Bewildered, Evy glanced around the camp searching for something familiar. She smiled warmly when she saw Ardeth emerging from one of the tents. It turned into a puzzled frown as he spotted her and tossed her a quick, angry glare, before retreating back inside the tent.
"Ardeth?" She shouted after him, taking several steps forward.
Evy froze as he emerged, again, this time carrying something in his arms. The anger in his face had been replaced by anguish, and Evy thought her heart would break as he pleadingly looked into her eyes.
"Leyh, sadiqi?" ("Why, my friend?")
"Leyh?" she echoed, confused. "Ardeth wha...."
Evy's eyes fell on the beautiful little girl he held in his arms. At first, she only noticed the strong resemblance the child bore to Ardeth. It took several seconds for Evy to register how limply she hung in his arms. Taking a half-step closer, she studied the child more closely, gasped and stepped back again as she realized the beautiful little girl was dead.
"Leyh?" Ardeth repeated, his voice laced with despair.
"Ardeth?! Wha..." Evy's question faded as Ardeth turned to look behind him, shifting enough for her to see, as well. Evy began to tremble. All of the tents had vanished. In their place, she saw men and women hovering over limp body after limp body. Spinning around, Evy found that bodies now surrounded her on every side. The sound of wailing assaulted her ears as she turned back toward Ardeth.
"Ardeth, please, tell me wha..."
Turning to face her again, Ardeth interrupted, this time in English.
"Why, my friend? Why did you do this?"
Evy was about to protest having done anything when she noticed the look in Ardeth's eyes had changed to bewildered amazement. As he glanced down, she followed his gaze and quickly realized that he no longer held the child. The little girl was forgotten, however, when Evy saw the dagger in her hand. Stunned, she cringed when it twisted as she pulled it from Ardeth's flesh, sending fresh warm blood gushing onto her hand.
"Why?"
She heard him repeat, again, and looked up just in time to lock onto his eyes before hands grabbed him. Evy lunged for him, desperately, and managed to grasp his hand, but the hands pulling him down into the underworld were too strong, and she lost her grip.
"Why, my friend, why?"
The question echoed through Evy's mind as she jolted awake, gasping for air. Running a trembling hand through her hair, she tried to calm down and remember where she was, but couldn't stop shaking enough to think. Closing her eyes, Evy took several deep breaths. Feeling steadier, she opened her eyes again and realized she was in her bedroom. As Evy swung her legs around and sat on the edge of the bed, her gaze fell on the journal and the events of the day came flooding back. Ardeth! She grabbed the book and rose, unsteadily, from the bed.
Creeping silently into the guest room, Evy approached the bed. She reached toward Ardeth, tempted to brush a stray lock of hair from his face, but stopped herself, afraid it might wake him. Pulling her hand back, Evy glanced over at her sleeping son. She smiled affectionately, then wearily trudged over to an overstuffed chair in the corner, curled up comfortably, and fell asleep.
~*~*~*~*~
Rick woke with a start. Disoriented, his eyes darted around the room for several seconds, before he registered it was the kitchen. Relaxing back into the chair, his eyes slowly closed while he pondered why he would be sleeping in the kitchen. Jerking awake, again, Rick groaned as he remembered, and he forced himself to his feet.
He knew he should check on Ardeth...and Alex...and Evy. Pausing to stretch his stiff muscles, Rick wondered who to check on first. Yawning, he settled on Alex and Ardeth - as he wanted to have a long talk with Evy, it seemed better to save her for last. Slowly lugging himself up the stairs, Rick headed toward the guest room.
~*~*~*~*~
"Nooooooo!"
The sound of Evy's panicked shout brought Ardeth awake with a painful jerk. Trying to bite back a groan, he shoved himself up on one elbow to search for the voice. Evy's thrashing immediately caught his attention.
"Evelyn!" he croaked, weakly. She failed to respond, and Ardeth didn't waste breath trying again. Forcing his reluctant body to comply, he pulled himself out of bed and took a step before he realized he was half-naked and hesitated. Seeing his bloodstained robe tossed across the foot of the bed, Ardeth grabbed it and eased it on, gritting his teeth against the pain. Certain he couldn't stay standing long, he didn't bother securing it with the sash before hobbling over to wake Evelyn from her nightmare.
"NOOOOOOOO! ARDETH! GET AWAY!" Evy shouted, before suddenly flying out of the chair. Still imprisoned within her nightmare, she stumbled over her feet as they hit the floor. Ardeth reflexively lunged forward to catch her.
~*~*~*~*~
The remnant of sleep still fogging Rick's brain quickly cleared as he heard his wife scream. It seemed to have come from the guest room. Adrenaline surging through him, Rick raced the rest of the way there.
"NOOOOO! ARDETH! GET AWAY!" Evy shouted. She tried to escape, but hands grabbed her, holding her still while Ardeth came closer...she could feel the dagger in her hand...she knew she was going to stab him....he had to get away from her!
Rick flew through the door. Seeing Ardeth griping his wife tightly as she struggled to escape, he didn't even pause. Rushing over, Rick grabbed a handful of Ardeth's robe and yanked him around, breaking the weakened Medjai's hold on Evy. Stumbling backwards as Ardeth's weight shifted, Rick caught himself and threw his own weight forward.
Stunned, Ardeth was helpless to prevent Rick from slamming him against the wall. Crippling pain flared through his body, shocking the breath from him and forcing the warrior into a desperate struggle to make his reluctant lungs reinflate, despite the intense pain it caused.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Rick hissed in Ardeth's face. He shook the Medjai fiercely when he failed to answer, too angry to register that Ardeth, gasping for air, was incapable of answering.
"DAAAAD!" Alex flew off the bed and lunged for his father's arm. Tugging on it with all his strength, he tried to pull his father off Ardeth, but Rick didn't notice.
Evy'd dropped as the hands in her dream suddenly released her. The jolt, combined with her son's shout, shook her free from her nightmare. It took a few seconds to orient herself before she found her son. Confused, she watched him dart towards Rick. Her jaw dropped as she registered what was happening, and she rushed toward her husband.
"RICK! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" She shouted, wrapping her arms around his chest and pulling him back. "STOP IT!"
Startled, Rick released Ardeth and spun around to gather his wife into his arms. "Are you all right! What did he do to you?"
