Callum leaned against the rear yard railing, his hands stuffed into his uniform trousers. He sighed, feeling bored, as was usually the case when he was forced to sit behind a desk.

It had been two weeks since the bombings, and so far nothing concrete had turned up. He'd taken a week's leave of absence, before he'd returned to work after his fight with Smithy. He'd apologised, but the feeling that Smithy had only accepted it because Gina had asked him to, niggled at the back of his mind.

He allowed his mind to wander; his thoughts eventually returning to Emma.

He'd visited her regularly during his week off; often more than once a day. Mostly Dorothy and Frank were alone; Dorothy always seeming pleased to see him, while Frank….

Callum couldn't quite put his finger on what really pissed him off about Emma's father. Maybe it was simply a matter of mutual dislike of each other?

He certainly resented being ushered away from Emma's bedside whenever Callum came to visit.

Callum had protested at their leaving, but Dorothy always brushed them aside, with a shake of her head and a bright smile.

The outer door to custody clanged shut, bringing him out of his reverie.

"You looked a million miles away," commented Jo, as she headed determinedly down the ramp towards one of the unmarked police cars.

He shrugged slightly. "Just needed some air," he muttered quietly. "You got anything interesting?" he asked, hopefully. He would be glad when he was on operational duties again.

"Just a follow up on the arrest we made on an armed robbery, last week," she replied continuing down the ramp and heading to the car.

"Lucky you," he muttered under his breath, rising to his feet and heading back into the station.

"Oh, Callum," Gina called as he neared his office. He turned to her hopefully. "Ma'am?"

"The Super is after me to do those Risk Assessment Reports and he's not going to give up until it's done."

She watched, as he's hopeful expression changed, to one of guarded caution whenever anything even remotely related to Emma was mentioned.

"Now?" he asked, looking sick.

Gina nodded. "Please."

Callum watched her head down the corridor towards C.A.D, before ducking quickly into his office and grabbing his cap, before quickly heading back to the rear yard and freedom.


Dorothy smiled as she caught a glimpse of Callum standing outside Emma's room, talking to a nurse. With a quick word to Frank, she was halfway across the room when Callum pushed open the door, removing his cap as he did so.

"This is a surprise; we weren't expecting you until after work," she greeted him, with a smile.

Callum smiled almost bashfully, and turned away slightly, a hint of colour on his cheeks. "Avoiding paperwork," he said truthfully.

Dorothy smiled, encouragingly. Her growing suspicions of the real reason behind his numerous visits, confirmed in his bashful smile.

"Well, it seems that your timing is perfect. PC Fletcher and PC Armstrong left a few minutes ago, and Frank and I were thinking of going for lunch. Dr Sinclair is really pleased with Emma's progress. They think it's possible she could wake up soon."

As they approached the bed, Frank nodded stiffly at Callum. "Sergeant." He greeted in a clipped tone, before turning to regard Emma.

"Frank," Dorothy said pointedly, when it became clear that he had no intention of leaving Emma's side. "I thought you wanted some lunch?"

Frank sighed his irritation, and kissed Emma's hand he'd been holding. He rose slowly to his feet, leant over and kissed her forehead. "Won't be long, Princess," he murmured, drawing it out as long as possible.

Dorothy sighed impatiently. "Frank, by the time we get down there, there won't be anything worth getting but scraps. Callum will need to head back soon."

Frank rose and turned to face Callum, and then his wife, his resentment and irritation clear. "I'm not stopping him, my dear. I'm sure he has plenty to keep him busy."

He brushed past Callum, who looked like he wanted a hole to open up and swallow him whole.

Dorothy looked at him apologetically, before heading angrily after her husband.

Callum waited until they'd gone, before sitting heavily in one of the chairs beside the bed. Dorothy's angry admonishments at Frank's lack of respect, fading as the doors swung shut.

Despite developing an infection the previous week, Emma's colour had improved slightly, although she was still generally pale looking.

