Chapter 3

"Adult female." The paramedic announced as he pushed the doors to the emergency room open with his colleague, wheeling the stretcher through. "KO'd at the scene, hasn't regained conscious." The paramedic continued listing the Charlie's injuries and the medicine that they'd administered at the scene as the doctors crowded round, one shouting instructions to the others.

"I'm sorry…" The first paramedic held his hands out, ushering Nick back outside the emergency room. "You can't go in there…"

"I-is she going to be alright?" Nick stammered, fiddling with his hands, his whole face pale.

"She's in the best possible place." The second paramedic non-answered, smiling.

Nick stared blankly at them, looking back through the double doors. "Sm-Smithy…" he sighed, rubbing his forehead with the heel of his hand, the only part not stained with blood.

"Is that her partner?" The second paramedic asked, watching Nick as he nodded. She pursed her lips and leant closer, softening the tone of her voice. "You should think about getting him here…."

As the shift drew on, Smithy's hangover had cleared slightly and he was beginning to feel slightly more human. He cursed the lack of a kettle in the office, and stood up, stretching before walking out towards the coffee machine, favouring it to the walk to the canteen, at least for the moment.

"Said she went down with hell of a whack." Steve gestured dramatically with his hands as he stood with his back to Smithy.

"That's awful!" Honey glanced up, tensing as she saw Smithy approach, "Sarge!" She called out before anyone had the chance to put their feet in it. "How's Charlie?"

"Charlie?" Smithy blinked, before a slightly smirk flicked over his lips. "Probably throwing up in a corner somewhere." He smiled.

"You don't know!" Steve swallowed.

"Know?" Smithy looked confused. "Know what?"

"Charlie…" Steve started, before being interrupted by Gina hurrying through, obviously looking for something.

"Smithy!" She called upon seeing him.

"Just a minute, Ma'am." Smithy kept his gaze trained on Steve. "Know what?"

"Smithy!" Gina called again as Steve just gawped at him, not wanting to be the one to tell him.

"Well?" Smithy raised his voice, still staring at Steve. "PC Hunter?"

"It's Charlie." Honey placed a comforting hand over his. "She's in hospital…she had an accident."

Smithy's face immediately dropped and he looked at Gina as if for conformation.

Gina sighed, having been on the way to tell him before giving him a quick nod. "I'll drive you-" she started as Smithy charged forward, pushing his way through groups of officers without stopping to apologise. Gina turned without a word, following him, leaving the gathered PC's watching them.

"Come on Charlotte!" The doctor continued the chest compressions, before nodding at another.

"Charging at 360." The second doctor raised the paddles of the defibrillator, pressing them to Charlie's chest. "Stand clear." She announced, before shocking her.

Nick winced as he watched Charlie's body convulse with the force of the shocks, his hands balled tightly into fists as he stared through the window." Come on Charlie." He whispered. "Not like this."

"We have a sinus rhythm." The second doctor replaced the paddles as Nick relaxed slightly, watching them continue to work on Charlie, glancing behind him as the double doors opened behind him.

"Sarge!" he stood straight up as Smithy barged through, Gina having to almost jog to keep up. He stepped aside to let him see Charlie, raising a hand to stop him as Smithy tried to go straight through. "You can't go in…" he said softly, his palm against Smithy's chest.

"Charlie…." Smithy's eyes focused on her prone body, knowing better than to go straight through, not matter how much he wanted to.

"She'll be fine…" Nick said weakly, having the grace to look away as Smithy's face crumbled.

"What happened?" Gina broke the silence, watching Nick as he explained, right up to him chasing the kids along the landing and down the stairs, only stopping as he heard Charlie's screams.

"Could it have been a diversion?" Gina asked, one eye on Smithy.

"Possibly ma'am." Nick shrugged helplessly.

"Did you get a good look at them?"

"No ma'am." Nick sighed, shifting awkwardly, "I chased the lads to the car park, Charlie followed….I thought she was still behind me until…" he paused and sighed again. "They were tilting her back over the balcony and then-" Nick trailed off as an ominous beeping drifted through.