AN: Apologies for the delay in uploading. Life has now returned to some form of normality here.
Chapter Ten
Ana and Christian waited patiently for the door to open, they were visiting John Flynn's widow and children. Christian didn't want to be there, he didn't know Rhian and John like Ana did, though he had met them a few times. However, he was there for Ana.
"Ana." She gasped opening the door, Ana gave her a sad smile.
"Hi Rhian, I hope you don't mind us dropping by." Ana said quietly from her wheelchair.
"Of course, not come in." Rhian said opening the door and Christian wheeled Ana inside.
"Can I get you anything… a coffee…or…"
"No, no we're fine thank you." Ana said as she was placed beside the couch in the living room.
"It's good to see you." Rhian said leaning down so she could give Ana a hug.
"I'm so sorry Rhian…" Ana whispered as tears built in her eyes. She could barely speak because of the penetrating lump in her throat.
"Oh Ana, you have nothing to apologise for. You didn't cause any of this." Rhian said her own tears slipping down her cheeks as she continued to hold tight to Ana. "I'm just glad you're ok."
Ana cried harder at Rhian's words, she'd lost her husband, but she was glad that Ana was alive? That made no sense to her. How could anyone be thankful one was alive when they'd lost their spouse was beyond her, but she knew Rhian was sincere.
"How are the boys?" Ana asked when Rhian finally pulled away.
"They're ok." Rhian replied tucking a piece of her red locks behind her ear. "I don't know how much they really understand if I'm honest." Rhian sighed, explaining that their Dad was never coming home again had been one of the hardest things she'd had to do.
An awkward silence fell between the trio, Christian didn't know Rhian that much so didn't know what to say and Ana just felt guilty that she was sitting here when John wasn't. It didn't seem right or fair, she wasn't married, she didn't have children.
"I hear Doug is doing ok?" Rhian asked breaking the silence again.
"He was when I last saw him." Ana replied, she needed to visit again to make sure that he was still ok because she didn't believe that he was somehow. It was something in her gut screaming at her that something was wrong.
"That's good." Rhian said quietly. "They're doing autopsies on some of the victims, so we should get to know why John didn't make it."
"That's good." Ana replied awkwardly, she wasn't sure if it was but then again knowing exactly why someone died might help with the moving on, especially as Doug had survived who had been standing right next to John at the time.
"I think so." Rhian agreed. "I went to the park last night with the boys to lay some flowers."
"That's where I'm going from here." Ana said, the flowers were in the car ready for them to take to the unofficial memorial that had been set up.
"It's… calming."
"Is it?" Ana asked, unsure what to expect.
"Yeah, in a weird way." Rhian smiled sadly, "I mean you realise you're not alone and everyone there is so kind when you speak to them."
"That's good." Ana smiled gently, it really did sound good that people were good to the families.
"They still haven't finished clearing the scene." Rhian said quietly. "Some families still haven't had any confirmation about what's happened to their loved ones."
"That must be hard for them to cope with." Ana replied her eyes dipping to the floor as she tried not to become too emotional again, she didn't want to think of those who were yet to be identified because she knew they would have been the ones most damaged by the blasts.
"Why did this have to happen?" Rhian sobbed and Ana reached over and took her hand, there was nothing she could say to comfort the poor woman.
Ana and Christian sat quietly as Rhian cried, she needed to let it all out when she could, and they weren't going to stop it. Ana sniffed along with her, trying not to cry too much but unable to stop some of the tears from falling as she sat there.
"I'm sorry." Rhian said wiping her nose on the back of her hand.
"You've got nothing to apologise for." Ana replied grimacing, she was the one who needed to apologise, maybe if she'd have gone with the men to the chip shop then maybe John would have lived.
"They said on the news they think it's right wing extremists." Rhian said quietly.
"That's what the police suggested to me too." Ana admitted quietly. "It makes sense, the Islamic Terrorists haven't hit in a couple of years and when they do bombs it's usually suicide bombs. These weren't suicide bombs."
"I know." Rhian agreed. "It's frightening, don't you think Christian?"
"I do." Christian agreed, grateful to have been brought into the conversation as he'd been sitting there quietly so far. "They'll get them."
"I hope so." Ana whispered, she couldn't imagine these individuals never getting caught. "They have them on camera so that's something."
"There will be arrests before we know it." Rhian said with a forced smile on her face. Ana and Christian nodded, whether they believed it or not they had to try and hope it was true.
