What if's and might have beens

by NancyMay

I am not the biggest fan of Rose, and (spoiler alert) having thought she was pregnant, I got to thinking what she would have done, and really, would Charlie have been so remiss as to not use some protection against getting his girlfriend in the family. Warning, this is a very dark story.

1. Chapter 1

Rose sat on her bed and gaped at the letter from the doctor. She swore under her breath. She couldn't be. Charlie always made sure there would be no consequences of their night time activities, but she had not returned to her usual regularity after her last 'monthly' when she had been sure it was a false alarm. She couldn't go to Lucien or the hospital, everybody knew she was Chief Superintendant Lawson's niece, and the local 'help' had been arrested and charged with murder.

She daren't speak to Jean, who she had told it was a false alarm, and anyway, Jean had lost a child through miscarriage and any idiot could see how much it hurt her, even after all these years.

Bugger!

Bugger!

Bugger and bloody hell!

She still had a few contacts in Melbourne, so, a weekend away, have it seen to and then back to Ballarat, nobody need know.

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On the train Rose had time to think. She and Charlie were widely held to be 'an item'. But in truth, he was Senior Sergeant Charlie Davies, useful for providing stories for the paper, solid, steady, admittedly handsome, but... he was a policeman, somewhat staid, in her eyes, not a laugh a minute. He'd be horrified if he found out she didn't confine herself to his bed, but, unfortunately she didn't, and now... who the hell was the baby's father? Even to herself she sounded like the town harlot.

Occasionally she let Edward have her, not that exciting, and he usually pulled out, but not always in time. The sub editor, he could be persuaded to put her story on a near front page if not the front in exchange for a bit of hanky panky, could it be? Nah, it had been too long since she had let him anywhere near her. It had to be Edward. Getting rid of his bastard was not as bad as getting rid of Charlie's.

She looked into different ways of 'encouraging a miscarriage', all of which sounded pretty dreadful, most of which just moved everything else not necessarily an unwanted foetus.

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Charlie had been surprised at Rose's sudden trip to Melbourne, she hadn't said anything about wanting to go and see her friends, but Rose was Rose, so he waved her off from the station and headed back to the station for his shift. It was a quiet day and he had time to think about them as a couple. He enjoyed being with her, even though he knew he was useful to her, but he had felt their relationship had gone further than that. They slept together, always careful, though that was his department, neither made too many demands on the other, but sometimes he thought there could be more, but he didn't know if he loved her enough to ask her to marry him. Briefly he thought of Mattie, only briefly, she was probably engaged by now, or even married.

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Rose was met by her friend, Elizabeth. Elizabeth and she went back years, well at least as far as high school. Elizabeth had trained as a nurse but now she seemed to have it all, married to a marvellous surgeon, at least that was what she said, no children, yet, a fabulous social life and contacts all over the place.

'Of course,' Elizabeth linked arms with Rose, 'Alex can't do your procedure, but he knows of someone who is discreet and qualified, so you'll be fine.'

'Elizabeth,' Rose heaved a sigh of relief, 'I can't thank you enough, and I will do a very favourable, even glowing, report of your husband's work.'

'We'll be very grateful,' Elizabeth smiled and squeezed her arm, 'we need all the help we can get in women's health.'

Elizabeth drove her to a hotel, given the reason she was in Melbourne, she said, they had to be even more careful, and Rose accepted this. The hotel was not the Windsor not nearly on the same level, and the procedure would be carried out there, the following morning.

'In the hotel?' Rose was surprised.

'It's a relatively simple procedure,' Elizabeth started to reassure her, 'a little uncomfortable, but you're not far gone so, it will be just like a very heavy monthly.'

'Right,' Rose began to feel nervous. 'Elizabeth,' she turned to her companion, 'I don't suppose you would stay with me, would you?'

'Well,' Elizabeth had arranged things with her husband but was not prepared to hand hold.

'I know what we're doing is, well, not approved of,' Rose thought that was the understatement of the century, 'but..'

Elizabeth sighed, she supposed it would be ok, Rose was a healthy young woman there would be no untoward issues.

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Rose had been instructed to be ready early, and to have nothing to eat. She had been given a list of things she would need, protection for her clothes, an old nightdress or shirt she could reasonably afford to lose and some Bex for pain relief.

She lay in bed overnight telling herself it was the right thing to do. She was not ready to be a mother, wasn't particularly fond of children, she was unmarried, the scandal in Ballarat would damage Uncle Matthew's reputation, it was the right thing, she told herself over and over again, and avoided thinking of Jean and her loss.

