Colleen squinted her eyes as sunlight streamed in through an opening in the blinds, hitting her directly in the face. She quickly turned her head to the side as her right eye pulsed painfully from squinting it shut so tightly. She released a breath and settled back into the covers, hoping to fall back asleep. Several minutes later, Colleen realized that it probably wasn't going to happen. Her chest ached, and her back was pretty sore from riding in the wagon for so long yesterday. She opened her eyes, blinking a few times as she took in her surroundings. She was in one of the recovery rooms in the clinic, and it looked to be morning, based on the way the sun was shining through the window to her right.
A moment of panic ran through Colleen as an image of Clyde's face suddenly flashed before her eyes. She sat up quickly, looking all around the room. "Ow," she moaned, clutching her left hand across her chest, cradling her ribs on the opposite side. She leaned back carefully against the headboard and took a few calming breaths. Clyde was in jail… right? She thought back over the last 2 days: her and Andrew getting rescued, Matthew, Dr. Mike, Sully, and… Hank? Yes, he was there too. Lots of people were. They were safe. They traveled all day yesterday, she sat next to Andrew in the wagon. The one that Robert E bought. She spent the night before at the clinic in Pueblo. Yes. Clyde was in jail. William was in jail. Leonard was in jail. Jeremiah was recovering, but he was still arrested.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, starting to remember everything more clearly. Colleen remembered her injuries, and she definitely felt them. Her right arm was wrapped tightly against her chest, all the way to her fingers. Her ribs were already proving to be a pain, still aching from sitting up so quickly. She tried to take another deep breath, but that just made them hurt even more. How were you supposed to breathe through the pain when breathing just made the pain worse? She sighed and tried to keep still, closing her eyes again for a minute.
At that moment, Clyde's face jumped in front of her again, and just like that, Colleen was transported back into an all too real memory of that first night. She could feel the man's rough hands on her throat, his body pinning her to the ground, cutting off her airway, the sound of him undoing his belt buckle, the desperate feeling as she tried to scream for help-
Colleen was momentarily brought back to the present as she felt something wet hit her hand. She quickly realized it was a tear; she was crying. She took a quick breath, but within another second, she was transported right back into the memory: Clyde's face still lingered in her head, the way his terrifying eyes looked at her, the sound of his voice as he screamed at her to be quiet-
A sharp pain in her chest made Colleen break out of the memory again. A whimper escaped her lips as she breathed through it, trying to calm herself down. She couldn't stop the wall of tears that filled her eyes and now fell down her face at an alarming speed. All she felt was fear; fear of what had happened that night, and fear at what had almost happened. The image of Clyde in her head terrified her. The tears kept falling as Colleen continued to cry, her chest heaving with each sob.
"Colleen?" She suddenly heard her name, but it sounded far away and muffled. "Colleen?" louder this time.
"Colleen!" Michaela suddenly appeared in front of her, grabbing her hand and cupping her cheek, tilting up her head to meet her eyes.
Michaela had been coming upstairs to see if either Andrew or Colleen were awake when she heard a whimper and some cries coming from one of the rooms. She rushed forward and opened the door to see her daughter hunched over, sobbing loudly.
"Colleen!" She sat down on the bed in front of her, gently cupping her face with one hand and grabbing her good hand in the other. "Look at me, Colleen," she instructed, looking her in the eyes. "You need to breathe. Take some breaths, nice and slow." She took several long and steady breaths, holding her daughter's hand tightly to help ground her. "In and out, that's right," she repeated, holding her gaze firmly. "You're safe, Colleen. You're in the clinic. You're here with me, and Andrew is just in the other room. He's safe as well." She stroked her thumb back and forth across her cheek. "You are safe." She continued giving reassurances as they breathed in and out together.
Colleen could feel herself slowly becoming more present to the world around her. She could see her ma's face more clearly, her vision no longer blurred by tears. She took a quick breath in and held it until she saw her ma exhale, following shakily. She continued to watch and copy her until she felt herself finally starting to calm down. She had a tight grip on her ma's hand and didn't dare let it go.
"There you go, sweetheart. You're alright." Michaela continued to watch her, her breaths getting stronger and less shaky each time. "Colleen, listen to me. You're right here with me in the clinic. You are safe."
Colleen nodded quickly, believing the words her mother was telling her. Feeling the tiniest bit better, she let go of her ma's hand and wiped under her eyes, salty tears all over her cheeks. She released a long breath as Michaela wiped some more of her tears away with a handkerchief. "Thanks, ma," she whispered.
Michaela smiled at her warmly, still watching carefully to make sure her breathing was back under control, but happy and relieved to see the girl's tears slow and the color come back into her face.
They sat quietly for a few minutes, Michaela brushing back her daughter's messy hair in a soothing rhythm. "How are you feeling?"
Colleen shrugged, looking down at the blanket with a sniffle before responding. "Ma… I don't know what happened. I was okay when I woke up, and then all I could see was… him… Clyde," she whispered his name. "All I could think of was when he tried to-" she took a breath, fear overcoming her face. "That night, ma. I just kept thinking of what happened, and I couldn't stop." She took a deep breath, staying calm, but feeling her hands start to tremble.
"Oh, Colleen," Michaela said, looking at her daughter sadly. "I'm afraid what happened is all very normal. Sometimes our fears and the memories of things that hurt us... they can make us react in very physical ways. Sometimes it feels as if we're stuck in a memory and we can't escape. What he did to you, and everything that happened… Colleen, I'm so sorry." She stroked her thumb over her cheek once more. "Whenever things get scary or those memories come back, remember I am always here to help you through it."
