Amelia had gone with her grandmother back to her bedroom before she had left the care home, finding Helmut stood outside with the car keys in his hand. He was twirling them around one finger on their keychain as Amelia tucked her hands into the pockets of her red winter coat. They had driven home and Amelia had talked about nothing of importance, needing to fill the silence after their earlier conversation where it felt as though they had said too much that was much too personal.

She knew that she couldn't stop the pit of her stomach from flipping whenever she found herself watching Helmut shoot her a sly smirk. She could still feel the heat of his body against hers, remembering how it had felt to have his clean-shaven chin press against her forehead. She could still imagine holding his arm, feeling the muscle flex whenever he moved it. His hand on her waist had had her mind reeling and then he had pressed his palm to the small of her back. His fingers had been gentle, but with enough force, to keep her pressed to him.

"Pull it together, you idiot," Amelia whispered into the mirror once they had gotten back to the apartment.

She had gone to her room, claiming she just needed a moment to look for something as Helmut went to pour them a glass of wine in the kitchen. She placed both hands against the wall either side of the mirror as she leant forwards and inhaled sharp breaths. She had to be calm. She was hardly going to go out there and make a move. He was off limits. Helmut was completely off limits. She had to know that.

"He was your fiancé's best friend," Amelia whispered to herself, looking in the mirror once more and straightening herself out. She tucked her hair behind her ears as she continued talking. "He was Heike's husband…Heike…who welcomed you with open arms. What would she say if she found out you were fantasising about her husband screwing you? What would Lukas say?"

But then Amelia began thinking selfishly. She began thinking about it as she tensed the muscles in her thighs and she shook her head. "They're dead, Amelia," she reminded herself. "They're dead and there's nothing you can do about it. They're not coming back."

She shook her head even faster. "But that doesn't make it right. You'd just feel guilty afterwards…the satisfaction would only last for a few minutes and then you'd have to live with the guilt. And he probably wouldn't even want you."

But then she remembered how it had been him who had kept her pressed against him. It had been him whose gaze had lingered just a little too long on her when he thought she didn't notice. But she did notice. She wasn't an idiot and she certainly wasn't blind. But she wondered if it was just Helmut being lonely. He was a male, after all. He'd even admitted that himself when Amelia had wondered if he had been beyond primal urges. And she was the only female in the apartment who he spent time with, just like he was the only male. She guessed that it was basic biology.

It didn't have to mean anything else, did it? It was like an itch that they could scratch and then it would be gone. They didn't have to let it develop into feelings. They didn't even have to let it get in the way of them being friends. It would just be a casual arrangement. Amelia thought about that a lot more, her heartbeat thudding in her ears as she wondered what it would be like. She knew he'd be good. He was so thorough with everything, why would sex be any different?

"Oh God," Amelia groaned, burying her face into her hands as she tried to talk herself into it. The worrying part was that she knew that she didn't need much persuading.

Shaking her head firmly, she looked up and then her eye caught the photo of Lukas on her dressing table and she shook her head. She looked into his smiling eyes as he stood tall, arms outstretched underneath the Arc de Triomphe. No. She wasn't going to do this. She couldn't even think about it. She wouldn't think about.

"Not with him," Amelia said with a firm shake of her head. "Not Helmut."

She left her bedroom and headed to the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face and taking another few minutes to compose herself before she went to face him. She saw him stood in her kitchen, pouring two large glasses of wine. She watched as he lifted his gaze to look at her and she avoided his eye as she moved forwards and took one of the glasses.

"Thanks," she said to him.

"You're welcome," he said to her and he wondered what was going on in her mind and if it was the same as he was thinking.

He wanted to do nothing more than to give in. He had been on his own for over a year. He hadn't had anyone show him affection or anything close to that since then. Amelia was in the same position. Was it so wrong just to want someone when the night fell and he was alone with his thoughts, unable to sleep? But the worry was that he knew it could be more than that. He knew that it was likely to develop further because he didn't just want Amelia in the dark of night. He found himself longing for her whenever he saw her.

"Oh shit."

Her snap suddenly came from the corner of the room and Helmut looked away from the fridge as he finished placing the bottle back in. He left his glass on the worktop and picked up the kitchen roll. She had dropped her wine onto the wooden floor by the window as she had gone to look out of it. She didn't know how it had fallen from her hand, but thankfully the glass hadn't smashed.

