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Chapter 20 - Chapter 20 - Waking Up

The lights were dimmed in the room Samuel lay in. Arles slept with his head propped up on the wall behind him, and his feet propped on the side of the bed Samuel lay in.

Samuel blinked and looked around the room. He felt extremely heavy. His entire body hurt. He closed his eyes and groaned. Maybe he could go back to sleep. He focused his eyes and realized that Arles was sleeping in front of him.

"Arles." He groaned.

Arles didn't move and continued to sleep.

Samuel cleared his dry throat. "Arl." He coughed and felt something heavy on his chest lift. He moved his head to see what it was and saw Karen's surprised face looking back at him. She had crawled in the bed and had been lying on his chest.

"You're awake." She smiled.

He looked confused. "Karen?"

She smiled as tears ran down her face. "Yes."

He closed his eyes and groaned. "I can't move."

"It's the medicine your Dad gave you."

He coughed. "Is there a blue button?"

She looked up at the monitor and saw a blue square. She pointed. "Up here?"

"Press it." He groaned.

She pressed the button and sat beside of him. He had closed his eyes tightly. She took his hand and felt the tingle begin again. "Is that better?"

He nodded slowly with his eyes closed. "It will be. Give it a second." He exhaled slowly.

"Your Dad said there was a lot of tissue damage from the electricity that was sent through your body."

He nodded. "It's painful."

She caressed his face. "Is it helping? Should I get him-"

"No. It's helping." He held her hand tighter and looked up at her. "I can't move."

"It will wear off. You are very weak. Do you want some water?"

He nodded.

She poured him a glass and put a straw in it. She held up to his lips. "Sip it. Don't make yourself sick."

He gripped her hand tighter as he sipped the water. She sat it back on the table next to him.

"I can't lift my arms."

She caressed his face. "It's normal. John told me to expect it. It will return. Just relax. Everything is alright. You're safe."

He looked back up at her and smiled. "I can't believe you are here."

She smiled, "I'm really here. More importantly, you are, too. Samuel, we've been looking for you for a while."

"How long have I been gone?"

"Nearly two weeks."

He rose his eyebrows in surprise. "Really?"

She ran her hand through his hair, sending the tingle through his head, "Yes. I've missed you so much."

He looked longingly at her. "I hate not being able to move. I want to touch you."

She pulled his hand to her cheek. "I'm really here."

A tear fell from his eye. "Karen-"

She leaned in and kissed him gently. He could feel the current flow from her into him as they kissed. Samuel relaxed and let her snog him, doing his best to return the kiss.

"Oh, so gross." Arles groaned.

Karen and Samuel looked back over at him.

"As happy to see you as I am, I wasn't expecting to wake up seeing snogging."

Sam grinned. "Be grateful it wasn't shagging. I'm pretty certain I'm not wearing pants."

Arles rubbed his face and sat on the edge of his seat. "Well, there is that to be grateful for."

Sam chuckled.

Arles stood up and smiled. He sat on the side of the bed and kissed Samuel's forehead. "If you could not scare the hell out of all of us again like that."

Sam smiled. "I'll do my best. Thank you, Arles."

Arles smiled and gently pat his brother's cheek. He said something in Quauthin that Karen didn't understand but made Samuel's eyes fill with tears. Arles' wiped his brother's tears and smiled.

Samuel said something in the odd language.

Arles put his forehead to Samuel's and held it there. "Welcome back, my dear brother."

Karen didn't have to understand what was said to know it was a very tender moment. She wiped tears from her eyes. "You guys."

Arles grabbed her hand and kissed it. "My Karen. My brother is well enough, for me to give you back to him."

He put her hand in Samuel's.

"Thank you, Arles." Samuel smiled.

Arles grinned, "You've missed a lot. Dad said you had some memory loss. What do you remember?"

"We smoked with Papa and Grandfather."

He laughed, "Apparently it was good shit to put your ass out all of this time."

Samuel smiled. "You're so full of it."

Arles laughed. "Alright. We smoked, which Dad still hasn't managed to find out about. And Mum's the word. Then what?"

"We left to come home. I was to have dinner with Karen."

"You did. You invited her to the school that night. She met Soli."

Sam looked back at Karen. "You met Soli?"

She smiled. "Arles. Don't tell him anything else. I think it would be better if he discovered it all on his own."

"Spoilers." Samuel complained. "I think I'm too weak to deal with this, honey."

"Deal with it, dear. That's what the lady wishes. And I agree with her."

Samuel looked back at Karen. "What has happened to him?"

Karen laughed under her breath.

