Chapter 10

Helen looked at the information on the computer. The injuries that Will had sustained were extensive. He had sixteen fractures total in his left hand, two fractured ribs, a skull fracture, plus several burns and bruises. Helen was greatly impressed with the amount of healing that had happened already. Even though they were fresh wounds, they appeared to be several weeks old.

"I am quite impressed with this," Helen told Will. He sat on the chair in front of her.

"It's Sam," he started, "she tried to heal me before you came in. I made her stop before she was finished. How is she doing?" He turned to look at her; both David and Henry were sitting with her.

Sam was lying on the infirmary bed, unconscious. Helen had already checked her over several times. She was currently waiting for another test to be complete.

"They had her on several different drugs. I'm waiting for more test results. She has the same fractures as you do though. Is this from her trying to heal you?" Helen asked.

"Yea," Will turned back to Helen. "What happened to Gallagher?"

"He's in the SHU. I haven't decided what to do with him yet," she replied. "You are severely dehydrated; I want you to stay here for a while. We'll get an IV in you to quicken the process. You also need to take it easy for a couple weeks. Your hand may take longer to heal." The machine next to her beeped, letting her know that the latest test was complete. Helen looked at the results. "Just as I thought. Her system is purging itself of the drugs they had her on. It may take her a while, but she should be ok."

Helen walked to David and Henry. Neither had left her side.

"She should be fine. The latest tests show that she's improving. The drugs are leaving her system," she told David. "How does she usually heal herself when she's healed someone else?"

"Sleep. She will sleep until she's healed." David's face was full of compassion for his sister. He brushed her face gently with the back of his fingers. "You'll be ok Sam," he told her quietly.

"As long as she continues to improve, we can move her into a guest room. I'm sure she will sleep better there," Helen told him. "You may also be more comfortable there as well. You look exhausted."

"I'll be alright." David turned to Helen. "Thank you Dr. Magnus." He couldn't express his gratitude verbally to her. He stood up and hugged her, repeating himself again. "Thank you for bringing my sister back to me."

Helen's office was warm that evening. Will sat on the couch across from Helen. His left hand bandaged and braced. She opened the bottle of wine.

"I'm glad you made it home, I was beginning to get worried. Can you tell me what happened?"

Will scratched his head, "Gallagher had her torturing and killing people. If she didn't do what he said right away, well," he held up his broken hand, "he'd hurt me. Thing is, they didn't bring me in for a couple of days. I don't know what happened before that." He took a glass of wine from Helen. "I may need something a little stronger today."

"That may not be such a good idea. You've been dehydrated; you don't want to get alcohol poisoning."

"I know." Will looked at the fire burning in the fireplace. The smell was relaxing. He watched the flames jump across the log as they did in the cabin in Leadville. That seemed like such a long time ago now. He drank the wine down. "Gallagher really did a number on her." He leaned back against the couch, slouching a little to relax.

Helen offered more wine, when he accepted she refilled his glass.

"Go on," she listened.

"I don't know what kind of psychotropic or hallucinogenic drugs he used on her, but she couldn't do anything. It was as if she was paralyzed with fear." He quickly drank half the glass of wine. "Have you decided what to do with him yet?"

"Not yet. I can turn him over to the police, however, will he actually pay for all that he's done? I am unsure as of yet." Helen slipped her shoes off. Leaving them on the floor she brought her legs up in a crisscross position on the couch. Relaxing, she took a drink of her wine.

The evening had progressed without incident. Will felt much better after receiving fluids and eating, he was sure the wine helped, too. He still ached all over and his hand hurt slightly. However, he was better than he thought he would be that morning. The friends sat enjoying the bottle of wine together.

Will fell asleep holding half a glass of wine. Helen gently took the glass from his hand. He snuggled down on the couch, sound asleep. Not wanting to wake him3 she covered him with a blanket gently. Quietly, she sat down in the oversized leather chair across from him. She watched him sleep as she finished her glass of wine.

The guest room was dark, tiny rays of sunlight tried to peek through the long curtains. Sam lay on the bed sleeping. She was still recovering. Henry lay on one side of her, David on the other. Both men had stayed with her, neither wanting to leave her side.

The rays of sunlight glowed on David's face. Pealing his eyes open, he could see his sister still sleeping. The bruise on her face from the prior day was lighter, almost a yellow tinge. He could see Henry lying on the other side of her. He was curled up to Sam's back, one arm draped over her side.

Gently he removed himself from the bed. He knew that she would be hungry when she awoke, so he headed to the kitchen. Helen had allowed him full access to it since cooking seemed to relax him. He had been a basket case while his sister was missing. The kitchen was full of cakes, cookies; he made a stew, homemade pasta, plenty of food for days. He decided to make Sam her favorite breakfast, French toast.

After completing this meal for her, he returned to her room. Sam lay facing Henry now. Her eyes open staring at him while he slept. She could feel both of them while she slept, so she was not surprised when she awoke with him next to her. She heard her brother enter the room.

He smiled at her. "Hey," he brought the tray to the bed with him. Sitting next to her on the bed, he touched her hand gently. "How are you feeling?"

She shrugged.

Henry opened his eyes, waking to the activity in the room. "God! You look terrible," he joked. She gave him a slight smile. He sat up next to her. "Look chef David made you some breakfast. You'd better eat it or you'll hurt his feelings," he joked, trying to keep it light. Knowing that whatever she had been through, this was not the time for it.

Sam sat up in the bed. She ached even more as she sat against the headboard. Looking around the room, she could tell she was there for a couple days. There were several chairs with jackets and over shirts tossed on them.

David gave her the tray of food. It had been days since she'd eaten, she was famished. She began to feel uncomfortable as both David and Henry were worried. She ate her food slowly, knowing that both pairs of eyes were focused on her. She could not chance looking at either.

Henry decided to go clean up and eat now that he knew Sam was doing much better. This left time for David and Sam to talk.

"Sam," David started. "Really, are you ok?"

Sam lay back down on the bed. She turned away from her brother and curled up with the covers. She was not ready to talk to him. She lay, staring at the drapes on the window.