Three months later

Nate

"Now then, Hope, what are you bringing for mommy today?" I kneeled down to her level, pushing her stray hairs behind her ears.

"A teddy bear. They always make me feel safe when I'm asleep" she cuddled the grey bear in her arms, squeezing tight with her eyes shut.

"Perfect" I whispered, so she couldn't hear the tears in my voice.

It had been three months since Robert shot Daisy. I'd spent endless nights lying awake, praying for the positive. It seemed, the positive - if there was any, didn't want to be my friend. If there was such thing as a god, like we all want to believe, then where was he? Where was he when Daisy was being tortured by her husband? Where was he when she was kidnapped? And where was he right now?

Daisy had been comatose for three months. Where was he? I was never a church guy, if I'm honest, but now I attended church each Sunday with Hope and spent more time than I ever imagined in the chapel in the hospital. She'd ask why we were sitting, talking to nobody, and I would explain each time;

"Because sometimes, when we ask for help, we get it. People believe that there's a 'God' who can help. All we have to do is ask and sometimes he works a miracle."

For a four year old, she was quite clever. She'd look up with her big, beautiful, sapphire eyes - just like her mommy's - and say; "okay, Daddy, let's ask the man if he can fix mommy"

Another thing that had occurred, she now called me daddy for real. I didn't feel I deserved that status. I didn't save Daisy, I didn't bring her back, so I didn't save our baby. The hospital said there was no way the baby would survive while she was in a coma, and I felt like a million tiny pieces had cracked inside me, and shattered into every part of me; the agonising pain that followed was excruciating.

I'd been so excited to watch our baby grow inside her, cradle her when she was sick, massage her back when her bump would get too much, rub her feet when she was tired. I was actually excited to become what some would consider 'whipped' but I loved her; she was all I wanted and needed. She is all I want and need. To say I was desperate for her to wake up, would be an understatement.

"Daddy! Let's go!" Hopes excited screams pushed my thoughts away. I had to be strong for her.

"I'm coming, sweetie"

The car ride had become a part of my life; a routine I hadn't even noticed I had. We'd get up at nine, be washed and dressed for ten, and at the hospital for half past ten. We did it everyday. Hope had started school, but on weekends, like today, we would attend the hospital together at the same time. In weekdays, she would go before school.

They'd isolated her from the rest of the hospital, keeping her in the ITU building. For some reason they had a separate building for it. But it was calm, relaxed, and it had a small chapel - as mentioned earlier. It was different to the rest of the hospital; you knew everyone there was fighting for their lives and relatives were just as distraught as us. They knew how it felt. As we approached the ward she was placed on, the same nervous feeling shot through my insides, numbing my limbs. I gripped Hopes hand for control.

"Nate," Doctor Hammond shook my hand as I approached, distracting Hope as he did everyday we came in here. "May we have a chat" his smile was forced.

"Of course, Hope, would you like to sit with mommy on your own?" I looked from Hope, to the doctor, and he nodded.

I watched she let herself in then followed Dr Hammond through to a board room. There were several other people sat at the table, people I didn't recognise.

"Now, Nate, technically we would speak to next of kin. That being Mr Sheen-" my body went rigid at the mention of Robert. "-but under the circumstances we cannot. However, we have gained rights to discuss these plans with you"

"Right, okay. What plans?" As I sat at the top of the table, four other professionals sat in front of me - including Dr Hammond, I questioned why we were here.

"Mrs Sheen - Daisy - has been comatose for just over three months now and we do need to discuss options-"

"Options?" I leaned forward, trying not to sound so aggressive, but I knew where this was going.

"Yes, the longer she stays on the machines, the more chance she has of receiving brain damage. I can't stress enough the seriousness of her state if she wakes up with severe brain damage. It may be that we consider turning the life support off-"

"Hell no!" My chair went shooting back into the wall and every one of them jumped, hands flying to their chest. My hands braced on the table as I grit my teeth.

"Nate, please calm down" he slowly rose from his chair, his hand up in surrender to stop me. But I didn't care.

"No, we are not turning that machine off. She's fine. She's going to be okay" I stormed out the room, not bothering to apologise to any of them. She wasn't dying. She had to wake up.

I made my way back round to Hope and Daisy, taking deep breaths in the process to calm myself. Hope couldn't see me like this. I stood outside the door repeating my breathing technique when I heard Hopes small voice behind the door.

"Daddy says we have to pray to the man in the sky to help you. He says that sometimes mira- mirac- something, I don't know, but he says they happen. So if that happens then it means you've woke up. Sometimes I think daddy's a little silly-" she laughed to herself, and I looked through the little window to see her shaking her head.

She was brushing Daisy's hair. I knew she had brought a bag with her, but I just presumed it was for the bear, not for a hairbrush.

"He's a great daddy though, but sometimes he cries mommy." She sighed and I fought back the tears climbing up my throat. "I really want to hug him, but when I walk in on him he pretends he wasn't crying. You do that too. I've learnt that adults like to hide their tears, but you always tell me to show how I feel so I don't get it" she shrugged before pulling out a bottle of nail varnish. Baby blue, one of Daisy's favourite colours to wear on her nails.

"You look really pretty now mommy, you hadn't had your hair brushed in a long time. Now I just need to do your nails. Daddy will help me." She let out a tired breath again before continuing in a quieter voice. "When will you talk to me? When will you wake up? My new teacher wants to meet you mommy"

I pushed my head against the door, tears spilling down my cheeks. My heart was broken before, but now it's destroyed. I don't think anyone could heal me after this. Poor Hope needed her mommy, she didn't understand fully what was going on. She was still talking but my body had broken down; I couldn't listen any further. It was too much.

God, I beg, let her wake up. She deserves so much more.