CHAPTER 12
Candy had made certain that all of their bags were packed and ready so that she would have the chance to enjoy a bit of time on the deck with her grandfather. Although he had respected her time with Jeremy during the voyage back to Seattle, Benjamin Pruitt made certain to spend as much time with his granddaughter as possible, catching up on the changes that had taken place in her life since his visit to Seattle, as well as the events in the lives of those who had become important to her. He couldn't help but laugh as she described the events that had taken place when she accepted Jeremy's proposal as he chuckled;
"You mean to say that Jeremy decided he was going to propose to you after his sister gave birth to twins?"
Nodding, a sweet, happy smile gracing her lips, Candy couldn't help but sound honored as she explained Jeremy's logic;
"Yes, Grandpa. You see, he said that he wanted us to always remember the day that I agreed to become his wife and what better way to do so than to share the occasion with Jacob and Amie's birthday."
Shaking his head, Benjamin leaned closer to nudge his granddaughter before offering her a loving smile as he ventured;
"One thing in life that will always be a constant, Moppet, and that's change. It's been two years or so since I visited you just after you came to Seattle, and here there have been so many changes since then."
Laying her head against her grandfather's arm, Candy couldn't help but remark;
"I'm so glad that you're coming back with us Grandpa, Molly and Christopher are just going to have a fit when they see you."
Jeremy watched from the wheelhouse, having decided to leave the two in privacy, as Clancey motioned towards the pair to observe;
"Well, buck-o, it seems as ifin the surprise that ya planned for yer bride was one that went over quite well."
Nodding as he finished his cup of coffee, Jeremy couldn't help but smile;
"Yep and the fact that Benjamin is going to be staying in Seattle now will make things better for Candy, Molly, and Christopher. Not to mention, just how happy it'll make him having his family around him."
Chuckling slightly, Jeremy couldn't help but shake his head as he confessed;
"I wouldn't trade our time in Portland and our honeymoon for anything, but it's good to get back home. Clancey, don't you dare tell them I said it, but I missed my brothers."
Looking slightly taken aback, Clancey demanded;
"Did ya now? And what about yer sister and in-laws?"
His features taking on a wry look of disbelief, Jeremy scowled at Clancey as he chastised;
"Clancey, you know good and well that I missed Pixie, and I like Julie a lot."
A glint of amusement in his weathered blue eyes, Clancey asked in a sugary-sweet tone of voice;
"And Aaron, what of yer dear sweet brother in law there, lad."
Sighing in agitation with Clancey's teasing, Jeremy huffed;
"Clancey, admittedly, Aaron can be a bit 'brusque' at times."
Staring at the young man, his mouth hung open, Clancey exclaimed in disbelief;
"Brusque, is it? That be a vast understatement, lad. Ya's know as well as I do that man can be more bristly than a porcupine when that temper of his gets riled."
Crossing his arms over his chest, Jeremy nodded before smiling knowingly;
"True, Clancey, but isn't it amazing just how well my baby sister managed to pluck those bristles out of that man's hide?"
Chuckling in amusement of the observation, Clancey nodded;
"That's true enough, but do ya know what I find so amusing, lad? Although I'd never say anything to Aaron Stempel about it, I can't deny chuckling a time or two seeing that big man blustering until that little sister of yers looks up at him with those eyes of hers and barely speaks and he bends over backward to do whatever it takes to please her."
Shaking his head as he drained his coffee cup, he couldn't help but laugh;
"Ya know, I've seen Aaron Stempel whoop the daylights out of some of the toughest men I'd ever seen, but along comes that little slip of a girl, who he'd easily be able to break in half if he wanted, and a word and a look from her crumples him faster than a good right hook to his belly."
Laughing, Jeremy motioned towards where Candy stood with her grandfather;
"I can understand it, I'm the same way with Candy, and haven't you noticed how easily Julie is able to harness Jason's temper?"
Nodding, Clancey agreed;
"Aye, that I have, Mr. Bolt."
His demeanor reflecting his sudden business-like attitude, Clancey advised;
"Alright, young Mr. Bolt, we'll be pulling into port momentarily. I suggest that ya gather yer luggage and yer bride and Benjamin together since we're lining up the gangplank now."