She took the kitchen roll from him and crouched down. "Thanks," she said and began to mop up the liquid. Helmut knelt down besides her and took a piece of the paper and began to help her. "You don't need to help, Helmut. I'm fine."

"It's no bother."

Why did he insist on being such a gentleman? Amelia swore that drove her just as crazy for longing after him as well. She continued wiping up the spillage as he did the same, his arm brushing against hers and he knew she felt it. He knew she felt the same jolt that he did. He wasn't blind and he wasn't ignorant. And so he moved, leaning closer to her and pretending to clean up on the other side of where she knelt, his arm going across her and his body inches from her. Once again, she inhaled a sharp breath as he observed her side profile.

She had stopped cleaning and was looking down onto the ground as Helmut whispered, his voice low and husky. "I know you feel it like I do," he told her. "I know I'm not the only one."

"We can't," Amelia simply whispered to him.

"Tell me you don't want to," Helmut continued talking and she remained still as he moved closer to her, dropping the kitchen roll and using the back of his hand to brush her hair away from her shoulder, his knuckles then running along the side of her neck. "Tell me that you don't want to and I'll go. I'll leave…and we won't talk about it again…"

Amelia arched her neck back, relishing the way his warm hands barely tickled against her skin. She was doing her best to maintain her composure, but it was becoming increasingly difficult as Helmut moved closer, still knelt next to her. He moved an arm across her body, taking hold of her neck and letting his fingers dance along her shoulder and to her chest, laying his palm over her heart. He could feel it beating fast as he let his nose finally brush against her neck, his warm breath tickling her skin as she moved a hand to sit on top of his against her chest.

"Just tell me, Amelia," Helmut said and he felt her shiver as he spoke, his hot breath inches from her ear. "Tell me to stop…"

"I don't want to," Amelia finally confessed and he finally kissed her neck.

She swore she might combust then and there as he kissed her sensitive skin and moved his hand to cradle the back of her head, granting him better access as he ran his lips along her skin and she moaned shamefully, knowing that he shouldn't have this much power over her. She didn't know how she managed to move, but she finally did so that she had her legs either side of him, her hands going to his shoulders as he remained knelt on the ground, Amelia perched in his lap. His hands ran up and down her back as he continued kissing along her neck, moving his lips over to her collarbone as she panted for breath and he grasped hold of the bottom of the shirt she wore. She helped him tug it up and over her stretched arms as he looked at her, drinking in her pale skin and the soft freckles over her stomach. Her black bra was simple and his gaze drink in the way her breasts were heaving as she watched him and he realised she was thinking once more. Before she could think too much, his hands pressed to the small of her back and he kissed her once more on her shoulder.

She grasped hold of his shirt, tugging it from the waistband of his trousers as she moved to kiss his neck, taking her turn to feel his skin against her lips. His cologne was intoxicating and she finally got the shirt off of him without letting it overwhelm her. His hands were grabbing the end of her skirt and hiking them up her thighs as she sat up to let him help her. Grabbing hold of his pants, Amelia looked down and focused on getting the belt off of him.

But then she saw it.

She saw her engagement ring as Helmut finally got her skirt to her waist, his fingers finding the elastic of her tights and tugging at them.

"Stop."

The one word was enough to make Helmut freeze. He retracted his hands from underneath her skirt as she shook her head and began panicking. She pushed herself up from his lap and he leant back on the ground, hands stretched behind him and shirt missing, trousers half undone and incredibly uncomfortable as Amelia began pacing, her skirt falling back down her legs.

"What the hell were we thinking?" Amelia demanded to know. "We can't do this…we just can't do this…"

"Really? Because two minutes ago you were prepared to-"

"-I know," Amelia interrupted him firmly. "I know what we were prepared to do, but we can't do it, Helmut. It's wrong…what if it jeopardises what we have…the mission…everything…"

"We don't have to let it," he said, standing up and gathering his breath. "And if you intend on having a serious conversation then I suggest you put a shirt on."

Amelia hastily grabbed the throw from the sofa and unfolded it, holding it to her chest considering her shirt had been thrown further away and she wanted the first thing she could find to cover her up. Helmut sat down on the edge of the sofa, leaning forwards and trying to calm himself down as he held a cushion against his lap, Amelia clearly looking anywhere but there.

"So you think that us sleeping together would have no impact at all?"

