It didn't take long for DCI Wheeler and DI Booth to reach the hospital. Approaching Kate's room they found her asleep but now off the ventilator. She had a mask over her nose and mouth giving her some oxygen.

"How is she?" Derek asked the nurse in the room.

"She's doing as well as can be expected," the nurse replied. "She's still a little sleepy from all the sedatives we've given her,".

"How long is she going to be asleep for?" Derek asked.

"I don't know," the nurse said as she prepared to leave the police officers alone with her patient for a few minutes whilst she collected a few medications. She pointed a finger at them. "Don't you dare wake her up," she warned them.

The door closed with a swish behind the nurse leaving the room in silence. Derek was still pissed off at James for arresting and questioning Steve so quickly and without his say so. As he worked out what to say to his next in command, Derek looked properly at Kate.

The hospital had cleaned most of the blood off her face but a few days after her assault, it was a swollen riotous mess of black and blue bruises. Healing cuts visible everywhere. It wasn't just her face. Her arms that were visible outside the sheets were a similar colour, one was in a plaster cast indicating a broken bone or two. Derek hated to think what she looked like under the sheets.

"I honestly thought we had enough to arrest DI Arnott with the DNA evidence and the findings in his flat," James said quietly, deciding to put his case across to his boss before his questioning began.

"And listening to DI Arnott's answers, what do you think now?" Derek asked.

"I don't know. I can't get past the fact that his is the only DNA evidence we have. The only person who was anywhere near Kate at all,".

"What about the hair found in her teeth?" Derek asked.

"We don't know that has got anything to do with her attack," James countered.

"You can't just arrest the first person you want to," Derek advised. "Otherwise you are going to find yourself being investigated by anti-corruption at some point in your career," he warned.

The chirping of Derek's phone interrupted them. It was DS Howard giving an update from Kate's flat. They had found several video cameras throughout her flat which looked identical to the ones they had found at Steve's. She had also heard back from forensics who had been examining Kates flat and belongings. An AirTag had been found at the bottom of Kate's handbag which could have been used by the stalker to know her whereabouts, and the white piece of material found in Kate's door was definitely from a forensic suit but not from any worn by the FI's who were at Kate's flat. There was the possibility the attacker had worn one which may be why there was very little evidence of someone being in the flat when Kate was attacked.

"Thank you," Derek said before hanging up and informing James of the findings. "Looks like DI Arnott might be right,". James snorted in disgust. He didn't like how Arnott was sliding in to this investigation at all. Derek again informed James of the latest update which led to an increasingly heated conversation on what it all meant.

"I'm sorry, sir," James said as he nearly reached the end of his tether, "but as a copper, surely DI Arnott has easy access to forensic suits? He had the opportunity to plant that AirTag ages ago in Kate's handbag if they were partners. He would know where she was at all times since she had left AC-12! Why won't you entertain the idea that DI Arnott is responsible for the rape and attempted murder of DI Fleming?!".

Derek was prevented from saying any thing else when the alarms on Kate's monitoring went off. "No!" Kate screamed. Now very much awake. "No!".

The nurse had heard the commotion and ran back in to the room to check on her patient.

"What's going on?" Derek asked.

"She's agitated about something," the nurse said. "Pulse has doubled and her blood pressure is off the scale. What happened?".

"Nothing," James said. "We were just talking and the alarms went off,".

"What were you talking about?" The nurse enquired.

"A possible attacker,".

"In ear shot?" The nurse asked in disbelief. Police officers could be so stupid sometimes. "That's probably the cause of all this. If you're going to talk about her attack can I ask you to do it in the corridor?" she added firmly, clearly annoyed at the police officers.

The DCI and DI made to leave the room as instructed whilst the nurse tended to Kate. "It's ok," she soothed her patient. "There's nothing to worry about. There's no one here going to hurt you,".

'You've got it all wrong!' Kate was screaming, but the words wouldn't come out of her mouth, however hard she tried. Why couldn't she talk? She had to try and do something as it sounded as if Steve needed her.

"No...," she tried again. "Ste," was the only thing that she could say.

