"T?" Sam’s voice woke Trent out of his sleep.

"Yeah, Sam?" he said, wiping the sleep out of his eyes as he sat up in the chair. There was a knot in his back from the uncomfortable position he had been in.

"Why don’t you go home and get some sleep there?" Sam could see how uncomfortable he had been.

"No, that’s okay. I’d rather stay." Besides, I don’t have a home to go to, he thought.

"I think I am remembering a few things."

"That’s great, Sam!" Trent exclaimed.

"The house was over on Woodlawn, wasn’t it?"

"Actually, we looked at that one but bought the one on Morningstar," Trent said gently.

"It’s just all a muddle," Sam said in frustration.

"That’s okay, Sam. It is starting to come back. It will eventually." He beside stood and gently stroked her hair.

"How is Sarah?"

Trent laughed. "You are lying here in the ICU and you’re worried about her? She’s okay. She’s holding up."

"She doesn’t deal with these things very well."

"I know but Carlos took her home and is going to stay with her. She’ll be okay."

"I’m just so tired."

"I know. Why don’t you sleep? I’ll just go get a coffee and I’ll be back, okay?" Trent answer was the sound of a soft snore.

**

"How is she?"

"Hey, Carlos." Trent hadn’t heard his partner come in. "She’s better. Just sleeping a lot. How is Sarah?"

"I don’t know. She won’t talk to me." There was a sadness in Carlos’ voice. "Look man, why don’t you go home and get some sleep?"

"I don’t have a home, Carlos. The house is gone and the apartment is a police crime scene."

"Well, here. Take the keys to my place and go shower and sleep for a while. I know I’m a bit bigger than you but you can borrow a change of clothes. I promise I will stay with her."

Trent was about to say no when Sam piped up. "Go to Carlos’ place. I’m not going anywhere. Besides, you’re starting to smell."

Trent smiled. Turning to Carlos he said, "okay, I’ll go." He went to the bed and kissed Sam. "I’ll be back soon."

As Trent left, Carlos parked himself in the chair beside Sam. "Can I get you anything, Sam?"

"No thanks." Sam sighed quietly. "You know Carlos, if anything happens to me you have to take care of him."

"Nothing is going to happen to you, Sam."

"I mean it Carlos. Promise me you will look out for him." Sam’s tone was serious. Carlos got up and took her hand.

"You know I will. But nothing is going to happen to you."

"Thanks, Carlos."

A nurse entered the room and looked suspiciously at Carlos. "Are you family?" she demanded.

"Yes."

"He’s my brother," Sam said, smiling.

The nurse looked doubtfully at both of them but decided not to pursue the matter. Moving to Sam she took her temperature. It had risen a few more degrees since she had taken it earlier. Taking down the covers, she inspected Sam’s incisions. "Is this tender?" she asked, pushing gently on Sam’s stomach.

Sam winced in pain. "Yes," she whispered.

"Okay. I am going to get an ultrasound just to check. They’ll be in to take you up shortly. You’re brother can wait here."

**

"Where is she? What happened?" Trent confronted Carlos.

"They did an ultrasound and found a tear in here bowel that they missed. They took her up to surgery about an hour ago."

"Why didn’t you call me?" Trent was fuming.

"And get you panicked for what? They said that they would be in there for awhile and I figure you’ll help Sam more when she comes out and you’re rested." Carlos looked square at Trent, challenging him. "I just called Sarah, too."

Trent knew he was right but was still angry. Why was this happening to Sam?

**

"The bomb was very specific. It was almost like a trademark," Jimmy told Walker. "The bomb guys said it was very intricate and very professional. Someone for hire maybe?"

"Sounds like it. Check that computer of yours to see if we have anyone to match with that type of bomb. If we find him, we can find out who hired him."

"Think it was Foley?"

"Yeah, but don’t tell Trent that. He’s already about to explode."

**

Dr. Caldwell was standing in his greens in the hallway. "We’ve repaired the tear but there has been an infection. We are giving her a heavy dose of antibiotics to try and stop it but there is the possibility of sepsis."

"What’s sepsis?" Carlos asked.

"Well it is a blood infection that spreads rapidly throughout the body. It can be lethal. Now hopefully we caught it in time and the antibiotics will work." Dr. Caldwell put his hand on Trent’s shoulder. "She’s come this far so we know she’s strong. Just keep saying your prayers."

"Thanks Doctor."

"You can see her in the recovery room soon. I’ll send someone to get you."

**

"HI T," Sam said weakly.

"Hi. I leave you alone with Carlos for a couple hours and look what happens," Trent said with a smile.

"Yeah, well I feel like a pin cushion." Sam sighed and closed her eyes, as a nurse came into the room.

"Hi, Deanna," Trent said.

"Hi. I’ve just got to add this antibiotic to the IV. How are you feeling, Mrs. Malloy?" she asked as she took her temperature.

"Tired."

"Well sleep is the best thing." She motioned for Trent to follow her out of the room. Once in the hall she told him, "the infection is still there. We have doubled the antibiotics to see if that helps. Her temperature is still pretty high but this should bring it down."

Trent nodded then headed back into the room.

"I remember getting married," Sam told him.

"That’s good. Do you remember the little old judge that married us?"

"Yes," Sam remembered smiling. "It was in the courthouse, right?"

"Yep." Trent smiled as he took her hand. He looked at her, concerned with how tired and frail she looked. This was worse than after her stabbing. It was hard for him to see her like this. Slowly he raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. "I love you," he whispered.

Sam’s eyes opened sleepily. "T, I am so cold. Can you hold me?"

"Sure, Sam." Gently he put he side rail of the bed down and slipped on to the bed beside her. He wrapped his arms around her and she snuggled into him as best she could with all the tubing and wires around her. She was burning up with fever.

"I love you, too," she whispered. Trent smiled and held her tighter. They lay there together, Sam enjoying Trent’s closeness, Trent listening to Sam’s breathing. It seemed that after awhile, Sam’s breathing changed. As Trent noticed it, he heard the sound of the heart monitor as it began to register a flat line.

"No Sam, NO!" he begged. He immediately hit the nurse’s button behind the bed and then started to pound on Sam’s chest, starting CPR. "NO SAM NO!! FIGHT, DAMMIT!" Within seconds he heard the ‘CODE BLUE’ announcement and the room was flooded with doctor and nurses. As they took over, he sank back against the wall and watched in horror. Somehow he knew; she was gone and nothing they could do would bring her back.

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