Hurrying to the doorway, Jeremy turned;
"Oh, and Clancey?"
When the captain turned a questioning look upon him, Jeremy offered a smile of genuine affection;
"Thank you for everything that you did to help me make this a wonderful memory for my wife."
Waving his hand in dismissal, Clancey huffed;
"Ah, away with ya now, lad. Go see to yer bride.
Certain that the young man was out of earshot, Clancey muttered softly;
"Yer more than welcome, Jeremy. Anything for me family."
Jeremy and Benjamin made quick work of unloading everything from the Shamus to the dock before Jeremy helped Candy disembark from the gangway. Puzzled, the newlyweds looked around at the small crowd that had gathered to welcome them home as Benjamin noticed the same thing that was bothering the couple;
"Jeremy, I don't see your brothers or sister or Molly or Christopher, wouldn't they have come down to meet the ship?"
Before either could answer, Christopher came running up to them, the look on his face telling them that something was seriously wrong, something even more evident as he rushed right into Candy's arms, failing to notice his grandfather, to launch in;
"Candy, Jeremy, Amie's real sick, she has pneumonia."
Their eyes widening in panic, Candy demanded;
"Do you know that Dr. Wright has said?"
Shaking his head, Christopher explained;
"Nothing, she and Aunt Lottie went to Olympia to get supplies and they aren't back yet."
Remembering the date and a conversation that he and Jason had just before the wedding, Jeremy asked;
"What about Jason and Aaron, they were supposed to be going to Tacoma."
Nodding, Christopher explained;
"They went but Uncle Josh asked Mr. Perkins to send a wire and tell Uncle Aaron about Amie being so sick, they came late last night."
Seeing Clancey, Jeremy shouted;
"CLANCEY, SEE TO THIS PLEASE. WE HAVE TO GET TO PIXIE'S FAST, AMIE'S BAD SICK!"
Although her concern matched her husband's, Candy waved her hand in the direction of the Stempel house as she ordered;
"You go ahead and we'll be right behind you."
Benjamin watched as his grandson in law sprinted away from the pier with Christopher following closely behind him. Offering his granddaughter his arm, Benjamin turned;
"Poppet, Amie, isn't that Miss Jemma's and Mr. Stempel's twin daughter?"
Nodding, Candy tried to push her own worry for her niece aside as she explained;
"Yes, Grandpa, she's just barely a couple of months old."
Shaking her head, Candy brushed a tear away as she prayed;
"I just hope that she will be alright, so many people love those two little babies and if anything were to happen, it would just devastate Jemma and Aaron, not to mention the rest of us."
Lifting his head, Benjamin patted her hand as he offered;
"Well, since the doctor isn't available I guess we're just going to have to see if we can't do something to help that little girl get better, aren't we, Poppet? Let's go."
Candy looked at her grandfather in amazement of his calm, matter of fact manner as they followed in Jeremy and Christopher's wake.
Jason poured himself a cup of coffee and took a long sip before handing his brother in law a fresh cup as he demanded;
"Aaron, how can you possibly drink that much coffee; especially considering that you're obviously roasting under that quilt."
Shaking his head as he drank half the cup in one sip, Aaron remarked;
"Force of habit, Jason. I got used to drinking a lot of coffee when I was younger, and, admittedly, when I would go into Lottie's to eat my meals so I drank at least a pot each meal. At least I did when Jemma was the one refilling the cup."
Feeling his daughter beginning to stir against his chest and knowing what as coming, Aaron pushed the quilt from them as Jason brought the steaming water close to her face as Aaron positioned her as he began patting her back to help dislodge more of the infection from her lungs. Seeing the pitiful look on her small face, as though she knew what was coming next and dreading it, but also knowing that it was a necessary evil, he couldn't help but offer his sympathy to his daughter;
"I know, princess, but we have to get that stuff out of your lungs so you'll feel better."
Once he was sure she had coughed up as much as she was able to from her lungs, Aaron placed his lips against his daughter's forehead before shaking his head in frustration;
"Dammit, it's not breaking."
