Cold shuttled down my spine. Something wasn't right. "Godsdammit." I tried to call her back.

Nothing.

Looking up, I searched for Chris. He'd been in the restroom for the best part of ten minutes—what the hell was he doing in there? Gritting my teeth, I spotted him taking his sweet-ass time coming back to our table. Shooting up from my seat, I snatched my jacket from the back of the chair.

"What?" he asked, with his goddamn dimple winking at me. "I got distracted by a pretty red-head." Grinning like the village idiot.

Arching a brow, shaking my head. "I have to go. Something's wrong with Riley. Her phone cut out. And now she's not answering."

Chris's smile dropped as grabbed his jacket. "C'mon, it's quicker if we go in my car, save heading back to Mercy for yours."

That would save time. Even so, we were a good half hour away from my house.

In the car, I kept hitting the redial C'mon Riley. Answer the goddamn phone.

"Still no answer?" asked Chris. "Tried the house-line?"

Chris hitched a shoulder, drawing a glare from me. "Of course I tried—it's dead." I grouched.

"You've had power cuts before, perhaps it's that?"

I nodded, yeah that was plausible. But why did she sound frightened?

Rubbing over my chin, my eyes flicked between my phone and the road head ahead.

"Will you quit it, Adam—you're making me nervous."

Ignoring Chris, something up ahead in the road caught my attention. Some kind of weird distortion and then the highway lights started flickering and dulling and a ripple of something passed through the air.

What the hell? I narrowed my eyes, leaning forward. The hairs at the back of my neck stood on end as my eyebrows shot into my hairline. The distortion moved, shifted almost like it had shape. I blinked, hearing something too, almost like a child whimpering.

"Do you hear that?" I asked Chris, who shifted his attention to me for a brief second.

"Huh? Hear what?"

"Nothing." I heard it again, but I was more startled by what was out in the middle of the road—appearing out of nowhere. "Fuck, look out, Chris!" There was a woman, and we were about to hit her. Jesus! Thrust forward, only stopped by my seatbelt as Chris slammed on the brakes, swerving the car, screeching to a halt on the side of the highway.

"What the fuck Adam!? What!?—"

He tossed out more curses but I just blinked looking around, turning my head to check out the rear window. But she was gone. Vanished.

"Adam?" he pressed me for an answer.

Swallowing. "I thought I saw—someone," I stuttered. But it wasn't just someone. I'd sworn I just seen Emma—my Emma. My very dead wife, Emma.

My throat dried. I didn't know what else to say. But it confirmed what I felt. Something was wrong as raw despair scraped across my skin and bones. "Drive Chris. And don't be shy with the gas."

He looked at me for a moment, head shaking and then both our heads were turning to the sound of Sirens. Three first responders flew past us at speed.

Chris said nothing, slammed the car into gear and hit the gas, getting us back on the road.

I could barely keep still as Chris tore up the road.

As my home came into view. Horror hit hard, like a punch to my kidneys. Flames engulfed my home and panic and fear erupted.

"Fuck," Chris muttered, easing off the gas. The car hadn't even come to a stop before I yanked off my seatbelt and flung open the door. Out of the car, I was running.

No. No. No. No!

Closer, I hit a brick wall. Its name was Jerry. I'd known him for years.

"Can't let you go any further, Doc."

"It's my house Jerry. My wife's in there!" Pretty much yelling in his face.

His grip on me tightened. "Sorry, Doc," he answered with a pained look.

No... Gods, no... The pain in my chest became unbearable, like a lump of grief chewing at my heart. It was worse than anything I'd felt before.

This couldn't be happening.

"Medic!" I heard someone yell. "Here, around back."

Around back? ...Riley. I shrugged out of Jerry's grip. "It's too dangerous Doc," he warned.

"You're gonna have to tackle me to the ground to stop me going, Jerry."

He didn't stop me as I ran, keeping a wide berth from the house, but even at a distance, the heat was intense and I could hear the hissing and crackling of wood. It wouldn't be up for much longer.

"Wait up," Chris was alongside me, running.

Rounding the corner my feet and my heart stopped at the same time. Chris's steps halted too as my mouth hung open, horrified. There were three firefighters and two EMTs gathered in the middle of the lawn.

