None of it was real. That was the only explanation that made any sense. There was no summons from her father. No Eadlyn. No telling of lies. No disappearances. Any second now she would wake up next to the lake in Munchkinland, safe in the arms of the woman she loved. A few comforting words and a gentle kiss or two from Bree and this whole nightmare would be forgotten.

"Dena."

She heard the voice but didn't react. It wasn't the one she wanted to hear. And that was the wrong nickname. She only wanted to be Addy. Not Addena or Dena, just Addy. That's who she was when she was with Breena. And being with Bree was what she wanted more than anything else in the world.

"She's in shock." Another voice cut in.

Shock... The word rang through her senses, trying to draw her attention to something. But what? Why was it suddenly so important?

"Can you blame her?" The first voice replied. "She just lost Breena."

Lost Breena? What were they talking about? She with her right now, her head in her favorite spot on the witch's chest. But something didn't seem right. Why wasn't Breena laughing or talking? Why weren't Bree's arms wrapped tight around her, holding her close? It was too still. Too quiet. Almost as if the hum of existence that made Breena Bree was gone.

Reality hit her like a slap to the face, pulling her from her stupor. She sat up, her eyes instantly drinking in the sight of Breena lying there, bloodied and pale.

"No."

"Addena?" Ginny tried to gauge her daughter's state of mind.

"No." She repeated the word with a shake of her head.

Ginny pulled her closer. "Sweetheart, I'm so sorry. She was..."

"No!" This time she ripped out of her mother's grasp to lean over Breena again. "You're not gone." She covered the woman's mouth with her own, sharing her life's breath. "Do you hear me?" She felt along that precious ribcage to find the perfect spot before starting her compressions. "You're not gone!"

"Addena, I know you're upset but..."

"Are you a doctor?" Addena cut Penny off. "No? That's what I thought." She started another round of resuscitation.

"Don't take this out on her, Addena." Ginny gently chastised her daughter. "She's only trying to help."

"She was in shock Mom." Addena spoke as she continued her work. "The body shuts down when that happens and sometimes it takes a little longer to get them back. That's what happened to her." She paused to give Breena another breath. "She lost too much blood too fast and her body couldn't take it."

Penny shook her head. "But it's been..."

"She's going to come back to me!" Addena interrupted her again. "She has to!"

"She can't." Penny contradicted her. "It's been too long. Even if you did get her breathing again she stands a good chance of having brain damage. Is that what you want for her?"

"Yes! As long as she's here with me I don't care what's wrong with her!"

"Addena, listen to what you're saying." Her mother's tone was still gentle, as if she were talking to a child who was refusing to give up their security blanket. "You have to think about what she would want."

"She wants to be with me!" Addena angrily continued her compressions. "That's all she's wanted since we met. And no matter how much I pretended I didn't want her or pushed her away, she didn't stop trying." She swallowed hard. "And she wouldn't want to stop now." The tears she'd been holding back started streaming down her face. "She wouldn't stop trying."

"Oh baby." Ginny reached for her.

"No." Addena refused to be comforted. "She saved my life by not giving up on me and I'll be damned if I'm going to give up on her!" She raised her fist high, slamming it down against Breena's chest. "Don't!" She repeated the action. "Leave!"

"What are you doing?!" Ginny frowned at her.

"Me!!" Addena hit her again.

They all three froze as Breena's body jerked and she sucked in a breath.

"Is she breathing?" Penny's eyes were big.

As if on cue she coughed, spurring Addena into action again. "Bree?" She used both her hands to cup her love's cheeks. "Breena?"

Breena groaned.

"Come on." Addena encouraged her. "Come back to me."

"Addy?"

Breena's voice was barely audible as her eyes fluttered open but it was like music to Addena's ears.

"Yeah baby." The blonde had fresh tears running down her cheeks only this time they were tears of joy. "I'm right here."

Breena furrowed her brow. "Don't cry."

"Sweet Lurline! You did it!" Penny continued to stare at the couple for a moment before turning her attention to Ginny. "She did it! She brought her back!"

"She brought her back." Ginny echoed her words, finding the whole situation just a little too much for her to handle.

