Plumfield was finally quiet, with an ease that had been missing. The children were safely tucked into their beds; now able to sleep knowing the room across the hall was occupied once again. Meg and Amy had complied with Jo's appeals to return home, after much pleading and Asia had taken to doing a massive cleaning of the house and was deeply sleeping in her own bed. Nick was sleeping the guestroom, at least for a couple of days, feeling somewhat guilty for not being there when the original incident had occurred.
Jo tiredly lay in bed, her eyes drooping but was nervous about closing them. Her fever no longer compelled her to sleep and when she shut her eyes, visions danced before her. They haunted her and had begun earlier in the day during an afternoon nap. She was out in the woods, tied to a tree, voices swirling around her and a dark figure looming behind her. She attempted to scream, beg for help but no noise came when she opened her mouth. She felt a cold hand on her skin and awoke upset, glad to find herself alone in her room.
As frightening as the impending images were and as hard as she tried, Jo felt herself slip into a deep slumber. The visions began again, the setting was similar and Jo could still feel the roughness of the ropes around her wrists. She looked behind her, the dark form of a man appeared from between the trees, approaching her. She began to experience an extreme form of apprehension, her heart pounding in her chest, her breath becoming short and strained. The cold hand grabbed her shoulder and Jo sharply turned around to see Ricky's face inches from hers. He was trying to tell her something, his mouth moving but the sound inaudible. Attempting to read his lips, Jo struggled to understand, feeling the importance of his message. Frustrated with the situation, she cried out, "I can't… I can't hear you!" With the words, Ricky's presence disappeared and the voices surrounded her again. They were whispering, jumbled together and confusing. Jo searched around her, trying to find their source and trying to hide herself from them. And just as suddenly as they came the voices stopped. Minutes seemed to tick by, infinity passing and even before she heard it, Jo felt it coming.
XXXXX
A chilling scream filled the house, shaking everyone, including Nick, from their sleep. Doors began to open as the investigation began on the source of the sound. Nick ran up the stairs and nearing Jo's door found Asia, with her hand on the handle.
"No, no, no," a beseeching voice came from the other side. As Asia opened the door, she and Nick found Jo sitting up in bed, shaking, with her eyes still closed. Nick rushed to her side while Asia kept alarmed children from peering in.
"She's been having nightmares," Nick explained, grasping Jo's left shoulder and wiping the hair from her sweat-covered face. "Wake up, Jo. C'mon."
His touch seemed to aggravate her further and she struggled against him. "No, please no…"
"Jo, it's alright. You're alright." Nick shook her shoulders gently. The movement finally aroused her and she looked at him with a relieved expression. Her face then crumpled and she began to cry. "They killed him. They killed him…"
Nick confused by the statement but not wanting to pry, simply pulled her to his chest and enveloped her. "It's over now and you're safe."
"But they killed him…" she insisted.
"They killed who, Sweetheart?" Asia slowly approached the bed while small heads peered around the doorframe.
"Ricky," Jo mumbled trying to control her ragged breathing.
Nick looked to Asia, unfamiliar with the name while recognition poured over the housekeeper's face. She nodded and sighed. "I'll go get ya some warm milk. It'll help you get back to sleep." She started for the door, shooing the children out. "Everything is fine. Everyone back to bed." She closed the door behind her, leaving Nick and Jo alone.
Nick still confused, needed to understand the situation. "Who's Ricky?"
Jo sniffled. "One of the men… one of the men who…" she stopped unable to stay the words. "Ricky let me go and they shot him." Jo began to cry again.
"Shhh…" Nick soothed. "You're alright now."
"No, it's not alright," she cried, "He was the only one who would help me and I let him die…"
The snippets of the story Jo was trying to tell were not coming together in Nick's mind. However, it was neither the time nor the place for him to start inquiring. Instead, he just held her in his arms, making an effort to offer some comfort. "We don't need to talk about this now. It's late."
Jo nodded against him and they simply sat in silence as she tried to regain her composure. After some time Asia came in and handing Jo the cup, smiled. "This always does the trick."
"Thank you. I'm fine now." Jo reached up and shakily squeezed Asia's hand.
"Good. I think it's time to get back to sleep. I've got more cleanin' to do tomorrow." Asia smiled, trying to lighten the situation. "Good night," she said before leaving them once again.
Jo slowly sipped the milk, not too interested with it while Nick watched her intently. Seeing she had finished before she even started, Nick took the glass from her hand and setting it on the nightstand, pushed her back against the pillows. "Sleep," he said simply.
"I can't," she protested weakly.
"I'll stay right here. Don't worry."
"But…"
"No buts. Sleep."
Jo rolled her eyes and closed them, hoping that Nick might think her asleep and give up pressuring her. While Nick sat in a chair beside the bed, Jo's plan backfired and she slipped into sleep once again. As soon as her breathing became steady, the dream continued and she immediately knew she didn't want to be there. The same circumstances occurred and as the figure neared her, she struggled with the ropes, not wanting to go through the torture again.
