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Watch and Wait

Alesha stood in the doorway of the ITU. The nurse Clare stood next to her. The machines were bleeping and the overhead lighting made Alesha's eyes hurt.

"It's ok. You can talk to him" Clare smiled as Alesha nodded, before walking up to the bed. Matt was silent, lying in a larger than average hospital bed. His chest was covered in dressings, with an IV drip in both arms. He still had a catheter and a tube in his mouth to control his breathing. Alesha wanted to cry. Matt was always so strong, so in control. To see him laying there unconscious and being kept alive by tubes broke her heart and made her angry in equal measure. She sat on the chair next to the bed and took his hand in hers.

"Hi" She whispered. Matt remained silent in the bed. The sound of the ventilator the only noise to come from him. "The nurse, Clare. She said you can hear me. Think this is going to be one of the few times I get to talk without being interrupted" She smiled slightly as Clare appeared to record Matt's pulse and blood pressure.

"Chatter box is he?" She smiled as Alesha nodded.

"Yeah, goes on a bit. Him and Ronnie always think they can talk me and James around. Reckon they always have a case" She shook her head. The Matt she knew away from work was much quieter than when he was in work.

"Nothing but trouble eh? Men" Clare shook her head. "We'll wake you up in the morning Matt. Until then you've got to listen to these women. Look, Alesha I go off duty at 8 am. The doctor wants to wake him up at 7am. Do you want to be here when we do that? You wont be able to watch but you and Kate can see him shortly after"

Alesha nodded. "Please. I don't want to leave him. Not on his own" She tightened her grip on Matt's hand, uncertain if she had imagined him curling his fingers around hers.

"Ok love, whatever you want" Clare placed his charts back on the table before retreating to the nurses' station. Alesha turned back to Matt.

"Ronnie and Angie are working on a lead for Morris. Why did you do it? Why did you get shot?" Alesha knew it was irrational to be angry with him but she couldn't help herself. "Kate is here. She's gone to tell Ronnie and the others you made it out of theatre" Alesha yawned. "Look, I'm not going far, I'm going to be here all night. But Kate wants to see you" She stood as she saw Kate hover just outside of the room. She kissed Matt's forehead. "I wont be long, wake up you idiot" She kissed him again before walking out of the room to allow Kate to see her brother.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Angie read the file she had downloaded from Matt's computer, head propped on one hand she was exhausted. She knew the entire team felt the same. Suddenly with their friend in the hospital it was more personal. They were all putting in the extra hours. She looked up to see Ronnie place a mug of steaming coffee on her desk.

"Thanks" She smiled as Ronnie put his glasses back on.

"Any luck?"

"Well, I rang around the usual contacts. No one has seen or heard from Jimmy Morris" She sipped the drink Ronnie had made her.

"What is he? The Invisible Man. I don't believe this" He sighed as Angie nodded. It was Natalie that broke the tense silence.

"What about that cell mate of his? Karl Donovan. He was released about a month before Morris legged it" She folded her arms as Ronnie looked up at her. "Have you talked to him?"

"No" Angie sighed.

"But we're going to. C'mon Ange" He stood and walked to the door as Natalie called and stopped him.

"Ron, Donovan was released for HMP Yarrows on licence. He's a dangerous man" She raised her eyebrows as Ronnie nodded. Angie pulled her coat on as she listened to the exchange.

"What is he on licence for?" She asked.

"Murder, fire arms offences and sexual assault. He is a very very nasty man. I don't have to tell you to be careful do I?" She felt she was talking to her younger sons, but then Angie and the boys did bring out the maternal side in her as much as her sons did. Angie nodded.

"I'll keep my eye on him" She gestured to Ronnie who had the sense to look surprised.

"Keep an eye on me? Other way round more like, c'mon" He walked out of the station and towards the car park. It had been a long, awful day that seemed to have no signs of ending any time soon.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kate was silent as she took in the machines around her brother's bed. Matt had always looked after her. She was the baby sister that he had always kept an eye out for. This was wrong. She was incredibly relieved he had got through surgery but also angry. Angry at the man that had shot her brother and angry at Matt for being stupid enough to get shot.

"Matt" She shook her head sadly. "You are an idiot" The blood pressure machine bleeped in response as Matt seemed to hear her words. "Oh calm down, you'll give Alesha another heart attack. Poor girl already spent most of the day in tears. I talked to Ronnie and Natalie. They know what's going on. You are going to be off work a while. I called Mum but she ain't answering. I'll try again after closing time" She shook her head. "Mind you the nurses probably wont let her in if she's drunk. That's all she's done since he died. Rot her liver away" She shook her head at the thought of her mother drunk again. "Anyway, you have got to get better. Do you hear me? There are too many people that need you around. That girl out there and me are just two of them. Hurry up and get better you idiot" She sighed before kissing his forehead.

"Love you, idiot brother" She smiled before rubbing her lipstick off his forehead and leaving the room. She knew Alesha wanted to spend the night in ITU. She was determined to persuade her otherwise. Matt would expect her to look after his girlfriend for him. She intended to do just that.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ronnie rang the doorbell of the council house where Donovan was staying. A clapped out Ford Fiesta sat in the driveway as dogs could be heard barking in the distance. Angie shoved her hands in her pockets. She gripped her ID in one hand as Ronnie rang the bell again.

"He 'ad better be 'ome after all this" Ronnie moaned as Angie stepped back.

"Well, someone is that curtain just moved" Angie pointed to the upstairs window.

"Oi!" Ronnie yelled up at the window as a woman opened it.

"You old Bill?" The middle aged woman yelled.

"Yeah" He lifted his ID badge. "We're looking for Karl"

"Well he aint here" The middle aged woman yelled back. "Try the King's Head, Compton Road. He went for a pint with that scumbag that was here. Bragging he was about shooting one of your lot" She slammed the window before either Angie or Ronnie could answer.

"Thank you very much" Ronnie smiled as he pulled out his mobile. Angie smiled as they walked back to their car.

"Yeah, Ma'am" Ronnie spoke to Natalie. "Think we have a location, one of the roughest pubs on the manor. Armed response is probably going to be needed" He thanked Natalie before turning to Angie.

"Armed response?"

"We never found the gun that he used to shoot our Matty. I think he kept hold of it. I am 'aving him Ange. He aint getting away with this one" Ronnie got in the passengers side of the car as Angie started the engine.

authors note. Will Matt wake up? Is Jimmy really in the pub with Donovan? What will happen with the arrest? More soon xx Oh thank you for the reviews :D