Thank you as always to Hollie, I hope you enjoy!
The following night, Stevie and Jo summoned Jess and Beth straight to CID at the beginning of their shift. They walked through the double doors, heading towards Stevie's desk.
"Sarge, you wanted us?" Jess questioned.
"Hi. Thanks for coming up. We've just got back from talking to Allie again." Stevie said, spinning in her chair to face the two officers.
"And? What has she said?" Jess asked quickly.
"Nothing different than before, but I convinced her not to make a complaint." Jo said, smiling at Jess.
"Thanks Jo, that means a lot. I really am sorry for how I acted last night, that's not the kind of police officer or person I am, well not normally." Jess said sincerely. Jo nodded in acknowledgement.
"How do you mean that she hasn't quite confessed?" Beth asked.
"Well she knows that we have enough evidence to charge her with manslaughter when she's released from hospital, but she's trying to think of ways to get out of it, it seems." Stevie explained, handing Jess and Beth a printout of Allie's statement so far.
"So she's still saying that the baby was a stillborn, even though we know that he took at least one breath before dying?" Jess questioned.
"Yep, she's adamant that she didn't kill her baby, that she wouldn't do that. We also asked her if she was aware that the baby had Down's syndrome." Jo replied.
"And?" Jess asked.
"She looked a bit shifty when we said that, so we think that she did know. But we need to work out why she killed him. It might be to do with the fact that the baby had downs syndrome, but we don't know." Stevie said, slumping in her chair. She hated not getting results.
"What's going to happen? Are we going to arrest her when she's released?" Beth asked.
Jo nodded, "Yep, we're going to put forward all our evidence, see if she confesses. If not, we've got enough to charge her with the manslaughter of her baby and abandonment."
"Right well let us know if you need anything else from us." Jess said with a nod, walking out of the office, Beth close behind.
Two days later Jess was getting ready to go to work. She had been having trouble sleeping since finding the poor baby, dead in the bushes. She awoke an hour before she was due in, but even though she had slept for ages, she felt exhausted. She put it down to the constant waking every time she saw the little boy's face. She padded through to the kitchen, pulling her fluffy dressing gown tighter around her. She had just taken a sip of hot coffee when her mobile rang. She ran through the flat, trying to find it, and eventually uncovered it beneath the pillows on the sofa.
"Hello?" she said, a little breathlessly.
"Hi Jess, it's Stevie." Stevie answered.
Jess was confused, since when did Stevie have her mobile number? "Um hi, everything ok?"
"Yeah, well, sort of. I know you're due on shift in an hour anyway but I was wondering if you could come in early? There's been a development on the Allie Birt case?" Stevie explained.
"Really? Has she confessed?" Jess asked, sitting on the edge of the sofa.
"No, but she wants to talk to the officer who accused her of killing her baby." Stevie said, shaking her head.
"Why? Does she want to yell at me again?" Jess said bitterly.
"I have no idea. We really don't know, but would you be able to go straight to the hospital? I wouldn't ask, but if she's going to confess, she might chicken out the longer we keep her waiting." Stevie pushed.
"Ok, but I won't be in my uniform or anything. Have you cleared it with Inspector Gold?" Jess asked.
"Yep, she said it was fine. As soon as you get into the station once you've seen her, could you come see me please?" Stevie asked.
"Yeah sure. I'll be over there as soon as I'm dressed. Bye." Jess hung up, not knowing why Allie suddenly wanted to talk to her. She walked back into the kitchen, downing her coffee, shivering as it burnt the back of her throat, and then walked into the bedroom, getting dressed to go and talk to Miss Birt.
Jess pulled up to the hospital, feeling a bit at odds. She didn't particularly want to talk to this woman, but she knew that they wouldn't get a result otherwise. She sighed, scooping her bag off the passenger seat and getting out of the car, starting the slow walk up to maternity. She smiled at the woman on reception as she went by, and found Allie's room quick enough. She knocked lightly, hoping that Allie was still asleep.
"Come in!" she heard her shout from inside.
Jess opened the door, smiling, but not her normal smile, more of a strained smile, "Morning Miss Birt."
"Call me Allie, please. Here, sit next to me." Allie offered, pointing at the chair by the end of the bed.
"Thanks. DS Moss rang me this morning telling me that you wanted to talk to me?" Jess questioned, keeping her voice light.
