Page 66 of This Christmas

The high-pitched buzzing dissipated enough for her to hear Joe whispering, “I’ve got you, baby. Charlotte’s safe. You’re safe. I love you.” He said it over and over.

Then words poured from her chest. Ripped out of her like a madwoman’s rants. She didn’t know what she said. Didn’t care.

He was here. Charlotte was safe.

Ted could no longer hurt them.

“Easy,” Joe said and suddenly she was floating. “I’m taking her back inside,” he said to someone. “No, the tunnels are faster. She’s freezing.”

“She’s bleeding,” someone said, and she felt Joe tense. Was that Aiden? Nick?

“Inside,” he said, and she felt her body lift as her eyes closed.

“J-Joe?”

“I’m here, baby.” His voice was right next to her.

“I l-love you. I c-can’t remember-ber if-f, I t-told you.” She shivered. Her body was shutting down fast, but she needed to say the words. If only once.

He chuckled. “At least a dozen times, but you can tell me again anytime you want once we’re inside. I love you too.”

She felt something brush against her lips just as she sank into the darkness.

She jerked awake when warm fingers touched her cheek.

“Easy,” someone said in a light tone.

She opened her eyes, but her vision was blurry.

“Ally, this is Chrissy. She’s an EMT. She’s going to patch you up. Okay?” Aiden said, standing somewhere beyond her vision.

She moved slightly to nod and winced.

“We’re going to take you to the hospital,” Joe said, and her eyes flew open.

“No.” She shook her head. “I don’t want to go.” She started sitting up. She was lying on the sofa in the living room. Her wet pajamas, coat, and boots had all been removed, and she was only wearing her tank top and underwear under the warm blanket.

“Easy,” Joe said, sitting beside her. “You have a nasty cut and bump on your head. They just want to run some scans.”

“I don’t want to go to the hospital.” She grabbed for his hands. “Charlotte?” She glanced around.

“She’s upstairs with Faye, getting dressed to go with us to get you checked out.”

She relaxed a little. “I’m naked.”

Joe smiled. “Not fully, but Faye is bringing you something you can slip into.” He nodded and then glanced around. “Here she is now.”

Suddenly, Charlotte flew across the room and wrapped herself around her. Ally’s arms held on tight as the two of them cried together.

“I’m so sorry, baby,” she said, meeting Joe’s eyes over her daughter’s head.

“Mama,” Charlotte cried over and over. “Daddy saved us.” She stopped and looked over at Joe. “I wished a good daddy for Christmas.” She smiled at him. “I wrote Santa and all.” She turned to Ally. “Now can he be my daddy?”

Ally’s head hurt too much to laugh, but the look in Joe’s eyes answered her daughter’s question. “Yes, baby, he can be your daddy.”

Joe wrapped his arms around them both and held on while Olaf jumped up next to her and started licking the water from her hair.