Chapter 3 ends as Season 10 ended. The very last image of Harry picking up the phone and saying his name. Totally anticlimactic if you ask me. When I saw the end of the last episode I couldn't keep myself from going NNNNOOOOOOOOO… STUPID, STUPID WRITER. Come on it can't end like this. Stupid end.

Chapter 4

Harry hears a long sigh and very excited feminine voice starts talking… rapidly.

"Sir… finally. I'm so glad. You weren't answering your mobile and that's all I had in the emergency contact file. It took me forever to find a number for you."

"Who is this?" Harry doesn't really care about the answer. He just wants to be left alone.

"Oh! Sorry. I'm Nurse Akins from the Victoria hospital. I've been trying to reach you since early yesterday morning."

His breath catches in his throat. No… not another death. I can't. I just can't. But the voice keeps on talking.

"It's Miss Evershed, Sir. When we went in, you were gone and I couldn't reach you, and…"

It took all he has in him to control his voice. He stands up from his desk and interrupts the irritating voice.

"What about Miss Evershed."

The voice answers back almost screaming. "She's alive Sir! Miss Evershed is alive!"

Harry loses all feelings in his body and falls back into his chair. His mind is blank it feels like an outer body experience. The voice is so fast now that Harry is not sure he's hearing every word.

"We terminated life support and as we were going to call the time... we got a pulse, very faint, but there it was… a pulse. A few hours later, the pulse was a bit stronger and she took a breath on her own, Sir. Miss Evershed took a breath all by herself. She's alive!"

Nurse Akins wanted to be the one giving him the news. She had been the treating nurse to Ruth and had seen him crumble under her eyes, seen the man's heart literally break. She had fought to be the one telling him.

The phone drops from Harry's hand. He can't… he doesn't… he's lost again.

"My God! She's alive." He whispers fearing to say the words and yet not processing the thought, his body is numb, his brain is unplugged. He can hear a voice coming from the phone on his desk.

The shrilling voice on the phone is calling his name. "Mr. Pearce… Mr. Pearce. Are you there?"

He feels strange, as if everything inside him is breaking. How can something broken be broken again? He can't explain what he feels any other way, like the man he was is being broken by exultation. The mask he had so elaborately put in place dissolves… it's utterly, positively, completely gone.

Waves upon waves of joy, relief and hope roll into one another.

He's this what a rebirth feels like? I felt dead and now I don't. I've never felt more alive.

Harry had never been a spiritual man. Even when he was tortured on missions, he hadn't believed. But this! This! Finally a single thought makes it through the void in his mind.

Ruth's alive. I've got her back.

That's enough to bring him back to the moment, picking the phone up he asks: "Ruth is alive? Ruth Evershed is alive?"

The voice confirms his thought and makes the hope he feels swell until his being is filled with it. "Yes Sir. She's still on life support but her pulse is getting stronger with every hour."

I need to go to her, now… right now. I need Ruth and she's alive. My God she's alive. She's a miracle.

He looked at the phone in his hand and with a sure voice spoke into it again. "I'll be there shortly, I'm on my way.'' He hangs up and picks up the phone again, his voice dead serious and more commanding than ever. Nothing will keep him from going to her. He needs to go to her.

"Mike. Car. Front door, NOW." and hangs up again.

Grabbing his phone, he looks around for something else… he doesn't know what. He can't get up from his chair, his legs are just useless but he has to go to her… now… legs working or not. He slowly gets up, his hands are shaking… his whole body is… like a leaf. He slowly walks outside his office.

Erin sees him first and stands looking at him, Calum and Dimitri moving over to him as Erin arrives by his side.

"What's wrong Harry? What happened?"

He tries to talk, to tell her, but he can't get the words out at first, just her name.

"Ruth… Ruth is… She was… Ruth."

Erin puts her hand on his arm. "Yes Harry… we know."

Harry tries again. "No… Ruth… she is alive."

