The next morning, Mac woke up wondering where he was for a moment but he remembered. He realized the sun was already up. He looked over to see Arthur but he was not in the bed. Mac did not know what time they had breakfast around here but he was ready for it. Did he always have to call them to tell them he wanted his breakfast? He pressed the nurse button.

"May I help you?" the nurse said.

"When is breakfast?"

"In a few minutes. Do you need anything?"

"Water."

"I'll be right there."

Mac turned the TV on to watch the morning news. Soon the nurse came and brought him some water. "Good morning," she said with a smile. "My name is Elisha. I'll be your nurse this morning. If you need anything, just let me know."

Mac pressed the button to raise his bed up and he drank some of the water. His legs were aching again. "When do I get my medicine?" he asked.

"You can have it now or after you eat."

"I guess I better wait."

"They should have your breakfast here in just a few minutes."

"Thanks."

"Are you comfortable?"

Mac considered that. "Not really, but I guess that can't be helped right now. When will I get to sit in a wheelchair?"

"Your therapist will decide that, and your doctor."

"Okay."

Mac knew it would not be very comfortable sitting in a chair but he wanted out of this bed. He waited for his breakfast and finally it arrived. It certainly smelled good and he ate everything. He was feeling miserable again but he was enjoying seeing the news.

Soon, Arthur came back to the room. "Morning!" he said loudly. "How you feeling this morning?"

"Aching a little," Mac said.

"Oh, I have a little ache too." He gave Mac the morning paper. "I thought you might like to see that."

"Thanks."

Arthur got back on his bed and looked at the TV. "I like my news every morning," he said.

"Me too." Mac started reading the paper. At least he could do that without aching and he felt more relaxed but then he saw the story about him. It had a picture of Howard Bailey and said that he was at large and wanted for murder. Mac frowned. He had told them that Bailey shot that woman to save his life. It could not really be considered murder.

"I read that story about you," Arthur said. "That was quite an ordeal you were in."

Mac nodded. "Yes, it was."

"Were you scared?"

Mac looked at him. "Yes I was some of the time."

"I can't remember a time when I wasn't scared in Nam. It seems like I think about it a lot since I've been here and have nothing to do."

"I know what you mean. I think about things when I'm still too. I guess that's why I like to stay busy."

"Maybe I should have gotten a job instead of staying at home and then I might not have fallen and broke my hip," Arthur said and laughed.

Mac was glad he was cheerful about it. He supposed he was not cheerful when it first happened though. He hoped he would feel more cheerful as he went along too.

At around 9am, the therapists came. Arthur would go down to another room but Mac's therapist would stay there with him of course. "Good morning," she said. "My name is Cynthia, and you're Mac Taylor?"

"Yes."

"I'll be helping you get on those feet again. I guess you're ready for that, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Today, I'm just going to check your range of motion and see how much you need to work on."

"I feel like I can't move at all."

"Well, that will get better as those bones heal."

Mac thought he did not have much optimism. He felt trapped and he did not want to pretend to be happy because he was not. The therapist uncovered his feet. "Can you wiggle your toes?" she asked.

Mac looked at his feet and he could barely move his toes and that even hurt. "Does that hurt?" Cynthia asked.

"Yes."

She wrote in her file. "We don't want those hips to get too stiff," she said. "As soon as the doctor approves, we'll start lifting them up and down."

"I just want out of this bed. When can I sit in a wheelchair?"

"Not for a while. Just got to be patient."

Next, she massaged Mac's feet. He was not sure how that felt. It felt almost like it was hurting but then again, it felt like his feet were a little numb. "We want to get your circulation going good," Cynthia said.

Mac was glad there was some sort of purpose to this. It seemed to make his legs ache. When she was done massaging his feet, she had him to raise his arms up and down. His right arm felt very heavy of course. She could not do much with him so the session was not very long. Then Mac was alone again but he thought his arms and legs felt a little better. He knew his feet were swollen but his hand was not so much.

A little later, the nurse, Elisha, came in. She checked Mac's vitals. "Okay, I have to check you for bedsores," she said as she was putting on gloves.

Mac frowned. "Bedsores?" He had not even thought of that but when a person was lying in a bed a long time and had numbness they could have them and not even know it.

"Yes. People who are bedridden have a high risk for them. After this, we'll give you a bath."

Mac just stared at her, wondering how she was going to check him for bed sores, but another nurse came in to help. Mac was starting to get nervous. "Now, just relax," Elisha said. "We're not going to hurt you."

Mac could not imagine them moving him without it hurting. "We have to turn you on your side," Elisha said. "We'll do it slowly."

They gently turned Mac on his side as he grabbed the bedrail. His legs ached but he thought it was actually a relief to be off his back. He closed his eyes as they examined his back and other areas of his body to make sure he did not have bedsores. "Can I stay this way a while?" he asked.

"Are you comfortable this way?" Elisha asked.

"Yes. I feel relieved."

"You can if it's comfortable and doesn't hurt."

