Stella and Oliver are 31 years old (and twins), Denver is 25, Jackson is 23 and Asher's daughter Isla is 15.


The fluorescent lights of the emergency room cast a harsh glow over Vannah's bruised face as she sat on the gurney, her body aching from the earlier confrontation. The sterile smell of disinfectant filled her nostrils, a stark reminder of where she was and why. Asher stood nearby, his normally warm brown eyes clouded with a mix of concern and barely contained anger. His knuckles were raw and slightly swollen from the altercation with Gideon.

Gracynn, her young teenaged face etched with worry and fear, sat in a chair pulled close to the gurney. Her eyes darted nervously between her mother and the door, as if expecting danger to burst in at any moment. She hadn't said a word since they'd arrived at the hospital, her usual vibrant chatter replaced by a tense silence.

A doctor entered the room, her scrubs adorned with colorful cartoon characters, likely an attempt to put younger patients at ease. She offered a gentle smile as she approached. "Ms. St. Claire? I'm Doctor Miller. I'm going to need to examine you and ask a few questions. Is that alright?"

Vannah nodded, wincing slightly at the movement. "Yes, that's fine."

Doctor Miller glanced at Gracynn and Asher. "Perhaps it would be better if-"

"No!" Gracynn's voice was sharp and sudden, startling everyone in the room. "I'm not leaving Mom!" Her small hands gripped the edge of her chair, knuckles white with the force of her determination.

Asher, who had been maintaining a respectful distance, stepped forward. "Gracynn," he said softly, crouching down to her eye level. "I know you're scared. What happened tonight was terrifying, and you were so brave. But right now, the best way to help your mother is to let the doctor do her job."

Gracynn's lower lip trembled, her eyes filling with tears. "But what if he comes back? What if he hurts Mom again?"

Asher's expression softened further. "Gracynn, look at me." He waited until her eyes met his. "Your dad can't hurt your mom anymore. The police have him, and there are security guards all over this hospital. Plus," he added with a small smile, "I'm not going anywhere. I promise you, I will keep both you and your mom safe."

Vannah watched this interaction with a lump in her throat. She had never seen Asher interact with Gracynn like this before, and the gentleness and understanding in his voice made her heart swell.

Gracynn seemed to consider Asher's words carefully. After a long moment, she nodded slowly. "Okay," she whispered. "But can we stay close?"

"Of course," Asher assured her. He looked up at Doctor Miller. "Is it alright if we wait just outside the curtain? We'll be out of your way, but close enough if Vannah needs us."

Doctor Miller nodded, her expression sympathetic. "That would be perfect. Thank you."

As Asher guided Gracynn to the other side of the curtain, Vannah caught his eye. "Thank you," she mouthed silently. He gave her a reassuring nod before disappearing from view.

The examination was thorough and, at times, painful. Doctor Miller's gentle hands probed Vannah's ribs, eliciting sharp intakes of breath. "I'm sorry," the nurse murmured. "I know it hurts. We'll need to do some X-rays to rule out any fractures."

As Doctor Miller worked, she asked Vannah to recount what had happened. Vannah took a deep breath, wincing at the pain in her ribs. "My ex-husband, Gideon... he showed up at the house unexpectedly. He was angry about me dating someone new. We argued, and then he... he punched me. I fell against the glass hall table."

Doctor Miller made notes in her chart, her expression professional but kind. "I'm so sorry that happened to you, Ms. St. Claire. You're safe now. We'll take good care of you."

After the examination, as Vannah was being prepared for X-rays, she suddenly remembered her other children. "Oh God," she gasped, causing Asher to poke his head around the curtain in concern. "My other kids. They don't know what happened."

Asher stepped fully into view, Gracynn close behind him. "Do you want me to call them for you?" he offered.

Vannah shook her head, despite the pain it caused. "No, I... I need to do this myself. But can you stay with me while I do? You should probably call Isla as well"

"Of course," Asher replied without hesitation. "Whatever you need, Darlin'"

With trembling fingers, Vannah dialed her eldest daughter's number. It rang three times before a sleepy voice answered. "Mom? What's wrong?"

Vannah took a shaky breath. "Stella? Honey, something's happened. I'm at the hospital-"

"What?!" Stella's voice sharpened instantly, sleep forgotten. "Mom, what happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, sweetheart. I'm... I'm a little banged up, but I'm okay. He… he showed up at the house. Things got physical."

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line. "That bastard. It was dad, wasn't it?" Stella hissed. "I'm on my way. Which hospital?"

After assuring Stella she was safe and giving her the hospital details, Vannah made the next difficult call to Oliver, Stella's twin brother. Her son, away at college, was immediately ready to drive home, but Vannah convinced him to stay, assuring him she was okay and that he needed to focus on his upcoming exams.

Denver was babysitting for the neighbors and Jackson was working third shift at his job. Given the late hour, Vannah decided to wait until morning to tell them in person, not wanting to frighten them unnecessarily.

As she ended the last call, Vannah felt drained, both emotionally and physically. Asher, who had been a steady presence throughout, carefully sat on the edge of the bed and took her hand in his. "You're incredible," he murmured. "So strong."

Before Vannah could respond, there was a knock at the door. Two police officers entered, their expressions somber. The female officer, whose name tag read "Officer Ramirez," spoke first. "Ms. St. Claire, we need to take your statement about what happened tonight. Are you feeling up to answering some questions?"

Vannah nodded, straightening her posture despite the pain it caused. "Yes, I'm ready."

For the next hour, Vannah recounted the events of the evening in detail, her voice steady despite the occasional tremor. She described Gideon's unexpected arrival, his aggressive behavior, and the terrifying moments before Asher arrived.

When it came time for Gracynn to give her statement, the young girl's earlier bravado faltered. She looked up at Asher, fear evident in her eyes. Asher knelt down beside her chair, his voice gentle. "Remember how brave you were earlier? When you called 911 and then called me? The officers just need to know what you heard and did. Your mother and I will be right here the whole time, okay?"

Gracynn nodded, drawing strength from Asher's presence. With his gentle encouragement, she bravely shared her account of the evening's events.

Finally, Asher gave his statement, describing his arrival at the house and the confrontation with Gideon. Throughout his account, he kept stealing glances at Vannah, as if reassuring himself that she was still there, still safe.

As the officers were wrapping up, the door burst open and Stella rushed in, her face pale with worry, her long dark hair disheveled from sleep and haste. "Mom!" she cried, hurrying to Vannah's side.

Vannah pulled her eldest daughter into a careful embrace, mindful of her injuries. "I'm okay, sweetheart," she murmured. "I'm okay."

Stella's eyes darted from Vannah to Asher, then to Gracynn and the police officers. "What happened? I'll kill him, I swear I will."

"Stella," Vannah said firmly, despite the exhaustion in her voice. "It's being handled. Your father is in custody. Right now, I just need you here with me, okay?"

Stella nodded, tears filling her eyes as she took in her mother's bruised face. "Okay, Mom. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

While staying for observation, the night wore on and the hospital buzzed with quiet activity around them, Vannah's impromptu family unit remained unbroken. Asher, a steady presence at her side. Gracynn, finally succumbing to exhaustion and curled up asleep in a chair. Stella, her protective gaze never leaving her mother.

In that moment, despite the pain and fear of the night's events, Vannah felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the love that surrounded her. She had survived, she was safe, and she was not alone. Whatever challenges lay ahead, she knew she had the strength to face them – not just her own strength, but the combined strength of the family that stood with her.

As dawn began to break, painting the sky outside the hospital windows with streaks of pink and gold, Vannah allowed herself to close her eyes, secure in the knowledge that she was protected, loved, and on the path to healing.