Rainy Days and Mondays - Part 3
"Mickey!" Nick called as they stopped in front of him. "Mickey mate, are you alright?"
Mickey swallowed and looked at Nick. "Sorry...?"
Cass blinked up at him and moved so she was standing in front of him. "Is everything ok?"
Mickey looked round at the others and took a breath. "She's decided....she's...she's decided to report the rape...." He said quietly.
Smiffy sped through the streets of Canley, his mind racing as he drove, wondering what had happened, wondering what he'd see. He didn't know how badly attacked she'd been, and he was trying to stop himself from imagining the worst case scenarios – and failing each time.
Charlie closed her eyes and leant her head back against the cool pillow, swallowing hard, trying to repress any memory of the rape, knowing she'd have to relive it at least once more as she gave her statement, her heart breaking as she thought of Smiffy, and how she'd have to tell him. She slowly and carefully rolled on to her side and hugged the pillow, burying her head into it as she sobbed.
"Rape?" Cass squeaked. "But she....she wasn't...."
Mickey moved his eyes to the ceiling and nodded slowly. "She was...."
"It would explain the top...." Nick said quietly.
Yvonne looked at the floor and wrapped her arms around Cass as she sniffled. "Poor Charlie..." she said quietly.
Gary cleared his throat as he saw Smiffy sprinting through the doors, going over to the receptionist and demanding to see Charlie.
Nick followed Gary's gaze and walked over to him. "Smiffy-"
"Where is she? What's happened? What's going on?" Smiffy asked, not pausing for breath between each question.
Nick flashed his warrant card at the receptionist and explained to her about Smiffy, leading him away to a quiet corner as the others stood together.
They watched as Smiffy listened intently to what Nick was telling him.
"He must have come straight from the station." Honey observed, taking in his uniform.
"That's how come he wasn't out with us tonight," Mickey sighed. "He had to work nights...."
Honey shook her head and looked away as Smiffy collapsed into the nearest seat, turning pale and burying his head in his hands, Nick trying to comfort him as Smiffy pushed him off and jogged forward over to the others. "He knows..." she whispered quietly.
Charlie sniffed and stared at the curtain around her bed, segregating her from everyone else on the ward. She sighed and looked at her hands, running her hand over the cuts and bruises on her arm and body, wincing slightly. She stared up at the ceiling as a nurse entered and took a shaky breath.
"You've got a lot of visitors..." the nurse told her cheerfully. "There's 7 of them out there...."
"7?" Charlie said hoarsely, only remembering coming in with Mickey.
The nurse nodded. "One of them is a police officer...a sergeant by the looks of it...." She said, finishing fussing with Charlie's bandages and leaving the cubicle.
"Sergeant..." Charlie repeated silently to herself. "Smiffy...." She sniffed and curled back up.
"I don't care!" Smiffy hissed at Mickey. "I've got to go see her...."
"Smiffy!" Nick clutched at his arm and shook his head. "Just wait till they say you can go thro-"Nick sighed as Smiffy marched off, away from them. "SMIFFY!"
"Let him go..." Yvonne sighed.
Honey nodded. "He'd be no good here..."
Charlie jumped and looked back at the curtains as they opened, freezing as she saw Smiffy stood there. "Dale..." she said quietly, sitting up and looking at him.
Smiffy looked her over and opened his mouth to speak, stammering a few times before managing to force out, "What happened?"
Charlie looked at her hands and swallowed hard, the tears falling freely. "I'm so sorry!"
Smiffy sprang in to action and shook his head, wrapping his arms around her, not noticing her flinch and tense. "You've nothing to be sorry for..." he said, holding her tightly and rubbing her back.
Charlie gradually relaxed and clung to him, burying her head in his neck and sobbing, her body shaking with the force of her sobs.
Smiffy's stomach churned as he thought through what Nick had told him, his fist balling with anger. He sighed and kissed the side of Charlie's head and tightened his hold on her. "It's alright now sweetheart..." he whispered to her. "I'm here, I won't let anyone hurt you...."
Gina entered St Hughes and blinked round at her gathered officers as they huddled together, chatting amongst themselves. "Is this a private mother's meeting?" she asked, arching an eyebrow as they turned to face her.
"Ma'am," Gary was the first to speak. "It's Charlie...."
Gina squeezed them all a small smile and nodded. "I heard...is Sgt Smith here...?"
"He's with her now..." Mickey answered, moving back to let two porters pass with an empty trolley.
Gina nodded and walked away from them, making herself known to a nurse and listening as the nurse explained what had happened.
Smiffy sat on the edge of Charlie's bed, resting one leg on the bed and the other on the floor, holding her tightly as she rested her head on his shoulder and clutched his hand. "I want to go home..." Charlie said, staring at the curtain as it blew in the slight draught.
Smiffy looked down at her and stroked her hair, carefully avoiding the bandage on her head. "You'll have to stay overnight at least..." he said quietly. "For your head, incase there's any concussion."
Charlie blinked and tightened her grip on his hand. "I can't stay here..." she said, looking up at him and breathing quickly. "I don't want to, I can't-"
"Shhh...." Smiffy kissed her forehead and pulled her back against him. "I'm not going here....I'll be with you all night..." he forced her a small smile and rested his head back against hers.