Huge mantels of anxiety exploded in a toxic breath inside my chest and pure untainted terror twisted my insides with icy claws. There was nothing in my head but the howling sound of panic and loss. I wouldn't survive losing Riley.

"Adam!" Chris gripped my arm, tugging me. "C'mon!"

My eyes remained glued to Riley lay on the floor, her hair fanned out around, EMT's and a paramedic either side of her.

I yelled her name, my voice hoarse and pained, throwing myself forward, closing the distance. I dropped to my knees, sucking in a sharp breath. Even under the light of the moon, she was a picture of grey and ash... her right eye swollen and lip cut... and blood—so much blood. "Stats," I barked out. Hovering over her, my hands were numb, unfeeling, as I rested my hand gently on the crown of her head. "Stay with me, baby," I whispered.

The tension surrounding the first responders was thick and none looked up. "Pulse weak, heart steady. Can't confirm spinal damage. Our primary worry is the injury to her thigh. We're trying to stem the bleeding. Femoral artery, and if we don't move her soon. She's gonna bleed out."

Bleed out. No. No. No.

I couldn't lose her. In the short time she'd been mine, I already had a lifetime of memories filed away, the taste of her lips, the soft feel of her skin...every freckle, dimple... but they're not enough—they'd never be enough.

"Did you guys move her—How did she get here?" Chris asked, interrupting my thoughts. He was right. If she'd had jumped, she would be much closer to the house.

"We found her here," said one firefighter I'd never seen before. "Out cold."

It was then I caught sight of her hand and in it was clasped a picture of Emma.

Two more EMTs arrived with a stretcher, lowering it. "Move back, Doc." They lifted her and I was up off my knees as they moved at speed; me following and Chris in tow.

As she was loaded inside the ambulance, I climbed in, right behind her.

"Keep the pressure on her leg," the paramedic instructed the EMT.

Riley gasped. Her chest convulsed as she tried to suck in oxygen. I sank by her side, but made sure the paramedic had room to do his job. "I'm here Riley. I got you, baby." Her eyelids fluttered but didn't open.

"Anything we should know, Doc?"

"Pregnant... she's pregnant."

A swift nod of his head. "Any allergies?"

I shook my head. "No. None."

He positioned an oxygen mask over her face. I held her hand and prayed.

Several hours later, Riley was settled in a room with an IV set up and monitors. A scan had shown no damage to the lining of the womb and no foetal distress. Chris came into the room with Dr Amy Hutchings, my good friend.

"Bloods came back fine, Adam." She smiled. "And Riley appears to be showing no signs of acute respiratory distress."

I glanced down at her leg as Amy continued. "We were lucky on the leg wound, it only nicked the femoral. Definitely a knife wound."

Shuddering. They didn't need to tell me. I'd knew we'd been lucky. But a knife wound? How the hell had that happened?

I stroked Riley's hand, which had attached a pulse oximetry to measure oxygen and thankfully her levels had already normalised, which made me grateful that she hadn't been exposed to the smoke for too long, although she should never have been exposed to it.

I should have been there.

Chris read my mind, placing his hand on my shoulder. "Quit it with the blame game. She's gonna be fine. And the baby too."

I glanced up with a sorry smile. He hadn't known about the baby. "We were waiting to tell everyone."

"Don't sweat it. I'm just happy for you both." He patted me on the back.

Returning my attention back to Riley. It was a waiting game till she woke up, but the mild sedative and pain medication meant it would most likely be morning—well later this morning before she woke.

Amy adjusted Riley's gown whilst she carried on with her examination, listening to her chest. Her face remained relaxed, and that helped relax me.

"Excuse me," I turned toward the small voice. It was someone I hadn't expected. Maddy, Riley's sister. "Is it okay if I come in?" she asked whilst one hand gripped her purse tightly and her fingers on the other hand fumbled with the edges of her sleeve of the pale pink cardigan she wore.

"I'm done here. But page me if you need anything." Amy quickly scribbled a note on Riley's chart, hanging it back on the end of her bed. "I'll pop back before my shift ends to check up on Riley." She smiled at me and I nodded.

