Sorry to all those fans who just want Andrea and Neil to get back together, it seems to be taking slightly longer than expected (mostly thanks to the evil actions of Gabriel Kent). I shall have to think up a suitably horrible punnishment. Meanwhile, the drama continues for those at Sun Hill. PS. Thankyou so much for all the feed back - it's great!
So that was how, when three days after the explosion, Andrea Dunbar opened her eyes to the sight of Bruce Malcolm rifling through her pockets. For a moment, she thought she was still lost in the dream world that had consumed her consciousness for the past two and a half days, but the sight of Yvonne's cynical countenance was like a pinch on the arm. Fascinated she watched, detached from the scene in front of her, as this man she despised became increasingly agitated.
"Someone's taken it." Bruce didn't like to show how he was feeling, all too aware of how easy it was to manipulate the vulnerable, but his disappointment was palpable in his words and even in her dazed state, things were starting to sink into place for Andrea.
She tried to stretch her memory back, where was she? Why was she here? But all she could remember was Neil's angry face and the pain of his words. He was a DI, and she, she was a probationer, pretending to be a reporter: if only.
Suddenly, Bruce caught sight of Andrea's wandering gaze. He stopped his searching and brought his face so that it was directly in front of her own. She could smell the sugary peppermint breath from between the coffee stained teeth, and he whispered,
"Where is it Andrea?"
Andrea would have liked to tell him, just to be left in peace, but in all honesty, she had no idea of what he was talking about. Little fragments of memory were teetering on the edges of her mind, but they were still too insubstantial to grab hold of. each time she reached out, they would slip through her fingers like mist and she was left even more confused than before. In pitiable confusion she turned to Yvonne.
"What's he talking about?" Yvonne smiled. There had been a time in the last twenty-four hours when she had felt she would never do that again, but there it was. There was something remarkably pleasing about Andrea's amnesia at this poignant moment when Bruce so desperately wanted, what Yvonne had a sneaking suspicion, Smithy had already taken from the room.
"I've no idea Andrea. Sir," Yvonne turned with her most authorities voice towards Bruce, "I think it would be best if you leave, you seem to be upsetting Miss Dunbar and we wouldn't want to arrest you for disturbing the police."
"That's bullocks! I'll have POLICE HARRASMENT as my next headline."
"And I'll be looking forward to it," There were definitely some perks to this job, "Now would you please leave."
Just as an angry Bruce Malcolm was retreating into the hospital corridor, Yvonne's radio crackled to life.
"Urgent assistance required room 1180, emergency, St. Hughes."
"That's the DI's room," Yvonne remarked to Andrea. "Well, I suppose I better go and see what's happened.
Yvonne hurried from the room, inadvertently leaving an anxious Andrea and overly interested Bruce in her wake.