"Ardeth didn't do anything! He was just trying to help!" Alex wailed, backing away from his parents.
Barely conscious, Ardeth collapsed onto the floor in a heap. Alex was by his side in a heartbeat, soothingly brushing the hair from his ashen forehead.
"He's right, Rick. Ardeth didn't do anything!" Evy informed her husband.
"But I saw him attacking you!"
"No! Ardeth...I mean...I was having a nightmare. Ardeth must have been trying to wake me!" She explained. Rick's stomach twisted as realized he'd jumped to the wrong conclusion.
"DAD!" Alex's shouted, noticing Ardeth's strangled gasps. Rick and Evy turned toward their son and saw panic on his face. "Dad, he CAN'T BREATHE!"
"Oh god! His ribs!" Rick exclaimed, the color draining from his face. "Slamming him into the wall like that musta...."
Rick didn't finish, unable to voice the possibility that he'd made Ardeth's injuries worse. Glancing at his wife, he could tell she was thinking the same thing - if the force of the impact sent one of Ardeth's broken ribs into a lung....
"I'll ring Dr. Hamilton," Evy muttered, pulling away from her husband and fleeing the room.
Rick rushed to Ardeth, swearing a little as he noticed the awkward way his 'good' arm was twisted beneath him. Pushing the Medjai flat onto his back, he was relieved to see that the arm didn't seem injured. The shift seemed to help Ardeth breathe and the bluish tinge of his lips began to fade, leaving Rick to wonder if he should try to get him back into bed. It didn't seem right to leave him there on the cold floor, but he was afraid of doing more damage.
"RIIIIIIIIIICK!" Evy screamed, flying through the doorway. "He's not there!"
"WHAT?!"
"He's gone on another call!" Evy said, wringing her hands. "I left a message with his wife, buy it sounded it might be hours before he gets it."
"Oh man...okay...'s gonna be all right," Rick responded, trying to convince himself as much as Evy and Alex. "Ardeth! Ardeth, buddy, come on...talk to me. Tell me you're all right!"
Rick gently tapped the Medjai's face, hoping Ardeth would open his eyes, but was startled when he did. Ardeth immediately flinched away from him.
"Whoa! 'S all right. Nobody's gonna hurt ya." Any worse than we already have, Rick thought as he tried to soothe his friend. Even as he said the words, he realized how ridiculous they must sound to Ardeth.
"Yeah, shhhh, nobody's going hurt you anymore," Alex added, with an accusatory edge to his tone. Tossing his parents a quick, angry glare, the child nudged closer to the Medjai, almost managing to position himself between Ardeth and his father.
Ardeth glanced from Rick to Alex before closing his eyes, not wanting the child see his shame. His thoughts were a fuzzy, but Ardeth was certain Rick's actions had been justified. He'd meant well, but even his weary brain could imagine what Rick had seen as he'd entered.
"Hey! What's all the commotion!" Jonathan inquired, abruptly entering the room and startling everyone - including Ardeth, who opened his eyes again, very briefly. Glancing down at the group huddled on the floor, Jonathan added, "don't you think he'd be more comfortable in bed?"
"Very funny, Jonathan," Evy's responded, as both she and Rick glared up at him. "There was a bit of a...well...oh bother! Never mind how he ended up on the floor! He did. Now, he's having trouble breathing and we're not sure if it will make it worse to move him again!"
"Seems to be breathing all right, considering," Jonathan pointed out, ignoring his sister's irritated tone.
"Yeah, he seems to be doing better," Alex admitted.
Rick and Evy studied Ardeth for a few seconds before making eye contact, trying to come to a decision. His breathing, although obviously still painful, did seem to be better. Rick shrugged his shoulders, and Evy sighed in agreement.
"Jonathan, give me hand, would ya. Get out of the way, Alex," Rick 'requested'. Alex reluctantly stepped aside, but continued to hover protectively as they helped the Medjai off the floor. Ardeth bit back a gasp as Rick moved his injured shoulder.
"Sorry," Rick muttered. Ardeth turned his head enough for Rick to catch the emotion in his eyes as they flickered open. It was shame. Rick mentally swore at himself as he grasp that Ardeth believed he'd offended him.
"It is I...that am sorry," Ardeth mumbled, breathlessly.
"Don't worry about it, big guy, just a misunderstanding," Rick responded, knowing the words would do little to convince his friend that he'd done nothing wrong.
Ardeth didn't respond. Pulling away from Rick and Jonathan, he stumbled the remaining step and a half to the bed, eased himself onto it, and closed his eyes without looking at anyone.
"Ardeth?" Evy questioned, approaching the bed. Rick stopped her, catching her around the shoulders and turning her toward the door.
"I think Ardeth could use some peace and quiet," he stated. "Jonathan, Alex, you, too. Let's go."
"But, Dad..."
"No buts, Alex."
Alex could tell by the tone of his father's voice that arguing wouldn't do any good. Pouting, he reluctantly followed his parents and uncle out of the room.
Hearing the door close softly, Ardeth spontaneously shuddered with relief, the tension draining from his body. He tried not to immediately fall asleep - he had much to consider - but it was no use. With his body physically exhausted and the room dark and quiet, he was asleep within minutes.
~*~*~*~*~
"Rick, shouldn't someone be sitting with him? What if he needs something?" Evy asked, pouncing on her husband as he returned to their room after tucking Alex in bed.
"What he needs right now is to be left alone so he can get some rest, Evy."
She stopped pacing and intensely studied her husband. The tone in his voice gave her the impression she was missing something.
"What's wrong, Rick?"
Rick didn't answer. He wasn't really sure what to say that wouldn't make Evy upset. Stalling, he stripped out of his clothes.
"RICK?!"
He glanced up at her with a soft sigh.
"I saw him holding you, Evy."
"Yes, so, I told you...he was just trying to wake me," Evy stressed, impatiently. "You're not really angry with him?"
"No. That's not the problem," Rick responded, hoping Evy would figure it out on her own.
"Then what is the....oh!" she exclaimed, suddenly catching on to the problem. Ardeth believed that Rick believed he'd manhandled his wife, and was, therefore, disgraced. Evy sunk onto the bed, a fresh knot of worry tying in her stomach as she wondered what Ardeth would do. A second later, she jumped back up. "Nonsense! He did nothing wrong. He's just too tired to think clearly. Once he's feeling better, he'll see it was just a misunderstanding."
