“I'll drive you two home,” Trygve said quietly. He wouldn't have trusted Page with a tricycle at that point, let alone a car. Page agreed, but first she went back to ICU to get her bag and tell them she was leaving. Trygve also stopped by Chloe's room to give her a quick kiss and tell her he'd be back later. He told her what had happened to Andy and she sent him her love, and marveled at the bad luck that seemed to be following all of them lately.

“Tell him I'll sign his cast when I see him.”

“I will … see you later …” Trygve hurried back to the emergency room and carried Andy out to the car. He was already half asleep from the shot they'd given him, and Page had pills to take home for him. He was going to sleep away the day, which was the best thing for him.

Trygve carried Andy into the house, while Page opened doors, and he helped her undress the boy and put him to bed. He scarcely woke up while they did it, and he was asleep before his head touched the pillow. But it wasn't Andy Trygve was worried about, it was Page. She looked awful.

“I want you to lie down, too. You look like hell.”

“I just got startled, that's all … I didn't know what to expect … I thought …”

“I can see what you thought.” She looked gray. “Come on …where's your bedroom?”

She led the way and he waited until she lay down on the bed with her clothes on. “I feel silly … I'm fine.”

“You don't look it. Do you want a shot of brandy? It might do you good.” But she smiled as she shook her head, and then sat up on her bed and looked at the man who had dropped everything and run to help her.

“Thank you for being a good friend. I didn't even think before I called you. I just knew I needed you there.”

He sat down in a big easy chair near the bed, and looked at her kindly. “I'm glad you called me. You've been through enough.” And then he had a thought, but it was interesting that she hadn't called him to begin with. “Do you want to call Brad?”

She shook her head without hesitation. “I'll call him later. He's in Chicago.” And then she thought of something else. “I didn't even think about calling him when they called me in ICU.” She wanted him to know that. “All I could think of was calling you … it was almost a reflex.”

“That's an okay reflex to have,” he said gently, leaning closer to her. He was feeling things he hadn't felt in years, and she was confused by her own emotions as she watched him. “Page … I don't want to do anything you don't want …” he whispered, but suddenly it was all he could do to keep himself away from her. He felt the power of a magnet as he watched her, and she realized that she hadn't been imagining it the other night in the garden. He had been about to kiss her. As he was now. As he had wanted to for days, as they sat together, night after night, and day after day, in their unhappy vigil.

“I don't know what I want, Trygve.” She raised her big blue eyes to his honestly. “Ten days ago I thought I was happily married …then I find out it's all a lie, and my marriage is probably over …and in the midst of it all, there you are, the only person I've been able to depend on in years, the only friend I have who knows what I'm feeling …the only man I want to be with,” she whispered, looking at him as he moved closer. “I don't know where I am, or what I'm doing, or what's going to happen … I don't know anything …except … I just don't know …” Her voice drifted off in confusion, as she watched him, but she didn't stop him as he moved closer.

“Shh …you don't have to say anything …don't …”he whispered, and sat on the edge of her bed, and took her in his arms. All he wanted was to hold her as he hadn't held anyone in years, and kiss her. His lips pressed down against hers, and his tongue gently parted them and moved inside, as she felt her breath catch, and their bodies almost melt together. She was overwhelmed by what she felt, and frightened at the same time, but she knew she wanted him. This was not a game, or a revenge on Brad …this was someone who had been there for her at the worst time in her life, who hadn't let her down for a single moment, and whom she felt overwhelmingly drawn to.

“What are we going to do?” she asked as he moved away from her again, and sat looking at her in all her flushed blond beauty.

“Let's not worry about it right now. At least I know what to do to get some color back in your face. You look a lot better.” He smiled, looking very happy.

“Stop that!” She swatted him gently, but he pulled her back in his arms again, and this time he kissed her harder. He hadn't felt anything like this since long before Dana, if ever.

“I will not stop. I will never stop,” he informed her. “I'd forgotten it could be like this.”

