"No! Stop! I won't do it again…" Elizabeth mumbled in her sleep.

What?

Henry startled awake and took in his surroundings.

Hospital bed. Elizabeth.

"Please. Stop…" she mumbled again, while pushing him away slightly.

Henry looked down at his wife sleeping in his arms and pulled her closer, while rubbing her back. "Babe. You're safe. "

She settled back into sleep while he continued to rub her back gently. He smiled at the long ago memory of putting her to sleep by rubbing her back when she was worried about something happening to one of the kids, especially when they were toddlers. She would worry incessantly and no matter how many times he told her they were fine, his words didn't quell her fears. It was always his touch that calmed her down. That aspect of their marriage still rang true. Henry kissed her forehead and started to drift back off himself.

What felt like seconds later, he heard the buzz of his cell phone.

Can't a guy get some sleep?

Sighing, Henry opened his eyes and carefully slid himself out from the hospital bed. "I'll be right back, Babe," he whispered.

He walked over to his bag and fished out his buzzing phone. It stopped vibrating as soon as he grabbed it.

Stevie. Crap. I never called her with an update.

Not wanting to wake Elizabeth, Henry headed to the bathroom inside her hospital room and quietly closed the door. He dialed Stevie's number and waited for her to answer.

"Dad? How's Mom?" Stevie asked, panicked.

"She's alright, Stevie. She woke up a little bit ago and she's banged up and hurt, but nothing time won't fix. She's more scared than anything. Sorry I didn't call, we fell asleep."

"Can we talk to her?"

"I don't really want to wake her up right now. But you can call me back in a few hours and we can set something up then, okay?" he suggested.

"Are you sure she's okay?" she asked again. "Ali and Jason are freaking out, and honestly, Dad, I am too. This whole situation is weird. We don't know anything and we just want to know that she's alright."

"I know, Stevie. And your Mom will explain things in time. But I promise—"

"Henry!?" Elizabeth screamed.

Oh my God. What happened?

"Stevie. I'm going to have to call you back." He hung up the phone and threw the door open. He was greeted with a sight he could do without seeing ever again. Elizabeth was sitting straight up in bed frantically looking for him with tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Henry?! Where are you? I need you! Please!" she continued shouting.

Henry slowly approached her bed and gently grabbed her hand. He rubbed comforting circles on the back of her hand with his thumb.

"Baby, I'm right here. I didn't want to wake you up by talking on the phone. You're safe."

Elizabeth stopped shouting and reality sank in. "Henry?" she asked, softly.

"Right here."

"You we're gone….and I thought….I'm sorry…"

He cupped her cheek and she leaned into his touch. "You don't have to apologize. It's okay. You've been through a lot."

"I hate this," she said.

Henry's eyes softened. "I hate that you're hurting."

She gave him a small smile. "I don't deserve you, Henry."

"Babe, I'm the one who's lucky," he replied, grabbing her hand and kissing it.

Silent tears rolled down Elizabeth's cheeks and she quickly went to wipe them away. "I feel so dumb for crying."

Henry's brow furrowed. "Why? You were taken against your will, shot, beat, and God knows what else. You have every right to be upset."

Still gripping Henry's hand, she looked down at her lap, avoiding his gaze.

"What is it, Babe?" Henry asked.

"People died protecting me."

He squeezed her hand. "They died doing their job. You can't blame yourself."

She looked up at him, eyes shining with tears. "Is Blake dead?" she whispered.

Henry took a deep breath, collecting himself.

How do I tell her? She is not going to take this well.

"Baby…."

"Oh God, he is," she said, sobbing.

"I'm so sorry," Henry said. He sat on the bed more fully and pulled her into a hug while she cried into his shoulder.

"He didn't…deserve to…die. It's…all my…fault."

Henry rubbed her back again. "None of this is your fault. This is all because of Farhad Azimi. You have to know that."

"But we were…in Geneva…because of my…job," she replied, still crying.

"I know. But no one could have predicted this would happen. Farhad is just a lunatic with some sick vendetta against you, President Dalton, and Vice President Hurst."