"They're good tears." Addena stared down into the green eyes she adored before giving her a gentle kiss on the lips. "I love you Bree."

"Love you too." Breena tried to grab her for another kiss but couldn't get her arms to cooperate.

"Take it easy." Addena was quick to pick up on her frustration. "You're going to be pretty weak for a while."

"Don't wanna be."

"Well you're going to be so you'll just have to let me take care of you."

"With kisses?" The corner of Breena's mouth turned up in a grin. "And sponge bathes?"

"Sponge bathes?" Addena wrinkled her brow.

Breena nodded. "To keep my goodies from getting dirty."

"Bree!" Addena's mouth popped open in disbelief. Just moments ago she was fighting to bring her love back and now here she was blushing over something she said.

"You're beautiful when you blush." Breena started to chuckle but flinched in pain as her battered torso protested. "What did you do to me?"

"I didn't give up on you." Addena cupped her check again. "And we can discuss your dirty goodies later. Right now you need to rest."

"But..."

"Don't argue with me Bree."

"Fine." Breena sighed. "I'll let you figure out what to do with ugly and uglier."

They were too caught up in Breena coming back to life to notice the pair of trappers looming over them. The taller of the two tapped the club he carried in his right hand against his left palm as he started at them.

"Don't stop on our account." The shorter man beside him grinned.

"Yeah." The tall one gestured toward Breena with his club. "Whatever you were doing to her looked like fun. All that kissing and touching her chest and hitting her."

The short one nodded. "Kinky."

The club wielder nodded too. "And who doesn't like kinky?"

"Or blondes?" The short one started to reach for Addena's hair.

"Don't you dare!" Breena tried to sit up but didn't make it very far before her eyes slammed shut in pain.

The man quickly drew his hand back. "Did she just die?"

"No." Addena snapped.

"She looks kind of dead to me." The tall one stated.

Breena hissed, "Well I'm not," through clinched teeth.

"Are you sure?" He persisted. "You're awfully pale." He poked her in her injured leg with his club.

"Stop that!" Penny and Addena's voices merged. Penny was quick to knock the weapon away as Breena tried not to cry out in agony.

"Hey!" Club man glared at her.

The Lioness held his gaze. "I suggest you leave."

"Or what?" Shorty challenged her. "We're not going anywhere until we get what he came for." He nodded toward Addena and Ginny.

"Us?" Ginny pointed at herself. "We're not going anywhere with the likes of you."

Club man laughed. "Oh yes you are."

"Yeah." Shorty agreed. "And just what do you mean by 'the likes of you?'"

"She means scum of the earth men who have to get their jollies off of the suffering of others." Penny answered.

"Watch it kitty." The taller one gestured menacingly with his club. "You're starting something you aren't going to be able to finish."

Penny climbed to her feet. "We'll just see about that."

Shorty glared at her. "Why don't you run away with the rest of your filthy Animal friends and leave the blondes with us?"

"You're going to have to go through me to get to them." Penny growled.

"And me." Cade chose that moment to suddenly appear.

"Ew." Club man made a face. "Now I'm really scared."

"You..." Breena fought through her pain to speak. "You should be."

"Nice to see you're still with us, Breena." Cade risked a glance at Addena. "Don't worry about them, just take care of her. Then we'll see what we can do about getting you out of here."

"You're not going anywhere!" Shorty rushed him.

Penny and Cade made good on their word, keeping the trappers away from Breena as they started to fight.

"Kick their asses." Breena cheered them on.

"Stop it." Addena chastised her as she examined her leg, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw the internal stitches had held.

"Ow, ow, ow." Breena squeezed her eyes shut.

"I know it hurts." Addena tried to soothe her as she reached for her medical bag.

Ginny swallowed nervously as she watched her daughter pull two bottle of liquid and a couple of syringes out of the bag. "What are you going to do with those?"

"They're not for you." Addena assured her.

"I'll just go over there." Ginny quickly got up and took Penny's vacant spot on the other side of the witch just to be safe.

"What's wrong?" Breena asked her.

"She's afraid of needles." Addena answered.

"Yes I am." Ginny agreed. "So I'll just sit here and keep you company."

