.

Charlie grasped at his face, as blood poured from his nose.

"Leave him alone." Duffy said, as she pushed Andrew away from Charlie.

"You needn't act all high and mighty after what you did this morning! With her! So that's your mistress is it?" Duffy said to him, as she stood pointing her finger at him angrily.

Charlie just raised his eyebrows, sorely, in shock.

"You, you?" Charlie tried to say, but couldn't.

"That's right, caught him in our bed this morning, and to think I believed you Andrew!" Duffy said, as she looked at Charlie, then to Andrew.

Charlie then became visibly angrier too, Andrew was still cheating on her, after everything she'd been through this week, he had a nerve!

Charlie then took two steps towards Andrew and punched him in the face too.

"Charlie!" Duffy said, as she stood in shock!

Andrew's glasses came flying off his face, as Charlie stepped forward again to get him better this time.

"Stop it. Both of you!" Duffy shouted as she raised her hands up in emphasis.

"Git!" Charlie shouted at him angrily.

"Charlie!" Duffy said, as she frowned at him.

Charlie just covered his hand over his nose, trying to stem the bleeding, and failing. He then thought his nose might be broken.

"How long have you two?" Andrew said furiously, as he picked his glasses up from the floor.

"Does it matter now? We're done, our marriage is over Andrew." Duffy said, spitefully.

"I knew you were more than friends." Andrew said angrily, as he pointed his finger at Charlie more so, than Duffy.

"Andrew just leave it. Go back home, clear out your things and go off with her. It's what you've been planning to do anyway." Duffy said, as she folded her arms, and waved her hand gesturing to him.

Andrew couldn't say anything in response to that, she was right, it was what he was planning to do.

"What about the boys?" Andrew asked, as he tried to think coherently for an instant.

"They'll stay at my Mum's until I know what to do. Just go. There's nothing left to say." Duffy said, as she turned away from him, and walked towards Charlie.

Duffy reached for Charlie's arm, and then Charlie grasped her hand with his.

"Just go." Duffy said, as she looked back at Andrew.

Andrew ran his fingers over his jaw, where Charlie had caught him, and frowned at them both. He then let out a deep breath, and walked off in the opposite direction towards their house.

"Oh God Charlie! Your nose?!" Duffy said as she turned and looked at him, blood pouring down his face and jacket.

"I think he's broken my nose." He said, as he tried to breathe through the blood and soreness.

"Come on, I'm taking you to the E.D." Duffy said, as she grabbed his arm and led him in the direction of the hospital.

-o-

By the time they reached the E.D. he was rushed into a cubicle by Eve and given treatment.

Thankfully there wasn't any lasting damage. Just bruised and sore. But, it wasn't the fact it was a bad injury that was bothering them. It was the fact of why he had the injury in the first place.

"I was mugged." Charlie said, if he was asked.

"I was on my way here, I'd forgotten to pass on my budget meeting notes, and they couldn't keep until Monday." He'd said.

It was a lie, well, half a lie. He'd done the notes, just didn't need to pass them on so soon. Either way, Duffy had stumbled across him in the car park, as she'd forgotten to get her uniform to wash for her next shift, and she only had one to use. Most of the staff bought their lies, except, Amy, and Josh that is.

"You'll live. Want me to call the police, so you can give them a statement?" Eve asked, as she removed the cotton plugs from his nose, checking there wasn't any more blood coming out.

"Na, they were wearing masks. And I only had five pounds on me. They threw my wallet at me and ran off." Charlie said, as he grimaced slightly.

"You sure? It's happening quite regularly lately. They'll only get someone else if they aren't caught you know." Eve explained.

"It's fine Eve really." Charlie said, as he tried to smile at her, but winced in pain.

"Alright, but don't say I didn't tell you." She said, as she drew back the curtains.

Duffy was sat waiting for him in his office room, as he opened the door and joined her, closing it lightly behind him.

"You ok?" She said, sleepily, as she'd been resting on his desk, having a little nap whilst she waited for him coming back from his x-ray.

"Yeah, nothing serious, just bruised and sore." Charlie said, as he sat on the edge of his desk looking down at her.

"You ok?" He added, as he put his hand over hers.

"I dunno, um, it's just too much to take in." She said, as she looked up at him.

"I know, I know." He said, as he squeezed her hand.

"What about Baz?" Duffy said, as she looked up at him wondering.

"I haven't told her yet, if that's what you mean." Charlie said, as he looked at her sheepishly.

"Were you going to?" Duffy asked, unsure of herself.

"Of course I was. I was coming to yours to talk to you about it first, I couldn't let you think I was avoiding you." Charlie said.

"Oh, I see." Duffy said, as she rose her eyebrows at him.

"Look at your face." She said, as she stroked her hand softly against his cheek.

"It looks worse than it is." Charlie said, as he looked at her with a faint smile.

"I'm sorry, about Andrew." Duffy said, as she looked at him guiltily.

He sighed, she was thinking about his feelings more so than her own.

"If I'd known sooner I'd have hit him first!" Charlie said, as he clenched his fists.

"It doesn't matter now. He's gotten was he wants." Duffy said, as she sighed at him.

"What he deserves is another smack in the mouth. The git!" Charlie said, as he tensed up again getting angry.

"Charlie?" She said, as she frowned at him.

"Well he does." Charlie said, as he got up and began to pace the room.

"Well, maybe a little one then." Duffy said, as she smirked slightly.

"He was never good enough for you." Charlie said, as he put his hands in his pockets and looked at her, then sighed.

"Oh Charlie." Duffy said, as she tilted her head at him.

She then got up, and walked over to him. She then put her hand in his chest, and looked into his eyes. He smiled at her, then grasped her gently by the waist, and stepped back into the corner against the sink. He then bent down and kissed her lightly; sore as he was, feeling her lips on his was worth any pain he felt, and the painkillers were taking full effect now. She put her arms up around his neck, deepening their kiss. He then took her fully in his arms, as their kiss continued to heat up.

Then the door burst open, and in walked Baz.

"Charlie?!" Baz said, as she stood watching them in a tight embrace, Duffy's arms around his neck, his hands wrapped around her shoulders and back.

"Baz?" Charlie said, as he ended their kiss, releasing his hold on Duffy.

"You bastard!" Baz said, as she walked out of the office.

-x-