"Let's get Mike. Charlie," Alex said and they went to leave. "No... NO!" Melody cried out as she grabbed a kitchen knife. She lunged and struck Charlie in the chest with it. "ARGH!" "Charlie!" Alex shouted and Charlie pressed on the wound. Melody dropped her bag and ran out of the back door. "Charlie. Come on," Alex said as he put his hand on top of Charlie's and he took her out of the front door. "Argh!" Charlie yelled and she fell. "Charlie! I've got you, I've got you. Keep pressure on it," Alex said as he caught Charlie and knelt down. Quickly, he took out his phone and called 999. "Ambulance please. 12 Westfold road. A woman's been stabbed. Please hurry," Alex said before he hung up. "Charlie. Stay with me." "It hurts..." Charlie said as she was resting against Alex. "I know. But the ambulance is on its way." "I don't want to die. Alex I don't want to..." "You won't. Charlie, you won't," Alex said and he pressed on Charlie's wound as she let the pressure ease. "Henry wouldn't let you go this easily." "He's dead... and my mum... my mum..." "Don't think about that. Just stay awake, for your grandad. For me," Alex said and Charlie looked at him. She was getting paler but the second and Alex could feel blood running through his fingers. "For you...?" "Yeah. Please Charlie. I love you," Alex said and Charlie smiled as her eyes started to close. "No, Charlie stay with me." "I love... you too," Charlie said and Alex heard sirens coming up the street. "Help's almost here. Just hold on Charlie, hold on," Alex said before he looked back at Charlie. She had closed her eyes and she was now lying limp against him. "Charlie? Charlie, come on. Charlie!" Alex shouted as he shook her. The ambulance stopped in front of the house and two paramedics came running up the garden path.
~
"Where's Mike off too?" Jody asked May-Li as Mike ran out of the door and she came into the living room. "Charlie's been taken to hospital." "What?" "Is she ok?" "What happened?" "Calm down. She was at her grandfather's house and she was attacked with a knife." "A knife?" "She was stabbed?" "Who stabbed her?" "Isn't Alex with her?" "Is he ok?" "Alex is alright, he's not been hurt but he's gone to the hospital with Charlie." "How serious is it?" "Charlie was stabbed once in the chest. They're taking her up to surgery to stop the bleeding, and Mike has gone to join Alex at the hospital." "Is she going to be ok?" "We don't know yet, but the doctor's will do all they can for her." "Will we know when there's any news?" "Yes, Mike's going to keep me updated. I wanted to let you know," May-Li said before she left them.
~
"Charlie." "Where am I?" "You're in hospital. You've had surgery." "Why am I sitting up? Why is it dark? And what are you doing here?" Charlie asked very quickly before she looked at Alex in the dim light with tears streaming down her face. "You're still feeling the effects of the anaesthetic. You're confused, but you're safe." "My mum... she stabbed me. Alex, she..." "Shhhhh," Alex calmed her down. "It's ok. It's ok, you're safe. There's a policeman by the door, and they're tracking your mum down. She tried to kill you Charlie." "I'm scared." "Come here," Alex said and he hugged Charlie gently. "It's very early alright. Can you try and get some sleep?" "Will you stay with me?" "Of course. I'm not going anywhere," Alex said and he lay the bed down. Charlie winced as her positioned changed, but Alex fluffed the pillow up for her and pulled the blankets over her. "I'll be right here," Alex said before he kissed her forehead and took her hand. "Please don't leave me." "I won't. I've been with you throughout this Charlie. I won't leave your side until you're well." "Thank you." "Rest. You need sleep." "I've had surgery?" "You have. On your chest." "Were you... were you worried?" "I was terrified. But you came through it, and the doctor's are taking care of you." "And what about you?" "Me?" "Where are you going to... rest?" "I can rest later. I need to look after you right now." "But I don't need looking after," Charlie said as she started to cry. "Hey." "What would Henry... what would my grandad say?" "He would say that you are strong. He would be right by your side telling you how strong and how brave you're being. You were stabbed, you're the victim Charlie. You survived and you need help the heal the wound, that's all. You're not weak, or pathetic or stupid for needing help. Henry would be telling you the same thing." "He would," Charlie said and Alex kissed her hand. "Get some rest. You're tired."
~
Charlie came home a week later and Alex had blood-stained eyes. He had stayed at the hospital with Charlie, and he had refused to leave her side. Mike took him to bed while May-Li took Charlie into the dining room and everyone slowly filtered in for lunch. They kept everything calm and they spoke kindly to Charlie.
Once Alex had woken up, he joined them and they presented Charlie with her grandparents rings, having bought them back from the pawn shop. Charlie cried and she thanked everyone. Dinner finished and May-Li and Alex took Charlie up to her room for some much needed rest in her own bed.
Charlie slowly recovered over the next few months, and her mum was put into prison for life with no chance of parole. Alex stayed by Charlie's side, and he would always accompany her to her medical check ups. Once her wound healed, Alex took her to the lake and they sat on the bench. They remembered Charlie's grandparents, and Alex and Charlie kissed.
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