Page 135 of Johnathan

John sat next to his daughter’s bed, his hand gently stroking her arm. “I can’t believe I almost lost her tonight. If Abby hadn’t…”

His throat was so damn tight with emotions it was hard to breathe.

“She’s going to be okay, John.” His mom wiped at her eyes.

“I want her moved into our room. I didn’t need to be admitted. She can be in here with Katy and I can take the chair.”

“You did need to be admitted, John.” Jackson’s hand held his shoulder down.

“No, I’m fine.”

“You were drugged and in a house fire, the same as Katy and Abby. They need to monitor you overnight, asshole, so sit down.For Katy’s sake.” Jackson pointed down at the bed, where Katy was now looking up at him, bright eyes filled with confusion.

“Daddy?” God, her little voice was music to his ears.

“It’s okay, ladybug.” John brushed his hand across her forehead. “We had to take a trip to the hospital. But we’re okay.”

“Abby? She otay?”

“She just has to be in a different room right now. But we’ll be all together back home soon. I promise.”

Home.

That house wasn’t their home anymore.

How could it be when it was the place where they’d all come so close to dying? When it was where Laura had almost killed them.

John’s mom made her way to Katy’s bed and sat, telling her a story about the last time she was in the hospital, and the delicious red popsicle one of the nurses gave her. While his daughter was comforted by his mom, John needed to go.

“I need to see her. I need to see with my own eyes that she’s okay.”

“She’s just down the hall with Grace, Sam, and her mom. They won’t leave her side. I called Emma, and Hank already has Daisy here. Everyone will take turns being with her until you can be.” Jackson squeezed his shoulder .

“I didn’t know what to do. I had to pick. I had to fucking pick which one of them to save.”

“She would have wanted you to save Katy.” His father’s voice cracked. That was all it took for John to fall apart.

“She begged me to saveourdaughter, Dad. She said that. She said it with all the conviction in her heart. She didn’t tell me to savemydaughter.”

“She did what any mother would do, John. She made sure her baby was safe.” His mom reached across Katy’s bed and grasped his arm.

“I know, but to hear her say those words. To see her giving up her life for Katy?—”

“She didn’t give up her life,” Jackson interrupted. “She gave you the opportunity to get Katy to safety. If a neighbor hadn’t seen the flames and called for help, you would have. You got her as far away from the fire as you could. Stop beating yourself up over some psycho bitch thinking she had a right to take your woman away from you.”

“John.”

Shit, her throat felt scratchy. Abby swallowed roughly as John lifted his head. He looked so worried that she wanted to jump out of the bed and right into his arms. But something told her that her body wasn’t quite ready for that.

“Abby. Thank you, God.” He pressed his mouth to her hand and wiped away a tear that was falling down his cheek.

“Katy. Please tell me you… please tell me she’s okay.”

“She’s okay. She’s down the hall suckering all the nurses into bringing her popsicles and juice boxes while my family watches over her. They’re keeping her overnight for observations, but she’s completely fine.”

Tears filled her already blurry vision.

“Baby, are you in pain? How are you feeling?”

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