Richard was about to give up hope on finding anyone when his dear wife's voice rang echoed through the unnatural silence. When he saw her he wanted nothing more than to run to her side, but his legs were still unsteady, and he feared that letting go of the hallway railing would only result in a quick journey to the floor. However, Jessi didn't seem to have the same issue as she dashed up to him as soon as they saw one another. If it hadn't been for the rail holding him up Richard would have toppled over as she lovingly collided with him, drawing forth a slightly pained groan.<br/><br/>Regardless of the pain and uneasiness that he felt Richard was relieved to have her with him, even if the situation they found themselves in was rather unsettling. He gladly accepted Jessi's aid in walking over to the nurse's work area and took a seat in the chair she pulled out for him. "I don't have the first clue about what is happening honey," he answered her solemnly. "Whatever it is though, we'll figure it out together, I promise."<br/><br/>He watched with anticipation as she tried to turn on the computer, but like everything else in the hospital there didn't seem to be any power at all. He had expected as much considering the lack of any other mechanical or electronic noises in the background, but there was still a twinge of disappointment nonetheless. Even still he could not help himself for trying the even more futile measure of lifting the receiver from the nearby phone. His injured fingers ached as he flexed them, begging God for a little help in the form of a dial tone, but found his prayer unanswered as nothing but cold silence greeted his ear. "Okay, it seems like there is some sort of blackout, maybe that's why everyone is gone. They must have all moved to another hospital or another facility." Of course that wasn't the case, and Richard knew it, but he had to try and think of something no matter how idiotic it might sound at the time.<br/><br/>Trying his best to shake the dizziness free from his head he slowly pushed himself up out of the seat. "Well, we're not going to find out anything just sitting around here." He reached for his wife's hand and attempted to put on a confident guise for her. "Come on honey," he said with a forced smile, "let's head downstairs. As far as we know it's only this floor that's been affected. Maybe we were just some stupid nurse's oversight." He sincerely wished that was the case, but the bile rising in his throat said otherwise as he carefully leaned on Jessi for support. The sound of their footfalls as they walked towards the stairwell seemed hollow. Almost as though each step they took echoed the hopelessness of their predicament.