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Rose lay on the bed, with Elizabeth talking to her, telling her all about things she had done, while she waited for the valium she had requested to take effect. Rose was, by her own admission, a bit of a coward when it came to medical procedures, so had asked if some kind of sedative could be used.

It was more than uncomfortable, despite the sedative,

'Relax, my dear,' the doctor soothed, he was German, she thought, 'soon your little problem will be gone.'

'Nngh!' Rose gritted her teeth, 'Mmph!' She looked up at the ceiling willing herself to think of anything other than the man who was pushing something into her womb to removed the baby she didn't want.

'All is done.' The doctor stood up and nodded to Elizabeth. He removed his gloves and gown and put them into his bag. The instrument he used, out of the corner of her eye Rose thought it looked like a long thin crochet hook, he put it into a piece of gauze and pushed into his bag with the rest of his things.

'Have a sleep, Rose.' Elizabeth pulled the bedclothes over her, 'then perhaps a hot bath.' She picked up the envelope Rose had left on the beside cabinet, and left with the doctor.

Rose curled up and cried, more for the pain than the loss, and eventually fell asleep.

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Charlie was at a loss for something to do on a Saturday night without Rose, so he offered to help at the local youth club. He volunteered to referee a football match and found he enjoyed himself. The young lads played well and there was little or no rough play.

'Don't suppose you'd be up to join us again, Senior Sergeant?' The group leader asked.

'I'll let you know,' he grinned, 'but thanks for asking me this week.'

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Matthew didn't want to stay in the house and be a gooseberry to Jean and Lucien so he had offered Alice a ticket to a play at the theatre, if she would drive him. The play was reasonably well acted, 'An Inspector Calls', and Matthew smiled to see Alice completely engrossed.

She dropped him off at the Blake's and thanked him for a pleasant evening.

'It's been some time since I went to the theatre,' she admitted, 'I enjoyed it, thank you, Superintendant.'

'My pleasure, doctor,' he smiled, 'thank you for driving.'

They parted, no kiss, no invitation for a nightcap, it wasn't his home, just two friends having a pleasant evening out.

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Hearing the key turn in the lock, Jean and Lucien pulled apart from their kiss. There was no need for them to pretend she had been innocently knitting and he had been doing the crossword, Matthew was a detective, he wouldn't be fooled!

'Only me!' Matthew called through, 'heading to bed.'

'Night, Matthew!' they called back, grinning at each other and resuming their occupations, though Jean thought it was about time she turned in.

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Rose woke later in the day and immediately reached for the Bex. Elizabeth had suggested a hot bath and she had to pull herself together. She couldn't stay in the room all day, so she hoped she would at least be able to get out and go for a walk.

The hot bath relaxed her and eased the cramps. She rang down for some tea and when she had drunk that, and dressed, she headed out to wander around for a while.

She had thought it would be all over by the time she headed home, but it would appear it would take longer than that. She rang Elizabeth to ask her advice but was just told to be patient and she had been warned. Rose felt suddenly very alone, and very, very stupid. She hadn't thought this through, at all. She cried herself to sleep there was no one she could talk to, here, in Melbourne or at home.

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Charlie looked around the station for her, but none of the passengers had her familiar red hair. Perhaps she had missed her train. He could wait, but it would be a couple of hours before the next one, so he decided to go home and hope she would ring for a lift.

Rose watched him leave. She felt so wretched and probably looked awful, her story, when someone on the train had enquired of her health, was a university reunion that had got a bit out of hand. She hailed a taxi to take her home.

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'Hello, Charlie,' Jean looked up from peeling vegetables, 'I thought you'd be with Rose.'

'I think she must have missed her train,' he sat down and played with the peelings, 'maybe she'll ring later.'

Jean wondered about the two. She didn't believe that Charlie would be so reckless as to chance getting Rose pregnant. She'd been very surprised and not a little saddened when Rose had told her she thought she was in trouble. She had shocked herself when she had told Rose she had done the same thing, but married Christopher, then lost the little girl she was carrying.

'Is everything alright?' She put down her knife and took his hand, 'you can talk to me, you know.'

'Yeah,' he inhaled, 'yeah we're fine.'

No you're not, Jean thought.

'Want some help?' Charlie could lose himself cooking, it would take his mind off whatever was wrong with Rose.

