"Do you know what you want to do, after you get better?"
Sarah frowned at the question. "I haven't thought that far ahead yet."
David nodded thoughtfully, though he remained serious. "We will be allowed to stay here at least until next weekend. I have agreed to do some work around the property in exchange for food and the place to stay."
"Such as it is."
"Hm," David grunted assent as he glanced around the barn, even if it was relatively clean… despite being a barn. Apparently it used to hold a few dairy cows and a horse or two, which had been sold recently. Otherwise, the barn would have been a lot more unpleasant.
"The fact remains," David went on, "you will need to think seriously about what you intend to do when we leave here."
"What the hell do you think I can do, David?" Sarah sat up a bit further. "I was dumb when I handed myself over to Esben Hansen, but I did it because I had nothing else and nowhere to turn."
A small part of David hated himself for what he had to say next, but it still needed to be said. "From the way I see it, you didn't really try anything else. You were used to a safe and easy life and when tragedy struck, you went to the first promise you received where you could have all of your needs met… and this is the price." He gestured at her, indicating her present condition.
He could tell he had upset her a bit. Her mouth tightened into a thin, narrow line and she turned away from, her foot sending some of the straw flying.
"Hey." David softened his tone and glanced a gentle hand on her arm. "I'm sorry. We don't need to talk about this tonight, it is just something you will need to think about and take some kind of action soon." He needed her to understand that aspect of reality, at least. It wasn't like he could watch out for her long term, especially since he had his own problems to contend with.
But for the time-being… "I would like to examine you now, Sarah. I think it is necessary to see how you're coming along." He had given her a brief examination upon their arrival, but he felt a more thorough one was in order.
She rolled her eyes and looked like she would really rather not permit it, but gave in under his firm and concerned gaze. She did her best to keep still while he examined her thigh.
He noted that the incision was completely sealed and that the stitches should probably be removed. He had her move her leg in certain ways, gently and slowly, to confirm that the injury and healed internally and that the damage to the hip bone had also been repaired.
David snipped the dental floss he had used for stitches in a few key places to remove the knots, then gently pulled it out of her skin. He had to remind her to stay still when she squirmed a tad at one point, but for the most part she cooperated.
When all was said and done, he offered her a final sandwich that remained at the bottom of the knapsack along with a bottle of water. Then, sensing that she needed some personal space, he left the barn to give her some time alone.
He sat in an old, somewhat rickety chair just outside the barn door, gazing up at the heavens for a long moment.
Sarah would definitely have a long road ahead of her. As long as she wanted or needed his help, he would do whatever he could at least. But what could he really do for her, apart from making sure she recovered alright and helping her along to get started on some kind of new life?
They had a similar condition, but he could hardly be responsible for someone else when he had enough trouble being responsible for his own inner demon and the catastrophes it caused. Sarah did have one advantage, and that was her apparent ability to morph at will. She had even shown promise in her ability to stop a transformation from happening in the first place.
Perhaps he could try to work with her for a time after they left this place in a few days, if they could find someplace to go where they could have some space and some privacy. It would… depend on a variety of factors, though…
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Ma'am? Are you alright?"
Tasha realized she had been staring into space for a bit too long. "Yes," she acknowledged, moving up to claim her luggage from the conveyor belt.
She had just arrived in Canada, having arrived on a rather long flight with her son. She had taken very little with her, but it was enough to start a new life. She desperately hoped to seek out her brother and his wife at the last known location she had known they were at… even if she hadn't been in touch with them for years.
It was a gamble, but hopefully it would be worth it. Tasha could never go back to the life she'd originally had, not now. There were also a fair number of people she wanted desperately to hide away from.
Hopefully, she could simply exist here and raise her son in relative peace. She wanted nothing more than to live a normal life from now on, having nothing to do with laboratories or scientific experiments or anything. She would simply focus on raising her son…
...And guarding him with her life.