Please read and review, the reviews help me, thank you

Carter had driven half way back to the station; she had not detected a tail. She pulled to the side of the road and down an alley. She parked and got out of the car. She took her long coat off and set it in the back seat and looking around the alley she decided she was alone. She got down on her hands and knees and looked under the car, looking for a tracking device. There wasn't one on the driver's side. She stood up, walked to the back of the car and proceeded to do the same thing; there wasn't one on the back. She got to her feet and moved to the passenger side and did the same thing, looking at the undercarriage for anything that didn't belong there, still clear. She moved to the front and again got down on her hands and knees and looked under the engine. "Shit"

There is was, a little black box with a red light. She reached up and pulled it off, a good strong magnet held it to the car. Getting to her feet, turning she walked back to the street and smiled. Less then ten feet away was a delivery truck. She looked up and down the street, didn't see anyone that looked like a driver, she moved to the back of the truck and took another quick look around and placed it under the bumper and walked back to her car. She went to the trunk and opened it, taking some 'clean wipes' out a canister she cleaned her hands and brushed at the knees of her pants. She smiled as she heard a diesel engine start up, heard a backing alarm and saw the back end of the delivery truck come into view, then it pulled forward and disappeared. She shut the trunk and got back into the car and starting it she drove off down the alley. She drove another half hour away from the direction of the station before she thought she was safe enough to use the phone. She found a parking place and got out of the car. Taking her 'John' phone out of her coat pocket she headed over into the shadows of a building. She turned the phone on and pressed the speed dial. It started to ring. The whole time her eyes were scanning up and down the street, ever watching, a habit that was ingrained.

"Detective Carter..?." Harold's voice answered. "I have been trying to call you."

"Yeah well I have been a little busy…" Her eyes continued to scan, firmly placing her back against the building. "I had a visit from Agent Snow" Again there was that disgusted sound in her voice at the word agent. "Is John alright?"

"Snow contacted you?" Finch's voice vibrated with anger. "Why?"

"He gave me a message…" She had heard the anger in Harold's voice. "He told me to tell you that he has the cure…" She was going to ask what the hell was going on but Finch's next words stopped her.

"It's to late…"

POI

Finch sat in front of his computer screens and glared at them. He knew the numbers kept coming, no matter what. He reached out and took the cup of tea from the desk and sipped at it, a half eaten peice of toast sitting next to it. There had to be something he could do, some way to work through this, there had to be solutions to the problems. He was a problem solver... He set the tea back down and got to his feet. He reached down and took the tea back up and walking over toward the glass board they use to track the numbers, he looked at the pictures, there were three photos taped to the glass, two men and one woman. Solutions, there were solutions, he just had to work them out. He was still going on very little sleep and he had tried to eat but his heart wasn't in it. Mr. Reese usually brought him something in the morning to make sure he ate. He reached up and adjusted his glasses, a solution was slowing forming in his mind...yes, this might work...Turning he stepped to the desk he put the cup down and moving as quickly as he could he headed out...one down two to go...

POI

There were no dreams, no nightmares. He got his eyes to open to mere slits and sensed the room. It was cool and full of soft sun light. He had a hell of a headache. He was thirsty. His lips were dry. He saw movement and realized there was a woman leaning over him. He remained still, he felt her gently touch an ice cube to his lips. It felt good. He saw her move back away from him and he opened his eyes, watching her every move. She straightened the sheets covering him. She was dressed in a nurse uniform, a bright yellow top with huge multicolored flowers placed in random spots. He realized he was not restrained. He saw her eyes were the color of a blue sky, high cheekbones and a gracious mouth. She had dark hair, pulled up at the nape of her neck in a bun. She looked at him; a wide smile touched her lips, going into her eyes.

"Well Hello John…Glad to see you're back with us." She smiled down at him. "I am Carol…Mr. Finch said to tell you, we are at the small estate in upper New York; he said you would remember this room."

Reese glanced around, it was the one he had woken up handcuffed to the bed in…He remembered. He tried to talk, but his throat was so dry.

"I am going to give you a few ice chips…ok?" She saw his slight nod. She spooned a couple small ice chips and laid them in his mouth. "Just let them melt, you were on a ventilator for three days" She saw his green eyes look questioningly at her, his brow wrinkled down in a frown. "Mr. Finch said you have been very sick and went into a seizure, to keep from stressing your heart and mind they placed you in an induced coma. They released you out of the hospital yesterday morning. I was hired to come and stay with you." She saw a change in his expression as she had said the word hospital, but it was a fleeting look. She gestured with the spoon, seeing him swallow.