He didn't think that. He would never think that because he knew, deep down, that he would want it again. He would want her again. But did she want that? And did she have a point? He had the mission to think about and his mission had not involved developing feelings for Amelia Baker. And so he said what he had to say.

"Why should we let it?" Helmut asked from her. "We're both adults, Amelia. We both have urges that we need to fulfil. We live together. We spend time together. It is only natural that we want this. We can sleep together and be mature enough to know what this is: simply us scratching an itch."

He swore she almost looked hurt. Did she want more? Did she think that he could give her more? He didn't know because she looked away from him again, still clutching the throw against her chest as she began pacing once more.

"We can't do it," she reiterated to him. "It's not right…none of this is right…you…I just can't do it."

And she left. Helmut watched her go to her room, looking at her naked back as she closed her bedroom door. He had been about to stand and follow her, wanting to chase after her and ask her what she wanted. But he didn't. He remained sat on the sofa and he looked down onto the wedding ring on his finger. He couldn't give her anything else. He couldn't do that to Heike, but the worry was that he found himself wanting to. He didn't want it just to be some quick fumble in the sheets. But it was all it could ever be because they had a job to do. They had a job to do and once it was done, Helmut wouldn't be coming back with Amelia.

Sighing, he flopped back against the back of the sofa and closed his eyes, frustration taking hold of him alongside longing that he had come so close and somehow had failed miserably to have what he wanted.

"I know when there is something on your mind, Amelia. You're not very good at hiding things from me."

"I'm fine," Amelia promised her grandmother.

She was in her private room on Christmas morning. She had gone early and told Helmut she would be back after lunch. He had just nodded and let her go, well aware that the atmosphere had been tense between the two of them. They just about managed pleasantries now, but Amelia kept her distance and he respected her wishes. But there was no more conversation about feelings. There was no more light-hearted joking or banter.

"You're a terrible liar," Margaret said and Amelia wanted to scoff. She'd actually become quite the liar recently. She looked around her room and avoided her gaze.

The TV was turned on in the corner, but it was muted. The single bed had a floral quilt on it and the room had homely touches that Margaret had bought with her. Photos of her family sat in frames dotted around the room alongside her trinkets that reminded her of her past; a small replica of the Eiffel Tower from when she had gone with Joe; a snow globe from Australia; a doll from Amsterdam. They were all mementos to when she was at her happiest.

"Is it to do with Helmut?"

"No."

"You answered that too quickly," Margaret said. "Go on, tell me what's happened?"

Amelia looked to her grandmother. She was still in her nightgown, feeling too tired to contemplate getting dressed. She had lost weight too. She had lost far too much weight for Amelia's liking, but with her medication she was struggling to keep food down and her appetite had practically disappeared. Her hair was looking unruly too, something Amelia had never known. Her grandma always prided herself on her appearance.

"Nothing's happened," Amelia said. And that much was true. "I just…we…we're just going through a phase."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Forget I said anything."

"I don't think so," Margaret said. "What is it? You've slept with him?"

"Grandma!" Amelia snapped loudly and Margaret rolled her eyes.

"I saw you two the other day, Amelia. You were practically melting in his arms," Margaret said. "So is that it?"

"No," Amelia said firmly. "I haven't and even if I had I would not be discussing it with you, grandma."

"But it is to do with him?"

"Yes, fine," Amelia relented. "It's to do with Helmut. I'm…just recently…we've been getting close and it's been nice. We've become friends, but I sometimes think about it developing into something more."

"Nothing wrong with that, he's a charming man."

"And his wife was my friend and my fiancé was his best friend," Amelia retorted. "We're not supposed to feel like this. Can you imagine if Lukas and Heike were still alive?"

"If they were still alive then you wouldn't feel this way," Margaret said to her. "But the fact is that they're dead, Amelia. I know it's horrible and I know it's painful, but they're both gone."

"It's still wrong."

"For who?"

"For us…because of them…it feels like I'm disrespecting Lukas…every time I look at his photo or my engagement ring I just feel this overwhelming sense of guilt that I'm looking at another man, but not only that, it's his best friend who I'm thinking about. It might be different if it was someone else, someone he'd never met, but it's not. It's Helmut."

"Lukas wouldn't want you to not move on."

"It's just been nearly two years," Amelia said. "I shouldn't move on this quickly and it shouldn't be with Helmut."

