From here on I am combining Shattered Dreams and Ren: Shades of Grey. The story lines have come together and now I will put them together in the one story.
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"Blake was saying they know what the others are pleading but are going ahead with their statements from this afternoon," Robby told Adam.
"What are you two talking about?" Janey asked from the doorway.
Both men turned around startled. Adam hurried to her side and Robby frowned with worry when he noticed how pale she looked.
"You two are talking about Ren and Brad aren't you?" Janey demanded as she avoided Adam's attempt to put a hand on her shoulder. She looked from one to the other and frowned as she walked over to her brother.
"You look like you need to lie down," Robby told her gently.
"No. What I need is for you two to tell me exactly what is going on, not whisper behind my back and treat me like I'm too delicate to handle the truth," Janey said with a fierce glare at her brother.
Robby sighed heavily as he ran a hand through his hair and paused with the hand on top of his head. Slowly he lowered his arm placing it around his sister's shoulders. "Come sit down and we will have a talk with you," Robby said gently as he guided her to a seat. When she was sitting down he squatted in front of her and took both of her hands in his. He held her hands for a moment without saying a word before he looked up into her face.
Janey glanced from her brother's serious face to Adam who looked extremely worried. "What is it?" she asked with a feeling of dread.
"Well, now that all the men you identified have been arrested and charged there is some idea of how things will go with your case. Now that we know how they are pleading," Robby explained gently as if to a child.
"You will most likely have to go to court and give evidence against..." Adam began to explain but Janey cut in abruptly.
"They're saying they're not guilty! That they didn't do it! I don't believe you! Ren wouldn't do that to me! He wouldn't do that to me! He just wouldn't! And I don't believe Brad would either!" Janey shouted as she jumped to her feet jerking her hands away from her brother.
"Janey, Janey, calm down a moment," Robby said soothingly.
"You're lying!" Janey accused angrily as she faced him.
"Those two you mentioned are pleading guilty, but it's the others who are pleading not guilty," Adam broke in. "The ones who abducted you and the others who..." his voice trailed off as Janey flinched.
Slowly she looked from Robby to Adam and back again. She shook her head but stopped as the room began to spin. "I knew Ren wouldn't do anything to hurt me..." Her voice trailed off as her eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed.
Janey was distantly aware of voices and activity around her, and then she felt a floating sensation. Gradually she became aware that she was lying on something soft and she recognised Robby and Adam's voices.
"Hey..." Her voice was weak and husky when she spoke.
"It's alright Janey. Adam is just getting a blanket to wrap around you and then we're taking you to the hospital to get you checked out," Robby said soothingly.
"What happened?" Janey asked as she managed to open her eyes. Everything was blurry and slightly out of focus.
"You passed out and hit your head when you fell. You scared the heck out of us," Robby said gently as he brushed the hair back off her face.
Janey winced and closed her eyes as she became aware of a throbbing headache; she raised one hand towards her head and found with shocked surprise that she was very weak.
"I've got the blanket," Adam said quietly.
Janey opened her eyes to try to see him but the room spun once again and her stomach turned over in revolt. She was aware of being lifted into a sitting position and then she felt the warmth of the blanket as it was wrapped around her shoulders.
"I'm going to pick you up and carry you to my car now," Adam told her softly.
"Hmm." Janey murmured and rested her head against his shoulder once he held her. The motion as she was carried out to the car made her stomach feel queasy and she grimaced as she was placed in the passenger seat of the car. "I think I'm going to be sick," she warned Adam as he leant over her to fasten her seatbelt. She felt something pressed into her hands and opened her eyes reluctantly to make out a bucket.
"I thought you looked a bit green," Robby said softly from nearby.
"Janey, I'm taking you to the hospital to get you checked out. Robby will follow us in his car." Adam said as he got behind the wheel of his car.
Janey didn't argue as Robby shut her door and Adam started the engine. Instead she closed her eyes as she rested her head back against the seat.
The drive to the hospital passed in a blur, her head ached while her throat felt as if it was on fire. When they reached the hospital the night air felt cold on her face as Adam opened the door and Janey began shivering. Adam picked her up in his arms and carried her into the Accident and Emergency entrance of the hospital. He sat her down in a chair while he went to the reception desk and spoke to a nurse on duty.
