A/N: Hello all. Hope you had a lovely weekend. I know I left you all on a bit of a cliff hanger, so I wanted to update this story before switching back to update Heart of Mine. Thanks to A-Lady-To-Me and Drstacib for being such lovely betas. Enjoy!

Chapter 14

When he'd come to the first time there was a layer of powder like snow on him. It was the first thing he felt. A small flake of snow floated down to earth, as clear as day, and landed on his lip. It stung like hell. His immediate reaction was to scream for help, but his jaw was so swollen the very act of yelling had become painfully unappealing.

Images came in fragments: car lights reflecting off apartment windows, shadows dancing on the brick walls of the complex, and at one point he swore he saw a cat come up to his face. He couldn't tell if that was a dream or not. The past seemed to blend with the present: he saw his mother cooking in her kitchen, he remembered going sledding with Robert as children, and the first time he hugged Anna and she hugged him back.

For a long time he had been cold as he attempted to signal someone for help, but it was futile. He couldn't stand or even get into a crawling position. He tried calling for help, but his assailant must have dragged him into an ally, away from where anyone could hear him. John didn't recognize the surroundings and he was too far from the street. He was fighting to stay in the present, fighting for his life. Even if his injuries weren't enough to kill him, the cold at night certainly would. It was a blur. Everything was shapeless and fluid. The more he tried to focus the more his head hurt, his brain felt like it had been rattled until it broke loose and now it was drowning in sensations. Light was too bright, sounds were too loud, his body hurt more than he ever thought possible. His nerves were in overdrive and finally the pain was too much for his body to handle. As he lay staring up the sky, the moon and stars his only companions to bear witness to his inevitable departure, he passed out.

Voices loomed around him, somewhere within reach, but he couldn't place them or see the bodies that housed them.

"Sir, can you tell me who you are?" one asked.

He was being poked and prodded, but much to their credit they were doing their best not to jossle him.

"He doesn't look good," another commented.

"Can you tell me what happened, sir?" the first inquired again. "Do we have an ID on this guy?"

"Look's like he was mugged. They couldn't find a wallet on him," the second voice replied.

"List him as John Doe for now. Maybe someone will call for him," a third voice chimed in.

John Doe? That couldn't be right, he thought to himself. John? He was warming to it. John? he repeated once more to himself, teetering with uncertainty. John. Yes. That sounded familiar. A light bulb went off in his head. "John," he tried to say, but his voice failed him. At least open your eyes, John, he chastised himself. He tried, but a blinding, bright light shone above him.

"We need to get him over to radiology to check his head for any internal injuries. Then to the operating room to address that leg," a more authoritative voice said, silencing the others.

"Do you think he'll walk again?" a female voice asked.

"Too early to tell. He's pretty banged up. This looks more than just a mugging. Whoever did this did a number on him," another replied.

Radiology? Surgery? Not able to walk? He was struggling to put it all together. Fear overtaking him, he managed to open his eyes and wiggle one of his fingers, gaining the attention of a nurse.

"Hey, he's awake!" she shouted to the team of doctors. "Try not to move," she instructed him. "We are doing everything we can to take care of you," the young woman said in a comforting voice. "Is there anyone you want us to call?"

"Anna," he uttered.

One of the other nurses whispered something into her ear.

"We couldn't find a cell phone on you. Can you give me her number?"

John felt the weight like a cement slab was leaning against his brain. Eventually, he shook his head in defeat. His memory failing him.

"Don't worry. I'll find her for you," the dark haired nurse said to him, hoping to give him some glimmer of hope.

"Sybil, we need to move him now," a doctor said to her.

"Right. You stay strong, we'll have you right as rain," she said with a reassuring squeeze of his hand.

"John," he said in a shaky voice as he gripped her hand.

"What?"

"My name is John."

Anna tried calling, but it went straight to voicemail. She was beginning to worry. He texted her while she was in the middle of a class earlier and she couldn't have been happier to hear the outcome of his case. If he couldn't arrange a way to come to her, she'd find a way to get to him. Maybe he was finally getting a proper night's sleep, she reasoned. The last thing she wanted to do was become the clingy girlfriend that couldn't go more than a few hours without checking in on her boyfriend. Still there was a niggling feeling in the back of her head that it wasn't like John to not follow up with her, regardless of how tired he was.

Anna eyed the packet of cigarettes by the sink, but abstained from lighting one. Still, holding one in between her fingers might help to steel her nerves right now. Maybe then the wave of anxiety that was eating away at her would pass. She was about to pull one out when an old photo of the two of them, one of her favorites, that was hanging on the wall caught her eye. They settled on the man who had captured her heart all those years ago, the thought bringing a smile to her face. And soon, hopefully, he'd be in her arms again. As she observed it more closely the photo suddenly fell to the floor.