"What if I'm alone? Ma, before you came in, I just…I couldn't stop thinking about it."
"You'll be able to get out of it on your own as well. Whenever those memories come into your head, the best thing you can do is try to focus on the present and what's around you. Try to take slow, deep breaths, and know that the memory will pass. You try to think of anything else you can. Think of our family, of Brian and Katie and Matthew. Think of Sully and me. We're all here to help you through this."
Colleen was quiet as she processed everything, nodding slowly in understanding.
"He can never hurt you again," Michaela added quietly. "And you, Colleen, are strong. You are going to get through this."
Tears stung in the girl's eyes, and she nodded again, quickly wiping away a tear that was starting to fall.
Michaela squeezed her hand, and they sat quietly for a few minutes before she got up and went over to the window, opening the blinds. The room was instantly filled with the bright morning sunlight, a welcome sight for the young woman on the bed. Michaela came back over and sat down, looking at Colleen in concern once more. "How else are you feeling? Are you in any pain?"
The girl sighed softly, "My ribs are pretty sore, and my throat," she glanced back down at the bed, her voice trailing off at the end.
Michaela nodded. "I'll make you some tea, that should help." She stared at her daughter lovingly for a long moment, still needing the reminder herself that she was okay. Yesterday and the night before had been such a blur with everything that occurred, this morning was one of the first times Michaela had actually been able to sit and process everything that had happened; that they really were back here and safe. There had been so many things going through her mind, so many things she wanted to say. "Colleen… when I heard that you were taken, I can't tell you how terrified I was," emotion hit her words thick, turning her voice to a whisper. "I didn't know where you were, or if you were hurt." She put a hand on the girl's arm. "I don't know what I would do if anything were to happen to you. You mean so much to me, and to so many people. You, and your brothers and sister… you're my whole world. I love you so much."
Tears appeared again in Colleen's eyes, and she saw them in her ma's as well. She loved her family more than anything. She didn't know how many times she had thought about them over the past few days. "I love you, ma," she choked out, tears falling. She leaned forward into her mother's arms. Michaela pulled her close, as tightly as she could.
They stayed in each other's arms for a while, neither wanting to let go. Eventually, they pulled back slowly, Michaela wiping away her own tears, then her daughter's, giving her another loving smile.
After a minute, Michaela stood, walking to the other side of the room to retrieve something. She came back over with a hairbrush in her hand. "Can you turn a little bit?" She gestured to how Colleen was sitting on the bed.
Colleen nodded, shifting a bit so that she was facing the window. Michaela moved to stand behind her, and she gently went to work brushing the girl's hair. She had taken out her knotted braids and elastics when they had gotten back to the clinic last night, but otherwise it had remained untouched. It still held many messy twists and long strands that were starting to tangle again. She slowly and methodically worked her way through Colleen's thick hair, taking her time to brush out each section with care.
Pretty soon, the girl's hair was soft and loose, falling in waves past her shoulders. Michaela continued to brush it for a while, wanting to continue this moment of calm.
Colleen closed her eyes and took a deep breath, feeling a rush of warmth and comfort from the action. Her mother brushing her hair had always made her feel secure and loved, since the very first time that she did it. Thank you, ma," she whispered.
Michaela put her hands on the girl's shoulders and leaned forward, giving her a kiss on the top of the head. "I love you, Colleen," she said in a soft and tender voice, holding onto her for another long moment.
A little while later, Colleen found herself out on the balcony just off her room, getting some fresh air. She was sitting in one of the rocking chairs with a blanket over her lap. Michaela had pulled her hair back into a simple French braid, the tail of which fell over her right shoulder.
The sun was shining today, and though it was still a bit cool, Colleen was nice and comfortable with the blanket. She sat and people watched, seeing everyone down on the street go about their daily lives: walking to work, stopping in the mercantile, kids making their way to school. The normalcy of it all made her feel more at ease, which was very much needed after her panic earlier. She was feeling a bit better, a little tired from crying so much, but definitely better than before.
Colleen smiled as she saw the Reverend walking down the street, holding onto the arm of Mrs. Atkins, a kind woman of the church who lived just outside of town with her husband and three-year-old son, the latter of whom was running alongside his mother swinging his arms wildly. Colleen giggled as the little boy, Henry, suddenly started running in the opposite direction, and Mrs. Atkins had to quickly run after him, apologizing to the Reverend for the swift turnaround. The Reverend just laughed once he understood what had happened, getting a kick out of it.
A soft knock came from the door inside the room. Colleen assumed it was her ma, who went down not too long ago to make some tea. But instead, it was Sully who stepped out onto the balcony, a warm smile on his face and a steaming cup of tea in his hands.
"Good morning, Colleen," he greeted her.
"Good morning, Sully," she replied with a surprised smile, not expecting to see him this early, but very happy to.
He came over and sat down in the rocking chair next to hers, setting the cup on the small table that sat between them. "The tea's hot, I'd give it a minute."
"Thank you for bringing it up here."
Sully smiled back at her. He had arrived not too long ago with Brian and Katie, both of whom were still outside. Brian had talked him into letting him skip school today so that he could see Colleen, and he had allowed it. Though they had talked last night about everything that had happened, he knew Brian wouldn't be able to fully relax until he could spend some time with his sister. He was outside now, watching Katie for a little bit until he could see her.
