Authors Note: Charlie is approximatley 4/5 months and Rebecca is getting on for two :o) Aussi prolly should have said – this fic isn't a continuation of any others shakes head I will eventually write a set in series – but none of my fic at this point in time are interwoven.
Your Love Is King – Part 3
"Come on baby…" Charlie whispered as she held Smithy's hand tightly, rubbing it between her hands, "Wake up…please…" she sighed, one hand reaching out to his face, gently brushing her fingers against his cheek. She shifted as the baby moved and lowered his hand to her stomach, attempting to flatten his hand against it. "That's our baby…" she swallowed, fighting back more tears. "S'part of us…You can't leave us now. I won't let you." She lifted his hand back up, resting her head against it as she sobbed.
Gina looked on from the window, holding Rebecca, sighing as she saw Charlie crying once more.
"Nana?" Rebecca wiggled the blanket she was holding. "Where daddy?"
Gina shifted Rebecca in her hold so she couldn't see through to the room. "Daddy's getting some sleep…"
"Why?" Rebecca asked, chewing the blanket.
"He's tired." Gina smiled slightly, brushing a soft curl over Rebecca's forehead.
Rebecca yawned and cuddled in to Gina, still chewing on the end of the blanket. "Mummy sleep?"
Gina glanced back through the window, before looking at Rebecca and nodding. "Yes sweetheart." She forced a smile. "Mummy asleep too…"
Rebecca yawned again and nodded as she settled against Gina's shoulder, allowing Gina to cover her with the blanket as she held her.
"What've you got?" Neil frowned as Suzie and Terry stood before him.
"Not a lot." Suzie admitted, with a slight frown. "None of the neighbours saw, or are willing to admit that they saw anything."
"There's a lot of curtain twitchers around there guv. They could tell you what time Rebecca was in the garden, or when the postman came, but not when a man was shot." Terry added.
"All very unlikely…" Suzie frowned.
Neil sighed and nodded, sitting back at his desk. "What about the next door neighbours?"
"One was at work – the company verifies that, the other was apparently out shopping."
"Alone." Terry raised both eyebrows.
Neil exchanged glances with him and nodded. "And the people directly opposite."
"Two at work and one bedridden."
"We'll be getting the results back from the bullet soon, Guv." Suzie moved nearer the door. "Then we'll know what weapon to look for, see if anyone in the area has any history of weapons, same with recent cases of Sgt Smith's…."
"A wild goosechase then." Neil rubbed his forehead.
"At the moment, it's the best we can do." Suzie sighed, one hand on the door.
"How is Smithy?" Neil asked, almost sounding like an afterthought.
"Could still go either way, guv."
Charlie all but clung to the doorframe as a nurse ushered her out as Smithy was checked over. "I need to be there…" She said hoarsely, her voice tired and strained from the amount of crying she'd done.
"You'll be allowed back in in a moment." The nurse smiled at her. "Just need to run some tests to see how Dale's progressing."
Charlie took a shaky breath and nodded slowly, still stood by the door, her arms folded as she looked through, before looking round as she saw Gina and Rebecca curled in the corner, Rebecca's blanket over them both, Rebecca fast asleep. She took one last look back at the room before walking over, leaning forward to kiss Rebecca's cheek.
Gina stirred from where she'd been dozing, glancing up at Charlie. "How is he?"
Charlie gently lifted Rebecca from Gina's arms, sitting down on the chair beside her, gently rocking her as she slept. "They're…running some tests." She lowered her head as more tears fell, wiping at her eye with her sleeve. "We can't lose him Gina." She whimpered, resting against Gina as the older woman attempted to comfort her. "I couldn't cope without him."
"You won't…" Gina wrapped an arm around Charlie's back, gently squeezing her shoulder. "He's a fighter."
"He's been shot!" Charlie raised her voice slightly, lowering it almost immediately as Rebecca stirred slightly, cuddling Rebecca tighter against her.
"He's strong and healthy." Gina hugged Charlie tighter. "The doctors have removed the bullet completely, it missed any organs…he's been very lucky."
"Lucky." Charlie scoffed bitterly, before looking down, fixing as bright a smile as she could as Rebecca's eyes fluttered open. "Sleepy Becca…" She said softly, blowing a raspberry on Rebecca's cheek.
Rebecca grumbled softly. "Mummy tired." She yawned, rubbing her eyes with balled up hands.
"Becca tired," Charlie frowned, cuddling her closer. "We'll get you back-"
"I'll take her home." Gina leant forward. "She can stay with me."
"Could you!" Charlie squeezed Gina a tight relieved smile. "Thank you." She looked down at Rebecca and brushed her hair back. "You want to say with Nana, sweetie?"
"With mummy and daddy?"
"Mummy's staying here with daddy whilst he gets better."
"Why?" Rebecca blinked, looking sleepily at Charlie.
"Daddy's poorly…" Charlie swallowed. "He has to stay here, and I'm staying with him to make sure he's not lonely. Nana's going to take you back to her house…"
"I'll get Tony and June to stop by the house." Gina murmered to Charlie. "To pick up some clothes for you all, and some toys and things for Rebecca."
"We can't go back?" Charlie stared wide eyed at Gina, before nodding, really not wanting to go back herself.
"It's best that you don't." Gina soothed. "It's a –"
"Crime scene…" Charlie dipped her head, more tears trailing down her cheeks. "It's our home." She managed to say.