Wait

Gene looked up as the door to the waiting room opened. Molly rushed in, practically running into his arms. He hugged the teenager as Annie appeared behind her.

"I left the little ones with Phyllis but there was no way she was going to let me leave without her."

"Moll." He admonished her.

"Mum. You found Mum." Molly tried to hide the fear in her voice as she spoke. She knew her stepfather still thought of her as the little girl he had met when he had started dating her mother. "You don't have to talk to me like I'm Ruby's age. I'm fifteen."

"I know kid." Gene stepped back as he appraised her.

"Dad."

"The doctors and nurses told us to wait ere." Gene explained. "They're looking after her now."

"Ok. But she's alive." Molly stated rather than asked. Gene nodded.

"Yeah, kid. She was last I saw her." He took her hand, leading her to the seats where Sam and Annie had sat down. The young couple were deep in discussion with each other, barely noticing the father and daughter had joined them.

"She is going to be ok? I mean Mum has been hurt before. Shot in the head and she was ok eventually."

"Yeah, she was." Annie agreed as the teenager spoke. Gene nodded.

"So, this is no different."

"She has been missing a lot longer this time." Gene spoke calmly. "Molly, the doctors and nurses will do their best for her. You know that."

Molly appraised him quietly. She knew he was not the type of man to mince his words. Gene was scared. That meant she had enough evidence to know she should be worried too. For a moment she thought of Ruby and Max, wondering if they would get to have the relationship with their Mum that she had. She bit her lip, letting her hair fall over her face as she looked at her phone. A text message from Wes appeared just at the right moment. She rested her head against Gene's arm as they settled to wait for any news.

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"Honestly." Shaz walked back into the CID office as she spoke. Ray was a few steps behind her, still running the interview over in his mind. Chris looked up from his computer as they arrived.

"Anything?"

"Nah." Ray flopped down in his chair. "He's not saying anything. Cocky little git."

"He's as guilty as sin." Shaz headed into the kitchenette at the side of the office, re-emerging with a coffee in one hand. "I don't know why he's giving us the silent treatment."

"Because he's a control freak." Ray snapped. "Like his brother."

"Any news? From the hospital." Shaz sipped her coffee as Chris shook his head.

"No." Chris yawned. "Annie said she would ring as soon as there was something to tell us. Until then we are to treat the case like any other attempted murder."

"Only, its not. Is it." Ray sighed. "Its our Alex."

"Yeah." Shaz sighed. "I know."

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