Four hours later.


She's dead. The only thought Harry could think. It had been far too long and there was no way on earth Ruth would still be alive. He had left the grid as soon as it became clear that he was doing nothing but slowing Tariq down and was driving round in circles, knowing someone would call when they had news. They all knew she was dead too. There was simply no other option, not after so long. Harry just drove, knowing he might bypass her location as he was doing it. He had to be moving. Because if he wasn't moving, his brain would go to images of Ruth dead, pale and lifeless. He knew she was likely to look much better than what he was imagining, working against the worst of humanity everyday made the brain just go there. The phone rang and he quickly picked it up, ignoring the fact he was driving.

"15 Warmsley Road," Tariq said. "I'm sending the directions to your sat nav now."

"Thanks," Harry said and quickly followed the almost instant directions. "Can you… wait for emergency services? Just give me a ten minute… Or fifteen minute head start. I want to be alone with her."

"Of course Harry." He drove faster than was wise but he had to get there. He knew he was hours too late but he didn't care. He had to see her one last time.


He dragged open the door and saw her lying on the ground. He knew it was her even from the door, just from the way her hair lay around her face. He knew it was her. He ran and crouched down to face her, she was still. Deathly still. He put his hand on the plastic wire coming out of her arm and in doing so his hand brushed hers. She was freezing. He removed the medication as quickly as he could. Even if he was too late, he couldn't have her looking like that. Attached to the drugs that killed her.

"Oh Ruth," he breathed, holding her head between his hands. Her cheeks were soft but cold. How often had he wanted to hold her face, letting his thumb brush her skin he had no idea. Why had it taken this? "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "Please don't think you were unimportant to me. Please. I know you wouldn't have been able to cope with the guilt, if I'd let a million people die for you. I just hope I'll be able to live with the guilt of the other choice. I don't know if I can." He pressed his lips to her lifeless ones and then looked at her face again. "I am so sorry." He reached forward for another kiss and then backed away swiftly. He could have sworn he'd felt her lips twitch.

"Can you hear me?" he asked quietly. No response. He knew she wasn't there. He knew that logically she was dead, she was so cold that there wasn't really another option. "Please be able to hear me," he begged as his fingers brushed through her hair. Silence. He didn't even realise he was crying until he felt the tears fall onto his hands. He brushed them away impatiently and then leaned in to kiss her again.

"…mm…"

"Ruth?" he whispered against her lips. He heard that tiny little noise again and felt his heart soar. He picked up the phone and got through to Tariq immediately.

"Get paramedics over here immediately," he demanded with no pre-emptive. "She's still hanging on."

"Three minutes away," Tariq said. "I had them on standby."

"Thank you."

"Talk to me," he said stroking her face. "I need you to fight, can you do that for me?"

"…mm…"

"Good," he said firmly, trying to hold back his relief. She was still in danger and horribly cold. She'd been drugged for hours and he had no idea what the brain damage would be. The fact that she was still functional to even mumble anything was incredible. He felt incredibly stupid for not checking her pulse the second he found her, wasting a precious few seconds before he had unhooked her IV.

"Paramedics are going to be here soon," he said. "Can you try to move your fingers for me?" He looked down at her hand, praying for movement. He wasn't sure but he thought her index finger twitched. Maybe wishful thinking. "I know you're disorientated and drugged up, but I need you to try harder. Move your finger." She definitely managed it that time. He smiled. "Well done." He didn't get any further because two paramedics came into the building and he moved out of the way, so they could more easily get to her.

He was crouched by her but then his eyes were drawn by the IV bag. Something wasn't right. She should have been dead for at least an hour but she wasn't. He looked at the connection between the bag and the wire. Then he saw what had happened. The link was far too tight between them, meaning that the drug wouldn't have been flowing into Ruth's bloodstream at nearly the rate Lucas had told him. He knew that Lucas as far too meticulous to have done this by accident, so he had never really intended for her to die. She still had hours to live. He closed his eyes in relief. It meant she was going to be okay.


I had honestly intended to kill her but was reminded that my pen name would need changing if that were the case. All I've written so far but hope its okay. xxx