"Thanks, Amy. Appreciate it."

"I'm gonna grab a coffee—you want anything?" asked Chris.

I shook my head. "I'm good, thanks."

As Amy and Chris cleared the room, Maddy stared at Riley making no move to come closer. "Sit," I pointed to the chair on the other side of the bed. "Pull it closer."

She hesitated and I could see she'd been crying, her eyes puffy and a slight reddening to her nose gave it away. "You sure it's okay?" she finally asked.

"Yeah, it's good that you're here." I knew it was killing Riley that their relationship was nonexistent at the moment.

As she tentatively moved closer, I paid attention to the gauntness of her face. I'd not seen Maddy since the glimpse of her on her wedding day. And the woman who now stood in front of me looked very different. There wasn't a shred of vibrance and her frame almost slumped as if trying to hide.

What in god's name had happened to her?

"Thank you," she muttered as she sat down.

Fear struck me. "How did you know she was here?" I'd messaged Connor but doubted he would see the message until morning and I hoped to Christ that Mercy Jane wasn't about to walk through the door as I'd given the staff strict instructions not to contact her.

Maddy chewed on her lip. "I know this might sound crazy to you. But I felt something was wrong, very wrong." She shook her head. "I know how it sounds."

I wasn't one to judge crazy when I swore I'd see my late wife in the middle of the highway earlier. "No. Not crazy at all." I offered a smile as she looked away, but I knew she was lying. "It will make Riley happy—you being here." Riley wanted nothing more than to heal the rift between them.

Her forehead crinkled. "She's gonna be okay—right?"

I nodded, inhaling. "Yes. She was lucky."

"Riley Jo's always been the stronger one of the two of us. The fighter." Her head nodded. "I know she'd never believe this—but I've always envied her." Maddy swiped a hand across her eye. "I always wanted to swap places."

"She misses you," I offered.

"I've been terrible—" she stopped, regret tightening her features and her eyes filled. "I don't deserve her." Her chest rose and fell sharply. "I said some terrible things, I wouldn't blame her if she hated me."

"Riley doesn't hate you Maddy. You can make this right."

She swallowed, and I heard her phone ping as she scrambled inside her purse to get it. She shot up, eyes wide. "I'm sorry, but I gotta go," she said in a panicked whisper, her bottom lip trembling.

"Is everything okay?" She looked spooked, afraid even.

"Just tell her I'm so sorry for everything and I know I don't deserve her forgiveness, but tell her I love her."

She fled before I could say another word.

Quietly sitting holding my wife's hand I just watched and talked quietly to her. Riley mumbled, and my body stiffened. Up out of my chair a tear slipped past her lashes as she jerked her head from side to side, dislodging the oxygen mask.

I moved over her. "Riley," I whispered. Her eyelids fluttered but didn't open. She whimpered again or more like a gurgled cry and I gently pressed my hand to her forehead, hoping to scare away whatever was running through her head. "Riley...baby." A cold sweat sat beneath my fingers and her jerked shifted to thrashes as more tears fell, trailing down to her hairline.

Her body stiffened, and I repositioned her mask. "Riley..." I said a little louder, cupping her cheeks, the tears wetting my palms. "Riley...I'm here, it's me. Listen to my voice."

Her eyes flew open as she jerked back and nearly screamed until she recognised it was me hovering over her.

"Adam?" she mumbled through the heavily steamed mask.

I pulled it down, leaning in, fetching our faces closer as she let out a strangled sob. "Adam..." she croaked.

"It's okay...Riley. I'm here. You're safe. The baby's safe...shushhh. It's okay."

Recognition flared, and her breathing steadied.

"You need to rest, baby." Resetting the mask, she inhaled deeply. "Sleep, I'll stay right here with you."

Her eyelids fluttered and then shut completely.

Hovering above her for another ten minutes, my heart raced, and my nerves felt fried. But slowly the pressure on my chest eased, and I sat back in my seat, lifting her hand to kiss her fingers, whispering, "don't do you dare do that again Riley Jo Matthews. Don't you ever think about leaving," my voice was barely audible.