Elizabeth's breath hitched and she gripped Henry tighter.

Was it something I said?

"You're going to be okay, Babe. I'm right here." He kissed her cheek as he continued to rub soothing circles into her back.

Several minutes passed and Elizabeth's sobs died down a little bit. Henry shifted to get more comfortable and she tightly grabbed his arm in protest. "Don't go," she said.

"I'm not going anywhere, Babe," he reassured.

He moved them around on the bed so she could comfortably lie against his chest. He felt Elizabeth relax slightly and he was glad that he brought her some relief from her emotional distress.

"Babe?" Henry asked.

"Hmm?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," she replied drowsily.

"When I talked to Farhad, he said that he gave you one phone call. Why didn't you choose Conrad? The CIA would have been able to track where you were faster."

Elizabeth froze. She tensed against him.

I made her uncomfortable. Great.

"You don't have to answer. It's okay," Henry said.

The silence stretched on.

"I thought I was going to die," she whispered.

"That must have been really scary," he replied.

He felt her nod against his chest. "Farhad explained to me in great detail how he was planning on killing me should the President and Vice President refuse to resign their positions. I know the United States doesn't negotiate with terrorists, so I believed it was all over for me."

Henry tightened his hold on her.

My God, this is horrific.

"I couldn't let my last words on earth be to Conrad. I had to talk to you one last time."

Henry kissed the top of her head. "I love you. I'm so glad you chose me." He wrapped his arms around her body, comforting her with his hold.

Elizabeth couldn't help but smile. "I like you okay, too."

God, thank you for bringing her back to me.

"Sir, you can't be in here."

Henry pulled a sleeping Elizabeth closer to his chest on instinct.

Who does this nurse think she is?

"She wants me here," he said matter-of-factly.

The nurse shrugged. "I understand that, but visiting hours are over and you need to leave. You can come back tomorrow morning."

"You can't make an exception?" he pleaded.

"No, sir. Those are the rules," replied the nurse, shaking her head.

Henry sighed. "Alright, I'm going. Just let me tell her."

Elizabeth is going to hate this.

He climbed out of the bed carefully, and then brushed her cheek to wake her up gently. "Babe? Can you wake up for me?"

Elizabeth made a humming sound in her throat and snuggled deeper into the pillow.

"Come on, Babe. I need you to wake up for just a minute," he cajoled.

She opened her good eye to see what he needed to tell her so badly. "This better be good," she joked.

He chuckled. "You're so cute when you're sleepy."

She smiled back at him.

He rubbed her shoulder, needing the contact just as much as she did. "The nurse says that visiting hours are over so I have to leave. I'll be back first thing in the morning."

Elizabeth pushed herself up, fully awake now. She winced at the pain from her sudden movement. "What?! No! You can't leave."

"I have to, Babe."

"No! I won't let you," she protested, grabbing his arm hard.

The nurse chimed in, hoping to move this along and get Henry out the door. "Ma'am, visiting hours are over. He needs to leave so you can rest."

"I was resting with him here!"

"It's dangerous for him to be in the bed with you. We need to continue to monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, and keep you hydrated. You want to heal, don't you?" the nurse asked.

Elizabeth's eyes welled up with tears. "Please. He'll stay in the chair. Don't make him leave."

Henry's heart shattered.

How can the nurse say no to that? Can't she tell Elizabeth's terrified?

He smiled at Elizabeth. "Hang on a second, Babe. I'm going to talk to the nurse outside."

She hesitated, but eventually nodded and let his arm go.

As soon as the door to her room was shut and they were standing in the hallway, Henry pleaded with the nurse. "Did you know she was kidnapped and beaten? I don't think it's a good idea for her mentally to be alone right now."

"I've been over her chart and I see the injuries, Mr. McCord. But we do not make exceptions to rules here in France. She will be fine for one night."

Henry crossed his arms. "So you think that her being scared all night is the way to help heal her injuries? Where did you practice medicine?"

"Excuse me?" the nurse asked defensively.

