Hi everyone. Thanks for all the lovely reviews. I hope you all had a fab Christmas. Just to confirm, this is definitely not a Charlie/Brax story. Enjoy! Love, IJKS xxx

Chapter Four

"Charlie isn't going anywhere, you know," Alex said kindly. "She's stable. You can go home and shower and sleep and change."

"Are you telling me I stink?" Ruby cracked.

They were at the coffee machine, which was fast becoming Ruby's salvation. Alex handed Ruby the drink she had just poured for herself and then poured herself another one. The teenager thanked her.

"No," Alex assured her. "I'm just concerned by how tired you are. I'm sure your mother would want you to get some rest."

"I'm sure she would," Ruby said. "But I also know that if our roles were reversed, she wouldn't leave my side for a second."

Alex nodded.

"Fair enough," she agreed.

Ruby sighed and sat down on the hard seat next to the machine. Brax was still there and he was being possessive of Charlie, who still hadn't woken up. The Doctor came to sit beside her. It had been another long shift and she still had several hours to go.

"I know you're worried," Alex ventured. "And I am not about to downplay your Mum's injuries. They're serious and they're scary but from what I can tell, you have a lot of support. From your friends and of course from all of us here. From me."

"I appreciate that," Ruby said.

But suddenly, she burst into tears. Instinctively, Alex put her arms around her. Ruby quickly apologised.

"I just… I am alone though," the teenager said tearfully. "I really appreciate the support I have from you and Leah and Casey and everyone but it's just… it's always been me and Charlie. Everyone else in my family have gone now. And even when they were there, it still always was Charlie and I. So if she dies… if I lose her… as much as I know people will be there for me… I will still be completely alone."

Alex hugged her tighter, not sure how to respond. She felt like she had already said the wrong thing.

"Then I'd better do everything I can to bring her back to you," she eventually said.

Ruby rested her head on her shoulder.

"I hope you can," she said.

"Me too."

Ruby sighed and wiped her eyes, apologised for breaking down on her.

"Hey, that's what I'm here for," Alex assured her. "Not just the medical stuff but to support my patients and their families. And I'm so sorry that you feel so alone, Ruby."

Ruby looked at her.

"I feel like you know what it's like to be alone," she suddenly said.

Alex swallowed, feeling suddenly uncomfortable.

"Well, this isn't about me," she said quickly.

"Well, if ever you feel alone, you've got a friend in me after everything you've done for Charlie and I," Ruby promised.

"Alex! Alex!" Ruby yelled, hitting the emergency button as Charlie began to stir. "Brax stop!"

She smacked the River Boy's hand away as he held too tightly to Charlie as she coughed and moaned.

"Let her breathe!"

Alex and Jasmine both rushed into the room. Ruby pulled Brax away as the medics helped Charlie come to calmly.

"Charlie?" Alex said. "I'm Doctor Alex Neilson. Do you remember what happened?"

"I… Ruby?"

"I'm here, Charlie," the teenager said, stepping forward.

Brax hung back, hurt that she hadn't asked for him.

"You can hold her hand," Alex said.

Ruby did so, reassuring Charlie that she was there and she wasn't going anywhere.

"Charlie, can you feel Ruby holding your hand?"

Charlie tried to nod but felt too stiff. She managed a barely audible 'yes'.

"That's good, Charlie," Alex said. "That's good. And can you feel this?"

She touched Charlie's foot. Charlie waited for the sensation but it didn't come.

"Okay," Alex said, not wanting to bombard the woman with tests immediately. "That's okay."

"Can you tell me your name?"

"Charl…"

Charlie broke off. She just felt so tired. Everything felt like such an effort.

"That's okay, Charlie," Alex said kindly. "You just rest now. There's no rush, alright?"

Charlie managed a weak smile but there were tears in her eyes. Memories of the shooting flashed through her head. She recalled lying on the lounge floor, thinking she was dying. Now all she could feel was pain mixed with a terrible numbness. But she was grateful for Ruby being by her side.

"Are you in pain, Charlie?" Alex asked.

"Yes," Charlie managed.

"We can sort that out," Alex told her. "I'll get onto that right away."

