Well, thanks to everyone who reviewed and added story to alerts or to favorites, it actually means a lot knowing that someone reads it, and once again thanks to my proof-readers, who encourage me to write further.

Lie to me is still not mine :( R&R.

Chapter 2

It had already been more than two hours since he had taken her hand in his. She didn't move, neither did he. His eyes were locked on her face, as if he wasn't able to avert his gaze. Several times he opened his mouth, willing to say something, and closed it back, afraid to wake her up if she was sleeping and sure that she wouldn't be able to hear him if she was in coma.

Actually, he was like in trance, doing nothing and not thinking at all. Well, there were some thoughts in his head but they were mostly subconscious, merely a memory of what had happened, mostly some scenes from that day.

She's sitting in her office, watching with ironic smile how he tries to skip her door being an hour and a half late for work...
- They arrive to that old warehouse...
She calmly tells him that it's time to sign all the bills, and he remembers once again what a bastard he can be sometimes...
- She insists on coming inside that building without waiting for a help group...
During the lunch break she laughs at his joke, leaning her head back without knowing or noticing how happy she makes him by doing that...
- He feels the floor swinging under his feet and hears her scream...
Before stepping in their office she briefly presses her lips to his cheek, showing with that kiss her gratitude for those two hours they spent together...
- She lays motionless on that wooden floor, covered with dust and some ladder debris...
- She doesn't respond to him calling her name...
- He can't do anything. He reaches for his cell, with shaking hands dials 911. He can't, he can't help her...

"Daddy?" Cal jumped up on his sit. He had completely forgotten about this reality. Might have fallen asleep. He slowly became aware of the fact that he was still holding Gill's hand near his lips, carefully laid it on the bed and finally turned around to see two their employees and his daughter standing in the doorframe pale as ashes.

"Here, luv" Lightman made several unsure steps towards the door, opening his arms quite in time to embrace Emily.

"How're you? How long have you been sitting here like this?" she whispered, cuddling up to him.

"Dunno, 'bout an hour." he simply ignored her first question and didn't really want to admit that he had lost sense of time as soon as he saw Foster, answering the second one.

"How is Foster?" Loker broke down.

"The same. Let's at least not discuss it near her, alright? Now, that's the first rule." clearly not that keen on leaving Gillian alone, he looked at her once again.

"Stay with her, Em, please, while I have a small conversation with these two. Just try not to mo..." under any other circumstances girl would probably get mad at him for treating her like a child but now the only thing she told was "Okay" even before he was able to finish the sentence.

Kinda satisfied, Lightman came out in the hall and waved Eli and Torres to follow him.

"And what do other rules say?" Ria behaved herself as usual, trying to be calm and sensible, but her boss could see all the fear and tears she hid in her dark brown eyes pretty good.

"Until we're sure about who we're dealing with, you, Torres, just stick to Em. Never – and I mean it – let her out of your sight. Go with her to bathroom, toilet, wherever she wants. Keep her near you, thanks God she's on holidays. Next, call Reynolds. Explain him everything, tell him..." Cal halted a bit. "Tell him Gill was injured. He wouldn't say 'no' when he hears about it. If he refuses, call Wallowski. But she doesn't need to know what happened, lie to her. Well, it's in your best interest to make Ben work with it. He can investigate, and he will. And you... you find those damn clients, 'cause it's either them or us who were taken aim at. Do everything you can. Pretend to be me and Foster, if you need money or access or whatever."

"And what about you, Lightman?" Loker was extremely lucky that Cal had promised himself to control his temper, 'cause in any other way his pretty face would have some pretty ugly scars on it.

"Forget I've ever existed. Lightman is gone." with these words he swung about and headed back into the room.

Emily was standing near the bed, barely touching woman's hand with her fingers, her eyebrows knitted and put together, showing extreme sadness.

"She's going to wake up, Em. She's going to be OK. There's no other way." he swallowed the endings of the words, he was so anxious to believe what he was saying himself and to make his daughter believe in it too.

"I know." she slightly squeezed Foster's hand and approached her father in order to hug him tightly. "You're staying with her, right?"

"Yap. And you're going with Torres. Behave yourself better than usually, don't ask too much questions and forget about telling your mum about any of this, okay?"

"Didn't even have in mind sharing this with her."

"Hey, you're not lying. Fantastic. Now go and be a good girl. Luv you" he planted a gentle kiss on the back of her head.

"Take care of her." one more second and this beautiful creature with small smile on her lips and visible grief in her eyes was gone.

"I will." whispered Lightman, setting himself on his place by Gill's bed. Once again he took her hand, but this time he felt like he needed to say something. Regardless of what were the chances she was listening.

"Hear, luv, she trusts in you, she knows that you'll be alright, that you're strong. So do I. You hear, luv, you have whom to return to, you might be well aware of it. Hear, I will be here for you when you wake up; I'll never leave and never let anything happen to you. You hear, you just need to open your eyes; we'll do everything else together. You hear, I..." he stopped for a second just to go through these words which he was keeping in himself for so long. "...I love you, Gillian. Do you hear, I'll make you happy, I promise, I'll do everything for you. Do you hear..."

He may have unintentionally raised his voice, but he suddenly felt that something had changed, and before he could either continue or concentrate on finding out what that was...

"I do..." it was barely a whisper, but her lips were now parted, and her eyes were slightly opened.

He automatically squeezed her hand. That was the moment of the highest priority, the one he was ready to pay any price for, and yet...

Well, here is the second. Hope I didn't really screw up but even if I did, let me know, I'll be working on it xD