"Yeah," Rick responded, resignedly. He doubted it would be that simple, but she was right about Ardeth being too tired to think clearly. Evy was, too, and he wasn't far from it himself. Rick let himself hope that the incident really could just be forgotten once they'd all had some rest.
"Evy..." Rick began, remembering he still had no idea what had happened between her and Ardeth in the first place. He saw her tense and briefly considered leaving things alone....but he had to know. "Honey, I need you tell me what happened."
"I have told you! I was having a nightmare and....," Evy responded, nervously. She knew that wasn't what he was really asking about, but she wasn't sure how to explain what she'd done.
Rick interrupted, keeping his voice calm and gentle. "No, Evy. I need you to tell me what happened earlier....how Ardeth ended up at the bottom of the stairs."
Evy abruptly moved to the other side of the room to pace.
"Evy?"
"I...well...oh, Rick...I was just so angry and Ardeth was there and I had the dagger in my hand and he was bleeding and....and...," Evy stammered, continuing to pace.
"Why were you angry? What happened? What did he do? Please, Evy! I need to know!" Rick responded. Standing up, he moved towards his wife with the intention of comforting her, but she shied away.
"Ardeth...he didn't do anything....I just....he just....and the journal said...," Evy stammered, growing increasing agitated by the second. "Well, I thought it said...but it didn't....and....and....it's all my fault, Rick!"
Rick sighed, realizing that his wife was still much too upset to give him a coherent answer. Finally managing to catch her in his arms, he held her, firmly, and gently rocked her until the tension in her muscles began to ease, then guided her back to the bed. Climbing under the covers, Rick waited patiently for Evy to get settled next to him before wrapping her up in his arms again.
"Everything's gonna work out, Evy. You'll see. It's gonna be fine," he whispered tenderly, as they slowly drifted off to sleep.
~*~*~*~*~
Dragging a blanket along behind him, Alex crept silently down the hall towards Ardeth's room. There'd been no point in arguing with is father, but he had no intention of really leaving the Medjai alone. Cracking the door just enough to slip through, Alex left it open to allow some light in from the hallway. Climbing carefully onto the bed, he winced, then, froze, as Ardeth stirred. Alex breathed a silent sigh as the Medjai settled, and curled up next to him, quickly falling asleep.
~*~*~*~*~
Rick bolted upright as the phone rang. "Hello?"
"Rick, who is it?" Evy croaked, sleepily.
"The Doc," he whispered.
"Oh....ooooooh!" Evy suddenly remembered she hadn't called back to let the physician know everything was all right.
"Yeah, sorry about that, Doc. Think it may have been a false alarm, but let me go check on him before I let you go."
Rick handed the phone to Evy and climbed out of bed.
~*~*~*~*~
Ardeth woke with a start as a distant phone rang. His muscles were stiff, and he started to stretch, sending pain shooting through his body. Thinking he was alone, he made no attempt to stifle a moan.
"Ardeth?! What's wrong?!" Groggy, but alarmed, Alex poked his head up. Startled by the child's presence, Ardeth flinched.
"Shhh," he whispered, "I am fine."
Alex reached over, placing a hand on the Medjai's arm. "You're warm."
"I am fine," Ardeth repeated, sleepily, closing his eyes.
"Ardeth..." Alex began, unconvinced.
"I am fine," Ardeth insisted, wearily. Not ready to face Rick and Evy, he didn't want Alex fetching them. "Please, young O'Connell, I want only to sleep."
"Ardeth? You awake?"
The Medjai barely suppressed a frustrated groan as he heard Rick's voice waft in from the hallway. It turned into a soft hiss as Alex hurriedly scrambled off the bed, joggling the mattress.
"Dad!" Alex exclaimed, breathlessly, meeting his father at the door. Worried about Ardeth, he forgot he wasn't supposed to be there. Rick raised an eyebrow, but decided not to comment. "Dad, Ardeth's warm! I think he has a fever!"
Rick's brow furrowed as he quickly stepped over to the bed. Turning on a lamp, he studied Ardeth. The Medjai was pale, but Rick noticed a slightly flush hue, as well.
"Ardeth?" The Medjai reluctantly opened his eyes and looked up at him. "How you feeling?"
"I am fine," Ardeth responded, almost pleadingly. Closing his eyes again, he shifted uncomfortably on the bed.
Concerned, Rick placed a hand on his friend's arm. He frowned as he felt the heat radiating up through Ardeth's sleeve.
"Sure you are," he responded, skeptically, before turning toward Alex. "I'll be back, all right."
Alex nodded and watched his father leave, before turning back toward Ardeth as he heard the Medjai sigh. Moving around to the other side of the bed, Alex scrambled back up and knelt beside Ardeth, reaching down to take his hand. Alex studied the warrior's weary features for a moment, before noticing a small trickle of blood seeping out from beneath the bandage covering the shoulder wound.
~*~*~*~*~
"Rick?" Evy questioned, seeing the concern on his face as entered. He gestured for her to hand him the phone.
"Hi, Doc. Sorry to keep you waiting. Um...yeah." Evy anxiously listened to the one-sided conversation. "No, it doesn't seem to be. Yeah, all right."
"What?!" Evy demanded, as Rick hung up the phone.
"Ardeth's a little feverish," he explained, trying to sound unconcerned. "Probably nothing to worry about, but the Doc's gonna stop by to take a look, just to be safe."
"F..feverish!" Evy stammered, suddenly remembering the journal. Glancing around, she realized she must have left it in Ardeth's room. Scrambling from the bed, Evy to pace.
Rick frowned as he watched his wife grow increasingly agitated. "Evy? What's going on?"
"Oh, Rick! What have I done!" She wailed in response. "I've given him a fever... just like my parents did!"
"Just like...huh?" Rick responded, bewildered. Evy stopped, abruptly, and stared at him, her eyes filled with panic.
"What if he dies this time, Rick?! It'll be my fault!"
"Whoa! Evy, slow down," Rick soothed, as his wife drew closer to hysterics. "Nobody's dying! Ardeth's just a little warm. It's probably nothing, just his body reacting to everything it's been through today. He's gonna be fine."