"Thanks."

Mac was so relieved he went to sleep again. When he woke up, Don was sitting beside the bed. "Hey," Don said.

"Hey," Mac replied. He did not think he felt so comfortable now. "When did you get here?"

"Just a few minutes ago. How you feeling?"

"Tired."

"Yeah. Hospitals will do that to you. So, how's the food?"

"It's good. How are things at the office?"

"Everything's like it always is. Jo's getting everyone in line."

"How is she doing?"

"I don't know. She doesn't want to admit that anything bothers her but we can tell."

"I think she blames me."

Don was puzzled by that. "Blames you? Why would she blame you?"

"I told Russ that Julie was dead," Mac said with a frown. "I shouldn't have…"

"Mac, that is not your fault. You couldn't have known that she was still alive."

"I couldn't know that she was dead either. I really thought she was."

Don could not believe what he was hearing. "Russ wouldn't blame you for this," he said. "He made his decision not to do a search and he should have followed procedure."

"He trusted me."

Don frowned. "So, what kind of therapy are they doing?"

"Not much yet. I haven't had my bath yet but they checked me for bedsores this morning."

"Bedsores are not fun."

"I think I fell asleep before they told me if I had any."

Mac grimaced. "I have to turn over. I can't stand this anymore."

"You need help?" Don asked.

"I don't know."

Don stood up and helped Mac to turn back to his back. "I can't stand this anymore," Mac said. "I'm trapped in this room."

"I'm sorry, Mac," Don said. "Maybe it won't be much longer before you can get up and around. You sure don't want to get up too soon."

Mac knew Don was right but that did not make it easier. "By the way," Don said. He picked up a box. "I brought you some files to sign."

Mac looked at the box and smiled slightly. "You think I'm in a position to sign those?" he asked.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out. Danny thought you were probably going stir crazy."

"He's right."

Don set the box on Mac's bed. "We'll be back to get those tomorrow," he said.

"Tomorrow? Did you bring a pen?"

Don picked up a pen from in the box. "Hey, I wouldn't leave you unprepared."

"You're not leaving yet, are you?"

"I have to go. I just came by to bring these and see how you're doing. I'll be back."

"Okay."

Don thought Mac looked a little depressed but he would have to go. He could not stay at the moment. "Hey, I have a day off in two days. I can come and stay more with you that day," he said.

Mac nodded. "Good."

"I'll see you."

Mac watched Don go out the door and he frowned. Arthur was not even in the room. He was alone and could not get up. All he could do was watch TV. He turned the TV on for company and then reached in the box for a folder. He started reading the reports. He was always amused at Adam's reports. They were definitely unique but very thorough. Sheldon's reports were more detailed and scientific, educated. Lindsay's were detailed but simple to understand, and Danny's reports were more like a police report. Jo's reports were detailed and sophisticated with that southern charm, even on paper. Mac smiled as he read them. He could see their personalities even in their writing. Of course, if he did not know them, he might not see all that.

A while later, the nurses came back, three this time. Elisha put her hands on her hips. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm…working," Mac said. "I wanted something to do anyway."

"Well, we have to get your bath."

"Now?"

"Yes, now. You've put it off long enough."

Mac put the file he was working on in the box and the pen and they set the box in the chair beside his bed. "Those are important files," he said.

"They'll be fine," Elisha replied.

Mac wondered how they were going to give him a bath on this bed without getting the bed wet, but they did, and he felt absolutely clean from head to toe and there was not a drop of water on the bed, but they changed it after they got him clean…without even moving him off the bed. "You guys are good at your job," Mac said.

"Thank you," Elisha replied as she was checking his IV. "I'll give you your pain medicine if you need it."

Mac considered that. "I'm not hurting very much right now," he said. "Just aching. I think I'll wait."

"I have to get your other medications. I'll be right back."

Mac was glad that bath was over, but he had to admit he felt better. It made him feel sleepy again, but he did not want to go to sleep. He had found himself sleeping all during the day while he was in the hospital. He supposed when a person could not do anything but lie in the bed, they could not help but sleep. He was almost asleep when the nurse brought his medicine but he took it anyway.

"When can I get out of this bed?" Mac asked.

"As soon as the doctor says it's okay," Elisha replied. "Those bones have to heal."

Mac could not stay awake after the nurse left. When he woke up, Arthur was shaking his shoulder. "Hey," Arthur said. "Do you like checkers?"

Mac thought he could not wake up but he wanted to. "Sometimes," he said.

"You gonna sleep all day?"

"What time is it?"

"Soon be lunch time."

Mac yawned and raised his bed up. He did not want to sleep all day. He looked at Arthur. "Thanks for waking me up," he said.

"You're welcome," Arthur replied. "When I first got here I slept a lot too."

"I wish I could get up."

"You will, you will."

Mac felt like he was playing that checker game in his sleep and then he had lunch. Arthur got into bed after that and watched TV. Mac tried not to go to sleep again, but he lost that battle.