'You can prepare the chicken,' she watched him go to the sink and wash his hands, 'and if you like, we can have fruit pie and custard.'

'You know me too well, Jean.' He turned and smiled.

With the radio playing softly in the background there was no need for conversation, Jean hummed to some of the melodies which made Charlie smile. In fact, by the time he had prepared the roast and the apples for the pie, while she made the pastry, he felt a lot happier.

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Lucien and Matthew came back from the station, the latest case sorted at last.

'Something smells good.' Blake poked his head through the hatch. 'Hello you two.' He went round the table and kissed Jean, she'd finally stopped blushing at these little affections in front of their lodgers.

'Well, you two don't usually work on a Sunday, if you can help it, and...why not?'

'Why not indeed.' He grinned, 'Rose joining us?'

'No idea, I think she missed her train.' Charlie was now resigned to the fact he was unlikely to see her that evening, and anyway, they weren't in each other's pockets.

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Rose was lying on her bed, curled into a foetal position and sobbing with the pain. Too ashamed to call Lucien or go to the hospital she could only hope that it would be better in the morning. She finally wore herself out and slept.

The phone ringing brought her round and she looked at the clock to see it was nearly nine o'clock, and as it was light outside that meant she was late for work. She felt as if she was lying on a wet bed and on looking saw she had bled, a lot, during the night. She sighed, at last it was leaving her. Still in pain, she pulled the phone to her and grunted into the receiver.

'Edward,' hell, it had to be the boss, 'sorry, over slept, busy weekend.'

She swallowed more Bex and headed to the bathroom, and stood in the shower watching the water turn bright red. Elizabeth had told her, warned her it would be heavy bleeding, but this, this was more than she expected, much more.

She managed to dress and made sure, she hoped, she wouldn't be leaving a trail of blood behind her, that she could get through the morning at least.

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In the office Edward took one look at her and his mouth dropped open,

'Bloody hell, Rose,' he gasped, 'what's wrong with you?'

'Er...female issues.' She grimaced as another cramp gripped her, 'scuse me.' She pushed passed him to the lavatory. When she returned she looked even paler, 'I'm sorry Edward, I really can't...'

'Go home, you'll scare everyone you interview.' Not even Edward Tyneman could be that callous.

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'What's the list like today, Jean?' Lucien called through from the study.

Jean took the diary into him, 'Starting at ten, you have four this morning, and then a two o'clock and a two thirty.'

He looked down the page, 'Oh, a new one.'

'Yes, just moved into the town, young mother, two children, husband works at the factory for Patrick. Accounts, I believe.' She pulled a new notes folder out, 'I've put as much on the folder as I can, I expect you want to do a quick check up, and I've sent for her notes from her previous GP.'

'So glad I'm going to marry you.' He grinned.

'I was rather hoping you were marrying me for more than my receptionist skills,' she replied, her voice taking on a sultry tone.

'Oh I have plans, that may not always involve your duties as a receptionist or housekeeper.' He smirked and went round the desk to pull her into a rather passionate kiss.

'Well, that certainly bodes well,' she leant back and looked into his blue eyes.

'We could, practice.' He raised his eyebrows hopefully.

'I made that mistake once before, darling,' she looked down, having only recently told him what she told Rose, 'I don't want to make it again.'

'So, there is a chance then?' He pulled her close.

She wouldn't answer that, it didn't need an answer. She just sighed and leant her head just under his chin.

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Rose had tried to get home, but she wasn't going to make it, and the closest place had to be Lucien's, unfortunately. She knocked on the door, just about able to stand, afraid she was bleeding to death.

'I'll get it.' Jean, ever cheerful called, but as soon as she opened the door all brightness disappeared, 'Lucien!' She screamed through the house, 'Lucien!'

Rose tumbled forward on her, 'I'm sorry,' then her world went black.

'Jean, what...!' Lucien pulled up short, 'bloody hell!'

'Lucien,' Jean turned to him, pale and wide eyed, 'I think she's done something very foolish.' The blood dripping down Rose's legs told her all she needed to know.

'Car, now!' Lucien swung the unconscious girl into his arms.

Grabbing her handbag and slamming the door shut Jean ran to the driver's side and got in, starting the car before Lucien had closed his door. She broke several speed laws to get to the hospital, which surprised and impressed her fiancé, pulling up sharply at the front of the building. Barely pausing to turn off the engine she leapt out and went round to open the door for Lucien.

