The Wandering One

Chapter 3

The next morning Adam woke with the dawn and with a major crick in his neck. He sat up and checked the girl's temperature with the back of his hand. No fever. Thank God. He sat back and watched her, wondering what her story was. Was there someone looking for her? Parents worried sick? A brother? A sister? He pondered the way her horse acted. He must have a really strong bond with the girl to not have run off. Which again, was odd as the darn thing most certainly did not seem tame at all. He was broken from his thoughts by a twitch of the girl's hand. Her eyes slowly opened, blinking in the light. Her gaze wandered the room confusedly and then landed on Adam. Her eyes flew wide and she tried to sit up and move away from him.

"Easy now, easy," he soothed gently pushing her back down. "You need to rest still. You're safe here. I'm not going to hurt you, I promise."

She complied, reluctantly and with a suspicious gaze that felt as though she was sizing him up. He noticed that she was very careful to avoid eye contact and remained on edge, as if ready to flee at any second. Adam quickly poked his head out the door of her room and called for Ben before sitting down once more in the chair by her bed. He smiled gently at the girl.

"My name's Adam. You're at the Ponderosa ranch. You seem to have been through quite the battle."

Ben entered the room and slowed as he noticed the girl flinch at his entrance. He put on his most reassuring smile and sat in the chair next to Adam.

"It's good to see you awake young lady. You gave us quite the scare. My name is Ben Cartwright and you're at my ranch. What's your name? Do you remember what happened?"

The girl made no sound and simply ducked her head and stared at the wall behind the two men. Adam spoke next, "Do you remember your name, your family?"

The girl closed her eyes and a flash of emotion crossed her face in a split second before she schooled it back into a blank stare.

Ben tried again, "Can you speak?"

The girl made no motion of acknowledgement whatsoever. Ben sighed and raised his hand to run it through his hair in frustration. The girl flinched as his hand raised and he quickly brought it down to his side again, causing another flinch. He was about to say something when Doc Martin knocked and entered the room.

"I see the patient is awake! How are you feeling, young lady?" he inquired with a smile. The girl flinched and started trying desperately to get herself further away from the advancing man. Each motion obviously causing her pain. Doc stopped walking and slowly back up a few steps. His voice switched to a calmer tone. "Easy now, don't go hurtin' yourself on account of me. I'm not gonna hurt ya. I'm here to help. I'm Doctor Martin, I just need to change your bandage on your shoulder."

He once again took a step towards her, slowly. The girl shrank back again, her eyes flitting anxiously around the room, looking for an escape. Doc slowly took another step and the girl flung herself out of bed and onto her feet. She staggered and hissed as she inhaled. She took two steps toward the window before her legs gave out. Adam sprang forward and managed to barely catch her before she hit the floor. She was unconscious once again.

"Fool girl." muttered Doc, "Adam set her on the bed. She'll be ok, just passed out from the pain I reckon."

Adam set the girl down gently, and moved to step away before Doc stopped him.

" Adam you stay right there, Ben get close to her feet. She'll be coming around soon and I'm guessing she'll be fighting me again. I need to get this bandage changed and check the wound to make sure the infections cleared up." The two men obeyed and sure enough, the girl started to wake up. Her eyes flew wide open and she looked at the three men in fear. Adam gently but firmly placed his hands on the top of her shoulders, careful to leave the wounded area open for Doc. Ben held down the girl's ankles. Adam tried to soothe the frightened girl as Doc got started.

"Easy now. You're safe. We're just trying to help you. Please try to calm down." He pleaded. It was no use, the fear in the girl's eyes was comparable to an animal caught in one of his dad's traps. Doc Martin saw this as well and worked as quickly as he could. When he finally announced that her was finished, Ben and Adam both released the girl and slowly backed away with their hands displayed to show her they meant no harm. The girl's panicked breathing gradually slowed and the strength that she had used to fight them seemed to seep out of her body. The three men stepped out into the hall to talk, standing where they could see the girl, but couldn't be heard by her.

"Ben," began Doc, "I don't know what that girl's story is or where she came from, but I think I know why she's so darn terrified of us."

Ben looked at Doc and raised a questioning eyebrow.

"I didn't want to say anything before now, as I didn't want to jump to conclusions too quick, but that girl has been through hell and back. The scars, the fear." Doc rambled.

"What do you mean?" Adam asked, mirroring the look on his father's face.

"What scars Doc?" Ben's voice was low and carried concern and anger.

"Well she's got scars covering her entire body, ranging from cuts to whip marks. Along with the bullet hole and broken ribs." Doc managed to get out, "With the savageness of those scars, I wouldn't be surprised if the fear came from that and... well... other forms of torture, of violation." Ben and Adam gaped at the Doctor, shocked. Ben was the first to recover and glanced at the now sleeping girl. Doc looked at Ben with sadness in his eyes. "As for the fighting and thrashing, it appears that physical touch causes her mind to recall vividly some horrible event. I've seen it many times in soldiers who come back from battle."

Ben's shoulders sagged under the weight of this heavy revelation. Adam turned to the doctor, "How do we help her? How CAN we help her if she won't let us near her?"

"Take it slow. Baby steps. Make your movements slow, speak calmly. We'll all have to win her trust slowly. The good news is that her ribs are healed somewhat already, so we won't have to do anything to treat that injury any further." Doc sighed. "I'll make some enquiries when I get back to town. There's a new hospital that deals with unstable cases like hers that just opened up in Stillwater. I can probably get her in there."

Ben's eyes turned to steel and his voice was just as firm. "You'll be doing no such thing. I have been to hospitals like the one you're suggesting. They are horrible places. Practically prisons for innocent people! Patients chained to beds, or worse to walls! Put into cages, neglected and forgotten!" Ben lowered his voice and his voice left no room for argument as he finished by saying, "The girl stays here. She will stay here until she is better and until her family is found. If her family can not be found, she will be welcome to stay here until she is ready to decide where she would like to go from there."

Doc Martin nodded, "I apologize, Ben. I didn't mean to rile ya. But it will be a lot of work to get her to trust you enough to even get within three feet of her. Are you prepared for that?"

Ben and Adam both nodded. Doc returned the gesture and shook Ben's hand as he turned to leave. "Ben Cartwright, you are one of a kind. I wish there were more men in the world with a heart like yours."

He departed after leaving some fresh bandages and instructions for how to change the girl's bandages on her shoulder two days later. Ben returned to the girl's room to find Adam already there, sitting in the chair by the bed.