Amanda to the Rescue updated

by Spockette

Hope this one works ok. Lee goes missing on assignment. Amanda goes to his rescue. We finally see why Lee is distrustful of hospitals and he begins to understand home and family.

Author: Spockette

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Scarecrow & Mrs. King and all related characters are the property of Warner Brothers and Shoot the Moon Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended. The story itself is the property of the author. Summary: Lee goes missing on assignment. Amanda uses her skills to find him. Finally we get a glimpse of why Lee is distrustful of hospitals, and he finds out what of home and family means to him.

DAY 1:

It was 2am. The telephone rang, interrupting the peaceful dream she was having. It was the one where she and Lee, her wonderful husband, was on the vacation in Hawaii they had often talked about. Groaning, she rolled over and answered it. She then noticed Lee still hadn't made it home yet.

"Hello, sweetheart", she sleepily answered, expecting his deep voice in return.

"Sorry, Amanda", came the familiar voice on the other end of the call, "it's Billy."

"Hello, sir".

"I'm sorry to wake you, has Lee came home yet?"

"No sir, I thought he was still at the office. It's not unusual for him to be working late".

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news but he has missed his security check- in. I would send out an agent if one were available."

"I have had the Advanced Training Course, sir. I could go out and find him. He is my partner after all." It was true. She had completed the ATC with flying colors. She was confident that she could find him. He usually got in trouble when she wasn't with him. He was reluctant to ask her out on missions since their wedding and especially with what happened on their honeymoon. This was not the first time she had been out to find him. Billy sighed, "I hate to ask this of you Amanda, although I know you are a competent agent". He sighed again, this time more heavily. "Ok, come on in to the office, I'll brief you on the situation."

"Yes sir!", she placed the phone back on the cradle.

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On her way to the office, she looked for signs of Lee's vette or his familiar form on the streets. Disappointed, she pulled into the Agency garage. After checking in, she made her way up to Billy's office. It was 4am. Billy appeared in the doorway of his office, looking worn.

"Hello, Amanda" he said.

"Hello sir, any word from Lee?"

"No. I need to let you in on the case he was working on. In the past few weeks, our best agents have been disappearing. Lee was tipped that they were being held in an area across town and went to investigate. He left the office about 10pm and missed his 12:00 call in. That's not like Lee. I think he may be in trouble."

Amanda thought, 'So that's why Billy had been looking so frayed lately.'

"Amanda, I can't stress how important it is to watch yourself. We don't even know who is holding these agents or why."

"I've been trained by the best, sir". Billy knew this was a fact-Scarecrow was one of the best agents he had ever known.

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Following the route to the address that Lee had been given by his contact, she thought of him. It seemed they had grown together. She was different now, as was he. She was no longer the naive, simple housewife and he was no longer the daring, laugh in the face of danger, Death wish Stetson. A lot of bets were placed in his single life if he would ever marry.

Finally, she was at the address. It was an abandoned warehouse. Parking her Wagoneer around the corner, she noticed a dim light in a lower door window. She was glad she had dressed down in tan slacks and sneakers. Slowly, she entered through the door on the street level. Inside, there was a staircase leading to a starched white door, plainly labeled Cosco Labs. She had read a report somewhere about this company. She couldn't quite recall what it was about.

Suddenly, a tall, slim, dark featured man appeared from the 2nd floor landing.

"We've been waiting for you, Dr. Lambert. Come up and follow me".

She had to play along. Why would they be waiting for a Dr. At this hour? She started the ascent to the 2nd floor to find the answer.

The doorman was a nervous sort, rattling on about "the project" and desperately needing a trauma surgeon. "After tonight, you may be called upon again more often than you think."

What was so special about tonight? She pondered these questions and more but was afraid to divulge more than silence. She hoped the real Dr. Lambert failed to show up. She was led down a long, white hallway, then a turn led to a darkened room filled with what looked like medical monitoring equipment. The only light emitted from a large window that revealed the next room.

"I had to call the boss on this one, he said for you to do whatever you could. The experiment would continue regardless of the prognosis."

Then she remembered. Cosco Labs were in several major government lawsuits involving medical experiments involving human subjects. Of course, their arguments were that the subjects used were "dead" anyway, or so they said. Beyond the medical monitors and the plate glass in the darkened antechamber was a room, starched white and set up with six beds. It was much like an open Intensive Care Unit. Each bed contained a patient within. All the patients were strapped down, two were intubated with ventilators attached, breathing for them. All were hooked up to monitors and intravenous lines. All looked to be male about the same weight and height.

Amanda was horrified at what she saw before her but didn't let it show. "Ok, where is the subject?"

The doorman pointed off to the last bed on the left. Gowned and masked individuals surrounded the bed, making it hard for her to get a early glimpse of who occupied the bed. He led her to a door off to the right that led out to the unit. She glanced at each bed as she passed, making sure that Lee was not one of the occupants. The man in the 3rd bed looked like one of the missing agents but it was hard for her to see him clearly for the tube that led to his mouth, clearly helping him to breathe. She walked a little closer. It was Agent Baker! She contained herself because she was being watched by the doorman through the window. One of the Dr's that obscured her view of the intended patient in the last bed handed her a gown and mask and led her to the sink. She washed her hands and put on the gloves and gown. Then she turned to face the bed.

The man who lay there was in horrible shape. A gunshot wound was to his left shoulder, his bare chest clearly showed broken ribs and multiple bruising of the chest and stomach. His abdomen was swollen and tense and his right leg was elevated on several pillows, knee swollen twice the norm. His head was bandaged and left eye was swollen and bruised. She approached the bedside. Looking closely, she couldn't believe what she saw. It was Lee! He was strapped to the bed despite his being unconscious. A sheet covered his left leg and pelvic area. Several IV lines led to the catheter at the right side of his neck. A gowned and masked person at the head of the bed held tight to an Ambu bag, it's mask obscuring most of Lee's face. He appeared to be gasping for air. Occasionally the person with the bag would feed him more oxygen by squeezing the bag. He seemed to be in unbearable pain judging by the look on his face when the mask was lifted for another individual to look in his eyes and mouth. It looked as if they were about to insert an endotracheal tube into his mouth. She had to stop them and find out what was going on.

"What is his status?", she asked as she edged her way between them and Lee. At the same time she tried to stay calm and rational. The gun at her belt was warm and consoling at a time like this. She could blow them all away but it wouldn't help Lee or find out what was happening here. She grabbed a penlight from the masked woman beside her and started looking in his eyes. His handsome green eyes were fixed and dilated.

They began explaining to her something about fitting the criteria and the boss had a special interest in him because he was a federal agent. He had fought them even with the tranquilizer that he had been given. The gunshot wound had been accidental, a misfire that shouldn't have happened. The Dr cursed at the "sloppy job the collectors had done this time".

"He don't need to be here, wouldn't this specimen ruin the project?", she asked, hoping that they would release him to her. The person at the head of the bed continued to feed him more oxygen. She hoped she wasn't too late to save him or the others.

The Dr explained how he came in 2 hours ago and had been beaten badly by the "collectors" and that they could still work with his body. The others had already been given the experimental drugs. They were almost ready to give them to their newest subject but they had been waiting on her arrival to "stabilize" him for infusion.

"This man is dying, let me take him to the hospital", she calmly pleaded.

All attention was turned to the bed when Lee suddenly began to spasm. He arched his back against the restraints. His eyes were open and fixed and he began to pour bright red blood from his mouth and nose. He was having a seizure.

"We have to intubate him now!"

She was handed a full syringe by the Dr next to her. "Give this". She had been through enough Emergency Rooms and hospitals to know what to do. She read the side of the syringe "phenobarbital". She knew this was for seizures. She injected it directly into the main line that led to Lees vein. The suction catheter held to his mouth brought up bright red blood. He was bleeding internally. His seizure lasted for about a minute but it seemed like an eternity to her. Her heart ached when the Dr stepped aside to attach the ventilator to the tube he had just placed in Lee's mouth.

"His heart rate is at 140 and irregular, internal injuries are present. Surgical repair is needed before infusion with the project." The Dr turned to Amanda. "You can take him to your clinic. I will go to make sure everything goes well. I'm not going to let this damn fed ruin my credibility with the boss. We will get him ready for transport."

A flurry of activity ensued. The individuals had brought a stretcher and backboard, portable oxygen, battery operated ventilator and suction machine. They had placed some kind of inflatable sheaths over his legs to help maintain his blood pressure. She had a hard time holding together when they had inserted a tube in his left chest cavity to drain off the blood that collected in his left lung, causing it's collapse. His abdomen looked even more swollen and tense than it had just 20 minutes ago when she arrived.

"This one's a train wreck." said the Dr that was to go with her to the "clinic". "We'll patch him up and bring him back here. Looks like his brain is swelling, due to the seizure he had. I hope the boss wont be disappointed that he wont recover."

She looked over to see that they had secured him to a backboard. He continued to be prepped for the move, more tubes and wires were being added to monitor his condition. You could barely make out his face for the cervical collar that held his head and neck still. Add the bulky dressing to his head and swollen left eye and you would never know it was her loving husband, only this morning waking her and smiling that cheeky dimpled grin.

Fury welled up inside of her 'Easy Amanda, he's almost out of here!' she thought , containing her anger.

After he was loaded in the stretcher, she turned to the Dr in charge who was following along. "My ambulance is around the back."

"Good-our freight elevator opens there. We need to hurry, I'm afraid we might loose him. The boss has special interest in him. We can't loose him." Amanda thought grimly how true this was. Amanda then wondered who the boss was.

Everything was loaded on the stretcher with Lee's badly injured body. She stood at the head of the stretcher as the Dr stood at the foot. He took off his mask as he reached for a blanket to cover Lee's body. Lee lay still and quiet. Even if he tried to move, he couldn't. He was strapped in pretty tight. She aimed a thought at him as she slyly stroked his cheek with her fingers. It was all she could do to keep from crying for Lee, so vulnerable and helpless. She controlled herself by focusing on anger at the situation she found herself in.

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"I thought you had an Ambulance", the Dr quizzed her.

"This is my private Ambulance". She was glad that Jamie had cleaned out the back of the Wagoneer after practice yesterday. The backboard that held Lee fit snugly after the rear seats were folded.

"I'll drive, you watch the patient", she ordered.

She entered the driver's seat, reaching under her gown and shirt for her gun. The Dr entered the passenger side and closed the door. He then turned to check on the patient in the back. Amanda held the gun to his head as he turned. She cursed at him through clenched teeth.

