"Rose, get away! Now," said the man's voice, closer to me now.

I frantically tried once more to open the boot but I felt arms around me dragging me away.

"No, you don't understand. He's in there!" I cried. "I have to get him out."

"Rose! No! It's too late," he answered in my ear. "It's too late."

The petrol tank exploded and with the force of the impact, we crashed backwards away to the floor. His weight was heavy on my back as another fireball unfurled, and engulfed us with its frenzied flame. The smell of singed clothing was everywhere I breathed, and I stayed down, not able to move under the weight of my rescuer.

The yard instantly filled with more screams, Mira's and Hannah's, and a few more that had joined. A high pitched siren sounded from far away and grew nearer.

"Rose, your burns?" the man on top of me whispered but didn't move.

My skin was healing quickly, I felt it knitting together and sealing itself. I had no other injuries, except for a smarting jab in my shoulder when my hand landed on the floor with my full weight behind it.

"I'm okay," I asked. "You?"

"I'm fine. I'm going to get up now, okay?"

The weight was off me and I gulped in a breath of air. A hand grabbed mine and pulled me up to stand. Somehow I wasn't surprised to find Aiden Deverill staring back at me.

Before I could say a word, the firemen arrived and drew us away to a cooler, safer distance. The crowd that had been slowly gathering were herded away back onto the street, as the large fire engine entered the area, it's blue lights flashing violently and the siren deafening to all around us. Following was a team of brightly covered paramedics who emerged on foot through the smoke filled yard and pulled Aiden and I around another corner to a private area for examination.

A woman took me quickly to one side and asked me if I was hurt.

"No, I'm fine," I said frankly.

"I'm Louise. Now, are you sure there's no pain? Let me take a look," and she lifted off the shreds of my torn and burnt jacket, throwing it to the floor. I didn't mind, it was ruined anyway.

She lifted my top up carefully to check the skin on my back, chest and shoulders. She also inspected under my hairline and around my face. I knew she was stunned at the lack of scar tissue or injuries I should have suffered but I couldn't tell her anything.

She grasped my hands to lift my sleeves checking my arms, my bracelet stung at her touch.

"Nice bracelet," she commented. "Unusual."

"Thanks, it's a family thing," I muttered, hoping she would get on with her job. She lowered my sleeves to continue her inspection.

"I don't believe it," she kept saying under her breath. "You should have been burnt to a crisp in that fireball. Unbelievable." She asked me to lower my trousers, as she continued her inspection down my legs, carefully touching the inside of my legs, searching my skin for scorch marks.

I looked around, and noticed Aiden a few metres away getting the same treatment from another woman. His shirt was off exposing his muscled bare chest and he grinned as I continued to stare. I hadn't meant too.

"Okay, Rose? Rose!" Louise continued, getting back my attention. "You're all good, but I'm going to check on you tomorrow, okay?"

"No, it's fine, really," I answered.

"Well, I insist. I wouldn't be doing my job properly if I didn't double check," she peered down at me under her brow and I couldn't argue.

"Okay," I said, quickly pulling my trousers up and rearranging my top.

"How are you doing, Lou?" the other ambulance woman said to mine.

"Yep, we're all clear. Let's go." Louise grabbed her medical bag, joined her partner and was soon disappearing back down towards the street. I could hear her talk into the radio that had been strapped to her jacket. They were needed elsewhere.

The fire brigade had reduced the car to smoke, its metal frame barely holding itself up. I walked past Aiden who was pulling his black sweater back on and approached the firemen who gathered in a group, discussing the car's removal from the yard.

"Excuse me," I said politely.

"Jesus, Rose. You gave us all a shock. Are you feeling okay? No dizziness or sore throat?" one of them said, with an Irish lilt. His badge said Pritchard but I didn't recognise him.

"I'm okay. Was there anyone inside the car? I mean," I gulped "a body?"

"The car was empty. Someone's idea of a foolish prank, probably," Pritchard answered calmly. "Daisy's waiting for you at the entrance. We've needed to get everyone back, away from the flames. Smoke inhalation is a killer."

