When we reenter my room there is another police officer there with the detective. Chris looks up to me and his mom and the look on his face tells me I'm not going to like what is coming. Turning in our direction as well, Detective Summers puts his phone away.

"Ok so some developments, we pulled the security cameras from the hospital and Hope has been on property snooping around everyday since you were originally brought in from the accident." He tells us. Ms Racheal and I both look to him confused,

"If she wasn't responsible for the accident herself then at the very least we believe she has been following you. She would have no other way of knowing you were here. It also explains how she was here when the fight broke out between Mr Smith and Mr Anders.”

"Oh my God" I whispered to myself.

"There's more," Chris tells me.

"We sent patrol cars to your ex-husbands house and Hopes condo," Summers continues,

"Eric was at home and so far hasn't left. Hope wasn't and hasn't been back yet. We spoke with Eric and he says that they fought again after she bailed him out and he refused to let her come home with him, she hasn't contacted him since then." Ms Racheal starts to cry quietly next to me. I reach out and take her hand but she pulls away and says she needs to call her husband Mr Bob. I watch her step out of the room and I can't help the tears that start falling down my own face. This is what I've been afraid of since the beginning. Chris comes over and takes my hand, wiping away my tears.

"It's ok baby, this is just a lot for everyone. She's not upset with you I promise." He whispers to me.

"After looking at the new information you brought to our attention and Hope's recent actions, we now do have reason to believe that she was the other party involved in running you off the road, we are looking for the car at the moment and I have some feelers out around some body shops because there would be damage to the front of her car." Detective Summers adds.

"This is unbelievable," I say, rubbing my hand down my face. I would never have thought she was capable of this. I've never seen this side of her before, I mean we've had fights, you don't know someone for that long and never argue but this is so unhinged.

"Can you send someone to check on my children?" I ask him, "I don't know what to believe right now and I would feel better if someone was watching them until I can get home."

"Of course. We are planning on leaving an officer here outside of your door and we will provide home surveillance once you get out of here as well. I'll have a car stay outside of the Smith house too, with that being her parents she has reason to return to the property.”

While the two men in uniform start their new tasks Chris wheels me the rest of the way over to my bed. I'm exhausted. My head hurts. My body hurts all over, my arms are still raw and sore, and adding to the broken rib I now have an incision from the c section. As gently as he can he slides his arms under my legs and around my back lifting me from the chair as if I weigh nothing. He holds me for a moment like a baby, rocking me while breathing in my scent. My arms lay listlessly in my lap while he cradles me and I can't help but to start to sob. Chris sits with me on the bed and lets me soak his shirt. I don't know how long we sit like that but when he moves to lay me down in bed I notice the officers are gone and Ms Racheal is back. I nervously look at her. I wish my mom was able to be here but she's not. I feel so bad for the position Ms Racheal is in, but I understand if she needs to just focus on Hope.

"Don't even say it," She says to me. "I know you are feeling guilty, even though you have absolutely zero to feel guilty about" she tells me.

"I am worried about Hope, I still love her, I always will. But I love you too and I'm not abandoning either one of you." I cry more at her sentiment.

"I have to head out but I will call and check on you later ok?" She kisses me and hugs Chris, both walking out into the hall for a moment as she's leaving. I feel such a weight being lifted at her words, I miss my own mom so much, more than ever right now with all the drama in my life. 

Soon Chris comes back in and settles next to me, he's so warm and he always smells so good. He barely wears cologne as well. I swear it's just him. I nuzzle into his neck under his chin and inhale him, a few minutes of laying with him like that and a pulsing starts between my legs. My mind is all too aware this is hardly the time to be turned on, the tears are still wet on my face, and yet here my traitorous body is, getting wetter by every second I spend in his arms. I'm going to blame this one on the unbalanced hormones I know are raging right now. Suddenly it's hot in here. A small moan escapes me before I can close my lips, Chris' hand running up my side stills and his breathing picks up as he realizes what's happening to me.

"Can I help you to feel better?" He whispers in my ear, kissing my lobe and carrying down my neck. I close my eyes and melt into him.

"We can't," I protest back but he moves a finger to my lips.

"I can always find a way to make you feel better, my love." He kisses my mouth softly and moves his hands down my front gingerly and under my blanket. 

Holding eye contact with me his fingers inch up my thin hospital gown and so very carefully find my small pick bud. I hold my breath as he starts to circle it, my belly instantly clenching. My fingers tighten around his arm. He starts slowly then begins to build up speed adding pressure and then letting up, again and again. I let my breath out in another moan and he takes that as all the encouragement needed to keep going. I squeeze his arms harder as I keep rising, I'm so close now, he leans in closer and whispers in my ear.

"Let go baby, cum for me." And I do. I jump off the cliff I've been climbing up to, all the tension leaving my body even if it's just temporary. I feel so good laying with him I kiss him back then close my eyes blissfully.

"I love you Chris."

"I love you too, Larkin." We both settle into the bed so I can rest for a bit and I can't help but feel overwhelmed by this entire fiasco. I hope we can put everything behind us soon. Little did I know the worst was still coming.