'Get a stretcher, Jean, please.' He heaved himself out and almost ran up the steps with his burden, praying she would make it. He had seen enough to be in no doubt Jean was right, even though he didn't know she had previously thought she was pregnant then that it was a false alarm.

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Things happened very quickly, a drip to administer life giving fluids and blood, nurses cut her clothing off.

'Rose,' Lucien called her name, 'Rose, wake up, I need you to talk to me,' Lucien whispered urgently to her, patting her cheek, 'come on, girl, open your eyes for me.'

A flutter and a whisper, 'Not Charlie's,' her eyes closed again.

'Theatre, now!' Lucien started to pull the trolley out of the cubicle.

'Lucien,' Jean walked with him, 'what do I tell Matthew?'

'I don't know, but, Jean,' He held her arm, 'it wasn't Charlie's.' He let go and carried on towards the operating suite.

Jean watching him go. What could she tell Matthew? 'Your niece has had an illegal procedure, she's in theatre...' She couldn't lie to him, he would never forgive her. Did Matthew know Rose and Charlie were...intimate?

She wandered slowly out of the hospital trying to process what he had said. Not Charlie's, what on earth did that mean? That she was sleeping with another man? No, surely not. Charlie, she had to talk to Charlie first, the most difficult question she would ever ask a young man who was not her own son. Maybe both of them together. What a mess, how silly of her. Not silly, stupid. The more she thought about it the angrier with the girl she got, and the more scared she was that she could die, die from stupidity.

She realised she had walked to the station. She looked into the building and took a deep breath before entering to find two men who were about to have their worlds turned upside down.

In the office all was calm, Matthew was at his desk going through reports, Charlie was typing up a traffic offence.

'Hello Jean.' Matthew smiled, which made her heart sink.

'Matthew, Charlie,' she straightened, 'can I have a word, in private?'

'What's wrong?' Matthew heaved himself out of his seat and joined her and Charlie at the door.

'Not here.' She preceded them to the interview room. She sat down, realising her legs would no longer support her.

'Jean?' Charlie poured her a glass of water, 'here. Drink this and then tell us what's the matter. Is it the doc?'

'She took a mouthful of water and shook her head, 'No.' She looked at Matthew, then at Charlie, 'it's Rose.'

'What about her?' Charlie sat down, 'she's still in Melbourne, isn't she? I mean she hasn't phoned.'

'She's done something very stupid.' She squared her shoulders, 'Lucien's got her in theatre now.'

Matthew looked at Charlie and his face darkened.

'No!' Jean stopped him, 'It's not Charlie, is it Charlie?'

For a moment Charlie just looked at her then he realised what she was asking.

'No, Boss,' He put his hands up, 'I always, I mean I make sure...' He ran his hands through his hair, 'who..?' Angry, hurt, shocked, scared, any number of feelings ran through the young officers mind, even some rather derogatory terms for Rose!

'Who then?' Matthew grunted through gritted teeth, 'who else would she...? What am I going to tell Vera?'

'Nothing yet,' Jean stood up, 'Lucien didn't really want you to know exactly why she is where she is, but, I'm sorry, I couldn't not tell you.'

'I need to see her,' Matthew stumped towards the door.

'You both do.' Jean said gently. 'Charlie get a car, I've left ours at the hospital. I'll drive, you're in no fit state.'

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By the time Jean had driven them to the hospital, at the correct limit, Lucien had finished in the operating theatre. Unable to stop the bleeding from Rose's damaged womb he had removed it. Rose would never have children of her own, now.

'Blake?' Matthew stood in front of him, his friend looked drained, exhausted.

'She's not out of the woods, yet, Matthew.' He put his hand on the superintendant's shoulder.

'Jean told me what she did.'

Lucien's brows creased.

'Don't blame her, she had no choice.' Matthew said quietly, 'I'm glad she did, at least I know it's not Charlie I have to deal with. But for now, she is all that matters. I just don't understand why she didn't come and talk to me.'

Probably because it wasn't Charlie's.' Lucien sat Matthew down and looked at him. 'Be honest, old friend, what would you have thought of her if she had come to you and told you that she was...' how to put it delicately?

'Sleeping around,' Matthew finished, grimly. 'Probably been disgusted, and a little part of me is. I suppose she is paying for it now.'

'She lost a lot of blood,' Lucien sighed, 'I had to remove her uterus. She will never have children of her own.' He looked up at Charlie standing with Jean, he looked lost.

