Hello, World Pt. 10

Finally, the last part! I really have enjoyed writing this and I didn't expect it to be THIS long. Thanks for the reviews and enduring my cliffhanger torture. I'll see you next time with either 'Disrespect' or 'Gun to the Mind.'

Ben cringed as sergeant and suspect collided into each other. The crutch of the suspect dug into Callum, allowing its owner to momentarily gain the advantage, until Stone spun the man around violently and slammed him into the wall viciously, pinning him there. He tried to struggle.

"Ben, are you going to stand there and gawk like a fish out of water, or are you going to help?" Stone's irritated voice snapped Ben from his haze.

"Yeah, yeah." He ran over, handcuffs appearing in his hand. He clamped them onto the man's wrists. "You are under arrest for burglary, attempted murder and assaulting a police officer. You do not have to say anything, but anything you do say may be taken down as evidence. You understand?"

"Yeah, I unders'and." The man slurred. "Though, 'ow am I supposed tuh walk wit' my 'ands be'ind my back when I need my crutch?"

Sergeant and constable looked at each other, before Stone finally sighed.

"Here, lean on me." He replied reluctantly. "Ben, call in another unit to take him away."

Ben nodded, grabbing is radio. "795 to Sierra Oscar, requesting another unit to St. Hugh's Hospital, male suspect detained, over."

"Received. Unit on way." The radio controller replied instantly.

"All right, come on!" Ben led the way to the entrance of the hospital, going slow enough so Callum and their suspect could keep up with him.

After the man who attacked Sally had been safely taken away from the hospital, Ben and Callum walked up to Sally's room, where Sally, her daughter and Mel were waiting. Ben was about to enter, when he noticed Callum wasn't following.

"Sarge?" He looked at him questioningly. "Aren't you coming in?"

"No. There's something I want to talk to Sally about when we are alone." The sergeant nodded slowly.

"Sarge, for what it's worth, I'm sorry about earlier..."

"It's fine. You were angry. Now go in."

The constable smiled, before turning and entering the room.

"Did you get him, Ben?" Mel asked as Ben entered into the room. He blinked, his eyes having to adjust again, before he nodded at his colleague.

"Yep. He's heading down to the station as we speak."

"That's great! See, I told you it would be fine, Sally!" She jumped up to her feet from the chair she was sitting on, accidently waking Cally, who was still in her arms. Mel braced herself for the tears, but was pleasantly surprised when Cally didn't cry out at all. She did, however, start wriggling.

"Haha. Looks like someone wants mummy." Ben chuckled, walking up to Mel and tickling Cally's chin, before taking her out of his friend's arms and handing her back to Sally.

"Well, I'm going to see if I can get checked over." Mel turned to leave the room, adding just before she exited, "Take care, ok?"

"We will." Sally called after her, before watching Ben sit down on the seat formally occupied by their colleague.

"So, what did you call her, then?" Ben asked Sally casually, tickling Cally behind one of her ears. She responded by gurgling adorably.

"Cally Rose." She replied, smiling shyly. "Come closer."

"What?" He gave her a wild look. "Why?"

"Trust me."

"All right." Ben leaned closer. He was startled when he felt her lips caress his cheek softly and she gently kissed him. He felt his face burn in embarrassment. "What was that for?"

"It was my way of saying, thank you. Thank you for catching my assailant, thank you for understanding...and...Just thank you for everything."

"You do realise Stone's out there, right?" He asked her.

"He'll understand, I'm sure. Listen, Ben, I was wondering if I could ask a special and personal favour from you?" Sally's voice suddenly lowered.

"What is it?"

"I've not discussed it with Callum yet, but...Would you like to be Cally's godfather and honorary uncle?" Her voice was barely audible now.

"Sally, are you sure?"He replied incredulously. "If this is your way of apologising..."

"No, it isn't. Ben, you've been a really good friend to me, almost like an older brother. It's only right you should be involved in Cally's life, and I'm sure Callum would agree with me."