Nodding towards his brother in law, he demanded;
"Jason, is what she's coughing up clearing up at all?"
Examining the cloth, Jason shrugged;
"A little but not very much, at least not as much as we'd like."
Jason's heart went out to his former adversary as he used a cool damp cloth to try and bring a little comfort to the small bundle in his arms. Steering his mind to more practical matters, Jason motioned towards the corner where his sister slept; he and Aaron had insisted that Julie go upstairs to get some actual sleep, as well as sending Josh to the sofa. Jemma on the other hand, even half-asleep, adamantly refused to budge. Despite his concern, Aaron had agreed, due mostly to the fact that Amie needed as much nourishment as she could get in her condition and the fact that having Jemma at hand made it much easier on all involved. Although he understood his brother in law's logic in trying to implement water into the routine, he also knew that water alone wouldn't be enough to help nourish Amie. Turning to Aaron he reminded;
"Aaron, it's been a little while since Amie nursed."
Sighing in exasperation, Aaron nodded;
"I know, Jason, but she's so tired I hate to wake her. But I don't have a choice, not to mention, I need to make her eat pretty soon or she won't be able to nurse."
Once he had finished bathing his daughter in an attempt to make her comfortable, Aaron turned to Jason to advise him;
"I guess it's time for another trip to the woodpile while I wake Jemma."
Jason nodded before turning to the door;
"Alright, I'll chop up some more kindling, just yell when she's done."
Once the door closed, Aaron took a clean blanket to bundle their daughter before making his way to his wife's pallet. He couldn't help but shake his head as he sighed in frustration;
"I'm sorry, darlin, I hate disturbing you, but we don't have a choice."
Lowering himself to his knees so that he could keep his daughter upright against his chest, Aaron gently shook his sleeping wife;
"Jemma, sweetheart, wake up, love."
Despite the sleep, and the reassuring presence of her husband, Jemma's sleep wasn't nearly as restful as she truly needed it to be, especially given that the concern over her child's condition was at the front of her mind making her sleep, fitful, at best. When she felt her husband's hand gently shake her as his voice called her from her dozing state, her mind immediately went into a state of panic out of fear that her child had gotten worse, something that found her waking with a start as her eyes flew open to reflect her fear as did her voice when she demanded worriedly;
"WHAT?! IS SHE WORSE?! GIVE HER TO ME!"
Placing his hand gently, yet firmly, against her shoulder, Aaron shook his head as he sought to calm her;
"Shhh, love, calm down. Amie is still holding her own, but she needs to nurse, alright?"
Giving her a moment as she wiped the sleep from her eyes, Aaron helped her to sit up before placing their daughter in her waiting arms before shifting to sit behind her as he wrapped his arms around her waist before offering;
"Lean back against me, sweetheart. I've got you."
Aaron knew that she wasn't fully awake, but she wasn't asleep either, especially considering his own level of exhaustion, although he knew that, given what she was having to put her body through for their children's sake, her exhaustion was much deeper than what he could imagine. Even now, as she began gently patting their daughter's back and waited for the slight gurgling noise, he knew that her actions were more reflexive and automatic then out of consciousness. Once Amie had been burped, thankfully without spitting up any milk, Jemma turned to her husband and, despite her tiredness, couldn't help but see by his appearance just how tired he was as well.
Aaron was a man who prided himself on his neat and fastidious appearance; although she never considered her husband a vain man, especially given that he never worried about getting dirty or disheveled when necessary. She couldn't help but notice how his hair had become disheveled and unruly from the waves and curls that refused to be tamed once they had been subjected to dampness, as well as the red tinge that colored the skin of his face and chest, all the result of the extreme heat that he was willingly subjecting himself to in an attempt to break their daughter's fever. Glancing down at their daughter, Jemma couldn't help but vent her exasperation;
"Aaron, how in heaven's name can she take much more? She's so small, we're grown and this is exhausting us, but she's so tiny and still holding on."
Shaking his head as he lifted his hand to caress the back of their child's head, Aaron shook his head;
"Sweetheart, I don't know how, but I just thank God that she is."