A nurse stood discreetly by, waiting to speak. Lucien turned to her.

'Miss Anderson has been made comfortable, doctor,' she stepped forward, 'do the family want to go in?'

'Matthew?' Blake stood up and extended his hand to help his friend up.

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Matthew stood at the foot of the bed and watched her chest rise and fall with each breath. She had a tube into her mouth, which, from past experience, he knew was delivering oxygen to her lungs. She looked so small and frail.

'We'll keep her like this for at least twenty four hours,' Lucien murmured. 'I'll review in the morning, see if I think she can stand to be woken up.'

'Blake,' Matthew seemed to sink into himself, 'I'll have to tell Vera. Now I know what happened.'

The doctor opened his mouth to speak and the shut it again, lost for words to comfort him.

'Don't be angry at Jean, for telling us.' Matthew moved round to sit by the bed, 'I'm glad she did. I'm not angry at Charlie, either. I believe him when he says he was sensible, nor will I blame him if he wants nothing more to do with her.'

'I just wish she'd come to me.' Lucien sighed, 'while I would not have performed such a procedure on her, I might have been able to help her, advise her, give her options.'

'Knowing Rose she was probably looking for a quick answer.' Matthew admitted his niece was impetuous, 'and what options?'

'Well, have the baby adopted,' Lucien ran his hand over his head, 'she could have gone away to have the baby and then...'

'But that would have taken time, and Rose...' he stroked the girl's arm, 'is too impatient, it would have 'inconvenienced' her.' He remained there, deep in thought.

'Lucien,' He raised his head, 'I want to find who did this, the procedure, that is. How she found him, or her, was it just a one off?'

'We'll have to wait until she wakes,' Lucien took a step forward, 'we need to know her contact...'

'What do the hospital know?'

'I told them it was a spontaneous miscarriage brought on by a fall.' Lucien openly admitted he had lied on her notes, 'that accounts for the damage and gives me a reason for performing such radical surgery on a young woman.'

'Thank you, for what you have done, for what you are doing.'

'I'll leave you here.' Lucien gripped his shoulder, 'I'll fetch your dinner, I know you won't want to leave her.'

Matthew looked up, even more grateful for his kindness, 'Thank you.'

'But,' Lucien looked down at him, brows furrowed, 'you are coming home to sleep. I'll have a nurse sit with her all night. She won't wake up until I want her to.'

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Jean drove Charlie and Lucien home in silence. She felt sick at what Rose had done, especially after she had told her of her loss.

On the doorstep there was a pool of blood. Jean stepped over it and pushed the door open,

'Right,' she turned to the two men, 'Lucien your suit goes in the bin, I'll never get the stain out and I doubt you'll want to wear it anyway, Charlie, out of your uniform. I'm going to make tea and you two can have a whisky.' She straightened her back and went to the kitchen, dropping the keys loudly onto the hall table.

Leaving the men to their tea and whisky she took a bowl of water laden with disinfectant and soap, a scrubbing brush and a cloth and set to, to clean away the mess and allow herself the luxury of angry tears.

Wiping her eyes on her apron and readying herself to go back into the kitchen, she sighed. They would all need to eat, Matthew needed something taking over to him. There was a pound of sausages in the fridge, onions, an apple and some stock would make a reasonable meal, with some potatoes, that would do.

Although nobody really wanted much to eat they did try. Jean plated up a portion for Matthew and sent Lucien off, telling him to make haste so it didn't get cold.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxMatthew was still sitting beside Rose's bed. He looked drawn, tired, Lucien thought. This had hit him hard.

'Jean says you're to eat this before it goes cold.' He pulled the bed table over and put the plate down.

'Thanks,' Matthew pulled the table closer and when he took the lid off the plate was surprised to find himself more hungry than he thought he would be. He cleared the plate and washed it down with a glass of water, then a nip of whisky from Lucien's flask.

'Better?'

'Much.' The doctor pulled the table away and checked Rose's pulse and consciousness level. She was as he wanted her to be. 'I just don't know what to do now.'

'Let's get her well first.' Lucien said gently, 'really it is up to her now. One thing I am sure of is she trusted the person who she went to. She wouldn't have gone to a back street abortionist.'

'Bloody hope not.' Mathew grumbled, 'I wonder if she would have made use of Helen Murphy if she hadn't been arrested for murder?'

'It's a bit close to home, but, you never know.' Lucien shrugged his shoulders.

