Ash stormed into the hallway, she had nowhere to go, she couldn't go upstairs she had promised not to go up them alone, she was weighing up her options, when she heard the others returning, they had given up on going out the rain had returned and it was coming down harder than ever
Ash quickly went into the study, not wanting to be around anyone at the moment. Jill and Gordon heard the front door
"Ashling Moria Ormerod, get back in here now" shouted Gordon
"It went well then" stated Tom, to Katie and Jonathon as they took their shoes off
Katie opened the door
"Sorry, it's just us, we came back, is everything alright" she asked, seeing Jill had been crying
"Where's Ash" asked Jill
"She's not with us" replied Jonathon
"Can you just check upstairs" asked Gordon, trying to give him and Jill a little time
Tom and Katie went upstairs, Jonathon went to check the dining room and kitchen
Gordon and Jill were left in the hallway
"She, hates me Gordon, you heard her" said Jill
"I'm sure she didn't mean it" replied Gordon
Ash was listening to every word, how could mum be blaming herself she didn't hate her, she loved her, she hated her aunt, how could they think that before Ash could call out
"She's not up here" shouted down Tom
"And she's not in there" said Jonathon returning to the hallway
"Well, she can't be far, her coats still here" said Jill
Ash got up and opened the study door
"Mum" sobbed Ash
"Baby, girl" said Jill opening her arms
Ash ran into her mum's arms
"I don't hate you, it's her I hate" sobbed Ash
"Ssshhh, it's late why don't we all go to bed" said Jill
"You, do believe me don't you" asked Ash
"Of, course" replied Gordon coaxing her towards the stairs
Ash did as she was told and went upstairs, she wasn't tired but she knew everyone else was. Jill helped her into her pyjamas and then left her reading her book, they left the door open in case she need them in the night. When she heard, their door close she went to the bathroom to do her teeth on her way back to her room she bumped into Jonathon
"Why, does mum think I would hate her" whispered Ash
"Go to Katie's room, we'll explain everything" whispered back Jonathon
Ash went to Katie's room and knocked on the door
"Come in" said Katie
"Where's Jonathon" asked Tom
"I'm here" he said appearing behind Ash
"So, tell us what they told you" said Jonathon
Ash quickly filled them in
"But, it doesn't make sense, why would mum think I hate her" added Ash while the others thought about how to put it
"Mum, went off after what sister said in the waiting room" started Katie
"We, followed her into the garden, but she was blaming herself" added Tom
"Why, she didn't do anything" asked Ash
"She thought if it wasn't for her, you would never have been there" replied Jonathon
"If she had never had you helping Lizzie, if she had never gone to see the patient, if she had never gone into the building" continued Jonathon
"Dad and Matron did their best to convince her, that she had done the right thing and that if you hadn't of been there she would still have gone in there on her own" added Tom
"She just wanted to be on her own so she went to her office, Matron had a chat with her and she seemed a bit better, then we all waited in the conservatory minus sister" added Katie
"But that still doesn't mean I would hate her it was an accident" said Ash
"Well I think mum thinks, if she had stayed instead of walking out she might have persuaded Sister to stay" replied Katie
"That never would have happened" replied Ash saying what the rest were all thinking
"Yeah, that maybe true, but it doesn't stop her" replied Jonathon
They paused for a second thinking they had heard a noise outside but it turned out it was just Tom changing position on the bed
"Is that it" asked Ash
"Yeah" replied Tom
"Well, actually" said Katie
"What" asked Ash
"Yeah, what" asked Tom
"Well, I think mum feels guilty about leaving you that night as well" replied Katie
"What, when, why" asked Ash
"Mum, wasn't feeling that well, her head was pounding, it had been a long day, we all persuaded her to go home and get some rest" replied Jonathon
"So, I know she was injured, that's what we would all want, for her to look after herself" replied Ash
"Yeah, but while they were gone, your temperature rose" replied Tom
"That's got nothing to do with them going though" replied Ash
"Yeah, well mum thinks it has, that if she had stayed it might never have happened" replied Tom
"I wasn't left alone though" replied Ash
"No, Matron, Tom and I were there" replied Jonathon
"So, why does she think it would have been different, it's not like I knew or anything" replied Ash
"Well, actually, we think you might have, there was this cool thing that Katie noticed" said Jonathon
Ash looked at Katie
"Yeah, when mum, talked to you and rubbed your cheek, your vital signs changed" said Katie
"Yeah, that's cool" replied Ash excited
"Yeah, well, mum thought you knew whether she was there or not, and no matter how much dad begged or pleaded she was not going to leave your side" replied Tom
"Well that might have been my fault as well, I told dad mum would rest better by your side than at home waiting" replied Katie
"But I still don't get how that would mean I hate her, it only shows how much she loves us" replied Ash
"Right bed all of you now" said Gordon opening the door, Jill was stood behind him
"Busted" whispered Jonathon
"Thanks, night" said Ash as she left and went back to her room
Ash went straight to her room and got into bed switching off the light and pulling the covers up over her head, she didn't want to worry her parents, but she knew she wouldn't get to sleep now, she had so much information going around in her head. She heard her parents stop outside her room, she held her breath until she heard them carry on towards their room.
She must have fallen asleep at some point but she didn't know what time exactly, she woke up to the feeling she was falling, she gasped for air not realising she had been holding her breath, she turned to look at her alarm clock, it was nearly six o'clock, she didn't want to go back to sleep and she couldn't go downstairs, so she got up and closed her door so she could put her light on and read until someone else was a wake.