She left the room, taking Jasmine with her. Brax approached Charlie's other side, letting her know that he was there too. She felt guilty. In all of the confusion and pain, she had forgotten about him for a moment. All she had been able to think about was never seeing her daughter again and that was a pain she hadn't been able to bear.

"Charlie… I can't tell you how happy I am to see you," Ruby said quietly, tears spilling down her cheeks.

Charlie was desperate to squeeze her daughter's hand or say something reassuring but she didn't have the energy.

"I've been so scared," Ruby said. "I love you so much."

"I love…" she tried.

"I know," Ruby replied.

She kissed Charlie's hand.

"Don't tire yourself out, okay?" Ruby said. "I know you love me. And I know I've been a complete brat at times over the years. But I love you. I love you with all my heart."

Charlie managed a weak smile. All she wanted to do was return the sentiment but she just didn't have the words.

"And I love you too," Brax said on the other side of her. "I'm so sorry this happened. Jake's in custody and he can't hurt you or anyone again, Charlie. I made sure of it."

Just the name made Charlie's heart start, which was reflected in the monitor. Ruby jumped up, wondering if she should call for help but when Charlie settled again, so did Ruby. However, she warned Brax not to discuss the shooting again.

"I just wanted her to know she's safe now," Brax said.

"Well, don't," Ruby replied sternly.

Charlie closed her eyes. She didn't want to listen to them argue. When they stopped, she opened her eyes again. They were both apologetic.

It was late when Brax and Ruby finally went home. Charlie had insisted that they go and get some rest, understanding that Ruby had not left her side since the shooting. Brax had agreed to take Ruby home on the promise that someone would bring her back first thing in the morning.

"Hang on one sec," Ruby requested.

She caught up with Jasmine, who was just leaving the staff room.

"Hey, Jas," she said.

"Oh, hi, Ruby," Jasmine said. "Is everything okay?"

Her first thought was Charlie.

"Yes, she seems okay," Ruby said. "Tired. But bossy. So she must be improving."

She managed an actual smile. Jasmine returned it.

"It's about Alex, actually," Ruby said. "Doctor Neilson."

"Oh?"

"Well, I just… I get the impression that she doesn't really know anyone in Summer Bay," Ruby said. "She's just moved here, hasn't she?"

"Yeah, only a few days ago," Jasmine recalled. "She really got thrown in at the deep end!"

"Well, I just wondered if maybe you might ask her out for drinks or something with your friends," Ruby ventured. "Make her feel a bit included? Help her make some friends of her own? Sorry if I'm overstepping. It's just that she's been so good to me and I feel like she might be a bit lonely, being the new girl. I just wanted to help her find some mates."

Jasmine put a friendly hand on her arm.

"I think that's a really good idea," she said. "Thank you. I'm just sorry I was too careless to think of it myself. I'll get onto it straight away."

Ruby headed back to Brax for her lift home, pleased that she had hopefully done a good thing.

That night, Alex went home feeling pleased. Charlie had woken up and although she was far from undamaged, she seemed to be doing okay. They were potentially looking at some paralysis and she was struggling with her speech. But she seemed mentally capable, which was one of the things that Alex had been most worried about.

She was also pleased that on her way out the door, Jasmine had caught up with her and invited her out for a drink with her and her friends tomorrow evening. So far, Alex had not had time to get to know anyone in Summer Bay aside from her patients and their friends and family but this was potentially an amazing opportunity to meet people – assuming Jasmine's friends would actually like her. That night, she was actually able to sleep.

At the hospital, Charlie slept fitfully. She was dosed up with painkillers and her dreams were flashes of memories of Brax and Ruby. She relived the shooting and she kept waking up every time a nurse came in to check on her. But the most overwhelming dream she had was not of the boyfriend she had been planning to give up her career for and run away with. It wasn't even of the boyfriend she'd had before that. It was of her first love. It was of the person she'd hurt and never made things up to and had she died, she never would. It was of the one that got away: Joey Collins.

Next time… Charlie is frustrated with her progress, Alex bonds with Willow and elsewhere, Joey has a decision to make…