Colby placed his hand on Mindy’s forehead. He closed his eyes and concentrated on her pain. His life force coursed into her body. The pain subsided until it had nearly disappeared. Well he could have done this a lot sooner. Instead of making her suffer like this. His hand went back to gently stroking her hair. She felt much better now that the pain had receded. She was able to walk into the clinic when they arrived. She had several x-rays done as well as a cat scan. Then she sat in a chair beside Matt while Colby, Doug, and Mike studied her x-rays and CAT scan. Her head was starting to hurt bad again. Colby hadn’t fixed her after all. Although what he did had helped remove the pain for a while.

“What do you think?” Doug asked Mike.

“She has a concussion. But that appears to be the extent of it. She’ll be all right.” Mike told them. He had studied her records from Spokane. And the scans they had taken. She’ll need to be admitted to the hospital for forty-eight hours observation.”

“I’m not going to a hospital. You can forget it.” Mindy interrupted.

“It’s in your best interest. You need to be watched closely.” Mike told her.

“I don’t care. I’ve had enough of hospitals. I’ll fly back to Spokane. My Grandma can take care of me, she’s an LPN.” Mindy told him.

“I’m afraid flying is out. The change in altitude could have an adverse effect on your head injury.” Mike informed her.

“What?” Mindy asked her head was really starting to pound. She rubbed her temples. “Fine I’ll rent a car and drive back.”

“You’re in no condition to drive.” Colby pointed out.

“My head hurts bad, can’t you give me something for the pain.” She said, she was starting to feel sick again.

“What do you think?” Doug asked Mike.

“Give her a shot of Demerol. That should take the edge off.” Mike advised. Doug left the room to get the medicine.

“How am I supposed to get home if I can’t fly or drive?” She asked holding her head.

“You’ll have to get someone to pick you up.” Mike answered with a shrug.

“Don’t worry. You can stay at my place until you’ve recovered.” Colby told her.

“No!” She muttered. That was the last place in the world she wanted to be stuck at. “I’ll stay with Tom and Nic.”

“You need someone to watch over you. Tom and Nic are busy.” Colby replied with a frown.

“So are you.” She replied quietly. “How long does it take to get the medicine?”

“I’m done with classes after next week.” He replied.

“Okay, here we go.” Doug said as he re-entered the room. He was carrying a needle.

“Took you long enough.” She muttered as Doug wiped her arm with an alcohol pad. She felt a slight poke as Doug inserted the needle.

“You better lie down on the table. This is pretty strong stuff.” Doug said urging her to stand. He helped her over to the table. “I’ll call your Dad and let him know what’s going on.” Doug said pulling out his phone. He dialed the number.

“Hello.” Morris said.

“Mr. Miller, this is Doug Morgan.” Doug said.

“How is she?” Morris asked with worry.

“She has a slight concussion.” Doug replied. “She needs to be watched closely over the next forty-eight hours. But she doesn’t want to go to the hospital.”

“She’ll have to come home.” Morris said after a moment.

“That’s going to be a problem. She can’t fly, because it my have an adverse effect on her injury. And she’s in no condition to fly.” Doug told him.

“How long before she can fly?” Morris asked.

“Four weeks.” Doug answered.

“I guess I could come and get her. I’m supposed to fly down to Las Vegas for ten days.” Morris told them reluctantly. “Go ahead and admit her to the hospital for a few days.”

“He wants you to go to the hospital.” Doug told her.

“Give me the phone.” She said reaching out to take the phone. “Dad, it’s me. I’m not going to the hospital. I can stay with Colby.” The drugs were making her groggy.

“Hi Mr. Miller, this is Colby. They gave Mindy a shot and she’s pretty groggy right now. Don’t worry about her. She can stay at my place. My brother and I will keep a close watch on her.” Colby told her dad.

“I can come get her.” Morris told him.

“My brother doesn’t think that’s a good idea. The trip would be too hard on her. I think for her sake, it would be better if she stayed here until she’s recovered.” He replied. As far as he was concerned she was staying with him.

“If that’s what the Doctor thinks is best. I hate to see her spend Christmas alone.” Morris said with a frown.

“Mindy has lots of friends down here. She won’t be alone on Christmas, I can promise you that.” Colby assured him. He would cancel his plans to go to Spokane, and stay with Mindy.

“Okay, well have her call me when she’s feeling better. She can reach me on my cell phone. And if she gets worse call me.” Morris replied with a sigh.

“Will do. Don’t worry will take good care of you’re daughter.” He said before hanging up. “She’s gonna stay with me.” He told his brother handing the phone back.