"So what? You think you should live like a nun for the rest of your life? Amelia, please, life is too short to think of what ifs," Margaret said. "Grief will always be with you, but you are allowed to move on. You are allowed to find someone else. Lukas wouldn't want you to be lonely."

"But would he want me to move on with his best friend?"

"Why would he not? If he loved both of you then he would just be happy that you're happy," Margaret said. "I don't think he'd be looking down at you and cursing you. I think he'd see the torment that you're putting yourself through and he'd tell you to do what you want to do, to do what makes you happy…and Helmut makes you happy."

"What if he doesn't want that? What if this is all in my head and he just wants…I don't know…"

"A friend with benefit?"

"How do you know what that is?"

"I'm old, I don't live under a rock," Margaret said and began coughing. Amelia reached for her glass of water and handed it to her. She took a sip of it and gasped for breath, coughing into her fist. Amelia helped her sit up and patted her back until her coughs died down.

"Alright?" Amelia checked with her and she nodded, taking another sip of water.

Amelia perched back in the chair by her bedside, leaving her grandmother to hold her glass of water as she eyed her cautiously, making sure she was alright.

"Fine," Margaret finally said. "Anyway, as I was saying," she continued, "I don't think he sees you like that. I've seen the way he looks at you…he cares for you."

"But how do I know it's not just as a friend?" Amelia asked.

"Well, you won't know unless you have that honest and frank conversation with him."

"I don't know," Amelia said with a shake of her head. "I don't know if it's the right time…the right thing to do…"

"Amelia, you never know how much time you have left," Margaret deadpanned and reached for her hand, patting it gently. "Don't live with regrets. Just don't do that…for me…your dying grandma."

Amelia rolled her eyes despite the situation as Margaret's eyes glimmered with mischief.

"You're playing that card?" she checked with her grandmother.

"I'm playing any card that I can to get you onside," Margaret replied. "Because I know what you're like. Just tell him how you feel. If he feels the same then you can work through all of this misplaced guilt you have. If I'm wrong, which I'm not, then you can say goodbye to him and move on with someone who will adore you for who you are, my bright, beautiful granddaughter."

Amelia smiled softly at her grandmother and squeezed her hand tightly before tucking her hair behind her ear. Margaret continued to smile as she settled into her pillows and Amelia suspected that she wanted to sleep. She was looking tired, but then again, she was always looking tired.

"Go home and talk to him," Margaret urged from her. "And then come back here soon and deliver the news."

"I'll be back tomorrow," Amelia promised her. "But you need to get some sleep, grandma. I can stay-"

"-No, I'll just be sleeping," Margaret shook her head. "You head on back."

"Alright," Amelia agreed and she stood up, kissing her grandmother on the cheek. "Sleep well."

"I'll see you tomorrow, darling."

"Love you, grandma," Amelia said, grabbing her small red satchel and placing it over her shoulder. She moved to the door as Margaret called out to her.

"Love you too, darling," she said.

Amelia stood in the doorway and blew her a kiss as Margaret chuckled and then closed her eyes. Tapping the wooden frame on her way out, Amelia left and told the nurse she passed that her grandma was going to sleep. She said she'd be back tomorrow and wished them a Merry Christmas. Heading to her car, she pulled the key from her coat pocket and unlocked it. She sat in the driver's seat and placed the key in the ignition, but she didn't start the engine.

Shrugging out of her bag and coat, she laid them on the passenger side seat and then gripped the wheel. She had seen the numerous bottles of pills on her grandmother's bedside cabinet. She had watched as her grandmother tried to control her breathing and fight through the pain she was in. She was a strong woman, but Amelia knew she could only be strong for so long.

Starting the car, Amelia reversed out of the bay she had parked in and put the car into first gear and then second. She drove slowly down the gravelled track out of the care home and turned onto the main road. She was steady on her drive back, not entirely convinced that she wanted to go back and deal with Helmut. She took the scenic route along the coastal roads, driving steadily in the late morning sun as it beat down on her and she squinted to avoid its glare.

But she knew she had to go home eventually. It was her home and she couldn't avoid Helmut forever. And perhaps her grandmother had a point. Perhaps they just had to air everything, no false pretences or faking how they felt. Amelia suspected she could end up hurt and disappointed, but it had to be better than lying to him. Amelia finally pulled into the underground garage and parked in her allocated bay.

