Although Becky had intended her cursory examination of Jack to be beneficial, she could never have guessed just how positive an effect it was to have.<br/><br/>To begin with, it had been some time since Jack had been shown any kindness.  And now, here was someone not only offering him sustenance, but showing a genuine concern about his well-being.  Her touch, after so long without any kind of friendly physical contact, sent a shock of joy through his psyche.<br/><br/>The second thing was, perhaps, less innocent.  He'd already registered Becky as a very attractive woman, but that had been at a distance.  When she bent to take his pulse, and offered assistance, her closeness almost made him unable to breathe.  The smell of her perfume was a balm, after so many days spent in fear.  Her uniform skirt rode up, revealing an amount of leg that nearly drove him crazy.  Her face was so close to his, he could have reached across and stolen a kiss.<br/><br/>When she left, with her promise to return, he was no physically stronger than before.  Logically, he should no more have been able to walk than he had before she'd entered.<br/><br/>But against that - this beautiful woman was going to return.  Did he want her to see a pathetic, helpless, broken thing with a week's sparse beard?  Or...<br/><br/>The pain in his legs was as bad as before.  It took him at least a minute to reach the bathroom.  He was forced to grab a small plastic stool to sit on, while he showered.  By the time he'd shaved and dried himself, and added deodorant, the pain had faded to a dull ache as his legs remembered what they were for.<br/><br/>By the time the nurse entered, he was standing up, pulling on his left boot, already fully dressed.  Reassuring the nurse that there as nothing wrong - he'd simply been through an exhausting time (<span style="font-style: italic">hardly an exaggeration there</span>, he thought) - he watched him leave, then returned to the bathroom and began carefully combing his hair, awaiting the promised fruit juice, and desperately hoped it would be Becky that would be bringing it!<br/><br/>His body would take some days to fully heal - but his will was already cured.