"Are you sure you want to do this?" Bedtime asked Bright Heart and Tenderheart for the third time that evening.
"We're sure. We'll stay here with you and Gentle Heart." Bright Heart answered. Tenderheart nodded in agreement.
"Okay then. Maybe it'll help if she knows she has friends nearby." Looking a clock on the wall, Bedtime decided that now was as good a time as any to put Gentle Heart to bed. Not that she had left her bedroom much since Grumpy and Swift Heart went back to Care-a-Lot. Bedtime went into the kitchen and emerged with a glass of milk. Deciding to let the expert handle it, Bright Heart and Tenderheart followed him silently into Gentle Heart's bedroom.
"Gentle Heart?" Bedtime called. Gentle Heart was already in her nightgown, sitting on her bed and reading.
"Oh, hello. Time for bed?" She smiled. The others smiled back, but it was largely forced. There was no hiding the exhausted look on her face. If tonight didn't go well, this would be her third consecutive night without sleep.
"Here you go." Bedtime offered her the glass after she crawled under the covers. "Warm milk always helps."
"Thank you." She said as she took a sip. "I'm sorry for causing all this trouble-" Tenderheart shook his head, not having a word of it.
"Gentle Heart, this isn't your fault. Right now all we want is for you to get better."
"He's right Gentle Heart." Bright Heart chimed in. "Helping a family member is never trouble."
"Besides, you're giving me a chance to do my job." Bedtime added with a smile, trying to take the edge off the situation. "After all, what else am I good for besides this? I help people who can't sleep, who think there are monsters under their beds, or have nightmares, or suck their thumbs in their sleep," he shot Tenderheart a teasing glance as the ruddy-brown bear blushed. "Or wet the bed." Bedtime finished. Gentle Heart laughed.
"I remember that! Brave Heart would climb into bed with Noble Heart or True Heart when he was young and wet the bed." She giggled. The others joined in too, happy to have lifted the mood for a little bit. By the time the others finally managed to compose themselves, Gentle Heart had already finished her milk and had fallen asleep.
Bedtime switched off the lights and took a seat, motioning for Bright Heart and Tenderheart to do the same. "Nothing to do now but wait and watch." He whispered softly. In the darkness he could barely see their nodded assent. Bedtime was glad it was dark right now. He didn't want them to see how nervous he was, because he had no idea what was wrong or what was going to happen.