"Oh no," she muttered. The thought of the cigarette leaving her mind temporarily. Anna bent down to pick up the frame and saw the crack in the glass that ran between the image of her and John. Her finger traced the fracture in the glass. She was lost in thought when her phone buzzed and Anna found herself scrambling to gather herself and answer the phone; the photo frame still held fast to her chest.

"John?"

"Anna? I'm sorry to be calling so late. It's Tess. John's aunt." The woman was clearly frazzled and sounded frantic, but was somehow keeping her composure.

"Yes of course, I know who you are," Anna replied back somewhat amused. It took her mind a moment to process the tone Tess was using, the timing of the phone call, or even the fact that she seemed to think Anna wouldn't recognize her. Finally her brain caught up and she was scared. If it were possible for her skin to register a paler tone, it would have. "Where is he?" Anna asked.

"He's in surgery."

Her heart sunk as her mind ran away with itself, concocting every possible scenario that could have led him to such a state. "What happened? How bad is it?" The last question physically hurt to say aloud, but Anna was never one to shy away from the truth.

"They said he was mugged while walking home. That's all they know," Tess reported.

Anna felt a tightening in her chest at the sound of Tess's words.

"We won't know the extent of his injuries until he's out of surgery. But they said he had good color going in and he was talking. I'm heading there now with Miriam and Andrew. Robert's already there with Cora, and Beth is on her way with her Liam."

"Oh God. I'm on my way," Anna said.

"Please be careful," Tess insisted. "Let me know what flight you are getting on. I'll send Liam to come get you when you land."

"Thank you. You didn't have to call me, and the fact that you thought of me...well it means very much," Anna said as she tried to stifle a cry.

"Anna, as far as I'm concerned you are family. You always have been, and you always will be. Even if you weren't already together before," Tess said, hinting that John had told her of the relationship status between the two.

Anna was moved beyond words, still she tried to find her voice. "I'm just going to grab a few things in case I have to stay awhile."

"Of course. You're more than welcome to stay at my home if you need to," Tess offered. She didn't know the full history of Anna's family as well as her sister and John did, but she knew things had been strained. Tess didn't think Anna should have to deal with that on top of John's current state.

"That would be lovely. I'll see you soon."

The two women hung up, and soon after Anna was looking up flights on her laptop. She didn't think it right to just go back to London without stopping in to see her mother. It wasn't so much that she was upset with her mother, Anna just didn't feel safe there anymore. Too many times the memories of her stepfather popped in to haunt her thoughts, and this was only further aggravated when she was in her childhood home. Normally in circumstances like this she would have called John. He had always been so calm in times like these, a voice of reason and a sturdy frame to lean on for support. But now she felt lost and alone. Her fingers began to type a text to reach out to her mother.

Heading to London. John was attacked. Will try to call later. All my love, Anna.

John's family and friends had been in the waiting room for well over five hours when the nurse came to give them an update. Robert had been pacing back and forth, wearing a hole in the ground. He'd been berating himself for letting John leave on his own the night before. Cora and John's aunts tried to comfort him by telling him it couldn't have been foreseen or prevented. As soon as Robert spotted the nurse his eyes flew up hoping for some good news. "Well? How is he?"

Cora steadied him as she clutched his arm. She hated seeing her fiance like this and had come to look at John as a brother. The wait had been just as agonizing for her as it was for Robert.

"Looks like we got to him in time. Hypothermia hadn't set in yet. He has some bruising around the face and swelling, but x rays show no permanent damage. He has a pretty nasty concussion, so we'll want to keep him for observation. There was a cracked rib, we'll have to let that heal on its own. But we bandaged it up pretty tight to minimize the pain."

"And his leg?" Tess asked.

Her sister, Miriam, rose from her seat to be by her side. "Will he be able to walk?"

"It's too early to tell. I don't want to give you false hope. We did everything we could when we reset the bone to minimize the level of pain he'll experience once he wakes, but I don't see him being able to walk without some kind of assistance."

It was a heart breaking blow. There was still a chance of course that things could work out in John's favor, but they weren't naive to the reality of the situation. "Does he know that yet?" Miriam asked.

"No. We thought it best to wait for him to fully come around after he wakes from surgery. There's a chance he won't remember much of from the attack and so we'll want to ease him into the idea. Then we can test his limits and discuss his options."

