Forged in Ice (Doctor Who AU Novel)

Chapter 24 Standing on the Outside

"Addie!" Daniel pounded on her bedroom door, "Addie, help me!"

The tousled, sleepy eyes woman yanked the door open to find a terrified Daniel.

"She's bleeding, help me get her in the car." He turned and fled back toward Nora standing now against the landing wall. Robbie clutched her hand trying not to cry as he supported his mother. Daniel's ankle protested the way he took the steps two at a time with Addie right behind him. Slowly, Nora between them, the two negotiated the stairs and out to the car. 

"I've got Robbie, go," is all Addie said when Nora groaned again. Daniel nodded and slid behind the wheel. Gravel spewed from under the wheels as he hit the gas and sped away from the house. 

The last thing Daniel wanted to contend with pulled in behind him minutes later when they passed the sign for An Gearsadan. "Fuck," Daniel cursed as the interior of the SUV lit up with flashing blue lights, and the night air shattered from the siren coming from behind him. 

"Daniel?" Nora groaned, bracing herself against the door.

"It's alright, don't worry." He tried to sound reassuring, which at the moment was almost impossible. 

The blood wasn't gushing by any means, but it was there, slowly increasing the stain on her gown. There was no doubt at all he would have his own bruises where she'd gripped his arm when a contraction hit. The utter terror in her eyes fueled his own panic; his foot pressed downward, sending the digital speedometer clicking upward. For just a split second, he considered ignoring the traffic officer behind him, and just outrunning him. An Gearsadan's cottage hospital was just minutes away; he could make it.

"Daniel, no -- pull over," she huffed.

"I can beat him," he growled.

"Daniel, please; they'll arrest you," she begged between ragged breaths.

Daniel glanced sideways inwardly wincing at the way her eyes pleaded with him. He nodded, blew a harsh breath and acquiesced, pulling the car safely off the road. Lowering his window whilst the officer strolled up gave him an odd sense of deja vu like he'd done this before. By the time the man reached them, he half remembered rushing Jake to the hospital. He hated when a memory he shouldn't've  forgotten in the first place, popped in at the wrong moment. "My wife is in her sixth month and she's bleeding -- please, if you want to give me a ticket, do it at the hospital." 

"Sir?" the man look over at Nora, paling slightly when she moaned. "Sir, I'll call an ambulance."

"It will take too long. Please, I don't beg anyone for anything, but please -- let me go."

Daniel watched the young man struggle with indecision, then heard the words he needed, "Follow me, sir." Daniel's shoulders relaxed, waiting for the young officer to pull ahead, but he still didn't dare look at Nora, for fear that she would see his panic. With blue lights and siren filling the car's interior, he squeezed her hand and pulled back on the road. The trees blurred in the race to get to the hospital. Only her hand covering his kept Daniel from bypassing the officer leading them past blurred trees and into An Gearsadan. 

"Thank you", he whispered to no one when the officer led them safely into the hospital's ambulance bay, where several staff members stood waiting. They swarmed the car the moment he slammed it into park. 

"Sorry," he mumbled when Nora jolted forward from the sudden stop. Daniel was out of the car, moving to meet a burly attendant already opening the door to Nora. The man gently shouldered him aside, scooping Nora up as easily as if she were a child, laying her gently on the trolley.

"Let's go," one nurse snapped. And with that, they were gone, leaving Daniel to follow down the hallway past strangers pressing themselves against the green tiled walls to get out the way.