Author's Note: This idea popped into my head one day and I started writing, and couldn't stop.

A little heads up, this story does reference some sensitive issues that might upset readers.

I hope you enjoy!

Chapter One

..

When All Hope Is Lost

..

There was something about standing by the graveside of her late husband that Esther Galloway found frustratingly surreal. She stood amongst family and friends who knew him as much as she did, who mourned him in a such a way that made her grief almost palpable to others. They had lost a friend, a son, a brother, but she had lost a companion, her soulmate, her future. She—in a way—had lost something greater than everyone else for she was the one who would have to wake to an empty bed, where his side of the bed would remain cold and would never be warmed by him again. She had lost the man who would be the father to her children, who, like Stephen, would never have the chance of living a full life.

The morning of his death, she had taken a pregnancy test. She had been a few days late and whilst he was out fetching the ingredients of his famous breakfast of blueberry pancakes, she had seated herself upon the cold tiles of the bathroom floor, the pregnancy stick resting on top of the cabinet. A cold shiver had run through her body and she had assumed it was from the chilly tiles beneath her, but it hadn't been that. The test had remained atop the cabinet as a call on her mobile phone signalled urgency, and thinking it was Stephen wanting to know if she needed anything else picking up, she answered quickly. But Stephen's familiar voice never entered her ears again as the voice of a stranger who addressed himself as the police officer who was first to arrive on scene had been the one to break the news to her.

Stephen had been crossing the road which had been empty and void of all vehicles and had been hit by a drunk driver who had been four-times over the limit and rushing to head home before his parents noticed the car was missing from the drive. In that split moment, in that split decision of the driver, her husband had been thrown over the bonnet and left in a heap on the concrete ground. The driver had hit a lamp post just metres away. Stephen had died on impact; his life just fleeted away from him as if it were always meant to be that way.

But it shouldn't have been that way. And life seemed to simply carry on even though every thought, every emotion, every single word, seemed jarring for Esther. Her husband laid still on the morgue table that on first sight, she believed him to be sleeping. But the pain in her heart reminded her that he wasn't going to wake up and surprise her that it had been a cruel prank that had gone too far. The broken cheekbone, the bruises to his face and neck, the scrapes to his soft skin, the dark bruising to his abdomen as he hit the ground, were all reminders of the fate he had endured.

She avoided going home at all costs, but she knew she needed to for her own good. She headed straight to the bathroom, hoping to wash away the pain and the grief and to try and silence her thoughts as they fought against her mind. She stared at her reflection in the mirror; the dark circles under her eyes were something that shocked her the most, they looked painful as if she had been in a scuffle with someone; the paleness to her face had caused her to sigh as she tried to remember the last time she slept as the days had passed by slowly yet awfully fast. And that was when she saw it: the pregnancy test resting on the surface of the cabinet.

Positive
2-3 Weeks

She stood dumbfounded in the middle of the bathroom. Her hands felt clammy, her head felt light as if she was floating away from reality, and the pain that seemed to cling onto her heart for dear life gripped tighter until she crumpled to the floor in pained sobs. She wanted to scream, to turn back time and tell Stephen that cereal sounded just as good, but she felt helpless and alone.

Esther laid in bed for the next couple of days only venturing downstairs for food to settle the nausea before she hurried back upstairs to hide away from the world. Any knocking on the door, any calls to her phone, any text messages were all ignored as she lived in a haze until the pain in her lower stomach began to increase and she knew something wasn't right. When she started to bleed, she knew another thing had been ripped from her.

A couple of weeks later, a call from her sister beckoned her to join her in Inverness where she lived and worked at the local university. Esther was obviously hesitant, but she knew a change of scenery would do her good, and along with her parents, they travelled to Scotland to spend much needed time with Anna. She needed time away from her own thoughts and she knew she needed to surround herself with those who loved her unconditionally, and she was so grateful to have them and their support during such a tough time.

And Esther knew, deep down, that the change of scenery would help her heal.

..

"We need to," Anna pleaded. "It's honestly the most beautiful place, ever!"

Esther laid on the bed as Anna sorted through the wardrobes. Having just moved into a townhouse on a quaint street that overlooked the rolling green hills that seemed almost golden on its tip, Anna was still trying to navigate her way through the rooms. The house was larger than she had anticipated, but the reduced price didn't seem to cause her any worry. She knew it usually cost a fortune to have a house as large as she found this one, but the price was simply because it had been on the market for so long and there was simply no interest which Esther—as she looked around in awe at the grand rooms with its traditional features and magnificent views—found strange.

"I've only been once but it's just… you would love it, Esther," Anna continued with a wide, toothy grin. "They do tours or we could just go up on our own one day."

"I don't know, sis," Esther said, watching as Anna's brows furrowed. "Let me just settle in for a while. I've been here a night."

"And you'll only be here another couple of weeks, max. And before you know it, you'll be on your way back with mum and dad and we'd have never gone up there."

Esther watched as Anna unpacked another box and sorted out the surface of her bedside tables. She knew her sister was looking out for her, but Esther found she needed some time to truly settle in a place. She didn't usually do well with changes and she knew Anna was right; before she knew it, she would be back home and would regret not visiting the infamous stones.

"Okay," Esther agreed, watching as Anna clapped excitedly. "We'll go… let's just enjoy today and eat some good food and spend time as a family. Then we can go tomorrow and you can show me everything you want."