"You will make sure he makes it to my drop off point or I will kill you. Don't even try to get out. Don't try me, I know how to use this gun."

"Well, well, what are you? Another damn fed?" Anger blinded her and she struck the side of his temple with the butt of her gun, just like they taught her in training. He immediately lost consciousness, slumping over to the passenger window. A fine trickle of blood ran from his nostril.

She turned to look at Lee. He remained unconscious. His breaths were becoming somewhat like a gargle. He needed to be suctioned. She reached in the back beside of his leg for the portable suction equipment and turned it on. "Hang on sweetheart" she cried as she disconnected the tubing helping him to breathe. She suctioned out the thick, bloody drainage best as she could without vomiting. Then she reconnected the vent tubing to the breathing tube. He had been through some rough scrapes and pulled through, this would be no different. She kissed the tip of his nose and turned around, wiping the tears from her eyes.

She called Billy on her car phone to let him know of Lee's status and the location of the missing agents. Billy was sending a cleanup team to her location. Billy instructed Amanda to bring Lee to the Agency's medical unit. Just recently, the Agency clinic had added a small OR and the most up to date lifesaving equipment. Lee would be the first to use the advanced ICU facility at the Agency.

She began the hellride to the Agency and it's hospital. It was the fastest she had ever driven but she made it. Lee continued to be unconscious. He needed suctioned again and his heart rate was very rapid and irregular. The emergency team was waiting in the garage for her arrival. So was the interrogation team to take her prisoner away for questioning when he came to.

The emergency team took over and rushed Lee's broken body to the elevator. She ran to catch up with them but was stopped by Billy, who waited for her in the stairway. He glanced at Lee's still body as the stretcher speeded by him.

"You did very well, Amanda. I'm proud of you. I'm sure Lee will be too.", he smiled at her but all she could do was cry.

"I don't think he was given any of the experimental drugs at the lab, he was in too bad of shape. They spent all their time trying to stabilize him. As they ascended the stairs, she told him they had thought she was a Dr. Lambert. Billy sent Francine to check on the ID when they arrived upstairs. Amanda fell into the couch in Billy's office. She was exhausted and worried. Lee was all she could think of. The phone rang and Billy jumped to answer it.

"Yes...good...and?.....mmm....Keep me posted"

He turned to her after hanging up the phone. "Lee is in surgery. He has a severe concussion, some facial bruising. His left lung filled with blood and has collapsed and his ribs are broken on that side. That's why he couldn't breathe. He has some tears in his spleen. They are taking it out. His knee will have to wait but it looks like it is only cracked. Also they say his heart has some fluid around it due to all the trauma. All in all the surgical team thinks he will make it through the surgery."

Amanda let out the breath she had been holding for the last few hours. She went over the details of what was in the lab and what she saw. Later in the morning, they had learned from their prisoner Dr that the experiments were to inject the body with biochemical drugs and find an antidote before the individual died. The agents were either injected directly into the heart or body or given by inhalation. These drugs were being designed for acts of terrorism. That's why Lee and the other agents were so special. The other 2 missing agents were found at the lab also. Agent Starlix had died of an overdose of the inhalant and Agent Foster was being held for questioning and then was to be used in the experiments. Agent Baker would be monitored alongside Lee in the Agency's unit. Agent Foster was recovering from the inhalation dose that had caused respiratory arrest. He had been treated with the antidote and would be weaned from the respirator in a few hours. As for Lee, he was in surgery for seven hours repairing the damage that the "collectors" had inflicted. The "boss" was still a mystery as the Dr and his accomplices weren't saying who he was. Investigations began to ferret out the root of the Cosco Lab empire.

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DAY 1 P.M.

Amanda had finished her debriefing with Billy and went to wait for news of Lee in the Medical Unit. All the medical staff knew her and Lee. Some of the staff were even field agents trained in clean-up missions. They had let her sit in the room soon to be occupied by Lee. It was quite comfortable with couch and reclining chairs. There was even a small table in the corner. Dimly lit, it was quite cozy. There were 2 ICU rooms and 4 regular holding rooms. The rooms looked like hotel bedrooms except for the oxygen equipment on the wall, monitoring equipment and the hospital bed within. She was resting quietly, almost asleep when she heard the bustle of feet approaching the room.

The door swung wide as the staff wheeled in their precious cargo. They were returning with Lee from surgery. He was dangerously pale, and multiple IV's were connected to the arterial line that had remained at his neck. He was still intubated with the anesthetist giving him some breaths with an Ambu bag. The nasogastric tube in his right nostril was draining bloody fluids from his stomach. His torso, chest and left shoulder was swathed in bulky white dressings.

He was gently transferred to the bed where he was reconnected to suction, bedside drainage kits from his left lung and bladder, overhead cardiac monitors and the dreaded ventilator. His heart continued to beat rapidly but was now steady. She noticed a drainage tube that was in the center of his chest. Later she found this to be draining excess fluids from around his heart. Another drain was in his abdominal cavity, draining off blood and fluids from his internal injuries and missing spleen. She could tell even through the bulky surgical dressings that his abdomen was still swollen. His left eye was bruised and swollen shut.

She noticed one of the nurses attaching a wire to another monitor they had just brought in . The Dr explained that due to the nature of his severe concussion, he had some slight swelling of his brain. This was nothing to panic about unless the pressure started to rise. There was a tiny catheter inserted into his skull cavity to monitor the pressure inside. His head was still bandaged, mainly to hold the catheter in place.

The nurses started fussing about his right leg. His knee was swollen and was an angry red color. His leg was lifted and placed on several pillows to keep it elevated. His right foot was also swollen. Over the next few days he was to be pumped full of strong IV antibiotics to prevent infections from hindering his recovery.

After he was fussed over by the medical staff it was finally Amanda's turn. The nurses left the room but were only a few feet away at the desk in the hall. She could see his bruised but handsome face more clearly now that the cervical collar was gone. He was frightening to see with all the tubes and wires everywhere. It seemed that blood drained from every tube that came from his body. She was almost afraid to touch him, fearing he would break. His skin was almost transparent, the healthy tan and glow she was used to was gone. She gently placed a shaking hand on his cheek, being careful not to upset the tubes that were taped in his mouth and nose.

She whispered in his ear, "I'm here Lee, I'm here for you. Come back to me. I don't know if you can hear me but I love you. I need you, Lee. Please live for me and the boys, they need you so much."

She took his right hand in hers. It too was bruised not from IV lines but from hitting his assailants. Anger welled up inside of her. She wished that whoever was responsible for taking him away from her like this was punished...painfully. Of course, the punishment would be small compared to what Lee's punishment would be for being chosen to be a part of a cruel experiment. The frustrations of not knowing who was directly responsible was almost unbearable.

Billy and Francine had come to visit. Billy had almost been up for 24 hours working on a solution to all of this. He was finally going home after this brief visit to check up on Lee. Francine was too choked up with emotion to say anything but she hugged Amanda and kissed Lee on the brow.

All the nurses commented on how good everything looked for Lee and how his vital signs were improving on the hour. Later, she fell into an exhausted sleep on the couch in his room. Mother and the boys knew she was working on a case but she didn't tell them about Lee yet. She didn't want them to worry and rush down there. After all, he was in the Agency hospital. It was very secure.

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DAY 2 A.M.

Amanda roused from a fitful sleep full of nightmares of Lee, lying naked and bruised in a coffin. Then blood poured from everywhere.

She raised herself from the couch to check on him. The nurses had come in during the early morning to turn him on his right side. He had several pillows supporting his hip and wounded left shoulder. She raised the blankets to check on his knee and leg. Still swollen, his knee appeared more bruised now. His foot was not as swollen as it was in the night. He had a compression garments on his legs that would inflate and deflate at intervals. The nursing staff had applied these soon after he had returned from surgery. They told her that the device would help to prevent blood clots and help improve his blood pressure.

She tucked the blankets around him and moved to take his right hand again. His heart rate was almost near normal now with an occasional skip. Almost all the fluid had been drained from around his heart. The Dr had explained that he was in severe shock from his injuries and his heart had not pumped the blood through his body as it should, causing the fluids to build up around his heart. This fluid had been enough to kill him. His body was stronger than she had thought.

The nurses had frequently came in to move him and suction the remaining blood from his breathing tube. He had needed suctioned less frequently through the morning hours. The nurses said that this was a good sign.

His intra cranial pressure had not raised through the night but had actually gone down to normal levels. The Dr came in early and removed the catheter in his skull. Lee looked better without the dressing to his head. At least she could brush his hair and kiss him fully on the forehead. He did have a bare patch above his right ear where the monitor had been. A single stitch sealed the entry point. Strips of tape held the skin together in his hairline above his left eye.

The staff notified her that they would try to wean Lee from the ventilator later in the day. First, tests and x-rays would have to be done to make sure that he could safely take him off the coma inducing drugs and get him to breathe on his own. All the staff really liked Lee. All the nurses called him "cutie pie" and "handsome". She didn't mind, they were all so nice and good to him.

She had helped them a few times turn Lee and make sure he was comfortable. He had coughed a few times while being turned, setting off the vent alarm and causing a general fuss from all the medical staff, so the Dr decided it was time to put him on an assisted breathing cycle. This meant Lee would breathe on his own for a while and then the vent would take over. His body was still too weak to allow him to completely breathe on his own.

Later in the evening, Billy visited again, looking somewhat refreshed after a good night's sleep. The team had found the "boss". A German terrorist owned Cosco Labs. He was working on items of bioterrorisim to sell to the highest bidder. He was picked up and held for arraignment. The company was to be shut down. All the remaining "patients" were treated with antidotes and released after they had recovered. Even Agent Baker had fully recovered and would be released. He had come over to Lee's room in a wheelchair to visit. He had been taken off the street, as had Lee. Lee's Corvette had been found not too far from one of his regular drops. Lee would be pleased that his car had escaped unblemished, unlike himself.

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He felt as if he were drowning. Sick and cold, he struggled to awaken. He tried to call out, finding he had no voice. Also, he found he lacked the strength to move. Pain shot through his body and he struggled with accompanying nausea. He did manage to open his eyes slightly. His head felt heavy. He heard strange gurgling and whooshing noises. Trying to look around he found he could still not move. Then, he noticed the tubes that invaded his nose and mouth. Panicking, he tried to call out for Amanda. This proved to be a futile attempt as pain overtook him and he lost consciousness again.

