Sandy and Kirsten lay awake, each knowing the other was not asleep, but not wanting to speak.

Kirsten stared at the ceiling but did not see it. Her eyes were blurred with tears but she was not crying any more. She felt empty as if she had nothing left inside her except pain.

Sandy had his eyes closed and was trying his best to go to sleep but there was a weight on his heart that came from the fact that he knew and could feel his wife giving up and slowly becoming numb to all feeling. He did not want to speak- he would only drag her down further, and so he lay listening to her fast breathing. An hour later the situation was identical except Sandy was half-asleep, one half dead to the ward around him, the other half still functioning to keep a continuous vigil over his wife.

The bleepings around his bed faded and blurred as unconsciousness gradually and unavoidably replaced his will to stay with his wife. Sandy wished and prayed that his leg would be fine; he prayed to both God and Moses, hoping even the ramblings of his son may be able to help him and on top of all things, help Kirsten.

'I love you.' He said this almost without knowing he was speaking aloud.

He could not know how these three words tightened up Kirsten's throat to the point of choking, he could not watch how life suddenly entered her eyes again as they began to see the ward around her. He did not see her slowly sit up in bed nor heard her stand and take the two short steps to his bed.

He did feel her as she lay down beside him, her weight and her slender frame instantly recognisable to him. He also felt her shaking because of the emotion she was feeling, and when he touched her hip she jolted suddenly and took a short gasp of air. He could not turn sideways because his leg was held firmly in one place, but he pulled her body so close to his that her face was only a centimetre from his. Looking into her eyes he could see how much had been taken out of her in such a short time but could also see the glimmer of hope that had been sparked a few seconds ago. Her body fitted his perfectly, and she wrapped her arms round his torso. Still without saying anything, she buried her face in his shoulder, smelling him, feeling him, so that she knew she was part of him. For the next two hours she clung to him before returning to her bed and from then on she knew nothing would ever be able to tear them apart, and everything was going to be ok.

'I'll see you then. Don't forget about me.' Sandy smiled up at his wife who bent down and kissed his forehead.

'Of course I won't. I'll come back in a few hours.'

'No, honey, don't bother; there'll be nothing new. Go and settle back in.' Sandy looked at his wife's doubtful face and added: 'How about ringing me tonight? And force the boys over sometime so they don't completely forget they have a father.' She laughed and kissed him again.

'Off you go, honey.' He indicated the door, smiling at her unwillingness to leave. She stood for a moment, looking at him, and then left the ward. Sandy looked at the now empty bed beside him.

'Could you, er…' he indicated one of the flattened pillows and the nurse, understanding what he meant, picked it up and placed it on his bed.

'Feeling anything yet?' She poked his thigh and Sandy shrugged.

'Nope. If my leg doesn't bloody get better it will not only be the end of surfing, one passion in my life, it will be the end of my wife, the other one. So, you know…how about electrocuting it or something?' He asked and the nurse smiled sympathetically.

Sorry. We can't do that. You never know, it could still come back.' Sandy thought to himself 'well that's encouraging' but in response nodded and attempted to look positive. Dr Howard suddenly materialised at his side, looking much less stressed.

'Aha, Sandy, how's it going?' Sandy was sure he knew perfectly knew well but decided to inform the doctor on the apparent paralysis of his lower limb anyway, just for effect. In response the doctor stuck a needle into Sandy's leg and when Sandy felt nothing, agreed with him.

'Well, I'm glad everyone has the same positive attitude as me. Do we realise I am not at an accepted age for a wheelchair yet? Let alone a disabled parking permit…'

Twenty-four hours passed, Kirsten popped in twice to check up on him, and then Seth and Ryan arrived.

'Hi dad. Mum made us come.'

'It's nice to know you still have genuine feelings for your old crippled father.'

Seth grimaced: 'Dad, don't say that. I know you're old but you're not that old yet. And I refuse to be seen with my father in a wheelchair before I am settled down with a loyal and loving wife and a troop of mini-me's who, let's start praying now, have not inherited their grandfather's facial hair.' Ryan looked at Seth who took the hint and changed tack:

'So how are you feeling? Are you sure your leg is completely gone? Can I just check.' Seth bent down by Sandy's leg and straightened up again suddenly with an evil grin.

'Ryan, do that nerve thing you're doing to everyone.' He informed Sandy: 'The effects of this method are truly bizarre: I fell off my chair, Summer slapped Ryan (which I guess isn't that abnormal) and Marissa…did nothing. So actually I guess it's not that effective. But, worth a try eh?' He directed Ryan at a particularly dead-looking spot on Sandy's thigh and Ryan, with an apologetic look at Sandy suddenly pinched the flesh and twisted it sharply.

'Ow!'

'Yeah, I know, I said that too…..WAIT! DAD! You said ow! He said ow! Hellooooo- nurse?' A nurse hurried over- she had been warned about this strange boy and, as far as possible, was ordered to keep him at a fixed distance from his father. More nurses homed in on them from several directions.

'Yes! Thanks to me, my father is not going to retire early.' Cried Seth as a nurse pushed him out the way.

'Seth, shall we call Kirsten?' Ryan tried to restrain Seth from doing a victory dance but was unable to do so and he watched in exasperation as Seth terrorised an old man by bearing down on him doing a dance of half cheerleader style, half Red-Indian style.

'I am a witch doctor. Would you like me to cure you with my miracle nerve twist?' Seth suddenly noticed the sign above the old man's bed: 'Change bladder tube- current one full.' And twisted round in the middle of an Indian style victory leap.

'Okkk, I am sorry sir but I am not qualified to operate in such a sensitive region. I wish you all the best.' He reverted back to normal human being mode, knocking his leg on the bed as he did so, and limped back towards Ryan, unaware that the whole ward was watching him in disbelief as he went.