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Nine Lives and Second Chances?

James glared across the office, deep in thought. He didn't like the office when it was empty. He was used to Alesha sat at her desk staring at the computer, with George about to run in barking orders at any given moment. The office was just eerie when he was alone, he sighed. Angie had dropped off what little evidence they had on Morris and what they had from the previous case. This shouldn't be happening he thought to himself, Matt shouldn't be on an operating table, Alesha shouldn't be almost catatonic with grief and Ronnie shouldn't be hell bent on revenge. He closed his eyes. The last time he had seen Ronnie so angry and felt so angry himself was after Alesha had been attacked. That had been a horrendously awful time for Alesha and those around her. It had been the first time he had seen how far the boys would go to ensure the criminals were put behind bars. They were in the same situation again, only this time one of them was fighting for his life. The thought of it just made James feel sick. They had to catch Morris and whoever was helping him. It had to end.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Alesha rested her head back against the wall. She was waiting in the relative's room in the Intensive Care Unit. Matt was still in theatre. She jumped out of her skin as the door opened. A young woman appeared in the doorway, looking nervous.

"Hi" She stepped in to the room. Alesha immediately recognised her from the photo Matt had shown her. The younger woman looked lost.

"Kate? I'm Alesha. I'm"

"Matt's girlfriend. I know. He told me about you before I went away" She sat next to her. "You were all he talked about really. Well, you, Ronnie and Angie." She smiled. Alesha blushed a little before turning to stare at the floor.

"Did Natalie tell you what happened?" Alesha didn't want to have to repeat the story again. Kate nodded as she stared at her shoes.

"Is he going to be ok? I tried to get hold of Mum but she's not answering her phone." Kate glanced upwards.

"I hope so" Alesha brushed a tear away from her face as she spoke. "God I hope so".

Both women turned sharply as the doctor walked in accompanied by a nurse. Both men sat opposite Kate and Alesha. Kate grabbed Alesha's hand as they waited to hear about Matt's condition. The nurse glanced at the doctor which immediately indicated to Alesha that something had gone wrong.

"Hello, my name is Dr. Roberts. This is Clare one of our ITU nurses. Are you related to Matthew?" He asked as Kate nodded. Alesha seemed unable to speak.

"Yes, I'm Kate Devlin, his sister. This is his girlfriend Alesha Phillips. How is he?" Alesha sighed. Kate even sounded like her brother.

"He's in Recovery at the moment. The bullet did a little more damage than we expected."

"But he's alive?" Alesha glanced at the nurse who nodded.

"Yes. He's alive. Look I have to tell you this. Matt is very lucky he got to theatre as quickly as he did. The bullet hit him in the centre of his chest. It missed his heart but his major artery. The Aorta was caught by the bullet. It lodged itself between the aorta and the pleural cavity" Dr Roberts continued. Both women looked blank. The nurse glared at the doctor for a second.

"The bullet lodged itself between the big artery, the aorta and the edge of Matthew's left lung. He's lucky really that it didn't go half an inch either way. He's going to be kept asleep for the rest of tonight, but tomorrow we'll take him off the ventilator, see about waking him up. He needs a good rest after an operation like that" Clare smiled at them. Alesha returned the smile. Matt was alive. Bandaged and bruised but alive.

"Will he know we are here? Can we see him?" Kate asked as the doctor nodded.

"Look" Clare smiled. "Let me get him to ITU from Recovery and I'll collect you. Only one at a time though yeah? He wont be long in Recovery so I'll fetch you soon" The welsh lilt of the nurse's accent seemed more calming than anything else. Alesha thanked the doctor and Clare as they both left the room.

"Knew he'd be ok" Kate smiled as the door closed. Alesha buried her face in her hands and sobbed as Kate sat next to her. "Bloody 'ell luv, if this is how you react when my big brother is on the mend I'd hate to see you when he's in real trouble" She rubbed Alesha's back as she cried.

"Sorry" Alesha dried her eyes.

"Don't be. It's nice to have someone else worry about him for once. For years it's only been me and Ronnie that gave a stuff about him" Kate smiled.

"What about your Mum?"

"What about her? She's not here now is she? Probably in some pub telling everyone how her kids don't want nothing to do with her. Well Matty does but I don't." Kate sounded almost bitter. "Look you go in first yeah? I'm just going to nip out and ring Ronnie. Let him know what's going on" Kate got up and walked out the room. Once again Alesha was left to wonder why their mother had acted the way she had when the children were growing up.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ronnie flipped his phone shut and breathed out a sigh of relief. He was sat in the police station canteen opposite Liz. She looked up from her coffee and raised an eyebrow.

"That was Matt's little sister, Kate." He smiled. "My boy just used up another one of his nine lives. I don't know where that boy gets his luck I really don't" He laughed a little as Liz looked at him.

"He's going to be ok. Thank God." She sipped her coffee as Ronnie nodded. "Chloe told me what happened you know? What she didn't tell me is why you were both there"

"Her boyfriend Danny. He works on the oil rigs. That's right innit?" Ronnie watched as Liz narrowed her eyes.

"Are you interviewing me Sergeant?" Liz narrowed her eyes as Ronnie looked shocked for a minute.

"No, but you asked me why we were there. I'm trying to bleedin tell you" He waited as Liz nodded for him to continue. "Well his Dad has escaped from prison. He's an evil toe rag and Matt and I are trying to put him back there. We found out about your Chloe and had to talk to her. See if she was ok and if she knew anything"

"You being there saved her life" Liz sighed. "God what a mess" She leant back in her chair. "How have you been Ron?"

Ronnie ran a hand over his face. "Tired, sober for the last five years. Two divorces and two beautiful daughters finally made me see sense" He watched as Liz tightened her grip on the mug in her hand. Her knuckles were almost white.

"Sober? That's great"

"Yeah it is. Much better for it too. See the girls now as often as they want. Got my little 'un this weekend. Older one's home from uni Friday night so I'm hoping to get this sorted by then. Only I haven't got two daughters have I? Why didn't you tell me Liz?"

"Tell you what?"

"That your Chloe is also my Chloe. I'm right aren't I? She's the image of my oldest Lucy" Ronnie held her gaze.

"You were drinking in those days. I was with someone else. It wasn't until I put the dates together that I worked it out myself. Ron, I wasn't exactly Snow White myself in those days. I sorted myself out when I got pregnant. Made a real go of this job. Made her and me a life. I couldn't bring an alcoholic in to that, however much I love him" Ronnie met her eyes and smiled.

"Does she know? Who I am?" Ronnie felt his heart tighten slightly. "Yes, I told her earlier. She was shocked but she said she recognised you. I had some old photos at home" Liz shrugged. "Catch this man. He hurt your friend and terrified our daughter." Liz got up and walked around the table. She leant down and kissed his cheek. "We'll talk again after this Ron, we have to. But stop this man first" She walked away as Ronnie sighed. Life had just got a lot more complicated.

author's note. More soon. Thanks for the reviews