Aaron couldn't help but chuckle ruefully as he recalled a comment that he had made just after finding out his wife was carrying the twins. Shocked by his slight show of mirth, Jemma demanded;
"I can't believe that you're finding amusement at a time like this."
Shaking his head, Aaron quickly denied;
"No, love, I'm not exactly finding amusement. You see, I just remembered, just after you told me that you were expecting, thinking that, considering our child, well children, were half Bolt, half Stempel, ours would be the most determined and stubborn child anyone had ever seen."
Nodding towards their daughter, he observed;
"And, I would say that she is proving me right."
Biting at her bottom lip, Jemma sighed worriedly as she pointed out;
"Honey, why don't you let me tend to her for a while? You're obviously tired, and..."
Before she could finish her statement, Aaron shook his head vehemently as he effectively cut off the remainder of her suggestion;
"NO! I'm sorry Jemma, love but no. I'm not going to lie and say that the heat isn't miserable, but if she can stand it then I have to. Besides, I'm better capable of withstanding it then you are, add to that, you have two babies that you have to nurse and the last thing we need is for anything to happen that might prevent you from being able to do that."
Easing from behind her, Aaron helped her to lay down before taking their daughter into his arms as he issued;
"I want you to get some more sleep, at least as best as you can, love. Julie should be getting up soon and when she does I want you to eat something."
Seeing that she was about to protest, he raised his hand;
"Darlin, no arguments; if you don't eat then how on earth are you going to be able to nurse Jacob and Amie? Now, go back to sleep and try to rest."
Placing a kiss on her forehead, he offered;
"I love you, Jemma darlin."
Closing her eyes, already half asleep, she muttered;
"I love you too, wake me if she..."
Pushing the hair from her face, he nodded;
"She'll be fine, go to sleep, sweetheart."
Watching as she drifted off, Aaron stood to cuddle his daughter closer to his chest as he ventured softly;
"Come on, princess, I know you don't want to, but we need to get you back under the quilt. Maybe we can break that fever this time."
Aaron resumed his vigil, hoping that this might be the time that found his daughter's condition turned for the better.
Jason hurried with his chore of wood-chopping and had just loaded his arms when he saw a familiar and most welcomed sight as Jeremy and Christopher came running into the yard. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Jason couldn't help the smile as he greeted;
"Do you have any idea just how happy I am to see you?"
Nodding, Jeremy advised;
"I know, how is she?"
Shrugging, he offered a slight shake of his head;
"She's holding her own, but we can't get her fever to break."
Placing his hands on his hips as he processed the information, Jeremy demanded;
"What about Pixie and Aaron?"
Giving a slight shake of his head, Jason explained;
"Pixie is exhausted, they've been trying to sweat the fever out and between the heat that she had to subject herself to trying to do that and trying to nurse two babies, she's worn herself out. Aaron's been taking care of Amie since we got back from Tacoma, but you can tell that he's tired too, but he's just as stubborn."
Noticing the wood, Jeremy motioned to Christopher;
"Come on Christopher, let's help."
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Jeremy couldn't help but be amused when they walked into the kitchen and his brother in law demanded;
"Jeremy! What are you doing here?"
Placing the wood in the box as he poured a cup of coffee, Jeremy offered;
"I live in Seattle, Aaron; remember?"
Narrowing his eyes in irritation, Aaron glared;
"Jeremy Bolt, take a good long look at my face and the fact that I'm sitting in front of a roasting stove with my daughter under a quilt and ask yourself if I look as if I'm in the mood for your humor at this particular point in time."
Regretting his attempts at humor, Jeremy nodded;
"You're right, Aaron, I'm sorry. Look, I know you have to be tired too, why don't you let me take a turn with Amie?"
Even when he made the offer, Jeremy knew that it would be refused, so when his brother in law shook his head he wasn't shocked;
"I appreciate it, Jeremy, really I do. But she needs to know that her Mommy and her Daddy are here for her, and right now, Jemma is exhausted and considering that she has to nurse her and Jacob, that means it's up to me to sit with her like this. Besides,"
Hugging his daughter slightly closer, Aaron shook his head sadly;
"She doesn't get a break, so why should I?"
Furrowing his brow, Jeremy asked softly;
"No break in her fever at all?"
