Evidence

Chapter 5

The Visitor

With no use of an indicator at all, the red Audi Quattro pulled into a parking space at the side of the road, stopping alongside a grassy park area surrounded with freshly painted railings. The driver of the Quattro emerged from his vehicle and shut the door behind him, making sure to lock it up after him. Nobody was helping themselves to this baby.

Gene looked at his watch; 09:55am. With determination he walked along the pavement and into the entrance to the small park, reaching into his overcoat and pulling out a box of cigarettes and lighter. Placing the cigarette between his lips, he lit it and inhaled deeply. After a moment, he blew out the smoke and continued walking briskly, feeling his frustration building. Putting the cigarettes back inside his coat, Gene looked ahead and saw the person who had asked to meet with him. God, how he hated this smug bastard.

Evan White sat on a park bench. He got to his feet as he saw the detective chief inspector approach.

"Good morning, DCI Hunt!" Evan chirped, holding out his hand.

"Mornin'." Gene bluntly replied, shaking it.

It was the first time Gene had seen Evan since the immediate aftermath of the car bombing.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Gene asked, as he sat himself down on the bench and blew his smoke in Evans general direction, "And why ask to meet me 'ere and not at the nick?".

"It seemed neutral ground," Evan explained, "I know we don't always see eye to eye on matters".

"Too bloody right," Gene agreed, "I nick 'em, you get 'em off on a loophole".

"That is my job," Evan factually stated, "but there is one matter we do see eye to eye on...Your D.I".

All of a sudden, Evan had Gene's full attention.

Alex had been pretty much the only thing on Gene's mind since the day she had left the station, dragged away by another branch of CID. Since that day, the office had been strangely quiet; gone was the laughter and even the enthusiasm for the job. Even the fiery arguments were missed. Gene felt like a major part of his life had suddenly gone missing.

Things were not better outside of work. The evening drinks in Luigi's had become subdued - to the point where people were leaving early after only one or two. The laughter and shouts of "Grassy arse!" had seemingly died away in the days since.

Gene had found a small amount of comfort in Ray. His detective sergeant had a history of always being there for him and Ray had made sure he sat with Gene in Luigi's most evenings, assisting him in drowning his sorrows. He constantly reassured him that the whole mess would be cleared up soon - even trying to cheer Gene up by raising the prospect of "re-stamping her arse" upon her return. Despite Ray's best efforts, it was all in vain. Gene had spent the last few days under a black cloud, at moments subdued, other times just plain fuming with anger, exploding at the smallest of things.

Gene peered at Evan.

"What about her?" Gene demanded, "You know somethin' we don't?"

"I saw George Jarvis yesterday," Evan began to explain, "Alex's lawyer".

'I know who he is you posh prick!' Gene thought quietly to himself. He knew Jarvis was taking the case at Evan's request and that he was also very good, every bit as annoying as Evan when it came to blasting holes in police enquiries.

"Has he seen her?" Gene asked - hungry for more news, "is she alright?"

"Yes, he's seen her," Evan nodded, "He met with Alex yesterday to run through some possible lines of defence."

"Sod the bloody defence for a moment, I asked if she's alright?" Gene barked, exasperated. He didn't like having to repeat himself.

"If you want my honest answer..." Evan paused, for once unsure of how to word his response, "I'd say I'm not sure."

"What do you mean you're not sure? This Jarvis bloke's got eyes hasn't he? What did he tell you?"

Gene was concerned that something wasn't right; Evan sighed, his face too showing concern for Alex.

"I met George for lunch yesterday after a case was adjourned," Evan began to explain, "naturally, I asked about Alex".

"And?..."

"I just thought you should know that…" Evan hesitated, "…she's been... attacked."

"Attacked?!" Gene felt his heart jump. He sat in uncharacteristic silence for a moment as the news sank in. He had clung to the hope that Alex would be able to keep her head down and simply get by where she was.

"Is she okay?" Gene demanded, "Who did it? Just gimme a name and I'll..."

"She claimed it was an accident." said Evan, shaking his head.

"What?!" Gene fumed.

"George said that when he met with Alex she was clearly bruised and had a cut lip," Evan explained, "when he tried to get details out of her she claimed she'd slipped. He didn't believe her and neither do I".

Gene listened gravely. By crossing Alex, the attacker had also crossed Gene Hunt. If he found out the name of the culprit he would pull strings, any strings to cause them some grief in return.

