Ian leaped forward for Betty Jo at the same time throwing a bolt of energy at Jenelle to stop her from doing more damage. Jenelle fell senseless to the ground as Ian zapped himself and Betty Jo straight to the Infirmary at the Refuge, shouting for help even before they were fully materialized.

Doni dropped what she was doing and ran, already glowing as she moved.  She was flowing into Betty Jo as she reached her, going automatically with them as Thea moved Ian towards a bed to set her on, ignoring everything, even the blood that was soaking into her clothes from the gaping frontal wounds.  Even as she merged with Betty she was screaming for Stephen through the bond and yelling aloud for Thea to get Tabitha.  Then the only thing she allowed into her awareness was the damage that confronted her, forcing the heart to beat and the lungs to work, while working frantically to stop the bleeding.  When she felt Stephen link with her, powering energy into the gaps that were already forming between she and Betty Jo, she would have sobbed with relief if she could have.  When Tabitha joined with her, she handed off the heart and lungs and focused on the injuries, wondering if it would matter, wondering if she could stop the bleeding, or even control it enough to have a chance.

Marc arrived with Dinah and laid a reassuring hand on Ian's shoulder. The magician had tears falling down his cheeks, entirely unchecked and even unnoticed.

About that time Jonah, with Libby and Bobbie materialized.  Billie and Leroy weren't far behind.

"Laz is seeing Jenelle is somewhere she won't escape. Perhaps we can use her to see to Collins."

Ian didn't even seem to hear.

Tabitha, keeping her heart and lungs working emerged for a moment.  "Get Kal," she said to Marc mentally, making it an absolute imperative, "and then get them out of here."

Marc mentally called Kal giving him a short summary of what was going on. Kalket arrived almost as Marc's last thought ended, armed with Skin which he began wrapping around Betty Jo.  Marc detached Ian gently using the necessity of Kalket needing complete access to Betty Jo.

"You folks come with me," he said and took Bobbie, Libby, Jonah and Ian to the Commune.

"No," Ian said when he realized what had happened.

"They need room to work, Ian. And you need a drink. Libby, I'm so sorry but we've got the best people in the world doing their best to help her," Marc added, watching Libby's wide eyes.

Dinah put an arm around Libby and gently steered her to a seat.  "It's probably going to be a while, honey."  She gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze and left her to Jonah while she went to make tea for Libby. 

Jonah took Libby's hand and pulled her into the circle of his arm.  "She'll be fine, love, I promise."

Libby nodded, her face pale, her eyes blank.  "I know, honey.  I know."

Ian took the drink Marc handed him and downed it without even looking at it. His clothes were sticky with Betty Jo's blood. Marc, with a thought, put him in clean clothes.  "Sit down, Ian," Marc said, using just a hint of coercion in it. Ian, not really thinking, sat.

Marc poured a drink for Jonah and handed it to him and at a nod made one for Bobbie. Billie and Leroy zapped in then from the Infirmary.

"They're doing everything they can," Leroy reported, "And are hopeful she'll be fine."

Ian looked up at that, hope flaring in his eyes.

Billie nodded.  "They think they've got the bleeding under control, so they can focus on the rest.  But Thea said it's going to be hours honey, before they're done."

He nodded, and worked on his drink again. Marc watched him then turned to Jonah. "We've got plenty of room. Would you and Libby like to stay? You folks too," he added, looking at Bobbie and Billie Jo and Leroy.  If you can see her they'll let us know. Stephen and Doni are both there, so we'll know the moment you can."

Libby nodded and smiled.  "Thank you, I appreciate it. If you're sure we won't be in the way?"

Dinah handed her a cup of tea and smiled.  "Not a chance.  You just take it easy."

Hours of nervous waiting later and Jonah had taken Libby to bed. Billie and Leroy had faded away earlier and even Bobbie had retired, exhausted. Dinah too had retired but Marc was staying with Ian.

Finally Ian could stand it no longer and without a word to Marc he zapped himself back to the Infirmary. Marc signed and zapped there too arriving on Ian's heels.

They were still working on her.  Thea looked up from hanging another bag of blood and smiled.  "It's going really well.  We're going to move her to a room, as soon as Doni's through."

Ian leaned weakly against the nearest wall. Then, once he got himself together said, "There are spells on her I need to remove. They're.. they need to go. I need to cleanse her of them. Can I do that once Doni is done?"

Thea nodded.  "Sure.  You can stay with her if you want, though it'll probably be tomorrow afternoon or later before she wakes up."