Sighing, Jason explained;
"No, at least not enough to make a difference. I think that if we could just get her to cough up more of that infection her fever might start coming down."
Aaron and Jason found themselves shocked as they heard a vaguely familiar voice advise;
"You're absolutely right, Jason, if we could break up the fluid and get her to cough it up, her fever would probably break."
Given that they had not bothered to knock before entering the Stempel kitchen, Aaron and Jason found themselves staring in surprise at Benjamin Pruitt as Christopher ventured;
"Oh yeah, I was in such a hurry to tell Jeremy and Candy about Amie that I forgot about Grandpa"
Rushing to wrap his arms around the elder's waist, the boy looked up grinning;
"Hi, Grandpa."
Glancing down and offering the youngster a loving smile as he ruffled the hair that reminded him of his own son's, Benjamin greeted;
"Hello, Hoppy."
Despite his delight at seeing his grandson, Benjamin focused his attention on the more immediate concern;
"We have to get the infection out of her little lungs."
Aaron knew the man was right, but given the fear, frustration, and exhaustion that he was dealing with, he couldn't help but snap;
"We know that, Mr. Pruitt, why do you think my wife and I have subjected ourselves and our daughter to this damnable heat if not to try and break her fever?"
Candy, always protective of her grandfather, scowled at her brother in law and was about to voice her displeasure when Benjamin, seeing her temper rising for his benefit, touched her hand before shaking his head. Turning to face Aaron, Benjamin questioned;
"I meant no offense, Mr. Stempel, and I meant no offense, sir. Might I ask what has been done for your little girl?"
Placing his hand on his brother in law's shoulder to silence him, Jason offered;
"So far, we've been trying to sweat her fever out, when she starts coughing the infection up we have her breathe in the steam and pat her back to help loosen it up. We've been giving her a little bit of water along with Jemma nursing her to try to keep her strength up. Then we start the process all over again"
Nodding his approval, Benjamin asked;
"And have you noticed if the infection seems to be clearing up any?"
Shaking his head, Aaron explained;
"Not as much as we wish it would, it's still obvious it's infection."
Pursing his mouth in consideration, Benjamin ventured;
"Mr. Stempel, I think she needs more than just steam, I think that little girl could do well with some camphor in the water."
Considering the man's suggestion, Aaron wondered aloud;
"But that's awfully strong, considering how small she is and how weak will it..."
Shaking his head, Benjamin vowed;
"If I thought for a moment that it might hurt that child I'd never make the suggestion."
Motioning towards Candy, he explained;
"We had something similar happen when Candy was a little older than your baby and we tried everything to break her fever, finally, someone suggested camphor and it worked."
Benjamin waved his hand towards Aaron;
"But she's your child so that decision is yours and Miss Jemma's to make."
Glancing to his brother in law, Aaron shook his head;
"Jason, she's exhausted and she isn't thinking coherently, but if I don't wake her up, she's going to be furious with me."
Seeing the track of his brother in law's thoughts, Jason crossed his arms over his chest to demand;
"And are YOU thinking coherently, Aaron?"
Sighing in frustration as he hugged his daughter closer; Aaron shook his head;
"I think I'm a bit more rational and coherent than what Jemma might be at the moment. Not to mention,"
Jason, as did all present's, heart went out to the man that, just a year ago, everyone thought incapable of the emotions they were now seeing as he held his and Jemma's ailing daughter as his voice softened in sadness;
"I know that we have to do something to help her."
Lifting his eyes to meet his brother in law's, something that found Jason trying his best to hold his own emotions at bay due to the sadness and heartbreak that he saw in Aaron's eyes as he plead;
"Jason, I know it would kill me if we, God forbid, lose her, but as bad as it would be on me, can you imagine what it would do to Jemma?"
Jeremy, seeing the raw emotion that he had only seen on very few occasions from Aaron Stempel, decided to offer the man a lifeline that he felt would help offer him some small amount of comfort. Turning to his eldest brother, he ventured;
"Jason, I say that this calls for a family vote; I vote yes."