"You know how it is." Evan continued, "She can't name names, not in her position."

Gene understood all too well.

"I have to see her." Gene thought out loud.

"Are you sure that's wise?" Evan sounded unsure.

"I have to," Gene reiterated, "I can't 'ave her thinkin' we've forgotten about her."

"Why not send someone on your behalf?" Evan suggested, "I know you want to see her, as do I, but we're both likely to be called as witnesses in the case and it could jeopardise her position if we interact with her before the trial."

'Christ! Why does this bastard have to be right!?' Gene thought to himself in annoyance.

He was desperate to see Alex; now knowing that she had been hurt, he wanted to drop everything and head to the prison right away, batter the doors down and pull Alex out of there. He knew people such as the Chief Super had urged him to remain neutral and not get involved, but Alex was one of his team - more than just one of his team - and he couldn't simply abandon her.

He didn't care what that smug lawyer thought, Gene was desperate to see Alex and he decided he would go.

After meeting with Evan, Gene's immediate actions had been to contact the prison and arrange a visit; he had been given a time and date, the very next day at 2pm.

Gene sat, his foot tapping; he wasn't the most patient man in the world and this was a fact he knew well. He wasn't even sure if he was doing the right thing by being here. He looked at his watch yet again and huffed. So close and yet still a few minutes to go…

The room, grey and soulless, was similar to the one Gene and Alex had visited Arthur Layton in prior to the car bombing. Impatiently Gene looked through the glass panel in front of him and stared at the door the other side, willing it to open.

He felt anxious at the thought of seeing Alex again. His last sight of her had been seeing her cuffed and then briskly pulled through the doors of his own CID department days ago. It was a moment he had replayed in his mind numerous times since. He wished he had stepped it and prevented it yet, realistically and legally, he knew there was nothing he could have done.

Since then Gene had thought of very little other than Alex and how she might be coping. He knew she was strong but he also knew how much she occasionally lacked common sense.

He had been in the job long enough to know what sort of people filled these prisons and he knew it was a very bad place for a copper to be in. Male or female, villains were all the same in Gene's eyes. Real villains, at least.

That had been a major fear of his own when he himself had been framed for the murder of boxing promoter Terry Haslam. Thankfully and to Gene's own relief that had all been sorted, and the real killer found, in a matter of days. Alex, it appeared, was in far deeper trouble.

With the sound of a lock being undone, Gene looked up and stared straight ahead. It was finally happening. As he looked, the door opposite opened and Gene finally saw the sight he had longed for over the last few weeks. He got to his feet as he watched Alex walk in, an officer shutting the door behind her.

They made eye contact immediately yet, for once, neither knew what to say. After several drawn out moments Gene spoke.

"Come sit down you daft tart." Gene broke the ice, urging Alex to come towards him. He wasn't trying to be funny, he just wanted to break the awkward silence.

Alex took the few steps towards Gene and sat down on the seat opposite him on her side of the glass.

"Hi." she said quietly. It was the only thing she could think of to say.

Gene looked at the sight before him. His Alex Drake was a lively and mouthy posh tart who rarely knew when to shut up. The Alex before him appeared tired, pale and quiet; a dark bruise was visible to the side of her right eye and the gash to her lip was beginning to heal. Gene sighed loudly at the sight before him. He could see that Alex had tried to hide the bruise as best she could under her hair but it was no good, he had seen it plain as day.

"You're a bloody mess." Gene observed.

Alex said nothing and simply looked down. She had been dreading seeing Gene ever since she had heard of his visiting request. She could have declined the visit but had decided that she couldn't hide from him forever.

"It's good to see you too.", Alex looked up once again.

"I didn't mean to be off, Bolls," Gene said apologetically, "I've...we've...been worried about you."

Alex finally made a small smile, comforted by the knowledge that she was still in peoples thoughts.

"Thanks," she replied, "I miss everyone too, so much."

Another awkward silence followed. The tension of not knowing what to say could be cut with a knife. Gene had come to the prison with so much to say to Alex. He had planned words of reassurance, encouragement, and even small talk if necessary, yet now this powerful D.C.I found himself in the rare position of being stuck for words.

"How are you?" Alex moved the conversation on for him.

"Me?" Gene was surprised as he had come here to find out about Alex rather than the other way around, "Oh...I'm fine. Well, missin' you harpin' on at me every few minutes. It's quiet without your gob around the place."

