Ashton waits almost impatiently for the woman to rouse. He can see when she starts to regain consciousness, her eyes begin to flutter open. He can sense that she's confused, like she hadn't expected to be outside. Perhaps she had resigned herself to dying in the bruning house. But if Ashton had anything to do with matters, he would not let someone die without risking his own life.

She begins to cough and Ashton is trying to lift her body into a sitting position to better allow her lungs to fill with fresh oxygen to replace the smoke they are no doubt filled with. "Come on ma'am, up you go." He is gently helping her up, listening as she states that she's the only one in the house. He heaves a sigh of relief, glad to know that he does not have to re-enter the inferno in search of more bodies...because with how large the flames already are, there's no way any one could still be alive in there.

As her coughing increases, Ashton finds that his instinct is to place his hand on her back, gently rubbing it as a mother might do to her ailing child. It's a natural instinct, probably one that's inappropriate for a first meeting, but it feels right. It feels as though he is doing something for her to ease her coughing even though he knows that is not the case.

Before he can inquire about what had happened to the home, he looks up to see the red and white flashing of the firetrucks as they zoom down the street. The sirens blare, interrupting the otherwise peaceful night. Already neighbors are starting to wonder about the commotion and step out of their homes to see the house on fire.

By the time the firefighters come to her aid, she's starting to stand. He helps to support her, feeling as her body presses into his own. He holds her up, unused to having a woman so close to him in this manner. But he does not let her go. He holds her up as the paramedics arrive and bring a stretcher towards them. He does not miss the way she looks at him, asking him to stay with her. "I'm not going anywhere, ma'am." He feels compelled to stay with her, even though he knows the paramedics will give her the best care they can.

By the time the paramedics arrive on scene, they bring the stretcher and Ashton tries to help the woman onto it. He looks to see the firefighters already beginning to hose down the home. He wonders how many memories she will lose in this blaze. "Sir, I need you to put this on." The paramedic's voice breaks his thoughts and he turns to look at the outstretched oxygen mask. He holds it over his face as he looks back to the strange woman. "She passed out in the house." He graciously informed the paramedics that she was in far worse condition than he was.