She has a troubled sleep, tossing in bed all night and with the dawn breaks she can no longer fight it. A new day barely begins and it already sucks. She sighs and then hears a noise, feels him rolling over and… snuggling against her back, nuzzling into her hair, entwining his arm around her. What the hell? She holds her breath, not moving, listening, waiting… but nothing happens, nothing changes. He keeps peacefully sleeping pressing his body against hers.

She doesn't know how long it lasts, but she slowly relaxes and even naps for a while 'till their contact is lost as he rolls back to his side, exhaling the name which cuts her ear in the morning silence, "Emma…"

Her eyes are widely open, but she's still. Though inside her there's a hell of hailstorm. No, she doesn't want to know anything, needs no damn explanation. He owns her nothing, but she does. And she hates that. It has to end. Today.

She pretends yet asleep while he's getting ready for work. Meantime she lies and thinks over the variants.

Looks like the fastest and easiest - she could sell her camera. But no, not an option. That's her baby, however, she didn't yet have a chance to use it here. And it's strange that through all that time she was missing it still does work and is with her as everything to a little detail – her clothes, her budget – the day she woke up in this town was the same as the last day she remembered. Like if she just travelled through time and space. Hm, that could be the most simple and most rational theory out of a bunch of illogical ones!

But back to the problem… She could borrow money. Not on the sheriff, for sure. The only one person besides him she knows here and talks to is Ruby, who is a waitress and so her wages aren't big, but her tips… Oh, come on, she would never borrow money, unless there's an urgency. She, luckily, hasn't been in such kind of situations, and this one isn't like that, too.

While, yep, accepting what she was forced to accept by the sheriff is an isolated case due to the circumstances. And she doesn't want to be left out of choice. Well, it's always there, they say. But she wants to be able to see those options and go through them like she does now.

Further on, she could call some of her friends in Oregon. "Hello. It's me. Can you believe, yeah, I'm not dead, stuck hell knows where… and… um, could you help me with some money?" Well, that could turn too bothersome.

There's only one way seems real, but it will take time. That's her original idea, what she asked the sheriff of, but his generous heart came up with another. Oh, screw him once again with his nobleness.

"What would you like?" it's just a general question, but she hopes there also could be a bit of concern of a friend.

"A job… and a place to live… 'till I scratch enough money to get out of here," such answer is never expected and Ruby is slightly taken aback.

"I thought… you're with Graham."

"I'm not with him!" too much revolt in her voice surprises not only the waitress.

"I mean… I thought he takes care of it… of you."

All he really cares is Emma, there's grumbling inside her head.

"I can take care of myself…" she says firmly yet calm. "Just need a little help."

Some real help and not charity.

"Ok, I'll ask Granny," Ruby's not very positive, though. "But first, you eat something."

"No, I'm not…"

"Don't tell me it's 'cause you don't have money?" the waitress enquires.

"No, I'm really not hungry… well, actually… I feel sick… sometimes… since recently… so far I remember…"

"And who's going to hire you when you're sick?" gladly, it's not a reproof, it's a friend's concern. "Did you visit a doctor?"

"Of course, no. There's nothing serious." Indeed, it doesn't worth worrying as she barely pays attention to that. And why did she ever need to advert to that now?

"That won't do. You don't know what have been with you during that time you don't remember, so… Granny, I'm leaving," the waitress announces. "Dr. Whale will take… will help. That's what you need? Let's start with this."

No, that is not what she needs, to be stuck in a hospital doing all kind of tests. But Ruby is resolute.

What is wrong with these people? Damn it! Why can't they just do what they're asked of?


"What is he doing here?"

He frowns at the coldness of her voice, taking a rapid glance at Ruby as he enters the room. "I'm a sheriff. Supposed to know everything…"

"Ha!" she only folds her arms and looks away.

And what that means? Did he miss something? Is she mad at him?

"So here we are," Dr. Whale's emergence draws everyone's attention. "Nice to have you back, sheriff." It seems more than just a welcoming as he gazes at Graham, closely, weirdly uncomfortably, from top to toe, for too long, 'till Ruby calls to him. "So," the doctor says. "I have two news. Hope, both are the same life-affirming." With another brief glance at the sheriff he continues. "Nothing so far disturbing, you seem perfectly healthy…" Whale takes a meaningful pause.

"But?" she induces.

"No, there's no but, miss. And…" that false doctor's grin only makes everyone more nervous. "You're pregnant."

There's a dead silent scene filled with astonishment, wonder and hesitation in the air, not a single word is dared to drop.

"Hm. Well, we can get an ultrasound to see…"

"No," she's harsh as she cuts the doctor off, getting up and darting away.

That is not life-affirming news. It's clearly shocking.

Graham catches up with her at the elevator's doors. He barely can imagine what she feels or what there's in her head now, but he wants do to something, he needs to.

"Let's follow doctor's advice…" he offers calmly.

"You're not telling me what to do," she turns to him, furious and… scared? "It's none of your business. I don't require anything of your services, your kindness or sympathy. Done with that. Enough. It's beyond your authority, sheriff. And don't look at me like a hurt puppy. It's even beyond your understanding."

He grabs her hand as she wants to leave. He can't quite argue with her about that. She's right. But she can't forbid him to care about her.

"I know you need time to…"

"To what?" she questions in despair, but her voice is close to whisper, she doesn't want to shout it loud for the whole hospital. "You really don't understand a thing. I freaking don't remember any of that. A year and a half of my life is missing and I turn out to be pregnant." She breaks at this point, closes her eyes and swallows. She tries to hold back the tears he beholds now. "That can't be. That just can't be. I'm not the Virgin Mary. And that just… couldn't have happened… without my will… which I didn't give remember I that or not… I wouldn't let it happen... I don't… want that…" The last words she says prostrate rather to herself, considering something, and he senses wrong.

"What are you going to do?" he's stroke by a thought which comes through his mind.

"I don't want that," she repeats slowly with more knowing, not explicating it for him, though, but that does confirm his fear.

"No, give it time. Sleep on it, you'll understand then…" he assures her, ignoring her negating and growing disgust of the situation, of her condition, ignoring her attempts to leave. "Not remembering doesn't involve the worse to have happened. What if you're wrong? You're wrong anyway. There's a life inside you. It's innocent…"

She almost weeps at his words in a protest, cursing and with another frantic try to twist out before he claps her in his arms tightly, so she just gasps and her body slowly has to surrender relaxing against his. Her emotions, though, are not going to still as she mutely cries burying her face into his chest.

He can't imagine what it's like, what she's experiencing now. But it's not just compassion and kindness he feels, it's true concern and caring. And as he holds her in his arms – what a sudden bliss and pacification he finds in that – he knows everything will be fine, will clear up and eventually turn out right.

Yesterday his world shattered when he saw Emma standing in front of him with a daze and tears in her eyes, but smiling and then rushing to embrace him. Ohhh… But it was different. All those feelings and hopes he cherished for the Saviour were not like that already. Or probably never were as he fancied it.

He'll be endlessly thankful to her for everything… for freeing him… for showing him who he is… for giving him hope for more… She did it as the Saviour and a friend. And they are quits now as technically she returned the favour from her parents.

And it's their happy ending. Apart. It was hard and even painful to admit it last night… But this moment he knows, not yet sure how or why, but he feels it with the full of his anew beating heart - there's yet something good for him… what he holds in his arms right now…