Alex smiled slightly again.

"Ray's been made acting D.I." Gene continued with a firm emphasis on the word acting, "but it's just until you're back...'cos I'd rather stare at your arse than Carling's."

"Until I'm back..." Alex repeated.

"Yeah," Gene nodded, "once this load of ol' bollocks has been shoved where it belongs."

"You know, that might not happen, Gene." Alex stated with no emotion. It was an idea she had spent quite some time getting used to.

"Bollocks again!" Gene retorted, "You know you're innocent, I know you're innocent!"

"And every innocent person gets off, do they, Gene?" Alex asked, looking directly into his eyes, "No innocent person's ever gone down for a crime they haven't committed?"

Gene was silent. He knew she was right. Being right was, in Gene's view, one of Alex's more annoying traits.

"You're not going down Bolly!" Gene stated and tapped his finger on the surface in accompaniment to each word to emphasise the strength of his belief.

Alex merely shrugged. Gene didn't like this. The Alex he knew would fight her case tooth and claw until she was proved right, even over the smallest of issues; yet, the Alex sat in front of him right now seemed resigned to her situation.

"Christ, Bolls!" Gene began, "Where's all your fight gone?"

"Fight? Gene, what is there to fight? Look around, do you think anyone here cares whether I'm innocent or not?" Alex looked hard at Gene and pointed to the door she had entered through. "All everyone in here sees is a copper in need of a kicking!" Alex dropped her head into her hands and stared down at the table surface. She knew this would happen, that she would inevitably end up fighting with Gene. She hadn't meant to, but weeks of pent up emotion was becoming hard to hide away.

Some days Alex coped, or pretended to cope fine. Other days she wanted cry or scream or to even hit something to vent frustration. She was beginning to understand how a caged animal felt, penned in with nowhere to run.

"Is that what 'appened?" Gene leant towards Alex and asked in a quieter and more gentle tone, "I see the bruises Bolly, you can't hide 'em. Was it for bein' a copper?"

Alex raised her head and looked to Gene. She looked troubled.

"Kim Neary" she simply stated, "does that name ring a bell?"

"Neary?" Gene remembered the surname all too well.

Alex pointed to the dark bruise by her eye and pushed her hair back to give Gene an unobstructed view of it.

"This is my reward for her brothers shooting and arrest." Alex explained.

"His bloody sister's in 'ere?!" Gene was both angry and alarmed.

Alex nodded.

"I'd been so bloody careful Gene. I'd watched my back for days, weeks," Alex explained, "but they jumped me when the prison officers were distracted by a suicide attempt."

"Bloody bitch!" Gene cursed and brought the palm of his hand down loudly onto the surface, "There must be somethin' I can do...a few quid a certain way and maybe she can have a mishap..."

"No, Gene! No..." Alex held up her hand to stop Gene's train of thought before it went any further, "I appreciate it, really...but you might make things even worse. And if anyone were to find out, well it's hardly going to help my case is it?"

Gene nodded, reluctantly and breathed out an angry breath. He hated feeling this powerless.

"You have to do something Bolls." Gene ran a hand through his hair as he thought, "Look, if she starts on you again you're gonna have to defend yerself, you can't just sit back and get beaten to a pulp on a weekly basis!"

"I know, I know..." Alex acknowledged the harsh facts with a nod, "You know me Gene, I'm not the violent type, but I do have an idea of how to deal with her if she starts again. And that's IF, Gene."

"Just don't do anything stupid," Gene ordered, his tone no nonsense, "really, don't."

"I won't," Alex assured him, "I promise."

"Anyone else giving you trouble?" Gene dreaded to ask.

Alex shook her head and Gene immediately looked relieved.

"Good," Gene nodded, "because they're all lying, murdering scumbags in 'ere...present company excepted."

"Not all of them..." Alex was quick to defend her only friend in the prison.

"Oh really?" Gene was suprised to say the least, "Got a new best friend 'ave we?"

"Jill." Alex explained, "She's kind of taken me under her wing."

"Lesbo, then?" Gene tactlessly enquired.

"Christ, Gene!" Alex threw Gene a look of amazement at his bluntness, "No she's an ex-bloody WPC and she's tried to help me get by in here!"

Gene smirked. He had only made the comment to try and provoke a response from Alex and it had worked. He was pleased when she had shot him her 'Shut up Gene!' look that he was so accustomed to being on the receiving end of. It took Alex only a moment to work out that Gene had merely been toying with her. She sat back and relaxed a little.