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DAY 3 A.M.

The next morning, the x-ray tech arrived to take x-rays of Lee's chest, head and knee. Lee continued to breathe some on his own, but the machine mostly took over. Most of the blood from his lung was being drained into the chest tube now instead of backing up in the endotracheal tube. This meant that his lung had stopped bleeding. He still wasn't out of the woods yet. He still could have multiple complications such as pneumonia or blood clots.

He had been given 4 pints of blood. She thought she had seen him try to move. He appeared to be shivering slightly. Concerned, she called one of the staff to check on him. He had a temperature of 101.2 The nurse explained that fever often accompanied surgery and severe trauma such as Lee had endured. He would need more frequent monitoring so a temperature sensor was placed under his right arm. Amanda wrapped another blanket around him to help keep him warm. They assured her that he still looked fine and was doing extremely well despite the severity of his injuries.

Night had fallen. It had been almost 48 hours since he had been missing. The ventilator continued to assist his breathing efforts. To Amanda, it seemed like an eternity was spent in waiting for Lee to awaken. Most of her day was spent reading the current news aloud to him and pouring her love into him by soft, consoling words and tender touches to his battered body. She had also assisted in his daily care. It pained her to see him in this condition, unable to move or tell her that he loved her. She longed for his voice and his dimpled, boyish grin.

She took his hand again as she had earlier and held it to her cheek. He felt more alive and warm to her now. He had stopped shivering and his temperature had settled at 100.9 He had been taken off the paralyzing and coma inducing drugs that evening. He needed to awaken somewhat to be freed from the ventilator. The tubes from his body continued to drain, although the fluids ran clearer now. Even his urine had been bloody due to injury to his left kidney. He must have been kicked several times in the left side. She couldn't see much of his chest and stomach for the gauze wrapping to his body but she guessed that most of it was bruised badly. He would be in a great deal of pain when he did awaken. She sat by his bedside and watched for a sign that he would recover soon.

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DAY 4 early A.M.

Pain. Suffocating pain. His head hurt. His body hurt. Straining to remember, thoughts occurred to him. He was on his way to meet his contact. Some kind of information about a lab experiment. He was jumped by a group of brutes that held him pinned to the ground while he was given an injection. He fought off the drowsiness that was caused by the tranquilizer that he had been shot up with. He knew he would loose consciousness quickly. He had to get away. He fought like hell but was quickly brought down by a severe pain to his left shoulder. A bullet had ripped through the flesh and fabric. Falling, he remembered being kicked everywhere, face, chest and sides. Several times. He had freed himself only to be trapped in a dark alleyway. He had tried to climb a fire escape ladder but darkness had overtaken him halfway up the ladder. Pain. He must have fallen, hitting his head and banging up his knee. His chest felt crushed and he found it hard to catch his breath.

Pain. Darkness and pain. He tried to cry out for help but lacked the strength to fight for the breath to get it out. A shrill screaming noise came from the darkness. No, it was not himself. Amanda? Could she be in pain too? He couldn't let this happen. He willed himself to move but met with more pain. Inky blackness and pain.

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He didn't know how long he had been out but the screaming had stopped. He decided not to move again but just listed to the sounds and try to work out his location. He heard voices, soft voices. What were they saying? He caught pieces like, "squeezed my hand" and "don't fight the ventilator" and "relax". How could he relax when he didn't even know where he was. Was Amanda there? He couldn't tell, the voices were floating so far away. He tried again to call out for her but couldn't. The shrill scream went off in his head again, or was it over his right shoulder?

He opened his eyes to a grey, thick fog. His mouth felt parched. Struggling to see, the voices became clearer.

"You have a tube in your mouth, Mr. Stetson. Don't try to talk right now, OK?"

A familiar voice then said, "I love you." It was Amanda. He tried to blink away the fog that shrouded his head. A cool hand touched his forehead, followed by what felt like a kiss.

"Don't overexert yourself, Lee. You were very seriously injured. You have chest and abdominal trauma that you had surgery for to repair the damage. You are breathing with assistance from a ventilator. Your left lung needs to heal before the tube can be taken out of your chest." Amanda tried to explain what had happened to him but he was so tired....so tired.

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Amanda noticed he was struggling to keep his eyes open. She wasn't sure he realized how dangerously injured he really was. Her heart had leaped when she felt him move his arm and squeeze her hand. Then, seeing his hazel eyes looking around was almost too much. She was overjoyed to think he was finally awake. He kept fighting against the vent settings, causing the equipment to sound alarms. At one point, he tried to speak, causing another alarm to sound. She tried to explain to him but he was so exhausted and had a hard time staying conscious. The Dr had ordered some morphine for his pain control but the dose remained very low because he needed to wake up. She just hoped he would awaken again soon.

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DAY 4 A.M.

She must have fallen asleep because it was morning when she opened her eyes. She lay slumped over on the right side of Lee's bed. She even had managed to hold on to his hand through the night as if it were a lifeline between them. Stretching, she studied his still form. Still pale, he seemed to be simply asleep.

"Good morning, sweetheart." She said to him gently while smoothing down his soft brown hair. The cut in his hairline was healing nicely and would barely leave even a faint scar.

She thought of mother and the boys. She had told them last night that Lee had been seriously injured. They knew the risks involved that came with their jobs. The boys had matured since Lee had come to move in after they had been wed. It seemed like yesterday when they were wed, secretly. Actually, it had been little over a year. She told them she was staying with him at the Agency's hospital unit. They voiced their concerns, mainly because they couldn't visit him. They loved Lee just as Lee loved his new family. He had told her once that her family had been the only true family he had ever really known, other than his Uncle and the Agency. She got up from her chair and padded to the door and down the short hallway. She had to clear her head. She wasn't wanting to go to the Q-Bureau just yet. She knew she would breakdown just by sensing Lee's presence there. She prayed for a miracle to happen and have him return to health again. She knew his body was strong and conditioned to handle some stress, but how much stress could even the great Scarecrow handle?

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She returned to his room to find the nurses had turned him on his right side to face the door. The Dr stood at the desk, waiting for her to return.

"Amanda", he entered the room behind her. "Lee is steadily recovering. He is still very weak and his condition fragile. I hear he woke up last night."

She told the Dr about his awakening and fighting the ventilator settings.

"Last night, the vent settings were lowered even more. He is now mostly breathing on his own. Judging by the vent records he was assisted only 3 times through the night and that was only for about 15 minutes each time. I'm going to continue to let him breathe on his own and disconnect the vent this morning. If he looks like he is having problems breathing let one of the staff know."

She nodded. He continued to tell her that his right knee was cracked and would heal on its own. He had torn some ligaments and tendons but would mostly heal with time. He doubted that surgery would be needed unless the ligaments didn't properly heal. A lot of fluid had accumulated in the knee joint so he was going to draw it off later in the day. Also, the center chest tube that was draining off the pericardial fluids would be removed and his dressings would be changed.

One of the nurses came in a few minutes after the Dr had left and set up a breathing treatment for Lee. This was to aid in clearing his lungs. It made him cough. A lot. Amanda felt slightly sick when he was being suctioned this time. The blood that she remembered suctioning from his tube was not like this. The drainage this time was very thick. His breaths came very harsh and raspy.

"It's OK Lee, cough for me. The nurses coached him on. He tried to reach up with his right had to pull at the tube in his mouth and Amanda came over to hold his hands still. She was amazed at just how strong he was even though he was badly injured. He continued to cough weakly even after the treatment had finished. His whole body shook and his furrowed brow told her that he was in a great deal of pain. His hands had to be placed in soft restraints because he continued to try to pull out the endotracheal tube. After a while, he stopped coughing and seemed to rest. Suddenly, she felt very tired. She went over and lay across the couch by the door. There, she could see him lying in the bed. It didn't take long before she was fast asleep.

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DAY 4 Nighttime

Silence. He could only hear his harsh breathing and the rapid beating of his heart. Amanda? Where could she be? He knew it was her that had spoken to him earlier. She mentioned something about surgery and chest tubes. He tried opening his eyes again. His vision was still clouded but could see some light in a doorway ahead of him. He tried to wipe his eyes with his left had but pain radiated down his arm from his injured shoulder. He tried his right hand. This time he found he could move it without a great deal of pain. Moving his hand toward his face, he tried to feel at the tubes in his nose and mouth but his arm met with resistance. 'What the hell happened to me?' He looked around for a hint of his whereabouts. He found he couldn't move much for the pain that promptly ensued. He saw all sorts of monitors to his left, IV bags hung above his head. He had to be in the hospital somewhere, but where was Amanda? He tried calling out but remembered the tube in his throat. A movement caught his attention and he slightly turned his head. The figure moved quickly to his side. The familiar face was so reassuring to him. It was his Amanda!"

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Amanda woke from her nap to find Lee had awakened again. She watched him as he slowly raised his right hand toward his face. She had rushed to his side as she thought he might try to pull the tubes free. She saw the sparkle of recognition in his eyes as she approached his bedside, unlike the drugged look he had earlier that morning. He had tried to say something but only a gagging sound was emitted. She tried to console him "Shhh....don't talk right now".

The nursing staff then had arrived to check his vital signs and mental status. He wasn't confused and he responded correctly by a nod or shake of his head. The Dr was notified and was on his way in to examine Lee again. He was trying to move around in the bed to get more comfortable. Amanda knew he was hurting pretty bad. When asked where the pain was that he felt, he had pointed to his left shoulder and chest area and then his head. His left eye was still swollen and had turned dark with bruising. His left side of his forehead was also dark and bruised. The Dr would be in shortly and more pain medicines would be given since he had regained consciousness.

The Dr made his rounds to see Lee. After Lee had been given another dose of pain medication, the Dr numbed his right knee and inserted a long needle to drain the fluid from his injured knee joint into a syringe.

The Dr spoke to Lee about his injuries and Amanda filled him in on the details of his capture and rescue which had led to the closure of Cosco Labs. It took the Dr, two nurses and Amanda to help Lee to a sitting position to remove the dressings that were wrapped around his torso. His left shoulder wound was healing very well. The .32 bullet had lodged in the flesh, only chipping the bone. After the dressings were removed they gently placed him on his back again. The Dr then proceeded to remove the drain from the center of his chest. Lee grasped Amanda's hand tightly while the procedure was being done. She noticed that he had began to break out into a cold sweat. The Dr then ordered a little more pain medication. His abdomen and chest was swollen and a network of large purple bruises were almost black in some areas. A drainage tube exited his left chest wall. He also had another tube in his side near his beltline that was draining the blood that had filled his abdominal cavity from his torn spleen. Two small cuts near his navel was all that he had to show that he had laproscopic surgery to remove his spleen. Luckily, his intestines hadn't been damaged or ruptured from the beating and kicks he had received.

