Before I start I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed my last chapter and for the suggestions they made, especially the one made by Ariadne'sThread, credit where due, I am going to use your idea, thank you once again…
Chapter 19
Gene strode down the Hospital corridor taking in the antiseptic taste of the place, and found he could readily compare it to CID, in 2007 of course. The corridors where all but deserted and Gene wondered, if this all was in his head, whether he had simply run out of imagination to invent any more people. Shaking his head to dispel the thought he checked a sign that gave directions to the ward he needed and continued down another equally empty hallway.
Gene rang the main door into the ward and a thin and pasty looking brunette nurse answered.
"Visiting time's over sir." The nurse said and Gene sighed. Digging into his pocket he produced his police badge and raised it in line with her eyes.
"T'see Sam Tyler." Gene grunted and the nurse nodded and hooked a thumb down the corridor. Gene checked a whiteboard for the correct room and made his way to the private room at the end of the short corridor.
Gene could see that the door to Sam's room was open. Inside he could hear voices, one was Sam, the other he didn't recognise although using his amazing powers of deduction he could tell it was female. Coming to the doorway Gene rapped on the frame with his knuckles, the woman turned and Sam looked up and gave a weak smile.
"It was nice speaking to you." The woman said and Sam nodded.
"You didn't need to come up from London really. Being shot hardly counts as major trauma." Sam said.
"London?" Gene questioned, feeling awkward.
"Oh, you may know DI Drake." Sam nodded towards the woman and Gene raised an eyebrow.
"I've never met your colleague, Sam." The woman said with a shrug and passed Gene in the doorway to leave.
"Goodbye." She said before leaving.
"'Bye Alex." Sam called to her back.
"What was that about?" Gene asked cocking his head towards the doorway in Alex's direction.
"She's doing a report about officers who have suffered trauma." Sam said reclining in his bed.
"She's have a field day with me." Gene muttered but Sam heard.
"I told her about you. She found it, what was the word, 'fascinating'. 'A man with no recollection of the present'." Sam coughed back a chuckle.
"Very funny Sammy-boy." Gene said sitting in the chair next to Sam's bed.
Sam was dressed in hospital pyjamas that looked like a deckchair from Brighton pier, the dressing on his arm budged under one sleeve and shoulder giving Sam the comic appearance of looking like he had been weightlifting with just one arm.
"You look pretty good for a dead man." Sam commented and Gene raised an eyebrow. "Maya told me about that little speech that you gave the blaggers at the bank."
Gene sighed.
"Well it feels a little like I am Sam." Gene said softly.
Sam eyed his DI carefully; he guessed that now was the best time as any to tell him about his visit from Annie.
"Did you know a woman called Annie Cartwright?" Sam asked carefully and Gene looked up.
"Yeah, a'did, WPC, gorgeous bird, Chris used to pine after 'er." Gene said.
"Well, I got a visit from her the other day. Y'see, I remember her from when I was four, when my dad had gone AWOL." Sam explained and Gene could feel his chest tighten.
"Oh." Was all Gene could manage and Sam said nothing, expecting an explanation.
"Y'gotta understand Sammy-boy, is that you're old man wasn't the nicest of blokes. It hasn't run in the family but at the same time, would you 'ave joined the force knowing that we put your daddy behind bars?" Gene explained and Sam just nodded. Sam bit his lip for a second then gestured to the chair.
"Pass me my jacket." Sam said pointing to the back of the chair. Gene obliged and Sam dug his hand into the inside pocket.
"I don't pretend to understand but…" Sam said passing Gene the piece of paper with his name and handwriting on it. "What ever it means, I think your going to get home." Sam said with a smile and as Gene passed the paper back to Sam he couldn't help but smile as well.
Gene returned home in frankly a better mood that he had left in the morning. Gene flicked on the television then went into his bedroom to change. While in the bathroom brushing his teeth he could hear the faint murmur of the set get louder as if with every word it reverberated within the walls and amplified. Gene paced into the living room to gaze in curiosity and fear at the television.
"Hay Gov, you'll never guess what?" it was Chris' voice coming from a television screen full of static.
"Yeah, that Morgan bloke turned out to be a right one. He tried to feel up Cartwright so she filed a complaint against him and he got suspended." Ray's voice said.
"We backed 'er up 'cos he was a right ponce." Chris said, before pausing.
"You just come back quick Gov before we're given another git like him." Chris continued.
"Just come back soon love." Gene felt like screaming or crying he didn't know, for the last voice was his wife's.
Hardly fair I know but still, it gives a perfect moment to bring back a particular character (if she can be called that) who has been strangely absent in the next chapter.
There's only so much more I can write for this fic. I would like people to tell me whether it's best to break it off after loose-ends are tied up or whether one more climatic case is in order before that happens. Suggestions please.
As always reviews welcomes with open arms, comment and criticisms are the only way I know what I'm doing right, and where I'm going wrong.