Page 10 of Shielding Aubree

He was lost in his thoughts a moment later and when he sat up to close the folder, he noticed that he was alone in the room again.

He knew that Brick wasn't trying to worry him. He wasn't like that. He wanted the best for their clients and the staff. But he also knew Brick well enough to know that he meant what he said.

Ruben closed the file and put it back in the file cabinet for their current clients. He had to get some sleep so he'd be ready for Aubree's visit to the pool. He knew her reservations, but it wasn't swimming that he had in mind for her. She needed strength and flexibility to get back on the force.

He shut the door of the cabinet and stared off into the void.

It was strange, how worried he was for her.

Oh, he worried about all of their clients. You have to care about them to work with them and have them be successful, but there was more tothisfeeling inside of him. Maybe it was what Brick said. They'd had similar surgeries even if the cause had been worlds away from each other. Maybe that was it.

Or maybe it was the way she held herself.

She'd been determined to hold onto her pride and walk away, but then she'd given up all pretense and opened her walker.

He knew that she wasn't someone who gave in very easily. He could tell that from the energy around her.

The energy from her.

Working with Aubree was going to be something special.

He knew that for certain.

He just hoped that he could bring her the kind of healing she needed.

Aubree woke with a start.

Her first thought was pain.

The next, confusion.

Where was she?

Why couldn't she move her arm?

That's when she felt the panic settle in.

Trapped.

She was trapped!

Back in the car.

Back in the wreck.

"God, no."

Her heart felt like it was going to tear free of her chest and explode. Her hands-

No, her hand.

She could make a fist with her fingers and the sensation caught her by surprise.

Fabric.

Cool to the touch.

Cotton?

---