Chapter 26 –

Zoe knew that she couldn't put it off for any longer, Pam Hales had situated herself in Zoe's office and had told Zoe in no uncertain terms that she wasn't going to leave until she had spoken to Rachel. Quietly she opened the door and entered the small room, making sure that the door was closed before she edged over to where Sam was sitting but Sam's head had dropped down onto the bed and Zoe quickly noticed that the exhausted young doctor was sleeping. Zoe took a deep breath as she crouched down and placed a hand on Sam's shoulder knowing that it would enough and sure enough it quickly caused Sam to sit bolt upright, a look of fear clearly visible on her face.

"Sam it's ok, it's only me, Zoe."

Zoe spoke quietly and softly while she kept her hand on Sam's shoulder, watching carefully as Sam closed her eyes and nodded her head.

"Sorry."

"No I'm sorry for disturbing you."

Sam nodded her head as she sat back in the chair and yawned widely before she rubbed her eyes and then concentrated on Zoe.

"What's happened?"

Zoe sighed as she gently perched herself on the end of the bed, glancing briefly at Rachel who was still asleep before she looked at Sam.

"There's a social worker waiting in my office."

Sam nodded her head as she looked over at Rachel whose young battered body looked swamped by the hospital bed and the blanket that was tucked around her. Sam could see that Zoe was troubled, that on top of all of her overwhelming clinical lead job she had also found herself emotionally vested in their young patient.

"Zoe?"

"Sorry Sam I guess I thought that I could protect Rachel for a little while longer."

Sam smiled as she reached across with her bandaged hand and gently rested it on Zoe's knee.

"Maybe it's for the best, I know what you are thinking Zoe, the same thoughts crossed my own mind but it would be impossible we would be doing Rachel more harm than good with the hours that we have to put in here."

Sam spoke quietly, not wanting to wake Rachel as she looked into Zoe's eyes. The thoughts of wanting Rachel to stay and live with her had crossed Sam's mind numerous times but she knew that she wasn't ready for the vast commitment that she would have to make and if she failed the consequences to Rachel's emotional wellbeing would haunt her forever. Sam watched as Zoe closed her eyes for a second before she sighed heavily and placed her hand gently on the top of Sam's.

"I know that you're right."

Sam nodded her head as Zoe paused for a moment.

"I'll let Rachel sleep let me know when she wakes up I want to tell her about the social worker."

"We'll tell her together Zoe."

Sam smiled as she watched Zoe nod in agreement before the older woman slid off the bed, returning the smile as she walked out of the room, closing the door quietly as she left.

Rachel opened her eyes and for the first time in a long time didn't panic when she saw her surroundings, maybe it was worrying that the hospital bed seemed so comforting but then Rachel dropped her gaze down the bed and saw Sam's head rested on the bed, instantly Rachel knew the real reason for her calmness. Rachel moved her arm slightly and pulled it up to her head to move a few stray stands of hair out of the way of her eyes, without realising the monitor on her finger dislodged causing the monitor to loudly beep. Almost instantaneously Sam's head shot up and stared hard at Rachel, first a look of shock and then relief on the doctor's face as she fumbled with her bandaged hands to reattach the monitor to Rachel's finger, only then, when the warning beep had stopped did she take a deep breath and smile at Rachel.

"Hey."

"Sorry I didn't mean to wake you."

"That's ok, how are you feeling?"

Rachel closed her eyes and wriggled her body slightly but that quickly caused a frown to cross her face.

"Ergghh still sore."

"Well that is to be expected sweetie, your young body has had to endure so much, more than anyone should have to, it is going to take time to heal."

Rachel nodded her head slowly while Sam smiled before she turned and looked at the door, her eyes catching Zoe's as she left a cubicle, Sam watched as Zoe took a few steps closer to the room, stopping for a brief moment before she saw that Rachel was sitting up and awake. Zoe took a breath and composed herself as she walked into the room, her heart panging slightly as she entered and saw Rachel smiling at her.

"Well it's good to see you're awake Rachel, everything ok?"

"She's a little sore."

Sam spoke quietly as Zoe nodded and pulled her glasses down and read through Rachel's notes.

"Well you can have some pain relief if you would like?"

Zoe raised an eyebrow when she spoke, watching Rachel carefully as she knew how reluctant the young girl was to have anything injected into her.

"Yeah that would be good."

"Ok, can you wait for a few minutes Sam and I need to talk to you about something?"

"I guess so."

Rachel frowned slightly as she looked firstly at Zoe and then Sam but they both had soft smiles on their faces and that gave her a reassuring feeling as she watched Zoe sit down at the end of the bed. Zoe looked at Sam as she reached across and put her hand on top of Rachel's and at that point Zoe knew that she had to be the one to speak first, especially seeing that Pam Hales was sat in her office.

"There's a social worker waiting in my office she would like to see you. I was hoping to give you a bit more time to recover before you had to deal with anything else but she is here to help you to let you know what is going to happen to you."

Zoe bowed her head as she spoke, she felt bad for relaying yet more issues onto those young shoulders.

"It's ok Zoe after speaking to Detective Parker I think that I can handle anything."

Rachel managed a small smile as she stroked the bandages on Sam's hand.

"You'll be fine Rachel and I want you to know that Zoe and I are going to be here for you, whenever you might need us, you're not going to get rid of us that easily!"

Sam laughed as Zoe brought up her head and grinned at Rachel as the girl nodded her head and blinked her eyes as a couple of tears trickled slowly down her cheeks.

"Thank you, both of you, I really don't think that I could have survived this without you."

"And with us you'll get through everything that you've got to face as yet."

Sam spoke quietly as she bent in closer and breathed a sigh of relief as Rachel rested her head on her shoulder, she knew that finally the young girl knew that she had a future ahead of her and that she would play a part in it.

Fin.