Carl dumped a pile of chopped carrots into the simmering broth, then heard a noise behind him. She was trying to sit up. With a gasp, he left the soup to cook and hurried back to her side. Her eyes were glazed when he sat beside her, a delirious half-smile on her face. He blinked at her, stunned by the sight. She had never looked so beautiful to him. For a moment, all he could do was stare.<br/><br/>Finally, shaking his head to clear it, he gently pressed a hand to her shoulder. "Easy, now... just rest, alright? You don't want to hurt yourself. How are you feeling?" He pulled the blanket back to check and make sure she hadn't bled through the bandages, then returned his gaze to her face, trying to gauge how heavily the pills were effecting her. One hand took hold of her wrist and he pressed his fingers to the inside of her wrist to check her pulse.