"Ha…"

"Shh… Mattie, I'm right here. I am not going to leave you." Harm had been anxiously waiting by his ex-ward's bedside for her to come to. He refused to move even when the Doctor had been treating his eardrum, opting to stay near his ward and bite back the urge to scream against the pain. Meanwhile, Mattie had had a restless night even with the drugs. Harm, knowing he couldn't protect her fro m the nightmares, did everything he could to make her comfortable. He had even requested a warm blanket be brought in every hour.

"Harm? What time is it?"

"Hmm? Oh… 11:37."

Mattie nodded and shifted against the sterile hospital bed.

"Lunch should be brought in within a few minutes. You should eat—you missed breakfast."

"I'm not hungry."

"Mattie, you have to—"

"I said no, Harmon. Quit bossing me."

Harm pulled back, eyebrows raised at her use of his full name. "I… uh—think I'm going to go see Mac. She's just a few doors down, room 212. If you need me, dial 1212." Harm reached over and wrote down the number, leaving it next to Mattie's bed.

Mattie didn't protest, only watching her used-to-be guardian's every move.

Harm turned to face her, speaking softly, "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Sighing, Harm walked slowly down the few doors to a room that was exactly the same as Mattie's only reversed. The room had the same sterile, almost suffocating scent. The walls were exactly the same white, too white.

"Hey, Sailor." Mac was awake and looking much better than she had four days ago.

"Hey, Mac." Harm crossed the room with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Harm could tell that she didn't just mean his recently bandaged ear.

Harm reached for her hand as he pulled up a chair next to her.

"Mattie's father died. He was in an accident."

"Oh—I'm so sorry."

"How's Mattie handling the situation?"

"She… She's not. Harm took a deep breath and explained everything from the cell phone call from Mattie to her early morning short words she had offered him this morning.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Harm. Do you want me to go talk to her?"

"I don't know. I—"

"He was drunk, Harm."

Both Mac and Harm turned to see Mattie standing at the door, IV on wheels in tow, looking as vulnerable as her first evening she had spent in Harm's custody, only this time she really did look like she would break if Harm had reached out to her and hugged her.