Obviously unconvinced, Evy turned to leave, causing Rick to sigh. He knew she going to Ardeth's room and suspected that, whatever his condition, Evy would see it worse than it was. Doubting his presence would do anything but further agitate her, Rick decided to go downstairs and wait for the physician.
~*~*~*~*~
Evy quietly entered Ardeth's room and saw Alex kneeling on the bed beside him, holding his hand. The scene made her smile, but it didn't last. From the doorway, she could see a light sheen of sweat glistening on Ardeth's skin. She took a couple steps towards the bed, but hesitated when the warrior shifted uncomfortably. The awkward movement painfully reminded her of how badly she'd hurt him and, suddenly, Evy couldn't bring herself to face him. Turning away from the bed, she saw the journal lying crumpled on the floor. Wandering over, she picked it up and made herself comfortable in the over-stuffed chair.
Out of the corner of his eye, Alex glimpsed of his mother, but didn't look up. Part of him wanted to - the same part that wanted to curl up with her in the chair and just let her hold him and tell him everything was all right. But nothing was all right. Ardeth was supposed to be one of the good guys...and his parents were good guys. And good guys weren't supposed to try to kill other good guys. That wasn't the way it worked. Frustrated, Alex lay down on the bed and curled up, still clinging to Ardeth's hand.
~*~*~*~*~
"Evy," Rick whispered, gently caressing his wife's cheek. He was relieved that she'd fallen asleep, assuming it to be an indication that she'd calmed down.
Waking with a start, Evy looked up at her husband and, then, past him to Dr. Hamilton, standing next to the bed. She let Rick pull her up and walked to the foot of the bed. Feeling her husband's arms wrap around her, Evy leaned back against him.
Dr. Hamilton frowned, noticing the exotic-looking black robe Ardeth was wearing. It had been lying at the foot of the bed when he'd last seen it. His patient had to have gotten up to put it on, and that didn't please the physician. Gingerly slipping a finger beneath a fold, he carefully slid away the fabric partially covering Ardeth's shoulder.
Ardeth's eyes flickered open as he felt a gentle touch. Looking up, he saw Dr. Hamilton examining his wound with a decidedly unhappy expression fixed upon his face. Ardeth closed his eyes again, unconsciously letting out a soft, frustrated sigh. The physician seemed to be a pleasant enough fellow, but the Medjai knew his presence meant more pain and less sleep.
"Doctor. You have returned to keep me from sleep once more," Ardeth croaked, in a loud whisper. The sound of his voice woke Alex, who poked his head up to see what was happening and, then, sat up to supervise.
Peeling back the bandage, Dr. Hamilton felt the heat radiating off Ardeth's skin. His frown increased as got a good look at the wound and saw that several of his carefully-sewn stitches were torn.
"Hmmm...had you only slept while I was away, I wouldn't have had to return," Dr. Hamilton distractedly chastised, still frowning. Despite his concentration, the physician noticed Ardeth's muscles tensed in response to the rebuke.
"Umm...that was my fault, actually," Evy explained, anxiously. "I came in to sit with him for a bit, fell asleep, and had a nightmare."
Dr. Hamilton wrinkled his brow, wondering what Evy's nightmare had to do with Ardeth's torn stitches.
"She jumped out the chair and stumbled and Ardeth caught her," Alex added.
"Ah, well then, it appears that keeping you from sleep has become a group effort," the physician quipped. He had a feeling that there was more to the story, but no one seemed particularly eager to share it, and he saw no need to push. Knowing how the damage had been done would do little to change it.
"Hmmmm....let's have a look, shall we."
"If we must," Ardeth replied, weakly, drained by the short conversation.
"Rick, could you...," Dr. Hamilton paused, feeling Ardeth tense, dramatically.
"I can manage, Doctor," his patient stubbornly insisted. Dr. Hamilton glanced at Rick and saw a sad, sort-of resigned looked his eyes as he shrug in reply. Returning to Ardeth, the physician skeptically shook his head. The Medjai's condition had visibly worsened just in the few minutes since his arrival, and the physician doubted he still had the strength to move his little finger, let alone any other part of his body.
"All right...well, if you could roll over a little, I'll just take a quick peak at your back."
Ardeth complied, biting his lip against the pressure on his ribs and abdominal wound. Even with his eyes closed, the shift made his head spin dizzily. He took a deep breath to settle it, sending a fresh stab of pain shooting out from his throbbing ribs.
Alex shifted out of Ardeth's way, but continued to hold the Medjai's hand. He frowned as he felt the pressure on his fingers increase a little.
"Gonna be all right, Ardeth," he whispered softly, "Doc'll be done in no time and you can go back to sleep. Promise."
"Insha'alla," Ardeth gasped in response. Still fighting dizziness, he had little attention to spare for Alex, but was still able to appreciate the child's efforts. ("God willing")
The physician pulled the robe away from the wound and noticed that both the garment and the bed sheet were spotted with fresh blood. Peeling the bandage away, he made a 'tsk, tsk' sound, discovering, much to his dismay, that the damage there was much greater than the few torn stitches on the other side. Not only had the wound partially reopened, the torn stitches left it jagged and inflamed.
"This will need to be re-stitched," Dr. Hamilton reported, glumly, earning a dejected sigh from Ardeth.
Evy also sighed, and Rick held her tighter, stifling his own remorseful utterance. That he'd thrown Ardeth against the wall, tearing the stitches, was bad enough, but he knew his wife felt responsible, and that made it weigh even heavier on his conscience.
"How long has it been since he last had any aspirin?" He could tell by the guilty looks on Rick and Evy's faces that the Medjai hadn't been given any since he'd left. "Hmmmm....well, perhaps now would be an opportune time to do so, and then we'll get started. All right."
Dr. Hamilton handed Alex a couple aspirin tablets and the glass of water still sitting on the nightstand from the last dose.
Opening his eyes, Ardeth painfully pushed himself up on his elbow. He allowed Alex to help him with the medicine, then, gingerly eased himself back down. Swallowing hard, Ardeth quickly closed his eyes as his head swam, sickeningly.
"We'll give that a few minutes. While we wait, Evelyn, would you mind fetching me some clean water and fresh towels?" Dr. Hamilton requested.
"I've got it," Rick volunteered, unwrapping himself from Evy.