He can see disbelief on their faces. The words feel so good… they make him feel good… so he says them again.

"Ruth is alive." This time his voice is stronger and a smile illuminates his face. Everyone hears him and a few incredulous gasp are heard in the silence of the room. But Harry can't wait, he starts walking towards the pods, saying the words again.

"Ruth is alive... Ruth is alive. I'm going to her." Harry rushes by the group. "I'll phone, I promise. Tell the DG I'll be away for a while and to get a replacement for me." Within seconds is out.

Harry steps out of Thames House and he gets in the waiting car shouting orders.

"Mike . Victoria Hospital. Let's go. On the double." He feels giddy now, like the air is too thin.

Harry picks his phone and starts punching numbers. He's smiling, his lips spreading all the way across his face.

"Catherine. It's your Dad."

She can hear happiness, joy and delight in his voice. How can it be after the devastation they witness just the night before?

"DAD, what the hell?" Catherine wonders if her father has gone mad.

"Catherine my beautiful daughter… SHE'S ALIVE. Ruth is alive." Harry is laughing his words.

Catherine is speechless… she can't find the words to speak. She didn't believe in miracles and this was no small one.

"Yes, light of my days. Ruth is alive. I'm… I'm… My wonderful daughter, Ruth's alive."

"Dad…" she says chocking and Harry can hear tears in her voice.

"Catherine. Don't cry. It's such wonderful news my beautiful Catherine."

He hears Catherine's laugh. "Yes Dad. Ruth is alive."

Harry keeps on going. "Lovelier words were never spoken enchanting daughter of mine. Can't talk long, I'm on my way to the hospital and I want to phone Graham before I get there. I'm so happy Cat. I'm so happy… Ruth's alive."

"I'm so happy for you, Daddy." She says laughing. Catherine was getting snatched in Harry's bubble of joy. "She's alive, I can't believe it. Dad, call Graham, he'll be so happy. Go to her Dad, be with her and tell her you love her. Don't waste any more time."

"I intend to sweetheart. I'm so happy right now." Harry couldn't believe the miracle that was given to him but understanding wasn't required, she was his miracle and that's all he needed to know.

Catherine's tone turned serious.

"I don't care what you have to do Dad, but you make her love you. Beg on your knees, buy jewellery by the loads, write poems, sing… I really don't care. You need her to love you and you've wasted enough time. Once you've done that you call me. I want to meet the woman who took my father down for the count."

"Believe me Catherine. She has no other choice. I'm done wasting time. This was too close a call to let her run away from me. I have already imagined every scenario, every strategies, she's not getting away from me ever again. I promise you will meet her and you will be the maid of honour at our wedding."

"Whoa Dad, slow down. Wait at least until the doctors gives you their prognostic."

"I don't care about any of that Sweetheart, she's alive and as soon she can talk and say I do, I'm going to marry that woman. That's pretty much all I care about."

"Ok Dad. Give me the time and date and I'll be there in my prettiest dress. Now hang up, call Graham and go to her." She tells him as she's just about to hang up, her father stops her.

"Catherine?'

"Yes Dad."

"I love you Sweetheart."

She is shocked into silence. She never thought she'd hear the words from her father. The day before had been momentous but nothing like this.

She wants her Dad in her life more than anything, always craved it. He's her Dad; she loves him and always thought the love wasn't returned. His statement changed all that. "I love you too Dad."

Harry is overwhelmed. He never expected such a gift from his daughter. His happiness knows new level.

"Just had to say it Catherine, I've always felt it just couldn't say the words for so long. I can't stop them now, I'm too happy."

"I understand Dad, I needed the words to. We'll talk some more later. You have somewhere to be. Bye Dad."

She hangs up knowing he only has a few minutes before arriving to the hospital. Harry speed dials his son.

"GRAHAM! It's Dad." To say Graham is surprised would be the understatement of the century. His father is almost shouting over the phone.