Tess looked like her head was going to explode as the surgeon continued to rattle off facts. John may not have been her son, but he was still her family and being that she was his godmother she'd always felt a special connection with John. She hated the idea that he might not ever walk again and in that moment she was silently praying to herself that John wasn't going to suffer any side effects from the concussion. "Can we see him?"

"He'll be ready for visitors soon. They are wheeling him out right now and they are getting him set up in a room. The nurse will come to follow up with you when they are ready to let you in. We might want to only let a few people in at a time at first."

"Thank you, doctor," Tess said.

As the doctor walked away Robert placed a hand on Tess's shoulder. "I'm so sorry. I wish I had stopped him from leaving or at least gone after him."

She wouldn't deny to herself that she wished the same, but Tess couldn't hold it against Robert. He had been like a brother to John, and she knew he'd gladly trade places with John right now if he could. Still, she knew he was beating himself up enough and Tess didn't want him to feel that way. "Robert, it's not your fault. Please don't be down on yourself right now. It's not what John would want. Right now we all just need to collectively focus our efforts on helping him through this."

"Thank you," Robert responded with tears in his eyes. Suddenly, he was wrapping his arms around her and embracing Tess in a hug. He couldn't explain it, but somehow it made him feel better.

"What do we do now?" Beth asked.

Tess being the oldest of John's aunt had assumed the position of family matriarch long ago; in times of struggle they were all looking to her for direction. "We wait," she said before taking a deep breath. "When they tell us we can see him, we all will put on a brave face and tell him he looks great, even if it's a lie," she said looking to all of them to see that they understood. "And no matter what we love him, like we always have."

Miriam began to question the plan. "What about his knee? What if he can't…"

"We wait for Anna. We can't tell him something like that before Anna gets here."

"You can't protect him from the reality of the situation," Miriam argued.

"I know I can't," she said with a quivering lip. Her resolve was crumbling. She knew John was a prideful man, and if he lost his ability to walk there was no telling what kind of a depression he would slip into. "But I can soften the blow. And right now we have to give him something positive to focus on. Anna will make him happy." That would have to be enough. "End of discussion."

"John?"

The familiar faces were standing over him with expectant eyes, waiting for a response. He felt groggy, liked he'd just been hit by a big mack truck.

"I think he's coming around," Miriam said.

"Where...uh...where am I?" John asked.

"You're in the hospital. You're recovering from surgery on your leg."

"My leg?" John asked.

"You were attacked and mugged when you left the pub after having dinner with me and Cora. Do you have any recollection of that?" Robert questioned him.

"I was what?" John asked while abruptly trying to sit up. The rapid motion caused his head to shift violently and made him sick to his stomach. He reached his hand towards his cracked rib as he nearly screamed out, "Bloody hell."

Tess gently urged him to lie back down and relax. "Try to take it easy. You wouldn't want to hurt yourself more than is necessary by trying to be independent."

John laid back but every muscle in his chest and abdomen seemed to ache even when he was simply lying there. "Christ. Did they attack me with a set of cricket bats?"

"We're not sure. We were hoping you could answer that for us," Beth said.

"The last thing I remember was meeting Robert and Cora at the pub. We were talking about their wedding coming up and my trip to Paris." Just then it dawned on him who was missing from the picture. "Where's Anna?"

"Anna's on her way. Said she was getting on the first flight out," Miriam reported.

"Then what happened?" Cora asked.

"I wasn't feeling well and had to call it a night," he said.

"You don't remember anything else?"

John was racking his brain and Tess could tell he was getting frustrated with himself. "I remember bits and pieces but I can't be sure if they really happened or if I dreamed them. I don't recall running into anyone on my way home."

"Well the police are checking all the CCTV cameras in the area hoping to find a trace of someone," Andrew filled him in.

John's knee was throbbing and it was no secret as to where the operation had been performed. The pain was a good indicator that he wasn't paralyzed, he took some comfort in that. "Just give it to me straight, how bad is my leg?"

"The doctor says they won't know for sure until the swelling goes down," Tess said before anyone had a chance to say more.

John nodded his head in understanding as his eyes began to close. Despite being out of it for the past few hours, he suddenly felt very tired.

Tess leaned forward to kiss him on the forehead and spoke softly into his ear, "Sleep well m'boy. We'll be here." She gave John's hand a gentle squeeze and brushed a stray lock of hair from his forehead. Now they would simply have to wait. Wait for Anna to arrive and hopefully, a miracle.