“So had I,” she said honestly. Brad had always been so self-involved that she realized now how little he'd ever given her, emotionally or physically. Trygve took her breath away, and she giggled as they kissed again. It was a good thing Andy was sedated, but she also knew that neither of them was ready to do anything foolish. She had to settle her life with Brad before she started anything serious with Trygve, and he knew that. But this certainly changed things.

“What am I going to do?” she asked him honestly, swinging her legs back to the floor again, and looking at him like a little kid as he smiled at her. She couldn't ever remember being this happy.

“You'll figure it out eventually. It sounds like things are taking care of themselves. And I'm not rushing you … I want you to know that.” He tried to look serious, but he found he couldn't. “I'll just stand here panting and making a pest of myself until you decide you can't live without me.” They both knew that this was more than just kissing.

She grinned mischievously and this time she kissed him. The whole thing was amazing. “How did this happen?” she asked when they finally parted.

“I'm not sure. Maybe it's something in the air at ICU.” Or trauma or pain or fear, or being there for each other. He had made a tremendous difference, and she had made a difference to him too. They had been through the worst that life had to offer, and they had survived it, together, with very little help from anyone else, particularly Brad, who had done everything he could to hurt her.

“Life is amazing, isn't it?” she asked him, awed by what had happened. “I guess we'll just have to take this one step at a time. Brad hasn't figured out what he wants to do yet.”

“He probably has, but he hasn't told you. What about you? Do you know what you want to do?” Did she want him to move out? A divorce? More time to think it out? He wasn't actually sure what she wanted, he wasn't sure she was either, which was normal. The demise of their marriage was very new to her, and she didn't know what to do yet.

“Every time I see Brad, I realize how impossible it is. He's practically living with that woman. But I'm still married to him. It's hard to change all that in a single moment.”

“No one expects you to,” he said gently. He understood it all perfectly. He had been there himself. And he was willing to wait patiently while she sorted her life out. He had never met anyone like her.

They were still talking when the phone rang, and Page jumped. She couldn't imagine who was calling, unless it was the hospital about Allie. She couldn't take any more bad news though, and she closed her eyes as she answered. She felt Trygve's hand on hers, giving her strength if it was needed.

“Hello?” she said cautiously, as though she was afraid to hear it. And then she opened her eyes and shook her head. It wasn't the hospital, it was her mother. And her news wasn't good either. She had been thinking about it all weekend, and she and Alexis had decided to visit. It was obvious to them that Page needed help, even though she assured them she didn't.

“We're fine. Honestly,” she insisted, “everything's in control, and for the moment, Allyson's condition is stable.”

“That could change at a moment's notice. Alexis wants to talk to you anyway. David gave her the name of a fabulous plastic surgeon, if you need it.” They would eventually, but it was the least of their worries now. First Allie had to live, and then her brain had to recover something approaching normal function. But Alexis only had one thing on her mind: her niece's looks, and making sure that everything was perfect.

“I really think you shouldn't come out,” Page said, trying to sound calm, but she wasn't. The last thing she needed right now was her mother, let alone Alexis.

“Don't argue with me,” she said firmly. “We'll be there on Sunday.”

“Mother …you can't … I have no time to take care of you … or Alexis. I need to be with Allie, and Andy just had an accident.” She wanted to do everything she could to dissuade her.

“What?” For once her mother sounded ruffled.

“It's nothing serious, he broke his arm. But I really need to spend all my time with the children.”

“That's why we're coming, dear. We want to help you.”

Page sighed, listening to her. She didn't know what more to say. “I really think you should reconsider.”

“We'll be there on Sunday at two o'clock. Alexis will have David fax Brad the details. I'll see you then.” And before Page could say another word, she hung up, and Page sat staring at Trygve.

“You won't believe this,” she said miserably.

“Let me guess. Your mother's coming from the East. Will that be difficult for you?”

“Difficult? Are you kidding? How was Samson for Delilah? … or maybe David for Goliath? …or the asp for Cleopatra? Difficult doesn't even begin to touch it. I've been trying to keep her at bay for a week. And not only is she coming out, but she's bringing my sister.”

“Whom you hate?” he asked, trying to catch up on family history all in one lesson.