Carl had terrible dreams. There was no clarity. It was only pain. He was trapped in a black abyss of pain and cold. He tried endlessly to find the way into the light, without success. Just when he'd become convinced that he would die this way, he felt something take ahold of him and jerk him back to consciousness.<br/><br/>As if he'd had cold water dumped on him, he woke with a start, gasping for breath. The movement sent pain through his body and he grunted as the breathe was forced out of his lungs. Unable to move, he rolled his head to the side and saw what had saved him from the torture he'd been enduring. She was there beside him, trembling with the cold and bleeding from the effort of trying to help him. At once, he forgot about the pain and sat up to move to her side.<br/><br/>"Oh, no... what have I done? Look at you? I'm so sorry... you must be in such pain. Here, let me help you."<br/><br/>He had no reason to think she would resist him, so he did not wait for her permission before scooping her gently, lovingly into his arms. The pain that lifting her caused set fire to his limbs but her refused to let it show. Moving with strength he didn't feel, he struggled to his feet and forced his legs to carry him up the stairs and into the cabin. When he finally lowered her onto the couch, his body was trembling. He lovingly stroked a hand over her cheek, gazing into her eyes, "Why did you do that? Look at what you've done to yourself? I hate to see you in such pain..."<br/><br/>Rising, he went into the kitchen, retrieved two pills, and returned to her with a glass of water.<br/><br/>"Here. Take these. You need it. Then I'll fix those bandages when you're not in pain."