Part III
She was delirious from fever and dehydration. Sam didn't know how much longer she would last. But then she saw something beautiful in the distance. It was…a house.

"Oh, God. I'm saved!"

She walked to it, grabbing this and that along the way to keep herself up. She knocked on the door, praying silently for someone to be there. And as if on cue, a woman appeared. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, I need you to take me to the hospital."

The woman, Mrs. Brown, took Sam by the arm and led her to the car.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine." They drove for a little while and somewhere in between lying on the plush seat and enjoying the feel of the air-conditioner, Sam drifted off to sleep. But she really drifted into unconsciousness.

The ER was no busier then normal, but patients were stacking up because no one felt much like working. They all wondered and worried about Sam. Where was she? Who took her? What did they do to her? And nobody even hazard to guess the answer to that last one, even though they all had a pretty good idea of what had happened to her. Just then a woman, about 40 ran into the ER. Nobody recognized her; she didn't have any special value to anyone in the ER.

"I'm looking for the ER."

Carter tended to her, even though he had plenty of work to be doing.

"You found it. How can I help you?"

"A woman knocked on my door at home and asked me to bring her to County. She looked as if she was beaten or attacked, or worse. She's out cold now, and she needs help."

Carter immediately knew it was Sam and snapped into action. "Abby! Come help me in the bay and page Luka 9-1-1."

Luka was at home, lying in the empty bed, staring at the clock. He wanted to know exactly how many days and hours he would spend missing her and praying for her safe recovery. And he practically jumped out of bed when his pager went off, killing the silence. He picked it up. "Found Sam, come ASAP." He flew out of the room in a heartbeat, and ran to his car. Alex was right behind him.

"Luka, what happened? Is it my mom?"

"We'll find out when we get there. Get in!" They got in the car and raced off to County.

Carter had finished the initial exam, and had found only minor injuries. Abby was there and was putting the hospital gown on her when some bruises on Sam's legs caught her attention.

"Carter, can I speak to you about the tests we should order?"

"Yeah, be right back, Sam." They went into the hall.

"We should get a CBC, UA, chest x-ray; head CT, films of the right hand, wrist, arm and elbow. And she needs some Morphine for the pain."

"Okay, sounds good, Abby. Is that all you wanted? Because you could have said it in front of her."

"No, she has bruises to her inner thighs. She may have been raped, and I doubt she would want you to do the exam. I'll ask her and I'll need a nurse to assist me. Okay Carter?"

Carter couldn't imagine someone as strong as Sam being so weak that some sick bastard would be able to rape her, without her killing him first.

"Fine, I'll get someone."

Abby went back in and pulled a stool right up next to the bed where Sam was lying, looking more vulnerable then ever.

"Sam, I really hate to have to ask but, were you raped?"

"Yes, but I was dumped by my rapist two days ago, and have been to the bathroom since then, so you won't find evidence against him. But I suppose checking for STDs and other injury is a good idea."

Abby smiled and touched her friend's shoulder sympathetically.

Luka and Alex ran to Admit, in demand for information.

"Frank, where's Sam, how is she, is she even alive? Tell me now!"

"Calm down, Kovac. Carter and Abby are taking good care of her. Carter went to get her films from Radiology, but he should be back down soon."

Luka looked at him as if he hadn't said anything at all. He didn't care that Carter was getting her films, he wanted to see Sam, and he wanted to see her now. Frank was a bit intimidated by the fury in Luka's eyes.

"Look, there's Carter now!"

Luka turned and grabbed Carter by the arm. "Where is she? How is she?"

"She's alright. Her head CT was negative, but her arms films show a wrist fracture in need of closed reduction, and cracks to her forearm elbow, and a tiny fracture in her hand just below the ring finger. That's the good news."

Carter tried to smile as he watched Luka's jaw drop.

"The good news? What's the bad news?" He said that with fear in his voice. He was almost positive of what Carter was going to say. "Was she umm….you know?"

Carter looked at him and said nothing, but his silence said everything. "I'm sorry, Luka. Abby's getting cultures and checking for other injury now. But she says it happened two days ago, so there's nothing to prove of who did it."

He saw Luka's fists ball up, and his head nearly explode with rage and hate for Sam's attacker, but he couldn't get angry now. He needed to see Sam with his own eyes. Alex needed to know that his mother was alive, and okay. Luka wouldn't rest until he could hold and comfort the woman he loved.

The two men went back to the door of Exam 4, where Sam was resting now. Abby walked out, releasing a heavy and sad sigh as she went. Carter knew that that was a tough thing that Abby just did, it was always tough when it's someone you know, someone you care about.

"How is she Abby?"

"Asleep. But when she was awake she was just short of hysterical. She couldn't stop crying. I took the cultures and we should have the results in 30 minutes or so. There didn't seem to be any other injuries. You can go in if you want Luka. She's been asking for you."

All of the lights were out except for a lamp in a far corner of the room. Luka walked over slowly, as to not startle her.

"Sam, are you awake?"

There was no answer. Her back was facing him, as she lay still in bed. He went to the other side, and saw her face. There were cuts and scrapes. Stitches were in her forehead. Her right arm was extended from the bed, and splinted. The wrist fracture still needed reduction. He grazed her face with his big, soft hand.

"Its okay, Sam. I'm here and I won't let anything else happen to you. Just know that I will always love you."

He pulled up and chair and sat down. After hours of not being able to rest he suddenly struggled to keep his eyes open. He quickly leaned in and lightly kissed Sam on her cheek and the leaned back and closed his eyes to try and get some sleep.