Taking the steps up to her apartment, she pulled her keys from her coat pocket that she had carried over her arm with her bag on top of it. She unlocked the door and stepped in, hanging her coat up along with her bag. She tossed her keys on the dining table and looked around. There was no sign of Helmut in the living room.

"Helmut!" she called his name.

She heard rustling movements and then saw him leaving his room. There was something wrong. She saw it instantly.

"You left your phone this morning," he said. So there was no Merry Christmas.

"It needed charging and I figured I'd be fine without it. It's not far to the care home," Amelia said and he watched her pull at the belt around the plum shirt-dress she wore that came down to her knees over her tights. "What's going on?"

"The care home called."

"When? You took the call?"

"About ten minutes ago," Helmut said. He laid her phone on the dining table and watched her, studying her as he saw her face scrunch up in confusion. "I heard your phone go off and I saw the caller ID. They hoped to catch you before you got home."

"Why?"

Helmut took a breath and let his hands dangle down by his side. He was wearing a black sweater and dark jeans, looking rather casual.

"Helmut, why?" Amelia demanded from him and he knew that he had to tell her.

"They said that…they don't think she has long left," Helmut said and Amelia shook her head. "They wanted you to go back."

"No," Amelia said firmly, but she was already moving. Shaking her head, she picked her phone up and moved back to the hallway. "I was just with her and she was talking…she was…she was giving me a lecture on telling me how I should tell you how I felt…I knew she wasn't well because I saw her hiding that she was in pain. She had so much medication with her as well, but this isn't right. It's not time."

Helmut stood in the doorway and watched Amelia shrug back into her coat that she had just hung up. Did she know what she had just said? Was she aware of the fact that she had just mentioned having feelings for him? He didn't know, but he wasn't going to push her. It was hardly the time and a part of him was worried what answer he would get. She grabbed her bag and then patted her pockets. "Keys…where did I put them?" she asked herself as Helmut saw the apartment and car keys on the dining table behind him.

He leant over to grab them before she came back in and she held her hand out expectantly.

"I'm taking you," Helmut told her.

"I can drive."

"No," was all he said to her. "I'll drive you."

"Helmut, I don't have time to argue."

"Then just leave this apartment and get in the car," Helmut demanded from her. "Because you are in no fit state to drive yourself anywhere. Now, come on."

Amelia stopped protesting as Helmut placed a hand to her back. He wondered if that was too familiar after what had happened between them, but Amelia didn't seem to shrug away from him so he guessed that had been something. He drove her back to the care home and his mind went back to her earlier comments, unable to get them out of his head as he wondered how that conversation might have gone if they'd had it.

Helmut hadn't even bothered to tell Amelia to wait for him as soon as he parked the car back at the car home. He hadn't had chance to turn off the ignition and she was already gone. She had left her bag in the car, Helmut picking it up for her. The coat she wore billowed behind her and Helmut tentatively followed her into the care home. She was already at the reception, the nurse behind the desk telling her to go straight through. Amelia rushed off and Helmut nodded to the nurse who recognised him from his previous visits. Following Amelia down the corridor containing the bedrooms, he saw her turn into the room at the end.

Keeping his distance, he knew that it was none of his business being there with her. He had no right to be with her or see her in such a private moment, especially after everything that had transpired between the two of them. Nonetheless, he still wanted to be there for her. He wanted her to know that he still cared, even if they had barely spoken in the past week.

"Hey, grandma," Amelia voice whispered and Helmut noted the woman in the bed struggling for breath, her chest rising and falling manically as she laid a hand on her stomach. Her other hand slipped out the wide of the bed, reaching for Amelia. Her granddaughter took hold of her hand, squeezing her fingers tightly. "You gave me a fright," Amelia whispered and Margaret's lips arched upwards.

"I…I didn't want you to see," she said, gasping for breath as Amelia shook her head. "I…it just hurts, Amelia…it hurts…"

"Do you want me to go and find a doctor?" Amelia questioned, already hovering above her seat.

But Helmut shook his head. "I'll go," he said and the two women looked to him. Margaret said nothing, simply observed him with a hooded gaze as Amelia nodded and he left.

Moving back down the corridors, he came to reception and told the nurse there about Amelia's concerns. She nodded her head and told him that she would come with him back down to the room.

"The issue is that she's already had all of the medication we're legally allowed to give her," the nurse explained and Helmut wondered if she should be telling him any of this, but he didn't stop her. A part of him wanted to know what to expect for Amelia's sake. "The only other option is to put her on morphine to take the pain away…she's likely to sleep for quite some time if we do that, but it does mean that…the pain will be gone until the end. She shouldn't feel a thing."

