Maybe the other reason she liked sitting here with him was because if she closed her eyes, she could almost pretend that the clock had turned back the years and she was still sitting next to Rachel. She felt a small tear escape her, but it didn’t matter here, there was no-one to see. She reached out, her eyes still closed, imagining Rachel lying there, and she took Finn’s hand in hers. Although it was big and strong, at the same time, it felt so very vulnerable. She felt a small smile draw up her lips, in spite of her tears. She had been so happy sitting next to Rachel, even though her sister was dying. When she left her side, God knows, she cried bucketloads, but every second she had next to her had been so precious.

‘Hey,’ the voice was hoarse, pulling her back from her dream. ‘Hey,’ he said again.

‘Huh?’ Her eyes flew open. ‘Oh, my God.’ She was staring at Finn O’Connell, not her darling twin sister and he was smiling at her, as if he’d just woken from a very pleasant dream. ‘You’re awake,’ and then she realised she’d been holding his hand – he must think she was a complete idiot. ‘I’m so sorry, let me get the nurse.’ She pulled back from him, leaving his hand lying empty on the bed cover.

‘Wait…’ he whispered. ‘What happened? How did I…’ He cleared his throat a little. ‘Where am I?’ he asked, obviously too diplomatic to ask what on earth a complete stranger was doing sitting by his bed, mauling his hand and smiling like a demented pigeon with her eyes closed.

‘You’re okay.’ She thought she might explode with embarrassment. ‘You were in an accident. I was standing next to you, just outside the hospital, and then the ambulance brought you in and you’ve been…’ She stopped, knowing she shouldn’t say too much in case the doctors suspected any memory damage. ‘Hang on, I’ll just get Morgan.’

‘Morgan?’ he said hoarsely, as if the name should mean something.

‘Sorry, Morgan is your nurse,’ she said, standing now, flustered in a way that she shouldn’t be if this was just a patient on her rounds. ‘You’re really doing fine; I’ve taken a look at your chart. You’ve been unconscious since it happened, so it was just a waiting game. I’m sure they’ll be throwing you out of here before you know it.’ She managed to smile then, because it was impossible not to. Seeing him awake was not only the most cheery thing that had happened to her all Christmas, it was probably the only jolly thing to have happened.

She would need to start her shift in A&E by the time Morgan had called a doctor to examine Finn and had checked his vitals once more.

‘You look good,’ Morgan said appraisingly.