Back At Their Side (completed)

Part Twenty - Love and family

POV Philip
Matt and I spent the rest of the day planning, we checked in with Nick and Ian who organised for new laptops to be delivered for us and restaurant food delivered at meal times and caught up with the interest the press release had generated, agreeing the two interviews for two weeks time, hoping that by then Tara would be ready. We had told them where we were and that Tara was unwell but not what had happened.
Joe had organised a rota for his team so they blended in more and had spoken to the security office who had been a lot more accommodating than the administrator and had added a watch on Janet, since she had engaged with Caroline. - who was still in Brian's apartment.
Tim remained locked in the cellar until we were ready to deal with him but John had fed him.
Tara lay sedated but her monitors were steady and the nurse who popped in every hour to check assured us she was doing well.
The receptionist had come into to show us how to convert the sofas into beds and where the bedding was stored and indicating that night reception was covered via the phone to the main part of the hospital.
Joe had swapped with John so he could get some sleep and would be back in the morning taking a couple of men with him and leaving the others on watch.
Doctor Carlisle returned and was happy with Tara's status before rushing off again.
We rested but didn't sleep, aware of how vulnerable Tara was here in the hospital.

The following morning Joe brought breakfast in with him as we waited for the doctor and updated us that Brian's plane had landed and He had returned to his apartment, both teams were now watching them and would let us know if anything changed.
The doctor came in with two nurses and checked Tara over, drawing some blood and removing the drip that had been helping keep her sedated. The nurses removed the disconnected equipment and checked the others.
"She will start coming round in about an hour, everything looks good on her monitors so I am happy to stop the sedation but press the call button when she starts to wake if I'm not back and I will be paged immediately and we can assess her then" Dr Carlisle informed us.
Joe retreats to outside the suite to get updates from the other teams whilst we wait for Tara to wake.
Forty five minutes later she moves her hand.
I press the call button.
Fifty minutes later she whimpers in fear.
I hold her hand, waiting.
Fifty five minutes later her eyes flutter.
Sixty minutes later she gasps in pain.
Dr Carlisle enters just as she gasps, he quickly moves to check her monitors as Phil and I move closer talking softly to her to reassure her as she wakes, knowing she will be terrified of the unknown situation.
"Tara, can you hear me, my name is Dr Carlisle, you are in hospital, try to relax as your body adjusts to waking and then we can see how your doing" he tells her as her eyes dart around the room. Her heart monitor sounding out her fear.
"Tara, relax, breathe and listen to me, in out in out in out" I commanded her and instantly she followed my instruction.
"Good girl" I stroked down her cheek, bringing her focus to me. "Tara this is Dr Carlisle he's been looking after you, he needs to check you over"
She gently nodded, swallowing painfully, tears forming.
The doctor passed me a glass of water and a straw recognising Tara's need and I helped her sip a little, relief showing as the water soothed her sore throat.
"W...ha.t" she tried to croak out.
"Hush" I ordered "you'll hurt yourself"
She looked up at me the question in her eyes.
"You were poisoned Tara, you collapsed and the doctors had to pump your stomach and sedate you, your throat is burnt and will be sore, so no talking, we will tell you more later but now the doctor has to check you, Matt and I are here and we're not going anywhere, okay"
She nods looking behind me to Matt before looking back towards the doctor, her pain at the movement showing in her face.
Matt moves beside me to touch her arm, both of us giving her the physical contact she needs right now.
The doctor asks Tara some yes and no questions instructing her to use her hand to reply thumb up for yes, flay for maybe and down for no, she blushes at some of the health related questions but answers them. The doctor explains to us what she will be feeling and what to look out for before asking if we had any questions.
Tara squeezed my hand uses her other hand to indicate pushing away the catheter and equipment, the doctor notices and replies to her "I can get that removed in an hour, just so you have time to come round a bit more but you will need to get help to the bathroom, she nods at him, then squeezes again looking towards the door, unable to ask the question herself
"When can we take her home?" I ask him.
"Well ideally we would keep you in for another 24 hours once you were up, to observe then send you home with some medication however you could go home this evening if you want to have the medication via a drip today so we can kick start your recovery and you manage to use the bathroom comfortably.
Tara nodded squeezing my hand "yes, Tara wants that"I say for her, the doctors looks at her and she nods.
"Okay then I will get that set up, keep sipping the water, I will have a liquid lunch sent up and will be back to check on you later"
Tara smiles softly at us, "sorry" she rasps quietly.
"Hush baby, please don't talk, you have nothing to be sorry for, we failed you, you were poisoned on out watch, we are sorry"
A single tear tracks down her cheek and we watch her mouth form silent words "I love you"
We move closer each leaning in to kiss her cheek "Tara we love you too"
She leans back looking worn out "rest now, we will be here"