Adam held Janey's hand as they waited for the doctor to see Janey after she had had an x-ray to check for any head injuries from when she had collapsed. The radiologist had assured them that protective jacket the nurse had put on Janey would prevent harm to the developing baby.
The curtain surrounding the bed moved and the curtain was pulled it aside as the doctor walked into sight.
"Okay Miss Wilkinson. Good news, no sign of a skull fracture but you do have a severe concussion. Coupled with your high blood pressure, which I believe is from too much stress. Because those two can cause complications with your pregnancy, I must insist you stay at least over night for observation," the doctor told her firmly.
"Adam! Please! I want to go home with you!" Janey protested tearfully as she clutched at his hand.
"I'll stay with you until you go to sleep but I am not taking you back to the flat tonight," Adam said firmly. As much as he wanted Janey with him he was concerned for her health.
"I will prescribe a mild sedative that won't effect the growing baby and you will get a good night's sleep," The doctor said before leaving the examination cubicle.
"Adam, please!" Janey begged tearfully but Adam looked away from her.
"No Janey, you will stay overnight in hospital," Adam said firmly.
Janey pulled her hand from his and folded her arms across her ribs as she pulled her knees up towards her body.
Several minutes later a nurse came into the cubicle carrying an injection in a small tray and she gave Janey the injection without any protests from her. Ten minutes later Janey was moved to a room and settled into a hospital bed. Her eyelids drooped and she yawned sleepily as the injection started to take effect.
Adam watched as Janey slowly drifted off to sleep before getting to his feet and leaving the room. He would call in at the station and let Rob know how Janey was before going back to the flat, he decided as he reached the elevator.
Back in the room Janey slept deeply without troublesome dreams, she slept until the breakfast trolley woke her. She sat up and ate hungrily before the doctor came on rounds.
Unsatisfied with her progress the doctor ordered another sedative so she would rest for the morning. This left leaving Janey upset because she wanted to go back to the flat where she was sure Adam would stay with her.
* * * * *
Ren paced the cell agitatedly. It was eight-thirty am and he had been awake since just before midnight. A feeling of unease had woken him and continued to linger throughout the early hours of the morning.
Brad sat on the edge of his bunk and watched Ren pacing. He frowned as his friend walked to the door of the cell and tried to see if anyone was in the corridor outside.
"Damn it!" Ren swore softly under his breath and resumed his pacing.
"What has gotten into you?" Brad asked.
Ren glanced his way distractedly but did not answer or interrupt his pacing.
The sound of footsteps had Ren approaching the door hopefully and watching anxiously as the sound of keys jangling at the door could be heard.
"Okay gentlemen, transportation to the Courthouse is here," One of the two officers out side the cell said.
Brad got to his feet and followed Ren from the cell. They moved along the corridor to a door where another officer waited.
The officer opened the door, and outside a police van sat with the rear section open waiting for them to get in.
Ren climbed into the back of the vehicle silently and made room for Brad. Ren couldn't help noticing that even though they were now on their way to their court hearing, he still felt an unease that persisted and seemed to have nothing to do with the coming court appearance.
Fifteen minutes later the van pulled up at a large brick building and the two men were escorted inside to a small secure room to wait their turn in front of the judge. Their case was called first up and they were shepherded into the courtroom by the police officers that had accompanied them from the police station.
Graeme Walsh and Ken Burke were waiting in the courtroom and Ren and Brad were soon sitting with them.
The judge listened as the charges against them were read out. Once the police prosecutor finished speaking the judge looked at Ren and Brad with a stern expression on his face.
Graeme then proceeded to launch into all the two men had done to cooperate with the police starting with them voluntarily handing themselves in. He then went on to explain how they had provided the police with statements clearly stating what had occurred and had even gone so far as to give directions to the house where the victim had been held against her will.
The police prosecutor intervened to say that due to the information the defendants had given, forensic evidence had been collected that investigators believed would help in the case against the other defendants.