"I'd like that. Thank you. For everything."

"It's what we do," she said. 

Ian watched her walk away.

"Here sit down. I'll go check with Stephen," Marc offered as Ian, exhausted in body and mind, sank gratefully into a chair. Marc wandered over to where Stephen was waiting.  "How is she?"

Stephen looked up.  "Touchy, but a lot better than it was.  She lost the baby.  What they're doing now is trying to give her a chance to have others," he said, his voice low. 

Marc looked back at Ian. "I think he'd think that a fair trade. I'm not sure how Betty Jo will see it though."

"No, me either.  Can I stick you with the job of telling him?"

Marc groaned. "Yeah, I will." He took a deep breath and walked back over to sit down next to Ian.

"I've got some news," Marc said, and Ian looked over at him, fear in his eyes.

"She's stable, she's getting better so take a deep breath," Marc began, and once Ian did he added, "She lost the baby."

"No surprise," Ian replied.

"No, considering what you saw, I dare say not. They're trying to fix her enough that she can have others. They aren't sure they can."

"But otherwise? Otherwise she'll be fine?" Ian asked, staring into Marc's eyes, willing him to be honest and say what he knew. 

Marc sighed. "So far as I can tell, and I've no reason to doubt it, otherwise, she'll be fine."

"Oh God," Ian said and leaned back to rest the back of his head against the wall behind him. "Oh, God..."

It was another hour or more before they moved her to a room, just as dawn was poking a finger over the horizon, at the back of the Infirmary with two beds set close together.  Tabitha made no protest as Ian followed along behind them, simply pointing to a chair out of the way, making it clear from her look she expected him to stay there until she gave him permission to move.  Then she and Kal got her settled.  When they were finished Kal left and she smiled at Ian.  "She's going to sleep for a while.  We don't want her awake yet.  Several days at least.  She's lost a lot of blood so the pallor is normal and will last a while.  Also the stillness.  There will be someone outside all the time if you need them.  I'll send in sustenance periodically.  Feel free to use the other bed, that's why it's there."

"Thank you," Ian said meekly. He waited, unmoving until he and Betty Jo were alone. Once they were he moved the chair over next to the bed, and sat there holding her hand. He had no idea when he finally fell asleep.

She felt like she was floating and thought she wouldn't mind if she never did anything else so she wasn't in a hurry to wake up.  She could sense just beyond her perception a red desert of pain she didn't want to cross and knew she'd have to to wake up.  So she fought against consciousness, trying to retreat from it as is came closer, only she couldn't.  It just came on, inexorable, implacable, a slow, steady force pushing her up through burning sand and endless dryness towards the baking sun.  Reaching it she realized, would be a relief from the journey and then tried to hurry.  But the last stages had their own rhythm and she had to pay their toll, so she struggled for what seemed like forever to lift the weight forcing her eyes closed and the gag keeping her speechless.  When she succeeded it was a sound that broke free first while she still struggled to open her eyes, a groan made raspy by thirst and pain.  Then she gathered herself and used the pain to push her eyes open, fluttering and falling before she finally got them to stay where she wanted them.  She groaned again as she won the battle and then moaned as the pain that had waited for her, new pain hiding in the dimness of the room, took over.

Ian was awake in an instant. "Wait, darling. Stay still. You're safe. I'll get one of the healers." He got up and hurried to the door and stuck a head out. "She's awake and in pain,"  he announced and hurried back in to her side.

"You're at the Refuge. You're going to be fine," he explained.

She turned her head at the sound of his voice, a sound she'd longed for, needed for so long and had lost somehow, trying to focus on his face, to smile at him.  "Ian," was all she could get out when she tried to speak and it left her exhausted, too exhausted to smile at him like she wanted to do.  And then someone was moving him aside, blocking her view of him and cool fingers were resting on her forehead, while a hand guided a straw to her mouth.  She swallowed automatically, the sensation of wetness in her mouth and throat driving some of the pain back, while the fingertips seemed to be pulling the rest out of her, winding it into a ball like it was string.  They were still taking the pain from her when her eyes fluttered shut.

She slept again after that, and woke for a moment and slept again, a cycle she repeated several times before she got to the point where the pain didn't defeat her efforts to stay awake.  She opened her eyes to daylight, dim sunshine filtered through the curtains and to a raging thirst that was worse than any other she'd ever had.  But, she realized, her eyes were open and the pain wasn't a furnace waiting to consume her.

