~~
His eyes threatened to spill tears, the teenage boy who once saw his mother die of a house fire coming back to him. Instead of her this time, his friend was stuck in a fire. He could do nothing about it but watch as the flames had rose further up. The sky filling with smoke. He managed to barely speak out her name. It almost felt like hours before a man had bursted out the front door of the burning building, carrying the small figure which Ford had noticed was Lucy. He had raced over to her, as the man placed her on the floor.

" Get away from her you'll hurt her more! "  A woman from the crowd had yelled at Ford.

" Silence, I'm a doctor! I know this woman as well. Go get help."

" We have no hospital here! "Cried a man.

Ford stared at Lucy, she was breathing however she wasn't waking up. She had no burns on her body, only ash. Luckily a man with a carriage had offered to take Lucy back to West Town along with Ford, the trip was short lived and they got to the clinic. There Frank had arrived, as well as Lisette, Wayne, and Brad.

" What happened! " Yelled Brad.

" Leave at once! All of you, I'll tend to any wounds she might have, however I need Lisette to stay until I say."  Ford said.

He was trembling in the inside, what if she weren't to wake up? What then? Dark clouds began to fill his mind but he shook it off and began to examine her. She was fine physically. However, it might take a while before she wakes up. Ford had Lisette wash off any ash Lucy might had on her and then waited til she rose.

After an hour, Ford had heard a groan from Lucy. He looked at her face as her eyes began to flutter open.

"Are you with me now, Lucy? "

Lucy looked around and realized she was at Ford's clinic, " I don't.. remember what happened. "

For some odd reason this angered Ford," You don't recall?! You had been trapped in a fire! You had been asleep for more than two hours already?! How could you possibly let yourself get like this!?" He yelled.

Lucy looked away from Ford, " I- I'm sorry.."

He sighed and shook his head, " No.. I apologize . I should be giving you care not a lecture. To be more clear.. I didn't mean that to seem as if I were attacking you. I know you went there to see your father.. and you couldn't have possibly known that a fire was to start there, however.. as a farmer you must look around and see if you could have been in any danger. People admire you, how hard you work. Your animals need a master to come home. And not only that, people see how dedicated you are .. I don't know what I am getting at with this.. But seeing you hurt so.."

....

" Anyhow, I digress. You just need to be more careful. That is my point. Don't take this as me ordering you around as your doctor but.. advice from your friend. Just rest for now, Lucy. Your body needs it. " Says Ford softly.

" Thank you Ford.. but hey.. how much will this cost? I don't want to not have to pay you for looking out for me. "

Ford shakes his head and smiles softly, "No payment is required, after all I still owe you from making me dinner back in summer. Now if you'll excuse me, I have must paper work to be done. "

Lucy had closed her eyes. However, no sleep fell over her. She had once again opened her eyes to lock them with Ford's

" What is the matter? Are you having trouble sleeping?"

Lucy softly laugh, "It seems so, huh? Pathetic. "

" I wonder why though.. maybe perhaps you are not in your own bed and somewhere else. If there's anything I can do for you Luce, I'll do my best to do so. " Ford stated.

Lucy fell silent, her eyes looking at the ceiling, she responds, "Ford, please hold my hand."

Ford tilted his head to the side, " Hmm? Why? Mm, however it is said that holding a hand is soothing. In fact, many text books say that holding a child's hand helps them sleep faster.. perhaps it will work in this case too. Alright I shall hold your hand until you fall asleep. "

Lucy smiled, " Thank you Ford. "

" Enough talk, close your eyes and rest up. " He said as he eloped his hand with her.

The feeling of two hands touching. Lucy's bare hand against his doctor's glove. His fingers threading with hers. Ford felt strange. He had never held hands with someone.. not even his mother. After a couple minutes Lucy had fallen asleep, Ford still hand in hand with her.

" She is out like a light..Now that I think of it.. her hands are quite tiny. To think it is these hands that do so much hard work. These hands give life and in these hands are those crops and animals lives. People tend to say woman are weaker among the sexes but I might disagree. " Ford whispered to himself as he studied her hands. He mentally smacked himself.

" No, no, no, no! What on earth am I doing staring at a patient like this.. I- I must go and finish my paperwork. Yes, that is exactly what I will do!"

Ford placed Lucy's hand gently back down and hurriedly sat in the desk in the other side of the building. As he got there, he noticed something about himself. It was strange, odd. He didn't understand why this was happening but..

" How odd, Why in the world is my pulse racing? Could I be... coming down with a cold? I must check myself just in case. "

As he worked on his paperwork, the image of her small hands stayed in the back of his head. He was so outraged with himself for staring at her like that! That was no professional doctor. He tried to brush it off but today was filled with so many emotions. None that Ford ever thought he might ever feel. That fire, if he would have lost Lucy. What would he had done? Ford grimaced at his thoughts and continued to work on his paperwork. It had to have been thirty minutes in and heard tiny foot steps slowly approach. As he looked up, it was Lucy smiling softly, leaning again the side of the wall.

He was wearing just his black vest and purple button down, he had removed his gloves and doctor's coat.

" Whatcha doing there? " She asked him, her voice soft.

I am just finishing up the last of my paperwork. Did you rest well? "

Lucy closed her eyes and nodded at Ford.

" Thank you.. for taking care of me. "

Ford looked up at her once more from his paper work.

" It is my job after all. But you are very welcome. "

Lucy had walked closer to him, " I'm sorry, if I had worried you. "

In all truth, he had been worried. He didn't know what had come over him as he watched the flames surrounding the building. Now that he realizes it, tears fell down his serious face as he saw the flames rise. He was scared. He cared for the girl. But what did that mean?  Was it really normal to stare at a patient as they slept as well?

" Don't trouble yourself over it. "

Was it bad that he wished to tell her he was worried? That he had cried? He was so confused as to why this woman had such a grip on him. Brad nor Wayne made him cry. Why wasn't she any different? He couldn't understand.

End of chapter 12