Extending his hand in the family tradition that went back, according to Jason, since before even he was born, Jeremy glanced about the room as he pointed out;
"Everyone here is part of this family."
Lifting his eyes to meet his new brother in law's, Christopher's eyes widened in awe and surprise as he asked reverently;
"Even me, Jeremy?"
Nodding, Jeremy affirmed;
"Even you AND Molly Christopher, and..."
Glancing to his wife's grandfather Jeremy included;
"Your grandpa too. Now, as far as letting Grandpa Benjamin try and help Amie, I vote yes."
Turning towards his bride, Jeremy asked;
"Candy, how do you vote?"
Placing her hand confidently atop her husbands, Candy lifted her head proudly before bobbing it slightly;
"I vote yes, I know that if Grandpa says this will work, it will work."
Glancing down to her brother, Candy offered softly;
"Christopher, what do you think?"
Bobbing his head up and down eagerly, Christopher slapped his hand on top of his sister's;
"I vote yes too. I know Grandpa helped me and Molly get well lots of times."
Nodding towards his grandfather in law, Jeremy issued;
"You're family too, Grandpa Benjamin, what's your vote?"
Placing his hand on top of theirs Benjamin nodded;
"I vote yes, I wouldn't offer if I didn't think this would work."
Tilting her head to the side slightly, Candy demanded;
"Jason?"
The look in his eyes reflecting his somber mood as well as his worry for the tiny bundle in Aaron's arms, Jason pulled the quilt back slightly to study Amie's small face. He could see that she was extremely weak, not surprising given the ordeal she was suffering, but she was also fighting to take in as much air as she could while holding on to her father's finger for security. Despite how weak and frail she looked, he couldn't help but notice as she turned her head slightly as if to look at him that, even though she was an infant, there was a slight flicker of determination sparkling in the eyes that reminded him so much of his sister's. Although he knew that the final say was not his, Jason offered his opinion;
"Aaron, nothing we've done has worked, at least not as quickly as we need it to. And, Allyn and Lottie won't be back from Olympia until tomorrow; can she hold out that long without some relief?"
Placing his hand on top of Benjamin's, Jason nodded;
"I vote yes."
Placing his free hand on his brother in law's shoulder, Jason encouraged;
"Aaron?"
It wasn't hard to see the conflicting thoughts in his eyes as Aaron held his daughter away from him for a moment to study her; seeing just how tired she truly was as well as her determination to fight, Aaron looked up at the group as Benjamin pointed out;
"Mr. Stempel, this may well be a family vote, but the final say belongs to you, sir."
Swallowing the lump of fear that had managed to lodge itself in his throat, Aaron offered;
"Aaron."
Confusion clouding the elder's pale blue eyes, Benjamin questioned;
"I bet your pardon?"
Resigned to his decision, Aaron sighed deeply;
"Aaron, call me Aaron."
Lowering his eyes to look at his daughter, Aaron met the look of caring and concern that he found in the man's eyes with a look of fear, love, and hope in his own as he begged softly;
"Do you really believe this will work, that you can help my baby girl?"
Nodding, Benjamin confirmed;
"Yes, Aaron, I do. I wouldn't offer if I didn't think that this would work."
Holding his child closer to his heart, Aaron nodded in determination as he extended his own hand to place on top of the others;
"I vote yes; tell me what to do."
Turning to Jeremy, Benjamin requested;
"Jeremy, would you please go and get my brown bag, it has what we need in it."
Stepping closer, to the rocking chair, Benjamin held his arms out expectantly as Aaron handed Amie into the man's hold. Examining the infant, he placed his aged hand on her chest before lowering his ear to the same spot as he nodded;
"And Jeremy, hurry, please. This little girl needs some relief and she needs it just as quickly as she can get it."
Watching as her husband hurried out the door, Candy turned to demand;
"What can we do to help Grandpa?"
Handing her niece into her waiting arms, Benjamin instructed;
"Candy, you take that little angel and make sure she's changed and sponge her off, but don't put anything on her but a diaper, but lets at least try to make her a little more comfortable."
