The surgery lasted a few more hours. There was a lot to fix, and even more that only time would heal. Finally, however, she was as good as could be. They wheeled her into Recovery and left her in a peaceful, quiet corner where she could sleep off the anesthetic.<br/><br/>The techs, nurses and other staff who had worked on her were all mellow and subdued after. They were all exhausted from the effort of saving her life, but more, they were thoughtful. They were all horrified by the extent of injuries that had been caused to this woman. It was evil.<br/><br/>For her part, Beth remained heavily sedated for another couple hours. When she finally began to come around, she held no memories of the surgery, nor most of her time in the hospital. She was only vaguely aware that time had passed. She struggled to consciousness, dragging her eyes open with immense effort. The effort seemed far too much, and she decided that going back to sleep sounded like a very good idea. She was happily drifting off when a woman's voice sounded close beside her.<br/><br/>"Oh, good! You're awake!" the voice was irritatingly chipper, happy, and most of all loud, "I'll wheel you to your room. Your husband has been anxiously waiting for you."<br/><br/>She could only think her response, as the effort of speaking it aloud simply seemed far too great.<span style="font-style: italic">Do I look like I'm awake? Where did you go to school? Go away and let me sleep...</span><br/><br/>The next thing she was aware of, she was still on the gurney, but it was moving. She was dimly aware that she was being pushed through a door, then the warmth of sleep called to her again, and she drifted off.