Thank you Hollie for your wonderful reviews! Enjoy!
The nightmares wouldn't stop. Every time he closed his eyes, he was suddenly back in the burning warehouse; the heat was excruciating, the noise horrific. Each night the nightmare changed slightly. The first night he had it, he had died whilst hearing Jess scream for him. He had watched his death from above, watched Jess frantically trying to revive him, the fire-fighters unable to get to them. The next night it had been Jess who had died. He had dreamt that he had awoken in hospital to be told that Jess had died. The night after that, he had watched Neville burn to death in agony, unable to move, rooted to the spot. Each night the nightmare changed.
Jess hated being in the house alone. Everywhere she went, Callum was there, whether it was the pictures on the wall, the smell of him in the bedroom, his favourite song playing on the radio. She just wanted to bring him home. And sure she could visit him every day, but she wasn't allowed to stay with him overnight. He was bored out of his mind cooped up in hospital; he was a man who didn't cope with boredom very well, and had been ushered back to bed many a time by angry nurses after he had wandered around looking for some action.
Jess had to smile though, because tomorrow she could bring him home. He had been in the hospital nearly two weeks now, and the doctors had finally said that he was ready to go home. His physiotherapy had gone well, there hadn't been much work needed. Jess knew though that there was something he wasn't telling her. She didn't know what it was, but she was determined to find out.
Callum had been ready for three hours. His small overnight bag was packed up with all his things, and he had placed the cards from well wishers in a carrier bag. Now he just had to wait for Jess. He was nervous; he had to tell Jess something, and he wasn't sure how she would take it. He thought that she would like it, but you couldn't always be sure with Jess.
At last, the door to his room opened, and Jess walked in with a huge smile on her face. Callum stood quickly, pulling Jess to him and kissing her gently on her scarred cheek. Like the nurse had said, she was left with a very faint scar on her cheek which she could easily cover with make up if she wanted. Jess laughed as she saw Callum's stuff already packed up.
"Going somewhere?" she asked him, picking his bag up and throwing it over her shoulder.
"Home." he said happily.
"I'm so glad they're letting you out. I've been so lonely!" Jess said, reaching up to kiss Callum as they left his room. Callum waved goodbye at the nurses, thanking them for taking such good care of him. The couple slowly made their way out of the hospital to the car; Jess dumped Callum's bag in the boot, then made sure Callum was ok getting in the car. Once she had strapped herself in, she started the engine.
"I don't want to go home yet." Callum said suddenly as Jess began to move away. She stopped the car, put the handbrake on and switched the engine off.
"Where do you want to go then?" she asked him curiously.
"The Church on the outskirts of town." Callum replied.
Jess' eyebrows knotted together in confusion. "Can I ask why?"
"You can ask but you won't get an answer." Callum said with a smile. Jess couldn't help but smile back, but she was still very curious as to why they were going to the Church. "And can we stop at the supermarket on the way, I need to quickly get some bits."
"Is there any point me asking why?" Jess asked with a small laugh.
Callum shook his head, "Fraid not. You'll find out soon enough though."
After a brief stop at the supermarket, they drove to the Church that Callum had been talking about. Considering it was in London, it was fairly secluded and the surrounding grounds were beautiful. It was set back from the road, and to get to it you had to drive up a short gravel driveway. Jess pulled into an empty space, turning the engine off.
"Are you going to tell me now what we're doing here?" Jess asked, turning in her seat to face him, eyebrows raised in question.
"Not quite yet. We're doing something else first." Callum said, slowly easing himself out of the car and grabbing the supermarket bag before Jess could see what was inside. Jess followed him out the car, locking it and walking over to him. "Come with me." Callum took Jess' hand in his, and they walked around the side of the Church, crossing a short distance before coming across a small pagoda.
It was painted in a soft white colour, and in the summer, roses entwined themselves around it. Callum and Jess walked so that they stood under the pagoda, sheltered by the ivy growing up and over it. Callum opened the bag and pulled out a picnic blanket. Jess realised what he had planned and laughed.
"Callum, you know that it's winter right? It's perhaps too cold for a picnic?" Jess said, helping him unpack anyway.
"It's never too cold for a picnic, and besides, it's not too bad over here is it." Callum said, securing the edges of the picnic blanket with some large rocks which were nearby. "Now, I've got crisps, dip, chocolate, sausage rolls, oh, and some champagne."
"Champagne? To celebrate your release from hospital?" Jess asked, taking a bite of chocolate whilst helping Callum slowly sit on the blanket. She noticed the small wince as his back pulled, the skin still tight and sensitive.
"Kind of. Now, you asked me why I brought you here. The thing is, when we were in that warehouse, I didn't think we would make it out. When I came to, I realised that if I had died, or if you had died, I would have had one massive regret." Callum said quietly. Jess took his hand, her engagement ring glinting, stroking the back of his hand with her thumb. "My regret would be that you wouldn't have been my wife."