"Jill heard that I'm a Police officer and helped me settle in, showed me the ropes, taught me how it all works." Alex told Gene the story.

"So, this Jill," Gene began, "she's watchin' yer back then?"

"Seems to be," Alex nodded, "I think she's just trying to help because we're in the same situation and in for the same thing."

"Blimey! Are there any coppers who haven't been done for murder at some point?" Gene wondered out loud. Alex failed to laugh. She didn't think Jill's reason for being there was particularly amusing yet she knew Gene was unaware of it so said nothing.

"You say she's in for murder Bolls?" Gene quizzed, "Not some psycho is she? Won't jump you when yer backs turned will she?" Despite his lack of tact, Gene was genuinely concerned at the thought of a convicted murderer being so close to Alex.

"She killed her abusive husband," Alex explained, "and now she's paying for it."

Gene took the information in momentarily and nodded in understanding.

"Well if she can 'elp keep you in one piece until all of this is over I'll be sure to buy 'er a drink when she gets out." Gene was reassured that Alex a tleast had one seemingly safe ally to rely on. "And you Bolls," Gene continued, "Luigi's will never 'ave seen a party so big once we get you back!"

Gene's optimism failed to infect Alex. She simply leant back in the seat and breathed out a long sigh.

"Gene, I might be here a long time." she sounded down again, "You know the sentence for murder as well as I do."

"Bollocks!" Gene shook his head, "Won't 'appen, can't 'appen!"

"Face facts Gene!" Alex's frustrations were clearly audible, "I've seen what they've got against me! Yes, it's circumstantial but God, Gene, it's so strong even I'd think me guilty if I were confronted with this evidence!"

"Don't talk bloody stupid Bolly!" Gene said loudly leaning forwards towards Alex, "Besides, we know who did it anyway!"

"But that can't be revealed!" Alex argued back.

"Y'know, sometimes I really think you are mad," Gene huffed, "you can't go down for two murders you didn't commit just to keep a bloody secret!"

"Tim and Caroline's daughter mustn't find out what her father did!" Alex emphasised, now slightly less sure of how unreal this world was than she had been upon her initial arrival in 1981.

"God, have mercy!" Gene cried, "Let it go! The Prices are dead! Yes, it was tragic, but look where it's got you! Banged up, maybe for life. Life, Bolly! For the sake of a bloody secret! Drake, this madness, tell them about Tim bloody Price!" Gene blew out an angry huff of frustration as he glared at Alex, desperate for her to see sense.

"Gene, we destroyed the evidence!" Alex retaliated, referring to Tim Price's VHS confession which had been destroyed in Gene's office.

'Damn her' Gene thought, she was being bloody right again. He smoothed his emerging stubble with his hand. He was beginning to see Alex's impossible situation, damned if she did, damned if she didn't.

"If I did tell them about Tim," Alex began in a gentler tone, "a story of a VHS confession that we now no longer possess would hardly be believed. And you would be dropped in it for destroying evidence."

"I don't care Bolls," Gene shook his head defiantly, "if it gets you out..."

Alex sat there, shaking her head at Gene's words.

"I can't, it wouldn't be believed for a second and it would destroy that little girl's world."

"Bloody 'ell Bolly, this is ridiculous!" Gene felt Alex's own frustration. "So 'ave you got a better idea then?"

Alex sat in silence for several moments before explaining the only possible way she could see events going.

"It's just going to have to go to trial. Hopefully, my lawyer can blow enough holes in the circumstantial evidence and put enough doubt in the jurors' minds." the explanation continued, "If it can't be proven beyond reasonable doubt then they cannot convict...I hope."

"And if they do?" Gene didn't like to ask but the inevitable possibility had to be touched upon.

"Then I'll just have to appeal."

"And if that fails spend the next what, ten, twenty, thirty years in prison?" Gene hated the very thought of losing Alex for that long, "that's most of your bloody life Drake!"

"Well what else can I do!?" Alex banged her hand on the surface. The very prospect had clearly upset her and Gene could see the tears in her eyes as she attempted to compose herself.

"Sshhhh, shhhhhh!" Gene brought the conversation to a halt, unwilling to continue upsetting her.

He wanted so badly to touch her, to just place his hand on her shoulder in comfort yet the glass separating them prevented it. Gene felt anxious. Seeing what a few weeks in this place had done to Alex made him fearful of what several years might do.

