Chapter Twenty-Nine

Emma woke up to the sound of Archie screaming in his sleep and his ship mates trying to quiet him.

"Ah bleedin' Christ." Cleveland groaned covering his ears.

Emma quickly slipped off the table to rush to Archie's side. and try to lull him back to sleep. She yawned and rubbed her heavy eyes. Emma tried to restrain his flailing arms, afraid he'd re-injure his hand. Too late, Emma noticed. It had already begun bleeding again.

"If ever a man was unfit for the navy." Jack Simpson said, his voice thick with disgust. Emma closed her eyes and clenched her teeth against the urge to respond. Emma tried again to get a grip on Archie's arms but even in his sleep, Archie was considerably stronger than she was. His good hand caught her across the face and Emma snapped back onto her bottom. Stunned and with her cheek on fire, Emma blinked back tears of pain.

Matthews slid out of the bed and hobbled over to try and help her.

"Oh, Mr Matthews, please. You need to get back in bed. You're leg-"

"No worries, Mrs. H. I'll help you hold him down." He got a good hold on Archie's arms and pressed them flat against the floor. The physical effort to fight was turning Archie's face a bright red and Emma was worried if he didn't wake soon, he'd do himself internal injury.

"Please, Archie, wake up." Emma urged lightly slapping his face. "Archie, It's alright. Wake up now."

"Belongs in a straight jacket, that one." Simpson sneered.

"Mr. Simpson! Would you be kind enough to shut your bloody trap!" Emma snapped in a burst of furious frustration.

"There you go, lad. Just a bad dream is all." Matthew said soothingly, turning Emma's attention back to Archie, whose blue eyes were now open and staring about in confusion. "It's alright now." Matthews said. Archie's eyes landed on Emma and his panic visibly lessened. Emma's shoulders sagged with relief.

"Do you know where you are?" She didn't have to tell him what happened. Emma could see the familiar pain of understanding in his eyes and felt her heart break with sympathy for him.

"Aye. Sick bay." Archie replied monotonously.

"Good. You're bleeding again. I'll get new bandages. Thank you, Matthews. You can go back to bed now. I'll have a look at your leg in a moment and make sure you didn't do any damage." Emma tore up fresh strips of linen and re-dressed Archie's hand. He didn't speak. Didn't even look at her. His eyes were focused across the room at Simpson who had finally gone back to sleep. There was a coldness in Archie's eyes made Emma very uneasy. "Archie." Emma said softly trying to get his attention. She raised her hand to his chin to gently turn his focus back to her. "Archie." She said again. Finally, his eyes shifted back to hers. "Would you like something for the pain? I think there's still some brandy left."

"No." He said simply. "I'll be fine now. Go back to sleep." Archie insisted.

Emma didn't know if he slept anymore that night. When sleep finally claimed her, Archie was still staring across the room at Simpson, his eyes hard and cold.

Emma was packing a small bag to carry her supplies once they were procured on shore. She was anxious to get off the ship this morning. They'd buried many men in the ocean as the sun rose but the one that hit Emma the hardest was the one whose blood she felt was on her hands. Harry Somers, Emma learned. Newly married and looking forward to their next shore leave to be spent with his young bride. Emma was sick again after the service and one of the men had teased that perhaps the new doctor had a bun in the oven. Emma fought tears as she 'd walked down to check on her patients before leaving them for the next few hours.

A thoroughly chastised but otherwise unharmed Horatio had held her hand through most of the service and she was glad for the inconspicuous show of support.

Emma walked down the corridor, bag in hand and set towards the waiting dingy that would take them to shore. She stopped when she heard a frustrated voice carry out into the dark corridor.

"Ah dammit!" A familiar voice exclaimed

Emma stuck her head into the room and shook her head sympathetically at the sight that greeted her.

"There you are. I was wondering where you'd disappeared to." Emma said. "Here, let me." Emma said reaching to Archie's neck to help him with the task of tying his neckerchief which with only one good hand proved more than daunting for the poor man.

"You've done such a good job that I'm completely healed and didn't want to take up space." He gave her a cheeky grin.

"Indeed." Emma said with a grin of disbelief. His brow furrowed as he studied her face. He raised his hand to her cheek.

"What happened here?" He asked turning her chin so he could get a better look at the slightly bruised skin on her cheek. Emily stopped her movements and then looked away guiltily.

"It was an accident." Emma shrugged. He stiffened and his eyes flashed angrily.

"Simpson?" He demanded. Emma considered lying. But the stiff coldness in Archie's eyes frightened her more than a little. The man would surely go after Simpson and she was certain Jack Simpson was a dirty fighter. She didn't doubt her friend's bravery. But Emma saw what the mere mention of Simpson's name did to Archie.

"No." Emma admitted, hoping he would let it go at that. Of course, he didn't.

"Emma, you needn't lie for fear of that swine. I'll cut off his bloody hands if he laid a finger on you." Archie promised, his fingers tightening on her chin. "Has Horatio seen this?"

"He has." And knew the circumstances surrounding it as well but Emma really did not want to make Archie feel worse than he already did about his fits.

"Emma-"

Then his eyes flashed in horror and Emma knew the memory had come back to him. Bloody damn. Emma swore secretly. "Good God." Archie said going pale as his fingers examined the red welt on her cheek. He looked as if he was going to be physically ill. Emma raised her hand to cover his.

"Archie, you were not yourself. Don't distress yourself over an accident." Emma insisted. Archie shook his head and Emma felt him shake with the force of his self disgust. "Archie. Listen to me. You are not to blame for-"

"My. Isn't this sweet?" Jack Simpson's surly voice asked as he stood in the door way. Archie jerked away from Emma as if he'd burned himself.

"Was there something you wanted? Mr. Simpson?" Emma asked with a sigh of irritation.

"The boat is ready to be boarded. You're holding us up with your little hidden tet a tet." Jack explained with a suggestive smile. "It's good to know that Snotty has learned to share after all. Isn't that so, Archie?" Jack asked. Emma gripped the handle of her bag and resisted the urge to swat Jack Simpson over the head with it. "You have a filthy mind, Mr. Simpson." Emma sneered and stepped around him.

"Poor Mr. Kennedy." Simpson said with marked lack of sympathy. Emma turned and watched Archie clenching his good fist by his thigh.

"Archie." Emma urged hoping to get him away from Jack Simpson before the young man sprung. Archie forced himself to look away from Jack Simpson and follow Emma back out into the hall.

It was a bizarre sensation being back on land after getting used to the floor pitching to and fro beneath one's feet. Emma's legs, though unsteady, were glad for the solid earth beneath her feet and the scent of the snow and damp cobble stones as opposed to sweat, blood and saltwater. She held on to Horatio's arm as he slowed for her to regain her balance. Archie walked next to Horatio teasing Emma about her wobbly legs and Emma was so

relieved at the change in his disposition so she didn't protest his teasing.