Henry parked the car quickly and ran into the house to pack a bag. He had twenty minutes to grab whatever clothes and toiletries he could for himself and Elizabeth before getting on a flight.

"Dad?" Stevie asked when he came into the entry way. "Are you sure Mom is okay?"

Henry hugged Stevie tightly. "She's at the hospital now in France. The doctors are taking good care of her."

Stevie's eyes shined with unshed tears. "Do you need me to come with you?"

Henry smiled. His oldest was so much like Elizabeth at times. "No, I need you to stay here and keep an eye on Ali and Jason. I promise to call when I can. It might be a few days."

"A few days?" she asked, eyes wide with concern. "Dad, how serious are her injuries? The news just said there was a situation involving the Secretary of State in Geneva."

Henry gently placed his hands on Stevie's shoulders. "It's not good, Baby. That's all I can share for now. But your mom is a fighter and I promise that I will make sure to call you with regular updates."

"Dad, no! I want to be there with her!" Stevie pleaded.

"I know you do. But right now I need to know that my children are safe. Okay? Can you do that for me, please?"

The tears in Stevie's eyes spilled over onto her cheeks and she wiped them away with her sleeve. "What should I tell Ali and Jason?"

"Tell them that your mom is hurt but that I'm going to be with her and not to worry."

Stevie rolled her eyes. "They aren't five years old, Dad."

"I know, but I really do need to pack a bag and catch that plane. You'll think of something to tell them."

Stevie nodded reluctantly.

Henry made his way up stairs and into his bedroom. He grabbed several outfits for himself and shoved them into a suitcase. He knew that Elizabeth already had a bag packed with her when she went to Geneva but who knows where that suitcase was at the moment given everything that had transpired in the past day. He found one of his old sweatshirts that Elizabeth liked to wear around the house, and decided that he would bring it because it might be of some comfort to her.

As he grabbed his toiletries and stuffed them into the bag, he recalled a time when he came home from a deployment early on in their marriage. He had quietly climbed into the bed to avoid waking her late at night and saw she was wearing his sweatshirt. She told him the next morning when he asked why she was sleeping in his clothes that it was because they smelled like him.

Henry smiled at the memory.

And I thought I loved you then. I had no idea how much you would become the center of my world, Babe.

He grabbed her a few more casual outfits and some clothes that would be comfortable for her to wear at the hospital over her injuries.

I hate that I have to consider clothes that won't cause her any more pain.

Bag packed, Henry headed back down stairs to say goodbye to Stevie. "I should be able to call you tomorrow morning when I land. Please don't worry too much. I love you." He hugged her one more time and kissed her on the cheek. "Stay safe."

Henry checked his watch as he dropped his luggage into the front seat of the car.

Can I make it to the airport and onto the plane in seventeen minutes?

He pulled out of his driveway and said a quick prayer.

God, please let me make this flight so I can get to Elizabeth. I need to see that she is okay. Please let her be okay.

Henry stepped out of the airport in Geneva and squinted against the late morning sunlight. He opened the door to the Uber that pulled up alongside the curb.

Once his luggage was safely tucked away in the trunk, Henry showed the driver his phone with the name of the hospital he was headed to in some French city he had never heard of. The driver nodded and Henry looked out the window.

How can only thirteen hours have passed since that phone call from Elizabeth?

Henry pulled up his text messages to text Stevie.

I'm on my way to the hospital to see Mom. I love you. I'll call later when I have an update.

Once the message was sent, he leaned his head against the backseat and closed his eyes. He slept very little on the plane because he kept imagining Elizabeth waking up alone and in pain in the hospital. He couldn't understand why someone would use her as a punching bag when she did nothing directly to them. She was just doing the job of an administration and didn't deserve any of this.

Hang on, Babe. I'm coming.

Henry dozed in the backseat of the Uber for a little while until he felt the car slow to a stop and the driver open the door.

"Sir? We're here."

Henry rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he opened the door to the backseat and stepped out. His bag was waiting for him and he thanked the driver. He checked the Uber app to make sure he left a decent tip and headed toward the front of the hospital.

Once he was through the doors, he walked until he saw a woman at a desk typing away at a computer.

What is taking so long?

"Can I help you?" she asked, after several minutes passed.

"Yeah, I'm looking for Elizabeth McCord. She's my wife. She was brought in hours ago."

The woman at the desk typed something into the computer again and then pointed to the elevators on Henry's right. "Take the elevator to the fourth floor. The ICU is to the left when you get out. She's in room 143. The visiting hours are posted in that hallway."

Henry nodded. "Thanks."

Visiting hours? Yeah, I'd like to see them try and make me leave.

He made his way over to the elevator and pressed the 'up' button firmly. It dinged and he stepped inside, dragging his bag with him.

This is taking forever.

Arriving at the fourth floor, Henry took a left and found the sign for the room numbers. Her room would be on the left hand side, near the end. As he approached the room, he saw the soldier from the extraction team posted outside her door.

He glanced up when he heard Henry's footsteps.

"Dr. McCord. You made it," he said, shaking Henry's hand.

"Thanks for looking out for her. How is she?"

Henry tried to look through the window to find Elizabeth, but the blinds were shut.

"Truthfully, not well."

Henry's face went white.

"What happened?" he whispered.