"In that case then, I would love to." He kissed Cally on the forehead, gently hugged Sally, before rising. "I'll leave you three to it." Ben smiled, exiting the room. As he passed Callum, he whispered, "She's all yours now."

Callum entered, slowly crossing the room to sit down beside his love. Sally gave him a one armed hug and he kissed her softly, before Sally pulled away from him, noticing the bruise on his jaw.

"Please tell me that could have been avoided." Sally whispered to him.

"It was Ben...he's apologised for it. I deserved it at the time. But we are good now." He explained quickly to her.

"That's great, because I just asked him a question that I ought to run by you."

"What did you ask him?"

"I asked him if he wanted to be Cally's godfather and honorary uncle. He said he would love to, if you are happy with it."

"Of course I am. I mean, you two are good friends, so I don't see why not."

"Then it's settled." Sally was about to draw Callum back into a hug when she caught him smirking, his gaze on Cally.

"Someone's tired. Shall I put her in the cot?" Stone asked, indicating the clear plastic hospital cot that was sat at the end of the bed.

"That's a great idea. I would like to get a little rest, too." She carefully slid their daughter into Callum's awaiting arms, double checking he had a comfortable hold of her. He seemed to grasp it quickly enough before rising, bouncing the baby in his arms and walking slowly to the cot. 'My, he's such a natural...' Her mind admired for a moment as she watched Callum tuck Cally up in her cot, all the time whispering gently to her, a singing a barely audible lullaby that she hadn't heard since she herself was a child. It wasn't long until Cally was fully asleep, and Callum was sitting on the chair beside her again. Unburdened, the two kissed deeply, Sally stroking the sergeant's still damp hair and Stone lightly cupping the former constable's cheek with the hand Sally had crushed. He pulled back slightly so he could breathe again for a moment, before Sally tried kiss him again. Teasing her, he playfully put a finger to her lips, feeling his heart racing.

"Aww, sweetheart, don't tease me." She mock complained, forcing a smile from Callum.

"You know I do it because I love you." His heart was in his throat as his hand left her face and delved into his pocket.

"Cal, what's up?" Sally spoke softly, her face feeling cold now his hand was no longer there.

Stone took a deep breath. "Sal, you know I love you and Cally more than anything in the world. You remember a while back, I made a promise to you?"

"Of course, I can never forget. You said you'd protect me and watch over us, even if it killed you and no matter what happened." She recounted. "You said you'd be with me one hundred percent of the way..." She trailed off when she saw what position Callum had taken up. Distracted with remembering his promise to her, she hadn't noticed him shift off the chair to a kneeling position with one knee on the floor.

Taking a deep bow, Callum removed his hand from his pocket and raised it up to Sally. In his palm was a petite ruby heart shaped box which he slowly prised open with his other hand, reavealing the most exquisite ring with several diamonds set in it.

"Sally Armstrong, would you do me the most amazing honour and become my wife, to cherish and love forever?" Callum spoke in the sweetest, loving tone that Sally had ever heard him speak in.

The tears came thick and fast, blurring her vision, and she was unable to stop them. For the first time in ages, she properly smiled. She swore she could see tears welling in her lover's eyes too. She almost threw herself at him, embracing him so tightly that Callum thought she would never let go.

Outside, Ben was watching the pair, and as Callum had produced the ring, he too had shed a tear. He didn't hear Mel's footsteps as she came back from being checked over.

"Oi, I saw that, Gayle." She teased him.

"So I'm not made of stone." He retorted in the same tone back at her.

"So, what just happened then?"

"Stone popped the question, I think."

"Seriously? And?" Mel asked

"I think Sally's too shocked to..." Ben broke off as Mel silenced him with a wave of her hand.

The silence around them was so complete that even though it had been whispered, both Ben and Mel heard it clearly enough. A single word that would change all their lives forever...

One word.

Just a single, simple word.

"Yes."