Episode 17

A few hours passed, and Megan, Andy, and Teresa got the kids out of the water. Megan looked at the sky and sighed.

"It's getting dark. They should be back soon," she breathed, and Andy nodded.

"Megan?" called Liam from the top of the trail, and Megan, Andy, and Teresa looked at him.

"Yeah, Liam?"

"Grab Charlie and come up here," he said.

His voice sounded serious, and Megan wondered why. She, Andy, Teresa, and the kids made it up the trail, and Megan looked at Liam, concerned.

"What's wrong?"

"Abraham needs you to drive the truck. We're moving camp," he said, pointing to a blue truck, and Megan looked.

Megan grabbed Charlie's hand and ran toward the vehicle. She saw her husband in the passenger seat. His face was pale, and it looked like he'd been crying.

"Megan! Get in the truck. We have to go," yelled Abraham, getting out of the blue truck and getting into the passenger's side of his vehicle.

Charlie looked at his father and then at his mother with wide eyes.

"What's wrong with Dad? Where's Bella, Dale, and Uncle Steve?" he asked.

"I don't know, baby. Just get in the truck," said Megan, opening the door.

Charlie climbed into the backseat, and she shut the door. She climbed into the driver's seat and followed the blue truck out of the park.

**********************

"So, you want to tell me what's going on?" asked Megan, and Abraham huffed a sob, looking out the window.

"Bella and Dale were shot. The bullet went through the top of Bell's shoulder and into Dale's arm."

Megan only nodded, hearing Charlie sob in the backseat, and held back her tears until they pulled up to a farmhouse, and she started crying. Abraham touched her shoulder, and she nodded.

"Charlie, grab the black backpack from under the seat," he said, getting out of the truck.

Charlie grabbed the bag as Megan opened the door, and he jumped out. Megan, Abraham, and Charlie entered the house and met Sarah in the dining room.

"Good. You're back. Did you find the medication?" she asked, and Abraham nodded, taking the backpack from his son and handing it to her.

Sarah looked through it and looked at Abraham and Megan in awe.

"Where did you get all this stuff?"

"My daughter found it from hospitals we've come across," said Abraham, and Sarah blew a breath.

"You have a very smart child on your hands. This is perfect. It's more than enough to sedate them and for the pain afterward," she said.

"Take what you need," said Megan.

Sarah pulled out a few syringes, tiny bottles of clear liquid, and a couple of gauze packs.

"Thanks," she said and handed the backpack to Abraham.

"They're awake if you want to see them, but after the medication kicks in, you'll have to leave the room," Sarah added, and Abraham and Megan nodded.

Abraham, Megan, and Charlie followed Sarah into her father's room, and Dale and Bella looked at them. Megan gasped, running to the bedside, and Bella smiled weakly. She and Dale were pale, sweaty, and weak.

Sarah had an iv started in their arms and slipped past, giving Dale and Bella a sedative and pain medication. When she was finished, Bella and Dale started to relax, and she looked at the Daniels.

"You have about fifteen minutes before it takes full effect. Then if ya'll would do me a favor and wait in the next room."

Abraham nodded, and Sarah left the room.

"Mom?" Bella said weakly, and Megan rubbed her forehead.

"I'm right here, sweetheart," she whispered.

"Someone needs to give Dale a hug because I can't," she cried, and tears rolled down her cheek.

"Okay."

Abraham knelt beside the bed, taking his daughter's hand, and Megan reached Dale, running her fingers through his hair.

"We are here for the both of you," she whispered, and Dale nodded sleepily.

"Daddy?" said Bella and sniffed.

"Yeah, I'm right here."

"Please, don't be mad," she whispered as she shivered, and her body relaxed.

Her eyes fluttered closed, and she and Dale were fast asleep. Charlie left the room and sat on the couch, letting his tears fall, and his parents joined him. They nodded to Sarah, and she walked into her father's room, closing the door behind her.

***********************

"So, this woman is a doctor?" asked Megan, and Abraham shrugged.

"Said she was. Her name is Sarah Cline, and I saw some kind of certificate on the wall with her name on it," he said.

"And who's the idiot who shot our daughter and Dale?" she asked, and Marcus stepped forward.

"That would be me, ma'am. I'm the idiot. I'm so sorry. I guess we were hunting the same turkeys, and I didn't see them," explained Marcus sadly.

Megan looked at the man and sighed.

"What's your name?"

"Marcus, ma'am."

"Well, Marcus. When my daughter and her boyfriend pull through, you apologize to them," she said, and Abraham huffed a sob.

"You make it up to them. That's my little girl," he sobbed, and Megan rubbed his back.

Steve stood in the corner, shaking his head, and scoffed. He'd have shot Marcus on sight if his daughter were lying in that bed. Suddenly, they heard vehicles approaching, and Steve ran outside. Abraham and Megan followed him, and Charlie stayed behind.

He was in a t-shirt and swim trunks. He was dry but shivered in fear, thinking he would lose his sister. Charlie huffed a sob and held onto a throw pillow. The door opened, and he looked at Sarah with teared-filled eyes.

"Are they?"

Charlie started bawling, and Sarah knelt beside him.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Charlie, and that's my sister Bella and her Dale in there," he sobbed, pointing to Sarah's father's room.

She chuckled and wiped the boy's tears away.

"Well, Charlie, Bella and her Dale are going to be just fine. Your sister was shot in the shoulder and Dale in the arm, but they are all stitched up now. You can go see them if you like. They may say strange things, but it's just the pain meds talking," Sarah explained, and Charlie gave her a thoughtful look.

"That's okay. You should see my sister drunk," he snickered, and she looked at him oddly.

"How old is Bella?"

"Seventeen."

Sarah nodded, took Charlie by the hand, and led him into the room.

"Hey, kid," said Bella, carefully moving on her good side, scooting against Dale's chest.

Dale maneuvered his good arm under Bella's neck and rested his head in the crook of her neck.

"Comfortable?" he asked, and Bella gently nodded.

"Bell! Dale! You're okay!" Charlie exclaimed and climbed into bed with them.

Dale smiled, rubbing the boy's hair, and Charlie held his sister's good hand.

"Yeah, kid. We're okay," she breathed, and Charlie nodded, sniffing.

"Good," he whispered.

"I love you, Bell," said Charlie, yawning.

"I love you, kid," Bella said, watching her brother's eyes slowly close.

He must have tired himself out worrying about them, and Bella snuggled into Dale, sighing happily.

"I'm glad you're okay," she whispered, and Dale sighed.

"I'm glad you're alright."

"I don't know what I would do without you," Bella sighed, putting her hand in his above her head.

Dale rubbed his fingers with hers and kissed her behind her ear.

"Careful, little bird. Might make big bird think you're falling for him," he whispered, and Bella closed her eyes, smiling.

"Maybe, I already have," she whispered and drifted off to sleep.

Dale yawned, buried his face in Bella's neck, and fell asleep. Charlie snuggled against his sister and happily sighed. Sarah walked into the room, seeing the three snuggled together, smiled, and left to find Abraham and Megan.