Chapter Eleven

While Ana hadn't had the best night's sleep, it was better than it had been for a while and after the nurse had visited and changed her dressings she was going to the hospital to see Douglas again. She wanted to make sure he was ok and she wanted to visit some of the other victims there at Saint Mary's too. Hopefully, she'd be able to see the woman who had lost her legs but was alive apparently because of Ana. She wouldn't believe that the woman had survived if she didn't see her for herself and so hoped that she'd be up for some visitors.

Christian was getting concerned about Ana, she may have had some more sleep last night than the previous night but altogether he knew she'd had maybe around five hours in total. When she'd wake from a nightmare she'd be unsettled for a long time before she'd go back off to sleep. The bags under her eyes were dark and obvious and her eyes often looked glazed and unfocused. She also didn't argue about needing help to do things, just accepted it, and let those around her get on with it. That was so unlike Ana. Though he had seen signs of his Ana, like when she'd spoken to the press the previous day. God, he'd been so proud of her at that moment and his heart had almost burst from his chest listening to her speak so passionately, giving hope to a nation in mourning.

Ana didn't know how much that clip had been played on TV but every station had been showing it repeatedly as a part of their ongoing coverage of the Islington Bombings. Ana really was the light in the darkness for so many and he knew she'd struggle with that but he was proud of her and happy for her that she was able to be something so positive. He hoped it would help her with her healing and accepting what had happened, that along with a load of therapy.

When they arrived at the hospital Ana sunk in her chair and kept her head bowed, the media were still camped outside though they had now been placed behind fences away from the door, Ana knew the moment they spotted her they would go crazy. Christian picked up his pace, Taylor keeping close to his shoulder as they got Ana in through the door as quickly as possible.

The ride up to the ward was quiet, Ana was visibly very nervous, shaking lightly in her seat. Christian couldn't pretend to understand what she was going through but he did what he could to support her, lightly squeezing her uninjured shoulder as they rode up in the lift. Ana continued to say nothing as she was wheeled to Douglas' room where they were surprised to find that he wasn't there.

"Where is he?" Ana asked, her heart hammering in her chest seeing the somber faces of his family.

"He's been taken back into surgery." Shelly said softly as she came over to give Ana a gentle hug.

"Is he ok?" Ana asked, her voice high pitched by quiet with her fear and anxiety.

"Yeah, they're not sure they'll be able to save the foot though." Shelly explained. "But he can live without a foot, that's not a problem." She said clearly trying to remain positive even if her smile looked more like a grimace. "Umm, I was wondering if you could do something for me." Shelly stated nervously.

"Anything." Ana replied taking the woman's hand, if she could help then she would in any way she could.

"The press need to know how he's doing, well the public do through the press anyway, we've been getting lots of messages asking after him and we would like to give an update." Shelly explained. "I was wondering if you would mind doing that on our behalf." She said signalling the rest of the family.

"Of course, if that's what you want." Ana said. "Should we write something together maybe?"

Shelly, Ana, and the family worked for a good half an hour on a statement for the press for Ana to go out and read for them. Shelly kept reiterating her thanks and Ana kept insisting that it was ok. The press could be scary for someone who was as seasoned at her, Doug's family weren't as used to the intrusion as she was so she was happy to do this for them. They didn't need the added stress of speaking to the media, but she knew the public would appreciate the update.

Once everyone was happy with it Christian took Ana away so that she could speak to the media outside. He wasn't too happy about it and neither was Taylor, but they kept their opinions to themselves knowing Ana didn't need to hear them right now. To her, this gave her something to do, a way of helping someone and so for a brief moment the depression and fears she had wouldn't cloud her.

"Good morning everyone." Ana started as soon as she was satisfied everyone's attention was on her. She scanned the crowd, recognising some of the journalists while others were unfamiliar and unknown to her. It was hard sitting here in front of such a large crowd, but she was grateful that she had something to read this time as huge black cameras glared down at her while photo cameras clicked repeatedly. "I have a statement from the family of Douglas Hall." She said before clearing her throat. "We would like to thank everyone for their kind messages of support, we would like you to be aware that Douglas is doing well. He has had to go in for further surgery but is likely to make a full recovery. He has a long road ahead of him and we ask that you keep him and all other victims in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you, the Hall family." Ana closed the piece of paper and ignoring the questions that were being shouted at her was wheeled back inside and over to the reception desk.

