Frank and Joe made it to the hospital an hour after Charlotte was admitted. There, he was able to go see her. With shortness of breath, Frank opened the door to see her.
Her skin was still pale and her lips were still violet. An IV was hooked up to her and she seemed so helpless. The heart monitor was the only proof that she was okay. If you hadn't of seen the monitor, you would've thought she was on her death bed. He inched slowly towards her and spoke.
"Charlotte, it's going to be alright. I know you're in pain, but you have to keep fighting. We love you."
Callie walked in the room and joined them. She was in her medical scrub and looked exhausted. However, when she saw her daughter, it made all of her exhaustion disappear.
"Hey sweetie, mommy's here. You're going to get better, you'll see."
" How did you find her?" she asked Frank.
" She was in a warehouse near the cabin that Tonio rented. His wife almost killed her. We were lucky. She was so cold."
"I know. The doctors are getting her body temp up slightly. Did you find him?"
"Police tracked him down by the border within a couple hours. Patricia was also arrested. No ones going to hurt her again." Frank said.
Suddenly, the heart monitor sped up it's pace. Doctors pushed Frank out while Callie helped the other doctors.
"What's happening?" he asked.
He was ignored. All the doctors shuffled around the room. Impatient and scared, he paced the hallway. Then, all the doctors left the room. He walked back in and saw Callie kissing her cheek.
"She's alright. They think she'll wake up tomorrow,"
Relieved, he came over and held Charlotte's hand which was a bit warmer. Her skin got back some color and the purple was all but faded away. She was lucky, that's all he could say.
Callie reluctantly went back home, but Frank stayed the night. He woke up whenever she took a slightly bigger breath or when the monitor would increase a beep. When morning came, he felt someone grab his hand. Staring with her blue eyes wide open was Charlotte.
"Daddy? Where am I?" she asked.
"The hospital, do you feel okay?"
"Yeah, where's mom?"
"Right here," Callie said walking over to the bed.
"When can I come home?"
"This afternoon. I brought some visitors."
Ben and Margaret walked in the room and immediately hugged her. They missed her so much and Charlotte missed them.
"Do you feel better?" asked Margaret.
"Yes," she muttered.
"I missed you, we all did." Ben said.
"I missed you, too."
Laura, along with Joe, Fenton, and Iola walked into the room and joined in with hugs and questions.
" We love you so much," Laura said.
" I love you all, too. Will they ever hurt me again?"
"Never! They will never hurt you again." Fenton said.
That afternoon, Frank and Callie drove Charlotte home. Although she was just sick, she smiled at the sight of her home and family. She hugged her parents before going upstairs to rest.
We'll be together soon, Gianna.
It was those words that sent chills down her spine. She thought Patricia was going to protect her, but she actually almost killed her. Her scream caused her father to run to her room.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"I had a bad dream, Patricia was going to kill me! She was going to do it. Why?" she cried.
" Patricia was sick. After she lost her daughter, she couldn't accept it. It twisted her mind when she saw you. That's why she did that. You were her Gianna in her mind."
He kissed her cheek and walked towards the door.
"Wait, daddy! Don't leave!" she said.
Frank lied down in bed with her as she drifted off to sleep. This continued for an entire week. It came to the point where he'd wake up by the slightest stir. Each night he would walk by her room and double check the locks for reassurance.
Callie also did this on certain nights when Frank was too tired. It hurt both of them to see Charlotte so frightened to even sleep. Then one night, she finally slept through it.
" She's a lot like you Frank. It's a wonder you two are alive." Callie told him.
As much as it made Frank annoyed to admit it, Callie was right. Every time a mystery would come up, Charlotte and him would always talk about it. He also saw himself in her when she was trying to get Patricia to put the gun down.
Nancy called and Frank answered.
"Hello?"
"Hi Frank, sorry to call so late. I was just wondering how Charlotte was doing?"
"She is doing much better. Tonight marks the first night that she has slept all the way through it."
"That's great! Tell her I said hello and that I'm glad she's alright."
"I will Nancy, goodnight." Frank said.
"Goodnight,"
Going to the bathroom, he noticed Charlotte's light was on. He walked in and saw her looking through her closet.
"Remember this, daddy?" she asked.
In her hand was a teddy bear. Her grandparents had bought it for her after she almost drowned in the lake by their house six years ago.
"I sure do. Why did you get it out?"
"I remember it used to help me sleep. I thought maybe it could help me so you and mom don't have to wake up."
He tucked her in and kissed her on the cheek. Although she was like him a great deal, she was also like her mother. She was kind and her eyes lit up. Charlotte saw the best in people, even though ones who tried to kill her. When Frank got back in bed, he turned to Callie and said, " We are sure lucky to have her," Before going to sleep.
