Odette had been getting ready for her shift when she had smelled it. Smoke. There was no way she would ever mistake that smell again. It had been burned into her skin and had filled her lungs. Odette had rushed downstairs to see the flames rising from every corner of the room. She had tried to go back upstairs but behind her the staircase collapsed in on itself. She had gone to the one corner where the fire had not reached, hoping that the sapeurs pompier would get here in time. She watched as the flames got closer and closer and closer to her the old memories of pain and misery making her knees buckle. She backed against the wall as the flames rose higher and higher. The smoke was filling her lungs making it nearly impossible to breath and Odette began to cough violently. Her vision began to cloud as her breathing slowed and she closed her eyes already so exhausted. She heard a voice call her name.

"Odette where are you!"

"Here." She whispered, knowing her voice couldn't manage anything louder. Odette wasn't even sure if the voice had heard her or if she was just imagining it. She leaned her head against the wall and let her muscles relax as she passed out.

…

Louis jumped up, ignoring Felicies insistent 'She's fine, she'll be out in a second' Louis knew better he had been through this before, he had remembered what it felt like to be in denial. But he had also remembered watching Odette's face light up from the flames and her voice run hoarse from screaming in pain. Without a second thought he ran towards the building, not pausing when he heard several of the sapeurs pompier telling him to stop. He didn't listen. He hadn't been there to save her the first time but there was no way he was watching as the building his Odette was in fell to the ground. She had been through too much to die now. And on top of that she didn't deserve anything else to happen to her. Her life had been hard enough already without added trauma.

He took the scalding door handle in his hand and twisted it as quickly as he could. What he saw made him stop in his tracks. The flames rose high and from here he could see that the staircase had collapsed in on itself. He hoped to god that Odette was not up there, because there was no way he was making it up there. He scanned the room, looking for anything. When he still couldn't see her he called out her name.

"Odette where are you!"

The sound was swallowed by the fire but the faintest whisper of 'here' in the corner. He peered through the flames and saw a dark figure pass out against the wall. He tried to avoid the flames but his arm still ran through one of them, causing him to hiss and snatch the limb back against his side. He quickly ran to her, running his fingers over her face. She was curled into a ball as far away from the flames as she could be and sympathy filled Louis' heart. Sweat was running down her face from the extreme heat of where she was sitting. Louis looped his arm around her back and legs lifting her from the floor. Her head rolled to the side and she groaned. Louis cursed as the flames got even closer to where they stood. One of the flames leapt to the side. Louis took the opportunity and ran out the door, his muscles screaming in protest. He took her limp form over to the ambulances that were crowding the street and laid her down on one of the waiting stretchers.

The medic began checking her vitals as Louis hovered nervously over her.

"Will she be alright?"

The medic finished checking her heartbeat and gave him a small smile.

"She will be fine. I see she already has some injuries from a previous fire. She is quite the fighter."

Louis nodded reaching a hand out and caressing her cheek. "That she is."

"Her lungs are filled with smoke though, so she will need to be on oxygen for a couple of days. It seems she has no burns other than the ones already there, but we will be bringing her to the hospital nonetheless. Do you know any of her family?"

As if on cue twin arms wrapped around Louis from behind and squeezed.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." The voice whispered.

Louis turned taking in Felicies face that was both grateful and broken.

"Sir this is Odette's daughter Felicie."

The medic frowned looking at the unconscious woman with brown hair beside him and the young girl with fiery red hair.

"Are you sure?"

Felicie whimpered beside him and he put a hand on her shoulder.

"Felecie is Odette's adopted daughter, and yes it is legal, so I suggest you let her ride to the hospital with her mother!" Louis growled.

The medic swallowed looking down at his clipboard nervously. "Ahh, right… she will need a… conciseness supervisor."

"Merante you can come with me… right?"

There was such hope in her question that Louis didn't refuse. "Of course."

"Are you… ah… related to Mademoiselle Milliner?" The medic asked.

"No. I am a… friend though." The Slight pause between his words had Louis wincing, hoping that Felicie had not caught on. He had wanted to say… never mind that type of thinking would get him nowhere at this point.

The medic nodded. "All right. You will be allowed to accompany us, but it is up to Mademoiselle Milliner's daughter to determine if you should stay."

Louis nodded and climbed into the ambulance with Felicie right behind him. Her hand held his tightly and she made no move to let go. Louis grimaced as he looked at Odette's white face, the image too close to the ones that often appeared in his nightmares. Felicie buried her face in his shoulder and Louis swallowed hard, rubbing the shaking girls back.

"The medic is right. She is a fighter… she will make it."

…

Louis paced in front of Odette's bed in the hospital, finding it impossible to stop moving. Here he was watching her moan in her sleep and cold sweats break out on her skin… and he couldn't do anything. It was enough to drive him crazy. Felicie snored gently on the chair beside the window, and Louis wished that he could fall asleep just as easily as she did and forget about this day.

…

Louis sat in the chair beside her bed, reading, and trying not to cringe every time Odette whimpered in her sleep. His hand rested on the bed and when she started to cry in her sleep he took her hand. In her sleep she whispered a quiet "Lou…" and his heart jumped. He caressed the skin of her hand with his thumb and leaned forward.

"I will be here when you wake up. I will."

…

The third night he had started to pace again, unable to sit and watch the hours tick away. And still she slept. The doctors were beginning to get concerned but were also worried that if they forced her to wake up before she was ready, the trauma could damage her brain. Louis didn't want that… but he had to admit. He was waiting for her to wake up. He tore his hand through his hair, his pacing quickening, sure that he was going to wear a groove into the floor.

"Lou… would you… stop that?"

Louis' head snapped up and he gasped, his gaze landing on her eyes. Odettes lovely, beautiful, stormy blue eyes that were open. He rushed over to the bed and took her hand in his, kissing the back of it.

"You're ok… oh god… you're awake!" He whispered fiercely, turning her hand over and kissing the palm.

She gave him a tired smile. "I am." The smile fell. "Is there…"

She didn't finish the question but Louis could see it hiding in the shadows of her eyes.

"You didn't suffer any burns and no none of your legs are injured… or at least more than they already are."

She nodded. "How long…?"

"3 days."

"Is Felicie alright?"

Louis smirked, looking over his shoulder at the girl who had yet again fallen asleep. Odette followed his gaze and chuckled, which inadvertently led to her coughing. Louis got the cup of water off the side of the table holding it so she could swallow.

"Thank you." She whispered eyelids drooping.

He kissed her cheek. "No thank you, for coming back."

She leaned up before he could pull back fully and brushed her lips fully with his.

"I will always come back Lou."

He stared at her with an open jaw, his whole body like a live wire at how her lips felt against his after so long. He shook his head a bit, clearing his thoughts.

"Now get some rest, I want you to make a full recovery."

Odette turned her head back into the pillow and closed her eyelids, holding his hand in hers. Her eyelashes fanned over her cheekbones and Louis gave the smallest smile, squeezing her hand once to let her know he would still be here when she woke up. He always would be.