"Excuse me." Christian said getting the attention of the young woman behind it. "We're looking for a nurse called Julie, she took care of Miss Steele here after the terrorist attack." Christian knew it was a long shot but they had to try.

"I think Julie is up on vascular today. I'd suggest trying there." The receptionist said softly. Christian nodded and wheeled Ana back towards the lifts, they could at least check there and try to find Julie.

They got lucky, it was the right Julie who practically screamed the ward down seeing Ana and ran over to hug her tight. Ana returned the embrace just as warmly and failed to blink back the tears that spilled down her cheeks. Julie had been Ana's light in the darkness, Christian understood that.

"How are you?" Julie asked kneeling in front of Ana awkwardly, a hand cupping softly at her cheek.

"I'm ok." Ana nodded. "I wanted to thank you for taking care of me…"

"Nonsense, I was just doing my job." Julie said brushing off the thanks Ana was trying to give her.

"Anyway, I wanted a favour. You know you told me about the woman who I did the tourniquets for… I was wondering if she was still alive?"

"Yes, she's doing amazing." Julie beamed. "Oh, Ana you have no idea what you did for people do you? Why don't I take you to see her?"

"Would that be ok?" Ana asked nervously.

"She'll be happy to see you!" Julie exclaimed excitedly. Ana beamed, she was glad she'd be able to see the woman for herself.

Julie led them down the corridor to another ward and swiped them in through the doors, Christian and Taylor staying close. Ana was extremely nervous now, she remembered abandoning the woman after doing the tourniquet to go and help others, she couldn't imagine the woman was at all thankful for that.

"Lydia… I have someone here to see you." Julie said pulling the curtain back. Ana was faced with a beautiful older woman, with dark hair and a beaming smile on her face.

"The angel of Islington!" She gasped making Ana blush. "Oh my god… you're here." She burst into tears as Ana climbed out of the wheelchair so she could stand beside the bed. Ana took the woman into her arms and hugged her tight, her own tears, this time of both relief and joy spilling uncontrollably out of her eyes.

"You're alive." Ana breathed quietly, finally, she could believe it.

"Only because of you." Lydia chuckled.

Ana pulled back and stroked her hand down Lydia's cheek, she couldn't believe this woman was real and looking a lot healthier than she had on the floor of Chapel Market.

"Ana was asking after you Lydia and I thought you might appreciate a visit. Though not too long or the ward sister here will have my guts for garters." Julie chuckled as she sat on the edge of the bed, honoured to be a part of this reunion.

"I'm so glad you're here." Lydia said softly. "I told everyone I thought I'd dreamt you but they kept telling me that I had two makeshift tourniquets on my legs and that's what I remember you doing. They said I'd have bled out if you hadn't done that."

"How are you?" Ana asked, afraid to look down on the bed knowing that the woman had lost both her legs.

"They've been amputated from just above the knees." She said quietly. "It's going to take a lot of getting used to, but other than the legs I'm fine, unscathed." She said. "What about you, you were covered in blood even though you were helping everyone, you were hurt too."

"I'm ok. I think I did more damage running around without shoes on." Ana explained, her sore feet reminding her why she was supposed to be in a wheelchair. "I was lucky."

"I think people like me are the lucky ones, we'd have died if it wasn't for you. There are so many people here with similar stories to mine." Lydia signalled her hand to mean others on the ward. Ana didn't know if she could face seeing anyone else, Lydia was just one of the many who had stuck in her mind but Lydia was one of those Ana had not expected to live to tell the tale.

"I'm just so happy you're alive." Ana said softly. "I didn't know if you were going to make it from there." She said as tears fell down her cheeks once again.

"I'm here because of you. You really are an Angel Ana." She said softly and Ana gave her a sad smile, she'd never accept the title of Angel, but she was glad to see that her helping had saved someone's life.

"Right come on, before the Sister comes around to do meds, she'll just complain that we're all here."

