Yvonne

'Oh go on, go and save lives'

As he turns away I suddenly remember I have something to give him.

'Oh hey, I've got something for you'

When he turns around, a coy smile crosses his face, making his bright blue eyes light up and the wrinkles at the corners crease with joy and happiness. I slip the metal key fob into his warm palm and close his fingers around it before he has a chance to see it.

'If you get there before me, let yourself in'

'Thank you'

Nick leans in and closes the space between us, giving me another deep and passionate kiss. I feel myself getting lost in it, in him. I know if I stay like this I will never go to work, so reluctantly I push him away, putting on my best stern expression I can manage.

'Okay I'm going, I'm going.'...

The memory fades. As I open my eyes, the harsh brightness of the florescent lights hit me and I blink several times in an effort to clear my vision. Where am I? What's happening? Disoriented and scared I move my fingers and am surprised to feel warmth beneath them. I try to move my head but find I can't.

I'm trapped. Why am I trapped? Then all the terrible memories seem to hit me in one big rush and the combined pain of them is so acute it makes me feel as if I have been punched in the stomach, hard. I vaguely remember recklessly following Faith Portman's son into that shop, heaven knows why though. I'm a police officer for God's sake! What was I thinking? Everything is just a blur after that, apart from one thing. Nick. But where was he now? Probably gone and I wouldn't blame him. Because eventually that's what I always end up doing. I push and push until eventually everybody leaves, then it's just me. Alone like always. I know I present this cold, hard exterior to the world and that is why I have never found the right guy for me. That is until Nick came into my life. Now I can't imagine my life without him in it. He has melted me and reconnected me with a part of myself I had lost. i have never felt like this about anyone before, well if truth be told I have never let any guy close enough to love them. But Nick is different. I love him.

I faintly hear the sound of rapid beeping coming from somewhere really close by, but I don't associate it with myself, not at first. The next thing I know someone is shoving a mask over my face telling me to breathe slowly and that everything was going to be okay. I struggle to make sense of my surroundings though my drugged up haze. I try to flex my fingers slightly and feel the rough starched sheets underneath me.

I try to turn my head, call his name but I can't hear my own voice. I am left staring at the ceiling, seemingly all alone again. Then I hear the sound that I have been craving to hear for what feels like forever. His voice, the voice of the man I love. I am suddenly encased in his shadow and feel a soft kiss being planted on my forehead.

'It's okay Yvonne I'm here; I'm here, just try and get some rest'

He came to sit next to me and took my hand in his firm grip. He wipes away a few stray tears from my cheeks.

'Hey it's okay, everything will be alright. I promise. I'm not going anywhere, I love you. We will get through this together.'

That is last thing I remember before falling into a peaceful sleep, holding the hand of the man I loved with all my heart.