"You'll need a hand," Evy stated, recalling the last time she'd run this errand. Catching hold of her husband hand, she followed him out the door.
Exhausted and weak, Ardeth made no attempt to follow what was happening. Each time he opened his eyes, the world seemed to be spinning more ferociously, so he kept them closed. Unaware that his fever was rising, he wondered why sounds around him and even the physician's touch were growing dim and fuzzy, like a dream.
~*~*~*~*~
"More trouble?" Jonathan asked through a yawn, as he stumbled sleepily down the hallway towards Rick and Evy.
"No. The Doc's here to have another look at Ardeth. Nothing serious," Rick responded. Jonathan yawned again.
"Need me for anything?"
"No, I don't think so. You might as well go back to bed," Evy informed her brother. Dr. Hamilton had enough people to stumble over already.
Jonathan nodded, gratefully, and spun around to return to his room.
~*~*~*~*~
"Here ya go, Doc," Rick announced, in a loud whisper, as he and Evy returned with the water and towels. Dr. Hamilton acknowledged with a nod, before starting to work.
Ardeth was only vaguely aware of the prick of Dr. Hamilton's needle. His brain had grown fuzzy enough that, although he was aware of the pain, it seemed as though it belonged to someone else. He pondered the unique sensation as he lost unconsciousness.
"Rick!" Dr. Hamilton exclaimed, feeling the tension abruptly leave Ardeth's body. Shifting quickly, the physician managed to get the needle out of the way as the Medjai's shoulder rolled back onto the bed.
Rick shuffled around to help the Doc roll Ardeth up, again. Then, with the help of his son, held the Medjai in position while the physician finished.
~*~*~*~*~
Ardeth hissed as Dr. Hamilton's finger brushed against the inflamed abdominal wound. His head tossed back and forth as he muttered incoherently, but his eyes didn't open and, after a moment, he 'settled' back into his feverous dreams.
"Aren't you going to fix it, Doc," Alex asked, concerned as he watched the physician re-bandage the abdominal wound without repairing the torn stitches.
"No. The inflammation is preventing significant bleeding. It'll be better to wait until it's gone down," the physician patiently explained, opting not to add that it was the fever that concerned him most at the moment. Experience told him it was well over 103 degrees and steadily rising. "Evelyn, I could do with a cold compress and a basin of ice water."
"I'll get it," Rick offered, disentangling himself from Evie and slipping out of the room.
"What's that for," Alex inquired, suspiciously. Dr. Hamilton glanced up at the child, hesitant to answer.
"They're to help bring down the swelling and fever," Evy explained, letting the physician off the hook.
"Oh," Alex acknowledged, glumly. He'd distractedly noticed that Ardeth's fever getting worse, but had still been assuming that it wasn't anything serious. The look on his mother's face told him otherwise. A tearful lump formed in his throat, but Alex quickly swallowed it away.
"Here ya go, Doc," Rick announced, returning from his errand. Slipping over to the nightstand, he sat the basin of ice water down and tossed the physician the cold compress.
Dr. Hamilton caught it one-handed and gingerly placed it over the abdominal wound, but found his hand immediately shoved away as Ardeth deliriously reacted to the discomfort of the cold and pressure. Waiting a minute for him to settle, the physician applied the compress, again.
As before, Ardeth's hand moved toward the pressure, but this time it was stopped. Using both his hands, Alex held it, whispering soothingly. The child voice didn't have the calming effect it'd had earlier. The Medjai grew more agitated, but Alex held firm and, after a few minutes, felt Ardeth stop resisting. Continuing to hold his hand, as much to soothe himself as the Medjai, Alex curled up next to him and wearily closed his eyes.
Dr. Hamilton left the compress resting on the wound, watching for a second to be certain Ardeth's continued stirring wasn't enough to shift it. Then, turning toward basin, he soaked several of the remaining towels in the ice water. Letting them sit, he glanced around the room, looking for a chair he could move closer to the bed. It was going to be a long night, and he didn't want to have to spend it on his feet.
"Here, Rick, help me scoot this chair over," Evy requested. Grasping what the physician intended, she twisted away from Rick and moved to the over-stuffed chair. "I'll tend him, Dr. Hamilton. We're inconveniencing you enough without depriving you of sleep altogether."
"It's considerate of you to offer, Evelyn, but I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving you on your own," the physician responded, smiling appreciatively.
'Oh, no, of course not," Evy clarified. "I didn't mean you should go, but, please, let us fix a guest room for you."
"I don't mind...," Dr. Hamilton began to decline, but Evy cut him off
"I'm too worried to sleep a wink, anyway, Doctor," she insisted, telling herself it wasn't really a fib. As worried as she was, she knew the day had worn her out enough to sleep anyway. However, she desperately wanted to read more from the journal. Evy knew she could simply take it to bed with her, but without the job of tending to Ardeth, she knew she wouldn't be able stay wake for long. "Please, there's no need for all of us to go without sleep. You'll be just down the hall, if I need you."
"All right, Evelyn. Since you insist...." Seeing the determination in Evelyn's expression, Dr. Hamilton reluctantly agreed. "But only if you promise to wake me in a few hours, so I can see where we stand."
Evy nodded. "Rick..."
"Right this way, Doc," Rick stated, escorting the physician out the door and to another of their guest rooms.
~*~*~*~*~
"You should get some sleep, too. I'm all right," Evy whispered, as her husband quietly slipped back into Ardeth's room. Pausing to replace the damp cloth across Ardeth's forehead with a freshly wetted one, she glanced up at her husband.
"You sure?" Rick asked, skeptically, noticing her drooping eyelids.
"I'm sure," she answered. Rick didn't say anything, but raised an eyebrow.
"I'm fine. Really!"
Evy could tell he wasn't buying it. His posture told her he was contemplating dragging her to bed, despite her protests.
"Please, Rick. Let me do this. He wouldn't be lying here at all if it weren't for me."
Rick opened his mouth to object, but saw the resolute look in his wife's eyes and realized it wouldn't do any good. "All right, Evy. I'll just grab another chair and be right back."
"No!" Evy blurted. She wouldn't be able to read from the journal if Rick stayed; it wasn't something she was ready to share with him, yet. Rick's eyebrow rose, again, and Evy realized she'd alarmed him. Forcing herself to calm down, she tried to think of something to explain the outburst.
