Disclaimer : I don't own anything so there!

XSARAH : Arr thank you lol. Anyways thanks for the support and review. CHEERS MI DEARS!

GRUMPYPIRATE : Thanks for the support and review. CHEERS MI DEARS!

SUNSTAR6 : Hey, I'm really glad you like it. I was originally worried that I wouldn't be able to pull it off, with it being something so… so brutal shall we say lol. Anyways thanks for the support and review. CHEERS MI DEARS!

GOBLZ : Arr, my eyes are all watery now, you think it's realistic, arr bless ya lol – sorry I'm tired lol. I'm glad you think Connie's feelings are realistic though, because I was worried that I'd come across as a bit too much 'damsel in distress' if you like lol. Anyways thanks for the support and review. CHEERS MI DEARS!

Chapter 9

A few days had passed, and although I had been told an uncountable amount of times, that everything was going to be ok, and no-one would look at me any different, I still very much believed differently. An example of this, was when I saw the ducks after their practice a few afternoons ago. All seemed concerned, of which they were, there was no doubting that. But they all treat me as though I was some fine china, that could break at any given second. I suppose their odd behavior toward me, could be down to the fact, they didn't really have the first clue how to act around me.

The change in Charlie hadn't gone un-noticed either. He seemed more than hesitant around me. Treading carefully around his words, hesitantly hugging me. Before he'd take my hand in his own all the time, hold me close to him whenever possible, but now, he seemed happier keeping his distance.

I wasn't as jittery as I had been, but I was still cautious, and jumped at the odd thing. I hadn't really left my dorm, and I hadn't really faced any complete strangers, of which I wasn't exactly eager to do anyway. Julie had called Enrique for me, and explained that I had to take a leave of absence from work, but hadn't told him exactly why. I had only skipped one practice, and I was sure if I missed many more, I would have Coach Ramsden, banging on my door.

The previous day, I had, had Orion at my door, his face showing an emotion I had never seen. He came in, and sat facing me. He talked quietly to me, telling me, if ever I needed something, that I could go to him. He also told me he'd get me out of practice for a few weeks. I nodded my thanks to him, and as he was leaving, I even let him hug me tightly.

Throughout all this, Julie had been my rock. She'd sat and cried with me over the passed few evenings, watching chick flicks and stuffing ourselves silly with junk food. She seemed to understand how I was feeling, without having to be told. She knew when to give me space, and when I wanted her close.

"Hello"? She reached over for the phone from her position next to me on my bed. "Can I ask whose calling"? She listened to the answer, then placed her hand over the mouth piece, mouthing it was the police.

"Hello"? I asked nervously.

"Is that Connie Moreau speaking"? I was asked.

"Yes". I answered.

"This is Theresa West. The Doctor from the police department". She stated. "I was just wondering, if you were available to come down to the department possibly this afternoon"?

"Um, yeah, I suppose so. Why"?

"It's nothing too serious, it's just we have some test results back".

"Ok, yeah". I replied.

"That's great. See you later then. Bye". And with that she put the phone down.

I too put the phone back on it's hook. I was a little confused by the phone call. I hadn't known they were going to be doing any sort of tests. Well they might have told me, and I forgot, or wasn't paying any particular attention to them.

"Everything ok"? Julie asked from my side.

"Um, I dunno. I've gotta go down to the police department this afternoon. They've got some of my test results back". I replied.

"They might know, you know, who did it". She suggested.

As soon as she said it, panic struck me. What if they wanted me to do a line up. I wasn't sure whether I could face up to that. To see the man who had put me through hell, all over again. The earth had just settled, to come face to face with him again, would be just like turning over the soil, exposing it to everything all over again.

"I… I… D…don't think… I… c… can". I stuttered, scrambling to my feet and pacing the room. Tears stung my eyes, and began to fall freely.

"Con, it's ok. Shh, shh it's ok". Julie climbed to her feet, and went to hug me.

"No… I… I can't. I… I… I don't want to". I began really panicking now.

"You don't have to do anything you don't want Connie. They can't force you into a thing". Julie told me.

"But… but… what if… what if he's… he might be there". My breathing was rapid, and I began to pace the room.

"He won't be. And, and that's a big and, they won't let him anywhere near you. I won't let him anywhere near you". She said confidently.

"I… I can't do it".

"Hey ladies, we were just wondering"… Portman walked in slowly. "What's wrong"? He asked looking at me steadily.

"The police department just called, they want her to go in, they've got the results of some tests. She thinks she's gonna have to see… you know". Julie filled him in.

"H… he'll know. He… he'll know it's… it's me". My hands were shaking, but on further notice, so was my whole body.

"No, no he won't Con. They police wouldn't put you in danger". Julie countered.

No matter what she said, it wouldn't convince me of going down there. Just the thought of him possibly being in the same building scared me to death. I didn't care that there would be a hundred cops around, the fact that he was there was too much.