"Please…" it came out a hoarse whisper. The cold ice chips had felt like ambrosia in his mouth and as he swallowed it burned a little. When she mentioned the word hospital, John knew she was repeating what she had been told; he knew Finch would never risk a hospital. He opened his mouth and she slid a couple more ice chips into his mouth. He watched her as she set the cup and spoon aside.

"Now that you are awake I need to evaluate you….I have orders from Dr Remington…Ok?" She looked at him and smiled "I need to see if you can do a few things…"

He wasn't sure what she meant but…he nodded.

"Good." She moved the sheet down off his chest and took his left hand and laid it on his chest. "Can you move your fingers?"

His headache was getting harder to concentrate around. It took him a minute but he flexed his fingers, like doing finger push-ups.

"That's great; can you lift your left arm and lay it back along side your body?"

Again because of the headache he had to think about lifting his left hand, it felt like it weighted a ton, but he lifted it and it slid off his chest and stomach and kind of flopped down along side his torso…

"That's good…Ok….can you lift your right hand." She looked at him. "The hand is still bandaged, but the elbow is healing nicely." She looked down at his hand, waiting.

He looked at her, the headache was beginning to affect his vision with every pulse of pain his eyes were blurring a little, and the strain of moving his left arm had wore him out. He blinked a couple times. "Ba…d …head…ache..." his voice was a whisper.

Her blue eyes widened. "Ok…give me a minute." She walked away from the bed.

John lay looking at the ceiling, the pulsing pain growing stronger, he closed his eyes.

"John…This is a liquid…it's for pain…Dr Remington said you could have some every four hours…"

He opened his eyes and saw that she had another spoon in her hand.

She saw him register what she had said and she put the edge of the spoon to his lips and poured the sweet tasting liquid into his mouth, she saw him swallow. "This should work pretty fast, it's already a liquid and it's strong." She reached up and touched his forehead. "Let's rest for a few minutes and see how the pain is." She put the spoon to the side. "Would you like some more ice chips?" She saw just the slightest nod. She spooned a couple more out and even though he closed his eyes she spooned the chips into his mouth, she watched as he moved them around. She noticed how long his eye lashes were; they actually lay against his cheeks. She looked back at his hands, his right hand was bandaged but his left wasn't. That was one of the first things she had noticed about him, he had long graceful fingers, she wondered it he was a concert pianist…He could even be a model as good looking as he was, and she knew he worked out. She looked back at his face and saw he was looking at her. "Want to try some water?"

John wanted to move his head in a nod, but the pain was still so intense he didn't. He thought he said yes, but now the ringing in his ears were like Saint Mary's Church bells…He saw her dip the spoon into the ice water and move it toward him, he felt the cold liquid run into his mouth and he swallowed.

"I'm going to give you two more sips and that's all you can have for a while…I have some balm for your lips when you are ready."

He wasn't sure what she was saying but he got a little more water and then she put something on his lips. It took awhile but he realized the ringing was getting less and so was the headache.

Carol moved around him, fixing this, doing that for about thirty minutes and then she was back at his side. His eyes were closed but by his breathing she knew he was awake. "John, how are you feeling?" She saw his eyes open and a small lopsided smile touched his lips.

He licked his lips. "Better…"

"Good…Do you want to try and lift your right arm now?" She saw the smile move into those green eyes and she smiled back at him.

He had to concentrate, what ever she had given him, for the headache was making everything a little fuzzy, but the headache was better, he lifted the arm about an inch off the bed.

"That's great." She pulled the covers back up over him to just his shoulder line. Stepping to the end of the bed, she uncovered his feet.

He sensed the cool air on his feet.

"Ok, now try moving your left foot."

He move both feet at the same time, like a windshield wiper back and forth, then he changed so they were moving opposite…

He saw her look up from his feet. "Ok smart boy, now, so you think you can do them one at a time?" Her eyes narrowed and her lips pulled down in a frown.

Reese rolled his eyes and moved his left foot.

"Good, now the other one..."

He did as he was told.

"Great…." She covered his feet back up and then moved back to his side. She gave him a long look. "Would you like some more water?"

"Yes…"

"Let me sit you up a little more." She pushed something on the side of the bed and the head of the bed began to come up.

