Leaning back into the cushions on the couch, he rubbed the bridge of his nose and slowly rotated his shoulder. Keeping his eyes shut, he tried to push the nagging pain aside and heard someone clear their throat. He opened his eyes just in time to see the woman put an ice pack on his shoulder. The contact sent a freezing jolt through him and he fought back the usual jerk.

"You don't have to be tough. No one is here to see you be human."

Glancing up at her, he found a small smirk on the woman's face and kept his snipe to himself. She was enjoying his misery and he wasn't sure if he could try and ruin it for her. Everything that was going on around this place rested on her shoulders. At times today he had seen the weariness in her gaze when she wasn't hiding behind her internal wall. He couldn't understand how she was managing everything for so long without crumbling from the stress.

"How's it feeling?"

He took the pack from her hand and held it up on his own. The initial chill was long gone and the coolness was nearly replaced by body heat.

"It'll do."

Joe took the pack and said "You should go soak it before you crash."

He watched her leave the room and let out a sigh. Her medical role was all he could touch right now. He wanted the easy going brunette that he had reconnected with back in the winter. All the responsibilites had lifted from her shoulders and she hadn't seemed so tired. Rising to his feet, he walked into the kitchen and found her drinking some of the red medicine.

"Want to tell me why you're drinking that stuff?"

She finished the glass and washed it out. Silently she dried it and put it away before turning to face him.

"It just keeps the immune system healthy after being sick."

"You and Will drink it."

She nodded and said "We both got the same bug I told you about."

Reese held his tongue and watched her come around the counter. She met him in the doorway and rested her hand on his healing shoulder. He couldn't fight back the small jerk and her medical face returned.

"If you don't want a pain killer, you'll need to ice it and loosen the muscles."

"Soaking won't fix it alone."

She walked past him and said "You're right."

He watched her climb the stairs and silently followed after her. When she stood by her room, he walked down the hall to his and looked back at her. She stepped into her room and he pushed his door open. Flipping the light on, he shed his shirt and walked into the bathroom. Turning the water on, he let it heat while he examed the wound.

Finding it still seeping some blood, he stripped down and turned the shower on. The water ran over his back muscles and he felt the upper shoulder muscles slowly beginning to loosen. Turning the water off, he dried off and redressed quickly. Leaving the bathroom, he found Joe standing at the window waiting and he took a seat on the food of the bed.

"Ever heard of privacy?"

"Ever heard of ownership?"

He smirked and she came around the bed. The woman examined the wound and gathered the medical supplies from the bathroom. When she returned, she applied some ointment and looked back at him.

"They're still real stiff."

He nodded and said "I'll live."

Her small frown made him smirk and she slowly began kneading the muscles loose. He felt his skin warm to her touch and closed his eyes. Feeling her hands work deep into his muscles, he felt the tension slipping away. Her hands left his back and shoulders and he opened his eyes. She wrapped his shoulder for the night and put everything else back in the bathroom.

"Sure you don't want a pill to help you sleep?"

He examined her work and said "Just as sure as you not taking them this winter."

She turned the bathroom light off and returned to the room. He caught her studying gaze and she let out a low sigh.

"Thanks for the help but I think we overdid it today."

He sent her a look and said "I know my limits."

"Say that again in the morning."

A slow frown captured his face and she smirked. He watched her check the time and glance out the window.

"How long has it been since the bug?"

He watched her avoid his question but saw the rise in her shoulders. She kept her gaze out the window and all he could hear was the silence of the seconds passing.

"Joe."

"Six years."

The words were nearly missed and he watched her slowly turn to him. He could see the hesitation on her face and knew he had to press carefully if he wanted all of the information. He carefully stood up and approached her as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"Joe."

She took a deep breath and said "I really shouldn't talk about it. You're under enough stress."

He caught her chin and said "He was sick from the beginning."

Nodding, she said "We didn't know until he reached his first birthday."

"What happened?"

She pulled free and walked over to the bed. Sitting down, she watched him come sit next to her and turn his amber eyes on you.

"He took a fall outside when I was busy in the barn, hit his head and when Jones saw him the man had him taken to a nearby hopsital in a big city."

"How bad?"

She ran a hand through her hair and said "The doctors got the bleeding stopped and told me they were running tests to find out why his clotting agent wasn't working."

