Heath and Frankie were sat by Darcy's bed watching her sleep "I'm sorry about everything that happened between me and Brax" Frankie tried to break the silence between them.
"We don't need to talk about that now" Heath quickly stopped Frankie mid conversation.
"Please just let me explain" Frankie tried again before being cut off for a second time.
"Nah to be honest Frankie I really don't want to imagine you with my brother, let's just concentrate on Darcy for now" Heath smiled at Frankie "We can sort anything else out later"
Frankie nodded in agreement, she knew now was probably not the best time to talk about her relationship with Brax. Especially not when she could be about to tell Heath something so life changing.
Frankie didn't speak she just rested her head on Heath's shoulder and closed her eyes. She was surprised to feel Heath reach for her hand, he held it tightly in his, pulling it onto his lap "I'm always going to be here for you, no matter what happens. Whatever happened between you and Brax changes nothing" Heath said slowly "I still love you"
Frankie didn't have chance to answer, she jumped out of her skin when she heard Darcy coughing "Hey baby, it's ok I'm here" Frankie said as she quickly sat up and grabbed Darcy's hand. Heath ran out into the corridor and fetched a nurse.
xxxxx
Brax was surprised to see Heath standing outside when he got back from getting coffees "What's happened? Is Darce ok?" Brax panicked.
"Yeah she's fine" Heath quickly reassured his brother "She's awake"
"That's great, how's Frank..." Brax was cut off mid sentence.
"She's fine" Heath snapped, Brax realised instantly Heath didn't want to talk to him and Frankie "I'm here for her now, so maybe you should get back to the resurant?"
"Yeah right...ok" Brax didn't argue with his brother, he just handed him two coffees and walked towards the exit.
Heath took a deep breath and walked back into the room "Hey princess" he smiled as he saw Darcy propped up on two pillows "You scared us all to death"
"I'm sorry" Darcy smiled weakly
"That doesn't matter now" Frankie was stroking Darcy's hair "You're going to be alright and that's the main thing"
Frankie looked behind her and saw Heath was standing alone "Where's Brax?"
"He had to get back to the restaurant, a crisis apparently" Heath quickly made up an excuse, which caused Frankie to be suspicious.
"Brax was here?" Darcy wondered excitedly.
"Yes sweetie he was worried about you too" Frankie replied, she could see her talking about Brax made Heath feel uncomfortable "Hey listen, I am going to go home and get you some of your things" Frankie smiled "Will you be ok with heath while i nip out, is that OK with you?"
"Yeah sure"Heath smiled "We'll be OK won't we munchkin" Darcy nodded excitedly "Take as long as you need, she'll be fine I promise"
"OK" Frankie smiled, Heath had been talking to her in a quieter tone.
Frankie grabbed her jacket and bag and headed out of the door, she smiled as she looked back through the window and saw Heath sitting closer to Darcy, he was making her laugh.
xxxxxxx
Frankie was surprised that her door was unlocked, she thought she must have left in such a rush that morning she forgot to lock it. Frankie walked into the kitchen and put her bag on the table, before pulling a glass out of the cupboard and getting herself a drink of water "Been a hard day has it?" the voice caused Frankie to jump.
"Alan" she gasped as she saw Stu Henderson's father standing in front of her, he looked extremely intoxicated "What are you...?"
"Don't give me that" Alan slurred "You know very well what I am doing here, your defending the bitch who killed my boy"
"Alan, you know i can't talk about the case with you" Frankie tried to stay calm "You've been drinking maybe you should"
"Don't tell me what to do" Alan yelled as he swiped a vase of flowers off the side an onto the floor "How could you betray us like that, you are supposed to be one of us"
"You're not doing yourself any favors by being here" Frankie tried to reason with the drunken man "I know this must be hard for you, but you need to go back home and..."
"Shut your mouth you dirty tramp" Alan spat furiously "How could you possibly know how hard this is for me" Alan Snarled.
"OK look, i am done with being nice" Frankie lost her temper "You either get out of my house right now or i will call the police"
Alan swiped Frankie across the face and knocked her to the floor "Shut your mouth, you think your better than the rest of us, with your nice house and posh car" Alan ranted "But you're not, it's about time someone taught you a lesson" Alan grabbed hold of Frankie's head and pushed her back down to the floor.
