"Seems like your charm still works on her." Matthew said.

"Well, she's got a head injury, so that might explain it." Teased Tom.

"You fellas are just jealous." Dan said laughing. "Nah, she's just being kind. Think on it, fellas, have you ever known Becky Boone to be unkind? Just because she lost her memory, doesn't mean she's lost her character. She's a good woman." He sighed.

"Just because she lost her memory, doesn't mean she's lost her heart. You two are a pair, and nothing can keep the two of you apart - not even a lost memory." Tom said with a grin.

They had stopped to eat. She and sister Beatrice had cooked up a delicious stew and eating it had comforted him somehow. No one cooked like Becky. Tasting it was a homecoming in itself.

"Is there any stew left?" Tom asked turning towards the fire where Sister Beatrice stood stirring a pot.

"Just a little." Sister Beatrice said. Daniel looked up from his bowl then and saw that Sister Beatrice was alone.

"Where's Becky?" He stood alarmed.

"Lying down over there. Her headache is worse." Sister Beatrice said.

He found her stretched out on the soft grass, her head resting on a folded blanket. He knelt beside her. "Becky? You alright."

"I'm fine. I just need to rest a minute." Her eyes flicked open for a second.

"You rest honey." He said. "We can stay here until you feel better." He brushed a hand against her forehead. It was hot. "You've got a fever. How long have you been ill?"

"I'm not sure. I guess since yesterday.."

"You didn't say anything! Why didn't you say anything? We've been trudging along!"

"It isn't bad. I can. . ." She started to rise.

"Rebecca! Lie down. You are still the most stubborn . . ." He drew in a breath to calm himself. "I'm sorry. You just lay back and rest, please, honey."

***DB***

"We are wasting time having this conversation. Tom, you go ahead. Clear everyone out of my cabin and bring the doctor there. I can't have the children see her. Not 'til she's better. Matt, you bring Sister Beatrice." Daniel said decisively.

They hadn't been able to wake her for some time and she burned with fever. They were all worried.

"What are you going to do?" Tom asked.

Daniel walked over to where Rebecca lay wracked with fever. Gently, he reached down and lifted her into his arms.

"I'm bringing her home. Hurry up and get going Tom. She needs a doctor." He shifted her in his arms. "Go on Tom, hurry." Nodding, Tom turned and ran ahead down the trail towards home. Daniel followed slower, Becky cradled in his arms.

She was light and he could make good time. Her head rested against his shoulder and he could pretend that things were normal if not for the heat radiating from her. He fairly ran to their cabin. They were just a day out. She awoke only once.

"Where am I?" She asked clearly still in pain.

"I'm taking you home, ah grah." He said. "Rest now."

"You'll take care of me." She said groggily. "You are my husband. We are married. You rode up on a horse with the sun setting behind you. My head hurts."

"Becky!" He stopped suddenly. "I never told you that. You remembered it! Becky?" But she was unconscious again and he couldn't wake her."

***DB***

He paced on the porch, impatiently. He had been glad that Boonesborough finally had a doctor. It was such a relief to have a real doctor when troubles came. He seemed mighty young, though. He thought that every time he saw him. But, when Daniel James was born, Katie-Grace had a difficult time of it. Becky had been at a loss as how to help her when the young doctor had arrived. Daniel James had arrived just twenty minutes later, healthy and squalling. Seeing Katie resting and in good health, he had decided that he approved of the doctor, young or not.

"Mr. Boone?" Doctor Eaton said.

"I told you can call me Daniel. Is she going to be alright?" He asked anxiously.

"She hit her head some time ago?" He asked.

"Yes, about four weeks ago, but the doctor who looked at her said it looked like she'd been hit or fallen before that. She hadn't been able to remember a thing." He tried to keep calm.

"Yes, the injury to her head seemed pretty severe. I can't imagine how she's been up and about. She needs to rest. I don't want her to get up out of the bed for the next few days, but here's the tricky part, you need to wake her every few hours - make sure she can talk."

"It could be bad?" Daniel asked.

