Her heart was pounding, and her lips trembled as she tried to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. Dylan was in the hospital. He was hurt; he had been beaten so severely he was still unconscious days later. He had a fractured skull. He had been left in the snow to die. The doctors weren't sure if he would recover.

Colleen wasn't sure how she felt about either scenario or why she was shedding even one tear for Dylan Parkes. She thought she had shed all her tears for him already. She also didn't know if she wanted to see Dylan. He had left her. He had left Allie. He chose a lifestyle over their life together, and she had stopped pretending he had done it for her and Allie. He had done it for himself.

Detective Wells had been extremely kind to her when he talked her through their theory of what had happened to Dylan. Colleen appreciated the amount of information he shared with her; she wasn't sure he should have told her as much as he did. While it wasn't his investigation, he had taken the time to find out what his colleagues had been investigating, and Dylan's history. It sounded like Dylan had been in over his head, becoming involved with a group of people who were active across a range of illegal activities, from burglary to drug importation.

A confidential informant for the Laconia Police Department had finally admitted that there had been a case of mistaken identity. Dylan had been beaten because the crime family he had been working with suspected him of providing information on their drug smuggling in exchange for a reduced sentence in his recent trial. It wasn't true; Dylan had only ever been involved in the burglaries, never the drugs and had no information to share, that was why he had gotten a light sentence. The police knew whoever spread the rumour had done it to protect themselves and hide their double dealings.

Colleen almost felt sorry for Detective Wells. He seemed to think telling her that Dylan was only a small-time criminal would change how she felt. It didn't. It didn't change anything. Her anger continued to simmer, and she let it, knowing it was masking her other feelings.

"I think we should go to the hospital. Now," Colleen said, looking at her daughter, sitting in the next room, humming as she drew pictures for Gabriel. Colleen took a breath and stood up before she could change her mind. Nathan and Gabriel jumped to their feet, talking over each other, trying to ensure she was ready. Detective Wells stood too but remained silent. Colleen appreciated him not trying to talk her out of her decision.

"I want to get this over with so I can come home to my daughter." Colleen knew Detective Wells wanted her to formally identify Dylan. As his next of kin she could save him from having to run DNA or obtain dental records. After she did what the Detective needed, her obligation to him was over. If he recovered...when he recovered would engage a lawyer and start divorce proceedings. Their marriage was over.

"I'll drive you," Nathan said.

"I'll be here with Allie as long as you need," Gabriel promised.

"I'll follow you there," Detective Wells said, nodding before letting himself out.

It was a sombre drive to the hospital. Colleen was quiet, and Nathan let her be alone with her thoughts. She would talk to him when she was ready.

"Who were you texting?"

Nathan glanced at Colleen, who was staring back at him, her expression curious. He hadn't realised she had noticed him texting on the way to the car, assuming she was too distracted. He had hoped she had been too distracted. He had to tell her about Elizabeth, before they got to the hospital, but he wished he could put it off a bit longer.

"I texted Elizabeth Thatcher; she's going to meet us at the hospital."

"What?"

Nathan almost smiled at the look of utter confusion on Colleen's face. At that moment, she looked so much like Allie when she didn't understand something.

"She wants to be there to support me."

"Why?"

"Now is probably not the time to talk about this, Colleen," Nathan said. "We should focus on you and Dylan."

"That is the last thing I want to do. I am trying not to think about where we are going and why." Colleen crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "Distract me by telling me how this happened, given that you two didn't hit it off at all."

"Sooooo." Nathan drawled, trying not to wince at her sarcasm, delaying admitting his deceit to his sister. "I was fascinated with Elizabeth Thatcher from the moment I saw her at the hospital. How could I not be?"

"But you said you didn't like her. At all," Colleen repeated. "She said the same thing about you."

"The day at the school. My birthday lunch!" Nathan chuckled, "We both knew it was a set-up. You and Rosemary are not as slick as you think you are." Nathan grinned as Colleen had the grace to blush. "We decided to play you at your own game and pretend we couldn't stand each other, when we have been spending every spare minute together. She is amazing! We have so much in common, she is perfect."

"Rosemary and I couldn't figure out how we got it wrong. It turns out we weren't wrong after all."

"Hey!" Nathan cried as Colleen whacked him on the arm.

"That's for lying to your big sister," Colleen smirked.

"You started it."

Their easy banter about who started what and whether matchmaking even counted as lying continued until they reached the hospital's carpark. Nathan automatically entered the staff car park area where he saw Detective Wells waiting at the entrance. The moment Colleen recognised the detective, all the colour and animation drained from her face as she was slammed back into reality.

"Are you sure you are alright to do this? Everyone will understand if you don't want to see him. I can identify him as easily as you. I can drive you back home, just say the word."