"You're going to love it!" Anna grinned wide. Esther helped Anna organise books and ornaments for the rest of the morning before they assisted their parents with lunch. Sitting outside in the garden, the stone wall surrounding them offered them a perfect view of the hills and mountains in the distance. As Esther listened to her sister talk animatedly about her art and the university she worked at, she kept her gaze on the highest point of the mountain where in the distance the stones shone brightly. The sky was cloudy yet the weather was warm, and around the stones was a halo of golden light that was reminiscent of the beautiful and rich sunshine after a heavy storm. She felt content after so long of pure sadness. Her life had been turned upside down and she had been forced to ride the wave even though it was violent and heart-breaking.

As the day wore on, the same halo of light still shone brightly over the stones. Every now and then, Esther would watch it almost in awe. The hundreds of years that the stones had been there had seen so much change to the city around them; and Esther could only imagine what they would've thought of the world as it was now. As the sky darkened with marvellous blends of deep blue and grey clouds, chasing away the pink and orange hues of the sunset like wolves hunting its prey.

Life had a way of turning on its axis at the least expected time. She laid in her bed that evening, the sound of pain pattering against her window, she rested a hand upon her stomach. That small gesture had been foreign to her when she was expecting, it almost felt as though she was drifting through life in a dream state and nothing ever felt real. Not now. Not even then. There were moments where she still believed that she was expecting, but the memory of pain and agony caused her to remember the sorrow that clouded her mind so often that she pushed it to the side. She moved her hand away, her mind betraying her with the harsh memories. In those quiet moments, she would forget just for the slightest second and then she would remember. But as her hand fluttered to her stomach once more, she had wanted to find solace and hope in the life that had grown there. It took her a moment to remember that yet again it was another life that ended too soon. And the warmth of the love that she had had for this little life—although it had been so fleeting—had been an overwhelming one.

She never felt like she could mourn which now sounded ridiculous but, in that moment, after realising her pregnancy test had been positive when her husband had been taken from her, she just didn't know what to do. She believed she would've welcomed her pregnancy with open arms and a warm heart but it had been a reminder of everything she had lost.

But she was ready to heal, and mourn, and remember the life that could've been instead of dwelling on the pain and the sadness that betrayed her in a moment of their life that should have been so great.

..

The wind almost toppled them over as they scaled the hill. The incline burned her thighs as she puffed and panted her way upwards, a few feet behind her sister. The view was something that took Esther's breath away, and as they climbed higher and higher, she wanted to hold off in order to see it in all its glory and to truly capture it.

Anna had woken her as soon as the birds started chirping outside, the summer months pulling back the night further and further which made it seem as though everyone had only just closed their eyes before dawn broke. Anna had left her to dress, suggesting something warm for the cold, sharp morning. As the sky was becoming light outside, still grey, and cloudy with the sun peeking through the gaps, they left their parents sleeping in the guest bedroom and headed out.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Anna said as they reached the top. "Take a moment and just… embrace it."

And that was what Esther did. She found herself feeling peaceful as she stared at the view surrounding them; the whole three-sixty showing her a different image, a unique vision of all the directions leading to her. A lump formed in her throat and she found tears forming in her eyes. Anna noticed her sisters glistening tears and moved towards her, pulling her sister into a hug. They remained there for a while, just simply taking in the scenery whilst the feeling of content seeped in and filled the void in her heart.

Drumming in the distance caught her attention and she furrowed her brow as she searched for the sound. Nothing caught her eye and she wondered if it was the local band having an early morning rehearsal.

Rain started to fall heavily upon them, cutting short the morning hike. As the skies turned a thunderous grey above them, they began to make the descent back home. With the ground underfoot slippery and skiddy, they carefully placed their feet on the ground.

"I'm blaming you for this," Esther smirked, a wide grin on her face.

"You loved it," Anna beamed. "I'm so glad you came here, sis. I've really missed you."

"Me too," Esther smiled, turning around to face her sister. But she lost her footing as her shoe slipped off the stone hidden by the slick mud and she found herself tumbling down the hill. Anna raced towards her, trying to grab her hand but she was sliding too fast, and fingertips grazing against each other, Esther fell.

..

She woke sometime later, her entire body feeling as though it had fallen down multiple flights of stairs. She attempted to open her eyes but her head was pounding so much that it felt better to keep her eyes clamped shut. The ground was cold and damp underneath her, and she wondered just how long she had laid there for.

Gaining the courage to sit up, she opened her eyes slowly, holding her head in an attempt to keep the harsh, blinding headache from utterly taking over her sight. "Anna," she muttered, holding her ribs as she moved a little. Just an inch, and it felt as though she had been in the ring with a famous boxer out for blood. "Anna?"

She glanced up the hillside that she had slid down and found herself gasping as she saw the jagged edges and the sharp decline. "Shit…" she whispered in shock. "Anna, I'm here!"

Esther attempted to gather her bearings and stand up. Her legs felt like jelly beneath her and she took her time as she pulled herself up carefully. Her breathing was shallow as she stared up at the large opening above her, hoping to see the reassuring and concerned face of her sister who had been the one to watch her disappear into thin air. She still felt the ghost of her sisters fingertips upon hers as she scrambled to reach her, putting herself in danger to prevent her sister from falling, but it hadn't been enough to stop her.

Her leg felt too tender to put her full weight on it, and she winced in pain as she moved herself to rest against a tree.

"Well, well, well," a voice came from behind her. "What's a lady doing in the woods all alone?"