Allie hung her head, "Yeah, well first, I wanted to apologise for wanting to complain about you. I was just real angry and scared, you know?"
"Apology accepted. What was the other thing?" Jess asked, sitting back in the chair.
"I wanted to talk about why I did it." Allie said quietly.
Jess' ears pricked; Allie was admitting to the murder of her son, "Allie, would it be ok to record our conversation?" Jess was mentally patting herself on the back for remembering to pick up the tape recorder.
"Sure, why not." Allie allowed, nodding.
"Take your time ok." Jess said kindly. She switched on the tape recorder, placing it on the bedside cabinet. "This is PC Hunter of Sun Hill police station and Miss Allie Birt, suspected of the manslaughter of her newborn son. Ok Allie, go on."
Allie eyed the tape recorder warily, but started to talk, "When I got married, my husband was brilliant to me. He was so romantic, always buying me chocolates and little presents. But when I got pregnant with my first daughter, he started telling me I wasn't allowed out anymore, that I had to give up work. As my bump got bigger he started saying I was fat and ugly, that no bloke would fancy me anymore. He said that I didn't take care of my appearance, that I was dirty. I tried everything to please him, but he wasn't having any of it. My baby was ten days old when he hit me the first time. It just got systematically worse until he was abusing me both physically and mentally nearly every day. When he'd been drinking it was even worse. Last year, I was at the shops with my youngest girl, she's too young to be at school yet. I was having a real tough time of it, I didn't have enough money to buy the girls nice things. I resorted to stealing again, and I didn't get caught. But then in one shop, I got stopped. They were about to call you lot when this bloke I didn't know walked over, pretending to be my husband, telling them that he was just about to pay for the items."
Jess nodded, suddenly feeling an affinity for this woman, "Go on Allie, you're doing really well."
"Anyway, this bloke took me and my little one for a coffee. I didn't know what to say to him, I was so embarrassed. I wanted to just pay him back and then go home, forget the day had ever happened. But this man, he kept showing up, wanting to help me. He treated me like you're meant to treat someone; with respect and love. Before I knew it, I had fallen in love with him. But my husband...he said he would kill me if I ever cheated on him. But, I really did love this man, it was hard to stay away from him. So when my youngest daughter started school, Jack would come over to my house, and we would just spend the day together, or he would take me out. And then I found out I was pregnant. I knew that it weren't my husbands, and he would have known as well if I had told him. So I told Jack, and he said he would support me. But then as I started to get bigger, it was getting harder and harder to hide my pregnancy. My husband guessed what I had done; after the beating I was half dead. He left the next day. Then Jack left me, telling me it had been good while it lasted."
Jess couldn't believe the two men had done that to this poor woman. It was bad enough being in an abusive relationship, she knew that too well, but when Allie had found a man she loved, he left her pregnant with his child.
"So then I was on my own with my three girls and another on the way. I couldn't cope. The only money I had coming in was benefits and child support. Most of that money went on the bills and electricity and heating. Then the other night, I went into labour. I locked the girls in the house, knowing they would keep each other safe. I walked down the streets, I was gonna cut through the park to the hospital, but when I got there the baby wouldn't wait. I had to crouch down in some bushes like some cave woman and deliver my baby. He was so beautiful, with dark curly hair like mine, big blue eyes like his sisters. I cradled him to me, trying to keep him warm. I don't know how long I stayed like that...but when I looked at him again, he wasn't moving and his eyes were shut. I didn't mean to, I just didn't want him to get cold."
Jess realised that she had got this woman all wrong, and she felt such guilt, "I am so sorry Allie. I had no idea. I was completely out of line the other day."
Allie smiled sadly at Jess, "You didn't know."
"You smothered the baby by accident, you were trying to keep him warm." Jess guessed.
Allie nodded, and a tear dripped onto the sheets. "I didn't know what to do with him, so I just left him there. Then you know the rest." Allie said, trying to pull herself together. "I should have taken him home with me, I don't know what was going through my head."
"Allie, I understand what you went through. My husband used to hit me often, mostly when he had a drink. But then it began where he didn't need a drink to hit me. My son died nearly five and a half months ago now, and my husband could have stopped it. I didn't have the strength to leave him at that point though, but then I found out a few weeks ago that I was pregnant again. He didn't want it, and wanted me to have an abortion. I told him no. That night I was attending a house party that got out of hand, and a teenager pushed me through a window. I lost my baby. My husband didn't care." Jess whispered.
