STORY: Adjustments, part 6 of ? (It's a long one LOL) FANDOM: Remember WENN AUTHOR: Michele Savage (1998) RATING: NC-17, M/F, hurt/comfort SUMMARY: After Hilary is brutally attacked and left for dead, she and Jeff have some healing to do. SETTING: 1942, Pittsburgh FEEDBACK: Would be muchly appreciated. :-) ARCHIVE: Hetsketeers. (anywhere else, let me know before archiving please.), Sockii, this can be archived at Rest Is Silence too. :-) DISCLAIMER: Remember WENN and its characters are copyright Rupert Holmes, Howard Meltzer and AMC. No infringement is intended. The story is mine as are any original characters. It had been almost a month, Hilary's stitches finally were out of her shoulder and she was finally able to move about the hospital room fairly free of any major pain. Her arm was still in the sling, but, with Jeff's help she was doing her daily exercises. It still hurt like the proverbial devil, but she was nearly able to lift the arm past her chest. She was bound and determined to get her arm above her shoulder. She wanted to be able to do the simple things, such as reach the shelves over the sink in the green room, hold a script at arms length for a long period of time. There were other things she wanted to be able to do as well, things more precious to her than the everyday things. She wanted to wrap her arms around her husband's neck, to hold him, to even dance with him. Most importantly, she needed to be able to hold their baby. She stared out the window and let her thoughts drift to the visit from Jim Clarkson that she and Jeff had had that morning. The police had still not caught her attacker and after this long, they doubted they ever would. She shivered involuntarily at the thought that he was still out there somewhere on the street below her. Seeing a man walk into a store across the way, she moved back from the window. He could be anyone out there. She turned her attention to the flowers that graced the table. Jeff made sure that every day there was a fresh dozen of red roses. Each day held a new endearment on the card. Today's read, "Je t'aime, ma cherie". He was unaware, but as the flowers themselves died, Hilary kept each card. Some nights when she couldn't sleep she'd pull them out of the tiny drawer near her bed and read them. She sat in the chair at the table, removed the sling and with her right arm slowly but determinedly reached to turn on the radio that sat near the wall. She grimaced as her shoulder muscles protested, but ignored the pain. She turned the volume control until she had it at a comfortable level and then sat straight. She smiled, proud of her achievement. Hilary thought as she listened, it was about time Sam Dane had his voice back. Jeff had been very hesitant to leave her, but she insisted. WENN needed at least one of them and she was well enough that she could be alone for the day. As she listened to Jeff's voice she closed her eyes and tried to picture him at work, script in hand. Another voice crept into her thoughts as sometimes it did. The raspy whispered sound of the man who attacked her. She took a breath and tried to shake off the memory. She concentrated on the sound of her husband's voice and tried to replace the bad memories with good ones. She thought of times when the sound of Jeff's voice meant something. The many times he'd proposed, Hilary remembered with a laugh. The day she'd finally accepted; the joy in his eyes when he'd realized that her answer of yes was really her answer. No tricks that time, no insulting retorts, just an honest and simple yes. They had been laying in bed after an impulsive love making session when he'd turned to her and simply asked, "Please let me back in." Her reply had been equally simple. "Don't hurt me again." No other words had been spoken for the rest of that night, and two weeks later they were married by a justice of the peace in a small ceremony in the green room. She pulled herself out of the memory and back into the present. Sam Dane was nearly over and Jeff would be back in another couple of hours. No amount of talking would convince him to work a full day. He just worked the afternoon shows, with the exception of Hands Of Time. He'd refused to do that show without her. So she had to listen to Maple and Scott. They weren't bad, but she needed to talk to Maple again about Elizabeth's accent. She was getting closer, Hilary thought. Maple had been a godsend through all this. Hilary had to admit that she was beginning to consider her to be a close friend. There were days when she had to talk to someone, and Jeff just wouldn't do. She'd call Maple, and they would throw Jeff out of the room for a while and sit and talk. Maple would bring chocolate, Cokes and assorted other foods she probably didn't need to be feeding herself. They would laugh, cry, and generally have a good time. Hilary had found that they really did have a lot in common. Sure, they had come from totally different backgrounds, but, they'd both been run through life the hard way and still had come out 'on top of the game' as