"Nurse I think Janelle is coming around."

Coming over the nurse checks Janelle over then says, "I'm sorry but her vital signs are the same she's no better and no worse."

"But I saw her move one of her fingers."

"That's just a normal reaction with some long term coma patients."

"Well if you say so, but I'm not convinced would you leave us alone for a while."

"Ok but don't get your hopes up to much." The nurse says as she leaves the room.

"Ok Janelle it's just you and me now and I know in my heart that you're starting to come around so what can I do to help? Jennifer thinks about it while looking at Janelle then it hits her Janelle is a child that has been hurt very badly and what does every child need to feel better after being hurt. They need to be held by someone they trust and love.

So Jennifer then kicks off her shoes and climbs up on the bed to lay beside Janelle and pulls her into her arms to comfort her. "It's ok now Janelle your safe and I've got you. I love you very much and want you to wake up, will you please open your eyes and look at me?"

Another 20 minutes go by before Janelle slowly moves her arm around Jennifer to cuddle closer to the one person she feels will keep her safe. Jennifer smiles as she feels Janelle's arm coming around her. "That's my girl Janelle it's going to be ok I'm here, I've got you here in my arms and I'll keep you safe." As Jennifer was talking Janelle tightened her arm on Jennifer before slowly opening her eyes to look at the one person that has come to mean so much to her.

Jennifer smiles at Janelle then says, "Well hello I'm so glad you decided to wake up, are you in any pain? Can I get you anything a drink something to eat maybe?" But Janelle just looks at her then reaches up a shaky hand to touch Jennifer's hair and face to make sure she's real. Then Janelle lays her hand back down around Jennifer's waist and rests her head on Jennifer's shoulder still feeling very weak and tired.

A short time later Janelle was almost asleep when the nurse comes back into the room and Janelle jumps at the sound hurting herself as she turns to see who has walked in, very frightened of the person who came in watching very closely see what she'll do, but Jennifer seeing how scared Janelle is says, "well nurse Trevor look who woke up." Walking up to the bed to look at Janelle and smiled "Well I guess you were right so I'll go let the Dr. know she'll want to examine her and see how she's doing."

A short time later Dr. Yeager comes into the room followed by the nurse. "So, I here my favorite patient has decided to come out of the coma. Now let's have a look at you and see how you are doing." As the Dr. was talking Janelle pulls Jennifer's arm over herself as a protective shield from being hurt.

Jennifer seeing how frightened Janelle was leaned in closer to comfort her "It's ok Janelle the Dr. here won't hurt you she just wants to examine you and make sure everything is healing properly." Looking up at the Dr. Jennifer says, "Why don't we show Janelle that the exam won't hurt her by you starting with me and after you listen to my heartbeat then you can listen to Janelle's and after looking into my eyes then you can look into Janelle's eyes and so forth. Ok does that sound ok with you Janelle, Dr.?"

Looking at Janelle then at the Dr. for their agreement. Janelle though looks at Dr. Yeager and seeing that she agrees to what Jennifer suggested then Janelle hesitantly nods her head in agreement. "That's great now shall we start?" Taking several moments to first examine Jennifer then being extremely careful and gentle turned to examine Janelle, finding that everything was healing nicely. "That wasn't so bad now was it?" Janelle looking at the Dr. uncertainly slowly hesitantly shook her head no.

"I think we can disconnect some of these tubes now. You won't need to be fed through this tube especially. Nurse will you see to it?"

"Yes Dr. right away."

"Good, and I'll see you tomorrow morning." Turning to look at Janelle as she says this.

Jennifer smiled at Janelle and gave her a hug "I'm so glad your doing so well." Janelle looks up at Jennifer for several moments before finally hesitantly smiling back. "That's my girl, you can trust me to keep you safe and everyone here wants to help you to ok, there's no need to be so scared with us." While Jennifer was talking the nurse was being very careful at removing the tubes as the Dr. ordered.

After the nurse left and Janelle thought it was finally safe enough she slowly started to relax enough to fall asleep holding tight to Jennifer, but as Janelle fell into a deep sleep her hold on Jennifer loosened. Jennifer didn't move away knowing that if Janelle was to wake and find her gone she would be even more scared than before.

Jonathan who was waiting out in the hallway took a chance and came into the room to see what was taking his wife so long today. As he stepped into the room he saw Jennifer dosing beside Janelle and enjoyed watching her for a few moments. Then he stepped closer and kissed Jennifer to waken her.

"Hi beautiful what's happening? Why are you in bed with Janelle?"

"Jonathan! You shouldn't be in here right now. Janelle has come out of her coma, oh god if she wakes while you're here..."

As they were talking Janelle started restlessly tossing her head. "Shhh I'm right here Janelle it's ok now it's just a dream." As Jennifer spoke to calm Janelle holding Jonathan in place hoping Janelle wouldn't wake up. Then once Janelle had settled down again Jennifer turned to Jonathan and caressed his cheek before kissing him and sending him home after whispering in his ear. "I'm needed here for awhile again. Janelle is very scared of everyone it seems until she finds that they won't hurt her. I'm the only one she trusts and believes in to keep her safe. Luckily this is a hospital and nothing bad can happen here. I'll keep in touch by phone."

Jonathan leaves then, blowing Jennifer a kiss before stepping out of the room wondering if he'll get his wife back anytime soon.