That evening, Jo came to the hospital at about dinner time. Mac was sleeping when she walked in. She realized the files were sitting in a chair and that Mac had been working on them. She walked over to the bed. She thought Mac looked like he was swollen all over but she knew that injuries caused one's body to react. She leaned over. "Mac," she whispered. "Mac Taylor, are you getting lazy?"

Mac started to move. "Oh come on," Jo said. "Surely you can wake up for me."

Mac opened his eyes and Jo was leaning over him. "Hi," he said.

"Hi. I see you're getting plenty of rest now."

"I guess you can stop worrying about my rest then."

"Until you get back home."

"I hate being here in this bed."

"Mac, you can't just get up after you have two broken legs and a broken arm. You have to have time to heal."

"I know that, but I don't have to like it." Mac yawned. "I think I've slept all day."

"You worked on the files, I see," Jo said.

"Yes, I got a few done but I couldn't finish them all."

"Oh, that's okay. I'll take the ones you finished and we'll get the rest tomorrow."

"If I can stay awake long enough to do them."

"So, how are they treating you here?" Jo asked.

"Very well. I can't complain about that."

"That's good."

"I feel lonely and trapped here."

"I know you do because you're used to being out there running around and solving the murders and getting the bad guys."

"Yes, I am."

Jo sat down on the side of the bed. "Mac, I want to tell you something," she said.

Mac looked at her. "What?"

"It is not your fault that Russ is dead. It's not his fault, it is Julie…or Jenna's fault. She pulled that trigger."

Mac frowned. "She wanted to kill me."

"But you saved Sheldon's life. She would have killed him too."

"It happened so fast…"

"It always does. Oh, I miss Russ, and his hanging around, and I can't even figure out why. I always pretended that I hated him and hated him being there, but…Mac, I loved it when he came around. He made me feel safe. Even though we were divorced, he was a good man."

"I guess sometimes, we don't know how much we appreciate some people until they're gone."

"You're right. I took him for granted."

"He loved you, Jo."

Jo sighed. "We still don't know where Howard Bailey is. No signs of him."

Mac nodded. "I'm not surprised. He knows how to be invisible."

"Have you heard from him?"

Mac did not want to answer that question but he did not have to. "You have," Jo said. "What did he say?"

"Jo."

"Don't 'Jo' me, you tell me what he said."

Mac looked at her. "I don't have to tell you anything," he said. "My personal conversations are not your business."

"They are when they involve a wanted criminal who kidnapped you and broke both your legs."

"No, they don't."

"Mac."

"Drop it, Jo."

Jo folded her arms. "Well, I guess we'll just have to put an officer here to watch after you."

"No you won't. I have not had any threats from Howard Bailey. Besides, just anyone can't walk into this place."

"That's true. I had to go through a scan and everything to get in here, but still, don't hide things from us."

"Everything is fine, Jo."

"I hope so."

Jo looked in the bag she had brought. "By the way, I brought you some magazines and the financial news, and I even brought you a deck of cards. You can play solitaire."

Mac smiled slightly. "Thanks," he said. "I guess maybe it will help me with the boredom."

"I hope so."

Jo looked at her watch. "I think I'll just stay and have supper with you, and then I'll go on home."

"I have to eat in here," Mac said. "I can't go down to the dining room yet."

"Well, that's alright."

Just then, Arthur came in. "Well hello there!" he said. "I'm Arthur."

"Jo Danville. Pleased to meet you."

"Hey, if I had someone as pretty as her to come and see me, I might have already been out of here."

Mac had to chuckle at that. "You didn't tell me you had such a charming roommate," Jo said.

"I didn't know he was so charming," Mac replied.

Arthur laughed. "He's quite a kidder when he wants to be."

"Oh I know," Jo said.

Mac sat there and listened to Jo and Arthur talk while he read over more files and signed reports and soon the nurse came and brought his dinner and took Arthur down to the dining room. Jo had gone and gotten herself a tray too. "At least you have good food here," she said.

"Yeah, I can't complain," Mac replied.

"When you get out of here, I'm going to take you out to eat the biggest pizza we can find."

"Do I have to wait till then?"

"To go out?"

"No, to eat pizza?"

"Oh, no. If you want a pizza, I'll bring one the next time I come."

"Great."

When they were done with dinner, Jo left. Mac got his medication and then it was not long until he was asleep again.

Jo called Don and told him that Mac had heard from Howard Bailey. "I don't know what he said to him," Jo said. "But he says he didn't threaten him."

"What do you want to do?" Don asked.

"I don't know. I'm just worried about him."

"Bailey didn't seem to want to kill him. Even Mac said he didn't want to kill him."

"What is it with this guy and this obsession he has with Mac?"

"I don't know. Something from the past. If there's more to it, Mac hasn't told me."

"There must be something else. I guess Mac is safe enough here but I just hope he would tell us if that guy threatened him."

"I'm sure he would. He's not exactly in a position to defend himself."