Disclaimer still not mine

Sisters?

Ronnie stood at the front desk of the hostel and looked around. The place seemed to be as homely as the local tip, but he had to concede it was a roof over the heads of some people for the night. Matt shoved his hands in his pockets and waited.

"You sure about this, Ron?"

"Well, Lee seemed to think this place was going to be 'elpful so yeah." He turned as a dark-haired man walked towards them.

"Can I help you, gents?" He asked as Ronnie and Matt turned to face him.

"Josh Morgan?"

"That's me." The younger man smiled at them. "Like I say what can I do for you?"

"We're looking for someone." Matt stated as Josh frowned at them. "Beth Barker."

"I can't go giving information out on people who may or may not stay here." Josh paused as Ronnie pulled his ID card out of his pocket.

"I'm DS Brooks, this is DS Devlin. Now can you tell us where Beth Barker is?"

"Not seen her this week. She normally comes about twice or three times during the week but not seen her since Monday morning." Josh narrowed his eyes. "Is she in trouble?"

"Her sister is in hospital." Ronnie stated calmly. "She's got Beth as her next of kin so we're trying to find her."

"CID for that?" Josh raised an eyebrow. "It's difficult enough to get you lot out when there is an actual problem. Can't her parents help?"

"We've contacted them." Matt stated, knowing Wes had taken a train to Manchester to find the middle-aged couple. "What we need to do now is find Beth. It's not as if her sister is in hospital for something trivial. Seems someone tried to cave her head in."

"And you think Beth did it?" Josh sighed. "One mistake and she's tarred with the same brush, isn't that the way it goes?"

"I'll tell you 'ow it goes son." Ronnie took his glasses off. "A young woman is attacked in her own home, left for dead and is now in ITU following brain surgery. It isn't some trumped up assault charge whoever did it is looking at. It's attempted murder."

"And you think Beth is responsible." Josh rolled his eyes.

"We think she needs to know how ill her sister is."

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"Jake." Henry walked through the hospital waiting room to see Jake sat staring at the white wall opposite. The posters seemed to be the same as he had seen in every other hospital waiting room.

"Hi." Jake kept his eyes on the wall.

"Any news?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Ronnie and Matt have a lead on where Kate's sister may be." Henry sat down. "What about our Kate?"

"Our Kate?" Jake smiled slightly.

"Yes, our Kate." Henry smiled back. "Or should I say yours? The way you two have been lately I was wondering whether to book the Registry Office."

"Kate is a colleague and a friend." Jake snapped. "And right now, she is in ITU after brain surgery fighting for her life. So gossip about her love life seems a little poor taste."

"Ok, ok." Henry held his hands up. "I had a call from Natalie Chandler, Wes has located Kate's dad. He's gone to Manchester to find him. Ronnie and Matt have a lead on Beth's whereabouts and Sam and Angie are following up witness statements and forensics."

"Right."

"And James and Alesha have agreed to carry your caseload for the foreseeable."

"I bet James was delighted with that." Henry rolled his eyes as Jake spoke. "What did Alesha and George have to say to get him to agree?"

"Nothing. It was James' idea, actually." Henry smiled. "Despite what you two are like with each other he wanted to help."

"Sorry." Jake sighed. "Sorry, it's just."

"You're worried about Kate, we all are." Henry paused as a doctor in blue scrubs walked towards them. Jake sighed as he steeled himself for the information. Henry sighed, knowing this was the moment Jake had been dreading.

"Are you with Kate Barker?" The young doctor asked as Jake nodded.

"This is our boss." He nodded to Henry who smiled slightly.

"I'm Dr Young, Kate's doctor." He sat down in the chair opposite Jake. "Kate's scan showed she had some bleeding on the brain, probably from where she was hit. Her skull has a fracture which was pressing on the brain. So we've preformed an operation to relieve the pressure caused by the blood. She's going to be in ITU for a day or so at the very least."

"She's going to be ok?" Henry asked as the colour drained from Jake's face. "When all this is done with, she's going to be fine. Isn't she?"

"Kate is young and otherwise healthy, which goes in her favour." Dr Young explained. "But we really don't know. The next 24 hours will give us some idea of what recovery will be."

"Best case?" Henry asked.

"She recovers well." Dr Young stated. "In time, she returns to her earlier work."

"And the worst?" Jake looked up as Dr Young looked at the floor.

"She has a traumatic brain injury."

"She could die." Jake paused. "That's what you are saying? She's 33 and she could die."

"It is a possibility." Dr Young spoke quietly. "Everything we can do, we are doing."

"Can I see her? Please?" Jake asked as the doctor nodded.

"Soon, the nurse will collect you as soon as Kate is settled." He got to his feet and left the men sitting in silence.

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A/N More soon x please review. Just a filler chapter. Will Ronnie and Matt find Beth? Is she really as guilty as she seems? Can Alesha find out what's going on and will Kate wake up?