"Look Bolls," Gene began again, "let's not jump the gun 'ere. We don't know what's going to 'appen so let's take this a day at a time."

Alex nodded, wiping her eyes and calming herself. Gene clenched his fists out of Alex's view. He wanted to smash that damned glass that separated them.

"Look I don't reckon I can stay much longer Bolls," Gene hated saying it. He would stay with Alex for as long as it took to make sure she was alright if he could, "and Evan said I could bring some stuff in for yer. Nothin' flash, just some extra clothes and bits...well, Shaz picked some bits outta yer flat...I thought she'd be better at choosin' stuff, y'know being a bird an all."

"That's kind," Alex nodded in gratitude, "and you've seen Evan?"

"Who do you think told me about you being hurt?" Gene gestured for Alex to take a guess.

"Evan?" she sounded surprised.

"Your lawyer bloke, Jarvis," Gene explained, "told him over some posh lunch. He thought I should know so he asked to meet me."

"Always watching out for me, Evan…" Alex mumbled quietly, too quietly for Gene to hear.

"Time's up!"

Neither of them had heard or seen the door behind Alex open. The officer approached Alex and with a wave of his hand for her to leave the room. Reluctantly Alex got to her feet and Gene too got to his.

"Remember, don't take any hassle!" Gene urged as he tried to think of something useful to end their encounter with. The officer took Alex by the arm and led her to the door.

"Give my love to everyone!" Alex called, with genuine fondness for her friends as she looked back at Gene all the way as she was lead out.

"I'm thinking of you Bolls!" Gene called louder as Alex was led through the door.

The door shut behind her and Gene was now alone. It was as if she had never been there. He let out a large sigh and ran both his hands through his hair as he digested the encounter. "I'm always bloody thinkin' of yer".

Gene walked briskly across the prison car park as he headed towards the Quattro. He looked back at the imposing prison, knowing that Alex was in there somewhere. He felt a mixture of emotions inside himself as he walked. He was relieved to have at least seen her.

In his mind for all these weeks he had worried about her. It had been silly little things like wondering if she was eating well or if she was sleeping properly. He worried about her at night when he tried to sleep. He couldn't help but feel guilty that he was sleeping in a warm bed when he knew that, at the same time, Alex was sleeping on a hard metal bunk with only basic bedding. He worried whether she would be cold at night in the dark cell after lights out. He hated the thought that she might be lying there shivering. Did she sleep or did she lie awake at night, her head full or worries, just like he did. The bigger worries of Gene's had been more obvious, a copper in jail, would she be bullied, was she strong enough to cope with prison? How many hours a day was she locked up for?

Gene had come away with mixed answers. He felt that Alex both was and was not coping. He could see clearly that prison had certainly had an impact on her. She was quieter than usual which was hardly surprising as she had been plucked from her ordinary life so suddenly and then had the hope of bail snatched away from her before being taken away to the prison.

Yet she was clearly hanging in there. Gene was satisfied that Alex was watching her back. The opportunistic attack as officers dealt with the suicide attempt was, Gene reluctantly accepted, purely down to bad luck. He was also relieved that Alex had a friend in this Jill she had mentioned. He was pleased that she wasn't entirely alone. But he knew that Alex knew how people worked and he felt that her 'psychiatry' was something she could put to good use against the likes of the Neary girl. Kim's weapons may be her fists but Gene was sure that Alex's best weapon was her mind. Failing that Gene knew from personal experience that, if pushed, Alex was certainly capable of landing an impressive punch if required.

But Gene was angry as well. Angry at fate and he felt selfish for allowing himself to feel like this. He knew it had been too much to hope for. After the recent down that Gene had experienced in life he had allowed himself to wonder, just a little bit, if Alex might have been his chance at dare he say the word...happiness. Once Gene had seen the bruise on her face and the cut on her lip, he had wanted nothing more than to put his arms around her and hold her, like in the vault at Edgehampton, and tell her that everything would be okay.

For several days before Alex's arrest Gene had been pondering asking her out for a second date. He felt such a fool now. He had spent days pondering and pondering about asking her but a convenient moment had never occurred. The first time he had asked her out to dinner he had felt like an embarrassed little school boy asking out his classroom crush. He hadn't even had the balls to look her in the eyes in the moments after asking. Yet the evening had gone well and he hadn't made a fool of himself.