Allie lent forward, her arms open, and the two women clung to each other, knowing that the other understood perfectly what they had gone through. "I'm sorry." Allie said quietly.
"It's ok, it wasn't your fault. Now listen, I'm going to get this tape back to the station and play it to DS Moss and DC Masters. Then we'll see what happens next. I'm going to get you help ok? Help for you and the girls. I need to go now, but I'll be back later." Jess said, smiling at the woman. She picked the tape recorder up, clicked the stop button, and walked out of Allie's room, feeling like a burden had been lifted off her shoulders.
Jess got back to the station, feeling emotionally drained as well as physically. She slouched into the female changing rooms, pulling on her uniform. She put her hair up in a ponytail, pulled the tape recorder out her bag and walked up to CID.
"Stevie?" she said as she approached the blonde detectives desk.
"Jess, how did it go?" Stevie asked anxiously.
"It went...really well. She didn't kill the baby on purpose, it really was an accident." Jess explained, perching on the edge of Stevie's desk.
Stevie looked surprised, "What?"
"When the baby was born, she held the baby tight to her, trying to keep him warm, and that's when he suffocated. I got the pyjamas she was wearing that night for evidence." Jess said, holding up the bag full of pale white pyjamas which had blood on them. "I also recorded the whole conversation for your listening pleasure."
"Wow, well done Jess. Looked like it went well then?" Stevie asked.
"Yeah, I got her completely wrong, and I feel so guilty. But we understand each other now. If you're done with me, I'm going to get on to finding her financial support, you know the sort of stuff." Jess asked.
"Erm yeah, sure. Thanks Jess, you've been really good. I'll grab Jo and we'll have a listen, see what we can do." Stevie said with a smile as Jess walked out of CID.
Jess was busy making phone calls to every single organisation she could think of, trying to get extra support for Allie and her girls. She had completed an urgent safeguarding referral as well as contacting the girls school to see what they could do for the family. So far, only one organisation had been remotely helpful, and it angered Jess. This woman was doing everything to try and provide for her girls, and no-one had the gall to help her. She had just lent back in her chair when there was a light knock on the door.
"Come in!" she shouted, sitting up. She was surprised when Gina came in.
"May I?" Gina asked, indicating the seat in front of Jess.
"Sure." she replied.
"DS Moss has just been to see me about the case you were working on the other night and today." Gina started, and she didn't give away whether this would be a good or bad conversation.
"Oh yeah?" Jess asked, trying not to give anything away on her face.
"She was really impressed with your hard work, even if you did get off to a rocky start with the suspect. Her and Jo have just listened to the recording, and they're going to sort out a case to put forward to the CPS. Because she still killed that baby, whether it was intentional or not." Gina seriously.
"Well it's better now that we know it's accidental, rather than thinking it was murder like we thought before, right? I mean CPS might not even take the case to court! You know what they're like." Jess said with a nod.
"Yes I know what they're like. But anyway, I just wanted to relay to you the good impression you made on CID. Stevie wants to borrow you again in a minute to drive to the hospital and bring Miss Birt back here for a few more questions. I said it was alright for you to go." Gina said smiling.
"Do they want me to go now?" Jess asked.
"If you wouldn't mind. I'll let her know that you've gone." Gina said as she left the room, closely followed by Jess.
Jess pushed the wheelchair with Allie in it very carefully through the corridors of the hospital. They had been chatting about their children, exchanging stories. Things between them were a lot lighter now, and Jess knew that if they had met in different circumstances, they would most likely have become fast friends.
"Are you ok getting into the car or do you need some help?" Jess asked, parking the wheelchair next to the passenger door while she put Allie's bag in the back.
"I should be ok." Allie replied with a smile, struggling to open the door. Jess walked round, opening it for her and positioning the chair right up against the seat, "Thanks PC Hunter."
"Jess." Jess corrected.
"Do you know what other questions they want to ask me?" Allie asked, a bit worried.
"It's probably just to clarify what you told me earlier. Don't worry about it." Jess said kindly, starting the engine. As they pulled out of the car park and onto the main road, Allie started talking again.
"Do you know when I can see my girls again? I miss them so much!" Allie asked, hope on her face.
"Allie, I'm afraid they're in emergency foster care while the case is being sorted out. Hopefully you'll be able to get them back soon, but I honestly can't give you a definite answer." Jess said sadly. She hated to rip families apart, but sometimes there was no other choice.