Maple had put it. Eugenia had been another surprising ear. Hilary found she could actually open up further to the gentle woman that she could even with Maple. It had been Eugenia to whom she finally told the details of her attack. The woman just sat with her, held her, and let her cry as she spoke. She assured her that it hadn't been her fault, that no one would judge her. Hilary wasn't sure about that. Gertie had not come to visit her at all, not that she'd expected it. There certainly was no love lost between them. Betty had visited a couple times, but seemed uncomfortable, like she didn't know what to say. But most insulting, and the one that sent Jeffrey through the roof, was a small mention in Hedda Hopper's last column that insinuated that the baby she was carrying was her attacker's. Jeff had called her office and gave her a few choice words and set her straight. She apologized and said she'd print a retraction, but none had ever appeared. She assured Jeff that once the baby was born people would do the math, but she did see how the connection could have been made. She worried about other people closer to them making that assumption. It *had* been in the paper, that doubt was now in the public's mind. Hilary lay her hand on her still flat abdomen, "It's okay little one, your mommy and daddy know and that's all that matters," she quietly spoke. Her phone rang, and Hilary slowly walked to pick it up. "Hi darling, I just wanted to call and see how you are doing." "I'm all right, Jeffrey. Just reflecting on things." She answered him. "You sure you're all right? I can come back." He replied, concern in his voice. She smiled, "No pumpkin, I've enjoyed being by myself today. You just do what you need to do there and then come back." "You're sure?" She knew he was fishing for confirmation that she needed him still. These last few weeks have been hard on him too. An idea began to form in her mind. "I'll tell you what, on your way back here why don't you stop by home and put on a nice suit." "Why?" he asked, confused. "Don't ask why, darling, just do it." She answered. Out of the background, she heard Mackie announce the beginning of Rance Shiloh. "Um . . . Pumpkin, don't you have to be on the air now?" "Oh hell! I love you, bye." He hung up the phone abruptly. Within a few seconds she heard shuffling on the radio, then a slightly out of breath Rance read his first line. She hung up the receiver, and laughed. "I love you too ... my silly boy." After tightening her robe and fingering through her hair to make it look somewhat decent, Hilary made her way to the nurses station. Having checked the time, she knew Mary was on duty. "Hi, Miss Booth. Is there anything you need?" One of the younger women asked. "No, thanks Ellen. Is Mary around?" she answered. Ellen was a sweet girl, probably in her late twenties. She'd been nearly as helpful as Mary in her recovery. Hilary had also noticed with amusement that the young woman had a slight crush on Jeffrey. She fell over herself to be of help when Jeff was there. Rather than sharply remind Ellen that he was taken, as she would normally have done, Hilary said nothing. She recognized a harmless crush when she saw one, and finally after all this time she felt secure enough to know that Jeff would never leave her again. Then, there is also the threat that she'd kill him and spread pieces of his body from here to Timbuktu. "No, sorry. She won't be in for another hour. She said she was conserving gas and waiting for a taxi," Ellen explained. "All right then. Maybe you can help me," Hilary offered. Ellen smiled, "Sure." "I am planning a nice evening for Jeff and I wondered if you could help me with some things." "Ooh, romantic evenings are my specialty. Just ask my boyfriend," Ellen stood and walked around the large counter, "What do you want me to help you with?" Hilary laughed at the woman's excitement. She let Ellen lead her back into her hospital room, talking as they walked. "Well, I could use some real food. Maybe something from Bella's?" "Okay." Ellen said, "Let me know what you want, and I can send a driver over to pick it up." Ellen observed the room, "We could probably fold up Mr. Singer's cot and put it against the wall to bring in a table. I could dig one up from somewhere." She pointed to Hilary, "You'll need candles." "--candles." Hilary said at the same time Ellen mentioned them. "And some privacy." Ellen smiled, "My shift ends at midnight, Cinderella. That's as far as I can get you privacy-wise in this castle." Hilary laughed and thanked Ellen for her help in moving the large heavy things. "Now go away so I can get myself ready." "Okay." Ellen said, "If you need any help with anything let me know," she offered. Stopping in the doorway she turned, "Oh, and I'll phone you when the food arrives." "Thank you." Hilary responded, and as the young nurse left walked to the drawer to choose a dressier gown. She may be in a hospital, but she wasn't going to look like hell on a 'date' with her husband. to be continued.... Biz Bizarra@infinet.com