AN – I've done extensive research into abduction survivors. Most of the information is on kidnapped children, taken by a parent. These abductions are usually of short duration and of younger children. There is some information in adults – centred on terrorist type situations or women kept and abused by their captors. I could find nothing remotely similar to this story so I have drawn on the above research.

In order to get all the little details implying how the incarceration and return affected Jim, Trixie and their family, I've invented a reoccurring character. Some might say this is a literary vehicle other would suggest it's self-insertion, either way I hope the Australian Nurse gets the message across.

'Oh, Susanna, don't you cry for me,' Lucy hoped her opening gambit would interest the very experienced and uniquely qualified paediatric nurse.

'What have you got for me, Lucy in the sky with diamonds,' returned the mid-fifties woman with a mock frown. 'It must be something very special to contact me while I'm still, technically, on an assignment.'

'Do you remember the little boy you looked after in Germany in 2008,' Lucy once again skirted the real reason for her call.

'It's hard to forget a child who's been locked in dungeon all his life,' the revulsion dripped from the nurse's tone, making her Australian accent thicker. 'That Fritzl man deserved more punishment than he received.'

'Would you consider another child,' Lucy dandled the carrot.

'I have an eight year old kidnap victim,' Susanna responded, 'and he's responding very well to treatment. Tommy's slowly learning to trust and keep his hyper vigilance contained.'

'He's back with his father in the family home,' Lucy knew the details of every case her specially trained staff accepted. 'His mother's mental health issues are being treated and thanks to your care, Tommy is now as well adjusted as anyone could possibly hope.'

'Give me the details,' Susanna huffed, her mind cataloguing what needed to be achieved to leave this family within hours. All of her assignments occurred at short notice. It was the nature of the beast.

'Ever heard of James Frayne and Beatrix Belden?' Lucy asked.

Snorting, Sue shook her head. 'It's hard not to be intimately aware of that abduction with all the media coverage. They're in their twenties now and not considered paediatric, Lucy. Oh,' the light suddenly dawned. 'I saw something on the news about a child born while his parents were incarcerated.'

'James Frayne the third,' Lucy started.

'Very original,' Sue interrupted dryly.

'The media haven't been told about the twins,' pausing to let that set in, Lucy continued, 'delivered within an hour of the young couples rescue. Only the little girl survived a traumatic birth and is currently in the NICU. James and Beatrix are currently unaware of the stillborn male. Both parents and the toddler are being kept sedated. Jim and Trixie, as they like to be called, are listed as stable, while the older child is suffering psychological shock. The family will be reunited at a Washington Hospital later today and housed together until released. Senator Wheeler contacted our agency to provide round the clock nursing care for a pre-term neonate. You're my first choice, with Chloe Summerton and Philomena West as backup. '

'So you want me to work my magic on the little girl, while ensuring the psychological stability of the rest of the family,' Susanna sighed heavily. She'd made an art out of this type of post traumatic nursing. Often it revolved around a kidnapped child's return to their primary carer. On occasion, she'd nursed children born to women held in captivity and subjected to physical and mental horrors. This assignment would be completely unique. 'When do I start?'

'As soon as you can catch a plane to Washington,' Lucy stated. 'Believe me, it'll be worth your while, professionally and financially.'

'When,' Susanna snorted, 'have I ever worried about money? Just thinking about that poor child makes my blood boil.'

'I'll text the details as soon as they become available,' Lucy signed off.

'You're not leaving me much time,' she reproached mournfully, her more than capable hands moving to put an end to her current position, 'to say good bye to Tommy and his dad.'

Eleven thirty that night, Susanna Clark stood in the neonatal intensive care unit watching the child known as Twin two of unknown female. Objectively, the baby looked small yet in proportion. Her colour good, she didn't need a covering for her eyes. Right hand encased in bandages, no medications snaked into the intravenous access device. The baby continued to breathe room air which indicated a good outcome.

Looking at the screen above her crib, Sue read the details. They didn't have the little girl monitored but she lay on a respiratory mat to ensure her breathing and heart rate remained steady. It would alarm if that happened. A small red light on her finger measured the oxygen circulating in her system. The figures matched Susanna's assessment. Katie Frayne might be small but she looked healthy enough. Only her low body weight could cause an issue. Left uncovered for too long, she'd lose heat which would cause problems.

Sitting at the flight deck reading the limited data on her new patient, Susanna watched the bed roll into the nursery. Smiling as the young mother immediately placed the child on her breast, the nurse applauded Trixie's instincts. Soft soothing words, she saw the mother check her child and look satisfied. Getting up and about to approach the woman, all hell broke loose. Deciding to gather as much information as possible, Susanna Clark sat back, noting the reactions of Jim and Trixie Frayne.

'Dr Blackwater,' Sue smiled as the consultant approached her position, the worst now over, 'we meet again.'

'I believe so, Sister Clark,' he allowed his head to indicate Jim and Trixie. 'I see you witnessed the entire confrontation. I'd like you're opinion. I'm not quite sure what to do with them. My intuition tells me one thing while my medical training suggests the complete opposite.'

'I've been told,' she crossed her arms in displeasure, 'the family would be housed in a single room. I believe, after the little information I've managed to obtained, that would be psychologically appropriate. Those parents have no reason to trust us or anyone. They're living in fear for their children. Jim's physical state suggests he's gone without to save his family. While it might be considered heroic, it's incredibly stupid.'

'That's a bit harsh,' Nigel commented with a scowl.