Lee had tried to help them by holding some of the tubes and wires so they wouldn't be in their way when the dressings were removed. The bulky surgical dressings were replaced by lighter ones that were taped in place. After all the moving around and redressing, Lee was exhausted. He had pointed to the tube in his mouth, indicating that he wanted it taken out. The Dr stated that he had been breathing fully on his own for nearly 14 hours so he didn't really see the need for it . The tube was just making sure his airway was open "just in case". Removal of the endotracheal tube caused Lee's body to spasm with forceful coughs. An oxygen mask then replaced the tube. He still needed the nasogastric tube in his nose for now. His stomach was empty but he still had some light fluids that had been brought up by the suction. He didn't need to stress his body more by vomiting right now.

Amanda brushed his teeth, as he was too weak to do it by himself. After applying some moisturizer to his dry lips, she adjusted the oxygen mask about his face. Then, the drugs took him over and he fell into a deep, peaceful sleep that was uninterrupted by screaming machines and pain in the darkness.

**************************************************************************** * Amanda watched as his eyes fluttered open and then closed. She spoke softly to him as she adjusted the oxygen mask to his face and tucked the blankets around his now bare chest. His temperature continued to be slightly elevated at 100.4

"You need to rest now Lee.", she brushed a hand through his sweat dampened hair. His eyes met hers and she was so happy to see them.

"I missed you.", she said to him, pulling the blankets closer to his chin.

"Rest now, don't fight it. Sleep....shhh...". He was very vulnerable to sleep at this moment and he let it overtake him. Amanda sat on the edge of his bed and smiled. Lee would be alright.

**************************************************************************** *

DAY 4 NIGHT

He felt as if he had slept for a hundred years. If it weren't for the dull pain that was slowly returning to his battered body he could have slept more. Squinting against the light above his head, he looked around the room. It was very quiet compared to earlier when he was awake. He saw Amanda sleeping soundly on the couch in his room. He knew she had stayed by his side and had to be as exhausted as he was. He had felt her presence through the drug induced coma he had endured.

He tried flexing his arms. A sharp pain radiated down his left arm. He gasped and gritted his teeth against the pain. Willing the pain to cease, he closed his eyes.

"Lee?", he heard someone call his name. Again, "Lee, sweetheart?"

He opened his eyes to a lovely sight. It was Amanda.. She was gazing into his eyes like a worried mother does her children. "Are you OK?", she asked.

He tried to speak to her but his mouth was so dry. For a moment he wondered if the tube was back in his throat. He reached up with his right hand to touch his face. An oxygen mask covered his nose and mouth. He pulled it free so he could see Amanda better. She helped him to remove the mask, being careful not to dislodge the nasogastric tube in his nose. Amanda smoothed her hand over his hair. "Hi there sleepyhead."

It was all he could do to smile back at her. He took a deep breath and immediately wished he hadn't. He started coughing that brought searing pain to his chest and stomach. As the coughs racked his body, Amanda held the oxygen mask up to his face. "Breathe, Lee, breathe."

One of the nurses gave him a sip of water that helped tremendously. His throat was parched and raw from the endotracheal tube that had helped him to breathe and had been removed. He felt the nasogastric tube sticking to the back of his throat with each swallow. Oh, how he hated hospitals. After the coughing fit subsided, he continued to feel pain inching into every part of his body. The nurse asked if he was hurting and he slowly nodded. She proceeded to inject more pain medication into his IV line.

He tried talking to Amanda that came out as a dry croak, ". water". He pointed to his throat. The nurse indicated by nodding to Amanda that it was OK for him to have more. Amanda held the straw up to his lips and he took a long drink.

"Easy, Lee. Small sips, OK?"

He didn't know why it was so important that he should take small sips when the water was being sucked up by the tube in his stomach anyway. The nurse had set up an oxygen cannula for him and adjusted the prongs around the tube in his nose. He looked down at his leg. His right knee had been throbbing with each beat of his heart. He then tried to raise his head and shoulders for a better look around but severe pain in his head and chest halted the movement.

"Lee, what's wrong?", Amanda looked into his pain filled hazel eyes.

He wouldn't admit it but he was very frightened. She must have noticed it because she lowered the rail and sat on the edge of his bed. Cradling his aching head, she proceeded to tenderly kiss him. "Oh, Lee I've missed you. When I saw you in that lab I thought you were gone forever."

He brought up his good arm to gently touch her face. "My Amanda" he whispered. Looking into her dark brown eyes, he felt as if he were in heaven. All of his fears seemed to melt away.

She then elevated the head of his bed until he was in a semi-reclining position. She gave him a few more sips of water, then proceeded to fold down his blankets. He let her play nurse to him then. She lifted his hospital gown to show him his injuries. He looked down as he gingerly felt of his stomach. Seeing the tubes that ran from his chest wall and stomach made him feel weak and queasy. He laid his head back against the pillows and closed his eyes for a moment.

Amanda gently lowered his gown, noticing his discomfort. "Lee, I'm sorry" She took his right hand. He opened his eyes and nodded, "It's OK". His voice was but a whisper. The pain medication made his head swim and he felt warm and sick all over. He raised a shaking hand to his head. "Ooh", He looked to Amanda. "I don't feel so good." What little color he had just drained from his face and he began to shake and sweat. She placed a cold cloth on his forehead and another one on the back of his neck. Immediately, a nurse appeared to check his dressings and his vital signs. Amanda continued to sit at his bedside, consoling him with her words and gentle caresses.

"Mr. Stetson, your body is still in a state of shock from all your injuries. You've lost quite a bit of blood and the pain medications we are giving you are very strong. You need your rest. Don't fight sleep."

She then lowered the head of the bed to where he lay almost flat. "Your blood pressure is a little low. I need you to lay still for a while and most importantly, you need sleep." She elevated the foot of the bed to where it was slightly higher than his head. After a few minutes, he felt a little better. His head was buzzing from all the pain medication he had been given. Amanda still was by his side, looking worriedly into his face.

**************************************************************************** *

DAY 5 early A.M.

She felt helpless. The man she loved lay sick and injured in a hospital bed. He was too weak to even move. She felt bad for him. He had always been so strong. Now, pale and sickly, she knew it was frustrating for him. She could see it in his eyes. Although he would never admit it, he was scared. Hospitals had always instilled fear and distrust in him.

She had kept Billy informed of Lee's progress by short visits to his office. Billy had visited him a few times, joking that "Scarecrow had all the pretty ladies waiting on him hand and foot". Of course, Lee had always been asleep or unconscious when Billy had visited.

She could hardly bear to see him in so much pain. Sometimes even as he slept he would cry out in pain. She tried her best to help relieve his pain by gentle massages and warm compresses but he continued to moan in discomfort. More pain medication would only compound his problems by putting him back into a drug-induced coma. Not only that, but he could possibly go into respiratory arrest again. She didn't want him to be in pain but she didn't want him to relapse and possibly die from being over medicated.

She was irritated at the situation that had led to his condition. The cruelty of some individuals to cause so much pain and suffering. She began to cry, not for herself but for Lee. She readjusted his oxygen tubing and then the nasogastric tubing as it looked to be pulling at his nose. Everything about him looked wrong. She went to fixing his right knee and leg upon the pillows, then made sure that tubes and wires were not pulling loose anywhere. She then covered his still form with blankets. His head was still slightly lower than his feet and some pinkness had returned to his cheeks.

"Mmm...Manda", she heard him breathe her name.

She went to him, placing a hand on his chest. "I'm here, Lee."

He rolled his head around to face her. "I want to go home.", he moaned. At that moment he was like a small helpless child, asking for something he knew was impossible for him to have.

She smiled at him. "I know sweetheart..... I know." She looked into his tearful hazel eyes and her heart and soul began to melt.

"My 'Manda. Don't cry", his voice was a little stronger now. "I'm gonna' be good as new in a few days." He slurred his words little as if he were very drunk. "What's that stuff they're givin' me?", he looked up at the IV pump.

The nurses had warned Amanda that he may become somewhat confused. "You're getting some fluids, antibiotics, and some stuff to help you rest so you can heal".

"How long have I been here?" She knew he would ask it eventually.

"Five days.", she replied.

He looked around the room and tried to rise. She placed a restraining hand on his chest. "You're OK, Lee. You don't have to go anywhere. You 're safe here." He grabbed her wrist with his right hand. He had an urgent look about him. "I gotta' go." She didn't get what he had just asked until he nodded down toward his feet and moved his hand toward his hip. Amanda felt silly.

"Oh Gosh! Relax Lee.", she laughed. He looked at her strangely. "You probably just feel like that. There's a tube in your bladder that has been draining your urine."

"Oh," he then relaxed a bit, blushing. She checked the catheter to make sure it wasn't kinked, causing him even more discomfort. His urine was almost clear now, only a trace of pink remained. He was lucky that his organs hadn't started to fail him. "Manda..."

"Yes, Lee"

"I love you" He closed his eyes, a smile played across his lips and he fell asleep.

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DAY 5 A.M.:

Another day brought soft light through the blinds in Lee's darkened room. He had slept soundly all night. At regular intervals, the nursing staff had taken turns checking in on him and making sure that the pump that gave him his pain medication was functioning properly. The Dr had switched him to a continuous dose of morphine that was administered by an IV pump.

He woke to find that Amanda was not in the room with him. He remembered feeling somewhat better than he had on the previous day. The pain in his body was more tolerable. He pushed away the blankets from his chest and rubbed at his aching left shoulder. It felt awkward not to have much use of his left arm and hand but he could manage being right handed for a while. He was afraid to move around in the bed very much. He didn't want to dislodge any of the tubes or wires that lay crossed over his body. The tube in his right nostril had become very irritating to him. He wanted very much to pull it out himself but knew it was there for good reason. He rubbed his face and ran his hand through his hair.

His movement must have alerted the nursing staff for they rushed to his side. They told him Amanda had went home in the night to get some sleep and check on her mother and the boys.

