*Tom*
I have been driving myself crazy, not able to do anything but pacing the floor, waiting and waiting for Will to come out of surgery. I have called my mom, Emma and Ben ... needing to talk to someone. Willa's phone goes directly to her voice mail, so I expect that she is on her way here.

I know it won't help or change anything that I beat myself over the head with it. Telling myself I should have been more careful, that I could have protected Will better, both regarding the accident, but also concerning Aslyn.

This is one of those times where I realize that I am new to being a father.

Finally the doctor comes out, sending me a reassuring smile. "Mr Hiddleston, Will's operation went according to schedule. There were a lot of splinters, but they have all been removed, and the damage is minimal. We have put in a plate and some screws to strengthen the area. So now we just have to wait for the swelling to subside, before we can assess the damage and how to best help him from here".

"Thank you doctor. I hope this is it then. That he will be okay with time for healing". I shake the doctor's hand. Hoping that my son doesn't have to go through more pain than he already has.

The doctor sends me a small smile. "Let's hope that. Unfortunately it is still too early to say anything. But we still have hope that the feeling in his legs will come back when the swelling goes away. He is in the ICU until he wakes up. But you can go sit with him. It's this way".

I follow him through some corridors and he shows me into a room. I have to take a deep breath before stepping inside. Seeing your kid like that, with monitors and tubes everywhere is heartbreaking. He suddenly looks so young and so vulnerable. I sit down beside him, taking his hand in mine.

"It is going to be okay Will. I promise you, no matter what, you will be okay". I whisper, mostly to myself, to convince myself that it will.

*Willa*
It has been a long trip, but we still go directly to the hospital. I write to Tom, telling him that I am there, and a minute later he comes hurrying into the waiting room. Hugging me to him. "I am so sorry, love. He had surgery to remove splinters and he is still sleeping. But it went well".

"So.. what is the verdict ? How bad is it Tom ?" I ask him, scared what he is going to tell me.

He takes a deep breath. "He broke his neck and fractured his lower back badly. They removed the splinters and put in some plates and screws to stabilise it. But ... he is paralysed, they can't say yet if it is just the swelling or more permanent".

"He.. he.. oh God he is paralysed". I can't believe it, my little boy. What if he never walk again ? "Where is he ?"

Tom seems to spot Dan behind me. And I feel him tense up. His voice a hissing whisper. "What is he doing here ?"

"Dan was nice enough to let me use his private jet, and make sure I got here safely". I tell him.

Tom is clearly jealous here, I can see it in the way he seems to grow an inch and puff out his chest. So I tey to smooth things out. "It made it possible for me to get her much earlier".

Tom sends Dan a stiff smile. "Well thank you for getting her here. But I'll take it from here Dan, so you are free to leave". Then he leads me through a door and down a hall.

He stops in front of a door, and takes my hand. "God I missed you so much baby. But this isn't how I wanted to see you. You need to be prepared darling, seeing him like this isn't easy, but it is just to help him get better okay ?"

"I know Tom ... I know. And I missed you so much too". I reach up to give him a soft kiss, before opening the door and walking inside.

Even knowing, it is a shock seeing my son like that. I have been lucky up to now, he has never been truly sick, and no accidents, not beside a scrapes knee or bruised elbow.

I sit down beside him, taking his hand in mine. "Hi Will. I am so happy to see you again sweetie. Now I just need you to wake up so I can see your beautiful smile".

"He should wake up any minute, but he can be a bit confused from all the medicine". Tom says as he sits down beside me. Gently putting an arm around my shoulder.

We sit like that for about ten minutes, while I keep talking softly to my son and just soak up being close to Tom again. He is my rock and my safe place.

"Mom ?!" Will slowly opens his eyes, and when he sees me he starts to cry, but he can't move. The first week he has to be in a harness that keeps him completely still, to let his back heal. "Mom you are here".

"Of course I am here sweetie. I flew out as soon as your father called me". I tell him, gently rubbing his hand in mine. Wishing I could hold him in my arms.

He looks up at me, his eyes filled with tears and they look so much like his fathers that it is almost scary. "I am sorry mom. You should be home relaxing, not flying out here because I did something stupid and got myself hurt".

"Don't worry sweetie. I am still capable of travelling. And you didn't do anything stupid. You are not old enough to be responsible for what happened". I tell him softly, and reach up to stroke his cheek.

I feel Tom cringe beside me and Will looks at me pleadingly. "Please don't be angry with dad. He couldn't know. Silver is a good horse, he was scared, so it wasn't dad's fault either".

"It's okay baby, I know that your dad would never knowingly put you in harms way". I tell him softly. But there is still that little voice telling me it could have been avoided.