Rhys tilted on one side and threw a quick look behind Viola.

"Rhys, she's a woman. It sometimes manifests in women differently," Viola started speaking quickly, preparing for an argument. She'd had quite a few similar conversations during her work in A&E. There wouldn't be any hackneyed chest pain, or a left arm going numb - but she knew she was right. "You have to trust me–" she started again.

"I trust you," he interrupted. "Are we not telling her what's going on then?" he asked, meeting Viola's eyes.

"No need to frighten her," Viola said. "But she'll start resisting, and I need you to back me up on that."

He nodded shortly and walked up to Nana.

"Ah, Rhys," the old woman said. Viola noticed how much raspier Mable's voice was. "I'm just– sitting down for a moment, dear."

Rhys threw Viola a quick look, and she nodded.

"Come, Nana," he said softly, supported the woman under her elbows, and lifted her onto her feet. "I think we need to have you checked. You don't look well."

"What– Nonsense, I–" Nana's words suddenly slurred, and she started leaning into Rhys.

He quickly picked her up in his arms, and Viola grabbed the keys out of his hand. Without talking, they quickly walked to the car. Viola unlocked his truck, and he carefully put Mable in the backseat.

"I'll drive," Viola said, jumping into the driver's spot and adjusting the seat.

Once again, against her expectations, he didn't argue. He sat with Nana, supporting her. Viola could see in the rear-view mirror how pale he was. She maneuvered his truck out onto the Hall's driveway.

"How are you feeling, Nana?" he asked.

Viola could hear Mable answer something quietly.

"She's not making any sense," he said to Viola, his voice rising.

"It's alright," Viola said, digging her foot into the accelerator pedal. "She might be a bit disoriented. Do you have water in the car? I grabbed aspirin from the Hall's first aid kit while we waited for you. She needs to take it."

She saw Rhys move. Thankfully, he always had a water bottle in his truck, and Viola heard him coaxing Nana to take the pills.

"Call 999," Viola told him. "Tell them we'll be in Abernathy General in under twenty minutes."

They were outside Fleckney already, and Viola sped up even more. Rhys was talking to the operator, and then asked Viola for details. She quickly reported the signs she'd noticed: Nana's stiff jaw movements when she'd been talking to Viola and ignoring Niklas; the way she held her torso, as if there was pain in the upper body and shoulders; and her nausea, all of which were the rarely discussed symptoms of a female heart attack. Rhys hung up, and immediately dialled John. Viola heard Nana protest weakly. At least, the woman was conscious.

Rhys' truck obeyed like a massive well-trained beast, and Viola took a confident turn into the hospital parking lot. There were two nurses with a gurney there, waiting for them. Rhys pushed the door open, took Nana out, and put her down on the stretcher. He lingered for a second, and Viola pulled him by his sleeve. He took a stumbling step backwards, giving access to the nurses. A young doctor ran out of the sliding doors - Amanda Jenkins, Viola seemed to recall the name - and they rolled the gurney inside. Rhys stood in the middle of the lot, his right arm hanging limply along his body, his eyes fixed on the doors of the hospital.

"Come, Rhys," Viola said, patting his back.

She needed to move his truck. He startled and looked at her as if he'd forgotten she was there.

"Go to the admission desk," Viola said. "I'll park the car, and I'll be there."

He stayed still for three seconds, and then nodded, and headed towards the well-lit entrance to the hospital.

When she found him at the reception, he was back to his efficient collected self. He was filling in some forms, awkwardly scrolling on his phone with one hand, probably looking up some numbers. She saw notifications jump up on the top of his mobile's screen, one after another. She reckoned, the Holyoakes knew now. Viola walked away and heavily sat in an uncomfortable chair next to a rubbish bin. Rhys thanked someone at the desk and came up to Viola.

"How are you holding up?" he asked, and she lifted surprised eyes at him.

"How are you holding up?" she asked.

He sat down on the next chair, and Viola handed him his keys.

"I'm bricking it," he said and looked at her.