John had been staring out aimlessly at the window for the better part of a half hour while he sat in his hospital room by himself. He felt like everyone was tip toeing around him in regards to the condition of his leg whenever he would ask. Judging by the way it hurt he had to wonder if he'd ever walk on it again and what that would mean for his future with Anna. A knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts.

"Hello," she said softly. Her hand held onto the frame of the door as she leaned in to check in on John. Her hand moved down to fold her arms across her waist, trying to guard herself from falling apart at the sight of him. Robert had warned her ahead of time of John's condition, but still she hated to see the man she loved so broken and bruised.

The familiar figure that he'd longed for the past few months brought a smile to his face. Even from across the room he could tell she had been crying. "Oh, Anna," he said in a soft burr. The slightest bit of color returned to his face as he took in her appearance. What a difference it made to see her not only in his dreams or through a computer screen. He'd missed her terribly and now she was a mere few feet away from him. "You're certainly a sight for sore eyes."

"Well, you've got the sore part correct," she said with a roll of her eyes.

"Robert keeps telling me I look like a piece of battered meat." John didn't think his words would affect her so, but suddenly she was swiping at her eyes and fighting back tears.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I should have been better prepared...it's just seeing you like this...I could have lost you." Anna had to look away for a moment to collect herself. Her hands sunk into her coat pockets and she stared down at her shoes, hoping she could stop the tears from welling up.

She couldn't hide it from John; not after years of observing her, he could hear the tears building in her throat. He knew exactly what she meant. For awhile before the ambulance arrived John wasn't sure he'd ever see her again, and that thought alone pained him more than the injury he suffered. "I'm so glad you came."

"Course I came," she replied.

John's hands motioned for her to come forward.

Anna crossed the room to be at his bedside. "You know, if you wanted me to come sooner you only had to say so. There was no need to go through all this for me," she tried to joke.

John began to chuckle, but grimaced in pain. "Ugh, don't make me laugh. It hurts like hell."

"Sorry," she apologized. Every nerve in her body was screaming out to take him in her arms and be with him after months of not being able to see him or hug him in person. Still, Anna kept her distance as she set her purse down on a table holding his tray of untouched food and took a seat in a chair by his bed.

"Don't I at least get a kiss?" he inquired with a look of confusion.

Anna took his hand in hers. It seemed to be the only thing free of injury or bruising. "I just don't want to hurt you any more than you already are."

"You could never hurt me," he said. "Even if you did, I'd gladly endure it to share a kiss with you."

"Where did you learn to become such a sweet talker?" she asked in a teasing tone.

"From this girl I've loved for ages," he confessed playfully.

"Oh?"

"I guess you could say after years of keeping my feelings to myself I'm overflowing with love and bold statements reserved just for her," John added.

"She must be quite the girl," Anna said, playing along.

"Oh she is."

"The kind that would kiss you like this?" Anna asked flirtatiously before swiping a loose lock of hair from his forehead and leaning in to kiss him deeply. She held onto the railing of his hospital bed to keep from putting any weight on him, but also to restrain herself from going further than a kiss.

John reached up to cradle the back of her head and bring her closer to him. His hands playing with a single strand of her golden hair. Their lips locked onto one another and they pressed together as forcefully as his bruised face and split lip would allow. If circumstances were different he would have had his way with her right then and there. "I've been wanting to kiss you like that since I saw you leave at the airport," he admitted shamelessly.

"So have I." Anna placed another peck on his lips, only this time John let out a half suppressed groan of pain. "Oh no...I didn't mean to…"

"It's alright. It was worth it. Now…" John wiggled his eyebrows, "what would it take to get you into this bed with me?"

Her stomach felt like it did a little flip at the sound of his words. "John," Anna said under her breath in a mildly scolding tone. Her cheeks turned a shade of crimson. She was slightly embarrassed at the prospect, but it also secretly thrilled her.

"My intentions are honorable, I swear."

Anna bit down on her lower lip nervously. A part of her worried she would do more harm than good; the other part of her worried John's family would come waltzing back in at any moment and think less of her.

"They won't be back for awhile," he said, reading her thoughts. "They went to grab lunch not long before you arrived." John could still sense the hesitation in her body language. "I need this," he admitted. John watched as her features softened in response. "I need you," he corrected his earlier statement in a gentle tone.

There was so much longing and vulnerability conveyed in those three simple words. Anna found she could no longer resist the pull to be closer to him. She took off her jacket and scarf, revealing a purple silk blouse that complimented her figure and blue-grey eyes nicely. As she did, John did his best to scoot over and make room for her

She carefully climbed onto the bed with a bit of apprehension, but the warmth of his gaze eased her worries. Within a matter of seconds she was settling into his big, strong arms, and nestling against his side. If her being in the bed with John caused him any extra pain, he didn't show it. It felt like coming home and she felt so much joy and peace in that moment.

