Note: Once again I thank all of you who take the time to read and comment on my stories. You are all appreciated. Thanks also to my beta readers Jean and donalde for their time and efforts. And last but not least, thank you to teacher2272 for editing.
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Alex woke up disoriented, sore, and sick to her stomach. She felt as if she had the worst case of flu in her life times ten.
"What time is it?" she asked licking her dry lips.
'It's just past ten," Reese replied. "You've only been asleep for an hour."
"All of the exchanges are done?"
"They're done- how do you feel?" Reese asked as he kissed her head. She was already feverish. The change had already begun.
"I feel like shit," Alex replied.
"That is because the change has already begun, which is a good thing," Reese replied. "Would you like an ice chip? I don't think that water will stay down."
Alex agreed and took the offered ice chip. Seconds later, she leaned over the side the bed and vomited.
"I'm sorry," she said embarrassed.
"Don't worry," Reese assured her. "It is easily cleaned up, but I think we had better stay away from the ice chips. Will you be alright while I clean the floor?"
"I can get..."
"No you will not," Reese said interrupting her. "Stay where you are and rest. You're going to need it."
It didn't take long to clean up the vomit because there wasn't much to clean up. She had been too upset and nervous to eat. After the mess was cleaned up, Reese held her and put her head on his chest.
"I hear that listening to the heartbeat of one's mate is soothing especially in times of discomfort."
Alex snuggled against him and closed her eyes.
"Tell me about your family."
It was as good a time as any and the distraction would be good for both of them. When the pain got too severe, he would stop and finish the story another time.
"I was born in...."
"Your wife sounds like a good woman," Alex said, after Reese described her. "And to live under the conditions that you lived in must have been horrible."
"Angelica was a good wife, mother, and woman. It is she that taught our children right from wrong and forgiveness. It was a very difficult life, but we made do. We knew no other life, but we were happy. It was enough to know that there was food on the table, even if it wasn't much. We entertained ourselves by telling stories and singing. The people of this time would have great difficulty if they were to lose their gadgets."
"I'm sorry, but I need to vomit again," Alex said. Reese reached for the basin, but didn't need it. She was only dry heaving. "Go on," Alex encouraged, even though she was beginning to feel the twinges of pain that she knew would soon escalate into excruciating levels.
He had just gotten to the part about his arrest and escape when the first severe spasm of pain hit. He admired how Alex seemed to embrace the pain instead of fighting it. Her training was coming in handy.
"Keep going," she said, once the spasm of pain had passed.
"You should rest," Reese said, as he rubbed her arms.
"I need for you to talk to me, so start talking!"
Reese couldn't help but laugh and continued on with his story.
"You took the plague home to them didn't you?" she asked her voice strained when he reached the part about escaping from prison.
"Yes," Reese replied. "I had no idea of what I had done until the baby got sick."
He told her how he had run to the doctor and begged him for help.
"He told me that I didn't need a doctor- I needed a priest. Before that day, I had never begged for anything in my life, but there I was, begging for help for my child. Can you imagine how I felt when I realized that I had brought death to my family and then was unable to bring help?"
Alex bit back a moan and kissed his cheek. She couldn't imagine how hard it must have been for him to drop to his knees and to beg. Reese she knew was a proud man and that pride was part of the reason that he had refused her help.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly. This time a moan of pain did escape.
"We can finish..."
"Keep talking until I can't focus anymore," Alex said.
By the time she lost focus, Angelica and the two other children had died. Reese was beside himself trying to come up with ways in which to make her more comfortable. Alex was no longer talking, but softly crying out with tears running down her face. The only thing that he could think of was a hot bath to help relax her muscles that were in a continuous cycle of spasm, slight release and spasm again. The hot water wouldn't do anything for the bone pain, but if he could get her muscles to relax...
With a thought Reese filled the tub not moving Alex until the tub was full. She let out a small scream when he picked her up and carried her to the tub. He stepped in, sat down and cradled her against his chest. He breathed a small prayer of thanks when Alex let out a sigh of relief.
"This helps a lot," she said enjoying the slight reprieve. She wasn't even half way through.
The next twenty four hours were the longest hours of their lives. Alex continued to try to embrace the pain, but she had never experienced anything like it. Once or twice she felt her control slipping and laid her head on Reese's chest until she was back under control. After the twenty-four hours had passed, the pain began to gradually decrease. At first it wasn't noticeable but after two or three hours, they noticed the difference. Finally she was at the point where she could doze for longer periods of time. Then she was in that deep sleep that rejuvenated both mind and body. For twelve hours she would be almost comatose. When she woke up, he would begin feeding her. They wouldn't know for a few days if she had retained her ability to eat human food, but Reese hoped that she did. He still mourned the loss of his ability to eat.
While Alex slept, Reese began to make plans based on what he knew. Part of that was that he had to write Edgar out of the equation. Alex had included him in their circle and there was no way in which he could do harm to him. If he did, he would also have to kill Marco. While thinking about Edgar, Reese got a feeling in his gut. Satisfied that Alex would remain asleep, he reached for his phone.