"No. I need to do this." Colleen looked at him, hands folded in her lap as she continued in a small voice. "I used to create scenarios in my head at night when he first left, trying to find ways to excuse what he had done. I tried to tell myself he was in witness protection; he had run to protect us. I invented one noble excuse after another until I ran out of them. Then I thought maybe there was someone else, that he had left me for another woman. None of it was true, but I didn't want to believe he chose this over me and Allie." Leaning back, she let her head fall against the head rest and laughed scornfully at her own stupidity. Angrily wiping more tears from her cheeks, she said, "I didn't want to admit how badly I failed."

"You didn't fail Colleen. None of this is your fault. This is all on him."

"Maybe, maybe not. No one is perfect."

"Not even me?" He teased, trying to lighten the mood, pleased when she sniffed and gave a little laugh as she shook her head.

"Let's do this," Colleen said, unbuckling her seatbelt and opening her door without waiting for his response.

Elizabeth paced in the foyer of the ICU. She had tried to sneak into the hospital without being seen and had almost made it. Unfortunately, she had run into Faith as she was about to enter the lift. Luckily for her, Faith, being Faith, didn't ask too many questions but Elizabeth could see the unasked question in her curious gaze.

Elizabeth wondered how Colleen had taken the news about Dylan. It must have come as a shock to her. Nathan would have broken the news as gently as he could, but some things hurt no matter how gently you found out.

Each time the lift pinged to announce its arrival, Elizabeth's heart leapt. Finally, the lift doors opened, and Nathan stepped out; she rushed forward, forgetting all about hiding their relationship from everyone. When she was close enough, Nathan reached for her and held her close.

Elizabeth hugged him back momentarily, giving him what comfort she could in that brief contact. Drawing back, she looked up at him, noting his brilliant blue eyes were dull with sadness. Elizabeth turned to Colleen and reached out, placing her hand on her forearm and squeezing gently.

"How are you?" Elizabeth asked, including Nathan and Colleen. Detective Wells stood to the side, trying not to intrude, but nodded to acknowledge her with a brief smile.

"I don't know," Colleen admitted. "I shouldn't feel so shocked that Dylan is here and why, but I do."

Nathan didn't respond but wrapped an arm around Colleen's shoulder as their group strode toward the ICU doorway. The four of them walked together, silent as they each contemplated what came next. As they reached the waiting area outside the double doors, Elizabeth stepped back.

"I'll wait here until you're finished."

"Thank you, Elizabeth." Colleen smiled at her and flicked her eyes toward her brother, "I appreciate you being here for Nathan."

Elizabeth returned her smile, thinking how wonderful Colleen was that she could still think of others despite what she was going through. "I would like to be here for you, too, and Allie. Please let me know if there is anything at all you need."

"I will let you, the two of you, go in, "Detective Wells said, speaking for the first time. "I will wait here with Elizabeth."

Elizabeth sat on a chair beside Detective Wells, watching as the ICU doors closed behind Nathan and Colleen.

"What will happen to him?"

"We will move him to the prison infirmary when he is well enough. He's proven he is a flight risk, so he has no chance of anything but that. While he may be a petty criminal, he ran from the law which elevates the severity of his punishment."

"Will he be safe in prison?"

"As safe as he is here, Elizabeth." Detective Wells said, acknowledging her concerns. "Someone set Dylan up to protect themselves and divert attention away from what they were doing. We have them locked away in protective custody where they can't spread any more lies. If I thought Dylan was still in danger, I would have an officer outside his door."

Elizabeth nodded but didn't say anything. What was there to say? She didn't know Dylan, and other than what she had heard from Nathan, she knew nothing of the men he had been involved with, the ones who had hurt him. Her only concern was Nathan and his family.

"Do you want me to go in with you?" Nathan asked Colleen as they stood outside Dylan's room.

"No. Thank you, but I need to do this myself."

"You don't have to. I'm here."

"I know, and I appreciate it more than you know." Colleen straightened up and turned to him. "This is my mess, and I need to sort it out. I sensed something was going on with Dylan and instead of dealing with it then, I tried to ignore it, look how that worked out." Colleen shrugged and continued, "I am so angry with him right now I can't seem to think of anything else. Knowing he broke the law and hurt all those people for selfish reasons makes me so angry. We didn't need the money; we were doing fine. He was just greedy."

Colleen took a shuddering breath and said, "he will need to answer for what he has done to me and Allie, Nathan. Being held to account for his crimes is different."

"Do you think you could forgive him, Colleen?"

"I couldn't forget he didn't choose us, which is very different, Nathan."