"What are you doing?" Frankie screamed "No, Stop, Alan No" she carried on screaming.
Frankie was relieved as she felt Alan being dragged away from her, she quickly stumbled to her to her feet in time to see Brax laying into him with punch after punch "Brax stop" she cried as she pulled Brax away from a bloody faced Alan "Let him go" she added. Brax could feel her shaking and she continued to pull at his arm.
"Get outta here" Brax spat as he grabbed Alan's shirted and flung him out of the front door, he slammed it shut behind him. He quickly turned back to Frankie "You alright" he put his hand on Frankie's face and looked into her eyes.
"Yeah i think so" Frankie sniffed, it was obvious she was shaken.
"You're trembling" Brax pulled Frankie close to him "It's alright, i'm here now"
Frankie stayed in Brax's arms for a few moments before pulling away "I need to get back to the hospital"
"Frankie, you need to take a minute for yourself, especially after whats just..."
"Nothing's happened" Frankie shrugged it off unconvincingly.
"Yeah only because i came round when i did" Brax was worried.
"Yeah exactly you came round, Alan was drunk he didn't know what he was doing. It just got a bit out of hand that's all" Frankie went into Darcy's bedroom, Brax was close behind her.
"Frankie stop" Brax grabbed both of her arms and made her look at him "We both know what he would have done if i didn't..."
"No we don't, we will never know, so can we just drop it please" Frankie snapped causing Brax to surrender "Why are you here anyway?"
"Oh, Heath called me, he said after you left Darcy remembered she wanted her iPad. Heath tried to call you but couldn't get an answer" Brax explained as Frankie packed Darcy's things into a small pink holdall style bag "He asked me to come round and make sure you get it"
"I see" Frankie smiled "Could you get her iPad for me its in the top drawer, the charger should be in there aswell"
"Yeah sure" Brax got the iPad and charger out of Darcy's drawer "Here" he added as he handed them to Frankie.
xxxxxx
Heath was surprised to see Frankie walking towards him with a bruised cheek and a bit of blood on her forehead "What the hell happened are you ok?" he asked as she rushed towards her.
"Yeah, fine" Frankie seemed distant "How's Darce"
"She's asleep" Heath replied still looking at Frankie "What the hell happened?"
"Alan Henderson" Brax interrupted "He was waiting for her when she got home"
"Are you serious?" Heath spat "He did this to you?"
Frankie nodded "He was drunk, he knows I'm defending Sasha at the trial"
"What and he decided to attack you" Heath snapped "I'll kill him"
"Heath no, please don't leave me" Frankie pleaded with a furious Heath "I need you here"
"Alright fine, but maybe you should see someone, Hey Sid" Heath saw Dr Sid Walker walking past "Would you take a look at Frankie"
"Yes of course, what happened" Sid asked curiously.
"Frankie was attacked in her house" Brax interrupted again, much to Frankie's annoyance.
"Yeah by Alan Henderson" Heath added causing Sid to pause in shock.
"Stu Henderson's father?" Sid wondered.
"Yeah" Frankie nodded and whispered.
"Is this because your defending Sasha at the trial?" Sid asked again as he helped Frankie sit on a bed.
"Yeah, but its fine" Frankie reassured him quickly "If anything its given me more of a reason to defend your daughter"
xxxxxxx
Brax and Heath were sat in the corridor outside Darcy's room, a nurse was with her "So what happened, with Alan?" Heath knew there was more than Frankie was letting on "Did he just hit her?"
Brax shook his head "No, when i got in there he had Frankie on the floor"
"He What" Heath spat "The dog, I'll kill him" Heath shot to his feet.
"Nah mate you heard what Frankie said, she needs you here" Brax stopped his brother "I'll sort it, just not right now. This one needs to be handled carefully"
"Carefully, after what he did?" Heath argued.
"Listen if we go in there now then Frankie's whole case could be jeopardised" Brax explained "Frankie wouldn't thank you for that"
"Fair enough" Heath finally saw reason "But swear to me he won't get away with it"
"I swear" Brax said as he watched Frankie walk back towards them.
Brax couldn't take his eyes off Frankie, she had a plaster on her cut head and looked so fragile behind that brave front. It also hadn't gone unnoticed by Brax the way Heath was also looking at her, it was at that moment Brax realised he needed to back off and give his brother some space. Brax had never seen Heath react this way around a woman before...