"Head injuries are complicated. They need to be closely monitored. It could be serious, yes. I don't like the fever, but it has come down some. Like I said, she needs to rest. Just make sure she can speak and make sense when you wake her. I don't know about the memory loss. Let's not worry about that just yet. Stay close, and make sure and wake her often. Do you think you can manage it? I'll come back in the morning to check on her, and of course, send for me, if it gets worse or you can't rouse her." He put a hand on Daniel's arm. "You look terrible. When's the last time you slept?"

"About seventy days ago." Daniel said and the doctor nodded.

"Everyone's been so worried about you. Having her here again. It's a miracle. We just need to wait and see. I pray her memory returns completely. Whatever happens, you at least have her back." He turned and walked out of the cabin as Tom Walker came in.

"We took Sister Beatrice to my house. Anna's seeing to her. She wanted to come straight here, but I told her maybe tomorrow. It won't be easy to keep this quiet. Matt went to talk to Israel and Katie, so I imagine they'll be here soon."

"I wanted to wait until we were sure she . . ."

"I know that, but Daniel, you are exhausted and you can't take care of her alone. Besides maybe seeing the children will trigger her memory."

He sighed. "I suppose you are right. Thank you, Tom. I appreciate all you've done."

"I didn't do it for you." He said. "I did it for her. We've always liked her better. You know that." Tom teased and pushing Daniel in the shoulder, he left.

***DB***

Rebecca Boone opened her eyes, the familiar face of her husband hovering just inches above her.

"Becky? Wake up, for a minute. Can you talk?" He asked her. She stared at him with wide blue eyes, and he felt frightened.

"Becky?'

"Is it Shawnee?" She asked clearly confused.

"What?" He asked her.

"Dan? Why did you wake me? Are there Shawnee?" She asked him.

"You called me Dan." He said.

"Well, yes. Would you prefer Daniel? Daniel Ignatius Boone?" She grimaced. "My head hurts something fierce."

"You hit your head. Do you remember anything?" He asked her.

"Wait," She said and he lit the lamp beside the bed so that he could see her face better. "You woke me and I went out into the snow." She started to rise, but he gently pushed her shoulder back down. "Dan, is it safe? Are they still coming? The children!"

"Sweetheart, that was over two months ago. You went out into the snow and disappeared. I just found you four days ago living with a group of nuns at Clement Station."

She studied his face thoughtfully, squinting. Her eyes widened and she said, "There was a bear. I climbed a tree and had to wait and I was so worried. What happened? Are the children all right?" She started to rise again.

"Lay down, Rebecca." His voice was husky with tears. "You hit your head. The doctor said you have to rest. The children are fine. Turns out it was Chickasaw and just a misunderstanding. Some boys had fished too near their hunting grounds. It was all worked out by nightfall the next day."

"Are you crying? Why are you crying?" She asked.

"You were missing for sixty-two days. We found just a little piece of your robe and bear tracks. Everyone said you must be dead. They made me put up a stone." He held tightly to her hands. "Sweetheart, we buried you." He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, struggling for control. "How did you end up at Clement Station? Do you remember?"

She looked up at him, her eyes big. "I . . . let me think." She hesitated thoughtfully. "There were men, four I think. They took me, and sold me off or tried to. I don't remember too much. One of them came from behind and hit my head. And then they gave me laudanum and it made me sick. I woke up with the nuns." She put a hand to her head.

"No more talking. Go to sleep. The doctor said you must rest. I can't have anything happen to you now, alright, sweetheart. Just sleep, we can talk when you wake again." He leaned over her looking into her blue eyes. She reached up with a hand and touched his face.

"I'm not sure about the beard." She said.

"I'll shave it off soon as you are asleep." He said.

"You don't need to. I just said I wasn't sure. Maybe I should give it a fair shake." She reached out and rubbed his cheek. "You look awful." Her eyes became serious. "It was bad?" She asked him.

He couldn't speak but tears filled his eyes and he nodded his head. She brushed a tear from his cheek and her eyelids fluttered. "Dan. . ." She said sleepily.

"Go back to sleep." He whispered.

"Ta mo chroi istigh ionat." She said as her eyes drifted shut. "Don't worry. You found me. It's alright now, darling."

"Oh, 'Becca," was all he could manage and he leaned in and kissed her, and at last his heart began to beat again.