The trip back to Albuquerque was spent mostly in silence. Shaw was emotionally spent, not realizing until she actually looked down at Root tied to the cross (that had apparently been removed from inside of Kelly Church) how much differently this could have ended. The thought of losing Root so soon after finding her again (no- losing her at all) sent terror shooting through every fiber of her being.

Gen's being in danger and the guilt she felt over dragging Elizabeth into the middle of everything combined to force Sameen into a brooding silence that Elizabeth didn't feel comfortable disrupting. She had her own issues, nursing what was probably a minor concussion. She also was struggling with feelings of her own- the day had rekindled embers of a fire she had thought was long extinguished.

Gen was tired, still a little scared and mostly concerned with the implications of what Shaw had said about her being put in a "safer" place. She couldn't bear to be separated from the only family she had left in the world. If they sent her away Gen would be lost, possibly forever.

Shaw's reverie was broken as she realized the sun had disappeared during the drive back. This has been one long-ass day. Weariness was creeping up on her as she took their exit and headed for the complex that had become the focus of so much of their lives over the past months.

As the Sierra pulled up to the hospital, Dr. Tillman, Finch and Reese were waiting for them. Grace had returned to Europe to deal with some details regarding the subletting of the home she shared with Harold, and Lionel had returned to New York to work and Lee.

While Shaw came around to lift Root out of the back seat, the automatic doors opened and two nurses came out pushing a gurney. Shaw waved them off and lifted Root from the back seat and gently placed her on it. Leaning down she kissed Root's forehead and nodded at the nurses.

As Dr. Tillman turned to follow, Shaw stopped her.

"I don't know if you remember Elizabeth Ruben, Dr. Tillman, but she got in the way of an explosion and needs to be looked at as well."

"I do remember you Elizabeth," Dr. Tillman blushed slightly, "let's get you inside with Ms. Groves and see if you're OK."

"Thanks, Dr. Tillman, but I think it's just a slight concussion." Elizabeth stared at the doctor with more than polite interest, which Shaw and the doctor noticed. Dr. Tillman's blush deepened. She hesitated, then waved her inside.

"Hi Ellie." John smiled faintly at Elizabeth. "Looks like trouble just can't leave you alone."

"Hi John, I'm really glad to hear you're OK." Elizabeth walked over and gave Reese a hug. Then smiled at Finch. "Harold, it's good to see you."

"Ms. Ruben, thanks for what you did, you have a knack of being exactly what we need when we need it."

"I'll see you later, I have a doctor's appointment." It was a good thing Dr. Tillman couldn't hear the innuendo Elizabeth managed to put into that simple statement- having gone through the doors after Root's gurney.

Gen was still sitting in the back seat of the Sierra when Shaw leaned in and motioned her out. Tears were sparkling in the fourteen year old's eyes and Shaw noticed immediately.

"Is this catching up with you Gen? It's OK, you'll be alright after a day or two."

"It has nothing to do with that, Shaw, I can't…. I won't let you send me away. I don't care if it's dangerous- this is my home and you are my family. If you send me away, I'll run away and you'll never see me again. I…. I …." Gen's voice trailed off into a muffled sob.

"Whoa Gen, listen I was thinking about that on the way back. You're not going anywhere until it's time for you to go off to college. I was way too hasty back there and said some stuff in the heat of the moment. I'll worry about your safety, but Root and I will do everything to ensure it and we'll deal with life as it happens."

Gen's face lit up with relief. "You mean it? Oh man…thank you, thank you, I don't know what I would have done if you had tried to send me away. You guys are everything to me."

"We love you too, kiddo, now let's get inside and see how our friends are doing."

As the group made it's way to the private wing where Root and Elizabeth had been taken, Shaw briefed Finch and Reese on the events at Kelly Church.

"There are bodies everywhere, I think nine or ten and the shed is probably a total loss. I'm pretty sure the van and Elizabeth's attack drones, which functioned perfectly by the way, will be safe. The Machine told us it was having it picked up and delivered here within a few hours. I didn't want it delivered back to our house on the off chance someone noticed it or was watching it."