Sully had just chatted with Michaela downstairs, wanting to know how both Colleen and Andrew were doing since getting back last night. She told him about what happened with Colleen a short while ago and how worked up and scared she was. She said it was very important that the girl stay calm and relaxed in order to let her body heal properly. Looking at her now, Sully could tell she had been crying, her eyes were still pretty red and puffy. He had to keep his anger in check upon seeing her bruises again, wanting nothing more than to go back to Pueblo and have a minute alone with all of the men in that jail cell. Being upset now wouldn't do him or Colleen any good, though; he just had to be there for her in any way that he could.
"How are you feeling?" He asked her gently. "Your ma said your ribs were giving you some pain."
Colleen nodded, looking over at him. "Yeah, they're pretty sore."
"The tea should help a bit. That, and getting a whole lot of rest."
"Yeah."
"How's your arm feeling?"
"It's actually not too bad, as long as I don't try and move it. It's going to be strange not using it for a while."
"Don't you worry about that. Anything you need, we're here to help you."
"Thanks," she said softly, before looking back at him with a smile. "It might be a little while before I can make that fried chicken I promised all of you, though."
Sully chuckled, giving her a smile. Colleen had perfected a fried chicken recipe over the years, and she didn't share it with anyone; it was her own secret. She made it just about every time she came home because the whole family loved it so much. No one had been able to replicate it, and they had certainly tried. "You know Brian made another go of it not too long ago?" He said, thinking back about a month when the boy had been convinced he had the recipe down.
"Really? How was it?"
Sully was about to reply, then shook his head with another laugh, "Let's just say your ma kept a straighter face than Matthew."
Colleen laughed out loud, imagining Matthew's reaction. She winced from the pain a second later, closing her eyes and releasing a silent breath.
Sully frowned, seeing the pain on her face. "Sorry. I probably shouldn't make you laugh."
Colleen took another slow breath before looking over at him in amusement. "You're apologizing for making me laugh?"
He took a long look at her before laughing softly, realizing how it sounded. It did make him feel better to see the smile on her face, especially after knowing she had such a rough start to her morning. "Here, you should have some tea, it should be cooled off a bit." He handed the cup to her carefully.
"Thanks." She took the teacup in her left hand and slowly brought it to her lips, taking a small sip. It hurt a bit going down, but it still felt soothing on her sore throat. She took another sip before setting it back down beside her.
She and Sully looked out over the street for a few minutes, quiet as they watched everyone go by. After another moment, Colleen turned to him, something that had been on her mind since they were rescued two nights ago. "Hey Sully?"
He turned back toward her. "Yes, Colleen?"
She hesitated again before speaking. "How did you know where to find us? Andrew and I…. we could have been anywhere."
Sully released a slow breath before answering. "Matthew knew of the men who took you two. He'd been getting wires on them for a while, to be on the lookout for some men causing trouble in the territory. When you were taken, a guest at the chateau saw you and Andrew leave with them. There was a story about them in the paper, and she made the connection. Their string of crimes was headed straight south, so we went out that way, figuring they were on their way to Pueblo."
"Oh." She nodded as she took everything in. She was quiet for a minute. "When we left with them, I looked around for help, but I didn't see anyone. I guess someone was there after all."
"There sure was," he replied softly.
She glanced over at him before looking down at her lap. "Sully…I…" she hesitated, taking a nervous breath, "I didn't… I really didn't know if anyone was going to find us. We didn't know what was going to happen." Her voice broke on the last word, and Colleen felt herself get teary again. She remembered all too well the helplessness that she felt during the whole ordeal. It was terrifying, and she hated how strongly she could still remember the feeling.
"Colleen," Sully said more seriously, in an almost strict voice, emphasizing how much he meant what he was saying. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, looking her in the eyes. "Don't you ever believe we would stop looking for you. Even if we didn't know which way you went, we would be out there looking until we figured it out. We will always be there to find you and bring you home."
Colleen felt a few tears fall, seeing the truth and sincerity behind his eyes. "Thanks, Sully," she choked out, a little inaudible, but he knew what she said. She took a deep breath and tried to keep herself calm, staring out at the road.
Sully smiled to himself, reaching over and giving her hand a squeeze before reclining back in his chair, getting comfortable as the two continued to sit together and enjoy the morning.
Andrew stood up and stretched out his legs, yawning as he walked over to the window to open the blinds. Sunlight poured in, much more than he had seen over the past couple of days; it was nice. He didn't know what time it was, but he guessed it to be late morning based on how many people were walking around outside. Normally, he would be at the clinic by now, getting his day started. His patients! Hopefully, Preston was able to let everyone know that he wasn't available this morning.
He had told Michaela that he was okay to stay at his own place last night, but she insisted that he spend the night here. His injuries weren't anything more than bruises, but she had persisted until he finally agreed. He would be able to go home later today.
He was feeling a lot better this morning. His face was still sore, especially his nose and eye, but otherwise he felt pretty good. Andrew looked down at his hand and flexed his knuckles, seeing the cuts and bruises that lined them. What an unimaginable few days it had been. He was still trying to process everything that had happened and all of the emotions that came with it. He felt…uneasy, almost. He really didn't know how to describe how he was feeling; all Andrew knew for sure was that he felt a tiny bit of relief in the fact that all of those men were locked up in a jail cell right now.
He didn't know what would have happened if Sully, Matthew, and the rest of the gang hadn't come and rescued them when they did, and that unknown was throwing his head for a spin. He had never been in a situation like that before, where his life was at stake. And not just his, but someone else's as well, someone he cared about strongly. Had Andrew done everything in his power to protect Colleen? He shook his head and turned away from the window, sitting down on the bed with a sigh.
