Lee had felt her tossing and turning in his arms, her cries awakening him from the light sleep that had finally taken over his body.
"Hush sweetheart," Lee whispered in the dark.
He felt Amanda's fevered body press up against him and he wrapped his arms around her, wanting nothing more than to give her solace.
"Lee," she sobbed his name.
"I'm right here Manda, I'm right here."
She sniffled and then pressed against his chest.
"My babies," she whispered. "Where are they?"
"They're fine Amanda, just fine."
"I don't want them to get sick, please Lee. Promise me they won't get sick."
He placed a kiss on the top of her head.
"They'll be fine Amanda. The Agency already has someone going to them. They'll be given the proper medicine and everything will be just fine. I promise."
She nodded her head, then lapsed into a coughing fit.
"Oh, baby," he whispered as he rubbed her back while she continued to cough.
He knew it had to be hurting her to cough this much and that knowledge made him feel her pain as though it were his own.
"I don't feel so good," she whispered.
"I know, I know," he told her.
"I'm scared," she said.
"Well, don't be. Doc's been treating with you some pretty potent stuff. You'll be up and around in no time."
"I'd settle for just being at home, in my own bed. With my family," she told him as her voice began shaking.
Lee gently tilted her face up, already knowing that he would find tears on her cheeks.
"It's going to be fine, I promise."
Amanda nodded her head slightly; coughing a little as her husband held her.
Finally, the spasms eased and Lee felt her slender form go limp in his arms. He could feel the steady rise and fall of her chest as she cuddled against him. Sleep had finally claimed her again and that was what she needed most, sleep and medicine combined would beat this thing.
But, he knew that even more importantly, the knowledge that her children were safe would make the most difference.
Amanda might be his wife and partner, but from day one she had always been one thing first, a mother. As her husband, he wanted nothing more than to give her the comfort of knowing that Phillip and Jamie were safe from harm.
And, as her husband, that made it just as important to him as it was to her. The boys might not be his, biologically, but they were her children and his stepsons. It was up to him to make sure that they returned home safe and sound.
He only hoped that he heard some news soon, something that would affirm the little white lie that he had just spoken to his wife.