Gary slowly opened his eyes to a blurry ceiling, the sterile scent of antiseptic lingering in the air. His head throbbed, and his limbs felt heavy, as if gravity itself was pulling him back into darkness. But the beeping of a heart monitor and the muffled sounds of hospital activity around him told him one thing: he was alive. He tried to move, but a sharp pain shot through his ribs, forcing a groan from his throat. Within seconds, a nurse appeared at his side, her expression a mix of surprise and relief. “You’re awake,” she said gently, checking his vitals. “You’ve been unconscious for two days. You’re lucky.” Gary didn’t feel lucky. His mind was foggy, and panic simmered just beneath the surface. He could remember walking through the alley near Rosamund Street. He had heard footsteps. Then—a struggle. A blow to the head. And then… nothing. The door opened again, and Maria rushed in, her face pale but filled with emotion. She leaned over him, brushing his hair back, whispering, “Gary, thank God. We thought we might lose you.” Gary blinked slowly. “What happened? Who… did this?” She hesitated, biting her lip. “They’ve made an arrest. The police— they think they know who it was.” Gary’s eyes narrowed. “Who?” Maria glanced at the nurse, who nodded and stepped out to give them privacy. She sat beside him, her hands trembling slightly. “It was Rick’s old associate. Lennox. The police found his fingerprints at the scene. CCTV caught him running from the alley.” Gary stared at her. Lennox. A man Gary once did business with. A man who had sworn revenge when Gary pulled out of their dealings and exposed their operation to the police. But he had been lying low for years. Gary never imagined he would resurface—let alone like this. “I should’ve known he’d come back,” Gary muttered, guilt flickering in his eyes. Maria shook her head. “Don’t blame yourself. You tried to get out. You changed. You’ve been protecting all of us.” Still, Gary couldn’t shake the image from his mind. The alley. The rain. The figure behind him. It all lined up now. The attack wasn’t random. It was payback. As the day wore on, Gary gave his full statement to the police. He described the encounter, the warning signs, the threats Lennox had made in the past. He told them everything, determined not to let anyone else get hurt. Back on the street, news of the attack spread fast. Dev, David, even Sally came by to check on him. Everyone had their theories, but when the truth came out—that Lennox had been behind it—it sent shockwaves through the community. Many remembered the shady deals, the whispered rumors. Few knew how deep it all had gone. Meanwhile, Lennox was in custody, facing charges not only for the assault on Gary but also for several other unresolved crimes tied to the old loan shark ring. The police had enough evidence to build a strong case—thanks to Gary’s cooperation. But it wasn’t over for Gary. The attack had shaken something inside him. He had spent years trying to move on from his criminal past, to build a better life with Maria and their kids. And yet, the ghosts of that past kept clawing their way back. One afternoon, as Gary sat in the hospital room, his longtime friend and sometime rival, Adam Barlow, stopped by. The two had clashed over the years, but there was mutual respect between them now. “You’re lucky to be alive,” Adam said, pulling up a chair. “I heard about Lennox. Nasty piece of work.” Gary nodded. “Yeah. Thought I could leave all that behind. Guess it doesn’t work like that.” Adam leaned forward. “Maybe not. But you did the right thing. You gave them the evidence. You helped bring him down.” Gary looked out the window. “Still feels like I let my guard down. I should’ve seen it coming.” Adam offered a dry smile. “You’re not invincible, Gary. None of us are.” Gary chuckled softly, then winced at the pain in his ribs. “Tell that to Lennox when I see him in court.” The days passed, and Gary slowly regained his strength. He was released from the hospital a week later, welcomed back to Coronation Street by friends, neighbors, and family. Even the ones who once doubted him now saw him in a different light—a man who had made mistakes, yes, but who was trying to make things right. Lennox’s trial loomed ahead, and Gary knew he’d be called to testify. It wouldn’t be easy. But this time, he was ready. He had survived the worst of it. And with his attacker finally exposed, he felt lighter. Not safe—not yet—but stronger. He sat with Maria one evening, the kids asleep upstairs, and whispered, “I’m done with all of it. For good this time.” She nodded, tears in her eyes. “I believe you. And I’m proud of you.” For the first time in a long while, Gary believed it too.