Andrew knew that when he moved to Colorado Springs from Boston, he was going to be pretty different than most of the people here. He had a completely different upbringing. In his whole life, he had only ever been in one fight, and that was back when he was just a kid in grade school. Andrew had stepped in when one of his classmates kept picking on some of the younger boys, and when his classmate pushed him, he pushed him right back. They had ended up wrestling and fighting on the ground until the teacher separated them. Andrew hadn't been in a fight since.
Would he have been strong enough to protect Colleen if they hadn't been saved? Would he have found a way to get her out of there? Maybe it was better not to think of it, but Andrew couldn't help but wonder if he had done everything he should have. If he were a strong enough man to protect her.
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. "Come in," he said, standing up and turning around to see who it was.
Michaela opened the door and stepped inside, a cup of tea in her hands. "Good morning, Andrew. It's good to see you up."
"Good morning, Michaela. Do you have the time? I didn't mean to sleep so late."
"It's about 9:30. I'm glad you did, you're here to rest." She offered him the cup in her hands. "Some willow bark tea, it should help with the pain."
"It's not too bad. But really, though, I should be getting over to the chateau, I have patients scheduled-"
"Preston rescheduled them."
"What?"
Michaela smiled softly, "Preston rescheduled your appointments. Your day is open."
"Oh," Andrew blinked in surprise. "That was… very generous of him."
"He knows you need your time to rest."
"Still, though, I should get back and make sure everything's in order."
"Andrew," Michaela said more firmly. "You're here to rest and recover." She gestured to the bed for him to sit as she took a seat on the wooden chair beside it. "You've been through quite an ordeal over the past few days. It's okay to take some time for yourself."
He sighed, taking a sip of the tea and staring down at it. "Yes," he finally said, looking up at her. "I suppose you're right."
"How are you feeling?"
Andrew sighed. "A little beat up, but honestly, Michaela, I'm fine. I just-" he cut himself off with a small shake of the head.
"What is it?" She questioned, looking at him in concern.
He paused for a second, feeling a bit vulnerable, but knowing he could trust Michaela. "I can't help but think about what might have happened if you all hadn't arrived when you did. If Jeremiah didn't make it, if they would have hurt Colleen, if I could have done a better job of protecting her. I just… Michaela, I want you to know," he looked at her seriously, "I tried to have her stay back. I insisted that they leave her at my clinic." He looked down and shook his head, rambling on. "They had guns and forced us both to go with them-"
"Andrew," Michaela stopped him, seeing the distress on his face. She waited as he took a breath before looking back at her. She gave him a sympathetic, yet serious expression. "It's alright. I know that you did everything you could to protect Colleen. I understand you care about her."
"Very much."
She smiled. "You did everything you could to keep her safe. Sometimes things happen that are out of our control. You took care of her when she was injured. When Colleen needed someone, you were there."
"Not as much as I could have been. Michaela, when Clyde attacked-" he paused and took a breath, "I should have been there sooner. I was almost too late," he said in a voice just above a whisper.
She paused, giving both of them a moment. "Andrew, look at me. You kept Colleen safe. I cannot tell you how much that means to me and my family. You kept her safe when I couldn't. When we were looking for the two of you, what made me feel better was knowing that she wasn't alone. She had you there to look out for her. You have nothing, nothing to feel guilty about. I want to thank you for protecting my daughter."
He stared back at her, letting her words sink in. He was quiet for a long time before finally, slowly, nodding back at her. "Thank you, Michaela," he whispered.
"You're a good man, Andrew."
"Michaela," he said again, more he had wanted to tell her since yesterday. "I wanted to thank you again... for rescuing us. To know you were out there looking, it means a lot." He gave her the serious look now. "Everyone here in town, they're different than people back in Boston. I've seen the way you all look out for each other, not just your family, but your neighbors and everyone in town as well. It's quite something, and I appreciate the lengths you all went to find us."
Michaela gave him a smile. "I know what you mean. When I first moved out here, it was quite the culture shock," she laughed, Andrew joining in. They both appreciated having someone who shared a similar background and who understood just what it was like to move somewhere so different. "It is quite special, though, the lengths people will go to out here to protect one another. And Andrew," she added, serious once more. "I want you to know, even if Colleen had stayed back, and it was just you who was taken, we would have been doing the exact same thing. We would have been out there looking for you, and we wouldn't have stopped until we found you."
A warm feeling of appreciation and acceptance washed over him. Being so far, literally on the other side of the country, from his family and friends, it meant so much to hear someone say that. Andrew gave her a grateful smile, swallowing before he could get emotional. "That means a lot to me, Michaela. Your friendship and the kindness you have always shown me, I'm very appreciative."
She gave him a warm smile back, feeling very grateful for him and all that he's done for both this town and her family. "I'm appreciative of you as well, Andrew, and grateful for our friendship. All of Colorado Springs is very lucky to have you."
It was nearing lunchtime, and Brian was growing impatient, still waiting to see Colleen. When they got into town this morning, Sully had told him to wait, that he would have plenty of time to see her. Well, plenty of time had passed, and he had yet to see his sister. He had only gotten a quick glimpse at her since they got back last night. He understood she needed rest, but Sully had already been in to see her; he wanted to see her just as badly! Brian had been watching Katie for the most part, and they ran into Matthew not too long ago, who was also itching to see Colleen. He hadn't seen her since last night either.
Sully had come out of the clinic not too long ago and told them that Michaela would be out soon, to let them know when they could see Colleen. They were watching Katie, who was trying to pull herself up to standing while holding onto the bench that sat outside the clinic. They couldn't believe how big she was getting, and that she would soon be celebrating her first birthday.
A few minutes later, Michaela stepped outside, seeing just who she was looking for there on the porch. She smiled at Brian and Matthew, "You boys can go see Colleen now."