"Get well soon Lydia, I'll try to come and see you again." Ana said leaning in and giving the woman a hug and a kiss on the cheek which was returned. She felt like she'd known the woman for years even though they'd only really met five minutes before.

Ana climbed back into the wheelchair feeling just a little bit lighter now than when she arrived at the hospital. Now she could believe people had survived this, there were many people out there who had lived to tell the tale.

By the time they got back to the house Ana was exhausted but insisted she didn't want to go to bed. Grace gave her a good telling off when Christian said she'd been standing with Lydia but Ana didn't care, she was so happy she'd been able to see for herself that Lydia had survived and lived to tell the tale. She had so many horrid memories of people badly injured, skin ripped and burned away, faces missing, limbs all over but to see someone after being treated and on the mend made her heart just a little bit lighter.

Ana turned the news on again, they were still playing the same old footage from the bombing and the aftermath, there obviously wasn't any other news that was as interesting going on in the world right now. She sat while Gail brought some lunch through and Grace insisted on re-doing Ana's bandages on her feet, to make sure she hadn't opened any of the cuts.

"We bring you some breaking news now, protests have broken out across London. We are bringing you live pictures from outside Downing Street, Parliament Square and Whitehall, these protests are from people angry at the lack of response from the Government about the Islington Bombing, they claim that the lack of response is racially motivated and politically motivated as the attackers are believed to be right-wing extremists and that Labour MP's were injured in the atrocity."

"Holy cow." Ana said as she looked at the scenes from London. Thousands of people were protesting, shouting angrily and waving their banners.

"You told him, on their own heads be it." Gail muttered as she looked. Ana looked at her and smiled knowingly, that was exactly what she'd said.

"Why are you protesting here today?" The news reporter asked a teenage girl with a sign that read 'SHAME!'

"Because when there is a terrorist attack you expect your Government to stand up and condemn the attackers. The death toll is currently at a hundred and five people, this is now the worst terrorist attack to have ever hit this country and they have been silent on the fact. We're angry, they haven't put a flag at half-mast, they haven't condemned the attacks and they haven't paid their respects for the victims. Not only that one of their own was running around trying to save lives that day. What about standing up and thanking her for her hard work and dedication to the people of this country? Showing some respect for her heroism? It's disgusting, they should hang their heads in shame. Ana Steele MP, who showed us all what it means to be British and to stand united has come to the memorial and spoken to the press when she's had to live through it, the least the Prime Minister could do is release a sentence as a statement or take ten minutes out of her busy day to say something."

Ana was amazed at this young woman, she was clearly very passionate about this as were the other people around her who were agreeing with everything she was saying by ways of whoops and cheers.

"What about you? Why are you here today?" The reporter turned to an older gentleman whose poster was hidden out of the camera's eye line, possibly because it contained inappropriate language.

"I just think it's despicable. Like the young lady said, the least she could do is release a statement to the media. Instead, she and her cronies are acting like none of this has even happened. It has to be because they were white guys. If they were Muslims they'd be the first to shout about it." The old man explained, and Ana sighed, she didn't think it was racially motivated, however, she could understand why people were feeling that way. They were right in saying that when it was Islamic Extremists that spread terror, they condemned it immediately.

"It's going to cause rioting." Taylor said from his seat on the opposite couch. "It always does when the Government go too far. They've gone too far with this."

"I hate to agree." Grace said as she finished bandaging Ana's feet. "Now miss, after you've eaten pain killers."

"I'm fine." Ana said trying to brush her mother off, she didn't need babysitting.

"Ana, you don't need to be in pain. You're not a martyr, now eat, and pills." Grace was taking no messing. Ana sighed angrily like some teenage girl but when she saw the look on Christian's face she knew better than to argue anymore. She gave a quick nod and reached for a sandwich, she was hungry and maybe the pills would allow her to have a decent nap this afternoon.

They were showing footage of the memorial again, people were playing soft music there while others continued to lay flowers and tie balloons to trees and light candles. It truly was amazing to see the coming together of people in such a tragedy. She was proud to be British at times like this, even though Extremists, likely British born and bred had caused such a tragedy, when the worst in humanity was shown so was the best, and this was the best of them coming together in peace and love.