Turning to face Aaron, he placed his hand on the man's shoulder as he nodded towards his state of semi undress;
"Aaron, I know you're probably tired but do you think that you can stand this just a little longer we still need to sweat the fever out but this will make it easier. But I have to warn you, camphor isn't the most pleasant smell in the world. One of us could probably take your place, but I'll be honest, given that this will make her uncomfortable, to say the least, I think that she needs someone who she instinctively trusts, that means you or Miss Jemma, and..."
Glancing towards the pallet where Jemma slept fitfully, Benjamin observed;
"I'm guessing that she's exhausted."
Shaking his head, Aaron adamantly refused;
"NO! She's worn herself to exhaustion already and we can't take a chance on risking anything that might interfere with her ability to nurse. I can deal with it, I'll gladly deal with whatever it takes to make Amie well."
Turning to Jason, he ordered;
"Jason, get rid of that waster and fill them with fresh and keep them boiling, keep the fires hot and make sure that you keep it that way."
Facing Aaron once more, he advised;
"Aaron, I suggest you go outside for a few minutes and get some fresh air and maybe even rinse off with a bit of cool water; get your second wind, so to speak. Believe me, you're going to need it."
Seeing the seriousness reflected in the man's pale blue eyes, Aaron knew that heeding the man's suggestion was the best course of action as he simply nodded before making his way outside. Seeing the early morning light, he couldn't believe that, at this same time just the day before, he was preparing to leave for a business trip and, in just a day's time, his, Jemma's, and their daughter's life had been turned upside down and inside out. Taking a few deep breaths of the morning air and, remembering what Benjamin had said, Aaron made his way to the pump by the horse trough. Taking the arm in hand he vented his frustrations as he primed the pump with enough force to sent a large gush of water rushing out. Dropping the handle he ducked his head under the faucet to let the cool, clean water wash some of the cobwebs of exhaustion from his brain before cupping his hands under the flow to splash his face, neck, and chest, sighing in relief as the soothing, cool water touched his bare skin. Aaron found himself so lost in his thoughts over his child's situation that he failed to notice he wasn't alone until he felt a brush of cloth against his arm and turned to find Jason standing there, offering him a towel. Taking the cloth he quickly worked the material over his wet hair before drying his face, neck, and chest as he offered a curt;
"Thanks."
Noticing the altogether too familiar look of question on his brother in law's face, Aaron huffed;
"Alright, Jason, what's on your mind?"
Folding his arms across his broad chest, Jason ventured;
"Not that I disagree with the decision, Aaron, because I'm hoping and praying that this works, and if Jeremy, Candy, and Benjamin are so confident then I am too. Although Pixie may well have a fit that she wasn't consulted since Amie's her daughter too."
Nodding, Aaron agreed;
"You may well be right, Jason, and if she does then I'll take the brunt of her temper for it. But, she's exhausted and if I woke her up she wouldn't go back to sleep until we know if this is going to work; one way or another."
Taking a step towards the house, Aaron found himself halted as Jason placed his hand on his arm. Seeing the look of fear in his brother in law's eyes, Aaron had a fairly accurate idea of just what was coming as Jason demanded quietly;
"Aaron, what if..."
Slinging the towel over his shoulder in frustration at the thought that he noticed Jason couldn't even fully give voice to, Aaron's eyes clouded at the mere suggestion as he tightened his jaw in determination as he shook his head;
"THAT is not even something I'm willing to consider, Jason."
His face reflecting his understanding, as well as his fear, Jason issued;
"But, Aaron, if, God forbid, and she finds out that you didn't..."
Jason found his heart going out to his brother in law as he realized just how loved his sister truly was by her husband as Aaron issued;
"Then she'll blame me, but at least she won't blame herself or feel guilty thinking it's her fault."
Watching as he stalked off towards the kitchen door, Jason marveled at Aaron's determination when it came to protecting Jemma from as much pain as possible. Before he could give more thought to the matter, he heard Jeremy hurrying into the house with Benjamin's bag. Lifting his eyes towards the sky, Jason begged;
"Lord, please, let this work and let that child get well. I don't think either one of them could handle it if she didn't."
Loading his arms with firewood, Jason hurried inside to take up his assigned vigil, determined to make sure that he kept up his end of the fight for Amie's recovery.