Samantha felt the jolt in his body as she did, and Lilly let out a hacking cough.
“I can do this,” Lilly rasped. “I must.”
Samantha could see it was taking a great deal out of her. Could she keep it up until he was healed?
“Let me try, Father.”
“No, Hannah, you are not strong enough yet.”
“I can help Mother. You know I can.”
“What?” Cam whispered. “She can heal?”
“We are not sure… I just don’t know if she is ready,” Dev said.
“Mother is weakened from healing Aunty Sam and being sick. You must let me try,” Hannah said.
She broke contact and moved to stand beside her mother. Lilly was sweating and the color of parchment now. Cam gripped the back of his niece’s neck as she reached to cup her mother’s hands. Dev stepped closer to place his over theirs.
“Yes,” Samantha whispered. “He twitched.”
Lilly started to shake, as did Hannah, and no one in the room breathed, just watched the miracle as color slowly came back into Warwick’s cheeks. It was as if they were healing him from the inside.
Samantha held her breath as she felt his body twitch. When he turned his head into her palm, she exhaled, the air leaving her mouth in a shaky rush. When Warwick’s eyes opened, Dev pulled his girls away. Lilly fell into his arms, and Cam caught Hannah. They were carried from the room with Alice and Kate following.
They would need food and rest, this much Samantha knew. And then she would thank them, as would everyone, for giving them back Warwick.
He was alive. Relief flooded through her. She felt weak suddenly, as if all the blood had drained from her body. A huge wave of exhaustion swept over her.
No one spoke or, it felt, breathed for long moments after the others had left.
Samantha looked down into the green eyes that stared up at her. Pain, shock, it was all there.
“S-Samantha.”
She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “You are healed. Safe here with us. Rest now, Warwick.”
“Samantha,” he rasped again.
Before she could speak, Essie beat her to it.
“Hello, darling little brother.” She stepped closer to the bed. “Welcome b-back.” She leaned over Warwick and sobbed. Eden and the twins joined her.
She felt their relief as she’d felt their anguish. But this moment was for them, his siblings, not her.
“Help me, Rory.” She found her brother close. “I need to get off the bed now.”
A hand grabbed a handful of her skirt, holding her in place.
“Samantha,” Warwick whispered her name like a ragged plea.
“Rest easy,” she spoke softly into his ear. “Your siblings need to be with you, Warwick. I will not be far away, I promise. I am so very pleased you are alive and still with us.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek again, and then straightened. Her hands shook, and Samantha knew that soon she would fall apart. But that would be in the privacy of her room.
Eden was bent over Warwick, her cheek pressed to his chest, sobbing. The twins were beside her and Essie was crying silent tears while checking his wound.
Samantha gently tugged her skirt from his surprisingly strong grasp. Rory slid an arm beneath Warwick’s shoulder as Max did the same from the other side, and she wriggled free and off the bed.
Rose held out a hand, and Samantha clasped it tight. She walked to the door, and after one more look at the man she now knew she loved, she left the room with her sister. Had Warwick died today, then her heart would have shattered and the damage beyond repair.