"Thanks, ma!" Brian said as he rushed into the building. Matthew followed quickly after him.
Michaela came over and kneeled next to Katie, who had now successfully pulled herself to standing. "Well, look at you, my big girl," she praised. A few seconds later, the baby started to wobble, and Michaela picked her up just as she started to fall, hoisting her into her arms.
"They've been waiting impatiently to see her," Sully said, nodding toward the building with a smirk.
"I can imagine," she added with a smile. "Colleen will be excited to see them; she was just asking about them now."
"How long until she can come home?"
"Not too long," she bounced Katie, who was starting to fuss. "I'd like her to stay until her fever goes down. Besides that, she needs to rest more than anything, and she can do that just as well at home. Hopefully tomorrow?"
"I'm sure she'll be glad," replied Sully. He knew he would be happy to see her back at home, Brian would be too. "How about Andrew?"
"Andrew is doing pretty well; he still needs to take it easy, but he should be able to leave later today. I'm afraid if he went home now, he wouldn't give himself the proper time he needs to rest, so I'd like him to stay through the afternoon."
Sully nodded in understanding. "And how are you doing?" he looked at his wife, wrapping an arm behind her back and pulling her close.
"Much better today, having everyone back here and safe. I am worried about Colleen, though, with what she went through... just how she'll handle everything."
"Colleen's tough," he said, looking her in the eyes. "We'll help her through it. She's been through tough things before and made it out, just like Matthew and Brian, and you. She's got your resilience."
Michaela leaned her head against his chest with a sigh. "She is tough."
"She's gonna get through it."
Brian bounded up the stairs, anxious to see his sister, Matthew just a step behind him. He came to the correct door and stepped inside the room. "Colleen?"
"Brian!" Colleen said as a big smile came over her face.
He rushed over to the bed where she now sat resting against the headboard, her legs tucked under the blankets. He gave her a careful hug, trying to hold her tight without causing her any pain. They held onto each other for a long moment before finally pulling back.
"Hey, Colleen," Matthew greeted with a smile, gently pulling her into his arms for a hug. He planted a kiss on top of her head as he released her, looking her over. He was smiling, but concern was still planted all over his face. Brian's as well.
"How are you feeling?" Brian asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed as Matthew pulled up a chair beside it.
Colleen thought about it, deciding what to say. She really didn't want to cause her brothers any extra worry. "I'm okay… I mean... I'm mostly just really tired, I guess."
"Are you in much pain?" asked Matthew.
"A little bit. The bruises aren't too bad, they're mostly just sore. My ribs hurt more than anything, though. They hurt almost every time I move. Ma just gave me some laudanum, though, she said it should help."
"What about your head?" Brian asked, referring to her cut, which was still a dark red color beneath her stitches.
"It's not too bad, it's mostly just sore too."
"Well, you just take it easy for a while. You've been through a lot," Matthew said softly, hoping she was being truthful about not being in too much pain.
Colleen nodded silently.
Brian's eyes ran over the bruises on her neck, and he quickly looked back up at her face. He couldn't help it, though, as his eyes flashed back toward them again. "Does your throat hurt?" he asked hesitantly.
Colleen took a breath, looking back and forth between the two of them. She nodded, "It still hurts, but not as much as yesterday. It's mostly just sore now, too. Yesterday it was a lot worse."
"Sully told me everything that happened," he added softly, looking at her sympathetically.
"Yeah. It was…" She shivered, "it was pretty scary."
Matthew looked toward the window for a few seconds, guilt rushing through him again.
"I'm really sorry, Colleen," Brian added. "Is there anything you need?"
She shook her head. "No. I'm just happy you're both here," she said softly.
"We are," Matthew added in a stronger voice. "We're here for whatever you need."
"Thanks."
They stayed with her for a while. Brian shared what he did with Grace and Anthony over the past few days, and talked about a history project they were starting in school. Colleen listened eagerly, feeling content and calm simply being in the presence of her two brothers.
Matthew chirped in here and there, but he was pretty lost in his thoughts. His guilt continued to eat at him. He knew that what Michaela had told him a few days ago was true, that he couldn't have stopped those guys unless he was at the chateau at the exact same time that they were, but it didn't stop all the feelings of guilt that were still pouring through him. Colleen's injuries and bruises were a constant reminder that he didn't keep her safe, and it upset and angered him deeply.
"Matthew?" she asked him suddenly, her voice still a bit raspy and lower than usual as it healed.
"Yeah? Are you okay?" He asked Colleen worriedly.
"Are you okay?" she asked him. "You look… upset."
Matthew released a sigh, looking over at his sister and meeting her eyes. He couldn't say what he really wanted, that it was killing him to see her like this. Knowing she was in a recovery room in pain because he didn't keep her safe... it was a terrible feeling. And now she was asking him if he was okay, when he should be asking her. He took a deep breath before replying, deciding what to say to her. "I should have done a better job at protecting you, Colleen. I'm the sheriff, it's my job to keep everyone in this town safe. I couldn't do that, and now you're hurt because of it."
Colleen looked at her older brother with sympathy, seeing how distraught he was. Brian had a similar look on his face, brows drawn in concern. She looked at him seriously, "Matthew, you couldn't have stopped this." He lifted his eyes to meet hers again. "You're a good sheriff, a great sheriff. But, you can't protect me from everything."
But I want to. "Colleen, you're my little sister. I'm always going to want to protect you. And I'm always going to try to protect you."
She gave him a sad smile. "I know. And I love you for that. But, you can't protect me from everything," she repeated.
"That doesn't mean I won't try."