She saw his dilated pupils, and she opened her arms offering him an embrace. He pressed into her with a raspy groan.

"God, Vi..."

She could feel his phone vibrate in his pocket. He held her tightly with his right arm, and she rubbed his back between his shoulder blades.

"Let's not panic just yet," she said softly. "It's highly likely that I've overreacted, and she's just tired and dehydrated. Just watch her walk out of those doors, all full of her regal indignation and ready to tell me off. We'll never hear the end of it."

He chuckled joylessly, sat up, and studied her face.

"Except, you haven't overreacted, have you?" he said gravely, and Viola shook her head.

"I don't think I have, Rhys."

He nodded and stared down, seemingly, at his stylish black shoes.

"I forget she's old," he muttered and rubbed the back of his neck with his right hand.

They sat in silence for the next half an hour, and then John, Oliver, Maisie, and Will rushed in. Rhys rose to speak to them, and suddenly Viola's head spun. She hardly made it to the loo before she started vomiting. The heaves were deep and painful. When she finally managed to walk out of a booth, Maisie was waiting for her by the sinks.

"Viola, are you alright?" Maisie asked and rushed to her with paper towels. "Goodness me, love, you look like shite."

Viola started washing her hands and rinsing her mouth.

"Rhys said you caught it at the very beginning," Maisie said, helping Viola to move her hair away from her face. "And you drove them here! He said that you were faster than he would have been! Goodness, love, if it weren't for you–"

"We don't know if it's anything serious yet," Viola muttered. Her knees shook so much she had to grab the edge of the sink to stay upright. "Let's see what the doctors say."

***

It was unstable angina - the 'less serious' heart attack, as Dr. Jenkins explained to the Holyoakes. Nana was given blood-thinning medication and was staying in the hospital for assessment and observation, but she was out of danger, according to Dr. Jenkins.

"Good catch," she said to Viola, who only had enough energy for a small nod.

After a short discussion, John left, taking Will with him. Oliver was staying in the hospital, and he left to get himself a coffee. Maisie called herself a cab. And suddenly, it was just Rhys and Viola left.

"Come, love," he said, echoing her words from before.

She tried to rise, and her knees buckled. He caught her and pulled her up. She pressed into him and burst into tears.

"God, Rhys, she's having a heart attack. I was right, I can't believe it," she sobbed, clenching her fists around handfuls of his jacket. "I was so scared, so– And she was just so– God, Rhys, Nana..."

She was choking on her desperate crying, and he held her to him with one arm.

"It's alright, love. You did it. You caught it," he was murmuring, kissing her hair, and rocking her side to side. "Sh, sh, you can let go now. C'mon, let me drive you to the surgery. My poor, poor girl..."

She let him walk her out of the hospital, and it took her a few seconds to remember where she'd left his truck. He helped her into the passenger seat, walked around his truck, and climbed in. Suddenly, he barked a short throaty laugh. It was shaky, but jolly, nonetheless.

"I think a midget had taken my truck for a joy ride," he said.

"Can you please drive us already?" Viola grumbled, but couldn't help but to chuckle. "And I'm not that short."

"Uh-huh," he said, pulling a lever to slide his seat back.

She nodded off, and woke up when they were driving into Fleckney Woulds.

"Rhys, can you please talk to Alan, if he's up? He's her GP," Viola said and yawned. She was so knackered she felt almost drunk.

"Of course," he said.

"Did anyone tell Klaus she was in the hospital?" Viola asked.

"I don't think so, but I'll message him," Rhys answered levelly, turning into her street.

He helped Viola out of the car. Her hands shook so much, he ended up taking her keys out of her hands and unlocking the door. She heard Fenton's voice, but she just ignored it and walked straight into her room, leaving Rhys behind in the small hall of the flat.

In her bedroom she tore her clothes off her body, including her lingerie - she'd chosen the navy lace set, hiding even from herself that she'd been half-planning for Rhys to see it - and climbed into her bed starkers. She was asleep, seemingly before her eyes were fully shut.