They also filled him in on his status. His left lung was fully expanded now so the drainage tube in his chest would be removed. The tube in his abdomen still had some fluids that were draining so it would remain for a few more days. His blood pressure had risen to a normal level through the night but he continued to be slightly feverish. He asked them about removing the nasogastric tube. He hadn't noticed but it was disconnected from the suction and was clamped off. They explained to him that it would be removed after his bowel sounds returned to normal and he had successfully held down some liquids. Removal could possibly be later that day.

The staff proceeded to change his dressings and help him wash up before Amanda returned. He knew she would be pleased that he was recovering.

After the sponge bath and shave the nurses had administered to him, he was fully exhausted. He had fallen asleep a couple of times while they attended to his needs. He was rolled from one side of the bed to the other as they changed his sheets with expert ease. Another breathing treatment caused him to cough and gag on the thick phlegm from his battered lungs. Afterwards, he was given some additional medicine to help him relax while the chest tube was removed. The Dr came in and removed it although Lee barely knew it. Drugged, he slipped down into a restful slumber again.

**************************************************************************** **

DAY 5:

Later in the day when he came to, one of the staff had brought him some more ice water and popsicles to help ease his raw throat and help stimulate his stomach. For this he was entirely grateful. He was raised to a semi-sitting position in the bed, this time without syncope. They urged him to sleep, telling him it was normal for him to be asleep more than he was awake right now. His body needed to heal. After he was given a small amount of clear broth, he felt sleep tug at his eyelids again and he gave in to it.

**************************************************************************** *

DAY 5 evening

Billy and Francine arrived later to check on Lee. Billy knew that Francine and Lee had previously been an item but they were utterly mismatched. He was glad that Amanda had come along to tame Lee's reckless ways. Nevertheless, Francine was very upset when she had heard how seriously injured Lee was.

When they entered Lee's room, Billy heard her sigh deeply, preparing herself to see Lee again, fearing the worst. Lee had always been athletic and strong, always ready for action. He was one of their best field agents. Now, he lay weak and injured , sleeping soundly in the Agency's medical unit.

He was now semi-reclined in the bed, a newspaper lay folded in his lap. Some color had returned to his face. Billy noticed Lee looked more comfortable than he had on his previous visits to the unit. He was still receiving oxygen and the drainage tube was still taped to his nose. His vital signs were being continuously monitored and he was still receiving IV medications through the catheter in his neck.. The bruising on his head and face had started to fade and the cut above his left eye was almost completely healed. He had been in the unit for almost a week and just now he had begun to improve. Before Billy had come up to the unit he had called the desk. The staff informed him that Lee had the chest tube removed and was resting. Even so, it still seemed that he lay covered in tubes draining toxic fluids and wires that monitored his condition. At least he was breathing on his own now. The last time Francine had been to see Lee he was in very critical condition and lay comatose hooked up to a ventilator.

Francine looked to Billy "He looks so peaceful lying there. I'm glad he's going to be OK.", she whispered.

Billy approached Lee's bedside. He glanced at the contents of the bedside table. A half cup of cold coffee and a bowl of half eaten jello was all that remained of his lunch of clear liquids.

Amanda hadn't yet returned. She had called Billy to tell Lee that she would return later in the evening. She had various errands to tend to at home before she came back to the Agency's unit.

Billy gently shook Lee's right shoulder. "Scarecrow..."

"Hmmm.." Lee turned his head toward Billy, eyes still closed.

"Scarecrow..., Lee... It's Billy and Francine."

Lee opened his sleep filled eyes and smiled slightly. "Hey Billy." Looking around he spotted Francine at the foot of the bed. "Francine" Lee ran his right hand through his tousled hair and rubbed the sleep from the corners of his eyes.

"Amanda will be back later, Lee. She's running some errands at home". Billy filled him on the details of his capture and rescue, as Amanda earlier had told him. They sat talking. Lee mostly listened. Francine rattled on about how advanced the staff had become and how good it was to have a medical unit at the Agency now. Lee had to agree. It was much more comforting to know he was not being treated at the hospital where Agency security had become such an issue at times. Lee had started to nod off again so Billy and Francine bid him goodbye.

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DAY 5 nighttime:

Amanda returned at nightfall to find a different Lee Stetson sitting up in the hospital bed. He was clean shaven and wide awake, reading the newspaper and sipping on a cup of broth. The nasogastric tube was missing from his nose and the chest tube was also gone.

When she entered his room he promptly put down his newspaper and smiled at her. "Hello there!", he said, his voice hoarse from the abuse brought on by the now nonexistent tubes that had lain in his throat for so long.

She smiled back at him as she lay down her bags in the nearest chair. "Oh, sweetheart. You sure are a wonderful sight! How are you feeling?" she approached his right side and kissed him fully on the mouth. Warmth had returned to his body and he looked more rested to be as ill as he still was.

He sighed, taking a deep breath from the nasal cannula that supplied him with supplemental oxygen. "I'm not going to lie to you, Amanda. I feel like I've been drug through hell and back again. I hurt all over but the pain meds help. I just hate being so sleepy." His eyes were pleading for her to carry him away from all the pain he felt and she wished that she could do it.

She sat in the bed beside him. "I know what you need.", she kissed him again, this time on the forehead. "You need some TLC. Lay back and relax. Close your eyes.....no peeking."

Lee lay back as she reclined the head of the bed some. She folded his newspaper and placed it on the night stand. She began to rub his shoulders and behind his neck and head. He began to relax and she kissed him tenderly on the lips again. He opened his eyes slightly and started to speak but she placed a finger on his lips. He smiled, content that she was ministering to his injured body.

"Shhh....now what did I tell you, Lee? You need to rest. It's OK that you're sleeping a lot. Your body needs to heal", her voice was calm, teasing him to dream. "Shhh..."

She stroked his face and brow. Then his hair and neck. Lee thought if he weren't so tired and sick, all the attention his body was receiving now would be very erotic. He fell asleep when she began softly rubbing his bruised solar plexus area.

She put some lotion on his dry nose. The tape and tubes had irritated his face. She applied chapstick to his lips. The corners were cracked and raw from the endotracheal tube that had been there.

She brought him his robe and slippers as she guessed that he would try to be up and about soon. She was glad to know that he had drank some fluids without any problems. She sat there by his side for a long time, rubbing his body, being very careful not to hurt him and cause him to awaken. He wasn't used to being sick or injured. The medical staff was good to let her help in his care and provide private time to help ease his fears, like now.

One of the nurses had entered to check on the IV pump that kept beeping. Lee had slept through it. It looked as if the catheter had become dislodged in his vein, causing some resistance. The nursing staff was careful not to awaken Lee as they checked the entry site. They had to stop the infusion of his IV fluids to restart a new line. The nurse hated to awaken Lee to start a new IV line but he promptly fell asleep after the new line had been placed in his left forearm. It had taken them a few minutes to start a new site. They told Amanda that the new line was called a peripherally inserted central catheter or a PICC line. It would probably remain there until he was discharged as it didn't need changed unless a problem occurred as it did with the arterial line.

Lee snored softly, his hands lay folded across his chest. Amanda sat beside him, listening to him breathe.

She remembered the first time they had ever met. He ran up to her in the train station, package in hand, pleading to her for her help. Later, she ran to his aid when he was shot and they were trapped in the mountain cabin at Christmastime. And again as he returned from a trip overseas that had landed him directly in the hospital with a head injury and stab wound in his right arm. That memory sent chills down her spine as she watched him later stage his "death" on the operating table.

She studied his still form. He appeared to be resting, only a hint of discomfort shaded his face. It was quiet in his room now without the constant noise from the ventilator. The only sounds were the occasional inflation and deflation of the compression garments on his legs and the click of the IV pump, delivering much needed fluids and medications to him. She kissed his forehead and rose from his side. He faced a long recovery and she would continue to help him, as she had so many times before.

**************************************************************************** *

DAY 6 early A.M.:

Amanda had slept better that night. She supposed she was getting used to the couch in Lee's room. It was quite comfortable.

The Dr had made his rounds early to see how Lee was doing. Amanda rose from the couch to greet him.

"Hello, Mrs. Stetson. How is Lee doing this morning?"

"Well, he slept good last night but has been in a lot of pain."

"That's to be expected in his condition." he explained.

A rustle of sheets caused them to turn toward the bed. Lee had begun to stir, clutching his chest and moaning. He wasn't fully awake yet. Amanda crossed the room to be at his side again.

"Lee.....Lee?", she touched his cheek.

He jumped, startled at her soft touch. His eyes looked around the room and he blinked rapidly. "Oh, God...", he mumbled, closing his eyes and swallowing hard. His brow furrowed and he took a slow deep breath.

"Honey, what is it?" Amanda asked.

"I hurt...."

Amanda looked to the Dr who had pulled a stethoscope out of his pocket. He listened to Lee's heart and lungs, then his stomach.

"Lee, where do you hurt and how does the pain feel?"

Lee looked at him and explained. "I hurt all over but the pain in my chest woke me up just now. It feels like someone is stabbing me straight through to my back." He was clearly having difficulty breathing and was slightly short of breath.

The Dr turned up the oxygen control on the wall a little. "Try to breathe deeply, Lee. Does your chest feel tight?" Lee nodded slowly without speaking. "You may be developing pneumonia. I'm going to order more X- rays this morning.

Grimly, Lee looked to Amanda. He felt for her hand. She grasped his hand and he held it tightly. The Dr left Lee's room to review his chart.

Lee tried his best to breathe normally but could only take short, painful breaths. His face became serious as he spoke to Amanda. "I don't want to die, Amanda. I'm so scared." She wiped away the tears in her eyes and then proceeded to wipe his away. "I don't want to die.....Amanda?"

"Yes, Lee."

"Don't let them put those tubes back in me, OK?". His eyes were fiercely pleading out to her. All she could do was cry. "I just want to go home with you."

He started to become very restless, shaking all over. She feared he would have another seizure. The nurses rushed in to administer something to help him calm down in his IV line.

"Just calm down, Lee." they advised. "We'll help you. We're not going to let anything happen to you, OK?"

He continued to tremble, breathing rapidly. His heart rate had increased and so had his temperature.

"We're giving you something to help you calm down so you can breathe." As the nurse reached up to administer more medication, Lee grabbed her hand. "I don't want those tubes back. Anything but that!"

Amanda gently took his hand away from the nurse's wrist. "Look at me Lee." she softly ordered. He gazed deeply into her eyes and she could see the pain and fear reflecting in his face. "You'll be OK. You're just having a little problem breathing right now. I won't let anything happen to you. Trust me."

