The next time Jack woke he was in a private room and there was a warm, soft hand holding his.
"Sam?" he said, his voice gravely.
"Hey," she said, he could tell she had been crying.
"What time is it?"
"It's a little after two in the morning."
"How long have I been out?" he asked, his voice growing stronger now.
"Two days," Sam said, picking up a cup with a straw in it and holding it so he could drink a little.
"Surgery?"
"Four hours and six pins worth," she replied shakily.
"Wonder if that qualifies as some kind of record?"
She chuckled at him which was what he wanted. He couldn't stand the thought of her being sad because of him.
"Do I have to learn to walk again?"
"Don't worry about that right now," she said quickly.
"In other words, yes."
"It will depend on how your legs heal. Maybe not," she tried to sound hopeful.
"Did they fix my hip yet?" he asked.
"No, they can't until your legs heal more. You are bed ridden for a while."
"Oh. Joy."
"I've arranged to use some of my leave, if you want I'll stay with you."
"You know I do," he said, squeezing her hand.
"Are you in much pain now?"
"Yeah, some."
She handed him a cord that had a small button at the end.
"Meet your new best friend," she said, showing him how to work the automatic medication despenser.
"When you are in pain, just hit the button."
"Got it boss," he answered, pressing the button. Sam clipped the cord to his pillow so it was within easy reach.
"Do you want anything?" she asked.
"No, just for you to stay close by," he said honestly.
"Sleep, Jack," Sam said, stroking the back of his hand. "I'll be here when you wake."
Jack nodded and let his eyes drift close.
When he woke next sunlight was streaming through the window of his room and his legs were throbbing. Sam was asleep on a cot by the bed and she looked so tired he decided not to wake her.
He pushed the button on his pain med dispenser and cautiously tried sitting up in bed. He knew instantly it was a bad idea. Pain flared in his right hip and he gritted his teeth to keep from swearing and waking Sam.
"Jack! What are you doing?" She yelled at him, suddenly sitting up on the cot.
"Testing my boundaries," he said, his teeth still gritted against the pain.
"Well don't, try just raising the bed a little."
Jack felt a little foolish at having not thought of that himself, but did as she suggested and raised the head of his bed a few degrees.
"Better?" Sam asked, standing by his bed now.
"Yeah, a lot," he nodded, "Now go back to sleep," he tried to shoo her back to bed.
"No, I'm going down to cafeteria to get something to eat, do you want anything?"
"Can I have anything?"
"Let's ask the nurse," she said, pushing the call button.
A moment later a voice came over the intercom.
"Yes?"
"We were wondering why type of diet Jack is on? IV only, or liquid?"
"Liquid. If it will go through a straw he can have it," she answered.
"Thank you" Sam said, then turned her attention back to Jack.
"So want me to bring you something?"
"Sure, what ever looks good to you and can be sucked through a straw."
Sam just glared at him before leaning over and kissing him lightly.
"I'll be back."
Jack closed his eyes as she left, intending to rest for just a minute but drifted off to a fitful sleep.
Sam woke him when she returned, his brow covered in sweat.
"You were having a bad dream," she told him, handing him a chocolate milkshake.
"Dreaming about that damn truck that hit me. Now look at me. They don't even know when I'll be able to walk again, do they?"
"But you are missing the point, Jack. You will walk again. I know you will."
Jack said nothing, just drinking his milkshake.
"Want to watch some TV?" she asked, changing the subject.
"Sure, see what you can find."
They channel surfed, finally settling on the cartoon channel which Jack secretly loved. He had pressed the button on his meds dispenser and was growing sleepy. Sam let him drift away to sleep and had no idea how to tell him that the doctors said the next six months would probably be the roughest of his life.