Finch nodded agreement.

"I still have some contacts in the government Ms. Shaw, I think we can convince them a drug deal went bad and a gun battle resulted. It's easier to head this stuff off rather than let someone dig around and discover a link we'd rather stay buried."

Shaw tilted her head staring at Harold. A small smile threatened her lips.

"No lecture on shooting for kneecaps Harold? You've come a long way."

"Losing two of the people closest to you, even if it turned out not to be true, has a way of making you look at things differently."

"Amen to that Harold."

They made their way down to the waiting area. Shaw's concern for Root was growing as the excitement of the day began to fade. She asked the duty nurse if she could go in and see how Root was doing.

"I'll check." The nurse picked up a phone and, after a two minute eternity, smiled at Shaw. "Go on back- it's room 1."

As Sameen made her way back, she felt the fingertips of doubt and panic begin to tap patterns on her heart. Resisting the urge to burst in, she stopped and knocked lightly on the door.

"Come in Ms. Shaw."

Shaw entered to find Dr. Tillman finishing her exam of Root. As Sameen closed the door and turned to the gurney she saw Root's eyes were open and she was watching Shaw with tired eyes.

"Hi Sam, did you miss me?"

Shaw smiled as tears threatened to spill out onto her cheeks. She fought a short battle with herself (feelings Sameen?) before wiping at her eyes.

"Root, I swear you'll be the death of me! How is she doc?"

"Ms. Groves will be fine, however I want to keep her here overnight for observation. She may have benefitted from her previous traumatic injuries in this instance. It appears that she was unconscious for the entire ordeal which kept her captors from doing anything more to her.

"When we got in the room, I checked her vitals. Once I established there was no immediate issue I tried smelling salts. They worked. She's a little groggy, and probably will be for the next few hours but she should be able to go home tomorrow morning- after I give her a complete physical of course."

"Thanks Dr. Tillman. I can keep watch for a few minutes. You have another patient."

Dr. Tillman's blush returned. She actually looked adorable when flustered.

"Yes, I… I will be back in a few minutes."

"Take your time, doc." Shaw smirked, then winked at her.

The blush deepened as the doctor turned and left the exam room.

"What was that about Sam?"

"Dr. Tillman and Elizabeth have a past Root. I'm not sure what if anything happened or if they had a relationship… although who am I to put labels on what others do or have?"

Root reached out and took Shaw's hand.

"Sameen, what would you call what we do and have?"

Shaw smiled.

"Everything."

….

Shaw and Gen spent the night at the hospital. The day seemed to have lasted a week and once Shaw knew both Root and Elizabeth were in no danger, the strain of it seemed to catch up with her all at once.

One minute she was talking to Harold, John and Gen in the waiting area, the next Gen was shaking her shoulder.

"Shaw, wake up, you nodded off listening to Harold."

"Oops, sorry. This was a long day. I think I need a nap."

"No apologies necessary, Ms. Shaw, let's get the doctor to find you somewhere to sleep tonight."

"I'd like to sleep in the room they took Root to if possible. Tonight, if I wake up for any reason, I'm going to need to see her."

Finch smiled, "I'll talk to the doctor."

….

Shaw ended up sleeping in a recliner next to Root's bed. The nightmares were brief but vivid, and at one point she got out of the recliner and left the room, returning a few minutes later with a cup of coffee. As she entered the room, Root was sitting up in bed with her legs off the side in an attempt to get up.

"Whoa, soldier, where do you think you're going?"

Roots face, a mask of confusion, cleared immediately when she heard Shaw's voice.

"I was at the gas station, Sam. Only instead of getting out of the Escalade I was frozen in it. As you came out of the station, someone pointed a gun at you and fired…. I closed my eyes, then woke up here. I had to find you."

Shaw sat beside Root on the bed, wrapped an arm around her and kissed the side of her head.

"It's going to take some time to get over this, Root. We will, you will- you're the strongest person I know."

"Present company excluded, Sam."

"Go back to sleep."