"Okay, but you're positive there was nobody inside?"

"No one. Now, go home, Rose, you've had a long night."

Aiden and I silently walked across the yard and towards the brewery entrance which was barred by two uniformed police officers and a stretch of yellow police tape. The crowd of onlookers was large as we walked into view, and a huge cheer with clapping erupted. The policemen let us through and before I knew it I was engulfed with arms hugging me, dragging me away.

"Rose! We were so worried," the two girls cried. I could see the pale streak of tears down their smoky faces. "Daisy's over there, we had to call her. Sorry."

They dragged me further away from the mass of people and I spied Daisy talking to another uniformed policeman. He wore more stripes and slashes on his black blazer so I guessed he was higher up in rank than the two at the entrance.

Relief was all I saw in Daisy's face as she saw me, and soon I was bear hugged again by my grandmother. I tried to speak but froze, and the full terror of what I had seen and done finally hit home. I sobbed quietly as she held me tightly, and softly brushed my head with her hand.

"It's okay, Rose, you're safe now," she whispered.

"I'm sorry," I croaked and wiped my face quickly, ashamed to cry in the presence of strangers. I pulled away and Mira thankfully handed me a tissue.

"Aiden, come here," Daisy motioned to Aiden who had followed us, waiting a short distance behind. Daisy hugged him too and I heard her whisper 'Thank you' in his ear. He embraced her tightly, fondly almost, as though it wasn't the first time he had done so, I noticed.

The girls were both trying to remove smoke stains from their faces with the tissues. If their faces were black, I dreaded to think what mine looked like but I was beyond caring.

"I'm sorry, you two. I didn't mean to frighten you," I said meekly.

"Oh, don't be silly! Of course you did! You're still the same old Rose. This is what you do," and they fondly wrapped themselves around me with Mira resting her head on my shoulder.

"Just don't do it again, okay?" Mira chirped.

"Okay, promise," I laughed.

"Aiden saved your life. You know that, don't you?" Hannah whispered and I nodded.

As Daisy released Aiden from her vicelike hug I wandered over. He waited for me to speak, and I hesitated, thinking of what to say.

"Thank you, Aiden," and I held out my hand for him to shake. "I'm Rose, by the way. We've not been officially introduced."

He laughed and grasped my hand; I felt his other arm across my back pulling me close.

"I know who you are, Rose. And you're welcome," he whispered in my ear.

The warmth of his body and the smell of his skin were strangely reassuring, as I remembered lying on the ground with his body covering mine. Confusion muddled my head suddenly. Even after we had fallen earlier, now he was too close, and I didn't like it, I felt weird, hypnotised almost, it's the only way I could describe it. As though I should have been repulsed but I wasn't, I almost wanted him to hug me closer but instead I stepped back from him. He looked confused at my abrupt withdrawal.

"Thank you, again. I'm sorry if I caused any problems with your mates," and I eyed his three friends over his shoulder. He turned to look and guffawed.

"You didn't. I'll see you around, Rose Frost." He winked and walked away back to his group who cheered and clapped at the chivalrous hero.

Mira and Hannah smirked at what they had just witnessed but I ignored their telling glances.

"Right, well, I should get you home, young lady," Daisy said. "Do you girls want to come back with us? Or do you need a lift?"

They shook their heads.

"No thanks, its okay, Daisy. I've got to get home anyway," Mira said.

"Me too, we've got the bikes," Hannah agreed. "Thanks anyway."

I gave them each another tight embrace and promised to call them in the morning. They walked away together towards the car park and were soon out of sight.

Throughout this whole time, the uniformed police officer had silently watched. I had almost forgotten he was there until the girls had gone. Daisy quickly introduced us.

"Rose, this is Chief Superintendent Mark Pemberton of the Wiltshire Constabulary. He was in the area when the emergency services received the call," she said.

"Hi," I said, not knowing what else I should say.