Over the next couple of days Jennifer worked very hard with the hospital staff and Janelle to not be so scared as they came in to check how she was doing. The Dr. had also ordered a CAT scan to see how much brain damage there was but made sure only women nurses and techs were there for Janelle.

Jennifer also helped Janelle to be able to get along without her starting with 10 minute breaks and slowly lengthening the times until Janelle was able to go a few hours before feeling frightened and needing to be comforted and reassured that she was safe.

On the third night the Dr. stepped into room to talk with Jennifer while Janelle slept. "Well Jennifer we lucked out you might say, the brain damage that Janelle suffered is centralized in the area that holds all our memories with some spots that control how we move. She will have some difficulty relearning everything but it can be relearned."

"Why is she so scared then if her memories are gone?"

"Not all of her memories are gone in fact you might say that, that part of the brain looks very much like swiss cheese, there's no telling right now what she remembers and what is gone until she feels safe enough to tell us."

"How can she tell us when she don't or can't talk?"

"There's nothing medically wrong with Janelle's ability to talk. Her throat, and voice box are fine I think she's just to scared to talk."

"Then in time Janelle will be whole again?"

"Not completely whole she will always be mentally immature, she will also be slightly physically handicapped."

Looking at Janelle again Jennifer finds that she's awake and listening to everything being said about her and was watching them very closely. "It's ok Janelle go back to sleep I'll be right here until you fall asleep. Then I'll go home to get some much needed sleep and a change of clothes and see you in the morning ok?"

Janelle nods her head and starts to close her eyes again but reaches out to Jennifer to pull her closer needing to be held so Jennifer slips off her shoes and lays down beside Janelle to hold her close until she falls asleep. Once Janelle was asleep Jennifer reaches over to answer the phone that just started to ring.

"Hello?"

"Darling I'm downstairs in the lobby when will you be down?"

"I'm coming now. See you shortly, bye"

When Jonathan saw Jennifer coming towards him he smiles and holds out his arms to take her in his arms. They share a kiss before leaving the hospital to go home. Jennifer reaches over in the car and lays her hand on Jonathan's thigh and says.

"Jonathan, have I told you lately that I love you?"

"Mmmm, not for a few days but you can say I love you all night to make up for it."

Jennifer grins "Just wait till we get home then I'll show you just how much I love you."

"Sounds even better. Jonathan says with a twinkle in his eye.

"Hi Zofia what brings you here?"

"Hi Jennifer, I'm visiting some friends in the area and thought I would also come and visit some children here at the hospital and maybe cheer them up a bit. What are you doing here?"

Oh Jonathan and I found a girl who had been badly abused and brought her here for medical attention, and I sort of bonded with her so we stayed."

"Sounds as if you've been very busy too then. How is this girl doing?"

"She's healing nicely but she has some problems that will keep Jonathan and I apart off and on while I'm helping her."

"I know how much you and Jonathan love each other and need to be together. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"I don't know if she'll accept someone new but if you would like to meet her..."

"Sure I would love to meet this girl, that I can tell you've fallen for." Zofia says with a smile.

"Ok this way she's on the 5th floor."

Jennifer takes Zofia up to meet Janelle. Jennifer stops at the nurse's station.

"How did Janelle do last night?"

"She did wake up once but then went back to sleep after taking a sip of water."

"Is she awake yet this morning?"

"Yes she's been awake since about 5:00am. Nurse Allyn is with her now so Janelle won't be scared of being alone."

"Ok I'll go in now and take over so nurse Allyn can go home, thanks."

Jennifer and Zofia then heads for Janelle's room.

As they walk into the room Jennifer says, " Thank you nurse, for sitting with Janelle until I arrived this morning."

"Your welcome but Janelle here is a very special case to us all."

The nurse then leaves the room to get things ready for the next shift before going home.

As the nurse was leaving Jennifer moves over to Janelle to give her a hug and place a kiss to her cheek. "Good morning Janelle I brought a friend to meet you, this is a very good friend of mine Zofia.

"Zofia this is Janelle at least that's what we named her, not knowing what her real name is."

Janelle looks over at the lady that came into the room with Jennifer.

"Hi Janelle it's nice to meet you." Zofia says as she puts out her hand for a handshake.

Janelle just looks at her for several moments. "What's wrong it's just a hand it won't bite you know." So Janelle reaches out and carefully turns Zofia's hand over to make sure it was safe then place's her hand into Zofia's who then closes her hand around Janelle's lightly before letting go.

"You've got your work cut out for you Jen, I would love to stick around to see how things progress between you and Janelle."

Smiling Jennifer replies, "It's not up to me if you stay you'll have to work that out with Janelle here."

"So Janelle how about it can I come to see you again?"

Janelle hesitantly smiles back at her and nods her head, at the same time taking a hold of Jennifer's hand trying to let her know that only if Jennifer was present could she come again.

"Are you saying yes only if Jennifer is here to?"

Again Janelle nods her head. Then cuddles up to Jennifer who takes the hint and puts her arm around Janelle.

"Well Zofia do you agree to Janelle's terms for your visits?"

"Yes I agree mostly because I wish to see you two together."

After a few more moments Zofia says, "well Jennifer, Janelle I'd better get going I have a busy day ahead of me yet goodbye for now."

"Good bye Zofia keep in touch so you can visit again."

"Ok will do Jen bye." As she gathers up her purse to leave the room.