He sighed. "I trust you, my Amanda."

He had visibly begun to relax. The nurse whose wrist he had grabbed continued to push more medication in his IV port. Lee looked over to her,"Hey, I'm sorry... I just freaked out a little." She replied, smiling "It's OK Cutiepie. Just rest for me OK? No tubes right now, I promise. Everything is going to be OK." She patted him on the hand.

He closed his eyes for a moment. His heart rate and breathing had slowed some. His temperature had settled at 103 degrees. After all the meds were given, x-rays taken and lab work drawn, all they could do was wait for the results.

**************************************************************************** * Lee lay resting for a while. His pulse had slowed to almost normal. He still had some difficulty catching his breath. Amanda had thought the extra medication had put him back to sleep. She looked over at him only to find him gazing at her. He smiled weakly. She sat beside of him on his bed, gently caressing his still bruised head.

"Amanda. I want to tell you a few things...about me."

She wondered what it could possibly be. They held no secrets from each other. He closed his eyes at the memory. "You know my parents died when I was five." She nodded. His eyes held so much pain, welled up inside of him for his lost parents. Tearfully, he explained to her that they hadn't died instantly. He remembered his mother, lying in a hospital bed. The doctors unable to help her as she slowly died. He was told his father had died during surgery a few hours later. The experience had forever etched itself in Lee's memory. For a five year old boy to lose his parents like that was very traumatic. "That's why I hate hospitals. The thought of my parents dying like that just makes me want to run the other way." He began to cry, violent sobs racked his body.

She practically lay in bed with him, tenderly placing her arm around his chest, careful not to dislodge the wires and tubes that remained attached to him. His sobbing stopped and he slept. She wiped the tears from his face and eyes. Now she understood why he was so fearful of hospitals and doctors. She only hoped he wouldn't relapse and have to be put back on the ventilator again. She lay there, snuggling close to him, breathing in his unique scent until she too was fast asleep.

**************************************************************************** *

An hour later, the Dr returned to find them both sleeping soundly side by side. Amanda was curled around Lee's left side. It looked as if she would fall of the edge of his bed at any minute. He didn't want to wake either of them, especially Lee. He desperately needed his rest. He glanced at the monitors, making sure Lee's vital signs and oxygen levels were stable. The antianxiety medication he had been given had helped to calm him. Right now, the best medication he could prescribe for Lee was Amanda.

**************************************************************************** *

DAY 6 early evening:

Amanda woke a few hours later. She thought she had felt Lee try to move. He continued to sleep even after she rose from her place by his side. She was worried about him. He was very sick and didn't look too good. She walked out into the hall to the desk. She saw the Dr there and he called her over.

"Mrs. Stetson. I've got good and bad news. The bad news is that Lee has pneumonia in his left lung." Amanda felt her heart drop to the floor. "The pneumonia was brought on by the fluid and blood that had been trapped in his lung. Also the collapse of his lung didn't help either. The good news is that he needs to try to be sitting up and moving about. It will be hard for him as he is still very weak. He still needs plenty of rest to heal properly and he will be very tired and no doubt cranky. I want to keep him on the fluids and liquid diet for now. The oxygen he is receiving is very important too. I also want to keep him on the morphine pump. He won't feel like moving around if he is in too much pain. Most importantly, he needs your support. He loves and trusts you. I can see it in his eyes when he looks at you. You are his most important asset right now."

She smiled and thanked the Dr. Relieved, she returned to Lee's room.

He had turned over slightly, his back was now facing the door. She approached him and gently massaged some lotion into his back. He moaned softly but didn't awaken. She moved down to rub his lower back and hips. He had lain on his back most of the time he had been in the medical unit. She knew that a massage would help to ease his pain.

He began to stir, waking slowly. "'Manda....Where are you?"

She placed a hand on his back. "I'm right here, sweetheart."

He rolled over and groaned, holding his left shoulder. He was breathing more evenly now. "Amanda, what happened to me earlier this morning. Why was I having all that pain and trouble breathing?"

She told him what the Dr had told her except the part about herself.

He looked away from her. "Amanda.... I'm sorry."

"Oh Lee. What do you have to be sorry about?"

He looked over at her. "Everything, I guess. By all rights I should be dead. I hate to drag you into all this", he indicated the monitors. "You should be home resting."

Amanda touched his forehead, still hot to her touch. "No, Lee. I should be here with you. You are my husband and my life. I love you very much. There's nowhere else I would rather be than here with you, sick or not."

He smiled at that. "So, when can I get up and out of here. I'm ready to go home." He looked around. She smiled. Lee sounded like his old self again instead of the scared five year old that had just lost his parents.

**************************************************************************** *

DAY 6 Evening:

Lee slept soundly through the evening, without further panic attacks. The Dr had explained to Amanda that the medications that Lee was receiving, combined with the pain and shock, could have precipitated the panic he had felt. Also, his oxygen levels had dropped somewhat due to congestion from the pneumonia in his left lung. Amanda had kept a constant vigil at his bedside. Billy had tried to get her to go home but she couldn't leave Lee alone to be further scared and frightened. Now that she understood the root of his hospital-phobia she could better help ease his fears. He had grown up basically alone, without the love of a true mother and father. Now, she couldn't leave him alone. Her family was his family.

**************************************************************************** *

One of the nurses arrived later to administer another breathing treatment. A cool steaming mask was applied to his face. He was groggy, still recovering from his earlier attack.

"Lee, wake up." Amanda stroked the side of his neck. He cracked his eyes open a bit only to have them fall shut again. "Lee, you need to breathe deep for me." She grasped his hands, gently shaking them. Through his sleep he must have heard her for he sighed deeply. The medication in the breathing treatment needed to reach deep into his airways to loosen up the congestion in his lungs. "Come on, you can do it again for me." She still was squeezing his hands.

He breathed again, moaning to her "It hurts, Amanda"

"I know sweetheart but you've got to do it to get better."

He began to cough. "Oh, no..."he moaned, stifling back another cough.

Amanda held tighter to his hands. "It's OK to cough, Lee. You need to clear out your lungs." His now open eyes reflected the pain and discomfort he was feeling. The nurse had given him a pillow to splint his chest and stomach with as his bed was elevated to a sitting position. As the coughs erupted from his body, Amanda did her best to console him. He gripped to the pillow that surrounded his torso as he coughed.

After the treatment was finished, he fell back into the bed, gasping. His lips were slightly blue and the numbers fell on the monitor that showed his oxygen level. He was still very groggy whether it was the medication or exhaustion she didn't know.

"Lee, cough really hard for me." The nurses instructed. His breaths were sounding very congested and wheezing. Amanda feared the worst as Lee wasn't responding. "Lee!" the nurse shook him by the shoulders. Still there was no response. The nurse quickly attached a thin tube to the suction canister on the wall and turned it on. Amanda watched helplessly as she inserted the tube in Lee's mouth and throat to suction out the thick mucous that was partially blocking his airway. He then began to cough and gag on the tubing as it was withdrawn, bringing up more mucous with it. After a few times doing this, he could breathe more freely.

The oxygen cannula was removed and an oxygen mask was placed on his face. He needed a higher concentration of oxygen to help to raise his oxygen blood saturation. Occasionally, he would cough again, bringing up more thick secretions from his lungs which was suctioned out by one of the nursing staff.

"Why isn't he waking up?" Amanda asked one of the nurses who was tending to Lee.

"Its going to take some time. The pneumonia has sapped him of his strength for now. With his oxygen levels dropping he will be very lethargic and may be somewhat confused. After his lungs clear out some he will be OK. Don't worry Mrs. Stetson. He's a fighter."

His oxygen level and vital signs had improved after several minutes. He lay there, looking small and helpless still covered in wires and tubes. She had thought he was getting better only to have the current setback. She sighed, silently wishing for Lee to recover so she could take him home to his family, who needed him as much as he needed them.

**************************************************************************** **

DAY 7 A.M.:

Lee lay sleeping or unconscious, she couldn't tell which, all night. At least he rested without choking or much coughing. Amanda never left his side, fearing he would need suctioned again. His skin had began to take back its pinkish hue come morning and he slowly began to stir.

**************************************************************************** **

"Lee?" He heard his name being called by Amanda through his sleep.

"What did they give me? I feel so bad." he asked, his eyes still remained closed. He felt as if his voice were ringing in his ears. Opening his eyes he saw Amanda beside him looking down at him in concern. He felt cold and sick. He also lacked the strength to move his arms and legs. He felt icy hands touching his stomach and chest.

"Lee, can you hear me?", a male voice inquired of him. It was the Dr. It was all he could do just to nod his head. His mouth felt sticky and dry and he felt another coughing spasm coming on.

"It's OK Lee. Cough up all the phlegm that you can." the Dr instructed of him. Amanda lifted up his oxygen mask so he could cough up more secretions into a small basin that she held to his mouth. The coughing sent searing pain down his left side and back. His stomach was so sore.

"I'm going to take the drain out of your abdominal cavity. The swelling and drainage in your stomach has gone down." Lee was happy to hear such news but was too sick to show his enthusiasm. The drainage tube was clamped off and pulled free from his abdomen, only a small hole remained which was stitched up with 3 sutures. It didn't hurt much, as he was still sedated from last night.

"Thanks, Doc." was his weak reply. The oxygen mask was irritating to him but it was helping him to breathe so he offered no complaint. Amanda offered him a sip of cold water, which he gladly accepted before falling off to sleep again.

**************************************************************************** *

DAY 7:

He woke to find Amanda sleeping in a plush reclining chair pulled up to the left side of his bed. She looked tired.

He felt of his tender stomach. The hardness that was caused by the internal bleeding was gone now but the soreness from the trauma and surgery he had endured still remained. He was glad to have the drain removed from his stomach. He used the rail control to raise his bed up to a sitting position. An oxygen mask covered his mouth and nose. He noticed he was still attached to the monitors at his bedside. Compression garments covered his legs and the Foley catheter was still draining his urine. The throbbing in his head still remained even though he felt somewhat better. His left shoulder was throbbing and the PICC line was still in his left forearm. Several bags of IV fluids ran through pumps to his body delivering much needed fluids and medications to him. The central catheter in his neck had been removed when the Dr had removed the abdominal drain. A blood pressure cuff was wrapped around his right upper arm and a pulse oximetry clip was taped to his right index finger.