'Not with Rose, no.' He pushed himself out of the chair and winced, 'how's Davies?'

'Quiet.' Lucien sighed, 'angry, sad, disappointed. Hard to say really. Hurt, that she went with someone else. It doesn't do much for a chap's ego.'

'I am well aware that they were more than just good friends.' Matthew took his cane, 'but he's a good copper, a steady bloke.'

'Perhaps a bit too steady for Rose?' Lucien questioned.

'Perhaps.' He sighed, as a nurse knocked and entered.

'Doctor, superintendant,' she smiled, 'I'll be sitting with Miss Anderson tonight. Is there anything I need to know?'

'Just monitor her vital signs, hourly, please.' Lucien smiled, 'she is due more sedation at ten, then two and six. You can call me if you need to. I'll be back in the morning and we'll see if she is ready to wake up.'

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Charlie washed up for Jean. She felt so sad for him she just wanted to wrap her arms round him as if he was her own son.

'Come and sit down, Charlie.' She whispered and touched his arm.

Charlie's feet felt like lead as he dragged himself to the couch and slumped down.

'Charlie,' Jean's voice was very soft and gentle, 'I'm here, we are here for you. You don't have to be alone in this.'

'It wasn't mine,' he sniffed, 'she cheated on me, Jean. I would never have thought she would do that. If I wasn't enough, then she should have said. Then she goes and does a stupid thing like this. What was she thinking?' He stood up, 'I don't know what to feel, anymore. I'm angry, with both things she did, part of me wants to go and shake her, shout at her, god help me Jean, part of me wants to wring her neck!'

She let him carry on, about how it was a stupid thing, how they could have worked something out, how much he cared, how much he didn't care.

'I can't love someone like that, Jean,' he sobbed, 'not someone who uses people like she used me, and then...'

She couldn't argue with him, she felt some of his pain and quite a bit of his anger. Not for what Rose had done, but for the fact she had deceived him, not kept herself exclusively for him, and,...used him.

Jean stood up and went to him, 'I'm sorry, Charlie.' She touched his arm, 'I don't know what else to say.'

'There is nothing left to say, Jean' he looked down at her, 'thank you, for being here, just now. I appreciate it, really. I think I'll go to bed, now.'

'Alright, but...'

'I know, you'll be here.' He gave her a wan smile and bent down to kiss her cheek.

She watched him slowly plod up the stairs and her heart broke for him.

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Lucien and Matthew arrived soon after Charlie had dragged himself upstairs. Jean didn't speak, just poured them both a large whisky and went to wash the plate. She went back to the living room and sat next to Lucien on the couch.

'Charlie's gone to bed.' She stated the fact, to break the awkward silence.

'How is he?' Matthew asked, he was as concerned about his junior officer as he was his niece.

'Bad.' Jean sighed, 'angry, admits part of him would like to, in his words, wring her neck, hurt, that she went with someone else, that she did this. He says he can't love someone like her.'

'I don't expect him to, and in no way do I hold him responsible for any of this.' Matthew drained his glass, thinking he'd like to drain the bottle and another one if Blake had one somewhere, 'She has been ridiculously stupid. She's seen enough reports of this kind of thing, she's not a silly schoolgirl but it would seem she has no sense, or trust in us.' He pushed himself out of the chair, 'I'm going to try and get some sleep.'

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Jean curled into Lucien on the couch and let more of the tears she had suppressed fall. Lucien just held her until her sobs lessened and she could talk.

'Sorry,' she sniffed and took the handkerchief he offered. 'I keep hoping this is all some dreadful nightmare. She told me it was a false alarm.'

'She must have just had a small bleed,' Lucien reasoned, 'even a threatened miscarriage, or lost one of two. Any number of reasons that would make her think she was no longer pregnant.' He adjusted his hold on her so he could see her face. 'Is that why your story came out?'

'Yes,' Jean lay against him, 'but I married Christopher, probably for the wrong reason, but it worked out pretty well, in the end. Of course I was very upset when I lost our little girl, and I'll never forget what might have been, but I could never have contemplated anything like this.'

'Why didn't she come to me?' He sighed, 'she told you, surely she could talk to me.'

'Probably embarrassed, and she knew you would never do such a procedure.' Jean thought for a while, 'I don't hate her, but I don't like what she has done.'

'Nor do I.'

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So, what will they do now? Will Rose give up her contact in Melbourne? Will Charlie ever speak to her again?