"It's silly for both of us to stay up all night. Get some sleep and you can relieve me in a couple of hours."
Rick frowned, not certain he trusted her to wake him.
"I promise I'll wake you when I wake Dr. Hamilton."
"All right. Wake me sooner if you need me," Rick told her, finally relenting. Even if she were inclined to let him sleep, he figured she would at least wake the physician. Rick trusted Dr. Hamilton to send her to bed if she looked about to crumple.
Rick kissed her tenderly before heading out the door, and Evy smiled reassuringly, hoping he didn't see how relieved she was that he was going. Evy patiently waited for him to get all the way out the door, before grabbing another cloth from the basin. Ardeth stirred slightly as she dribbled the cold water onto his chest.
"Shhhh," she whispered, bathing the un-bandaged areas of his chest and shoulders.
Finishing up, Evy sighed softly, noting that the heat radiating off Ardeth seemed to have increased since the last time she bathed him. Refusing to follow that train of thought, she glanced at Alex, still curled up contentedly near the Medjai. Ordinarily, Evy enjoyed watching her son sleep, but, at that moment, his peaceful little features reminded her too much of the peaceful little features of the dead child Ardeth had held in her nightmare. Closing her eyes, she shook her head to clear the image from her mind.
Evy waited until she'd turned back toward the basin to open her eyes. Taking a moment to submerge the cloth, she picked the journal up from nightstand and settled comfortably in the chair. Finding the dog-eared page, Evy flipped the journal open, but paused for moment as Ardeth mumbled a long string of incoherent babble. She watched him, to see if he was waking up. When he quieted back down, Evy skimmed the last section she'd read, took a deep calming breath, and continued on:
"Nameer has since passed from our midst. He left us so peacefully, that even as Badi'a prepares his body, is seems as though he might still awaken and greet us with one of his radiant smiles."
"Nameer."
Startled to hear the name spoken out loud, Evy's mouth hung agape as she glanced towards the voice.
"Na...meer," Ardeth muttered, again, tossing his head.
Evy wondered what he was dreaming; surely it couldn't be what she was reading. The possibility sent a tingle down her spine, and she closed her eyes. They opened again just in time to see Ardeth's uninjured arm reach out, deliriously seeking....something. Jumping up as his strength failed and the arm dropped weakly, Evy caught his hand an instant before it struck his injured ribs.
"Shhh, it's all right," she soothed, giving his hand a tender squeeze.
Evy pressed the back of her free hand against the towel across his forehead. Even though it had only been there a few minutes, the heat radiating up from him had already dissipated its coolness. Gently setting Ardeth's hand on the bed, she let go, intending to re-soak the towel. However, before she could move, Ardeth's hand shot up from the mattress and grabbed it. With more strength than she'd have thought possible, he clung desperately to her.
"NAMEER!" He gasped, loudly, and Evy flinched as his eyes suddenly opened. With the images from his dream still lingering hazily in brain, Ardeth was surprised to find himself staring into Evelyn's eyes. Locking his troubled gaze on her, he intently studied her, wondering why she would be at his bedside. Keeping his eyes open long enough to speak the question seemed too daunting to attempt, so Ardeth settled for a single word, instead. "Leyh?"
The whispered word sent a cold chill through Evy's body. As Ardeth's eyes closed and his hand dropped onto the bed, she collapsed back into the chair, trembling. Closing her eyes, Evy took several deep, shaky breaths. It was just a coincidence....had to be. Taking one more deep breath, she opened her eyes and studied Ardeth. Of course it was just a coincidence. Beginning to feel silly for her reaction, Evy rose, unsteadily, from the chair, snatched the cloth off his forehead, and exchanged it for a new one. Turning back toward the bed, her heart skipped a beat as Ardeth's eyes flickered open again. Outwardly, she forced herself to remain calm.
"Ahlan," she whispered, softly, and smiled, reassuringly. Grabbing another cloth, she gently bathed his face. "Keyf il-hehl?" ("Hi" "How are you feeling?")
Ardeth mustered a slight, weak smile. As the cloth pleasantly caressed his skin, his heavy eyelids slowly closed again, but he didn't fall asleep. The sound of Evy's voice reminded him that something important had happened.....but his fuzzy brain couldn't quite grasp the illusive memory. Deciding that perhaps Evy could tell him, Ardeth forced his eyes open and tried to ask, but the words eluded him.
"Shhh....naiyam," Evy whispered, seeing puzzlement, then, frustration on Ardeth's face as he attempted to say something, but failed to get it out. ("Shhh...go to sleep.")
Not ready to give up on the effort, Ardeth's brow furrowed as, again, he tried to speak. But the fog in his brain had grown thicker, and he could no longer remember what he'd wanted to ask.
"Shhh....kifeyah kida. Naiyam," Evy gently instructed, hoping he would listen. She found it painful to watch him struggling so hard to speak. ("Shhh....that's enough. Go to sleep.")
Despite Evy's words, frustration made Ardeth resist. But even as he tried to force his thoughts to focus, his eyes slowly closed. Wandering into a dream, Ardeth didn't even realize sleep had won the battle.
Evy sighed, relieved, as the tension drained from Ardeth's features. Dropping the towel in her hand back into the basin, she sank back into the chair and, a little hesitantly, opened the journal.
"As I sat by Ardeth's bedside this morning, I did not think it possible that a fever could burn any hotter within a man without consuming him completely. Yet with each passing hour, my nephew's fever rises. It does not seem that there is any strength left in his body. I see each breath catch in his throat as though he has not the power to force it out, but then, somehow, he does. I do not know how it is possible that he still lives except that it is by the force of his will. May it continue to be Allah's as well."
Evy wasn't aware that she'd begun to tremble, but she did feel the tickle of the tears welling in her eyes. Blinking them away, she took a deep breath and reminded herself that no matter how bad it sounded...Ardeth didn't die. Almost as if needing to confirm it, she glanced up at him. He lay still...too still, and Evy held her breath waiting for him to take one. His chest didn't seem to move at all, and panic flooded her.
"Ardeth?!"
