Christopher's crumbling composure cracked. He sank back onto the chair,

taking his wife's hand. His mother gripped one shoulder, his father the other, while his grief poured from him, unchecked and unstoppable.

In the morning, Katerina still breathed but remained unconscious. The doctor checked her and found no change for good or ill. Mrs. Turner examined her also

and found her pregnancy still holding, the baby still moving appropriately in its

mother's body. There was nothing to do but wait. And so, they waited. In the early afternoon, she finally stirred, eyelids fluttering.

“Kat, can you hear me, love?”

A soft exhalation of breath escaped her.

“Kat?”

Her dark eyes opened.

“Oh God, no!” Christopher exclaimed. Katerina was alive, awake, but that

spark, that warmth that made her the woman he loved, the awareness, the

sentience was gone.

Katerina was gone.

CHAPTER 21

She was gone, the family soon realized, deep inside herself. Her eyes

didn't focus. She didn't react to speech or stimulation. She would

swallow water dribbled into her mouth, but not food. She took no nourishment,

and she gave no sign whatsoever of awareness.

Three days crept past and she remained in this suspended state. On the

afternoon of the third day, the doctor examined her thoroughly.

“Can you do anything?” Christopher pleaded.

“No. I'm sorry.”

“Is this the fracture?” Christopher asked.

“No. She's withdrawn,” the doctor explained. “The fact she's awake at all means the fracture likely isn't going to kill her. Not this many days later. That would have happened much sooner. The broken bone will heal in the next six to

eight weeks. However, if she doesn't wake up and begin eating soon, healing won't matter. She'll just… fade. And only she can change it.”

“So, this is a mental break?” Christopher gulped.

“Yes.”

“Do you think she'll come out of it?” he asked. Please, please let her come

out of it.

“Hard to say,” the doctor replied. “It's up to her at this point. I'll just go now.

She can hear you if she decides to listen. I think talking to her might be her best

hope. Keep trying. Don't give up.”

So, they talked, and talked, and talked, trying to break through, trying to get

her to listen and engage. By the end of the fifth day after the attack, their hope began to fade.

Adrian dragged his son to the guest room and forced him to lie down and rest. Julia remained with her daughter-in-law.

“Katerina,” she said softly, “that's enough, love. You need to come back to us. You need to wake up. Your baby needs you. Your husband needs you. We all

love you. Can't you wake up?”

The girl stirred.

Julia held her breath. How I love this girl. I chose her for my son, and not just because of the danger. I wanted Katerina for myself, to be my daughter, and now, there's a real chance that both she and the baby she's carrying will die.

Lord, why? You took my daughter when she was six. Will you really take this one

too? Must you? Please let her live, let them both live.

Katerina rolled to her side and closed her eyes.

Exhausted, strained to the breaking point, Julia's temper flared. “You selfish

girl. You can't do this. You can't just give up. If you die, your baby dies with you.

Stop this. Wake up and fight to live, Kat. Your life is not over.”

“Mother, stop,” Christopher said from the doorway where he leaned against

the doorjamb.

“I was trying to break through, to wake her up,” Julia said, trying to defend

her harsh words.