"You'll need to talk to Amelia," Helmut said to her with a shake of his head. "She's her granddaughter and next of kin."

"I know," the nurse said. "But considering you're her partner you should know too."

Helmut was about to correct her, but he didn't. Had Amelia let her think that he was, indeed, her partner? He didn't know, but he knew that he wasn't going to say anything because it wasn't the time or the place. He stood in the doorway as the nurse moved in and took Amelia to the corner of the room, Margaret now falling asleep slowly. Nodding her head, Helmut watched Amelia toy with her hands, her fingers lacing together and then nervously twitching in front of her. The nurse laid a hand to her shoulder before going away and passing Helmut, whispering to him lowly.

"I'll be back with the doctor."

He nodded and understood what she had said to him. Looking to Margaret in the bed, Helmut took tentative steps towards Amelia who had turned her back to her grandmother and was looking outside. He kept a step back from her as he whispered.

"Are you alright?"

He knew it was a stupid question as soon as he had asked her it. Of course she wasn't alright. Why would she be alright? He took a moment to let her compose herself. She wiped her eyes and turned back to face him, nodding but avoiding his gaze as she went back to the chair she had been perched in and picked her grandmother's hand up once more.

Helmut remained by the window and knew that he was overstaying his welcome in the room. "I will wait for you outside," he said to Amelia.

Moving to the door, he barely heard her speak. The noise was almost inaudible, but she had said something. "Don't," she spoke into the room. He turned back around as soon as she did and he looked to her as she turned her head over her shoulder and he noted the tears falling down her cheeks. "Don't go," she reiterated.

Helmut simply nodded and moved closer to her, taking the chair that was pushed under the dressing table and sitting it next to hers. He laced his hands together on his lap and sat up straight.

He observed everything that was happening, watching as Amelia spoke with the doctor once more and Margaret remained in pain, whimpering softly. She asked him what the best thing to do would be and he told her that it would be to minimise her pain. It was all he could do for now. Amelia nodded and Margaret stopped squirming as soon as the doctor gave her morphine. She went still as Amelia curled into a ball on the chair, still keeping hold of her grandmother's hand.

Helmut didn't talk, nor did Amelia. She didn't entirely know what she wanted to say or if she even could say anything to him. As the day drew to a close, he began to wonder what to do for the best, knowing that Amelia was unlikely to leave that room until it was time. He stood up and turned on the soft lamp in the corner once the night had begun to fall. Amelia blinked and looked over to him.

"You can go home," she said, well aware that they had been there for a number of hours and just sat in silence.

"I can stay," Helmut told her and he took his seat once more.

"You don't need to," Amelia said and looked over to him. "I don't know how long I'll be here…I…I just know that it won't be much longer. We don't have days anymore."

"Do you want me to stay?" Helmut asked from her.

She looked away and shook her head softly, hair bouncing around her shoulders. "I don't want to do this now, Helmut…talk about us…"

"And I am not asking you to do any of that," Helmut told her. "Forget what's happened and forget everything else, this isn't about us. This is about if you want me to be here for you. Just tell me what you want."

Helmut knew that they were due to have that conversation at some stage, but now was not the right time. Amelia knew that too and she nodded her head once, giving him her answer. Helmut nodded back and that was settled. He was sat in for the night. He folded one leg over the other and leant back, stretching his neck and trying not to let his limbs stiffen.

He would occasionally stand up in the night and go for a short walk, urging Amelia to do the same. She told him she was fine, but he promised her that he would stay with Margaret, plus she hadn't used the bathroom in hours. She told Helmut she would be back as soon as possible and he sat down in the chair he had occupied. He was about to close his eyes for a moment before he heard the woman in the bed.

"You're still here."

Her voice was raspy and she was struggling for breath. Helmut's eyes opened wide and he leant forwards, a hand on her arm.

"Amelia will be back in a moment," Helmut said to her. "Do you need anything?"

"No," Margaret shook her head. "Just…look after her…she likes you, Helmut…she might not admit it, but I know she does."

"I…I'll look after her," Helmut promised and he remembered how he had promised to do exactly the same thing for Lukas. This was the second person he had made such a promise to and he only hoped that he could keep it. He wanted to keep it. He just didn't know the best way to do that.