POV Tara
Oh god I ache everywhere, my body feels like it's been turned inside out and my throat is raw and scratchy.
I look at Matt and Phil hovering over me protectively and I can see they blame themselves, they shouldn't all they have ever done is love me and I, despite fighting it I love them.  I smile up at them and mouth the words "I love you" the look of joy on their faces is priceless to me and they move closer telling me they love me too.

POV Matt
Tara's declaration of her love for us brings us hope, we watch as she drifts off to sleep before returning to the table to check in with the office and I phone Joe.
"Any news"
"No sir, both teams reported in this morning that there has been no movement from the apartment, Janet Beaumont's tail has followed her into town where she is currently at a spa where she has treatments booked till 3pm, we have 3 men observing the key accesses at the hospital and they will be rotating every couple of hours. May I ask if there is any news on how Lady Hamilton is this morning.?"
"Thank you Joe, she has woken up and so far so good, we hope to be taking her home this evening" I tell him.
"That's good news sir, I will do another sweep and then will come back up to your floor"
"Thanks Joe, let me know if anything changes"
"Yes sir"
I finish relaying the updates to Phil as the nurse comes in to set up Tara's medication and remove the catheter.
"She all set sir, if you have any concerns just press the call button"
"Thank you nurse"

Phil's phone starts to ring, I catch Caroline's name flash up on the screen, we look at Tara who is asleep but he indicates the door and we move outside the room to answer the call.
"Caroline" Phil answers coldly pressing the speakerphone button so I can hear the conversation.
"Phil, what the hell is going on, my account is frozen"
"No Caroline, my account is frozen, you have a trust fund use it, I'm not paying for you anymore"
"But it's family money, what have I done to deserve this" she whines.
Phil laughs coldly.
"This is about that gold digging bitch isn't it" she snarls
"And that is why Caroline" Philip tells her calmly.
"You haven't really married her have you, she's a whore, she was cheating on you with Matt, she even tried to seduce Brian"
"What Right do you have to say anything about what I do?" Phil asks trying to goad her into saying more.
"You are my brother Philip, I care about my family" she tries to sound sincere.
At that I laughed and Phil looks at me.
"You liar " I say softly and hear her gasp, she hadn't realised I was listening.
"Where are you Caroline, because you need to start planning your escape, there is no where you can hide that I...no we won't find you and deal with how you treated Tara" I promise.
"Gold digging wh....." she starts
"I suggest you stop there Caroline, I take a very poor view of anyone especially family hurting my wife and Caroline...Tara was my wife when you and Brian attacked her and she is still my wife now" Phil cuts into her rant.
"But Matt, she was with Matt" Caroline splutters.
"Yes, we are both with Tara, she is my wife" Phil says
"And my partner" I finish.
"Don't be so stupid, she can't be with both of you" Caroline snaps.
"She can, will and is with both of us and we will do everything in our power to keep her safe and to make those who have hurt her pay and that starts with what you did Caroline, so I'm no longer paying for any of your bills, accounts and the staff have all been made aware you are barred for all of my properties, I want you out of the country, I want you gone, this is your only warning and if you chose to ignore it then that's your choice but I will ruin you" Phil warns her.
"but I'm family, I'm your sister, you can't do this to me" she pleads.
"It's already started, you're no longer family to me, Matt and Tara are my family now, get out of the country Caroline, I don't ever want to see you again" Phil states hanging up on her.
He phones Joe "Caroline may be on the move shortly, warn the team"