CHARLIE'S P.O.V

I was sat in the common room with the other ducks. We'd sent Portman up to the girls room, to see if they wanted to come down and watch a film with us. Things between me and Connie were anything but normal. I was cautious around her, sometimes maybe too cautious. I wanted to hold her close, kiss her and comfort her, but a voice in the back of my mind kept reminding me, she might feel threatened by me, whether she wanted to or not. Things had changed between us, and as much as I wanted to pretend they hadn't, it was getting too much to ignore. Even Adam had noticed, and although he had told me it was just the situation we were in, and once she started feeling more confident, things would slowly go back to normal, though I wasn't one hundred percent convinced.

"Doctor I can't pronounce my F's, T's and H's". Averman began telling us another corny joke. "Well you can't say 'fairer than that then'". Averman cracked up, and we all moaned. "What goes aaaaaaa"? He asked.

"I don't know Ave's". I replied.

"A sheep with no lips". He answered proudly. We all moaned, and laughed at the sadness of the jokes.

"Where the hell do you get these pitiful jokes from". Russ continued laughing, not really at the joke.

"Charlie". I heard my name.

"Yeah"? I turned to find Portman stood in the doorway, his face was serious.

"We could use you for a few minutes". He told me. I knew it was something about Connie.

"What's up"? I began climbing to my feet.

"Connie's kinda climbing the walls. The cops have just called, they've got some test results back or something". He replied as I ran up the stairs beside him. "She thinks that she's gonna have to see him". He told me.

I knew then, that the state Connie would be in, would be worse than my original thought. I walked through their door, and found Connie pacing erratically, with Julie trying to calm her down. She was shaking from head to foot, her breathing rapid and short. She looked like she'd seen a ghost, her skin pale and sweaty.

"Hey, hey, c'mon Con, calm down, it's ok". I went straight to her.

"I can't do it, I can't do it Charlie". She said sharply.

"It's ok, no-one's gonna force you to do anything". I said soothingly, trying to keep her still, but even I couldn't stop her pacing. It was obvious she'd got herself into that much of a state, she wasn't sure herself what she was doing.

"What if… what if he's there"? Her words were short and sharp.

"Baby, forget about that right now. You don't have to go down there". I tried again.

To be honest, I wasn't sure what to do for the best. I wanted and needed her to calm down. She was doing herself no good getting into this state. But because she was panicking, it was clear, my words of comfort weren't really registering. In her mind, she was probably under the illusion that she had to go down to the police department.

"Portman, go get Orion". I told him. "Jules, can you get me a glass of cold water"?

I dragged her to her bed and made her sit down. Her hands were shaking rapidly, and her breathing was getting worse. Julie brought the glass of water and handed it to her. She took it off her, but her hands couldn't hold it steady, and it easily fell from her grip.

"Oh God. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry". She began panicking about the spilt water.

"Baby, it's water, it's ok". I told her moving the glass from the floor.

I looked around for anything, anything to help calm her. I needed another tactic, and when I saw the window, I immediately stood up and opened it, allowing fresh air to circulate the room. Julie got her another glass of water, but put a straw in it. I held the glass and offered her the straw. She took a few sips, but continued panicking. I knelt on the floor in front of her, feeling the water that had spilt, soaking through the knee's of my pants. Tears continued pouring down her cheeks, and I could see fear in her eyes.

"Connie, Charlie". Orion entered the room. He took one look at Connie's state and turned back to Julie. "Can you get me a paper bag or something similar". He asked her, and she nodded. "Ok, Connie, it's ok". He came and sat by her side, looking me in the eye.

I could see the worry etch every feature of his face. To be honest, these passed few days, I don't know what I'd have done without Orion. He'd been my shoulder to cry on, telling him the fears I had, that I couldn't tell Adam, Connie or the ducks.

"Take slow deep breaths for me". His voice was even, soothing.

Julie returned with a brown bag, and handed it to him. Without being asked, she left the room to give Connie some space. No doubt she wouldn't be far away, but for now, I suppose the less people looking at her, the easier it was for her to calm down.

"Connie, I want you to breath into here ok, nice and steady". Orion told her, hold the paper bag up to her face.

Slowly but surely, her breathing steadied, but she continued to cry. Eventually she had calmed enough for Orion to take away the bag. I was dying to ask her exactly what the cops had said, but for fear of panicking her again, I kept my mouth shut, hoping Orion would gently probe the details from her.

"I can't go down there". She cried, but she didn't freak out anymore.

"Go where"? Orion asked her gently.

"The police department called. They've got some of my test results back. What if… what if they know who it was"? She cried a bit harder with fear.

"Ok, it's ok Connie. Are you scared that he's going to be there"? Orion asked. She nodded gently. "If they know you're going, they wouldn't allow him to be anywhere near. I promise. They probably don't want you to go down there, for what you think they do".

"But what if he's there"?

"He won't be anywhere near you. They'll make sure of that".

Eventually we convinced her to still go down there, but only if we were both there with her. I knew she was petrified of going down there, whether or not he was there. I think what was freaking her out the most was the whole test result saga. She was scared they'd tell her something she didn't want to know. To be honest, I too was scared for that same reason.

So what do you think? PLEASE R&R!