Arles grinned. "I'll go get Dad. No shagging. He's too weak for that. Besides, I don't think Dad could take seeing that."

Samuel groaned. "I should just go back to sleep then. I can shag in my sleep."

Karen leaned over and kissed him again.

He looked into her eyes. "Although there's nothing like the real thing."

She giggled. "I'm so glad you are awake."

"How long have you been here? Watching me sleep?"

"Since this morning."

The Doctor walked in with Arles and Licis.

"Ah. He's awake!" The Doctor smiled and sat on the side of the bed. He took his other hand.

Sam grinned. "Hi, Dad."

"How's the pain?"

"Karen hit the pain dispenser when I woke up."

"What is it now?"

"It's not bad." He told him.

"Can you move?"

"Just my head. Neck."

The Doctor nodded in approval. "That's good. They gave you Kascuomia."

Samuel closed his eyes. "Explains why I can't move."

The Doctor grit his teeth. "And… Deynus."

Samuel rose his eyebrows. "That's lethal."

"You can thank your Mum when you see her. I can't explain it either. But, I'm sure this is her."

Samuel sighed and closed his eyes. "This is bad."

Karen gripped his hand. "Do you want me to step out-"

"No. Please stay." Samuel insisted. The current of relief continued to pour from her hand and into his.

The Doctor nodded. "I'm giving you something to wash it out of your system. As it gets less, you'll begin to be able to move more."

"Alright." He sighed. "Where is Mum?"

"We're on our way to her. Legate brought us out here on Poltious' ship. Lewis has mine."

Sam looked around the room. "This is a Quauthin ship."

"You and Tony were lucky to find Licis out here. Well, he found you lot."

"Dad. I don't remember any of this."

"I think you will. I think the more that you recover, the more you'll remember."

He nodded. "And you've met Karen?"

The Doctor smiled and looked at Karen. "I have. I've even tried to talk her out of being an archaeologist."

Samuel smiled and looked back at her. "Don't listen to him."

She laughed. "I think you need to rest, Samuel."

The Doctor nodded. "And she's right. Karen, you can lay in the bed with him if you want. That seems to help his levels. Son. You are lucky Quauhtin are such big people."

She looked back at him. "It's that alright, Samuel?"

He smiled. "Samuel. I love that."

She caressed his face. "Samuel."

The Doctor leaned up and kissed Samuel's forehead. "Everything is going to be alright, Samuel. Your Mum is thrilled you are awake. She says she'll see you soon."

Samuel closed his eyes and whispered, "Okay, Dad."

The Doctor stroked Samuel's hair as he looked at him.

Arles crossed his arms. "Should we ring Mum?"

The Doctor shook his head. "Nah. He needs to go back to sleep. I'll contact Rose once I'm done with Poltious. I've nearly finished with his legs. Arles, ring her and give her the full update. Tell her that Poltious will be able to walk onto the ship when we get there. His back is fine. He had dislocated some ribs that I've put back in place. He'll be fine."

Arles grinned. "That's great news, Dad."

Samuel exhaled slowly.

Arles pointed back at his brother. "I think he's going back to sleep."

The Doctor continued to look at his son. "Ah. Let him sleep. That's what he needs. Karen, don't be surprised if he doesn't remember waking up and seeing you. His head is full of medicine at the moment."

Samuel moaned, "Good medicine."

Arles laughed, "And the pain medicine is kicking in."

The Doctor smiled, "Indeed. Karen, shout if you need me. I'm just next door."

She smiled, "Thanks, John."

Arles, the Doctor, and Licis left the room and closed the door.

Karen lay back down and rubbed Samuel's chest with her fingertips. "Are you asleep?"

"No. Are you warm enough?"

She smiled as tears rolled down her cheeks. "It's so great to hear your voice. Lay in your arms. Samuel, I've missed you so much."

He kissed her head. "I'm so confused."

She sat up and looked at him. "Ask me. What do you want to know?"

He closed his eyes. "I'm so tired."

"Then sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."

"Just, one question." He asked quietly.

"One question. And then you need to sleep."

He didn't open his eyes. "Am I wearing pants?"

She laughed. "You're not."

He smiled with his eyes closed. "She's looked."

"No. Tony Tyler was bragging about taking them off you."

He opened his eyes, "Please tell me you're joking."

She laughed. "Get some sleep."

He groaned as she wiped her tears and lay down on his chest. He felt the wave of comfort come from her as she started to play with the hair on his chest again.

He whispered, "Karen."

"Yes, Samuel."

He didn't answer.

She rose up and looked at him. He had gone back to sleep.

She kissed his cheek. "Samuel. I love you. Rest."

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