"I'll protect you." Breena tried to reach for her hand, growling when her body still wouldn't cooperate. "It feels like I'm made of lead."

"You lost a lot of blood Bree." Addena spoke matter of factly as she filled the syringes from the bottles. "You've got to give your body time to heal."

"Here." Ginny gripped the girl's hand in her own, furrowing her brow at how cold she was. "Dena, she's like ice."

"But I have a warm heart."

Ginny looked confused. "What?"

"Cold hands warm heart, Mom." She gave her girlfriend a look. "It's her way of trying to be funny."

"What is that?" Breena asked as the doctor put one of the needles in her arm.

"An antibiotic."

"Oh my." Ginny paled at the sight of the syringe.

Breena gave her hand a barely perceptible squeeze. "Don't look."

"And this," Addena quickly stuck her with the other syringe. "Is a mild sedative."

"What?" Breena frowned.

"Is that wise?" Ginny joined her protest. "Considering what she's already been through?"

"Like I said, it's mild." Addena leaned in close to Breena. "And I can't have you all bright eyed and bushy tailed while I'm trying to work on your leg."

"But…"

"I don't have any pain medications or anesthetic with me, Bree. I have to finish stitching the wound and I won't be able to do that if you're in pain." Addena spoke over her. "And you really do need to be resting right now. Wearing yourself out isn't helping anything."

"You're tired of me already?"

"Never." Addena shook her head as she started running her fingers through Breena's hair, knowing the effect it had on her.

"Quit." Breena tried to get her to stop.

"Don't fight it, Bree. Just let go. I'll take care of you."

"I..." Breena fought to keep her eyes open. "I love you."

"I love you too." Addena placed a soft kiss on her forehead and kept stroking her hair until Breena was out again.

"That didn't take long." Ginny kept her grip on Breena's hand as Addena got back to her stitching. She watched her daughter for a few minutes before speaking again. "Is she going to be all right?"

"If I have anything to do with it."

Ginny's eyes softened. "You really love her, don't you?"

Addena nodded without looking up from what she was doing. "With all my heart."

"Sorry that took so long." Penny spoke as she rejoined them. "A few of their buddies decided to try to help them." Her face fell as she looked at Breena. "What happened? Why is she unconscious? Did she start bleeding again? Is she..."

"No, no." Ginny stopped her from saying more.

"I sedated her so I could finish her stitches." Addena explained.

"How bad is her leg?" Cade asked as he came to stand over them.

"Better then it was." Addena put the finish touches on her work, knowing it wasn't the best she'd ever done but beggars couldn't be choosers. Maybe when her powers kicked back in the scar would heal with the rest of her leg.

"Dena?"

She looked up when she heard her mother's voice.

"The officer was asking you a question." Ginny cocked her head toward Cade.

"Sorry." Addena apologized. "What were you saying?"

Cade gave her an understanding look. "I asked when you thought she'd be ready to move."

"Normally I wouldn't like the idea of moving her at all but in this case, as soon as possible. The sooner we get back to the house the better."

"I'm glad you feel that way." Cade seemed relieved. "I'll get a couple of the men to cover us and..." His voice trailed off as a commotion erupted across the camp. "What in the name of Oz is going on over there?"

Penny followed his gaze. "It looks like someone's riding into camp."

"Great." Ginny rolled her eyes. "That's just what we need."

"Actually, I think it is." Cade smiled. "That's the cavalry we've been waiting for!"

"It's a long story." Addena waved away her mother's questioning expression before looking at Cade again. "Does this mean we might be able to get a wagon to take her back?"

"I think that can be arranged." Cade was still beaming. "Give me a minute." With that he ran toward the newcomers.

"Thank goodness this whole ordeal is nearly over." Ginny turned to her daughter. "Right dear?" She frowned when she didn't get a response. "Dena?"

"Huh?" Addena looked up from absentmindedly running her fingers through Breena's hair.

"Look at them." Penny spoke before Ginny could. "Those bastards can run but they can't hide. I hope the Gale Force captures them all."

Addena took advantage of the two of them being distracted to run her hand over Breena's brow, trying not to let the heat she felt building there concern her. "Just hold on, Bree." She swallowed the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. "Hold on."