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Chapter 13 – Take me home

24th December, (16.00hrs UK – 11.00hrs America):

Elizabeth was sat at her grandmother's house surrounded by her aunties, uncles and cousins; she was telling them all about Henry, her job at UVA and life in America generally. She couldn't help but think of him so she reached for her phone and text him

Hey you, thinking of you, Merry Christmas Eve x

She picked up her glass and went to drink when she had a message straight back.

Hi Babe, thinking of you always, Merry Christmas eve too you too, I'll give you a call in an hour or so if you're still awake x

She replied:

Henry I would stay awake all night for you x

25th December (14.00hrs UK – 09.00hrs America):

'Merry Christmas everyone' the McCord's all embraced one another in a warm hug, as they gathered around the tree handing out gifts, the way they had done many of times before when the children were young.

Henry grabbed his phone and tried to call Elizabeth but the line was busy

Merry Christmas my darling, I am missing you; I have put a small gift in your suitcase (if you haven't found it by now). It's been a long few days without you. X

Elizabeth felt her phone vibrate as she tucked into her Christmas meal, she immediately smiled and walked up to her suitcase, she rummaged through and found his gift, it was a mini pocket calendar with the days marked off, counting down the days until they saw one another.

Merry Christmas McCord, I tried to call you earlier by the lines are not good, I hope you have a wonderful day, send my love to your family. Thank you for my gift, that was sneaky. X

27th December (15.00hrs UK – 10.00Hrs America):

It was dark. Cold. The rain came down harsh on the windows. Echoes of silence filled the room. Nobody could move. Nobody could speak. A damp smell filled the corridors. Heads were dipped. Souls were breaking.

'I am so Mr McCord, we were unable to save your wife; she's gone' the doctor explained to Patrick McCord.

Sobs filled the once silence room. Everyone holding one another. Tears spilled like the rain outside. Family begging for more time. Henry silently escaped the room. He couldn't breathe. His mother had gone. The smell of death hit him; he leant over the toilet and emptied his stomach contents. He reached for his phone...

...

'Come on, why don't you come to the shops with Elizabeth and me' Jess spoke to Elizabeth's grandmother.

'I don't think that girl needs to go shopping she still hasn't unpacked her suitcase in fear she won't get it all back in' she laughed

'Gran, you can never have too many clothes, plus I have someone to impress now' Elizabeth winked and her laughs were interrupted by her phone ringing, Jess picked it up off the table

'Oh speak of the devil' she stated and handed Elizabeth the phone.

'Henry, hello I was jus-' she stopped. Henry hadn't spoken yet. She could hear him being sick, she could hear the cries, the desperation in his cry. She knew that feeling. The colour drained from her face, she had to sit down. Jess and her Gran both looking on in concern.

'Henry' Elizabeth's voice croaked as she spoke. She squeezed her eyes shut; she didn't want to hear what she was about too.

'She's gone' he replied, and with that sobs ripped through his body, he was sick repeatedly. Elizabeth sat on the end of the phone, silent tears cascading down her cheeks as she listened to the man she love be violently ill. She was crying for the pain Henry was experiencing, for the loss, for the distance.

'Hi Miss, I'm Dr Francis, I am with Dr McCord, were going to have him checked out and get him some fluids, Is it ok if I ask him to call you back' the doctor explained

'Of course, Is He ok? Please send him my love' she explained and the phone line went dead. Elizabeth stood up quickly tapped on her phone

'What the hell is going on, are you ok?' Her Gran asked.

'Yeah, I need to go, Henry's mum has passed away today' she stated not looking up from her phone.

'Done' she rushed upstairs, chucked all her stuff in her suitcase and bundled it downstairs.

'Can someone take me to the airport please, I have a plane to Pittsburgh to catch in 3 hours' she looked hopeless, she wanted to break down herself but she needed to be there for Henry.

'Of course come' Jess called and rushed out the door. Elizabeth looked at her Gran and held her close

'I am so sorry, but He needs me' she tried to explain

'Go and stand by the side of your man' she smiled and kissed her granddaughter.

She joined Jess in the car and started to speak as best she could;

'Put your foot down Jess, Take me home'.

9 hours of flying and Elizabeth had touched down in Pittsburgh airport. She was rushing through customs, exhausted and jet lagged, she left England at 6pm so to her it was 2am however because of the time difference it was only 9pm in America.

She knew that there as a good chance she had made Henry feel worse as he wouldn't have been able to contact her for a good 10 hours. She hollowed down a taxi, she had no idea if they were still at the hospital or if they had gone home, her phone was switched on but it was searching for a network.

'Urm, take me to this address please, Take me home' she begged, she was in such a rush to hold Henry. Luckily the airport was about a 20 minute drive from Henry's family home. Her phone found a network and all her missed calls and texts come through, 15 calls from Henry, 12 text messages, the last one saying he was worried about her now and others saying they were heading home.

She pulled up outside the house, paid the driver grabbed her suitcase and ran to the front door; she knocked it as quick as she could.

Shane McCord answered the door and she pushed her way in, looking in the living room

'He's up stairs' Shane spoke and Elizabeth put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder before descending the stairs. She slowed down as she got to the top, tears pricking at her eyes, she pushed the door open and her eyes fell on the man she loved. Broken. Uncontrollably sobbing on the floor of his room.

She flung her arms around him and held on as tight as she could. He turned into her, knowing instantly it was her by her smell, her touch. He wrapped his arms around her and shook with heartache.

'What are you doing here, I was so bloody worried' he snapped at her, not meaning too, he was overwhelmed.

'I am so sorry Henry, I didn't mean to worry you, but when I told you months ago I was here for you I meant it, I've done this alone, it's not nice. I am here because you're my partner and you need someone' she spoke softly wiping his tears.

'It's ok to cry baby, I've got you, now and always' she soothed and held him close. Rocking him back and forth to attempt to calm his breathing; she held on as tight as she could, she didn't want to lose Henry as well. She squeezed him in hope of holding all his broken pieces together.