"Hullo. Thirsty?" he asked softly, smiling down at her and handing her a glass with a straw in it, helping her get the straw to her lips and watching her drink it eagerly.  "Good. Now, lay back. You're healing. You're safe."

She nodded slightly, trying to smile at him and wasn't sure if she had so she tried his name instead.  "Ian?"  When she heard it she frowned at the oddness of the sound and tried again.  "Ian?"

"Yes, darling I'm here. Would you like to see your Mother and Father? And your sisters?  They've all been very worried about you. But if you're still tired I'll ask them to wait."

She tried the smile again and thought maybe it went better this time.  "Here?" she asked after that, realizing she had no idea where here was.  And on the heels of it she took in the shadows under his eyes, the gauntness in his face and frowned, groping for him with her hand.  "Are you okay?" she whispered, suddenly filled with a fear she didn't understand.

"I'm fine now, I promise. Do you know where you are?" When she shook her head he replied. "The Refuge. I brought you to the Refuge. You were hurt. But you are healing. You'll be fine. And I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here."

Relief flooded her, leaving her limp.   She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them.  "I kept seeing you but I couldn't..." she said and stopped as memory returned.  "Oh God, I'm so sorry," she said and felt the tears start and she knew she couldn't stop them.  "I'm so sorry."

He held her as gently as he could. "It was a spell. You've nothing to be sorry for, Betty Jo. I'm just sorry we couldn't get you away from him sooner. But you're safe now. Rest. Sleep. Everything is fine now."

She clung to him, not letting go, not wanting to let go as she fell asleep again, still crying.

He was asleep this time when she opened her eyes, his head slumped down on the side of the bed near her hand. She tried to raise her hand, move it near enough to touch him. When she did, he awoke, his eyes opening, his dark eyes, a deep deep blue only noticeable when the sun fell on them directly. He smiled at her.  "I'm sorry. I must have fallen asleep on you. You look much better. Your color is better."

"I think I might even feel a bit better," she said.  She lifted her hand to his face, touching it gently.  "You must be tired."

"I'm wonderful. More wonderful than I've been in a long time," he replied gently. "I'll be even more wonderful when you are fully healed."

She smiled.  "I'll hurry then," she promised and then frowned.   "Is there water?"

"Yes," he said with a laugh. "I'm sorry. You'd think I'd know by now." He reached for the glass and held it to her lips. Her hands laid over his as he held it. He smiled as she drank.

"Know by now?" she asked as he took the glass away.

"That you're always thirsty when you awaken. That's all. Your Mom is outside. Can she come in? I'll go get a shower and change while she visits with you. All right?"

She nodded.  "Just tell me first, how long have I been asleep?"

"You know, I'm not quite certain. A few days. No more."

She nodded again.  "You've been here the whole time?"

"Yes," he replied simply. "Where else should I be?"

"There's no way I deserve you," she said, blinking back tears.  "No way at all."

He put a finger over her lips. "Hush.  Don't. I love you."

"Thank you," she said.  "For everything but mostly for that."

He grinned. "I'll get your Mom. And a shower. And be back when you're done visiting. If you want that," he asked, turning at the door. "Or have you had enough of me?"

Never," she said.  "It isn't possible."

"Later darling," he said with a smile and walked out to find Libby and send her in to visit.

Libby waved him off to his shower and went to sit with her daughter, looking as serene as always.  She sat and took Betty's hand in hers.  "About time you woke up, honey."

Betty Jo met her eyes and tried to smile.  "I know.  I can only imagine how worried you must have been, Mama.  I'm so sorry that you and Daddy had to go through that."

"Hush, honey.  It's what parents do, one way or the other," she said,  smoothing the hair back from her face.  "Now, are you hungry?  Or do you want to rest some more?"

Betty Jo grinned.  "Hungry."

Libby nodded.  "I'll be right back then, " she promised.

It was only a few minutes later that Thea brought a tray, refilled the water pitcher and plumped some pillows behind her to help her sit up.  "Finish that," she said, indicating the liquid diet, "and I'll bring you something more solid."

"I will," Betty said and allowed her mother to help her with tray.  She ate most of it and leaned back to rest while Libby took the remains away.  When Libby sat down again she said, her eyes still closed, "Before he gets back, I...I lost the baby didn't I?"

"Yes," Libby said, compassion flooding her face. 

"Is there anything else I should know?"

Libby hesitated and then reached over and took her hand in hers.  "They tried, honey, they tried real hard, but it's possible...it's possible you won't be able to have others."