Rising unsteadily from the chair, Evy reached out to touch him. Her knees nearly buckled with relief as he stirred slightly, muttering something unintelligible, before sighing softly and settling again. Shaking her head, Evy smiled, feeling a little giddy as the panic left her. Pausing to place a fresh cloth across his forehead, Evy dropped back into the chair, the fading adrenaline leaving her too weak to ease into it gently. Shakily picking up the journal, she opened it once more.
"Allah be merciful! Never would I have thought that a day would come that I would pray for my nephew to be released from this world, but it seems cruel to do otherwise. It is torture to watch each desperately fought for breath leave his body when it seems so impossible that he will manage another. That Ardeth refuses so tenaciously to let go of this life makes its all the more agonizing. Dabir grieves for his eldest and heir as though he had already passed. Likewise, Badi'a holds no hope. She does not grieve, yet, but in her eyes I see acceptance. Fathi alone still refuses to accept that Ardeth will not live. However, it is not hope that I see in him, but a desperate fear that at any moment he will find himself to be his father's only son, left alone to carry the full burden his family and his people's future upon his unprepared shoulders. He sits resolutely at his brother's side as though his will, and not Allah's, will decide Ardeth's fate."
Seeing that the remaining space on the page was blank, Evy sighed and gazed up at Ardeth. Letting her head drop and rest against the high back of the stuffed chair, Evy continued to simply gaze at him, while attempting to convince herself there wasn't any reason to be afraid to turn the page. Ardeth didn't die. She had the proof right there in front of her. He DIDN'T die! She silently repeated over and over again, but it didn't ease feeling of dread knotting her stomach. As ridiculous as she knew it was, it felt somehow possible that the journal would say that he did....and if she read it, it would somehow become reality, and the Ardeth before her would cease to be. Evy sighed, again. Feeling her eyelids droop, she decided that it was just exhaustion making her irrational and allowed her eyelids to close. She'd just rest for a few minutes...
~*~*~*~*~
Jerking awake, Evy was momentarily disoriented and her eyes darted around the room for a few seconds before settling on Ardeth. Noticing that the damp cloth had slipped from his forehead, she scooted forward enough snatch it up and dunk in the basin. It wasn't until she turned to place a fresh one that she noticed the blueness of his lips.
"Ardeth?" She whispered, hesitantly. There was no response, and Evy found herself placing a hand on his chest. Was it moving? She couldn't tell. Fear sent a wave of adrenaline surging through her, making her head spin, and she closed her eyes. Beneath her fingers, she felt a sudden movement as she heard a quick, strangled gasp, and her eyes flew open.
"Arde...," Evy's voice trailed off as she realized she was no longer in the guest room. Instead, she was in a tent - an enormous one.
Feeling a jerking movement beneath her fingers, she glanced down to see that her hand still rested on Ardeth's chest. Evy would have been relieved if she hadn't immediately noticed the desperate way he struggled to breath. Her heart skipped a beat when, after battling to inhale, the breath seemed to catch in his throat, as though he hadn't the strength to expel it.
"Ardeth?!" She gasped, shaking him none to gently. Her stomach clenched as the breath was finally, painfully, forced out and the struggle to inhale another began. The battle seemed to drag on for minutes, not the second she knew it had to really be, and Evy started to doubt he was going to manage it at all. Beginning to tremble, tears welled in her eyes as she grasped what was happening. Ardeth was dying! Right there...right before her eyes...he was gasping his last breaths.
"LA! IMSHEE!" Evy stumbled as she was angrily shoved away. Landing on the hard ground, she stared up, stunned, and saw a young man - more of a boy, actually - glaring down at her. Grief and anger seething from his eyes, Evy didn't need to be told who he was. ("No! Get away!")
"Fathi?!"
"YOU GET AWAY FROM HIM!" The boy raged, venomously, not bothering to confirm who he was. Left momentarily speechless, Evy just stared at him. "YOU DO THIS! YOU!"
She was about to object to the accusation when a low, agonized wail assaulted her ears. Jumping up, Evy saw a young woman standing behind the boy, staring down at Ardeth, who was blocked from her view. Suddenly 'Fathi' spun away from her, dropping to his knees beside his brother, and Evy was able to see clearly what was happening. Ardeth's battle for another breath had been lost. He lay lifeless, the flush of the remaining heat in his body visibly draining quickly away, leaving behind the ashen pallor of death.
'Nonononononononononono," Evy muttered under her breath, taking a step towards Ardeth. "He didn't die. Nononononononono."
She froze as she heard Fathi's pained whisper. "Leyh?"
"NONONONOOOO....AAAARDETH!" Evy screamed, jolting awake.
On the bed, Ardeth was startled awake, as well. "Evelyn?!"
Evy didn't answer, instead she studied him for a moment, unsure whether to trust what her eyes were seeing or not. Her stomach knotted as she noticed the cloth had slipped off his forehead. Snatching it up quickly, she felt that it was dry and realized she must have been asleep for a while. Remorseful tears welled in her eyes; Dr. Hamilton had trusted her to tend to him...and she'd fallen asleep.
Seeing Evy's eyes dampen with tears, Ardeth frowned. Pausing for a sleepy blink and a breath, he croaked, "Evelyn? What is wrong?"
"Shhh, everything fine," Evy responded, having only vaguely heard him, as she placed a fresh cloth across his forehead. Distracted by the realization that she should probably have woken the physician a while ago, Evy wasn't as carefully as she might have been and water dripped into Ardeth's eyes, causing them to close. When he opened them again, she'd left the room. So, with a sigh, he let his eyelids slip down.
"Ardeth, you okay?" Alex whispered, rising up on his knees, after poking his head up and noticing his mother was gone.
"I am fine, young O'Connell," the Medjai answered, sleepily, opening his eyes and peering at the young face hovering over him. Despite its sleepiness, Ardeth's voice sounded stronger and his eyes seemed less dazed, allowing Alex to smile at the warrior's predictable response.
Ardeth also smiled, but it wasn't just a response to Alex's. The warrior was pleased that, although he was still weak and tired, the fog in his brain had eased and he could almost think clearly again. The smiled faded, however, as he remembered the circumstances that had landed him in the O'Connell's guest room.
"What the matter? You need something?" Alex inquired anxiously, seeing the Medjai frown.
