The detective placed a picture onto the table.

"Matthew James, aged 24 we have him down at the station now and we're hoping to press charges as soon as we have your written statement down as evidence"

Florence stared down at the table.

"Miss Roberts?" Sergeant Donovan prompted.

"That's not my name" 

He didn't seem surprised at all.

"I lied to the ambulance workers, Cole Roberts isn't my brother but I'm as close to next of kin as he has, his brother and parents have both passed"

She felt a rush of panic.

"Please don't tell them at the hospital, they'll stop me seeing him and I can't bear to not be there"

Donovan looked sympathetic, he had kind eyes she noticed and wore an understanding expression.

"You shouldn't have lied to officials Miss?"

"Clarke" Florence supplied.

"Clarke" he finished "

"But given the circumstances and what you just witnessed I suppose your forgiven, if Mr Roberts really doesn't have a next of kin we can get into contact with you'll need to fill out some forms to confirm your identity before being let in to see him, I'll let you off with a warning just this once"

She felt like hugging him.

"Matthew was way over the limit for safe driving and we believe you have a good case against him, but Mr Roberts has a final say in all legal proceedings"

"He's in a coma" she cut in, what kind of stupidity was that, of course Cole would want to press charges against the man who had put him in a coma!

"I'm aware of the situation Miss Clarke and I understand that this is all very distressing for you, but just for a moment put your emotions to the side and understand that there are laws in place, laws that no matter how unjust they may seem in this moment have to be followed"

She didn't feel so friendly towards him anymore.

"So your saying that until Cole wakes up nothing can be done... this lunatic can just roam free able to knock down other pedestrians!"

"Of course not, he will be granted bail and then brought into an official court hearing where the evidence against him will be read out to the jury, I've spoken to the doctors at the hospital and they believe that you friend has every possibility of making a full recovery, but I assure you whatever happens Mr James will pay the price for his reckless actions"

His actions were beyond reckless in her opinion, who went out and became so drunk that they couldn't stay on their own two feet.. and then decided to drive!

It was beyond comprehension.

"Will that be all?" she asked, not wanting to sound rude but needing to be back at the hospital, Donovan handed her a pile of official forms with a nod, she snatched them up, pushed them down into her bag and practically ran out of the room... and bumped straight into her Mother.

Mrs Clarke seemed to have aged a century, her body seemed to sag inwards with relief when she saw her daughter.

"Flo... Your Father and I have been worried sick, we tried following you in the ambulance but our car wasn't filled with petrol" she babbled on but Florence didn't care, she felt nothing except anger towards her parents right now.

If they hadn't upset Cole none of this would have happened, someone needed to take the blame other than her right now and they seemed to be the best options.

"Well I'm fine" she snapped too sharply "Unlike Cole I'm healthy, now if you'll excuse me I have to go and try and make the best out of the worst situation, my friends need me"

And she dodged out of her Mother's grasp and raced out into the station car park, holding her hand out for an incoming taxi.

Charlie was sitting beside Cole reading from a hardback novel, she looked an utter mess but still managed to rustle up a benign smile.

"It's his favourite book" she whispered pointing to the cover where Florence saw 'The Lord Of The Rings' emblazoned.

"I thought maybe if he can still hear us like Dr Chandra said he must be getting really bored with only himself for company"

Florence smiled a watery smile.

She pulled up a chair next to Charlie and took her hand.

"Charlie... did your parents move to Phillipson too? I think you need to go back home right now, you look exhausted and I don't think it's healthy for you to stay here all night"

Charlie shook her head.

"My Mother gave me up when I was six months old, I'm and emancipated minor, I didn't get on with my foster parents"

Oh.

What did she say to that?

"It's fine" Charlie shrugged "Friends thats all I need, family isn't necessarily defined by blood"

"They told me the name of the driver" Florence said "Matthew James, they have him down at the station but they're releasing him on bail, he was drunk"

Charlie nodded.

"Figures, people who commit crimes always get away with them, when the jury comes to their decision of course they'll take into account him troubled home life and alcohol addiction, of course he couldn't help running down Cole"

She was getting really worked up, it was scary.

"Hey! Cole's going to wake up and when he does he'll testify and Matthew James will get what's coming to him, we'll make sure of it"

"I'm going to get a coffee" 

Charlie suddenly stood up.

"Do you want anything?"

Florence shook her head, the thought of drinking coffee, feeling it curdle in her stomach made her want to vomit.

Charlie left leaving her alone in the almost dark room, with a slowly breathing Cole surrounded by beeping machines for company, it was scary how many machines there were in here, how usually a human being supported themselves, breathed alone but to keep him alive right now ten machines now took the place of nature.

"Get better Cole, get better so that Charlie's wrong, so that the bad guy does get locked up because I couldn't bear it, I can't bear it if this strange kind of dream becomes a reality, I wish I could just pinch myself and wake up and this would all just be that, a strange dream, I already lost Chase and that was the worst pain of my life, please don't make me lose you too, fight it"

And she could have sworn he stirred though the machines were silent, as if he was trying to tell her that he was holding on and still fighting with every breath.