Nathan nodded in understanding. Dylan had no excuse for his behaviour. He and Colleen had experienced a much harsher childhood than Dylan. Dylan had been an adored only child, doted on by his parents, never having to work for anything, and not facing consequences for his behaviour or choices. That type of upbringing contributed to his lack of accountability for what he had done in his adult life. For the first time in his life, Dylan was paying for his actions, and this time, he hadn't deserved it.

Colleen pushed the door open slowly, taking time to enter the room. She stood, her back pressed against the wall for several moments, controlling her emotions before she walked to the bed and looked down at her husband.

Colleen gasped when she saw Dylan. She knew he had been beaten, but his face was pale beneath the many bruises. His left cheek and eye were so swollen; had he been conscious, he wouldn't have been able to open that eye. There was a bandage wrapped around his head, and she knew if she looked closely, there would be evidence of the surgery Nathan had told her about. She didn't want to look too closely.

Collen sank into the chair beside the bed, staring at her husband. Dylan looked like a shadow of the man she had known. He had aged ten years since she had seen him, and it wasn't just the injuries that made it so. She had expected him to look vulnerable, but not like this. Somehow, lying there, under the covers, with the tube in his throat, he looked so much smaller than she remembered him. She couldn't remember a time he had been so still. Glancing at the machines, she watched the numbers flash across the electronic display, wondering what they all meant.

"Mrs Parkes?"

Colleen snapped her head around to see a tall man in a white coat standing in the doorway. She nodded but remained seated, not trusting her voice or her legs not to shake.

"Colleen."

"I am Doctor McNamara. My team and I have been looking after your husband."

"Dylan."

"Dylan," Dr McNamara nodded, understanding the distance she was placing between them. "Dylan's injuries are serious; we hoped he would have regained consciousness by now. We began reducing his sedation at midnight, expecting him to become more responsive, but there has been no change in his condition."

"Does that mean," Colleen paused and cleared her throat. "Does that mean he isn't going to wake up?"

"Not necessarily, but I will admit I am concerned. He suffered a traumatic brain injury, and there is a chance he won't fully recover."

"What are the chances he will live?" Colleen asked, knowing that wasn't the same as what the Doctor had said. Doctor McNamara looked down at his notes, hoping to find the right words.

"His injury was complicated by the delay in treatment and the complications of the hypothermia."

"Doctor?" Colleen pleaded. "I need to know whether to bring my four-year-old daughter here to see her father like this," Colleen said, gesturing toward the broken man lying in front of her. "I need to know whether to make this her last memory of her father or to let her remember him as he was the last time she saw him."

"It is too hard to call at this stage, but..." the Doctor shrugged. "I don't think there is any need to rush to bring your daughter here. Not at her age."

"Thank you, Doctor."

"Is there anything else I can do for you? Do you have any questions?"

"No. Nothing. I can always ask Nathan the basics."

"Of course, but if there is anything my team or I can do, please let us know."

Doctor McNamara spent a few minutes examining the machines supporting Dylan and left her alone. Colleen waited until she was sure she was alone before she looked at Dylan.

"I am not going to bring Allie to see you. I don't want her to see you like this; she is old enough to remember it, and I won't let you do that to her." Colleen choked back a sob. "You don't deserve her sympathy, her pain. You don't deserve to have her love you as much as she does when you walked away without a backward glance for her."

Dylan gave no reaction to her words, and Colleen wondered why she had expected he would. Had he been awake, he may have had the same response. Since Dylan had been gone, Colleen had time to consider her relationship with her husband. Once she gave up on the notion that Dylan had left for a noble purpose, she recognised how difficult it had been to make her marriage work. Dylan had never met her even halfway; she had always chased him, given in to him, and loved him more than he had loved her. That wasn't enough anymore; she and Allie deserved better, and if that meant being alone, then she would be alone. Allie would never think she had to accept anything less than someone who loved and respected her, appreciated her worth, and showed her that every day.

"I am not coming back either, Dylan," Colleen whispered. "I am sorry you are here, that you're hurt, but I finally accept what you already decided - it's over for us." Colleen stood and looked down at her husband. Reaching out, she touched the back of his left hand. She slipped his wedding ring off her thumb and placed it beneath his palm. She didn't care what happened to it; everything it had once symbolised to her was gone.

Colleen walked out of the room and saw her brother waiting for her. He jumped up and walked toward her, and without saying a word held her as she cried. This was the type of man Allie would have as a role model. Men like Nathan, and Gabriel, good, honest men who did the right thing and treated people with respect.

"Let's go home," Colleen whispered, eager to leave this place behind. She felt like an imposter being there amongst the other families who were hoping and praying for the loved one to recover. As they walked out of the ICU, the doors whooshing to a close behind them a lightness washed over her, a sense of peace and she knew, however harsh it might seem to others, she had made the right decision for her and Allie.