After Ed's six hour wait in the emergency room the plastic seat had offered little comfort to him in the hours he had spent nervously perched on it waiting for news, and the noise of the clicking pens behind the desk as the admittance forms were filled in was etched upon his brain but waiting for news amongst the vomiters and people praying (like him) that their loved one would survive was one of the longest nights of his life.

And now, here he was at Olivia's bedside waiting for her to wake up. He'd been to hell and back imagining that Olivia would die, but he remembered what the doctor had said when he had found Ed by the vending machine earlier, he'd been there for almost half an hour doing what looked like staring wistfully at all the chocolates but he had been immersed in his thoughts.

'She's stable Mr Tucker.'

'What was it? Aneurysm?'

" I myself worked on Olivia the clot was alleviated all of the pressure has been relieved, so now it's a waiting game. I will send someone to get you when you can see her'

'John… how is he?'

'Minor cuts, nothing serious. Brian, however…'

'John shot him… They were fighting and the gun went off. It could have been any of us.'

'He's dead. We couldn't save him. The bullet penetrated his upper chest cavity, and despite all attempts during surgery, he arrested'

'Maybe there is a God after all.'

Ed had been unable to hide his relief that Brian was dead. All that mattered to him right now was Olivia and making sure that she survived this.

'DAD!!' Ed hadn't heard the doors open behind him and there in the doorway was Aaron and Noah.

'Aaron… Noah… where's Lucy?'

'In reception.' Aaron didn't hesitate to run over to his Dad and throw his arms around him- a gesture that was reciprocated by Ed. He never thought he would see his son again.The two of them hugged furiously for a minute before Aaron turned out of his dad's arms and walked over to Noah.

'Come on, Noah, your Mum needs you'

'Is she dead?'

'No, she's alive right dad?'

'Yes, and she will be poorly for a while but she will be fine I promise".

'Come here, both of you. I love the bones of the pair of you, you know that?'

Noah hung back for a second, unsure of whether to join in with the embrace but after that he ran to Ed's outstretched arm, crying.

The three of them sat at the bedside, Ed pulled Noah onto his lap when the coughing came from the bed next to them.

Olivia was awake.

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