Chapter 4

"NO!" Smithy cried out above the beep, trying to get through the door, Nick holding him back. "Charlie!" He cried out, struggling in Nick's hold, watching the doctors as they fussed over her body, attempting to revive her.

"Smithy!" Gina rested a hand on his shoulder. "Let them work!" she said quietly, holding his shoulder.

"Charlie!" He shouted again as the beeping stopped. "No…no…" he pushed Nick off, shaking his head, backing from the door, already fearing the worst.

"Sarge!" Nick looked over, "…She's back." He said quietly.

"What's that?" John carried his cup over, frowning as he sat beside Claire, the two of them attempting to look as though nothing was happening between them, despite the loaded glances being exchanged between the pair.

"Charlie." Cass said sadly, "She's in hospital."

"Is she ok?" Claire asked, leaning forward.

"Touch and go, according to Nick." Honey sighed. "He called in not so long back…she's already arrested twice."

"Arrested." Gary attempted a smile, with misplaced humour. "Do you think-"

"Shut up!" John admonished, without even looking at him.

"…Sarge." Gary swallowed, looking down.

"Do they know what happened?"

"Ah, Claire." Jack stood by the table, holding a file. "I need you and John to work on the Rogers case."

Cass frowned, hearing her friend spoken about as little more than a file. "Guv," she started, before Jack cut her off.

"You can have Mickey and Duncan, I've already cleared it with Neil. Have a word with Inspector Gold if you need any more backup."

"Yes Guv." John nodded, skim reading the paper in front of him as he sipped his coffee.

"What is his problem?" Cass snorted, glaring after him. "She ain't just some name in a file, she's one of us!"

Honey shrugged sadly, "Guess that's how you get to DCI…" She said, "Just carrying on…"

"Come on sweetheart…" Smithy held Charlie's hand in his, whispering softly to her as she lay, still unconscious, "Come back to us…Rebecca needs her mummy…I need you…"

Nick shifted slightly, feeling like was intruding on such a private moment, edging towards the curtains, steeping outside to Gina.

Gina glanced up from talking to a doctor, looking at Nick. "PC Klein?"

"She's still not come round…" Nick looked at the doctor as he walked off. "Did he say anything useful?"

"It could still go either way." Gina kept her voice low so Smithy couldn't hear. "But the signs are encouraging, she's holding her own." She took a deep breath and looked back at the cubicle. "How's he?"

"You know Smithy." Nick released a short sigh.

Gina pursed her lips and squeezed Nick's arm. "You better get back to the station."

"Ma'am!" Nick protested softly. "If you don't mind, I'd rather…"

"We need your statement." Gina said quickly, "Sergeants Boulton and Stanton are waiting."

"Ma'am" Nick conceded, knowing better than to argue. "You will let…"

Gina nodded, cutting him off. "Chop, chop."

The next day had already got off to a bad start for many of the Sun Hill colleagues. John and Claire were no further on with their investigation, as all Nick could provide was the descriptions of the youth's he'd been following, and a vague description of a 'dark haired man, about 30, not that tall', and he wasn't even too sure on that, as he'd been focused on Charlie. Mickey and Duncan had turned up nothing on their search for the youths, having not much to go on.

"This is a dead end." Duncan sighed. "We don't even have a motive!"

"There probably isn't one!" Mickey sighed, "Just being a copper gets you in trouble!"

Duncan sighed, nodding slowly. "Sooner Charlie wakes up, and can-"

"If she wakes up." Mickey muttered venomously under his breath. He and Charlie had hit it off on her first day and they'd been friends ever since, enjoying winding each other up on every opportunity. He hated feeling so helpless whilst she was laying their, effectively fighting for her life.

"Course she will mate." Duncan tentatively squeezed his shoulder. "She's a fighter…" he forced a small smile at Mickey, not exactly sure on how far he could go. "She has to be to put up with Smithy."

Mickey glanced at him, shrugging his hand off, before going back to the car, slamming the door after him.

Smithy dozed in the chair beside Charlie's bed, one hand over his stomach, the other still around Charlie's. He muttered as he tried to turn over almost falling off the chair as he woke with a jolt, blinking round before his gaze settled back on Charlie.

He sighed, glanced at his watch and leant back over, kissing her forehead, before resting his head on the pillow beside hers, closing his eyes, longing to be able to at least lay beside her, holding her, the mass of wires and tubes preventing him from doing so.

Smithy had almost drifted off as he felt a slight movement from Charlie's hand. He blinked and sat bolt upright, watching her hand, his eyes flicking over her face for any sign of movement. On seeing none, he sighed, sinking back into his chair, talking softly to Charlie as he stroked her hand, just as he had the other times her hand had twitched, the doctors telling him 'it was normal, and a good sign'.

"Rebecca's missing her mummy…" he whispered. "She keeps asking mum where you are…" Smithy smiled sadly, squeezing her hand. "I'll bring her in to see you soon…" he swallowed, his eyes scanning her face. "So she can say hello…when you're feeling a little better. She won't…" Smithy trailed off and stared at Charlie's mouth, having sworn he'd seen her lips move. "Charlie?" He said slowly and clearly, leaning closer.

"….My baby." Charlie whispered barely audibly, her eyes still closed.