"But it's ok, because we're both ok. We've got the rest of our lives together. We can plan the wedding and get married in a year or two. The most important thing is that you're ok..." Jess began, before Callum interrupted her.
"Marry me." Callum said suddenly.
"Did you get amnesia in the fire? I'm already marrying you, see, here's my engagement ring." Jess said, wiggling her finger with the ring on.
"I mean marry me next month." Callum said. Jess was shocked, to say the least.
"Next month? Are you serious?" Jess asked incredulously. Callum didn't know what else to say, he was hoping she would have said yes straight away. He looked around the pagoda, looking anywhere but at her. A soft hand cupped his cheek, forcing his head. He looked into those green eyes that he loved, and he watched her smile. She knelt up, leaning towards him, his lips meeting hers halfway. A tender kiss, full of relief and love. Jess moved back, looking at him expectantly.
He began to repeat the speech he had made to the nurses when planning this for Jess. They had helped him get the wording right, and he hoped that he could remember it.
"Jess, if nothing else, being trapped in that warehouse I've learnt that life is short. Too short. You knew that already, with Luke, and I watched you break after he passed. But I had never felt that fear before, until the fire. I had never had that fear of being broken, and I never want you to go through that again if I can help it. I want you to be my wife. Not in one year or two years, but now. Why put it off?" he said softly. Jess bit her lip and took a deep breath.
"Yes, yes I'll marry you next month!" Jess squealed, throwing her arms around his neck, mindful of his burns. "You don't know how happy you've made me."
"I think I do, because if it's the same as how happy you've made me, then trust me I know." Callum said with a laugh, embracing her tightly.
Later that night, after devouring their favourite Indian takeaway with some beer, Callum had fallen asleep on the sofa. Jess covered him with a blanket, pressed a kiss to his forehead, and grabbed the phone from the stand. She dialled in Sally's number, drumming her fingers on the arm of the chair while she waited for her to answer.
"Hello?" Sally's voice came on the other end of the phone.
"Hey, it's me." Jess said, knowing that Sally would know it was her.
"Hey you. What's up? Callum glad to be home?" Sally asked.
"Yeah, he was very happy to say the least. I've got some news." Jess said, trying to contain her excitement.
"Are you pregnant?" Sally asked excitedly.
"No! Callum and I are getting married!" Jess blurted out. There was a pause on the other end.
"I know that, I was there after you got engaged." Sally said, confused, just as Jess had been when Callum had asked her to marry him again.
"No, I mean I'm getting married next month. In six weeks. 44 days." Jess said, moving away from Callum so as not to wake him.
"Seriously?" Sally asked, stunned.
"Seriously. He said that since the accident at the warehouse, his biggest regret would have been one of us dying without having been married. So we've booked the beautiful little Church on the edge of town for the 18th of November." Jess said.
"Wow! That's a lot of organising for you to do in just over a month!" Sally answered.
"I know. I've just been making a list of what I need to do, and don't get me wrong it'll be tight but not impossible. I still have a few more days off work before my sick leave is finished, so I thought seeing as you're off tomorrow you might like to help me tick some things off the list?" Jess asked hopefully.
"Are you kidding? I'd love to!" Sally answered excitedly.
"And I was also wondering if you would be my maid of honour?" Jess asked slowly.
"Of course I would. I'd be honoured." Sally said happily.
"Thank you Sal, that means everything to me! I'm going to ask Beth to be my bridesmaid as well. Be round mine about nine?" Jess asked.
"Yep, I'll see you there. Bye!" Sally said, hanging up.
The following night, Jess and Sally collapsed on the sofa.
"I have never shopped so hard in my life." Jess said tiredly.
"I like shopping, I mean I love shopping...but that was too much shopping." Sally said, her voice mirroring Jess'.
"Who knew it could be so stressful!" Jess exclaimed.
"Here you go ladies." Callum said, setting down a glass of wine each for Sally and Jess.
"Thanks honey." Jess said gratefully.
"So what did you actually do today?" Callum asked, slowly lowering himself into a chair.
"Well, we ordered the invites, I got fifty, I thought that would be enough. I ordered the cake, I had to pay a bit extra so it would be ready in time, and I placed an order for the flowers." Jess ticked off on her fingers. "How did your task go?"
"Good. I've sorted out the wedding car and the reception." Callum answered.
"What cars have we got?" Jess asked.
"Ah, can't tell you that. It's a surprise." Callum said with a grin.
"Can you tell me where the reception is going to be?" Jess asked, sipping her wine, a sigh of relief leaving her as she settled back more into the sofa.
"At Frank's." Callum replied with a smile.
Jess beamed at him, Sally not understanding the significance, "Who's Frank?"
"Frank's was where we had our first official date, and the owner congratulated us on our engagement." Jess explained with a laugh.
