Maggie hung up the phone before she turned around and met several pairs of eyes. "Doctor Morgan agrees with my diagnosis," she said softly. "We both believe, Face may be suffering from nerve damage."

"What's that mean?" Ellen asked stepping closer to Maggie. "He'll still be able to walk again, won't he?"

Maggie shook her head no as Ellen took a deep breath. " And, that's not the worst of it," Maggie said reaching a hand out to squeeze Ellen's shoulder. "He may have to live with the pain for the rest of his life."

"No," Ellen said angrily as tears came to her eyes. "I'll call every specialist there is. There has to be something we can do!"

"I've already got Doctor Morgan working on it," Maggie said reassuringly. "Why don't you go in and see how he is."

Ellen nodded before she went to Face's door and quietly opened it. He was just as she had left him. Soundly sleeping with only his head out of the covers. Murdock had not left his side since Maggie and Hannibal put him to bed.

"Maggie said, it would be several hours before the morphine wore off," Ellen stated as Murdock looked up at her. Only then would they know for certain if it was nerve damage or not by whether Face was still in pain.

Maggie turned around as Hannibal put a cigar into his mouth. "Don't worry, Doc," he said putting his hands on her shoulders. "We've been though worse."

Maggie nodded as Hannibal smiled reassuringly. She often forgot about their past. Especially when it came to Face. He just didn't fit the description of the war weary men she'd encountered. "I know," she said meeting his eyes. "But, he's never been without the capability to walk. Physiologically as well as physically, it's going to take a toll."

Ellen hadn't realized she'd fallen asleep until her head fell off Murdock's shoulder. Jerking herself up right, she glanced over to her brother and was rewarded with a smile as he sat up in his bed. "You're awake?" Ellen said in surprise as she got to her feet. "I was so worried about you!"

"I'm okay," Face said smiling boyishly as Ellen moved to the door. "Me and Murdock's been talking."

"That's right, muchacho," Murdock said with a wiry grin. "Faceman also said, he ain't hurtin!"

"Maggie! He's awake!" Ellen yelled before returning to Face's side.

The door opened swiftly as Maggie and Hannibal entered the room. "Well," she said observing her patient for a moment. "I didn't expect to find you sitting up and chatting after what happened this morning! How are you feeling now?"

"Great," Face replied looking at the others. "Really, I feel great."

"You're not in any pain?" Maggie asked eagerly as Face shook his head no.

"Why do you all look so relived?" Face asked worriedly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Maggie said putting a hand on his arm. "Everything's fine. I just want to have another look at your legs."

Face relaxed against his pillows as Maggie moved to the end of his bed. Pushing the covers aside, she reached into her pocket and withdrew an instrument with a sharp point. "Now, I want you to listen to me, Face," Maggie said meeting his eyes. "Close your eyes and clear your mind. Don't focus on your legs, okay?"

"Okay," Face said with a shrug as he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

Maggie took a deep but hopeful breath as she poked Face's legs and feet once or twice and waited for any reaction from the Lieutenant. After the fourth or so prick without any word from Face, she'd begun to give up when his eyes suddenly flew open.

"What was that?" Face asked sitting up. "What did you just do?"

"You felt that?" Maggie asked with a grin as Face nodded.

"Do it again!" Maggie pricked the same area as before and looked up as Face smiled broadly. "It's not sharp," he said slowly. "It's hard to explain but I definitely felt something."

"That's good!" Maggie said pulling the covers back over his legs. "I want you to take it easy while I make a few phone calls."

"See," Murdock said looking at Face after Maggie, Hannibal and Ellen left the room. "I told you everything would work out!"

"Yeah," Face said grinning. "I was starting to give up hope."

"No, Faceman," Murdock said furrowing his brow. "You mustn't ever give up hope."

Ellen and Hannibal waited intently as Maggie made several calls before hanging up the phone. "Well," she said smiling. "It seems almost too good to be true but it is possible his nerves are starting to recover after all."

"That's good, right?" Ellen asked as Maggie nodded.

"I've set Face up with an appointment tomorrow with Doctor Julius Carson at the university for an MRI," Maggie said evenly. "That will tell us exactly whether or not there's any improvement."

Edward smiled excitedly as Ellen recounted her conversation with Doctor Sullivan. He then excused himself and retreated to his study where he picked up the phone and dialed a number. "I understand you'll have a new patient tomorrow, Doctor Carson," he said when the phone was answered. "If you want the money, you'll do exactly as I say!"

Face sighed impatiently as he shifted in his chair inside the tiny waiting room of the university. Rubbing his hands nervously down his pants legs to dry his sweaty palms, he looked around. "I don't understand what's taking so long," he said looking at Maggie. "How long does it take to read an MRI!"

"Calm down, Face," Hannibal said putting down the book he was reading. "It's going to be good news."

"Of course it is," Ellen replied with a nod as she took Face's hand. "You're getting all worked up for nothing."

Face started to reply but stopped when Doctor Carson stepped into the room. "Sorry to keep you waiting, young man but I wanted to be absolutely sure of my findings before I came to talk to you."

"That's okay, Doc," Face said excitedly. "It's good news, right? I'm going to be walking again soon!"

Doctor Carson's eyes narrowed as he took a seat directly across from Face's chair. "I'm sorry my boy but the damage...we'll, it's very bad."

"But, the feelings coming back!" Face said slowly as he meet the Doctors eyes. "I felt it! I know I did!"

"I don't doubt that you did," Carson replied quietly. "But, it's not enough of an improvement. I'm really sorry son, but I don't ever see where you'll be able to walk again."

Face closed his eyes as he put his head into his hands. "We'll keep working at it," Maggie said putting her hands on his shoulders.

"Yeah," Face said sadly without looking up. "Can we leave now? I'm not feeling so good."

"Yeah, kid," Hannibal said taking control of his chair. "We're going."

Maggie put an arm around Ellen's shoulders as the woman stifled the sobs that emanated throughout the tiny room.