Allie sat heavily back in the chair, realisation dawning, "I'm not going to see them again am I?"
Jess was approaching a roundabout, so checked to the right making sure nothing was coming before she carried on across, "Allie I..."
Jess was cut off by an almighty smashing noise, the noise metal makes when it's quickly compressed and shattered, followed by the smashing of glass. The patrol car skidded across the roundabout before the front left tyre got caught on the kerb of one of the exit roads, flipping upwards in the air and landing heavily upside down half and half on the grassy verge and the road. One of the wheels was lying next to it, the rubber burnt out from where it had skidded on the road.
The right side of the car had a big indent at the join of the back passenger door where the other car had slammed into it, and the back right passenger door was hanging open on its hinges. The windscreen looked like a glass mosaic with small bits raining down on the two women trapped in the car, morbidly suspended from their seatbelts.
They were aware that they had crashed, aware that they were trapped, aware that they could die. They could hear the screaming from nearby, the alarm that it wasn't just any car hanging half and half on the road, but a police car. Someone finally got the good sense to call all three emergency services, and until they arrived, it would be a long and dangerous wait.
Tony knocked urgently on the Inspectors office, not waiting to be admitted entrance.
"Tony?" Gina asked, looking up from her papers.
"Ma'am, we've had a civilian call in saying that one of our squad cars has been involved in a serious crash on a roundabout. I've just found the live CCTV link from the roundabout, here." Tony explained quickly, thrusting the images of Jess' squad car into the Inspectors hands.
"Do we know which squad car it is?" Gina demanded.
"Not yet ma'am, the car is upside down, the civilian can't tell. Sergeant Stone and Will have gone in one car while Roger and Leon went in the other. I've sent an urgent dispatch for a fire engine and ambulance." Tony relayed all the information.
"Do we know how many people were in the car?" Gina asked, getting to her feet and hurrying to the dispatch room, followed closely by Tony.
"The man thinks it was two, both in the front." Tony answered, pulling up the CCTV on screen.
"What about the car that crashed into them?" Gina asked.
"Carried on driving, it didn't even slow down. Ben is trying to see if we can work out where it's gone or at least get a plate so we can track it down." Tony replied.
"Sierra Oscar 1 to 55." Gina said into her radio, pacing in front of the screens on the wall.
"Go ahead Sierra Oscar 1." Callum replied.
"How close are you to the crash scene, over?" Gina asked.
"Two minutes, less than that. The ambulance will be there at the same time as us, the fire crew should be just behind them. Do you know who it is yet, over?" Callum asked.
"No we don't, let me know as soon as you're there and you know more, over." Gina called off, holding her radio tightly in her hand.
The two patrol cars halted to a stop a few metres away from the overturned patrol car, the lights casting shadows over and over.
"Hold on! Before you go over there, listen to me carefully. We need to wait for the fire crew and ambulances before we do anything in terms of pulling people out. Do you understand?" Callum said sternly.
"Sarge." Leon and Roger said obediently.
"But Sarge, someone we know is in that car!" Will protested.
"PC Fletcher, don't make me send you back to the station." Callum said. He agreed with Will though; someone they knew and worked with was in that car, possibly dead.
The four officers ran up the car, careful not to touch it to cause it to move in anyway. Roger checked around the car, looking for any signs of fuel spill. Callum got down on his front by the driver's side, while Leon did the same on the other side.
"Sarge, I don't know who this woman is. She's not one of ours though. She's not looking good...hang on, she's got a hospital wristband on." Leon shouted above the car. Leon tried to see what the name on the band was, but he couldn't get a clear view without moving into the car. "I can't see it, Sarge."
"Ok, start talking to her. Is she conscious?" Callum shouted round the car.
"Yes she is, she's nodding. It's ok darlin', we're gonna get you out of here soon ok. Just keep talking to me. Can you tell me what your name is?" Leon asked gently.
Allie felt like her throat was made of sandpaper, but she managed to rasp out her name, "Allie Birt."
"Sarge, she says her name is Allie Birt." Roger called.
"Hang on, she's the one in the baby manslaughter case." Will said, the name fitting with the picture they had of her.
Callum's eyes widened as he realised who must have been driving, "No no no!"
"Sarge?" Will asked, bending down next to Callum.
"It's Jess! Jess was driving, she was bringing Allie back to the station." Callum said urgently. "Sierra Oscar 55 to Sierra Oscar 1."