From outside the dream Nick watched as Jo fell asleep, her face relaxed at first but then suddenly contorted into panic, her jaw tight. He was startled as she began to whimper and her hands lashed out into the air. Nick grabbed her by the shoulders, waking her with his touch. The dream hadn't progressed far nevertheless Jo's eyes were filled with tears as she looked helplessly at Nick.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
"They just won't go away," she cried.
Nick thought for an instant and sighed. "Sit up," he said, rising from his chair. Through misted eyes, Jo obeyed and rose to a sitting position. Nick slipped onto the bed behind her and settling into the pillows, pulled her back against him. Hesitant about the appropriateness of the act, he waited for her to protest. She was tentative at first but soon relaxed and was thankful for Nick's offer.
"Okay?" he asked wrapping his arms around her.
"Uh huh," she murmured, her eyes drifting closed.
As they settled in, Nick kissed Jo on the top of the head. "I'll keep those monsters away," he said, before falling asleep himself.
XXXXX
Asia Franklin was awake before the sun rose; her original routine had been disrupted and she wanted to things to get back to normal. Getting out of bed, she put on her robe and stepped from her room. Deciding to check on Mrs. Jo before starting breakfast, Asia slowly opened the door to find two figures fast asleep on the bed. Nick was in a partial sitting position, laying on top of the quilt with pillows that had found their way behind his head. Jo was to his left, lying on her side, her head resting on Nick's chest. Her left arm was thrown across his body while his cradled around Jo's back.
Asia entered the room and grabbing a blanket, crept towards the couple and gently laid it across them. The movement shook Nick awake and after a moment of regaining his senses, he flushed with embarrassment. "She couldn't sleep," he tried to explain, shifting beneath the sleeping Jo.
Asia smiled, reassuring Nick that he wasn't doing anything wrong. "Don't wake her." Nick slumped back against the pillows, obviously tired. "More nightmares?" she asked picking up some fallen covers.
Nick nodded. "Just one. She slept real well after that."
"It must be you," Asia teased as she made her way to the door. "I'll bring you both some breakfast a little later on."
"Thanks Asia," Nick replied. He shifted again to get more comfortable and cuddled Jo. He looked around the room and after a moment a smile broke out across his face. He could get used to this, Jo sleeping against him in a nice comfortable bed. He just wished the circumstances could be different. His smile deepened. Soon those circumstances would be.
XXXXX
Breakfast dishes still rested on Jo's bedside table as she sat in bed writing in her journal. She was trying to get out her thoughts, relay the events that had occurred. However, remembering such experiences was proving to be extremely difficult. She desperately wanted to forget but knew she couldn't. It wasn't healthy and Jo recognized the fact that the nightmares wouldn't quit until she got everything out into the open. She sighed and pushed the book aside. Not now.
A slight knock on the door brought a put-on smile to Jo's face as she tried to seem happier to the arrivals. The opening door revealed Laurie who gave her a half-hearted grin.
"How are you?" he asked, coming into the room.
"I'm feeling a lot better, thank you."
"That's wonderful, Jo." Laurie looked at her awkwardly. He needed to tell her something, that much was obvious, but he wasn't sure of how to go about it. He sat down on the bed and fingered the bedspread.
"What is it, Laurie?" Jo urged.
He gave her a weak smile. "We were very worried about you, Jo."
She nodded humbly. "I know."
"I don't know how much anyone has told you about what went on here while you were gone." Jo looked at him, concerned. "I couldn't sit by and watch as everyone else was out there, doing something." Laurie took a deep breath. "So, I sent a telegram to New York, asking the sheriff there to become involved. He was very cooperative and a couple of days before you got back I received a message back from him."
Laurie handed the piece of paper to Jo. Reading it over, a small smile graced Jo's lips. "They've caught them."
"Yes, they did. But those men haven't been very forthcoming with information." Laurie paused for a few moments. "Jo, I have been in contact with Mr. Simons again. The men claim that they found your horse and that they had no involvement with the kidnapping."
She sighed, dread filling her. "They are going to be set free, aren't they?"
Laurie shook his head. "No, not yet. Mr. Simons feels that they are guilty but has no evidence to back that up. For now, he is keeping them in jail for theft. But he would like someone to identify these men."
"And that someone would probably be me," Jo finished, anxiety rising within her. Laurie nodded in agreement. "Do they know I'm alive?"
"No, I don't think anyone informed them of your return," Laurie replied, confused with the question.
"So, I am going to have to see them again…"
"I'm afraid so, Jo. And it will most likely have to be soon. He can't hold them in there for very long."
She sighed. "Okay. I'll do it."
Laurie jumped in. "But give yourself some time to recuperate. I'll send word to Mr. Simons and we can set up a time to go up to New York."
"More traveling," Jo murmured.
He patted her hand. "This time it will be enjoyable, I promise."
Jo smiled at Laurie. "As long as you promise."