Chapter 1

Day 1,

William let his girlfriend pull him by the hand through the throngs of people that packed the boardwalk on that cold autumn evening.

He watched her long red hair trail behind her and smiled to himself - he couldn't help but love her.

As Victoria pulled William around a corner a boy bumped into him, crushing his chocolate ice cream cone between them.

"Seriously?" William stopped walking and held his arms in the air as he stared down at the boy.

"Come on William," Victoria smiled at her boyfriend then squatted to make eye contact with the boy.

"He's just a kid, I'm sure he didn't mean it," She dug around in her purse and found some discarded paper napkins at the bottom to clean the boy's shirt.

He smiled at her and ran toward his mother who stood not far off with her back to the scene.

"You're an angel, you know that right?" William said as she stood up to wipe his clothing.

"Yeah I know," Her coy smile sent chills down William's spine, "Now let's go!" She started pulling him again and stopped suddenly at the end of a long line of people.

There was a huge, brightly lit ferris wheel at the front of the line and Victoria bounced with anticipation - she loved the ferris wheel.

"Ah, I have that stupid song stuck in my head still!" William hit his temple a couple of times as if he could shake the beat out.

"Which one?" Victoria leaned in closer to William as he wrapped his arms around her from behind.

They'd been in line for a while and it was chilly out; William couldn't stand the idea of Victoria being cold.

"That one from this morning, your alarm." Victoria had set the alarm on her cell phone to a stupid boy band song from the nineties, which wouldn't have bothered him if she only let it go off once in the morning - but no, she just kept pressing snooze!

He'd heard those perpetual teenage boys whining about their first love eight times that morning, how could it not be stuck in his head all day?

"Oh, sorry babe.

I'll change it," She turned around and smiled up at him, raising herself onto her toes to place a soft kiss on his lips.

He grinned at her and ran his fingers through her hair.

"You don't have to," He said, he was always a sucker for her smile.

Anytime they'd ever disagreed - something about those lips always convinced him he must be wrong.

"No I will, I know how much it bugs you," She rolled her eyes ever so slightly and pulled away from him as the hunched over old man who ran the ride showed them a seat in one of the cabs of the huge metal wheel, it had a big number seven on the front of it.

"I am so excited!"

"Victoria we ride this thing every week," William said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

He loved the way her body fit against his own, it was like they'd been moulded together perfectly; they were two halves to one whole.

"And I get excited every time - don't I?" She said, looking up into his dark eyes.

"I love the view of the city from on top of the world."

"I know you do," William smiled down at her and kissed her forehead as the wheel started slowly spinning.

As William felt their cab rising closer to the top Victoria pulled away to get a better look at the view.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" She was lost in the sight of street lights and glowing windows along the skyline of the city.

Every twinkling light was reflected off the harbour which created an eerie effect that melded nicely with the magic that Sophie saw all around her.

William watched her, amazed by her amazement, as he reached a hand out and rubbed her back.

She leaned forward, shifting the balance of the cab and causing it to tip.

"Whoa," William said, grabbing hold of Victoria in a moment of panic.

"Did that scare you?" Victoria asked with a grin.

"What about this?" As they reached the highest point of the ride she leaned the upper half of her body over the edge and the cab swung dangerously forward.

"Stop that Victoria, you'll kill yourself!" William reached out to grab hold of her but she giggled and pulled away.

"I'm serious, we're really high up Victoria!"

"I'm not scared, I won't fall," Victoria smirked and continued to lean over the edge of the cab.

"Seriously--" William was cut off as the ride lurched to a sudden stop.

Victoria lost her balance and her eyes grew wide.

William could feel time slow down and the lights in the distance blurred, he could barely think as he watched Victoria spin her arms to try to catch her balance.

As William shot forward to catch her his weight shifted the cab again and Victoria tumbled over the edge.

She screamed a blood curdling scream as William imagined her twisted and broken body hitting spokes and wires on the way to the ground.

His hands reached out and he grabbed hold of her feet, struggling not to fall out of the cab himself.

"I have you, I have you." He kept repeating as Victoria continued to scream.

William mustered all of his strength and pulled her up into the cab.

"Shhhh, you're safe now." He wrapped her up in his arms and patted her hair, feeling her body shake with sobs as he tried to soothe her.

After a scolding by the old man for rough housing on the ride, William suggested they go home.

Victoria easily agreed and they walked arm and arm back to William's car.

They drove in silence the entire way then parked, entered the house and prepared for bed in silence.

As they climbed under the plush white duvet William wrapped his arms around Victoria.

"I could have lost you today," He whispered and she averted her gaze.

"I...I" She struggled for words.

"I just need you to be more careful Soph, what would I do without you?" He put a hand on her chin and tilted her head so they were making eye contact.

"I need you."

Victoria didn't say a word; she stared into his eyes for a moment before putting her face into his broad naked chest.

They drifted off to sleep, entwined around one another, trying not to think about how quickly it had almost all come to an end.

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Day 2,

William opened his eyes just enough to see sunlight filling the bedroom.

He heard the whiney voices of teenaged boys and sighed, hitting Victoria with his pillow.

"Turn it off, Victoria!"

"Okay, okay," Victoria sighed, rubbing her face as she reached for her cellphone and turned the alarm off.

"I don't know what you could possibly have against that song, it's a classic!"

"Classic?

It's terrible!" William grunted as he sat up, rubbing his hand over his face then through his dishevelled hair.

"Besides, you said you'd change it didn't you?"