Awakening

Matt stared at the ceiling. He knew he was in hospital and he knew he and Ronnie had been shot at. What he couldn't remember was if Ronnie had been hit by the bullets too. He felt sick as a young nurse approached him with two syringes.

"Anti sickness medicine and pain killers. Are you allergic to anything Matthew?"

"No. Don't think so." Matt frowned, trying to remember. He closed his eyes as the nurse injected the medication into the IV port. As the medication began to take effect he began to think more clearly. "Alesha?"

"Your wife?" The nurse smiled as he nodded slightly. "Is fine. She's with your parents and the doctor."

"Parents?" Matt frowned before realising what she met. "Oh Ronnie and Nat. Ok." He sighed in relief, as the thought he had been the only one to be injured sank in. He fell into a more natural sleep as he let the morphine seep into his system. The nurse checked his observations again, happy with her patient she began to relax knowing that it wouldn't be long before the injured police officer would be back on the ward.

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June was not the most patient of desk sergeants. She knew her job inside and out and didn't take kindly to other officers questioning her professionalism. She knew seeing the young DS shot in front of her would haunt her to the end of her days. She didn't need the MIU team reminding her of it.

"What?" She turned to see Joe in the doorway of her office.

"Are you ok?"

"Sorry, yes. Didn't mean to snap." She smiled. "You ok? Any news from the hospital?"

"Not yet." Joe looked at his feet before shrugging. "The Guv said she'll call the earliest she can. He looked bad though."

"Show me someone who has been shot who doesn't look bad." June smiled sadly. "Coffee?"

"Please." June smiled, she genuinely liked the MIU new boy, knowing that joining such a well established team was not the easiest thing in the world - especially MIU who were more like family. She headed towards the kettle as Joe leant against the wall. "Did you know Jimmy Valentine?"

"Excuse me?"

"Ronnie's original partner. The bloke that was dirty. Turned up dead last week." He took the mug from her gratefully. June nodded.

"I didn't work with him. I've known Nat and Ronnie for years. From before MIU started up. Valentine I knew through Ronnie really. I thought he was a prat. An ok copper but nothing as special as he thought he was. I know I shouldn't speak ill of the dead but he wasn't the nicest man. I often thought Ron reighned him in. You know, made sure he stayed on the right side of the thin blue line. Shows how wrong I was." She stirred extra sugar in her tea as she spoke. "He and Ronnie were as thick as thieves, until Ron sobered up. I always thought there was some jealousy after that. You know, on account of Valentine being a completely average copper and Ronnie actually being good at what he does."

"Would anyone want to kill him?" Joe sipped his drink. "Valentine I mean."

"Most decent coppers. No one likes a corrupt cop. Its dangerous, you make enemies on both sides of the fence." She looked up as Joe nodded.

"True."

"Do you think the person who killed Valentine would want to kill Ronnie too?"

"That's why I need you to pull some cases. Especially on Luke Partridge. You identified him as the bloke who shot Matt." Joe rested his mug back on the desk. "You arrested him before."

June copied him, putting her mug next to his. She got to her feet, heading towards the computer. "Theres nothing there that Angie shouldn't be able to find."

"Yeah, but you might be able to put names to faces. C'mon Sarg. You might be the one to help us find the missing pieces."

She nodded sadly. "Ok, ok, quit the emotional blackmail Constable. I'll do what I can. Just let me know how that boy is, ok?"

"Ok." Joe smiled before slipping away.

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Alesha walked into the ward where Matt was being cared for, relieved that Ronnie and Natalie had left her. She knew Kate had gone back to the office. Now as she walked through the sterile corridors she tried to ignore the antiseptic hospital smells as she looked for the room where Matt was being cared for. Asking a nurse for the right room she smiled as she saw her husband sleeping peacefully in the hospital bed at the end of the ward.

"Hey." She kissed his forehead as he groaned slightly.

"Five minutes." He mumbled.

"Matt."

"Lesha." He opened his eyes slowly. "You ok?"

"No, you bloody scared me." She blinked back tears. "A gunshot wound to the shoulder. You could have died."

"No way."

"Matt. Don't play it down. You were shot. You know if they had hit a lung or your heart we wouldn't be having this conversation." She felt the tears spring to her eyes as he took her hand.

"I'm not. But we can't live by what ifs. I'm alive. I've a hole in my shoulder but it'll heal. Cameron is fantastic and you and I are here. Even Ron and the Guv are sorted. Its ok."

Alesha smiled, loving the fact her husband always looked at the positives in life. She was the opposite, she saw all the possible disasters that could befall them. Matt had always blamed that on her spending too much time with James at the CPS. She smiled as he threaded his fingers through hers.

"I know. I know." She agreed. "But the killer is still out there. Matt, he might try again."

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a/n if you are reading this please review