His eyes closed and he sighed "They found him positive."

Nodding, she took a deep breath and said "The doctors gave him some treatments for another month, getting him stable."

"When did they find out about you?"

Looking down at her hands, she said "When I started getting sick. They said the extreme shock to my system while waiting through Will's recovery triggered it."

His amber eyes fell on her and he brushed a lock of blonde behind her ear. Her gaze slowly turned up to him and he saw some of the hesitation gone with the truth finally being revealed.

"What did they say?"

She smirked but it didn't relieve the inward agony and said "I'll be okay as long as I keep the stress level to an equal state."

"Why didn't you tell me any of this? Why wait this long?"

Standing up, she ran her hands through her hair and said "I had hoped you wouldn't need to find out."

"Joe, I deserved to know."

"I know but I wasn't ready to put all this on you."

He caught her hand and turned her around to face him. Her inner strength was slightly altered and he drew her down beside him.

"Have you been doing lately?"

"Not so well."

"Let me guess, the stay with us didn't do you any good."

She smirked and said "Only part of it."

"The running in the morning helps?"

She nodded and said "As does all the work around here. It's a routine that I know by the back of my hand."

He let out a sigh and said "I guess I'll try to keep my presence as limited as possible."

"Don't do that."

"Joe, I create chaos when I'm around. We both know that."

"You also have a son to get to know."

He frowned and she looked up at him. His amber eyes were dark with thought and she ran her hand along his shoulder. His body didn't react as bad and he looked at her.

"You should sleep well tonight."

He watched her stand up and walk to the door. The woman looked back at him and stepped into the hall. The door was shut behind her and he let out a sigh. Staring across the room, he let her words run through his head and his frown deepened. Knowing he wasn't going to be getting any sleep any time soon, he stood up and walked to the door.

Pulling it open, he walked down the hall and knocked on her shut door. When he didn't hear anything, he pushed the door open and heard running water coming from her bathroom. Shutting the bedroom door, he waited as she emerged and saw her wiping her hands clean. She stopped when she saw him and tossed the tissue into the trash.

"Can't sleep?"

"Not likely."

She walked over to her bedside table and pulled the drawer open. She pulled out the pain killers and looked back at him.

"No thanks."

She pulled out a pill and put the rest away. Turning back to him, she retrieved a glass of water from the bathroom and handed it to him.

"I'll pass."

"Just take it."

Sighing, he took the pill and tossed it into his mouth. The water washed it down and he handed her the glass. She dumped the rest of the water down the sink and put the glass on the ledge for later use.

"You really should try to get some sleep."

He watched her return and grab some clothes from her bed. Keeping quiet, he waited as she disappeared again to change and silently dwelled on the earlier conversation. When she reappeared in a pair of gray sweatpants and a black t-shirt, he kept quiet and watched her brush her hair.

"Keep staring and you'll fall alseep on your feet."

"I'm stronger than that."

She smirked and said "If you feel tired, just crash in the corner chair if you can't make it back to your room."

He watched her sit on her bed and stretch her arms over her head. Silently he crossed the room and took a seat beside her.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

He snorted and she said "Don't worry about me."

"You remember what you said to me earlier?"

"Of course."

"You don't have to be strong around me."

She smirked and said "Nice try."

"What?"

"You just don't like the idea of us sleeping at opposite ends of the hall with no one else in the house."

He acted surprised and said "You underestimate me."

The smirk grew a little and she said "I know you all too well Reese Blackburn."

Shaking his head, he said "I'll leave and prove you wrong."

Watching him stand up, she waited as he reached the door and opened it. When he glanced back at her she knew she had won and shook her head.

"See."

He shrugged and said "I just want to make sure you're okay."

"Just behave or I'll make sure you stay in your room from now on."

Chuckling, he watched her climb under the covers and slid off his boots. Walking to the other side of the bed, he pulled the bedding down and stretched out beside her. The warmth from the covers settled into his skin and he looked at her. Her brown eyes held his amber gaze and he slowly rolled onto his back. She closed her eyes and he carefully moved her into his side.

Her warmth helped relieve the pain in his shoulder and she stretched an arm over his chest. He caught her hand and kissed the top of her head. Closing his eyes, he felt his body drift into a loosened tranquil state and followed her into a stage of sleep.