Cal answered the phone without thinking, without looking, assuming it was going to be Zoe. When he heard Gillian's voice on the other end he cursed himself silently before walking to a quieter area.

"Before you say anything, I'm not using Emily as an excuse…" he said quickly, hoping she wasn't calling to berate him for standing her up. Could he call it standing her up?

"I wasn't going to even suggest that. I'm just phoning to see if everything's ok." Cal swallowed hard and took a deep breath. He'd given her nothing, a tid bit of a suggestion that something was amiss and she was willing to ignore the issues between them to ask about Emily. No wonder he loved this woman.

"Not really luv, no…" he said finally.

OXOXOXO

Gillian gripped the slab of chocolate and stack of teenage magazines under her arm as she checked in at the front desk. The receptionist confirmed what Cal had told her – fourth floor – Maple Ward. Cal hadn't told her much on the phone but had promptly said yes when she'd asked if he wanted her to come down. He still needs me, she thought to herself, even if he doesn't want me.

As she stepped out of the lift, she ran straight into an angry woman, dragging a bewildered looking man behind her. Neither person apologised to Gillian who just frowned as they stepped into the lift. Walking on, she found the ward she was looking for and spotted Cal standing in the doorway of a private room. He spotted her and held up a hand to stall her for a moment. She nodded and sat down outside, glancing over the front covers of the magazines she'd brought and willing herself not to tuck into the chocolate she'd bought for Emily.

After about ten minutes, a doctor emerged from Emily's room followed by Cal who sat down in the chair next to Gillian, letting his hand fall onto her knee. He sighed tiredly and yawned. Gillian let her hand fall down onto his where it rested on her knee and waited for him to explain.

"There was some swelling to the back of her head which they're a bit worried about. They're waiting on scan results to determine the seriousness of it. She broke some ribs, which in turn, caused her lung to collapse. They said they only got her in on time. Another few minutes…" he couldn't finish the sentence. Gillian squeezed his hand and he took a deep breath to continue.

"She's stable now. And sleeping. They're waiting on the scan results to see if she suffered any brain damage or memory loss. It's the waiting game." Gillian nodded, taking all of the information in and letting it register. But something didn't register.

"What exactly happened Cal?"

"She was getting a ride home from a boy who swore blind that he was ok to drive after 6 drinks. He got a few scratches. Emily got this. And the other girl who was in the car is in a bad way too. He ran a red light, car bashed into the side – Emily's side." Gillian suddenly thought of something.

"I bumped into an angry looking couple at the elevator. They weren't…"

"The boys parents, yeah. Gave them a piece of my mind."

"Cal…" He shook his head, on a roll.

"No Gill. I told them I'd see their son got done for drink driving. And that if anything was seriously wrong with Emily I'd push for reckless driving and make sure he never drove so much as a moped for the rest of his life." Gillian could hear the upset in his voice and she tightened her hand on his again, not sure it was making any difference to him but hoping it was.

"Well at least you kept your calm," she joked and he chuckled, glancing up at her, sadness in his eyes.

"You should go home," he said, unintentionally dropping his gaze to her lips and twisting his hand to clasp into hers. She shook her head.

"Why? I only just got here. Besides…I've got to make sure you don't eat Emily's chocolate." She smirked as she held up the gigantic bar of chocolate, something she was sure would cause his heart to seize if he thought of Emily eating it. But the berating didn't come. Instead, he leaned across and kissed her softly on the lips. It was no more than a peck but to Gillian it felt like she was about to explode. Cal, on the other hand, seemed nonplussed.

"Thanks luv," he said, standing up to re-enter the room.

OXOXOXO

Almost an hour later, Emily was still sleeping¸ Gillian was still there and Zoe had yet to arrive. She was in Chicago knocking heads together to try and get a flight out back to DC. She'd phoned Cal a couple of times to keep him updated but so far she'd had no luck. The room was basked in a foreboding silence. Cal was pacing back and forth across the floor, waiting for something but he didn't know what. Gillian was ashamed to say that she was replaying his kiss over an over in her head. She knew she should have been talking to him, trying to calm him down but she was too tied up in what had happened. She also knew that talking to him wouldn't be worth a damn when he was this wound up. But she could try.

"Cal. You're wearing a path in the linoleum," she joked, trying to lighten the mood. He sat down next to her.

"I'm sorry luv. I don't think I'm able to sit still," he said honestly and Gillian nodded. She was sure that she'd be the same if she were in his place. A glimmer of sadness flickered across her face as she thought about the likelihood of being in that position but she pushed it away, knowing that this wasn't time for self-pity. Cal hadn't missed it though.

"You should go home luv," he said softly, his hand on her arm, thumb stroking her. She looked at him.

"Why?"

"Because being here is making you think about how you'd act in my position, and thinking about that is, well it's hurting you, isn't it?" His eyes bore into hers and she sometimes wondered, though he claimed not to, if he could read minds. She smirked and shook her head.

"You're good, Cal." He smirked, a hint of cockiness returning to him.

"Last I read they were saying 'best'." She chuckled and was about to answer when her phone rang in her pocket. Pulling it out, she saw her husband's name flashing on the screen. Biting her bottom lip, she stood up and answered the phone, stepping outside for a moment. Cal glanced at Emily before standing up and walking over to the door. He loved a good eavesdrop as much as the next peson…

OXOXOXO

So was going to write more there but decided to cut it and keep it for the next bit. R+R