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Her radio crackled into life just as she’d finished placing the IV line for Angela. ‘How are things going in there, Liv?’

‘Sarah, can you come here and give me a hand, please?’ She tucked the radio into the little girl’s fingers. ‘Press this button when I’m talking, OK, then let it go when I say “over”. Got that?’

‘Uh huh.’

‘Now, press the button for me. Hey, Callum. I’ve got Angela here with an open fibula fracture but thankfully no, I repeat NO, apparent damage to the associated artery. Some blood loss, but minor for the injury and typical shock reaction. Wound is dressed, patient warming up, and I’m pushing fluids and meds now. Over. You can let go now.’ She winked at Sarah.

‘Good to hear. How’s her mum?’ His voice crackled back to her.

‘Button, Sarah. She’s awake and coherent. Not reporting any major injuries. Over.’

‘Good. I’ll pass the reports on to the rescue team. They’re going to be starting with more props and things in a few minutes, so it’s going to get loud. You should come out.’

Liv held her hand out for the radio. ‘Two minutes, Callum.’

* * *

Those two minutes lasted far, far longer than he could have imagined, but when he finally saw Liv appear, with Sarah tucked carefully beneath her, the tears that had been threatening for ages finally won out. As she crawled through the hole and into his arms, he snatched her up and swore to never let her go again.

‘Daddy, you’re squashing me.’

‘Sorry.’ He forced himself to loosen his grip, then looked up to Liv. ‘Thank you so, so much.’ He held a hand out to her.

She shook her head. ‘Get Sarah out of here. I’ve still got patients who need me.’

He watched as she turned, and disappeared back into the darkness.

‘Daddy?’

‘Yes, fairy.’ He buried his face in her dusty hair.

‘Do all superheroes wear masks like on TV? Coz I think Liv might be a superhero.’

‘I think she might be too.’ He gave her another squeeze. ‘Come on. Let’s get out of here and give the experts space to work.’

‘Livvy’s going to be OK, right?’

‘Of course she is. You’re right. She’s a superhero.’

Chapter Fifteen

Liv gave Cathy’s hand a final squeeze, and hopped out of the ambulance, promising to check in on her soon. She waved to the paramedics and stretched, trying to ease the kinks of the last few hours out of her back. She couldn’t believe how much had happened in such a short space of time. She caught sight of herself in the hospital doors, and laughed at her reflection. Her dress was creased from being stuffed into borrowed clothes, she was streaked with dirt and stained with blood, and her hair looked like she’d rubbed half a pound of dirt through it.

She turned her head upside down and dragged her fingers through her hair, shaking out a cloud of dust. It wasn’t even close to enough, but it was the best she could do. A quick stop by the toilets to scrub off the worst of the dirt and smears, and she was done. At least, as best she could manage. All she really wanted to do was go back to the cottage and soak away the dirt and stress of the day, and finish packing. But first, she needed to see Sarah, and reassure herself that she really was fine, and hadn’t been hurt by the events of the day.

She followed the staff route through to the children’s wards, and checked the board for Sarah’s name, before knocking on the door it indicated.

‘Hey, Sarey-fairy. How are you feeling?’

‘Bored. I want to go home.’

‘Not until you’ve been checked out properly,’ Callum argued.

‘But I feel fine,’ Sarah complained.

‘But you were in a building collapse. And I need to know that you’re fine.’

Sarah sighed and rolled her eyes at Liv, who smothered a smile.