"Dad?"

"Yes my golden boy. I'm your Dad and Ruth is alive." He is ridiculously happy. He wants to tell the world.

"MY GOD DAD! Wow… How… What…"

"Don't forget… who, where and why." Harry adds snorting. "I'm so happy, son. I'm even happier for the fact that I can call to tell you that Ruth is alive. I'm so happy we're talking son."

"Dad, I'm so… so happy for you…" Graham is lost for words but also truly happy for his father.

"Oh! Graham. I can't find the words. I am, delirious with joy, euphoric." Harry is on a high. "This is going to be an amazingly wonderful day. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and Ruth's alive and I have my children in my life."

Graham doesn't recognize the man on the phone. He couldn't remember his father so jubilant. Harry Pearce wasn't known for his cheery disposition.

Who is this man? Graham thinks with a smirk on his face."Can you see anything from the cloud you're on Dad?" Graham adds laughing. He hears a giggle coming from the other side of the line and that takes Graham to a whole new level of disbelief.

Wow I didn't know he had it in him. Never seen him… this funny.

"That's enough, who are you and what have you done with Harry Pearce. Dad! You're giggling like a schoolgirl." Graham teases.

"Right you are son. I…" Harry gets distracted by the word. "You know I love saying that word. Son. My son. My fantastic son. My…"

Graham is howling with laughter. "Ok Dad, no way you're coming down anytime soon. "

Harry cuts in. "Graham, I'm at the hospital. I've got to go son."

"Ok, Dad. Keep in touch. Ok?" He has such hopes of having his Dad in his life. He's been angry and resentful of his father for so long but he knew that down deep inside he was even angrier at him for not wanting to be in his life. Being angry didn't mean he hated the man. From what he learned the day before, he came to the truth that his Dad loved him and staying away had not been solely his fault.

On his end of the line, Harry understands what his son is not saying.

Keep in touch. Funny Son. Now that you're back in my life, no way am I going to let you go. There is still a lot to fix, but I'll do my damnest to repair our relationship. I want Ruth and a family.

Encourage by his daughter's reaction to his words, Harry decides there shouldn't be any censorship between them and he lets go.

"I will son. I promise. I'm never not talking to you… not ever again. I love you Graham. I didn't say it or showed it in the past, but I do. I've been such an arse, but no more Graham."

There are a few seconds of silence before Graham's voice reach him.

"Love you too Dad."

That… These 4 little words stop Harry dead in his track.

Love you too Dad.

Harry comes down from his cloud in one swift fall. He never expected, never thought he would again hear these words… from anyone… ever again. Three people… he has three impossibly wonderful human beings in his life and they love him.

Soberly he whispers into the phone: "Oh! Graham. I don't deserve you. Thank you so much Graham. I love you son."

At the words, Graham feels his heart swell and his throat tightened. In a chocked voice he tells Harry. "Go Dad. Ruth's alive."

And just like that, the son gives the father wings to go back on his cloud.

"That she is!" Harry almost shouts the words and follows with a few more that make Graham doubt his sanity. "You're invited to the wedding, son."

Harry hears laughter on the line right before he hangs up and jumps out of the car. He runs into the hospital and doesn't stop before he reaches the Nurse's station. He's looking for a nurse, any nurse. He wants to see Ruth. He hears his name coming from behind him in a familiar voice.

"Mr. Pearce!"

He turns around and recognizes the voice from the earlier phone call.

"Ah! Nurse Akins. You're the one who phoned me… aren't you?"

"Yes, I am Sir." She pushes her hand towards him, feeling the need to touch him somehow. Hand shake is a greatly underestimated comfort.

Harry gives her the biggest smile and shakes her hand vigorously. "Thank you… so much… She's alive?"

Getting her hand back before he crushes it, the nurse nods. "She is Sir. Follow me I'll take you to her, Mr. Pearce."

"Call me Harry."