"No, I am fine," Ardeth restated, distractedly. He realized that time was quickly passing and knew he had to act soon if Evy was to be saved. However, the Medjai was painfully aware that he was in no condition to do much of anything. Ardeth sighed and closed his eyes, hoping to fall back to sleep. Perhaps a few more hours of rest would be enough to get him on his feet.
"Are you now?" Dr. Hamilton asked, rhetorically, entering the room just in time to hear the last couple words. Startled, Ardeth flinched and opened his eyes, glancing toward the physician. "Sorry."
"Do not concern yourself, Doctor," Ardeth responded, politely, giving the physician a weary smile, despite not being particularly pleased to see him again.
"Well, let's have a look and see if you really are as fine as you say, shall we?" Dr. Hamilton quipped, returning a sympathic smile. He was pleased to see that his patient was more coherent than he'd last seen him, but was certain that Ardeth was still far from 'fine'.
Ardeth simply nodded slightly, knowing the physician was going to examine him regardless of his wishes. He closed his eyes as he felt Dr. Hamilton's fingers brush against his flesh.
Moving past the physician to stand at the bottom of the bed, Evy closely scrutinized Dr. Hamilton's expression as he peeled back the bandage covering the shoulder wound. Relief washed over her when he didn't frown, as he had last time.
"He's doing better?" She inquired, hopefully, still feeling guilty for having fallen asleep.
Dr. Hamilton glanced up long enough to give her a reassuring smile, but didn't really respond. Having only just begun the examination, he wasn't comfortable commenting. However, he was pleased to note that, although he was a still warm, the Medjai's temperature seemed to be down a bit. Deciding he wanted to know exactly where things stood, the physician re-covered the wound and grabbed a thermometer from the medical bag he'd left near the nightstand.
"Open." Ardeth cracked his eyelids enough to see what the physician wanted and then complied. "That's a good lad. Now if you could roll over just a bit."
While he waited for the reading, Dr. Hamilton checked the other side of the shoulder wound. After slowly peeling back the bandage, he was pleased to see that, although there was still some slight swelling, it had diminished from what it had been earlier. Re-covering the wound, the physician gently helped Ardeth roll back onto the bed and snatched-up the thermometer. He frowned slightly, noting that it read 102.1 - higher than he would have liked.
After setting the thermometer on the nightstand, Dr. Hamilton moved down to the abdominal wound. He cringed as Ardeth stifled a moan. Biting his lip, his patient shifted restlessly in response to his slight touch as he removed the melted ice pack. Dr. Hamilton better understood the reaction as he peeled back the bandage. His frown growing, he noted, grimly, that the swelling had increased enough that it threatened to tear the remaining stitches. The idea of opening the wound back up again to re-clean it didn't appeal to him at all, however, especially with his patient finally showing signs of improvement. Since the swelling was, at least, preventing continued bleeding, Dr. Hamilton decided to give it until morning before deciding what to do, if anything.
Alex frowned in response to the disapproving look on the physician's face. It was obvious that there was a problem with the wound, but he resisted the temptation to ask. He didn't want to alarm Ardeth, who'd closed his eyes again and seemed to be dozing.
Evy also frowned, once again, feeling guilty for falling asleep and not putting fresh ice in the compress. She glanced remorsefully at Dr. Hamilton. Busy rechecking Ardeth's ribs, he didn't notice.
"Well, I wouldn't really say that you were 'fine', but you're doing better than you were," the physician announced, before checking Ardeth's pupils. "I suppose, we'll take what we can get and let you sleep."
"You keep saying that, Doctor," Ardeth muttered sleepily, giving the physician a skeptical glare. "But then you come back."
"I won't make any promises, but I'll do my best not to bother you again until morning. All right?" Dr. Hamilton responded. Chuckling, he gave the Medjai a sympathetic pat on the hand.
"Shukran, tabeeb," Ardeth's responded, smiling appreciatively, and closed his eyes.
Assuming that the Medjai had fallen back to sleep, Dr. Hamilton glanced over toward Evy and nodded his head towards the door.
"Alex," Evy called out.
"But...," Alex protested.
"It would be a good idea to leave someone with him, and since Alex seems to disturb him the least..." Dr. Hamilton suggested, coming to the child's rescue.
Evy frowned, pondering the situation for moment before reluctantly nodding her head. "All right, Alex, but do be careful not to jostle him about, will you. And come get one of us if he needs anything. All right?"
"Yes, mum," Alex responded, carefully keeping his gaze anywhere but on her.
Frustrated by her son's continued efforts to distance himself from her, Evy sighed. She was tempted to try to talk to him about it, but decided against it. There seemed little point in pressing the issue until they were all calmer and better rested. Turning away from him, Evy stepped toward the physician - unconsciously pausing to snatch the journal out of the chair - and took the arm extended her, allowing herself to be escorted from the room.
"How is he really doing, Doctor?" Evy asked, anxiously, once they were a few steps from the room.
Dr. Hamilton was hesitant to answer her. He knew Evy needed to get some sleep, and didn't want her too worried to do so.
"I mean...he's going to be fine now, right?" Evy stammered, growing more nervous as the physician remained silent.
Dr. Hamilton noticed her increased agitation and realized that his silence was being interpreted badly. Unfortunately, a truthful response wasn't likely to be comforting, either, since he suspected they'd only been granted a temporary reprieve. By the looks of the abdominal wound, the physician was certain that the situation was going to get worse, before it was better. However, he realized it would be harder on Evy if it came as a surprise than if she were prepared for it.
"Well, he's been lucky, thus far, and we can certainly hope that will continue to be the case. Unfortunately, I suspect the abdominal wound is infected, if so the worst may be yet to come."
Evy nodded, her eyes moistening a little. She'd suspected as much after seeing his face when he'd examined the wound, but had hoped she was wrong. Still holding onto the physician's arm, Evy gave it an appreciative squeeze, grateful that he was, at least, being upfront with her.
"Are you certain it's all right to..." Evy began to ask, concerned about having left Ardeth basically unattended. Guessing her train of thought, Dr. Hamilton interrupted.
"The more rest he can get, the better, and I truly do think he'll sleep better without us fussing over him."
Evy nodded again, and Dr. Hamilton patted her hand supportively.
"Try to get some sleep, Evelyn," he recommended, as they reached his door and she turned towards her own room. Evy tossed him a smile over her shoulder and continued down the hall.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~