On the run 2: Our time has come

Threats and goodbye

1 month later

Nicole's POV

It's currently 3:12 am.
However I'm not asleep.
Instead I'm being kept awake by the screaming coming from down the hallway.

"It's your turn" I whine wrapping the pillow around my head to quieten the screaming. "I went last time" Alfie says turning to look at me. "No baby, I did remember I had to breast feed Maddie" I say smirking.

His face falls a little and I let out a small laugh. He rolls over and is about to get up when the door opens. "I swear you two don't look after those children!" Charlie stands there arms crossed. "Honestly no wonder I'm the best auntie ever" I then see that balanced on her hip is Harrison and the crying has stopped.

I bite my lip to stop the eruption of laughter about to splutter out. Heaving myself up I walk to Charlie and take Harrison. "Thank you C, get some sleep sweetheart" she nods sleepily and turns to walk back to her bedroom.

I bounce Harry on my hip and walk around the flat for half an hour until his head is in the crook of my neck and he's asleep. Instead of taking him back to his room and his sister I sit down on the sofa.

I only got back home yesterday. After endless amounts of tests and making sure my eating was on track again. You never realise how much a coma effects your life and everyone around you. Alfie has to take my bloods now ,which he hates, and has to make sure I have a balanced diet.

The gentle click of the clock fills the silent apartment. Well that's until I hear the smash of the window behind me. My body jerks around and I see the smashed window and fire. Someone has threw in a rock and a match.
And I bet I know who!

"Alfieeeeeeee!" I scream running to Maddie. Her eyes are open but dazed as though she's just woken up. I scoop her up and balance her on my other hip. It's suddenly too heavy to carry both so I place Harrison in his cot gently and wait for Alfie to get him.

After getting Charlie up and out the apartment it's now in flames. I watch as Alfie runs out finally panting. "Shit! What happened?" He asks rage gushing out of him from every pore. I'm about to reply when Robyn and Tristan appear next to us.

They're responses are the same, asking what happened, saying words that shouldn't be said in front of my children. My children! Maddison is still balancing on my hip however when I turn around on my heel quickly scanning the hall for Harrison I can't see him.

"Alfie?" I ask panicked. "Yeah" he says looking at me frantically. "Where's Harry?" I say suddenly making everyone realise my panic.
"I thought you got him!" Alfie says his eyebrows raised  and eyes wide in fear. "No I asked you too" my heart quickens. My breathing becomes irregular and I can't stand up. Before anyone could say anything else Robyn runs past me and into the burning apartment.

"Robyn!" Tristan shouts after her yet it's all fuzzy. I haven't even realised that Alfie has gently taken Maddison away from me, I'm sitting on the floor now and that Charlie has called the police and firemen. Everything is bad. This isn't how it's supposed to be. It's all wrong...

Flashback... Nicole 10 years old.

"Mum look at this one!" I stroke the glossy page in the magazine, it holds the picture of a woman wearing a long white wedding dress. Mum smiles at me laughing gently, "yes sweetie that one is gorgeous." Her replies are always the same but at the same time meant from the heart. I turn the page and gaze longingly at the different dresses. Lace and diamonds and sparkles and flowers. It's what most little girls dream of, their wedding day.

"Tell me about your wedding again mum" I say looking up from the magazine and at my mum. She's currently reading her favourite book again nestled in the arm chair by the window. Her favourite spot. Mine also. She laughs to herself shaking her head a little, but she closes her book and opens her arms for me to sink into.