Betty Jo set her jaw hard and kept her eyes closed for a moment, willing the tears away.  Then she opened them and pressed her mother's hand.  "Thank you for telling me.  Now tell me how you and daddy are."

Ian finished his shower and called his house, arranging for everything to be moved to the countryside.  He'd have to talk to Edwards, he know. Edwards was blaming himself for letting the viper into the house.  Which reminded Ian he had no idea what had become of Jenelle.  Now it seemed singularly unimportant.

A half hour later he walked into the room to find Jonah and Libby both with Betty Jo. "Oh, sorry. Please. Let me know when you're done visiting."  He turned to leave them have some privacy.

"No, it's fine," Libby said.  "Don't go.  Please."

"All right. Listen. I think they'll let her leave tomorrow. I thought we'd go to the country, Betty Jo. And your family are all welcome to come and stay, or visit as often as they like. Would you like that?"

Libby smiled at him and turned to her daughter.  "it sounds lovely, honey, doesn't it?"

Betty Jo smiled at Ian.  "Thank you for thinking of it," she told him and turned back to her mother.  "Would you and daddy like to come stay for a while?  With Billie and Bobbie?"

"Of course, honey," Libby said, and stood up, motioning for Ian to take her chair.   "It'll be a vacation."

"Excellent," Ian said. "You can keep her company when I have to go to the city on business."

When Betty Jo slept again, Ian made certain to call Billie and Bobbie and let them know they were welcome to come and stay. They'd gone back to work, but were visiting when they could. Leroy was, needless to say included in the invitation.

Afterwards Ian went to seek out Marc, whom he found with Stephen and Laz.

"I wondered what you've done with Janelle," Ian commented without any preliminaries.

"We've been waiting to see what you wanted to do," Laz said easily.

"Besides rip her limb from limb over and over again?"  Ian replied.  "Where is she?"

"In a room here, a sort of holding cell," Stephen said.  "Do you want to see her?"

"Yes. Just don't leave me alone with her."

Stephen nodded.  "Why don't you bring her here?" he said to Laz and watched as he went to get her.  Then he pulled the bottle out of the bottom drawer and poured for them all.  "So she's past the worst of it?  Physically, anyway?"

"Yes, I think so. She's lethargic, but I expect that's normal, as she's very weak. I'll be taking her to my country place as soon as they'll let her go."

Stephen sipped his drink and exchanged a glance with Marc.  "Well, if you ever think it might help, several of the empaths here have a lot experience in helping people deal with trauma."

"Thank you for that offer. I'll certainly keep it in mind. And ask her if she'd like that."

"Do you mind if we visit? Dinah and I?" Marc asked. "Dinah feels ..well, after what Betty Jo did for her..."

"Please. Do come. I think she'd like that. I know I would. You and Doni as well, Stephen if you can get away."

"I'd like that and I'll certainly try.  You'll be inundated with company if you're not careful, though."

"Not necessarily a bad thing.  She'll get bored with just me. Although her parents will be staying for a time. I think that will do her a lot of good."

"I doubt that," Stephen said.  "Her being bored with you, I mean," he clarified with a laugh. 

He was about to say say more when Laz returned, holding Jenelle by the arm.  Laz pointed her towards a seat and closed the door, leaning back against it, his arms folded across his chest, his face impassive.

She took the seat he indicated and folded her hands in her lap, waiting, looking at none of them.

"I could have killed you. I've no idea why I didn't," Ian commented after a time.

"I've no idea why, either."

"Why did you hurt her?" Ian asked.

She looked at him then, flushing crimson and then back at the floor.  "Because he'd have left me there and taken her," she said finally, quietly.

"But you're his daughter."

"That only matters when I'm useful.  A lesson I should have learned before this," she added bitterly.

"I'm sorry," Ian replied quietly. "Truly."

"It was all about hurting you, even that," she told him.  "He must have known what would happen.  He always does."

"What do you mean, 'even that?'"

"What he did, knowing I'd...knowing what would happen, hoping I'd kill her.  It's not like he cared about her."  She looked at him again.  "It's what he does, make people do what he wants done."

"So it was only about hurting me? Why?"

"You always seem to get in his way.  He won't tolerate that.  He brought me home after Christmas when he started planning this.  He said she was perfect for it.  No matter how it turned out."

"And how did you want it to turn out?" Marc asked.

She looked at him, her eyes burning like live coals.  "For him to want me more.  Just once."  She looked back at Ian.  "Why haven't you killed me?"

"Do you want us to?" Marc asked, eying Ian thoughtfully.

