They were slammed at the hospital the next day, the ER was full and they were diverting to other hospitals. They barely had time to talk about the previous day's events, other than in passing, and since Chance was out, supposedly on his honeymoon without his bride and nursing a broken heart, there was no awkwardness on the floor.

As soon as Lia and Ben had returned to the house with Huck, who was a perfect angel for the rest of the night, Chloe had taken Faye home while Lia disappeared into her own house. She was too much of a coward to stay and watch what Chance's reaction was when he returned to an abandoned square, although he probably didn't. His mother probably called him and his father and told them not to bother to return.

When Lia had driven past the square on her way to work the next morning everything was put back to rights and looked as it always did.

Lia noticed a commotion at the entrance and saw that the paramedics were bringing another stretcher into ER so she raced to meet it since she was the only one free.

"We're diverting," Lia said as she approached the medic.

"She demanded to come here, said she wouldn't go anywhere else," the young man who looked like he had just graduated high school said as he wheeled towards her. "Where do you want her?"

Lia met him and looked down at the unconscious face of Trinity Langford, her heart missing a beat. "How long has she been unconscious?" Lia asked while signaling for help.

"The last few minutes, she lost it as we were arriving."

Faye joined Lia and they took over, wheeling the stretcher to the only empty trauma room they had. A head injury was not something to be taken lightly. The medics lifted her to the waiting bed while Lia and Faye began a quick exam.

"What happened!" Lia demanded as she started to remove what little clothing remained.

"Domestic, her husband is a nasty piece of work. The cops were about to take him in while we were leaving the scene."

"How did she hit her head?" Lia asked, gently feeling the scalp for any additional wounds that were not the massive one on her left temple. Trinity looked as if she had received a similar beating not long before her current one. There were all shades of the rainbow over a good part of her body. It was evident that the beatings were something that had been going on for a while.

"Trinity!" Lia called as she placed an oxygen mask on her. "Can you hear me, sweetie, I need you to wake up if you can, you're safe at the hospital."

The paramedic finished giving Trinity's vitals and a verbal report on her injuries before leaving. Almost as soon as they had gone the ER doctor, Dr. Anders and Faye's new tenant, Dr. DeGraff, arrived, but both Lia and Faye were to busy to notice anything but the patient and the care she was being given.

Faye was eventually called to help with another patient leaving Lia to help Dr. Anders alone since Dr. DeGraff wasn't state certified and he couldn't lay hands on the patient. She filled him in on the specifics and Dr. Anders nodded as he started his examination. When he was done, he and Dr. DeGraff quietly left after giving some brief instructions.

Lia cleaned up Trinity's wounds, talking to her the entire time. It was a habit she had when the patient was unconscious. She didn't know if they could hear her or not, but on the off chance that they could, it might just be the tether they needed to keep themselves alive. When she was done and about to leave Trinity opened her eyes, looking confused.

"Hey Trinity," Lia said softly, at her side in an instant. "You're in the hospital, Dr. Anders has already been to see you and we'll know more after a few tests." Lia caught Chloe's eye as she passed and she stuck her head in to check on Lia. Lia informed her that the patient was awake and asked if she could notify the Doctor.

Trinity looked as if she was trying to say something and Lia put her hand in Trinity's. "You're safe, take your time." Trinity gripped her hand looking at her oddly.

"Do you remember me? I'm Ben's neighbor, Lia."

Trinity squeezed her hand, and a tear escaped and ran down her cheek as she took a deep shuddering breath.

"Should I call anyone?" Lia asked, gently brushing her hair away from her face. "I get off in a few hours and can stay with you," Lia offered. She'd bet Ben didn't know this was happening to his sister. If he did, her husband wouldn't be walking, so Trinity might not want Ben to know for that very reason.

Trinity squeezed her hand. "Ben," she whispered.

Lia nodded. "Do you have his number?"

Trinity cleared her throat and waited while Lia grabbed a pen.

It took her a while to get the number out, but it was a good sign that she could.

Lia held her hand for a little longer realizing that she had to move, there was too much to do to spend all her time on a stable patient.

"Trinity, I have to go do a few things, but I'll call Ben, and I'll be by to check on you in a little bit, O.K.?"

Trinity nodded, looking around as if trying to find an escape route.

"He's in jail, for now, so you're safe, he won't come here." Lia guessed her question and she must have guessed right because trinity closed her eyes and squeezed Lia's hand once more.

After she left Trinity she headed for the nearest phone and called the number she had been given. Ben answered after the fourth ring, his voice curt.

"Ben, it's Lia." She saw a few nurses racing towards one of the examination bays and she turned her back.

"Lia," he greeted, still sounding distracted.

"There's no easy way to tell you this, but Trinity is at the ER. She's stable but she's asking for you."

"What happened?" She had his attention, and she would take it a good sign that he sounded relatively calm about her news.

"Domestic, they took her husband to jail. She just regained consciousness, but she's not able to say much right now."

There was another emergency. "I have to go," she said hanging up and racing toward the emergency. She hoped Ben wouldn't lose control, that was the last thing his sister needed. but that was the last thought she had about them for some time, as patient after patient needed her attention.

It was a hell of a night, and she didn't think it was going to get easier anytime soon.