"Are you comfortable?" John asked as he kissed the top of her head.

Anna giggled softly. "I think I should be asking you that. Is there anything I can get for you? Perhaps we can get you something from your flat to read or brighten up the room," she suggested.

"You being in this room is enough to make it nice," he complimented. "I'm more happy and content than I thought possible a few days ago."

She looked up into his hazel eyes and saw the way the crinkles at the outside corners creased wider as he smiled down at her. And she knew he meant what he said. Much as she hated the circumstances she had to admit she felt much the same having him within her grasp. Anna hugged his middle a little tighter. They lay like that a little longer, enjoying the comfortable silence as they had so many times before. John had always thought that once he had her laying next to him like this again, there would be so much more to say. Instead, he could only reminisce on all the times they had laid exactly like this in the past, and grin like a fool. "I missed this," John muttered as he began to drift off.

"Mhmm," Anna hummed in appreciation as she allowed her eyes to close. She hadn't slept a wink on the plane and now she felt very drowsy.

"You want to know what the last thing was that I remember thinking before this happened?"

"What?"

"I was thinking how excited I was to tell you I resigned from the internship," he said.

"You did what?" she asked. Anna sat up and turned to face him head on. "Are you serious?"

"Isn't that what you wanted?" he countered.

"Well, yes…I...I guess I just didn't think it would happen so quickly is all."

"If you want I can call Professor Carson and tell him I changed my mind," John offered in a joking tone.

"Don't you dare," Anna scolded him.

"So? You? Me? Paris?" he inquired, trying to gage her response.

"It's what I've dreamed of since I left."

"You know, this probably sounds crazy, but I have, too," he said. Anna looked back at him in disbelief. "The minute you were out of my sight, I knew I wanted to be wherever you were. I didn't care what that meant for my future, because you have always been my destiny. I just wish now I would have acted on that impulse. If I had I might not be in the position I'm in now."

"John, you can't think like that," she said trying to remain optimistic.

"I can't help it though, and now...well who knows what will happen with my leg," he said.

"Have they told you for certain what the prognosis of your leg is?" she asked. Anna was trying to keep her voice soft and even, but she was just as fearful as John was.

"No," he answered back. "But I'm not naive. I don't imagine it's a good one or there would have been more concrete details at this point like a release date and a plan of attack. Instead, everything is a waiting game."

"Waiting isn't necessarily a bad thing," she told him with a gentle smile.

John caught the double meaning in her words and smiled back at her. "You've got a point there." He laced his fingers with hers and gave her knuckles a kiss before giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

On the inside, Anna told herself that no matter what she wouldn't let it change them and their plans for the future. Even if those plans still weren't more than moving to Paris together. She vowed to stand by his side just as he had for her after her car accident years ago. John had been so devoted to her care and recovery, even when he didn't have to be. They weren't more than friends at that point. Although, she supposed that deep down there had always been something more there between them. All Anna knew was that she wouldn't let him go through this alone.

Their moment of peace was interrupted when a knock came from the hospital room door, followed by a voice addressing John, "Mr. Bates." A man in a doctor's coat came in holding a clipboard.

Anna and John were startled like two children caught with their hands in the cookie jar. She immediately shot up, and began to get up out of the bed. Anna smoothed her clothing, even though the doctor motioned with his hand that it was alright for her to stay put. Given the news he was about to drop on the young man sitting before him, he thought it might be good for him to have some support. Judging by the way the young woman was sitting beside his patient, their relationship appeared to be more than friendly.

"John, I'm Dr. Harrison. I've been assigned to your case," the doctor said as he approached the bed.

"My case?" he asked, looking from the doctor to Anna with a tone of uneasiness.

"Perhaps it would be best if we wait for your family to arrive," Dr. Harrison suggested.

"She is my family," John said, almost defensively.

Anna could sense the darker side of John was looming on the horizon and rubbed his arm reassuringly. She had to calm him down.

"Still…" the doctor began to say.

"Listen. Anything you can say to me, you can say to her. I have a feeling this conversation isn't going to go my way. And if that's the case I'd rather my aunts not be here. They'll only feel sorry for me, and I don't want that right now."

"Very well."

"So, how's it look? Am I going to be getting out of here anytime soon?" John asked.

"It doesn't look good," Dr. Harrison said with finality.