"Well, the doctor should be back in an hour to answer your questions about how she is doing physically. He said the surgery to remove the bullet in her leg and repair the damage went fine but that she panicked when she woke up in the ICU surrounded by people she didn't know. She kept screaming your name over and over until they had to sedate her."

My God, Baby, I am so sorry.

"You can go in, Dr. McCord. I know you want to see her," the soldier said, while stepping aside.

"Thanks," Henry replied, opening the door.

Henry held his breath as he walked in her room. He placed the bag of luggage on the floor, and slowly approached her bed. She looked so small laying there in the hospital bed surrounded by machines and wires. Her bruises were darker in person than what he saw on the video feed, and her left eye was still swollen shut. In the hospital gown he could clearly see the cigarette burns on her collar bone, and he clenched his fists together on pure instinct.

How dare Farhad Azimi hurt her like this.

Henry gently reached for her hand and lowered himself into the chair by her bed. He rubbed slow circles on the back of her hand, hoping that she would recognize his comforting touch.

"Hey Babe, it's me," he whispered. "I'm here."

Elizabeth's brow furrowed as if she was being woken from a bad dream.

He reached up and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear while cupping her cheek.

I'm so sorry. I wish this never happened.

"You get some sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."

An hour passed and Henry continued to watch over Elizabeth. He talked to her in low tones the whole time, hoping that his voice brought her some comfort and peaceful sleep.

The door opened, and Henry's hand immediately tensed in Elizabeth's. He turned around to see it was a doctor that entered the room.

"Ah, you must be Dr. McCord," the doctor said. "I'm Doctor Green."

Henry stood to shake his hand momentarily, but then sat back down in the chair to stroke Elizabeth's right arm.

"How is she doing?" Henry asked.

"Surgery went well. Her leg should be good as new but she'll have a nasty scar. The bruises will heal with time and so will the cigarette burns."

Henry swallowed, his tongue suddenly thick.

"Mentally, I'm more concerned. She seemed distraught upon coming out of the anesthesia and refused to calm down. We eventually had to sedate her."

Henry nodded. "When will she wake up?"

The doctor looked at his watch. "Should be soon." He checked a few things on Elizabeth's chart and looked at the dressing on her leg. "The stiches can come out in about a week."

"I'll make sure they do," Henry replied.

"Also, Dr. McCord, because of the obvious nature of the abuse and torture, I had to make a report to the authorities. They will be in tomorrow to follow up with her. I wanted you to be prepared."

"Thanks, Doctor Green."

As soon as the doctor left the room, Henry looked back at Elizabeth. "Hear that, Babe? You're going to be okay. I need you to wake up so I can hear that beautiful voice of yours." He continued to hold her hand and stroke the back of her thumb. "I need to see your smile. And your eyes. I need you." His voice cracked and he swiped at a stray tear that rolled down his cheek.

Henry felt Elizabeth squeeze his hand.

Babe? Is that you?

"Elizabeth? Can you hear me Baby? Open your eyes for me."

Elizabeth scrunched her nose, a sign that Henry knew meant she was on the verge of waking up.

"Come on, Babe. Open your eyes. I'm here. You're safe," he said.

She slowly opened her right eye, and squinted against the harsh fluorescent lights of the hospital room.

Henry stood up so he was in her line of vision and smiled.

"Hey you," he said.

She looked confused for several seconds before realization kicked in. "Henry?" she asked.

"The one and only. Hi, Babe. It's good to see you." He reached down to cup her cheek.

"Henry…" Elizabeth said. Her face crumpled as she reached for him. She buried her face in his neck and sobbed.

"It's okay. I'm here. You're okay now." He hugged her fiercely and then began to rub her back in circles.

"I thought….I would….never….see you again," Elizabeth said between sobs.

"I know. I'm sorry. I love you so much."

Several minutes passed and Elizabeth was content to continue crying into Henry's neck.

I would hug you and rub your back forever if it made you feel safe.

"Let it all out. I'm right here," Henry said.

Eventually, her sobs died down and turned into occasional sniffles.

Henry's back was starting to hurt from the awkward way he was slouched over the hospital bed holding her. He pulled back from her slightly and she whimpered in protest.

"I'm not going anywhere, Babe. I was just going to get situated a little better, okay?"

She nodded and briefly let go of his neck.

There are probably rules against sharing beds with the patients in the ICU, but I don't care. Elizabeth needs to feel safe and I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure she does.

Henry moved some of the wires out of the way so he could get into the hospital bed with her safely. He slipped his shoes off, lifted the covers, and climbed into her bed carefully.

Once he was settled, she scooted over to him so that her head was resting on his chest and her arm was draped across his stomach. Henry felt her body relax completely as she sighed with contentment.

Truthfully, it was the first time he felt relaxed in two days. His left arm gripped her shoulder and he pulled her impossibly closer to him. He kissed her forehead.

"I missed you," she whispered, snuggling into his chest even further.

He squeezed her shoulder. "I missed you, too. I'm so glad you're okay, Babe."

"I love you Henry," Elizabeth said, starting to drift off to sleep.

Henry squeezed his eyes shut against the tears threatening to spill over.

Thank you, God, for bringing me and Elizabeth together. There's no place in the world I would rather be than right here with her.