Harry was driving much faster that he should be, bearing in mind that the snow was already a few inches deep and as a result, the traffic had slowed. Why was it that with the first few flakes, the whole country seemingly ground to a halt, whereas everywhere else, they seemed to carry on as normal? None the less, he knew London like the back of his hand and to avoid the queues, he turned down a side road and made it back to his house in quicker time than he might have done. His mind was racing as he tried to second guess how Ruth would be, Malcolm had only told him she was there, that was enough for now.

The door was slightly ajar and Malcolm was standing on the top step. Trying as hard as he could to keep calm but realising he was anything but, Harry parked the car and took the steps two at a time. Malcolm, with a finger over his lips, halted him mid stride.

'She was wet and cold and probably hungry, but she's fine Harry. Catherine's been with her since the moment she got here. If you didn't already know it, you have a remarkable daughter. Now Catherine and I are going out to have something to eat but we'll be in touch tomorrow. Oh and by the way, Adam says, that on no account are either of you to come into work until Monday, we'll hold the fort.'

Pushing past Malcolm, Harry threw off his coat and headed towards his front room. He stepped through the door and stopped, completely overwhelmed by the scene in front of him. The fire had been lit and sitting on the floor on what must be all the cushions that he had, were Ruth and Catherine. It was like a tableau from a Christmas story, he was transfixed. The two most precious people in his life were sitting side by side, legs tucked up in front of them, Catherine with her arm around Ruth's shoulders.

Catherine heard him, whispered something to Ruth and stood up.

'See you soon Dad,' she said as she kissed him on the cheek, squeezed his hand and walked past him.

Ruth had turned and was trying to get up, but he beat her to it.

'Hi,' was all he could manage as he settled himself into the self-same place that Catherine had been sitting. She looked so tired with tear tracks still evident on her cheeks, but he said nothing, all he wanted to do was hold her. Wrapping both his arms around her and pulling her close, his face now buried in her hair, he vowed that he would move heaven and earth to ensure that she was never hurt her again.

How long they sat like this he didn't know, but Ruth had appeared to have calmed and he wondered if perhaps she was asleep. It was a long time since he had sat on a floor, years probably and his dodgy knee had locked and his stomach had started to rumble.

'You're hungry,' Ruth said, the first words she had uttered since he had sat down.

'Then we'd better go and check that Casserole,' he replied 'although I may well be stuck down here, so unless you plan feeding me while I'm on the floor, you'll need to help me up?'

Catherine and Malcolm had laid the table and their dinner was warming in the oven. Three hours later than planned, they finally sat down to eat. Very little was said, although for most of the time that they sat there, their eyes were locked, one with the other, Harry's hand across the table holding hers.

After a truly dreadful day, she was safe and now was not the time to discuss the events of the evening. That could wait. Whether it was when they got into bed or in the morning, it was up to Ruth to decide, and Harry knew better than to press her.

As they had done for the past two evenings, they washed up and dried the dishes, finally relaxing and delighting in the simplicity of something so normal. Turning to face him, she ran her hand down his weary face.

'I was so scared Harry,' she said, tears starting to fall again.

'Shush,' he said as he kissed her, 'it's over, come on, bedtime.'

They were both dog tired, so much so that they virtually crawled up the stairs, shed their clothes and fell into bed. They clung to each other, drowning in their need to be close and put the events of the day behind them.

'Thank you,' she said 'for loving me,' as exhaustion claimed her and she fell asleep.

Harry lay there for some while, trying hard not to re run the what might have been outcomes, that were still running round in his head, Ruth was safe and he was holding her and he needed to sleep.

Tomorrow would talk to Adam and thank them all. This was his last thought as he drifted off.