So sorry for the long delay in updating. Studying/working has really left me with little time to update. Please R&R your thoughts on this chapter.

Joey woke up in a panic. Her body was covered in goose bumps. Images flashed before her eyes like a bad movie.

She froze for a second, blinking twice. Reaching for the lamp on her bedside table, Joey gasped with fright when she realized Charlie wasn't in bed. Her side was cold. Where was she? Joey thought.

Getting out of bed, Joey struggled to find her mobile phone, a simple text 'Missing you heaps, Will be home by 6:30. XXX Charlie'.

Joey then remembered... a phone call from work last night urgently needed Charlie to get to the station as they were under-staffed. Several people had called in sick.

'So why do i have this bad feeling?' Joey asked herself aloud.

Realizing there was no-one there to answer her, she headed to the kitchen to make herself a coffee to settle her nerves.

A few minutes later Joey had sat down in the kitchen to ponder her thoughts. Unable to shake this bad feeling she busied herself with making breakfast for Leah, VJ and Ruby upon finishing her coffee.

A phone-call to Joey's mobile made her jump in fright, distracting her from her increasingly anxious thoughts..

"Hello"

"Joey, it's Watson."

"Watson? What's wrong? Is Charlie ok?"

"Ummm....." the phone went silent..... "Watson????" Joey raised her voice, her hands trembling as she realised this bad feeling was about to eventuate.

"Umm... Joey... Charlie's at the hospital..." Watson stammered, unsure of how to break the news to Joey.

"What happened?, Is she ok?"

"I need you and Ruby down here like now, Charlie was shot like 20 minutes ago. She's in theatre."

"Oh My.... OK ... I'll get a lift in. Ring me if there's any change ok?" Joey implored.

"Joey... the hospital won't tell me anything so make sure you bring Ruby ok?"

"Yeah, Yeah, Got it"

As Joey hung up, she ran into Ruby's room, thankful that Ruby had taken some time out from her studies and stayed at Leah's last night.

"What's going on?"a sleepy Ruby asked.

"Ruby, honey, we have to get to the hospital right now, Charlie's been shot." joey replied. There was no easy way to tell anyone this kind of news and Joey's priority was to get to the hospital and quickly.

Jumping out of bed, Ruby threw her clothes on while Joey organised a lift from Leah. Together the three women ran out of the door, each hoping Charlie was ok.

The ride to the hospital was a quiet one but very fast. As they ran into the hospital, they were met by Rachel who had just come out of the theatre.

Ruby was visibly shaken so Joey fired the questions out.

"Rachel, how's Charlie? Can we see her?"

Rachel sat Ruby and Joey down, explaining Charlie was shot in the abdomen. She lost a lot of blood. But so far the trip to the theatre looked positive. The bleeding had stopped most importantly but she lost a lot of blood so a blood transfusion was done at the same time. Charlie was in recovery now, she would wake up within the next half hour or so from the anesthetic.

"Are there any side effects or expected recovery problems with where the bullet hit?"

"Charlie's going to be in a lot of pain but once the wound heals, and she takes a break from work for a short while, she should be alright. Time will tell though. Injuries like this can take some time to heal."

With that, the three women slowly entered Charlie's room. She was still asleep. Leah decided to get some coffee and give the girls some privacy. She headed out to call Alf to let him know what happened and that Joey wouldn't be coming to work.

Joey's thoughts kept flying at a million miles an hour, images of Charlie lying in the hospital bed hooked up to all the medical equipment etched in her mind for eternity.

How could this happen? Who would do this? she thought to herself... Her very happiness at threat. Everything that she and Charlie had built to this point in their relationship threatened. Oh... Ruby... she's meant to be doing her exams now with her mother by her side.... Oh.... This is such a nightmare!!

Joey pinched herself, hoping that this was well and truly just a bad dream...

TBC

Please R&R and let me know what you think.