He watched her as she turned and poured a glass of water. He saw her turn toward him and offer the glass. He knew what she wanted him to do. He gave her a slanting glance. He pulled his left hand out from under the covers and took the glass as she extended it to him. He felt muscles protest as he moved. He wondered how long he had been inactive. He took the glass and had a good drink. He looked around the room and then back at her. "Where is Mr. Finch?" He lifted his hand and handed her back the glass.

She took the glass back and set it on the side of the table. She was happy with his motor skills. His eyes were tracking and his speech was improving. "Mr. Finch said to tell you that he had business to take care of." She saw concern move across his face. "He said to tell you that everything is fine…" she hesitated slightly…"And he said to tell you…"

He saw her expression change as if she were uncomfortable with the next part of the message.

She felt like she was delivering an encrypted message "You are protecting the next number." She saw just the slightest change in his expression, almost a reluctant smile. "I hope you understand what he is saying?" She moved away from the side of the bed, suddenly feeling uncomfortable under his gaze.

"Yes I do." He arched his shoulders a little feeling a bit of a pull in the right shoulder. Leave it to Finch, no matter what. In his mind he heard Harold's voice. 'The machine waits for no man.' He looked around the room a little more. "How long have you been a private nurse?"

She was writing something in a book and she turned and looked at him over her shoulder. "This is the first private job I've ever had." She looked back at the book, noted the time on her wrist watch and straightened and walked back toward him. "I was working at St Catherine's until three days ago." She walked to John, reached down and took his wrist in her finger tips, checking his heart rate. She looked at her wrist watch and waited fifteen seconds, counting. When finished she stepped back. "Mr. Finch came to me and said that Dr Remington recommended me for this private nursing job, offered me twice what I was getting at the hospital; I was due for vacation so I took the offer." She turned and walked back to the book she had written in and put her readings down.

A smirk touched John's face. Leave it to Finch to find a way to protect a number. "Yeah well my employer is like that, he has more money then he knows what to do with." His voice was improving, it was still a little hoarse sounding but it was easier to talk. "Not that I don't appreciate it, but he shouldn't have gone to the expense for me…"

She turned around and gave him a quizzical look. "Oh, the way he talked about you I thought you were partners or good friends…not employee and employer…"

Reese looked at her, as she turned around and walked back toward him. He was slowly starting to flex and tighten his muscles, making them respond. He made a little gesture with his head. A sardonic look touched his face "Partners would probably be closer…"

"Do you feel like sitting up a little more?" She could tell what he was doing, working his muscles. She poured him some more water and handed it to him.

Reese took the water and drank about half. "Yes…I like to sit completely up."

"How about we do this in stages…I don't want you over taxing your self in the first hour…" She raised the bed a little more. "Are you hungry? There is some soup that the cook made, it's excellent."

He smiled at her. "Yes, soup would be nice."

"I'll be back in a few minutes." She turned and walked out of the room leaving the door open as she went.

John used his left hand and flipped the covers off. He was in a tee shirt and warm up pants. Swinging his feet over the edge of the bed he sat up. There was a little dizziness, but he expected it. He moved to the edge of the bed and came to his feet, using his left hand to steady himself. He felt pretty steady. He looked down at his right arm and hand, there was a large multi colored bruise in the crook of his arm. His right hand was still bandages, but not as excessive as before he could see the flesh part of the thumb, there was a small area of scab showing. The hand didn't hurt like it had.

Reese got his balance and took a couple steps away from the bed. It felt good to be standing. The headache had come back but nothing like it had been. He moved toward the closet. He knew Finch would have put his cloths in there, he was also hoping that since he was to protect Carol that Finch had brought his hardware also.

"I knew you were going to try this…" She moved to the dresser and set the tray down. "John you need to get back to bed…Now." She stepped to his side, gently placing her hand around his hip she reached for his left arm and gently turned him back toward the bed.

His eyes narrowed. "I just wanted to get something from the closet…" He felt naked with out protection. Reese was hoping she would let him

"Get back in bed and I will get it for you." She gently moved him back toward the bed.

Reese wasn't sure what to do; he knew he needed to find out if Finch had left a gun in the closet. "Its kind of personal…I need to get it myself." He felt her stiffen her hold on his arm and around his hip…He was going back to bed whether he liked it or not…

"I'm sorry John, but until Dr Remington tells me…you are stuck in bed…Come on now. "She turned him around and helped him back into bed, lifting his feet up and pulling the covers back over him…she smiled at him and saw that he was sulking. "Sorry John, Doctors orders." She found it fascinating he could sulk like a little kid.