'This is Karl Fontayne aged 24 involved in the RTC…'

'Wait did you say Karl Fontayne?' Zoe asked concern evident in her voice as she met Dixie outside the ED.

'Yep, trapped in the driver's side of the vehicle had to be cut out. Query fracture to the right arm and right leg, left leg in a pretty bad way and I suspect needs reducing before we lose his pulse. He has had 20 of Morphine and that's the second litre of saline going in now. Loss of consciousness but came to about 40 minutes ago.' Dixie continued as professionally as she could whilst wheeling Karl into Resus with Zoe and Tess in tow.

'Dix you need to go, you shouldn't have had to treat him.' Tess said trying to reassure her friend who was busy handing over the paperwork and reattaching the oxygen to the ED supply. 'Dixie, thank you now go and get a coffee.'

'Police have been informed and are on their way, they need to get a statement from him about the RTC.' Dixie responded not making eye contact with anyone in Resus, they all knew she shouldn't have had to treat him, not after what he did to her.

'OK Karl, I am going to have to reduce this leg if I am going to stand any chance of saving it, now I am not going to lie to you, but this is going to hurt a lot.' Zoe spoke up slightly louder than normal but getting her point across.

'Is there anyone you would like me to contact for you?' Tess asked in her usual calm and caring way.

'No, I ain't got anyone thanks to her husband.' Karl spat venomously back looking straight at Dixie who was still rooted to the spot.

Tess could see that Dixie had frozen, she was full of concern for her friend as she went over placing a comforting arm on her shoulder, 'Dix, where is Jeff?'

'In the other ambulance.'

'OK, you need to take a breather Dix, we have got it now and the Police are on their way.' Tess spoke ever so softly, Dixie could see her mouth moving, but didn't not comprehend anything that she said.

'Right Karl, I need you to take nice deep breaths and on the count of three I will reduce your leg ready?' Zoe confirmed.

'No' Karl snapped back before turning to face Dixie again, 'Come here Lezza.'

'Dixie I really think you should leave now…' Tess started to push Dixie towards the door.

'No, she ain't going anywhere, I said come here Lezza or do you want me to sort you out again like I did before?'

Dixie shook her head, feeling both frightened and embarrassed at the fact she was actually doing what Karl wanted, she gingerly approached the bed gasping when he clasped hold of her hand. Everyone could see she was absolutely petrified, but they all stood back watching it happen, no one really sure of what to do. If they intervened, they could make things worse for Dixie, but if they stood back and watched, he could o something to her leaving them all to contend with Jeff. They were truly stuck between a rock and a hard place.

'Do your worst Doc.' Karl said before turning back to Dixie 'Cos whatever they do to me, is nothing compared to what I have done or will do to you, you got that Lezza.' Karl whispered through clenched teeth, Dixie nodded.

'OK, ready, one, two, three'

'Arrrrrr, FUCKING HELL.' Karl shouted as he squirmed in absolute agony. He had really tightened his grip on Dixie, not only did you hear his bone snap back into place, but you also heard her wrist break as well.

Dixie wriggled her hand out of Karl grasp before she quickly tried to remove her wedding ring watching her left hand swell incredibly quickly. Had he really just done that, hadn't he already done enough damage? Dixie remained in utter shock coupled with utter agony, was this really happeneing?

'Right, that's it; you do not speak to any member of staff here like that do you hear me Mr Fontayne? If you carry on we will refuse to treat you and send you off to a different hospital under police guard, you got that.' Zoe lectured almost getting right up into his face. 'Tess, get Dixie's wrist seen to please and for Christ sake get Jeff and the police now, the quicker this piece of vermin is out of here the better.'

Tess nodded signalling for Linda and Lloyd to take over before she ushered Dixie out and into HDC.

(It was at that point that I arrived with a few minor injuries, I got there just in time to see Dixie being led out of Resus nursing her left hand, I could see it was broken, I could see she was in pain, had he done that to her with everyone there? I couldn't and didn't want to believe that he would have hurt her not after everything she had done, not with other people there. Why didn't they protect her? I just dumped the patient with Dylan, gave him a quick handover before racing into HDC. I can remember running over to her, taking her tear stained face in my hands pulling her close to me. I cradled her for a long time before Tess pulled me off saying she needed to see to Dixie's wrist. I sat there holding her other hand, rubbing circles on the back of it as Tess did an initial examination. My heart sank as Dixie put her hand in her pocket and gave me her wedding ring, I honestly thought she wanted to end our marriage there and then, I didn't think I had been that bad, I can recall pleading with her not to end it, not to leave me, saying I was sorry for all of those things. I felt like a right prat when Tess said she had taken it off before her fingers had swollen up even more, I realised Dixie was only giving it to me for safe keeping. What a tit – but at least it brought a smile to her face.)

Jeff stayed with Dixie while her wrist was x rayed and plastered. He kept her close the whole time playing with her hair whilst planting soft kisses upon her forehead as she leaned into him.

'Are the Police here yet Tess?' Jeff asked as she had finished the cast.

'I am not sure, I will check if you want me to?'

'Yes please, I want them to arrest him for what he did; I want to press charges for assault.'

Tess nodded as she got up to leave, Jeff turned to his wife once more.

'I should never have left you with him Dixie, never. I am sorry babe for how I acted at the RTC, but I want you to know, I am so very proud of you, you kept calm, kept professional and got on with your job, you are a better person than me Dix, you really are.'

(She didn't answer me, she just leant in closer, I could tell she was hurting both physically and emotionally as all the memories of the last eight months came flooding back. She had come such a long way and now, in the space of a shift, he had taken her right back to where she was on our anniversary. I was angry with him, she was nothing but caring towards him at the RTC even after what he took from her, from us, she still treated him and he repays her by insulting her and breaking her hand. My hatred for the little shit intensified greatly at that point, I wanted him charged, I wanted him sent down for everything he had done, and I wanted to get my revenge.)

Slowly Dixie raised her head from Jeff's shoulder, turning to look at her husband, she brought her right hand up and traced over his features, she could tell from how he was sitting, how he had screwed up his face that he was angry. She knew he wouldn't approve of what she was about to do, but she wanted to do it, she needed to do it.

'Jeffrey?'

'Yes Princess.'

'I want to talk to him.' Dixie said her voice shaking with emotion.

'You cannot be serious Babe. Why on Earth do you want to see him?'

'I need to Jeff; I need to know why he is doing this to us, why he did what he did, why he took so much from us.'

'No Dix, I am not letting you anywhere near him, do you hear me?' Jeff responded raising his voice ever so slightly. He wasn't cross at her, he couldn't be, but he couldn't understand why she was asking to see him.

'I hear you Jeffrey, but I want to see him, please lover, I need to know.'

Jeff readjusted himself so he could look at his wife full on; taking her head in his hands once more he stared right into her deep blue eyes. (I could not believe what I was hearing, but I tell you one thing, she can be a stubborn cow when she wants to be, I think that is why I love her so much. Even to this very day I don't really understand why she wanted to do it, why she even suggested it, only she knew that, but I was determined to protect her.)

'You listen to me Mrs Collier, you are not going anywhere near him, do you understand?'