"Go ahead Callum, over." Gina said, watching her four officers on the screen in front of her.
"It's Allie Birt and PC Hunter, over." Callum said, placing his radio on the grass so he could try and feel Jess' neck for a pulse. He let out a breath which he hadn't known he was holding when he felt the strong pulsing of blood past his fingers.
"How are they, over?" Gina asked.
"Allie is conscious and talking to Leon, Jess is coming round now, over." Callum replied, passing his radio to Will. "Jess? Can you hear me darlin'?"
Jess cleared her throat, it was itching like hell. She nodded, but then realised that Callum wouldn't be able to see her nodding, "Yeah, I think I'm ok." she called weakly.
"Alright, we're gonna get you two out of here ok? The ambulance has just pulled up, I'll be back in a minute." Callum explained, making to get up when was stopped by Jess' voice.
"Sarge please don't leave us." Jess begged, turning her head slowly to see if Allie was ok. She was reassured when she saw Leon was holding her hand.
Callum looked to Will, who nodded and ran to the paramedics, "It's alright, I'm staying right here."
"Some idiot went into the side of me as I was about to cross the roundabout. Hang on, where is the other car? Is the other driver ok?" Jess asked, coughing and wincing, pushing her hand against her ribs.
Callum stood up, not seeing the other car. His fists clenched as he realised the culprit didn't have the guts to stay and own up to what he did, "No, it looks like he's cleared off. It's alright, we'll get him, don't you worry about that."
"Oh I'm sure you will. Listen, get Allie out first, she's going to be in worse shape than me." Jess asked Callum.
"Jess, it's up to the paramedics who they take first, who's in worse shape." Callum said gently.
"Sarge please, get her out first. Promise me?" Jess begged.
Callum hesitated before agreeing, "Ok, we'll try."
Half an hour later, all the doors had been cut off the mangled vehicle. The fire crew were ready to start cutting the two women out. The fire officers had put masks and goggles over the women's faces to stop them getting cut by the shards of glass that were flying around the car as the doors were pulled off.
As the final door was pulled off, the officers took the masks off and the paramedics moved in, placing oxygen on the women's faces and collars round their necks.
"My officer said to get the other woman out first. She's only just been released from hospital after having a baby and haemorrhaging, she'll probably need more urgent medical care." Callum said to one of the paramedics.
"Alright mate, we'll try." the man said.
Callum ran back to Jess' side of the car, "Listen, they're going to try and get Allie out first ok? You'll be free soon."
"Thanks Sarge." Jess said with a pained smile.
"Right ladies, we're going to get Allie out first, but Jess, you won't be far behind." the chief fire officer said. "Allie, you need to stay extremely still for my boys so they can get you out safely ok?" The officer signalled at his men who came forward with all their cutting gear, the paramedics right behind them. The men hacked at the seat, trying to disentangle Allie from the wreck safely. After a final big cut, Allie was freed. She was gently pulled out of the car by two of the fire fighters and the two paramedics.
"Hi Allie, I'm Luke, this is Comfort. How do you feel?" Luke asked.
"Like I've just been hit by a car." Allie said with a weak bubbly, laugh. There was a pause, and suddenly Jess heard one of the paramedics shout that she was in cardiac arrest.
"Callum!" Jess yelled and she looked at Callum's face as he knelt down. "What's happening?"
Callum looked to where the paramedics were frantically performing CPR, trying to get her heart to start again. "I don't know."
"She can't die, don't let her die! She needs to get back for her girls." Jess cried, feeling hysterical. A few tense minutes later there was silence; Jess knew it was all over.
"Jess, I'm so sorry. They couldn't save her." Callum said gently, reaching his hand into the car and clutching Jess' hand.
"What? But she was fine!" Jess whispered.
"The paramedics just told me that there was too much strain on her heart because she'd just given birth, and then after the crash it all heaped up and she suffered a heart attack." Callum said sadly.
"But she was talking to me! She was joking around! What about her girls?" Jess said, her words not forming properly due to her crying.
"I know, I know. Listen I need to move out the way so they can get you out, I promise I'll be straight back with you when you're freed." Callum said softly, pulling his hand back out the car while Jess cried.
Callum was sitting outside Jess' cubicle, where she'd been moved to from resus. He had just hung up after speaking to the Inspector.
"Are you here to ask her questions?" the nurse asked, coming out.