"She's trying to tell us something I think," the nurse informed the police officers who halted their departure.

"No...Ste," Kate repeated, pleased the nurse understood. "No...Ste," she said trying to convey with her eyes to the senior police officer what she meant.

"What is it Kate?" Derek asked.

"No...Ste," she repeated. It was the only thing she was able to say.

"No," Derek repeated and Kate nodded. He was right about that word. "I don't know what Ste is Kate," he said sadly.

"Ste...Ste...," she repeated exhausted.

"I think she's saying Steve," the nurse suggested.

"Is that right Kate?" Derek asked. "Are you saying Steve?". Kate nodded.

"What does that mean?" James asked. "No Steve. Is she confused?" He asked the nurse

"I don't think so," she replied, before leaving the room. She wanted a doctor to check her patient over.

"Maybe she's remembering the attack. Could be what she was saying during it?" James postulated.

"I think the more likely explanation is that Kate is trying to tell us that Steve didn't attack her," Derek corrected. "Not Steve,".

"No...Ste," Kate repeated.

"Is that right, Kate?" the DCI checked. Kate nodded again. "Steve Arnott didn't attack you?". Kate nodded in relief, pleased that someone understood her.

"Despite his being the only DNA evidence we can find?" James pointed out.

Kate shot him a look. If she could talk she would tell this twat exactly what she thought of him, but a stern look would have to do for now.

James caught her stare and understood fully what she thought of him. He shut up very quickly.

"Sex," Kate said, directing her attention to the older man.

"You had sex with Steve?". Kate nodded. "Consensual?".

Kate nodded again. "Like," she said with a very small smile.

"You like Steve or you liked the sex?" Derek said with a smile. Kate nodded again.

"Like ...sex...Luv... Ste," she admitted as she remembered the last words he had said to her but had never had the chance to reciprocate them.

Derek couldn't help but admire the woman in front of him, still finding joy after her attack. He hoped she maintained that fighting spirit in her recovery. If they could get past this traumatic event, he had the feeling there might be a happy ending on the cards for the two officers.

"So I have to ask. Do you know who did this to you, Kate?" Kate's smile faded. She nodded. "Can you tell me,".

There was silence for a bit as Kate tried to form words. Try as hard as she could, she could not get her brain and mouth to communicate with each other. Not a single recognisable word came of her mouth. "Nay," was all she heard herself say.

"Nay?" Queried Derek. He looked at James to see if he understood. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Nay," Kate said, clearly frustrated at not being understood.

"Don't worry, Kate," Derek said. "We'll work it out. Take all the time you need," he said encouragingly but was again interrupted by the ringing of his phone. "Hello?" This time it was Sally the chief forensics officer. "We finally have something on the DNA from the pubic hair root," she revealed. "We don't have a name I'm afraid but it's a match to the MIT murder case,".

"Excellent," Derek said happily.

"And also an unsolved Peeping Tom case several years back. A woman reported being watched through her living room window by a man who then masturbated over her front door handle. Underwear was stolen from her clothes line as well,".

Derek was interested in this. Although not identical there were very similar aspects to that case and this stalker case. Watching his victim and the fascination with underwear in particular.

"I've also run DI Arnott's dental imprint past the forensic dentist. It's not a match for the bite mark on DI Fleming's breast,".

"Thanks, Sally," Derek said before hanging up. "Looks like your stalker has been making a pest of himself for a few years," Derek told Kate.

The door opened and the nurse looking after Kate entered along with a doctor.

"Hello Kate," said the doctor. "Nice to see you are awake. The nurse here tells me you are having a bit of difficulty with your speech,". Kate nodded. "Let's have a look then," he said.

Derek took that as his cue to leave with James. "We should head off anyway," he told Kate. "I think it's about time we let DI Arnott out of his cell,".

Kate smiled at the senior officer. She liked him and reached for his hand before he could walk out of her reach. Wheeler turned to look at her. "Ste," she pleaded with her eyes.

"You'd like Steve here?" Derek checked. Kate nodded. "I'll see what I can do," he promised.