"Are you happy with that? I was looking at other venues but I thought that was perfect, and Frank is over the moon about it as you can imagine. He's busy putting together the menu and making plans to reorganise the place." Callum laughed.
"Honestly Callum I couldn't think of a more perfect place! Thank you." Jess said, moving to kiss him.
"Anything for you darlin'. I've done more as well. I've booked a room for your parents and Andy to stay in at the hotel down the road from the Church, I've booked a musician to play the music at the Church, and I've ordered decorations for the reception." Callum said smugly.
"I can't believe you've been more organised than I have today." Jess said mock-sulkily.
"But it means less for you to do." Callum said with a smile, dropping a kiss on Jess' forehead as he went to get the phone that was ringing.
"Looks like you've got nothing to worry about. Everything will be ready in time for the wedding, I promise." Sally said, giving Jess' arm a small squeeze.
Jess smiled, "I think you might be right."
The next five and a half weeks passed in a ridiculous whirlwind. Jess couldn't believe it, but everything had been done. The cake was ready, the flowers were done and ready to be taken to the Church and the bridal bouquets to be brought to the house, the food for the reception was sorted, the invites had been sent out a few days after Jess had ordered them, so most of the guests had at least some notice. Jess wouldn't have believed that they would have been able to organise a wedding in forty four days, but they had done it amongst Jess being back at work.
The night before the wedding, Callum sat on the edge of the bed with his back to Jess while she lightly applied oil to the burns on his back.
"Are you ready to become Mrs Stone tomorrow evening?" Callum asked over his shoulder, enjoying the inadvertent massage.
"It's going to be strange getting used to being called Mrs Stone, but I can't wait." Jess said contentedly.
"Is your dress all ready?" he asked her, turning once she'd finished oiling him and kissing down the side of her neck.
"It is. It's beautiful, so very beautiful. Sally and Beth had their final bridesmaid dress fittings today as well. They've got knee length midnight blue strapless dresses, to match with the flowers. Is your suit dusted off?" Jess asked, making fun of the fact that Callum only owned one nice suit.
"I bought a new one last week." he said with a laugh.
"You bought a new suit?" Jess asked incredulously, twisting in his arms so she was facing him.
"I have indeed, I thought the situation deserved it. I think you'll like it." he murmured, kissing above her breast.
"I like what you're doing right now more though. Less talk I think." Jess whispered.
It was happening again, another nightmare. Once again, they were in the warehouse, and everything around them was slowly being incinerated. But this time, Callum was sitting with his back against a wall, his legs trapped by a piece of debris. In front of him, Jess had on a white gown, a wedding dress he realised. He shouted at her to move away from the flames, but she couldn't hear him.
Flames licked at the white fabric, immediately moving up the material. Soon, Callum couldn't see Jess for flames, and then he could smell it, that god awful burning flesh smell. She was screaming, calling for help, calling for him. Crying with pain- and then silence. He thrashed around, trying to free his legs, but he couldn't get free, she was dying, he was trapped, he needed to get to her, she was dying.
"Callum!" she called to him, her arms outstretched. He tried desperately to get to her, but it was just no use, he was stuck fast. "Callum!" she said again. He jolted awake.
Jess' face was above his, creased with concern. He was soaking. The sheets were wet with his sweat. He threw the covers off him and shakily got out of bed. Jess was by his side in an instant. She placed her cool arms around his burning body.
"You're ok, I've got you, it was just a nightmare." Jess said softly, kissing his bare chest. She had never seen him cry before, not properly, but when she looked up at his face, he was distraught. "Oh honey." She wiped his eyes, stroking his hair slowly.
He sat down heavily on the bedroom floor, his eyes still seeing Jess burning alive, hearing her scream for him. Jess pulled her dressing gown on, and placed his around his shoulders. She knelt on the floor next to him and pulled him to her, rocking him like she used to do with Luke when he woke her up due to a nightmare.
"You were dead." Callum managed to finally get out.
"I'm ok, look, I'm fine." Jess whispered, stroking his hair.
"You were burning to death right in front of me, and I couldn't move. I couldn't save you." he rasped.
"But you did save me! I would have died if you hadn't protected me. You saved my life. I'm fine honey, I'm not hurt." Jess repeated to him, kissing his burning forehead. Suddenly he came out of his reverie, his arms were around Jess in an instant, holding her to him tightly. He sobbed into her chest, and Jess couldn't stop the tears falling as she saw him, a broken man.
"I could have lost you. I could have lost you." he cried. Jess had never seen him so...devastated, so unlike himself.
"Callum, look at me! Please look at me." Jess begged. He finally looked up at her. "I promise you, I am ok. You haven't lost me, I'm still here. I will never, ever leave you."
He nodded slowly, gathering Jess into his arms, both of them just sitting there, not saying another word.