Ty ran through the hospital hallways at top speed, dodging to keep out of people's way so he didn't run anyone over or run into anyone. His heart was beating in his chest so fast and loud that he felt he could hear it without a stethoscope.
"Amy. Amy Borden. My wife. She's…" He tried to make a coherent sentence to the nurse, but when he saw Jack and Tim, he started running again.
Tim was pacing, looking agitated, his hat still on his head, back and forth down the hallway. Jack, in contrast, was standing still, looking older than his years, and more than a little lost. He'd cradled his granddaughter, trying to keep her warm, from the moment they'd found her by Tim's fire until the doctors pried her away from him. Since then, he hadn't said a word, not to the nurses, the doctors…he hadn't even called Lisa yet to let her know. He seemed to register Ty being there and thawed slightly, still looking exhausted, both physically and mentally.
"Jack…" Ty managed to say. "She's okay, right?"
"We don't know. The damned doctors won't let us back there," Tim snarled, wanting to hit something, anything, but Ty was no longer that thing.
"There was a fire at Tim's. Amy had started a fire in the fireplace to try to get warm. The smoke…" Jack ran a hand over his tired face. "The smoke tipped us off that someone was up there. With the phones not working, she couldn't call us." He paused. "She was awake for a little while, asked about Lyndy, wanted you." He wasn't sure whether or not to tell Ty how much pain Amy had seemed to be in or how cold she still was, even with the fire.
Ty nodded. "Caleb took the horses back. He and Cass are going to bring Lyndy up to get checked." It was dawn now. Had it all happened in just twenty-four hours? He was exhausted and knew he smelled, but he wanted to see Amy first before anything else. "Have you called Lisa and Lou?"
Jack shook his head. "They're headed home."
It killed Ty to know that, in this circumstance, all he could do was wait: wait to see the damage Amy had suffered, wait to hope that he didn't have to battle her family again about her care, and wait to see what he could do because at the moment he felt so helpless. He looked at Jack and knew the other man understood, was feeling the same helpless, lost feeling they all were.
"Mr. Borden?" A nurse came out, not one of the ones that had been there during Amy's accident or his illness, but then again that had been years ago.
"Ty," he said simply. "How is my wife?"
"The good parts are she has no signs of frostbite and no concussion. Your grandfather said that she'd been in an accident?" Ty didn't correct her, just nodded. "She has a broken wrist, broken leg, and two broken ribs, as well as neck sprain. She's a little windburned, but right now what we're worried most about is hypothermia."
Ty felt like he needed to support himself to remain standing. "We're her family. Can we see her? Please?" His voice wavered on the 'please'.
She nodded. "The doctor will be in as soon as he can. When she's awake, she's been asking for you and…Lindsay?"
"Lyndy," Jack corrected gently. "That's her little girl."
"Ah." She showed them to Amy's room and another nurse who had scrubs and caps. "We're trying to prevent infection so, right now, the little girl, if she comes, will have to stay here." She showed them a portion of the room behind glass. "Anyone going inside the room will have to keep their hair covered and wear scrubs." She looked at Jack on that one. "There's a shower there and room to put on the scrubs."
Ty was the first one in, using one of the provided razors to make sure he was clean cut, taking the fastest shower of his life, donning the scrubs and even putting on the cap. He took his boots off and left them in bathroom, out of the way, knowing there was no way on earth baggies would protect Amy from the germs on them.
There was a heater in Amy's bed, a tube that was blowing hot air seemingly from the wall. She was wearing a pair of scrubs instead of a gown and was wrapped in warm blankets. There was a small brace on Amy's hand, protecting her wrist, and a cast on her leg that was propped up on pillows.
"Oh, baby…" He whispered, kissing her forehead, holding her hand with his own.
*****
Peter met Lou and Lisa at the Calgary airport, with the girls in tow. Lou picked Katie up and held her, noticing how quiet Georgie was. She exchanged a worried look with her ex, but he shook his head, moving the luggage for the women to his vehicle.
"Any word about Amy?" Lou asked Peter where Lisa could hear but the girls could not.
"They found her. Tim says she's not in great shape, but she's hanging in there. She's a Fleming woman. Tough." He added the last with respect for both Amy and Lou.
It was the longest ride from the airport to the hospital. Lou had a list of things she wanted to do, but the first thing was to see her sister and her niece. Peter took Katie for ice cream while Georgie went with Lou and Lisa to find the others. Lou reached over and gently took her daughter's hand, squeezing lightly, just enough to let her know she was there. Lisa took Lou's hand and the three walked together to Amy's room.
Georgie and Lou stopped in their tracks, looking not at Amy at first, but at the men in Amy's room. Tim was sitting behind the partition, against the wall, watching. Ty was dozing in a chair next to Amy's bed, still holding her hand. Even Lou didn't recognize Jack at first, but Lisa knew instantly. As proud as she was of him, her heart hurt, knowing how frightened he must be. Even she couldn't get Jack Bartlett to shave, only Amy. He saw his family there and kissed Amy's hair gently before joining them.
"They're worried about infection. We have to wear..."
"Scrubs," Tim finished for him.
"Yeah." He kissed his wife and hugged Georgie close. "She's going to be okay."
"What do the doctors say?" Lou asked, already analyzing her sister's condition.
Jack told her everything, about the broken bones, the danger of hypothermia, and the fear of infection. Lou nodded, finding a pair of scrubs that would fit her, going to change. Georgie's eyes were big and she wasn't saying much, but followed Lou's example, wanting to be close to her aunt.
Lisa kissed his smooth cheek, holding him for a moment or two, her eyes closed. "Go for a walk?"
Jack nodded, switching back to street clothes quickly and putting his boots back on. "You'll get me if…"
"If you're not back, I'll come get you when she wakes up, Grandpa." Lou promised, tucking her hair inside her cap before going in to Ty.
As much as Jack needed fresh air outside the hospital, they walked down towards the cafeteria. Ty hadn't eaten in over twenty-four hours and Jack had to admit he couldn't remember the last time he'd tried. "How is she?" Lisa asked. She'd seen the cast and brace, but wanted Jack to be able to tell her himself.
"She'll be in therapy, rehab, for awhile. She's so still, Lis, and she's not responding to anything, not even Ty."
"The best rehab for Amy is Heartland, just like it would be for you." She knew it would be a long time before Amy was back to normal, but the two seemed to thrive just being on the ranch they loved. "I'm proud of you, by the way."
"Me? Why?" He looked confused.
"I didn't see Tim in there in scrubs and socks, much less shaving his face. I've never seen you clean-shaven before." She smiled. "I kinda like it."
"Well, yeah, don't get used to it." He had done it for Amy, because he had to see for himself that she was really all right.
She smiled at his standard answer. "How are Ty and Lyndy?"
Jack picked out split pea soup for him and a sandwich for Ty even though he knew his grandson wouldn't eat it. "I don't know. Lyndy was all right when we left her last night. Cass and Caleb have her; they were supposed to be getting her checked out this morning." He looked worried.
"I'll check in on her. Do you want me to keep her or do you need me here?" Her attention was fully on him at the moment; anything else could wait.
"Can you take her? I need Caleb at Heartland with Amy, Ty, and I here. And I'm sure Ty needs Cass at the office."
Lisa nodded. "All right. Does Peter have Katie?"
"I think so. I didn't ask Lou." His focus had been and still was on Amy. "I don't know how Ty is. About like I would be, I reckon." He kissed the top of her head, squeezing her shoulders gently. She kissed his cheek again, helping him carry the food back to the room.