She laughed softly, coughing a few times after. "I know."
Matthew took a breath, smiling softly as he grabbed her hand. He still felt guilty, but slowly, very slowly, he was starting to release some of that guilt.
"You're a good sheriff, Matthew," Brian added, "And you're a good big brother. I mean, you've been protecting us all our lives."
"Thanks, Brian."
"It's true," he emphasized, wanting to make sure his brother truly believed him. "Think about it, you've been protecting us since we were little. Remember that time I got my foot stuck in that tree root, and only you could get me out?"
"Or all the times you stopped me from walking into poison ivy before I could recognize it?" Colleen added with a smile.
"Or all the time you spent teaching us how to swim?"
"Or the time…" Colleen stifled a giggle, causing her to wince from the pain in her chest, but it was worth it. She laughed again.
"What?" Matthew asked, worried about her being in pain, but happy to see her laughing. "Colleen, what is it? C'mon, you're hurting yourself."
She smiled at the two of them, talking while suppressing another laugh. "Remember when I was little, and Brian was a baby, and I was trying to hold him and make dinner at the same time?"
Matthew laughed immediately, remembering that day very clearly. "Yeah, you were trying to be just like ma."
"What happened?" Brian questioned, "I don't remember this."
"I think you were only a year old when it happened, Brian," Matthew continued to laugh. "So, Colleen had to be, I don't know, five or six, I suppose. Anyway, she was in this phase where she followed Ma around everywhere and wanted to do everything exactly like her. The two of them were cooking supper one night, and Ma went outside to get something from the garden, so she handed you off to Colleen. I think I was stoking the fire or something. Dinner was about ready, and Colleen tried to carry a pot of, I don't remember what, over from the stove to the table."
"It was a pot of beans," Colleen added, her lip twitching in a smile. She remembered it well.
"A pot of beans," Matthew said, getting into the story now. "So, Colleen has a heavy pot in one hand, you in the other, and she's trying to make her way over to the table, when you start squirming around in her arms."
"Oh no," Brian laughed, imagining it.
"Oh, it gets better," Matthew said, sharing a laugh with Colleen, who listened in amusement. "Colleen was trying to walk over to the table, but you would not stop moving around. I saw the whole thing happen, so I came over to grab you. Colleen insisted that she didn't need help; she could do it. So, I stepped back and let her be. You keep squirming, and she almost drops you, but she's hanging on with everything she's got. She's got a hot pot in the other hand and she almost drops that too. I tried to help her again, but she still insisted she could make it to the table; she was almost there when you flung back out of her arms."
"Colleen!" Brian said, in a jokingly offended sort of way that only a little brother can. "So, she dropped me?"
"Technically yes," Matthew continued. "However, I caught you just in time, you were an inch away from the floor. But in the process, Colleen also ended up spilling the beans all over the place."
Brian was laughing hard now. "What happened when Ma saw?"
Colleen took over now, a big grin on her face. "Well, she wasn't too happy about the spilled food, but she never found out about me almost dropping you. Matthew didn't tell her."
"Wow," Brian laughed. "I've never heard that story before."
"Yeah, I forgot about that," Matthew laughed.
"See?" Colleen went back to what had started this whole conversation. "You've always been there protecting us."
Matthew nodded his head in understanding. It wasn't exactly the same, he knew that, but he appreciated what they were saying nonetheless.
Brian and Matthew stayed with Colleen for a bit longer, feeling better after the stress of the past few days simply by being in each other's company. Colleen would have been happy if they had stayed all day; it was like everything else left her mind with them around, talking and joking about other things.
Matthew could see Colleen starting to get tired after a while, and even though he wanted to stay, he also wanted to make sure that she got plenty of time to rest. Colleen insisted that they stay for a bit longer, so they did, seeing how happy it made her. That and… neither Matthew nor Brian really wanted to leave. Eventually, when Colleen could hardly keep her eyes open anymore, they finally stood up, giving her another hug and promising they would be back later. Colleen was asleep before they were even down the stairs.
Andrew finished pulling back the covers on the bed, continuing to straighten up the room as he would soon be leaving. He had taken a long nap for most of the afternoon, and though he was still a bit tired, he felt much better overall. He was glad Michaela had made him spend the day. He had yet to see Colleen, as she had been with her brothers for the better part of the afternoon, and once they left, she had fallen asleep. She was still napping now. Andrew wanted to make sure he saw her before going back to his place.
As he continued to tidy up the room, there was a knock at the door. "Come in," he called. He assumed it was Michaela, but instead it was his boss who stood in the doorway. "Preston," he said, pleasantly surprised. "It's good to see you."
"You as well, may I come in?"
"Of course."
Preston stepped into the room, the late afternoon light shining through the open window. "I just wanted to check in, see how you're doing."
Andrew smiled, having seen a different side of Preston over the last couple of days. "I'm doing well, thank you. A day of rest was certainly needed. Thank you, by the way, for rescheduling my appointments; you didn't have to do that."
"It was nothing," He brushed it off. "You didn't have a busy schedule today. I was able to push everything off until tomorrow and Wednesday, that is, if you're able to come back tomorrow? If you need another day, we can make it work."
"I'll be back," Andrew said quickly, wanting to reassure his boss. "Tomorrow and Wednesday are just fine. Thank you again. I really do appreciate it."
"Of course," Preston said with a sigh, looking once more around the room. A bit of awkwardness still hung in the air between them. "How is Colleen doing?"
"A little bit better, according to Michaela. I haven't been able to see her yet today; she's been with her family a lot, in between resting, of course, but I'll be sure to see her before I head back tonight."
