Even flying into the city seemed to take forever. And I felt more powerless than I’d ever felt in my life. All I could do was hold Angel’s child in my arms and pray.

But when we touched down on the hospital rooftop, I was left with only the prayers. I’d had the pilot radio in and half a dozen people were waiting. Violet was whisked out of my arms within seconds, and I could only watch as they strapped her onto a gurney, far too large for her slight body. They were moving fast and the elevator door started to close as they surrounded her.

“Wait!” I gripped the door, holding it open only long enough to slip inside. “She’s mine,” I said forcefully. “And I’m not leaving her.”

When the doors opened to the emergency room, the team flew into action. I stood my ground, but out of the way. In seconds, Violet was hooked up to tubes and machines. One young doctor came over to me.

“Her name’s Violet,” I said. “Violet Hollister. She hasn’t regained consciousness… we don’t know how long she might have been in the water… And she’s autistic…”

“Her vitals are strong,” he said confidently. He ran a hand over the shadow of bristles covering his jaw. “Are you the father?”

“I’m responsible for her,” I said without hesitation. “Whatever she needs, whatever it takes… You do it,” I said. “I made a promise to her mother…”

He put a reassuring hand on my shoulder and looked me at me squarely. “I’ve got a daughter at home, too,” he said. “Violet will get the best care there is. We’ll do some tests, see how she responds. I can have someone bring you a cup of coffee if you’d like, but I think it’s probably best if you stay close.” I felt my heart seize… “Because she knows your voice,” he said soothingly, and she may be more likely to respond to you. I’ll bring you some paperwork to fill out… and there’s a phone here you can use…” He looked at me. “Is there anyone you need to call?”

“Her mother, Angelina,” I said, feeling my first true hint of panic. “But there’s no way to reach her…

and she doesn’t know where to find us...”

I called almost every fucking hospital in the city, and no one had seen her. A beautiful young mother looking for her daughter. The thought of her out there, frightened and having to search the city for her own child was almost unbearable. I sat next to Violet, one hand holding hers, the other still holding the phone. A nurse brought in a cup of thin-looking coffee and sat it down with a shy smile.

“Taylor-Pick Memorial, how can I direct your call?” The woman’s voice sounded tired.

“I’m looking for a young woman, possibly with a broken ankle. Angelina Hollister, blonde with blue eyes who’s looking for her daughter, Violet.” The words were coming rapid-fire. “There was an accident and we were split up. She might have come in sometime in the last hour, or maybe called in…”

“One moment, please.”

I spent five long minutes listening to tinny music in one ear and the steady beeps of Violet’s heart monitor in the other. For a split second, I thought I felt the tiniest of movements in her little fingers…

“Sir,” the woman’s voice came back, “There’s no one in the waiting area who fits your description… and no record of any calls…” I could hear computer keys clicking in the background. “But I’ve got an Angelina Hollister in admitting…”

I let go of Violet’s hand and dug my fingers into the phone. “Admitting?” My mind was racing… relief that I’d found her… churning fear in my gut. “For a broken ankle? What’s happened to her? Why would she need to be admitted…?” I was on my feet now.

“I’m sorry, sir. Hospital policy doesn’t allow me to…”

I cut her off. “This woman is the love of my life…

and she trusted me with the life of her only child.” I could hear anger and fear and desperation in my own voice. “Right now, they’re separated, and neither one can live without the other. I don’t give a damn about your policy. You tell me what’s happened to her.”

I heard a frantic flutter of keystrokes. “All the information I have is that she’s been assigned a private room and is waiting on tests.” The girl’s voice lowered an octave. “Ankle injury and loss of consciousness,” she said under her breath. “That’s all I know.”

I managed to murmur my thanks before I hung up. My gaze drifted to Violet’s face. Her lips were pink again… the color back in her cheeks. All we could do was wait for her to open her eyes…

And everything inside me demanded I go to her mother’s side. Violet was stable and in good hands. And for all I knew, Angelina’s life could be in danger. She needed to know her child was alive, and I needed to hold her in my arms and tell her so. But I’d promised I wouldn’t leave Violet to wake up alone. I looked at the little girl and felt a war of conflicting needs battling in my chest…

And for the very first time, I realized that I truly knew… what it meant to be a father.

“What the hell, Will…?” I spun around at the sound of his voice.

“I was finishing rounds and heard you landed a damned helicopter on the roof…” Harry stood in the doorway, sleeves rolled back and concern creasing his face. “This is the child, isn’t it? The one you came to me about…?”

“Christ, Harry,” I gripped him to my chest for a fast second. “She is,” I said. “I’ll explain everything… but not now. There isn’t time.” I gripped his hand. “There was an accident. Her mother’s in another hospital. Just tell me you can stay with Violet. There isn’t anyone else in the world I can trust her with now. And you fucking call me if she so much as…”

“Go,” he said, his eyes telling me he understood. One father to another… “Find her, tell her daughter’s perfectly stable.” He glanced at the monitor and gave me a reassuring nod. “She needs to know.” And in a second, I was gone. To find one half of my heart…

only to discover I was leaving the whole other half behind.