He very badly needed a sip of water before his dry throat spurred on another coughing fit. He looked around to find his cup on the bedside table to his right. He reached over with his left hand to grasp the cup only to tip it over, spilling it in the process.

"Damn..." he cursed, aggravated at his weakness. 'I can't even get a drink of water for myself.' he thought.

Amanda roused from her sleep when she heard the cup hit the floor. She opened her eyes to find a very irritated Lee Stetson holding his left shoulder, cringing in pain. "Lee, you're awake!"

He groaned in pain then tried to speak to Amanda that only ended in a dry cough. He pulled the mask free from his face, struggling to breathe between coughs, praying for the coughing to cease. Amanda rushed to his side, holding up the pillow to his chest so he could splint his broken ribs and sore stomach. She then noticed he had tried to get a drink of water, spilling it in the process.

Calmly, she poured him a small amount in another cup that was on the table. He reached a shaking hand to hers as she placed the cup up to his lips. He grasped his hands around hers as he drank, emptying the cup then holding it out for a little more. Amanda then let him hold the cup as she poured more water into it from his pitcher. After he had enough, Amanda placed his cup back on the table.

He felt better and his throat was not as dry now. Looking at Amanda he thought he was the luckiest man alive to have someone as wonderful as her.

She went to the closet for a towel to sop up the water that he had spilled. Then she motioned for one of the nurses. They promptly arrived to check him out.

He lay quiet and still as they placed cold hands and icy instruments on his stomach and chest. They shone lights in his eyes and mouth, then changed the dressings to his left shoulder and stomach. The compression garments were removed from his legs as they informed him that he was to get out of bed today. He was glad to hear that and he smiled at Amanda as they checked his vital signs. He felt he could breathe much better but was still weak as a kitten.

Amanda stood back as the medical staff prepared him for the move. He was told to expect pain and some dizziness as he had lain in bed for 7 days. They helped him pull himself up until he sat on the left side of his bed.

Anti-embolism stockings covered his legs. He could tell that his right knee was still swollen, even though it was covered by the stockings. Waves of dizziness and nausea attacked him as he sat there, slowly adjusting to being upright again. His chest hurt and he felt slightly winded. Amanda sat beside him on the bed, supporting him in case he fell over. She spoke to him, encouraging words to reassure him that he was all right. He wished the pain would go away. He noticed that he had begun to sweat. He felt like he would pass out a few times but fought it off. His breath rattled in his chest and he coughed some. He tried closing his eyes to block out some of the discomfort of his situation. He then felt something being placed on his face. Opening his eyes he watched Amanda as she gingerly placed an oxygen cannula up to his face, adjusting the loops around his ears and the prongs in his nose.

"I love you." she stated as she kissed his cheek.

"I love you too." he managed to say through the pain.

After a few moments sitting with her the pain in his body had decreased and he felt like moving again. The soft recliner was placed next to him so the transfer from his bed to the chair would be a smooth one. All of the equipment had been moved to that side also. They had warned him not to place any of his weight on his right leg. It would have to be splinted later after he had regained enough strength to move about on his own. His stomach was so sore he could barely stand up straight, even with all of the assistance he was receiving. Gently, he was placed in the chair and his legs were raised. Amanda pulled his gown over his legs and helped the nurses to straighten his catheter tubing and wires that remained attached to his chest. Amanda placed a warm blanket over him. It felt so good to be warm once again. He was amazed at the way Amanda helped the medical staff.

"Are you comfortable, sweetheart?" she asked.

He nodded as she gently placed his left arm on a stack of pillows she had put in his lap. She wiped the sweat from his face. His head throbbed with each heartbeat and he found it hard to keep his eyes open. Amanda lay him back in the chair so he could rest. And rest he did as he slid into an exhausted sleep.

**************************************************************************** * It had pained Amanda to see Lee struggling just to rise from his bed. He had never needed this much assistance even when he was injured before now. She tried to help him as much as she could. She noticed how pale and sweaty he had become. She knew he was in a great deal of pain, although he would never admit it.

He lay sleeping in the reclining chair. She helped the staff clean up his room and change his bed sheets. They had tried to talk her into going home to rest but she thought of how fragile Lee's condition still was. Even though he knew the medical staff, she didn't feel comfortable leaving him alone. She knew he was still terrified. His wounds were healing quickly but the pneumonia had disrupted his recovery. He continued to need constant monitoring to prevent another relapse. He looked so peaceful. She checked to see if he were breathing. It looked as if his chest was barely moving. He was sleeping very deeply and his breaths were even and unlabored. He was still pale and sickly-looking as he lay in the overstuffed recliner. He had always been strong and tall but now his six foot three inch frame looked small in the large chair.

She heard a small cough behind her and turned to see Francine in the doorway, flower vase in hand full of fresh daisies. She smiled when she saw Lee's still form, sleeping in the chair.

"Hello, Amanda. How is he doing?" she softly asked as she placed the flowers on his night stand.

Amanda filled her in as best she could on Lee's condition.

Francine noticed Amanda's tired look and asked her, "Amanda, when have you got some rest yourself?"

Amanda couldn't remember as the past week seemed like one big day that hadn't ended.

"Amanda, let me take you home." she insisted.

"I can't leave him alone, Francine. You know as well as I do how he is about Drs and hospitals." Amanda pleaded her case but lost out when Francine took her by the arm and walked out of the room, toting her right along "...and you're not going to do Lee any good if you get sick right alongside of him." she was saying. Everything Francine had said to her made perfect sense and she had to agree. "Ill call Billy to come and sit with Lee tonight and I'll sit with him in the morning after I make sure you get some rest."

She then found herself in Francine's car being driven home. Falling asleep on the way, she dreamed of Lee, smiling at her and saying, "Don't worry about me Amanda. I love you." As he kissed her, his hazel eyes sparkled. "Good night, My Amanda."

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DAY 7 evening:

He had sat in the reclining chair most of the day. Billy had come to stay the evening with him. He was relieved that Francine had taken Amanda home to rest. He really didn't feel the need to have someone stay with him although it was a comforting thought. While Lee slept on and off, Billy went through some paperwork he had brought up with him. It was slightly embarrassing to Lee to let Billy see how weak he really was. The nurses helped move him back to the bed later in the evening.

He had been given lots of fluids to drink, broth and tea along with Jello and ice cream. His appetite had slightly returned and he jokingly asked for a T-Bone steak for dinner. Laughing, the nurses promised him a steak dinner after he was fully recovered. Even Billy had been invited. He knew his system wasn't strong enough to digest solid foods just yet anyway. Dinner consisted of more clear broth, applesauce, milk and juice followed by orange sorbet. He tried to feed himself as much as he could only he found he had made a mess of the front of his gown. Billy offered to help but he declined. He felt like a two year old playing with his food but he managed. It was difficult when your left shoulder was decommissioned and there was an oxygen clip and blood pressure cuff holding your right arm.

After dinner, he was helped into a fresh gown. He saw Billy cringe at the sight of his bruised torso.

Night had fallen. He hadn't coughed as much through the day and felt less congested. He supposed most of the congestion had been sucked out on the previous day by the medical staff.

The Dr made his nightly rounds to see Lee again. He was glad to see that Lee was feeling better and was on the road to recovery. Another chest X- ray was taken that later showed the pneumonia was clearing up in his lung. His heart had fully recovered from the pericardial effusion he had suffered. He would be weaned from the morphine as he would be discharged within a few days if he continued to do well. The catheter would be removed after he became mobile enough to make it to the bathroom on his own. The Dr warned him not to rush his recovery. He was still very weak and probably would not be able to walk for at least a couple more days. The stitch in his head was removed and his right leg was measured for a brace. He asked the Dr to call Amanda at home. He couldn't wait for her to hear the good news.

He and Billy talked for a while until sleep won the conversation. He was extremely sore all over but slept better than he had remembered all week. His dreams were of Amanda, reassuring him that he was OK. She took his hand and led him into their bedroom where she helped him to undress completely and help him into bed and under warm blankets. She massaged him, tenderly kissing his still bruised body as he fell asleep.

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DAY 8 A.M.:

Daylight seeped through the blinds in his room as he woke. He guessed that it was early morning. He had slept better last night than he had remembered sleeping in several weeks. Shifting his weight around in the bed brought on spasms of pain and soreness. He groaned as he carefully flexed his arms and legs. He heard someone else stirring around in his room.

"Amanda?"

He tried to raise his head to look around but his ached and pains limited his movement and view. He let his head fall back into the pillow as he gritted his teeth, forcing the searing pain in his stomach to cease.

He felt a hand lightly touch his right arm. "Just a minute." came a soft voice. A light came on and he was momentarily blinded. Blinking several times to focus he couldn't mistake the crown of golden hair for anyone else but Francine. He must have been cringing in pain because Francine was looking worriedly at him.

"Amanda is at home resting. Billy left only a few minutes ago. I told Amanda that I would stay with you until she came back."

Irritated, he stated "Francine, I don't think I need a babysitter. I'm fine." He reached over to the rail control to raise his head up some. Suddenly he began coughing and wheezing. Waves of nausea attacked him and he heaved, coughing up thick phlegm. Francine rubbed his back as he leaned over the basin she placed on his lap.

Mildly scolding him she voiced her concern. "See, you are not fine. You are still very sick, Lee. You don't need to be alone all the time while you are still so weak. The reason I'm here is that I care about you and Amanda." He was glad to hear those words and it seemed to somewhat comfort him.

He glanced apologetically at her. "I'm sorry. I guess I'm just cranky. I just ache all over. I hate being stuck in this bed." His right fist struck out at the mattress beside of his hip as he spoke. His cough subsided and he lay back in the bed.

Francine fingered his hair as he tried to catch his breath. Her action brought back memories to him of times when she did more for him than smooth his sleep tousled hair. He smiled content at the memory. She must have felt his ease as she stiffened, suddenly withdrawing her hand from his hair. Their eyes met for a moment then Francine looked away. They had some good times together but for the most part they constantly bickered. He supposed she was just as stubborn as he was, not allowing a true relationship to form.

He chose Amanda as his wife and he knew it had gutted Francine when she found out about it. He wouldn't change a thing. He still considered Francine a good friend even though she was a true bitch at times.