"Well, Rose. You gave us all a fright, especially your grandmother," he said with a serious smile. "I want to come by your house in the morning and take a full statement of what happened tonight, if that's okay with you?"

"Um, sure," I looked at Daisy and she nodded reassuringly. "Okay. But I have that ambulance woman coming too, to double check on my injuries."

Daisy's face was suddenly filled with concern.

I shrugged. "I'm fine, honestly, but she insisted."

"Okay, well, how about elevenish, Mark?" Daisy offered back.

"Eleven it is. See you both then. And, Rose, stay out of trouble, yes?" he was mocking me, I could tell.

"I will," I nodded and smiled.

Mark Pemberton walked towards the now scattered crowd and spoke to the two officers.

Daisy steered me back towards the car, only a few metres behind us.

"Now, we're going to go home, have a nice hot cup of chocolate, and you're going to tell me everything."

It wasn't a question. There was no mistaking the sternness of Daisy's tone and although I knew I wasn't in trouble, I was aware that I had alarmed her greatly.

I opened the car door and sat inside. "Okay, Daisy. I'll tell you everything," I sighed. The only foreseeable problem now was exactly how much I should tell her.

- Chapter Five -.

I showered and dressed in my comfiest pyjamas, my arms clutched the now ruined clothes I had worn. In the kitchen, I folded them in an empty plastic bag and deposited them in the bin. It was a shame but the jeans were slowly shredding into pieces, and no amount of washing would ever remove the smell of burning rubber and ignited fuel from the pretty green top.

"Daisy?" I shouted, upbeat as I stepped back into the empty hallway.

"In here, Rose!" Daisy's voice echoed from the study room, the door was open and a shard of yellow light strayed across the hallway tiles.

Daisy was at her desk, fountain pen in hand, and I sank into the soft armchair opposite and looked at her fully. She always looked amazingly neat and tidy. Her hair was immaculate as always, her grey short hair perfectly combed, and the lilac blouse she wore was not old fashioned at all.

The smell of old books and papers lingered in the air and a stack of leather-bound volumes were piled on the desk in front of her, but the bindings were turned away so I couldn't read the titles.

"Daisy, I'm really sorry. Do you want to know what happened?" I hadn't wanted to get into Daisy's bad books so soon after my arrival. I was willing to grovel.

"Had you been drinking?" She asked, looking at me over her half moon glasses.

"No, of course not."

"Had you been smoking or taking drugs, then?"

"No!"

"Then why are you apologising to me?"

"Because," I shrugged. "You got worried and I didn't mean to alarm you."

"Rose," she said putting her pen down on the desk. "I realise that we're making up the rules as we're going along. But you don't have to apologise. These things happen around us Frost women. Believe me, I know."

"You think this had something to do with me? Because I'm a Frost?" I said abruptly. "What has a burning car got to do with me?"

"Why don't you start from the beginning and tell me everything," she sat back in her chair and picked up a cup, drinking from it slowly. I picked up the cup of hot chocolate she had placed on my side table and drank. My throat was parched from the smoke, and although I could smell the resident books in the room, my senses seemed to mute out the milky chocolate in my cup.

So I told her how I had seen smoke, and ran through the yard to the car. I thought I had seen a boy inside which was why I was trying to open up the car boot. The rest of the story she knew.

"And you didn't see anything else, anything unusual?" Daisy pried.

"Like what?"

"The girls told me you were hallucinating by the roadside. You thought you saw someone standing in the road, but they saw nothing. Is it true?"

I cursed silently. Mira and Hannah would have told Daisy everything, I should have known better. I blew down into the steam of the hot drink, hoping to stall for a few seconds.

"So, Rose, what's it to be? Did you see the boy in the car or did you see him in the road?" Daisy asked in a firm tone.

"In the road," I whispered, keeping my eyes down. I knew I couldn't lie. I had never really been a liar in the strictest sense. Some things had to be kept secret but that wasn't lying, it was just hiding the truth.