An hour had passed, and the sterile hum of hospital machinery filled the quiet room. The roles had completely reversed from when Alex first arrived.
Now it was Linda who slept, her head resting against Alex's shoulder with the intimate closeness of a lover finding peace in her partner's embrace.
Her face had lost all the worry lines that had etched themselves there over the past days.
In sleep, she looked younger, more vulnerable, her breathing soft and even against his chest.
David had returned from his brief respite twenty minutes after Danny and Sarah left for their meal.
He'd settled into the chair beside Nina's bed, exhaustion finally claiming him as well. His head lolled back, gentle snores escaping as he kept his unconscious vigil over his daughter.
But Alex remained awake, perfectly still to avoid disturbing Linda's rest. His mind, however, was far from peaceful.
Before him, invisible to anyone else in the room, a translucent blue screen hovered in the air.