"Good, I'm glad to hear that. Andrew, you're sure you're able to come back to work tomorrow?"
He smiled, truly appreciating the man's concern. It was nice to know there was a caring person underneath the quick-thinking, often arrogant businessman of a person that was Preston. "Yes, really, I'm fine. I'm afraid my bruises will need some time to go away, but they won't stop me from my work."
"Excellent." Preston smiled. "Well, I'm glad to hear it. Say, before I leave, I could use your thoughts on something Walter Moore said to me earlier today, in regards to expansion."
"Alright," Andrew said curiously. Walter Moore was an old business school friend of Preston's from the city. They wrote to each other quite frequently.
"He mentioned that when we talk to the investor next week that we should include our long-term goals, even past the suites. After all, if we're putting in all of the work to build the suites in the first place, why stop there? An investor is going to want to hear about the extra amenities we can provide for guests staying for longer periods of time."
"Extra amenities?"
"Of course! Andrew, we have to think about the bigger picture here. Now the hot springs are one thing, but we need to understand there is much more Colorado Springs has to offer…" and on and on Preston droned, launching into an entire tirade of new ideas for his hotel.
Andrew surprised a sigh and moved to sit on the bed as his boss paced back and forth across the room, just getting started. Same old Preston, that was for sure. Andrew went ahead and got comfortable as he listened to the man drone on and on, business forward, as was his usual way.
Colleen sat up in bed, using her left hand to turn the pages of a book Brian had dropped off for her earlier. She had just woken from a long nap and was still a little drowsy. She hoped the overall tiredness she felt wouldn't last too much longer; all she wanted was to feel more like herself again. A chill ran through her, signs that her fever was still present. Her ma had said that she would be able to go home once it had broken, and Colleen hoped and prayed that it would be gone when she woke up tomorrow. Apparently, fevers could be presented with broken bones, or even just trauma from being beaten up. She hoped that since things had calmed down, it would finally go away.
She heard some footsteps coming up the creaky stairs. The door to her room was already open, but whoever it was knocked softly anyway before stepping inside. She looked up to see Brian entering the room, a smile on his face. "Oh, good, you're awake." He walked over to the right side of the bed. "How are you feeling?"
"A little bit better. Thanks for bringing me this," she smiled, closing the book and setting it aside.
"You're welcome," he replied. "Sully's here too, we have something for you."
Colleen looked at him curiously. "You do?"
Another knock sounded at the door. Sully stopped halfway into the room with a grin. "Someone wanted to see you," he said, before stepping fully into the room with Katie in his arms. He walked over and sat down at the foot of the bed, loosening his hold on the little girl who eagerly crawled over to her big sister.
"Oh, Katie!" Colleen said excitedly. She held out her good arm as Katie crawled over her legs. She scooped up the little girl and pulled her in for a hug, ignoring the pain as she held her close. Colleen released her and settled her on her lap more comfortably. "I missed you."
"She missed you," Sully said, standing back up and watching the two of them, ready if need be to grab Katie if Colleen seemed to be in too much pain. He thought a visit from the little girl might make her smile, and he was definitely right. Colleen lit up upon seeing her. The two had a special bond.
He watched as Colleen talked to her softly, running a hand over her short, blonde hair. "I'm going to be home real soon, and then we can play and read stories." She kissed her head. "I love you."
Katie moved around a little bit, curious to explore where she was. She pointed up at Colleen's face with a smile, happy to see her big sister, before reaching over and grabbing at her wrapped arm, hitting it softly. Colleen squeezed her eyes shut in pain, taking a slow, quiet breath.
"Careful, Katie," Sully said, stepping in and moving her back a little bit.
"It's okay, Sully," Colleen said in a tight voice. She took another breath, looking back sweetly at the girl. "It's okay, Katie. Colleen just has a little owie, huh?" As if she understood, Katie pointed at her arm again. "Yeah," Colleen chuckled softly. "Don't worry, I'll get it off soon."
"You sure will," Brian chirped up from where he stood. "You'll be good as new in no time."
"Yeah," Colleen said back at him with a smile. "I will."
Colleen yawned as she looked out the window, staring down at the street below. The sun was just starting to get low in the sky, and many people were walking through town as they started to make their way home for dinner. Sully, Brian, and Katie had left not too long ago, telling her they would see her tomorrow. At home, hopefully, she thought, feeling a bit lonely now that everyone had gone. Michaela would stay the night, of course, but she was out right now, over at the Mercantile before it closed. Colleen sighed and told herself that she had no reason to feel lonely; her family had been in and out of here all day, and she was very grateful for that.
It wasn't just that most of her family had gone home, though, that gave Colleen a wary feeling; it was what everyone going home meant. The day was coming to an end, and nighttime would be approaching quickly. Too quickly for Colleen's liking. Overall, she had ended up feeling pretty good today, her mind forgetting about some of the fears that had plagued her this morning. But the thought of darkness returning made her feel uneasy, and the nerves and fear were already starting to come back.
She jumped as someone knocked on the door. "Come in," she called, taking a breath to calm herself. Her voice was quite hoarse from speaking so much today, she would have to rest it more tomorrow; her ma had already told her so when she checked on her a little while ago.
Colleen turned back to face the room and see who was at the door, instantly smiling upon seeing who it was.
"Colleen?" Andrew said, stepping into the room while carefully balancing two trays of food in his hands, one stacked on top of the other.
"Andrew," she felt her cheeks warm as she saw him. She felt a sense of relief as well, to see him here and looking okay. She had been worried about him, unsure of how he was doing. "How are you?"
