Vicki slowly became aware of her surroundings. She was comfortably warm, surrounded by Mike's scent, and desperately in need of a bathroom. She opened her eyes but could only distinguish light and dark patches.

"Mike?"

She was startled by the hoarse sound of her voice. It sounded like she had a terrible case of laryngitis. She moved to grasp her throat with her hand but pain radiated through her.

"Vicki? Did you call me?"

Vicki nodded her head slightly and quickly regretted that movement as well. What had happened? She couldn't remember ever feeling so sore or so drained of energy.

"It's good to see you awake. Here's a pair of your glasses that Coreen brought over earlier today."

The glasses settled on her nose but didn't help her vision all that much. She saw Mike's arm reach over her head and a series of clicks could be heard as the room brightened. That helped her vision quite a bit. She could see that she was in Mike's bedroom. Mike's bedroom? How the heck had this happened? She also saw an IV pole next to the bed holding a bag of clear liquid. Her eyes tracked their way down the line to her forearm where the needle was inserted.

"Coreen's going to be disappointed that she missed you waking up. She was with you most of the day while I was down at the station. She'll be back tomorrow and will probably call several times tonight to check on you. She's quite the worrier"

"What happened?"

"I was hoping you could tell me. I found you curled up in my closet looking like you'd gone a couple rounds with a professional boxer," Mike responded.

She watched as he settled in the chair next to the bed. Seconds later she was jerking away as he reached for her forehead.

"I'm fine, except for a desperate need to use the facilities. If you'll excuse me."

Vicki moved to slide her legs off the bed and Mike tried to help her. Several curse words were whispered under her breath as she managed to get her feet on the floor and obtain an upright, seated position on the side of the bed. She was already sweating and knew there was more strength needed to accomplish her goal. She pushed herself upwards and felt her legs shaking as they bore her full weight. Mike reached under her forearms to steady her as her forehead fell onto his chest.

"Vicki let me help you. You're hurt and you've been unconscious for a day."

"I can do it myself. I don't need your help."

A sarcastic voice came from the entrance to the bedroom,

"That's right. Victoria Nelson never needs any help. God forbid she be like a normal mortal who needs time to heal."

She didn't even get a chance to respond before she was gently lifted into Henry's arms. He cradled her with one arm while unhooking the IV bag from the pole and placing it on her chest. She was already so weary. She let her head rest on his chest as he carried her to the bathroom. He sat her on the toilet seat and left, closing the door behind him. While she answered nature's call, she could hear raised voices outside the door. Something about tracking someone down, interspersed with threats from one to the other. She wanted to storm out there and demand that they stop fighting but just wasn't up to it. Sometimes it felt to her like she was refereeing two squabbling children.

After washing her hands, she returned to her perch on the toilet seat frustrated by her body's reluctance to follow her commands. She leaned her head forward on the palms of her hands and quickly blinked back the tears that came to the surface. She didn't like feeling helpless and feared that once her vision was gone, she would feel like this all the time.

There was a gentle knock on the door before it opened slightly,

"Can I come in?"

"Yes, Henry. Come in."

He didn't ask why she was just sitting there. She looked so delicate and forlorn in the oversized flannel shirt she was wearing. He knew she didn't have the strength to get back to the bed. Rather than ask if he could help her back, he opted for the same strategy as before and scooped her up into his arms. It was a quick walk back to the bed and she found herself being tucked in like a child. That gave her mixed feelings. Of course, when it came to both Henry and Mike, her feelings were often mixed.

Authors Note: Thanks for all of the great reviews. You all keep me writing.