"It would be easiest, wouldn't it?  For everyone."

"Easiest, but not necessarily the wisest move," Ian replied. "What would you do if we let you go?"

"I don't know," she said after a moment.  "Which means I'd probably go back to him the next time he decides I'm useful.  It's all I have."

"What if you had a choice?" Marc asked.
 
"Can you stop him from finding me?  Because that's the only way I'll ever have a choice.  Until then I'm just a piece of property."

"I think we probably can," Marc replied. "Is that what you want? You want to be free of him?"

Hope flared and then died in her eyes.  "Yes, only it will never happen."

"Why wouldn't it?" Ian asked.

"Because he'll find me.  When he wants something, he won't let anything stop him.  When he thinks he owns you he never lets go.  You know him.  You know what he did to the Rose and Cross when he couldn't get control of it," she said.  "He doesn't care about the cost."

"At this point," Ian replied, his voice ice, "neither do I."

She regarded him steadily for a moment.  "Would you kill him if you could?"

"Yes. I'm sorry," Ian added.

"If I help you can you make him believe I'm dead?"

"And then what?" Marc asked.

She wrinkled her brow.  "Then what, what?"

"If he thinks you're dead, what does that gain you? What would you do?" Marc explained, cocking his head at her curiously.

"Then I'd be able to find out what choices I had, because then I'd have them."

"Well, some of them will depend on Ian," Marc pointed out.

"What have I to do with him if...without my father...Oh I see."  She looked down at the floor again, her mouth twisting.

Ian stirred and looked at her. "What is it you think you see?"

"That I tried to kill her," she said. 

"Yes you did. And I'm trying to decide if I can afford to let you live. Wondering if you would attempt to do it again."

"Why would I?" she asked, honestly puzzled.

"You seem to hate her," Ian replied. "Why should I think differently?"

"She means nothing to me," Jenelle said.  "It's his relationship with her I hate."  She looked at him, struck by a thought.  "If you think all of that with her was for show you're wrong.  He wanted her.  He may still." 

Marc raised an eyebrow. "And, what, you resent that he wants Betty Jo?"

"I suppose you could put it that way.  But it's more that he never wants me and I'm his daughter, while she...she is...a will to be conquered.  Infinitely more attractive."

"As apparently he's already conquered yours," Marc pointed out, "it isn't surprising."

Stephen frowned.  "So you would help us deal with him?  If Ian let you live?"

"If you won't make him think I'm dead, I'd rather be dead," she said.

"How would you help me deal with him?" Ian asked. "What do you think you could do?  And could you live with helping me kill him?"
 
She looked at him.  "All I've had to do these last few days is think.  And I think he planned it all.  I think he knew what I'd do and that now I'd be sitting here talking to you.  So I think he's expecting you to try to kill him.  That that's what he wanted all along, after hurting you as bad as he could.  He's set the trap and is waiting for you to spring it.  I think all that because he made sure I'd know where to find him and how to get in."

"Which, then, is all the more reason to not listen to a thing you say," Marc pointed out. "If he planned it out, and knew you well enough to count on your reactions..." he shrugged.

"Of course," she said, a sour smile crossing her face. 

"Laz would you please take her back to her... room," Ian asked.

Laz nodded and gestured to Jenelle, taking her by the arm and closing the door behind them.

"So what do you think?" Stephen asked, leaning back in his chair.

"I think Collins is at the bottom of my list of priorities at present," Ian replied, sitting back, rubbing his nose between his eyes as if he had a headache.

"Well, Roz, on the other hand, is pretty high up on my priorities," Marc replied. "Perhaps she could help us there, Stephen.  Even taking what she says with a large grain of salt, any information she might have would be better than the nothing we have now."

"True.  And I must admit to some curiosity about that relationship."

"Yeah, and how worrisome it could be for the near future. I vote we keep her a while longer and talk to her about that. Ian?" Marc added.

"I have no desire to kill her. He is her father. I don't trust her, but she's in a difficult position."

"She also doesn't strike me as remarkably stable, but that might be a function of the situation," Stephen said.  "But I've no problem hanging on to her for a while.  And I imagine the longer we wait the more disconcerting Collins would find it."

Ian nodded. "Agreed on both counts. You don't mind keeping her here? Collins must know about the Refuge from Roz. It might put you and the Refuge at greater risk."

Stephen shrugged.  "I'd almost prefer him to try, if it gets us to her."

"All right then. If you need me, give me a shout. Otherwise, I'm concentrating my energies on Betty Jo."