She must have dozed off because Jack coughing woke her with a start. She turned her head quickly in her chair, adjacent to the bed, and she looked to see if he was starting to wake up.

"Hey," he uttered very quietly, his voice hoarse and raspy.

"Jack!" Lisa exclaimed and sprung up from her seat, her jacket and blanket falling to the floor as she did. She'd used both to cover up, as it was cold as the nurse had told her. "How long have you been awake?"

"Just woke up," he said, trying to wet his lips. "I looked around trying to remember what happened." Lisa could tell he had a dry mouth, so she looked around and spotted the juice and an extra water the nurse had given her. She leaned over, grabbed the water, and she helped to tilt Jack's head to sip at it. He nodded and closed his eyes as he leaned back. "Thank you," he said with his eyes closed.

"Of course," she told him. "I'm not sure what you remember, but we are still trying to piece it together. It looks like you hit a deer. You overcorrected, went into a ditch, and you flipped the truck. You were going home after leaving my house."

"Ugh," he groaned and nodded, with his eyes still closed. "That explains why my head is killing me. I suppose it's a concussion."

"Among other things," she explained. "You had surgery; you ruptured your spleen." She reached to squeeze his hand, "I'm just glad to see you will be okay, even if it doesn't feel like it right now."

He briefly opened his eyes to give her a small smile, "For a second, glancing over at you, I thought if this is Heaven, then I'm okay."

"Stop," she rolled her eyes and chuckled, lightly swatting at his uninjured arm. "Jack Bartlett, even with all we have going on, you are still trying to turn on the charm."

"Well," he tried to chuckle, but instead almost yelped in pain. Lisa made a face, and Jack groaned and closed his eyes again.

"About that too," Lisa said as she continued, "you cracked a few ribs. You probably don't want to see your face. You have several lacerations, here," she gently touched next to one spot, "here, and here." They put in a few stitches."

Jack listened and nodded as she explained things. Lisa thought he'd nodded off again, as she sat there and he didn't say anything. She knew he'd be tired from the surgery, from the concussion, and she was almost ready to move back to her chair. She tentatively stepped away.

"What time is it?" Jack asked, surprising her that he was still awake after all.

"Ahh, 5:45 AM," she told him. "The nurse has been in and out. I expect the doctor will be in for morning rounds sometime soon."

"I'm sorry you were stuck sitting in that chair all night, Lise," he grumbled. "You should be at home. You need to rest. Where is that good for nothing Tim in a time like this."

"Well, for your information," Lisa said, now crossing her arms, and with that tone, Jack opened his eyes briefly to see her stance, "Tim was great, has been great. He and I felt it was best he take the girls home. Everyone was worried about you. I was the most logical choice to stay, and don't worry about me. I keep saying I'm fine. I'm not fragile. I'm a grown woman and can take care of things and myself."

"Yes, ma'am," he grumbled. Lisa stepped away, and he opened his eyes briefly and patted his hand on the bed. "Sit here with me for a sec, Lise, please. It hurts to open my eyes and look up at you standing there."

Lisa looked around, making sure she wasn't going to sit on anything or any cords, and she gently sat on the edge of the bed. He opened his eyes again, "Better, thank you. Something about looking up has me very dizzy."

"You have a concussion, which I realize you might be forgetful right now," she told him again. "That old truck of yours threw you around."

He groaned, "Oh, my truck."

"Your love for that old truck is something I don't understand, but right now, let's just be thankful it wasn't worse. I know this sounds silly, but are you in any pain, I mean, that you want the nurse?"

"No," he said, coughing slightly. "Just tired and I feel like my head is spinning."

"That's because it probably is from the concussion," she told him.

"Hopefully, the doc will let me go home today and just recover there," Jack told her. Lisa rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"You are unbelievable. You just had surgery. You were in a serious accident, and well, your face looks like it's been kicked by a bull. I'd say you need to just stay where you are and get some rest," Lisa told him. "Tim and the girls will be back later today."

He nodded silently and then ended up groaning, "You should go, go home and get some rest. I'm sure you are tired."

"I told you I'm just fine. If I leave you to your own devices, you'll try to get up and leave this-" she said and stopped. She paused a moment moving her hand to her side. Jack opened his eyes again and saw her sitting there with her eyes closed, focusing.

"Lise?" Jack asked.

Lisa opened her eyes and reached for his hand, "Here, get better for this." She put her hand on her side where she wanted him to feel the faintest of movement. He looked at her, wanting to know what was happening. She waited and then softly smiled, "There, feel that?" Jack jerked back his hand like something was going to bite him. He coughed.

"Was that-" he tried to say and coughed again. This time, she helped him sit up just a little so he was at a better angle and not coughing so much.

Finally situated, he waved his hand instead of speaking in a gratitude of thanks. Lisa nodded, no words needed. Jack closed his eyes again, finally seeming to calm down to rest more. Lisa waited a few more seconds and quietly moved back to her seat.

"Does it hurt?" Jack grumbled a minute or so later. Lisa had thought for sure he was sleeping again, and she sat forward, trying to determine if he was dreaming.

He turned his head without lifting it off the pillow and opened his eyes, "That was the baby kicking, wasn't it? Does it hurt?"

She tensed her lips with an almost smile and shrugged as she answered, "Yes, that was the baby moving. I just started to feel that a week or so ago, although, the books I've read said that feeling can start much earlier. It did say that for a first pregnancy, it's usually not noticed until later, like me, now. No, it doesn't hurt. It's a very surreal feeling. I wonder if it will hurt as the baby gets bigger and stronger."

"I've never asked that, even with Lyndy. There's a lot I never did," he said. He closed his eyes again, and Lisa waited for the next question. She sat forward like that for another minute or so, and then, she heard him snoring. She sat back and took a deep breath. He was battered, but he was already on the mend. Jack would be in the hospital for a few days, but hopefully, he would make a full recovery.

Lisa glanced at her watch, noting that it was almost 8:00 AM on the East Coast. She'd call her realtor in Florida soon and see about rescheduling her trip. She and Jack might not be a couple, but she still loved him and wanted to make sure he would be okay. It was almost something they couldn't explain to others, but just giving up everything about her lifestyle and loving him, it wasn't enough.

"Get some rest, Cowboy," she sighed and picked up her blanket and jacket to get comfortable once again.