He stared at her, noting the burn on her cheek didn't seem as angry and raw as it had only a few days before. She'd have a scar when it healed, surely a small price to pay if it meant escaping with your life.

Impulsively he took hold of her hand, his thumb gently caressing the back of it, the contact making his skin tingle.

"We're not giving up, Emma, and neither should you," he whispered, his eyes not leaving her. "I'm not angry at you for disobeying orders, I just want you to wake up."

He heard the footsteps just before Dorothy came into view. He quickly let go of Emma's hand, mentally reaffirming the emotional barriers, before turning to face her.

She smiled apologetically, as she grabbed for her handbag, giving no indication that she'd seen anything, once more confirming her suspicions. He hid it well, but mother's instinct told her all she needed to know. Secretly she approved; Emma could and had done a lot worse, in the past.

She turned to leave when an alarm rang shrilly.

Callum quickly rose to his feet, moving to stand with Dorothy, as nurses rushed into the room, surrounding Emma's bed.

Dorothy's pale white face was marred with fear.

Panic swept through Callum, forgetting to breath, his heart seeming to stop beating, as the world receded until it was filled only with the nurses working frantically around Emma's bed.

Dorothy's quiet sob, brought him half way out of his tumultuous thoughts, and without thinking, he placed an arm around her, drawing her close.

The shrillness of the alarm stopped abruptly, but it was a few seconds before it registered with Callum.

Now that the room was quiet once more, snatches conversations drifted over and he felt a glimmer of hope.

"…easy Emma, your doing great."

"…Slowly, now, don't fight it. "

After what felt considerably longer than ten minutes, Rachel came over to fill them in.

"It's good news," she smiled reassuringly, at their look of worried concern. "She's started to breathe on her own now. It's only a matter of time before she wakes up. Continue talking to her positively. Its normal that she may not respond straight away, but its still a very promising sign."

Callum took a step away, reaching for the radio on his utility belt. "Thirty to Sierra-Oscar One, over."

"Go ahead, Callum," Gina responded immediately.

"I'm at the hospital, Ma'am. Emma's started breathing on her own, and they're hopeful she'll wake up soon," Callum explained quickly, the consequences be damned. His eyes returned Emma's bed, where a nurse was talking to Dorothy.

Gina's relief was palpable, even over the radio. "That's fabulous! I'll let the rest of the relief know. But I need you back here, right now."

"Ma'am" Callum acknowledged, disappointedly. Paper work was the last thing on his mind right now.

He walked over to the bed, picking up his cap off the chair where he'd discarded it earlier. "Its great news, about Emma," he said, with a brief smile. "But my Inspector needs me back at the station. I'm afraid the paper work won't wait after all," he said regrettably.

Dorothy smiled in understanding. "If there is any further change, I'll let you know," she promised.

He's gaze lingered a moment on Emma, before he tore himself away and headed back to Sun Hill.


Callum stared at the blank Risk Assessment form, but his mind was focused on other things.

What would happen, now that Emma was about to wake up? He had hoped that this would happen, but now that it was…he felt conflicted.

His musings were interrupted by Sally, bounding into his office, her face alight with hope.

"Is it true?" she asked, eagerly. "Has Emma come out of the coma?"

Callum sighed and pushed back from his desk slightly, as he turned to look at the young constable.

"Not exactly," he responded. "She's breathing on her own, but she still hasn't woken up. Her nurse said it was a promising sign, though."

"You've seen her?"

Callum stared at his hands, briefly, before nodding. "I was there when they took her off the ventilator. It could be hours, even days, before anything else happens."

"Are you going to be there, when she does wake up?"

Callum chewed his lip, before returning his gaze to Sally. "I don't know," he said, uncertainly.

"But Sarge, that night at your flat…"

"This is not the time nor the place to discuss this, Sally," he warned her, with a frown. "It's just not that simple, for a start. I'm glad she's waking up, really. But…" he shook his head.

"Just be there, Sarge, and talk to her, because that's the only way you're going to convince her she's wrong about you."