It was well after eight by the time Maggie finished handing over and catching up on her charting. She was tired but edgy and the prospect of going home to an empty house with no distractions from the image of Ruby stubbornly implanted in her head was depressing as hell. She knew she wasn’t going to sleep even though her body craved respite.

    She got in the lift, too tired to take the stairs. It dinged open on the top floor and she headed for the fire exit which lead out to the rooftop car park. Nash was halfway through it when she rounded the corner.

    They looked at each other for a few moments, both a little battered from the long night with no rest stops and the emotional whammy of Ruby. “Here you are,” he said. “I went looking for you.”

    “Here I am,” she said.

    Nash stepped out into the car park and she followed him. The early sunshine had been usurped by heavy clouds and a cool breeze blew across rooftop. It looked bleak, matching their mood perfectly. He turned back and opened his mouth to tell her how sorry he was about Ruby but she spoke first.

    “Do you want to come back to my place?”

    Nash blinked. He understood where the request was coming from. He’d seen how gutted she’d been when the surgeon’s had imparted their tragic news. Had felt it cut deep into his soul too, remembering Tammy. “I thought we were a one night only deal,” he asked cautiously.

    Maggie looked him straight in the eye knowing it was screwed up to want it. Want him. Like this. After tonight. But it was the only thing that made any sense right now – she wasn’t going to question it. “I don’t want to be alone today.”

    Her honesty hit him square in the solar plexus. Neither did he. He couldn’t think of a better way to try and forget last night than being in Maggie’s bed. “Your car or mine?”

    He drove and they sat in silence all the way to her place for which she was grateful. She didn’t want to rehash or speculate about what would happen on the unit today. She wanted a shower and she wanted him. To get lost in him, to be wrapped up in him.

    Nash followed her up he front steps as he had the other night and waited for her to open the door. She pushed it open and shut it again after them. She looked so desolate he wanted to make it better.

    “You know Ruby’s – ”

    Maggie held up her hand to silence him. “Can we please just not talk?”

    Nash nodded. She turned and he followed her through the house, into her bedroom.