Andrew carefully set the two trays down on a dresser by the far wall. "I'm doing well. I'm feeling much better after having the day to rest." Concern crossed his face as he looked at her. He had been wanting to check in on her all day, but an opportunity where they were both awake and without visitors at the same time hadn't presented itself. Andrew had been very worried about her. After spending three days together, it felt strange being separated, especially while she was still recovering. "How are you feeling?"
Colleen sighed, trying to think of the best way to answer that question. People had been asking her all day, and she didn't want to worry anyone, but she also knew that being honest was necessary for recovery. Physically, her pain came in waves as she rested and took medicine, but it was her panic from this morning that had her more worried than anything, especially now as evening approached. She remembered all too well how she felt this morning, when she was stuck inside her memories.
"Colleen?" Andrew said again, noticing her lost in thought. "Are you alright?"
Colleen nodded with a smile that was just a bit sad. "Yeah, I'm okay."
"Are you sure? How are you feeling?" he asked once more, worried brows drawn. "You should sit down."
She obliged, taking her time to get seated on the bed. She sat on top of the covers, but she pulled a loose blanket over her lap. She was still a bit chilly. "Honestly, Andrew, I…" She looked at him, hesitating, but knowing she could tell him the truth. She didn't know what it was about him, if it was because they went through this wild experience together, or if it was because Andrew made her feel something she had never felt with anyone else before, but Colleen felt that she could be truthful with him. "I know we're back and we're safe, but I'm still scared. I just keep thinking about everything, especially that first night."
Andrew looked at her with a frown. His eyes ran over the bruises on her throat and back up to her face, seeing her nervous, fearful eyes. He sat down on the bed next to her, reaching over and grabbing her hand. "That's alright if you're still scared. It's completely understandable. The truth is, I still have some fears, too."
"You do?"
He nodded. "I can't help but keep thinking about what may have happened if everyone hadn't found us when they did, or if Jeremiah hadn't made it. It's all I can think about."
Colleen nodded slowly in understanding. "Yeah."
"Did you talk to your family about how you feel?"
She shrugged, "I talked to Ma a little bit this morning, but…" she trailed off, looking down at a loose thread on the blanket.
"You know, they're all here for you. They want to know how you're feeling."
"I know. You're right. I just… I hope that it goes away, you know? Feeling scared …"
"It will," Andrew said in a strong voice, gently lifting her chin to meet his eyes. "We're not going to feel this way forever. You're going to feel safe again. And you are safe now."
Tears pooled in the corners of Colleen's eyes, but she blinked them back and nodded, trying to give him a smile.
He continued, "And you know, I'm always here for you, right? Whenever you need me, I'm here."
She held his gaze, staring deep into his eyes. "I know." She took a deep breath. "And you know I'm always here for you, too?"
Andrew smiled. "Of course, I do."
Colleen smiled back. "Good."
"Now, before Michaela comes up here and scolds us for letting supper get cold, we should probably eat." He stood and retrieved the trays he had come into the room with, bringing them over and setting one carefully on Colleen's lap as she steadied it with her good hand. He sat down on the chair next to the bed and got settled with the other, double-checking that Colleen was situated before he began eating.
"This smells good," she said, looking down at the bowl of tomato soup and rolls that sat on her plate.
"Grace thought soup would be easy on your throat."
She smiled. "I'll have to thank her when I see her."
The two of them enjoyed their meal together, taking their time, eating and talking about pleasant things. Things that had nothing to do with the past few days.
"I mean, leave it to Preston to go on for twenty minutes about his ideas. Your mother even walked into the room and he didn't stop."
"He didn't?"
"No, he just went on about amenities for my clinic and asked for her opinion, not that he really let her get a word in," he rolled his eyes jokingly.
Colleen laughed. "It doesn't sound dull working for Preston, that's for sure."
Andrew nodded with a laugh. "Yeah, he keeps things interesting." Seeing that they were both finished eating, they had actually finished a while ago and had just been talking, he grabbed their trays and set them back over on the dresser. As he turned around, he noticed Colleen trying to stifle a yawn, covering it with her hand. He took a good look at her, noticing just how tired she still appeared. It was evening by now, and it had been a long day, even though they had both just been resting. Though Andrew didn't want to leave, he knew he really should let Colleen get some rest. He ought to be heading back over to his place to get some sleep as well.
He walked back toward the bed, sitting down on the edge. "I should let you get some rest."
She gave him a small smile. She didn't want him to leave, but even after multiple naps today, she was still pretty tired. She knew he needed to get some sleep as well, especially since he was going back to work tomorrow. "You should get some rest, too."
He smiled back at her. "I will." They stared at each other for a moment, neither wanting to say goodbye. Andrew shifted forward a bit, grabbing her hand. "Sleep well, Colleen."
"You too," she said softly.
Andrew stood up. He opened his mouth as if to say something else, but no words came out. He then sat back down and gently wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest. He held onto her, wanting to protect her and keep her safe from the fears of her own mind. He knew the night might be tough for her. "Remember, you're safe tonight," he whispered, holding her close.
Colleen wrapped her good arm around him tightly, feeling safe in his embrace. She didn't want to let him go, nor did she want him to let her go. "Thank you," she whispered back, trying to remember that his words were true. "You're safe, too."
He slowly and unwillingly pulled back, brushing a hand gently over her cheek. "You're going to be alright." She nodded. "I'll come see you tomorrow."
"Okay," she said softly as he stood. "Goodnight, Andrew."
"Goodnight, Colleen," he smiled, pausing in the doorway to be with her for a few seconds more before softly closing the door behind him and making his way home.