"I don't mean to be rude, but I just do not see how me sitting in a chair holding her hand is going to be so detrimental to her healing. I think it will help. I bet if you look at her blood pressure and heart rate numbers since I arrived, you would see the trend that I was keeping her calm."

The nurse scoffed. "I'm getting Dr. Green. I don't have time for this."

"Please do," taunted Henry, as she walked away. He walked back into Elizabeth's room and quietly shut the door.

"Hey, Babe."

"Henry? Are you staying? What did the nurse say? I can't be here alone. I just can't."

He grabbed her hand and kissed it. "She went to go find Doctor Green. We didn't come to an agreement just yet," he said.

Elizabeth stared at Henry for longer than should have been comfortable, but his eyes reflected his love for her. "I'm sorry I'm being so clingy," she said.

Henry smiled. "I don't mind at all."

"It's just…"

"Just what, Babe?"

She looked down into her lap, ashamed.

"You can tell me anything," Henry reminded her. "No judgment."

Silent tears rolled down her cheeks. "I don't want you to think less of me."

"Elizabeth, Baby. I would never think any less of you. I love you."

She found the blanket on her legs very interesting as she avoided his eyes. "Maybe I should have fought back more. I was representing the United States and I should have tried to contact the president sooner and then maybe we wouldn't be in this mess and I wouldn't feel so…"

"So what?" Henry asked, urging her to continue.

"Worthless. Damaged."

My God, Elizabeth. No.

Henry gently rubbed circles on her arm. "You are not damaged. Or worthless. You could never be anything less than amazing. And beautiful. And strong. And loved. And smart. And the mother of my children. I need you to see that."

Elizabeth started sobbing again and reached for Henry. "I wish this never happened."

"I know, Babe. Me too. But we'll get through it," he said, hugging her again.

The door opened, and Elizabeth looked up to see Dr. Green entering the room. She tensed, worried that he was going to force Henry to leave. Henry pulled out of the hug, but still held her against his side.

"How are you feeling Elizabeth?" Dr. Green asked.

She sniffled. "I'm okay, I guess."

"One of my nurses told me that there was some trouble happening in your room. Can you tell me more about that?"

Henry spoke first. "The nurse said I have to leave due to visiting hours, but I don't think that's what my wife needs right now." He rubbed her shoulder.

The doctor nodded. "Ah, I see." He grabbed her chart and looked over it.

It was Elizabeth's turn to plead now. "Please let him stay, Dr. Green."

"Well it looks like visiting hours are posted…"

"No! Please," said Elizabeth, desperately.

"I was going to say that visiting hours are posted, but your chart looks good. Your vitals seemed to have stabilized considerably since Henry arrived. I'll allow you to stay tonight, Dr. McCord. But on one condition."

Henry's heart sped up.

He's letting me stay? Thank God for small mercies.

"Name it," Henry said.

"You must make sure that she eats her dinner. We can't have her malnourished on top of everything else," Dr. Green replied with a wink.

"You got it, Doctor."

Henry smiled at Elizabeth, and kissed her cheek.

"I'll leave you two to it, then," Dr. Green said, quietly leaving the room.

Elizabeth scooted over so she was resting against Henry's side. "Have I mentioned that I am so glad you're here?"

"Once or twice," Henry replied, chuckling.

A comfortable silence fell over the room and Henry enjoyed the moment he had to just hold his wife.

"Do you feel up for calling the kids?" he asked.

Elizabeth sat up. "Yeah, have you talked to them?"

"I talked to Stevie earlier before you woke up. That's why I was in the bathroom."

Elizabeth nodded as Henry reached for his phone that was laying in the chair. "Give me just a second." He saw a notification on the lock screen, and when he swiped, he saw that it was a text from Russell Jackson.

Henry stared at his phone, heart pounding.

"What is it?" Elizabeth asked.

Do I tell her?

Henry remained silent, thinking.

What if it makes things worse for her?

Elizabeth squeezed his hand. "What aren't you telling me?"

She deserves the truth.

"They found out who was working with Farhad Azimi, Babe. I have to call Russell before we can talk to the kids."