'As the alpha male,' Sue warmed to her topic, 'he's the only one who could have the strength to get them out. To be found in that state indicates he'd given up, what do you think that means about their situation?'

'They considered it hopeless,' Nigel nodded. 'I gather the Senator has employed you to help with the readjustment?'

'Yes. Make sure you place them in a room on the high dependency unit with audio and visual monitoring,' she suggested, rising to attend her new charge. 'I think leaving them alone as much as possible is in this families best interests. They're going to need discharge to a quiet environment as soon as possible. I'm gathering that's the reason I'm involved. Apparently my contract involves at least one month at Senator Wheelers country property.'

'You're not the only one,' Nigel's irony dripped, 'Senator Wheeler contacted this afternoon. I believe I'm going to be making several house calls to the same estate. It looks like we'll be seeing more of each other, Sister Clark.'

Smiling over her shoulder, Susanna winked, 'looking forward to it, Doctor.'

Nothing missed her astute eyes as Nigel laid down his ultimatum six feet away. Watching Trixie with her son, the strength of this very young mother shone through every touch and word. She'd die for her children. Then again, given her situation, Sue expected nothing less. Mothers were capable of the most incredible feats to ensure their progenies survival.

'Jim,' Susanna motioned to the young man in the wheelchair when his partner left, 'I'm Susanna Clark. Your father has employed me to oversee the care of your daughter. Why don't you come over here? Is there anything you'd like to know?'

Shaking his head, Sue wrapped the little girl in a special heat retaining blanket. 'I can only let her out for a short time. What have you decided to call your daughter? Twin two of unknown mother isn't a great name.'

Jim couldn't help himself, the smile erupted. 'Katie,' he whispered, accepting the bundle. 'Katie Frayne. The doctor said she needed to be in the crib to keep her body heat.'

'Yes, she does,' Sue responded, 'but I think Katie has the survival instincts of her parents. Besides her mother needs to take this little girl out for her feedings every couple of hours. They're as important as her father spending time bonding.'

'You know all about us, don't you?' Jim's green eyes accused.

'No,' Sue managed a slight smile, 'only what I've heard on the news, which I'm not inclined to believe completely and the little information your father gave me. Most of my knowledge came from watching you and your partner just now.'

'My wife,' Jim didn't hesitate in correcting the woman. 'Trixie is my wife.'

'Right,' Sue allowed the smile to turn disarming. 'You're father's employed me to oversee Katie's medical care. I'll be heading up a team of three nurses, all highly trained to cope with babies born early. I hope we can work together, Jim. I'm only interested in this little girl's wellbeing.'

Nodding, Jim held his daughter tighter and wondered what Trixie would make of this event. She'd protest loudly to Matthew Wheeler. One thing his wife couldn't stand after surviving so long on her own would be well meaning friends and family trying to organise her life. Then again, Trix hadn't liked that much before they'd been abducted. The thought brought a smile to Jim's tired face.

It took almost an hour to arrange the transfer. Sue's deft hands packed up the humidicrib while Jim continued to hold his daughter. Sighting the orderlies, Sister Clark took the tiny bundle back. Finally setting the family into their room, pushing the hospital beds side by side, arranging mother and father on the outside with the sleeping toddler between them, Sue indicated the nurse should precede her out of the room.

'We can't,' she fretted, herded by the mature, experienced Sister. 'I have to be in the room at all times. It's my duty.'

Glancing over her shoulder, Sue winked at Jim. He mouthed a silent 'thank you' as his green orbs watched them exit. The young couple hadn't said a word as the two professionals fussed over them and their children. Sister Clark noted the fury mounting in Trixie's eyes. She just wanted to be left alone with her family. It proved the young pair where vigilant and intelligent, a hard combination to work with.

'It is better,' Sue spoke softly, 'we leave them alone. They've lived for more than three years without the sight or sound of another human. Our presence in the room will set tempers flaring. That young family is coping with more than you and I could ever know. Just close your eyes and feel the sensations around you. Everything you and I block out, the lights, the air conditioning, the sound of steps, the bleach used to clean the floor, the hum of electricity running through conduits and a million other impressions our brains ignore as normal background noise, it's all strange to that family.'

'I requested a room with monitoring for a reason. Let's go and set up the telemetry for Jim and Trixie. I've already linked the baby mat to my phone with this great new app. It'll only alarm out here so the mother won't be disturbed. I'm sure there aren't many man made sounds in the middle of the State Park where they were found.'

'I didn't think about that,' Faith muttered. 'It's just, I have a job to do and I feel so ineffective out here.'

Her face displaying a slight smile, Sue commented, 'don't let your personal feelings lead you to judgments that are designed to blindly follow protocols and procedures. Nursing is holistic. We need to consider the entire person and that includes their psychological state. You need to justify your actions but do it logically. Jim and Trixie need time to bond with that little girl, to come to terms with what happened to them, but most importantly, how their world has changed.'

'I guess I didn't think,' Faith's cheeks coloured with embarrassment.

'Yes you did,' Sue managed a slight chuckle, 'the same as very member to the public will. You wanted to be able to say, I nursed them. You want to be involved, to have your little piece of the action, to say you helped in their recovery. Every person who thinks that takes a little away from Jim and Trixie and slows their ability to readjust.'

Nodding dumbly, Faith couldn't help muttering, 'guilty.'

'You're not the first and won't be the last,' Sue reassured, 'but at least you can recognise your motivations. Now, you can help me spread the word and get the rest of the staff to leave them in peace as much as possible.'