The room door opened and he was delivered his breakfast. Scrambled eggs, oatmeal and gravy was on the tray. At least it wasn't jello and broth as he had for the past two days. Francine took the tray from the nurse and proceeded to help him with his breakfast. She tucked the napkin around the neck of his gown and placed the tray on the bedside table which she rolled over his lap. She had even started to feed him but he stopped her, slightly embarrassed.

"Um. Francine, Thanks but I'm not so sick that I cant feed myself. Would you just sit with me please?"

She did as he had asked. He found that he didn't make quite a mess this time as he had some use of his left hand now. The swelling in his hand and arm had gone down considerably and the ache in his shoulder was down to a dull throb. His hands shook with weakness as he slowly ate.

After breakfast, Francine excused herself when the nursing staff arrived to help him wash up and dress for the day. He was getting used to their routine. Even through the pain filled drug induced haze, he remembered being gently bathed and cared for by the staff and Amanda.

The sutures in his left shoulder and center of his chest area were removed. Also the stitches that held the small incisions together near his navel where he had the laproscopic surgery to take out his torn spleen were removed. The dressings were then replaced by Band Aids, some large and some small. The stitches where his chest tube and arterial catheter would be removed at a later date as they were still healing over. The stockings on his legs were removed to be replaced by new ones after his knee was checked over. It was the first time he had seen his knee. It was bruised purple and swollen. It throbbed constantly as his shoulder and chest also did.

After the stockings were applied, he was assisted again to the recliner. This time he was better prepared for the pain and accompanying dizziness. After he was settled, the nurse brought him the morning paper and cup of hot coffee. Thanking them, he couldn't help but feel useless. Francine reentered the room, toting a shopping bag along with her. Behind her walked in Amanda, a bag in each hand and an orange held beneath her chin.

"Hello sweetheart!" she said, dropping her bags and orange on his freshly made bed. She rushed over to him, smoothing his hair as she kissed him. She immediately started to mother him by readjusting his oxygen cannula, fluffing his pillow and checking on his IV site. Lee's head was spinning as she talked her nonstop chatter that was uniquely Amanda.

He held a hand to his aching head as he said "Woah! Amanda. Slow down. You're making me dizzy." He smiled at her as she stopped mid-sentence.

He caught Francine's sideways glance and grin as she turned to gather her purse. "I have to go Lee." She moved to his chair, placing a peck on his cheek. "See you later, OK?"

Amanda sat in front of him on his bed as she rummaged in the bags she had brought in with her. His eyes misted over as he read the card from Phillip and Jamie that read 'Get well soon. To a great Step-Dad. We miss you. Come home soon!' Home. There was a word he thought he would never be able to relate to.

"That's not all." Amanda dug around. He was handed a first place Science Fair ribbon that the boys had won. He had helped them in his spare time rig up a radio transmitter out of metal scraps and copper wire. "The boys said this was for you." His heart ached with pride as he took the ribbon from Amanda.

"That's great!" His huge smile reflected his love for them.

"That's what I waited all week to see...." she kissed him full on the mouth. ".....that smile and those dimpled cheeks." She pinched his cheeks. He was still smiling as she took her hands from his cheeks. She had brought other items from home for him. Namely his razor, pajama set, several pairs of blue boxers, and a pair of jeans and sweater in which to wear home. She lay his jacket across the chair in the corner of his room and placed his tennis shoes underneath. Dotty had sent him a get well card also with a tin of her homemade sugar cookies. The office staff sent him a medicine jar full of candies that had a note attached that read 'Take two and call us in the morning. Get well soon!' It was signed by all the staff. Leatherneck had sent him a small box that had a kinky looking nurse that sprang out of it when the button was pushed on the side. After the excitement of all the gifts, he became very sleepy. He slept while Amanda hung his clothes in the closet. **************************************************************************** **

Amanda was overjoyed to see Lee sitting in the chair again. He looked less swollen and was breathing better. His normal color had somewhat returned. His voice was still rough.

The Dr. Had called her last night. For a moment she had feared the worst. Relieved, he explained that Lee was doing much better and could possibly go home in a few days with strict limitations. She had slept all day and night, dreaming of Lee's homecoming.

He now lay stretched out in the recliner again, resting quietly. His boyish features showed no glimmer of pain at the moment. He remained hooked up to the monitors and oxygen. It looked like had fewer IV bags hanging than he had on the previous day. His urine that drained was now straw colored and clear, unlike the red cloud that had been in his catheter bag earlier in the week. She knew he would be glad when his bathroom privileges returned to him. For now, she sat there watching the slow drip of his IV's and listening to his soft breath as he slept.

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DAY 9, 10, and 11:

For Lee, the next two days were pretty much the same. He was slowly progressing to eating solid foods. Amanda rarely left his side. He felt his strength returning and restlessness began to take him over. He still was unable to walk but didn't need much assistance when he moved from his bed to chair and back. His fever had broken and he felt much better. The morphine was discontinued and he was started on a patch for the pain control and injections of Demerol if he needed it for more severe pain. His cough had not completely stopped but his lungs were clear. All of his stitches had been removed and a brace was fitted to his right leg. He still continued to receive IV fluids and antibiotics and the oxygen tubing remained up to his nose. He had been put on wireless telemetry to monitor his heart so he could move around better.

He was brought a walker to aid him in moving around. A physical therapist consulted him on how to move about with his knee injury. The Foley catheter was irritating to him as it got in his way when he tried to move or walk. Amanda had to roll around the IV pole and hold his tubing as he tested his legs and took a few steps around the room. His legs were wobbly and he shook all over with weakness. Just a few weeks ago he had played basketball with his stepsons and jogged 3 miles without getting winded. Now, he had difficulty even taking a few steps. He removed the oxygen cannula so he could go a few more steps.

"Lee, don't overdo it." Amanda warned. Sighing to her, he took a few more steps then turned and headed back to his bed. Amanda followed, making sure he didn't fall. By the time he made the few steps back, he was sweating and exhausted.

After dinner, he tried walking again. This time he made it to the door of his room. All the medical staff on duty cheered for him, clapping and making lots of noise. Even the Dr, who was on duty, clapped and cheered him on. He returned to bed to rest for a while.

His oxygen levels had returned to normal and the Dr advised him to use the supplemental oxygen while he was resting and at night as he slept. His nose was sore where the cannula prongs had been. Amanda had put some moisturizer on his lips and nose as they were still dry.

They shared some of Dotties cookies before Lee settled down for the night. As Amanda reached above his head to turn off the light, he reached up to her with his left hand. She turned to him, embracing him with her loving arms, softly stroking his head and face.

"Here, put this on." she helped him with the oxygen cannula. "It will help you to rest." She gently adjusted it around his ears. "Rest now, Lee. Tomorrow's another day. You'll do better tomorrow, I just know it. Shhhh..." She continued to run her fingers through his hair. It was softer now that she had helped the nurse to shampoo it earlier in the day. He felt himself relax and he fell asleep.

**************************************************************************** **

DAY 12 A.M.:

After rousing to breakfast, Amanda helped him change into his pajamas and robe. He felt much better in his own clothes. He could at least slowly get up by himself now. Amanda still had to help him by rolling the IV pole and cath bag along. He had taken several small walks in his room through the morning. The soreness and pain had become his constant companion but it was tolerable.

His right foot had began to swell so he was advised to rest and prop up his feet for a while. Amanda noticed how restless he had become. She went out to the hall and returned with a wheelchair.

"Wanna take a spin?", she asked, her eyebrows raising up and down.

"You driving?" he asked.

She replied with "I am your chauffeur for the day, Dear Mr. Stetson."

**************************************************************************** **

DAY 12 lunchtime:

Amanda had noticed how restless Lee was. He sat in his bed, sulking that he couldn't get up until some of the swelling had gone down in his foot. She had an idea and asked the nursing staff if she could stroll him around in a wheelchair. They agreed, stating that it would probably lift his spirits some. It would be a nice surprise for him.

His mood suddenly improved when she brought the wheelchair into his room. He still had the IV fluids and the Foley catheter but the Dr had discontinued the continuous monitoring. She raised his leg on the wheelchair support after he settled into it.

His eyes were sparkling as she wheeled him down to the bullpen. All the staff wished him a speedy recovery. Billy walked alongside of him, joking with him about returning to work so soon. Leatherneck asked him how he liked his gift and Lee returned his thanks. After he made his rounds, he looked worn and drained. His IV bag needed replaced and his urine needed drained from the catheter bag. She wheeled him back to the medical unit where he was returned to bed.

The nursing staff checked his vital signs and changed out the IV solution, replacing the now empty bag with a full one. He was pleasantly exhausted and quickly fell asleep as his catheter bag was being emptied by the nurse. Amanda covered him with blankets and placed the oxygen back around his nose.

"Good night , Sweetheart." she said after placing a soft kiss on his forehead.

**************************************************************************** **

DAY 13 A.M.:

He was still tired from yesterday's excitement but had summoned the energy to rise and walk out in the hall. Amanda was still at his side as he walked, IV pole between them. The Dr walked down the hall with him, discussing his recovery effort. He was extremely pleased that Lee was moving about so well. When Lee returned to his room, the nurse removed his Foley catheter. He was extremely glad to be rid of it. Now he could move better without feeling like he was tripping on the tubing.

After lunch, the IV fluids were discontinued and the PICC line was capped off. He was so happy to move without being tethered to something.

He took a small nap only to be awakened at dinnertime by the nursing staff. They had delivered him a T-bone steak dinner from one of his favorite restaurants in DC. A card lay on top of the dinner tray. It was an announcement stating 'Congratulations! You're going home today!' It was signed by the Dr and all the medical staff who had cared for him during his injury and recovery.

He never had felt sad to be leaving the hospital before. This time was different somehow. He supposed that being treated by people he considered family made all the difference. He knew that voicing his fears to Amanda had also helped him to recover.

Amanda had packed his things and helped him change into his sweater and jeans. He found his stomach to be sore and still slightly swollen as he tried to button his jeans. At least the sweater came down over his waist.

The PICC line in his left arm was removed by the Dr just before he left the unit. His prescriptions were written and then he was placed in a wheelchair, ready to go. Still weak, he was helped into the Wagoneer by Amanda.

It was later in the evening and Lee had fallen asleep on the ride home. He woke to find Amanda gently shaking him as she said "We're home!" She helped him out of the Wagoneer and supported him as he walked up the sidewalk with the assistance of a cane. His right leg was braced and stiff but he still managed to make it up the few steps to the front door.

He smiled, thinking "Home to my family." Those words had a nice ring to it.