"Grandma," Amelia suddenly said, appearing back in the room.

She moved back to her chair and sat on the edge of it. "Are you alright? Do you need anything?"

"I'm fine," Margaret said. "I…I know…I know what's happening…"

Amelia didn't even try to deny it. She could hardly talk, the lump in her throat stopping her and her mouth drying out. She did her best to regain her composure as she pushed back the tears, blinking profusely. Margaret managed a sad smile over to her.

"It's alright," she promised her granddaughter. "It's all going to be alright."

"I know," Amelia said to her, humouring her. "And you…I love you, grandma. I love you so much."

"I love you too," Margaret whispered. "But it's my time, Amelia. It's time to be with them…and I'm not scared…I'm alright."

Amelia nodded her head, forcing a sad smile onto her face. "I know," she promised her grandmother and she said nothing further, Margaret closing her eyes and Amelia heard her take deep breaths once again. She leaned in closer, clinging onto her hands as she whispered to her. "I love you, grandma…and I love them too…I miss them so much and I want you to be with them. It's alright. I'm alright…just…I don't want you to be in pain anymore. I don't want it to hurt and I just want you…I want you to be alright…"

She knew that her grandmother wasn't listening. She was going to sleep once more and Helmut could see what was happening. Her breaths became even more laboured until he eventually saw the final fall of her chest. He didn't know exactly what he should say or do, not knowing if Amelia had noticed what had happened as she kept hold of her grandmother's hand.

But she noticed when she saw her lips part and no breath leave them. She nodded her head once and stood up, kissing her grandmother on the forehead. "It's okay now, grandma," she whispered and Helmut remained where he was, letting Amelia finish pecking her grandmother on the forehead before she stood up and he saw her take a deep breath.

"I should tell the nurse," she whispered.

"Stay with her. I'll go," Helmut said and he left the room as Amelia sat back down and could do nothing but look at her grandmother's body. She waited for Helmut to come back and he soon returned with the nurse and doctor in tow.

They carried out the checks, making certain that Margaret had passed away. They told Amelia to spend as long as she wanted with her grandmother and she nodded. She stayed there for the next half an hour before she realised that nothing was going to bring her grandmother back. She had gone. Amelia gave her one final kiss to the forehead and then nodded to Helmut. He understood what she was saying and he moved to his feet and looked at Amelia as she picked her coat up. She hung it over her arm and he followed her from the care home.

She spoke to the nurse behind the desk who promised her that they would take care of everything for her and be in touch. Amelia nodded her thanks and left the building. It was the day after Christmas and the morning was still dark. The cold instantly took hold of Amelia as she tried to shrug into her coat, but she had an arm inside out. Helmut noted her struggling and he took hold of it, pulling it out for her and helping her into the coat.

"You can talk to me, Amelia," Helmut whispered as she pulled her hair out from the collar of her coat. "Or you don't have to. It's up to you, but I am here."

Nodding, Amelia walked by his side slowly as they sauntered back to the car. "I knew it was coming," she said to him, taking a deep and shaky breath. "I just didn't want it to happen…not this soon…and now…she's gone."

"But she's not in pain anymore," Helmut said. "She's…she was ready, Amelia."

"She was so convinced that they'd be waiting for her…my mum and dad…Grandad," Amelia said and Helmut picked the key out of his pocket. "I just hope she's right. I really hope she's with them."

"I hope so too," Helmut said as he stood by the passenger side door and held it open for her. She stood in front of it and looked to him.

"Thank you for staying," she said.

"Of course," he responded softly, voice slightly husky.

Amelia nodded and quickly moved her hand to the top of his that was holding the door open for her. She squeezed his fingers before she he saw her trying to hold back her tears. Sighing, he stepped around the car door and she didn't bother to fight him off as he wrapped his arms around him and he held onto her, letting her finally cry openly against him and release all of the emotion that she had held in. Helmut moved a hand to the back of her head, cradling it softly as her tears dampened his neck. He didn't say anything, knowing that words wouldn't make this any easier for her. All he could do was hold her and wish that he could take the pain away instead.

...

A/N: So there's going to be some revelations coming up in the next few chapters that I have planned out. Thanks so much to Lyanna and Guest for reviewing. As always, your comments keep me going and I love reading your ideas. As for continuing this into the TV show- I had contemplated that and if it's something you're interested in then let me know. Please do let me know your thoughts!