After leaving Rhian's, Taylor took Christian and Ana to the park that was being used for a memorial. He had a word with a police officer who allowed them to take the car up close and then promised he'd stand guard with it while Taylor kept close to Ana and Christian.
They walked through the trees, Christian pushing Ana's wheelchair, and only a few feet in they were met with hoards of people laying flowers and lighting candles. Ana bit back a sob, this was to commemorate all those who had died, and it was heart-breaking. The flowers were in Ana's arms and shaking she got to her feet, Christian rushing around to support her. Ignoring the protest of her very sore feet she shuffled forward onto the grass with her own bouquet of flowers, ignoring the stares from people who were looking at her. She placed the flowers down before falling onto her knees, unable to stand as the anguish of the event that had happened washed over her.
Allowing her to cry was the best thing Christian could do, so he went down beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He was surprised when someone else came to Ana's other side and placed an arm around her and was even more shocked when others joined them. They were obviously aware of Ana having been caught up in the attack but whether they were aware that she was the person who had been labelled the Angel of Islington was another thing. Around a dozen people gathered around Ana in solidarity with her as she cried, supporting her and comforting her. It made Christian cry to see the incredible humanity that surrounded them.
"Thank you." Ana whispered as she lifted her head, only mildly aware of the people who had gathered with them. She lit her candle and placed it next to the flowers before she was helped by Christian and another lady to her feet.
"Miss Steele…" A lady said stepping up to her. Ana looked at her, unsure who she was. "I'm Tony's grandmother…" She didn't get to finish speaking as Ana threw her arms around the older woman. The woman broke down in sobs in Ana's arms and Ana cried hard with her as she had realised this was the grandmother of the little boy she'd laid down with. "I just can't thank you enough for what you did." She hiccupped as she lifted her head to look at Ana.
"I'm so sorry." Ana cried. "He was gone when I got to him." Ana explained.
"Oh God Miss Steele, no I don't blame you. I'm grateful to you for being there with him. Please, I know you didn't cause his death and I know if you'd been able to save him you would have but he was gone. I just pray he went peacefully. I just want to thank you for being there with him and comforting him and singing to him." The woman explained through her cries. Ana just sobbed, unable to accept the woman's gratitude because she's lost her grandson, yet she wasn't angry or mad. Instead, she was grateful to Ana for her actions.
"I just did what anyone would have done…"
"No, you went above and beyond. The police told me how you wouldn't leave until you were sure he wasn't going to be there overnight and that the policeman stayed with him after you left to make sure he was the first moved. I will forever be grateful to you for that."
Ana couldn't take anymore and sobbed hard as the woman held onto her. She wasn't aware of the cameras flashing at them and filming them and she didn't care. Ana was then hugged by multiple people in the crowd, from one pair of arms to another she was hugged and thanked which just made her cry harder. It exhausted her and Christian eventually stepped in and stopped it before she hugged the hundreds of people gathered there. He and Taylor helped her into the wheelchair when someone stepped up to them.
"I'm sorry Miss Steele, I know you're tired and want to go home but… well, is there any way you can find out why the Prime Minister hasn't made a statement?"
"I don't know. I'm not in the Conservative Party." Ana replied taking the young woman's hand, she looked distraught and Ana figured she'd lost a family member in the attacks.
"Just people are getting really mad about it. You were a hero, the Leader of the Opposition was caught up in the attacks and an MP died, but no one from the Government has said a word." She explained angrily, she wasn't angry at Ana but she was angry that no one from the Government had made any form of statement.
"I'll see what I can do. I may be able to get hold of someone." Ana said giving the girl's hand a reassuring squeeze. "I think it's the least we deserve as victims and family members."
"Thank you." The young woman said before stepping out of the way so Christian could push Ana away.
"Wait." Ana said making Christian stop suddenly. "Is that press over there?" She said signalling where some crews were gathered with cameras and microphones.
"Looks like it." Christian said quietly, he knew Ana would hate that the press was bothering the family members.
"Take me over there." She said surprising Christian and he could tell by the tone of her voice that if he didn't, she'd get up and walk there. He trundled awkwardly over the grass with the wheelchair and when members of the press noticed her approaching they quickly adjusted themselves and got ready to hear what she had to say.
"Good afternoon." Ana said her voice strong and determined. "I just wanted to say, thank you to everyone who has been here and laid flowers, comforted the victims and their families. Terror will never win as long as we stand together. London stands united today, against any and all forms of terror. Whether your black, white, Asian, middle eastern, you are welcome here as long as you come with love in your heart and tolerance for others. We will not stand for hatred, we will not stand for terror. People died here because of hatred and intolerance, people were hurt, lives changed irrevocably. However, with love, compassion and understanding, we will survive, we will get through this and we will never concede to the demands of terrorist doesn't matter what race or religion they are. Thank you."
