This is what I thought should have happened after Charlie was shot in the finale of the 2011 season of Home and Away. I wish the writers had more thought into how they wrote out Charlie Buckton.

10 am

Charlie stepped out of her room at Leah's house. She was putting the finishing touches before she left for her final shift as a police officer. She stared at her badge and what it said. It would be the last time she would wear it. As she put her badge on she heard a noise. Thinking it was Brax arriving with more boxes for the removal men to collect to take to the city she walked out into the living room and towards the kitchen door. She stared in horror at the person stood in front of her. It was Jake Pirovic. He was a gang member and drug dealer from Reefton Lakes. He was supposed to be in jail she thought.

As she thought this he spoke to her, "Morning sergeant. This is for my brother Hammer." As he spoke to her he raised his arm and fired his gun. The bullets hit Charlie in the abdomen. As he fled Charlie lay bleeding on the living room floor.

Inside Yabbie Creek Police Station.

Constable Georgina Watson stood at the front desk at Yabbie Creek police station dealing with day's paperwork to give to Charlie when she came into work. She glanced at the clock thinking it was strange that Charlie had not arrived at work. Charlie might be leaving but there was no way that she would be late for work on her last day. Watson was reaching for the phone when in stormed Inspector Joyce. He sounded very angry berating someone on the phone. "If my officer ends up dead as a result of your departments incompetence heads will roll," He ended the call abruptly.

He strode into the office to stand in front of Watson. "Has Sergeant Buckton arrived yet?" He asked. Before she could answer the Inspector fax behind her chattered into life. Soon to be Sergeant Georgina Watson turned and took the pieces paper from the fax as it spewed them out. She stared in horror at what it said. She turned to the Inspector and gasped at him,

"Is this true? Why weren't we informed? And Charlie has not arrived yet."

At that Inspector Joyce barked out the orders. Several officers followed him and Watson out of the station at a run. Two police cars sped off in the direction of Leah's house. They pulled up outside the house at the same time as an ambulance. They raced into the house to find two paramedics working on Charlie before they took her to hospital. Ruby stood at the side of the kitchen supported by Brax and his brother Casey. Her sobs filled the kitchen. Eventually the paramedics carefully loaded Charlie onto a stretcher and took her outside to the ambulance. They carefully put the stretcher into the ambulance. Brax let Ruby go with her mother whilst he and Casey followed in his ute. Inspector Joyce barked out orders before jumping into his patrol car to make sure the convoy got to the hospital as quick as possible. He left Constable Watson securing the crime scene and getting the investigation started.

Dr Walker greeted the ambulance as it arrived at the hospital. His team listened to the information given to them by the paramedics as they rushed Charlie into resus. Sid gave the orders to his team who followed them precisely. They worked hard to stabilise her. Once they had he left them to prepare Charlie for theatre he went outside to talk to Ruby. She sat outside on the chairs flanked by Brax and Casey. Inspector Joyce stood nearby. Sid walked up to Ruby and spoke to her.

"Ruby, we've stabilised your Mum as best as we can and we are preparing her to go into theatre. I warn you know that she is very poorly and it will be touch and go for the next twenty four to forty eight hours. We will keep you updated as to how things are going. I'd better get going." Sid touched Ruby's arm before he left them to go and scrub up for the operation. As he turned to walk away Charlie was brought through on her way to the theatre. Ruby dashed to her Mums side calling out to her. They stopped briefly for Ruby to see her mum before continuing their way into surgery. Brax stood at her side watching Charlie taken into theatre. He put his arm round her shoulders and walked Ruby back to the chairs where they sat down and waited. It seemed like forever that they waited. Inspector Joyce paced the hospital corridor. He felt angry and frustrated. Angry that one of his best officers was leaving the force and frustrated that if someone had done their job properly then Charlie would not be fighting for her life.

The inspector walked outside the hospital. He picked up his phone and called Constable Watson. He checked with her the progress of the investigation. She reported neighbours had spotted Jake leaving immediately after the shooting and heading for the beach. He ordered her to increase the number of officers searching for Pirovic. He finished the call before calling his bosses and updating them on what was happening. He turned on his heel and walked back into the hospital. There was no news on Charlie when he got back inside. He sat down opposite the unhappy group sat waiting for news. Time passed very slowly. Brax kept looking at the clock. The hands on it seemed to be stuck. Ruby's quiet sobs filled the waiting area. Casey sat next to her doing his best to console his girlfriend.

In the hour and a half that passed there was no word from the team operating on Charlie. As Constable Watson arrived to find out her colleague was so did Leah and several others. As they did Sid walked across the corridor to talk to Ruby.