He had wondered if now was the right time for a second attempt at wining and dining Alex but this time he had wanted to take her elsewhere. Luigi's was nice but too close to CID base. For a proper date he was going to take Alex to somewhere pricey and posh. He didn't have a clue where, he would have to ask around. But the second date had never come and Alex had been dragged from the station by that stony-faced DCI from a few roads away. It seemed life found it amusing to take the people Gene felt closest to.

He pulled his car keys from his pocket as he neared the Quattro. With a quick turn the driver-door was unlocked and Gene got in, slamming the door moodily behind him. "Bloody idiot." he chastised himself as he thought.

He cast his mind back to Tim Price's VHS confession and remembered pulling the tape from the cassette before stamping repeatedly on the lot. He didn't like to admit it but Alex was right. Talk of a mysterious VHS tape that had mysteriously vanished would be demolished by the prosecution, even if Gene admitted destroying it. It would be deemed far too convenient a story and simply never be believed. In the end it would make both Alex and Gene appear as a pair of liars and that would do no end of damage to Alex's case.

He started the car engine and the Quattro greeted its master with a roar of its powerful engine. Gene let it tick over for a few minutes. He was still thinking everything over. He hoped the bag of items he had brought in for Alex would be given to her soon. It had been taken upon arrival to be searched and given to her later. "Like I'm smuggling in a bloody kilo of cocaine!" Gene muttered in annoyance and sighed. He knew he should be getting back to CID soon. There were cases piling up, but right now, all Gene felt the need to do was open his single malt and down a glass or two. It didn't change anything but, just for a moment, it dulled the pain a little.

Jill sat on Alex's bunk, flicking through the Shakespeare book as she waited for her friend to return. She had read a few bits here and there but had decided it simply wasn't her cup of tea...too full of "Thee's", "Thy's" and "Thou's". Jill wondered if it was even in English at all at some points. Jill cast the book to one side. It would seem that she and Mister Shakespeare were destined not to get on.

"No, I'm definately a crossword girl..." Jill muttered to herself.

Next to Jill was a shoebox sized box with Alex's name and prison number written on it. An officer had come in and, knowing she was trustworthy, left it in Jills care. Jill had made sure that she would sit with it until Alex returned from her visitor. She wasn't going to let anyone help themselves to it, especially the Neary girl. Jill looked up when she heard footsteps approaching. Before she even saw her she knew it was Alex because it was about now that visiting time ended. Jill stood as her friend appeared in the doorway.

"Hey!" Jill called, "How did your visit go?"

Alex slowly stepped into the cell. She was clearly feeling visibly emotional after the highly charged visit.

"Fine...It was fine." Alex responded in a voice barely more than a whisper.

She couldn't bring herself to look at Jill and simply tried to put on a brave face. Jill could see the turbulence within Alex. She took her friends hand and sat her down next to her.

"Look, your friends have sent you some bits in." Jill pointed to the box.

Alex lifted the lid of the box and pulled out her red top. She was about to dig out the next item when Jill continued. She knew Alex had been apprehensive about this visit.

"It was a bit too much for you wasn't it? The first visit always is, but don't worry luv, it does get easier." Jill put her arm around Alex's shoulder and pulled her friend towards her. "C'mon", she urged, "let it all out."

As Jill comforted her, Alex felt weeks of pain finally give and she began to sob her heart out.

"I don't think I can do this, Jill!" Alex reluctantly admitted through her tears, "I don't want people to see me like this!"

"S'alright...shhhh…" Jill hugged Alex, feeling desperately sad for her friend and remembering her own early days in the prison.

"I shouldn't even be here! I need to be home with my little girl!" Alex sobbed. She was helpless, stuck in this 1981 prison and realising how it could prevent her from ever seeing Molly again.

Alex closed her eyes and continued to cry as her friend held her. She was scared. Scared of never seeing her child again. Scared of spending decades locked away in prison for something she didn't do. And scared that being locked up in 1981 could represent a negative change in her 2008 condition, possibly making waking up even more unattainable.

End chapter 5

(Author note - As with previous chapters I sometimes have problems with formatting when I upload fics to the site. Sometimes it loses gaps and bunches stuff all together, despite having been beta'd. If this happens with this chapter, please take that into account as I don't yet know what causes this website to do this during the upload).

Many thanks to real life solicitor Skywise for advice on legal/remand issues :)