Christian took that as a sign Ana was finished and with his heart bursting with pride, he rolled her away from the media and back towards the car. He hadn't even made it there before he spotted her shoulders shaking uncontrollably but he knew this was her release, it had taken a lot of inner strength for her to say what she had but damn it needed to be said. Especially seeing as no one from the Government had made any form of statement condemning the actions of these terrorists and because they were right-wing extremists it would cause a rise in racial tension between people of colour and white people if there weren't enough people speaking out against them.
Ana's life had been changed forever, Christian knew that as did everyone else. However, while Ana felt weak and vulnerable, he could see that in time to come Ana would be stronger for what she had to go through, she would be a better person for it one day. It was just cruel that she or anyone else had to go through such an atrocity. No human should ever have had to face what the people of Islington had faced that afternoon.
"Kate!" Ana shouted as soon as she was wheeled through the front door, causing Kate and Grace to come rushing from the living room.
"What is it?" Kate asked, her eyes wide showing her panic.
"Get hold of someone from Government and tell them I want to speak with them today. I don't care who it is but get me someone!" Ana shouted as she took control of her own wheelchair and led herself to the kitchen, she had a fire in her belly now and some more strength and determination from somewhere. "Gail, can I have a coffee please." Ana said politely.
"Sure." Gail replied happy to do anything Ana wanted if it made her feel any better. "How did it go today?"
"It was ok. I met the grandmother of the little boy I lay down with." Ana said quietly. "She kept thanking me. I don't understand that. Why would she thank me, her grandson is dead. I couldn't bring him back."
"Ana, I think what you did was show people that in all that darkness there was light. What happened to you and all those people was horrible and disgusting, but you showed them there were love and kindness in the world still and gave them hope and showed such humanity." Gail replied kindly as she handed a mug of coffee over to Ana.
"I just did what anyone else would have done." Ana said quietly.
"No Ana, you went beyond that. That's what makes it so special to everyone. I know you don't like the attention, but people are focusing on you and what you did because it's so much better and brighter than focusing on the death and destruction. Be glad you're able to be that positive light in all of this." Gail said as she knelt in front of Ana's wheelchair so she could look into the depths of her blue eyes. She wanted Ana so badly to see what everyone else was seeing. It wasn't as much about her being a hero as it was her bringing light into the darkest corners of people's lives. She was something good for them to hold on to.
"Ana I have the Home Secretary on the phone." Kate said hurrying into the room while knocking the phone onto speaker before handing over. Gail stepped aside to make room for Kate.
"Ah Mr Swift at last someone from the Government I can actually speak too."
"What do you want Miss Steele?" He practically growled at Ana which made her glance nervously at Kate.
"I want to know why the Government, nor the PM have made a statement regarding the events at Islington." Ana replied angrily, she was pissed that they still hadn't made a statement about this when so many people had died.
"It was agreed by COBRA and the Cabinet that we would not give any attention to terrorists." He replied dryly.
"Are you for real?" Ana asked, horrified.
"Yes, giving them attention increases the risk it will happen again. They want to be Martyrs. By ignoring them and not giving them any attention, it reduces the risk that others will decide to follow in their footsteps."
"Mr Swift nearly a hundred people have been confirmed as deceased and at least five hundred injured. An MP has died, one injured and the Leader of the Opposition remains in hospital. Yet, your Government have decided not to even pay your respects to the victims?"
"At this time, we will not make any statement Miss Steele."
"You do know that people are angry right?" Ana asked trying not to show her own anger and failing miserably.
"They will understand when we prevent any similar situations from occurring."
"You sicken me." Ana said. "This is the Queen and Princess Diana's death all over again. On your own head be it." She ended the call before he could respond and gritted her teeth to prevent her from screaming. She shook her head from side to side quickly as she held back on the anger that was coursing through her veins.
"How can they be so selfish?" Gail asked quietly.
"I don't know… it's beyond me." Ana sighed. "The stupidity of it. Just a simple statement for the victims and their families would be enough. Right, I need some pain meds and some sleep. I'm tired." Ana said downing her coffee before going to find Christian to take her up to bed. She was exhausted, the day had tired her out and she wanted to escape from it all for a few hours. If the nightmares would let her that was.