"Yeah, is she ok to talk?" Callum asked.
"Yeah, please don't overload her though." the nurse said kindly, walking off. Callum pulled back the cubicle curtain. Jess was sitting with her legs over the edge of the bed. Her hair had been pulled back off her face while the nurse had been putting stitches on the gash down her cheek and forehead. There was a bandage around the top of her right arm, she'd broken some ribs and her whole right side was a patchwork of bruising, but apart from that she seemed fine, miraculously. He took a seat next to her on the bed.
"They may as well name a ward after me." Jess said quietly.
"It's amazing how often you end up here." Callum said with a smile.
"I'm cursed, that's why." she replied. "What happened with Allie?"
"They brought the body back here, they're gonna do a post mortem soon. I've told the Inspector what happened, she said don't bother coming back today or tomorrow." Callum said, laughing.
Jess smiled, although it was strained, "I'm coming in tomorrow. I don't want to be sitting at home for ages again. I need to be doing something."
Callum didn't say anything for a moment. Then, "Jess you've just been involved in a pretty big crash, give yourself some time to heal. Have they said when you can go home?"
"Now, I've discharged myself, she's just getting me the paperwork." Jess replied, staring at her feet, knowing the Callum wouldn't be impressed.
"You discharged yourself? Was that the best choice?" Callum asked.
"I'm taking up a bed which they need and I don't. The nurse said I was fine, so I'm going." Jess said wearily.
"I'll give you a lift home." Callum offered.
"Sure?" Jess asked.
Callum nodded.
Tony knocked on Gina's office, "Yes PC Stamp?"
"Ma'am, we know who went into Jess' car." Tony said.
Gina raised an eyebrow, "Well?"
"It was Dan ma'am." Tony replied.
Gina frowned, "As in Dan Waite, Jess' ex?"
"Yes ma'am. Ben found some more CCTV following the car, then we got a call from Leon and Roger who were attending another RTC- it was Dan's car smashed up into a wall of a school. They said he wasn't in a great state and they've gone with him to hospital to get a blood alcohol test and see if he's fit enough for questioning, and if he isn't, what his prognosis is." Tony explained.
"No one is to know about this Tony, besides us. I do not want it getting back to PC Hunter." Gina said with a nod.
"Understood ma'am." Tony said, nodding as he left.
Callum helped Jess out of the car; she was stiff and sore from the accident.
"What floor are you on again?" he asked, looking at the buttons in the lift.
"You know very well which floor I'm on." Jess said with a laugh. Jess thought she saw Callum blush, although she didn't say anything. They slowly walked out the lift towards her flat.
"You got your keys?" he asked her, holding his hand open. She passed them to him, leaning on the wall while he worked out how to get the door open. It finally granted them access, and she hobbled in, throwing her stuff on the sofa and gently bending down to flick the Christmas tree lights on.
"Do you want tea or coffee? Or something stronger?" she asked him from the kitchen.
"Yeah, a coffee's great, thanks." he called back, taking a proper look through the flat. It was small, but it was neat, cosy. There were loads of pictures of Jess and Luke, only one of Jess, Luke and Dan together. The door to Jess' bedroom was slightly ajar, and he spied the flowers he had bought her the other day. He smiled as he saw that they were next to her bed.
"Take a seat, make yourself at home." Jess said with a smile, handing him a steaming cup of coffee. She took a seat next to him, slowly lowering herself down and wincing. She straightened her legs out and leant back against the plush cushions, a look of bliss on her face. "I really should stop making a habit of ending up in the hospital."
Callum nearly snorted his tea out, "Yeah you should, it's not doing my heart any good!" Callum froze as he realised what he'd said. "I uh...I meant that..."
Jess turned to face him, a small smile on her face. She laid a hand on his arm, "Callum, it's fine."
They were both silent for a few minutes, and when Callum turned to say something, he stopped himself. Jess was fast asleep, although in a minute she wouldn't be as her tea would land on her legs. Callum placed his own mug quietly on the table, then took hers from her hand. She was dead to the world.
Callum slid his arms underneath her, cradling her to his chest being mindful of all her injuries. He stood up carefully, and walked the small distance to her bedroom. He laid her on the bed, pulling the cover from underneath her and putting it over her. He just stood watching her sleep for a few minutes before planting a light kiss on her cheek, the one without all the stitches in it, then shut the bedroom door behind him as he left.