It's All About You – part 11
"If only it was that easy…" Charlie sighed, turning her head to look at Smithy, as she brushed her hair.
Smithy leant forward and checked his reflection over her shoulder, fussing with his quiff. "You'll be fine." He promised.
"He hasn't given any other names." Charlie finished with her hair, clipping it back in a neat ponytail. "They're out there, Smithy."
"I won't let anyone hurt you…" Smithy sat behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist as he held her gaze through the mirror. "I promise."
Charlie closed her eyes and sighed, dropping his gaze as she stared at the dressing table in front of her. "…I know." She said, her voice barely above a whisper. "But-"
"But nothing." Smithy kissed the side of her head, before pulling back. "Shift it Rogers."
Charlie chuckled softly, watching him leave the room, her gaze settling on the diamond solitaire on her finger, smiling absently as she moved her hand, watching it glint in the light, before jumping as her skirt was tugged, looking down at the floor.
"Hiya." Rebecca beamed up at her, opening her arms up to her mother.
Charlie smiled and lifted her onto her lap, gently running the brush through Rebecca's hair as she fiddled with a tube of lipstick.
Claire sat on the edge of the bed, watching John fuss with his tie, a slight smirk flicking over her lips. "If you'd got up when I said…"
"I would have." John glanced back, turning his collar down with a smirk. "But it's what else you were doing at the time…"
Claire returned the smirk, kissing his shoulder as she passed. "I'm going for a shower."
John watched her go, smiling to himself, before following her through. "You want a lift to the court?"
"I've got to go to the station." She called through. "Before I go in, need to pick up the case notes."
"We should run through what we're going to say…"
"We did." Claire pushed back the shower curtain. "Last night, before you interrupted me…"
John grinned as he remembered the previous night. "As I remember it was you who-"
"John!"
"We ready?" Smithy came back through to the bedroom, glancing at where Rebecca was sat on the bed, pouting prettily, a series of lipstick kisses over her arms, giggling as she rubbed the back of her hand over her mouth again, spreading the rest of the lipstick over her cheeks. "What the…"
Rebecca giggled at his expression, "Daddy!" She grinned, standing up to give him a kiss.
"Er, I'm alright cheers…" He backed off, reaching for the baby wipes.
"Daddy!" Rebecca rested her hands on her hips, glaring up at him, reaching out.
"Isn't daddy mean!" Charlie turned her head, looking over from where she was attempting to rub the streaks of lipstick off her cheeks, before re-applying her make up. "Kiss him Becca!"
"Really," Smithy held his hands up. "I'm fine." He moved towards Rebecca, crouching in front of her as he held her hand up, wiping her hand on the baby wipe he was holding, dodging her attempts at catching him, before falling forward onto the bed beside Rebecca as he was pushed.
"Get him Becca!" Charlie smirked, sitting on Smithy's stomach to stop him moving, grinning as Rebecca cackled and launched at Smithy.
"Where are they?" Neil paced the court corridor, checking his watch every few seconds.
"Hmm?" Mickey looked up from the paper he was reading. "They'll be here soon, Guv." He sighed, watching Neil as he twitched.
"You'd think that they could be at least on time for their own court case." Neil muttered under his breath, Mickey snapping his head back up as he glared at Neil, opening his mouth to answer, before seeing Smithy helping Charlie down towards them, his arm around her waist as Charlie walked slowly along, gripping Smithy's hand tightly.
"About time." Neil flicked his gaze over them.
"So sorry, Guv." Smithy narrowed his eyes. "Only I had to help Charlie out of bed, out the shower, out the car after what-"
"Smithy…" Charlie squeezed his hand, settling for a glare at Neil.
Neil sighed and looked along the corridor as Jonathan Fox headed in their direction, Charlie and Mickey exchanging relieved glances.
"We all ready?" Jonathan smiled warmly.
"In your own words PC Rogers." The defence barrister smiled tightly at her. "If you could tell the court what happened."
Charlie looked around the court room, nervously licking her lips. "OK…" her gaze settled on Smithy who smiled softly at her. She cleared her throat and attempted to return the smile, before looking back at the barrister. "I was patrolling the Coal Lane with PC Nick Klein as assigned by Inspector Gold that morning. We were approaching two youths on the landing who were attempting to break in to a house, later it appeared as a distraction so myself and PC Klein would be separated."
"And why exactly where you separated? If you and PC Klein were patrolling together, surely you'd chase after the suspects together?"
"I'm not as fast-"
"You'd been out the night before." The barrister leant forward. "You were hungover."
Charlie flushed and nodded slowly. "I'd had a few drinks with some friends."
"You were so badly hungover you were not able to give chase with PC Klein."
"Objection!" Jonathan stood up. "Your honour, I fail to see how it is possible to judge just how much alcohol was in my clients system, and how she'd react with a hangover…"
Charlie stared desperately around the room, her fingers digging into her palm as she looked back at Smithy.
"I'm simply trying to assess the state of mind, and body PC Rogers was in."
"You're trying to make it look like I couldn't do my job!" Charlie was panicking and her whole face had drained of any colour. "I could have DIED!" She licked her dry lips. "I had to be brought back to life THREE times, because of what they did to me! I LOST A BABY!" She glared at the barrister woman. "And you're saying it's my fault."
"Charlie." Jonathan said softly. "Calm down."
Gina gripped Smithy's arm tightly as he tried to stand up and go to her.
"Calm down Miss Rogers." The judge hit his gavel on the desk.
"I'm saying nothing of the sort." The barrister enthused. "I'm simply trying to get the facts."
"The facts!" Charlie scoffed. "The facts are that I was thrown from a balcony. The facts are that as a result of that fall I spent 10 weeks in hospital. The facts are I lost my second child, that I could have died, that I still can't walk properly because of the severity of the injuries to my spine and pelvis. That I might not be able to work in the police service because of those injuries. I might not even be able to have any more children!" She sneered at the barrister. "Does that help you piece things together?"
"Court is adjourned!" The judge banged his gavel on the side. "Miss Rogers, I suggest you get some fresh air."