“How are you going to be able to watch over her? You have school and work.” Doug asked. He was not happy about this.

“You’re off tomorrow, so you can watch her while I’m at classes. And Matt can stay with her tomorrow night. I’ll call her friends. I’m sure they’d be willing to sit with her while I’m gone. Matt can stay with her at night.” Colby told him.

“Fine.” Doug said not wanting to argue in front of Mike.

“Let’s get her home.” Colby said walking over to pick her up. She was completely out of it. He carried her out to his SUV, placing her in the back seat. Doug and Matt got into the front. And Matt drove home.

“What makes you think I want to baby sit on my day off?” Doug demanded as they drove back to Colby’s.

“She needs help, and you’re a Doctor.” Colby replied gently stroking her hair. “It’s only for one day.”

“What about Matt? Do you think it’s fair to expect him to baby sit her every night.” Doug asked.

“I don’t mind, as long as I can have girl’s over.” Matt told them with a shrug.

“She should be in the hospital.” Doug muttered.

“She’ll get better care at home. You know that.”

“She needs to have her vitals taken every couple hours.” Doug told him still frowning.

“I know how to take vitals, and so does Matt.”

“Fine.” Doug replied in disgust.
Colby carried Mindy into the house, setting her down on his bed.

“Why are you putting her in your bed?” Doug asked as he watched his brother lay Mindy on his bed.

“My room has a bathroom, so she won’t have to walk as far.” He answered.

“Where are you going to sleep? Because you’re not sleeping with her.”

“Relax Doug, I’ll sleep in the guestroom.” He lied smoothly. “Now tell me what I need to be on the look out for.” He listened as Doug filled him in on various warning signs.

“What are you doing?” Doug asked when Colby reached down to unzip the jacket of the warm up suit.

“I want you to look at something. That bastard bit her.” Colby muttered. Pulling the jacket open, he stepped back to let his brother examine the bite mark on her breast. He watched Doug examine the mark with a deep frown.

“I have an ointment that will help.” He said straightening. “It doesn’t sit well with me that the bastard’s going to get away with this.” He walked over to his bag and dug out a tube of ointment. He quickly applied the ointment, before zipping the jacket up. “She’ll probably sleep a lot the next couple days. But she’ll probably have a pretty rough time once we take her off the drugs. I’m going to head home, I’ll see you at six.”

“Thanks.” Colby replied following him to the front door. He closed the door behind Doug.

“You can’t go after the guy.” Matt told Colby after Doug had gone. He was standing in the doorway of the kitchen with a beer. “You’ll go to jail.”

“What makes you think I know who it is?”

“Doug doesn’t believe it’s possible to read another person’s thoughts. But I believe you can. You know who did this to her.”

“Maybe.” He admitted with a shrug. He walked down to the guestroom to get a night gown for Mindy.

“Don’t do anything stupid, killing the guy won’t change what happened to her.”

“I don’t plan to kill him. But he’s not going to get away with what he did either.” He answered pulling a nightgown from the drawer.

“You beat the guy up, and you’ll end up behind bars.”

“I’ll take that chance.” He said brushing past Matt as he exited the guestroom. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He called going into his bedroom he closed the door. He was surprised to find the bed empty. The bathroom door was closed. But as he walked toward it, it opened and Mindy stumbled out. “What are you doing?” He asked reaching out to steady her.

“Going to the bathroom.” She answered her words coming out slurred.

“Why didn’t you call me.” He asked helping her to the bed.

“You weren’t here.”

“I brought a nightgown for you to change into.” He told her, helping her sit on the edge of the bed. He unzipped her jacket, and removed it. He then pulled the nightgown over her head. She put her arms through the sleeves, while he kneeled before her to remove her shoes and socks. “Stand up and I’ll take your pants off.” He told her. She stood up and he pulled her pants down over her legs. She sat back on the bed so he could pull the pants off. Pulling back the cover, Colby waited as she climbed in under them. He tucked them around her. He took her vitals, before shinning a little light into her eyes. When he was done, she drifted off to sleep. She slept for a couple hours before Colby woke her to take her vitals again. She opened her eyes to look at Colby. He was dressed in a dark blue robe. When he was finished with her vitals he wrote them down. And too her surprise he removed the robe climbing into bed with her.

“What are you doing?” She asked.

“Going to sleep.” He told her pulling her into his arms.

“With me?” She snuggled against him.

“You’re in my bed.”

“You put me here.” She said quietly. She drifted back to sleep before he could reply.