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"Iet my hopes up," she said quietly

He paused at the closed door of Johnnys room and looked down at her "I did not say that faith was easy; merely that it was necessary And you are here, are you not, by his side? This takes its own kind of courage, yes?" He patted her shoulder and left her standing by the door

She wasnt sure how long she stood there, alone in the stark white hospital; in ti voice, she closed her eyes and talked to him About what, she couldnt have said All she kneas that a voice could offer light in a dark place, and light could lead you out

The next thing she knew, it was h the exterior , illuray-white walls

She unfolded fro stiff and sore "Hey, handso down to kiss Johnnys cheek The bandages on his eyes had been removed; she could see no bruised and swollen his left eye was "Noin the brain allowed, okay? When you need attention just try the old-fashioned ways, like gettingme "

She kept talking until she ran out of things to say Finally she turned on the television that hung in the corner It carainy black and white picture "Thedown for his hand Taking his dry, slack fingers in hers, she held on to hiered there Though he smelled of hospitals and disinfectants and h, she could s news "

No response

Idly she flipped through the channels, looking for solish

Tullys face filled the screen

She was standing in front of the hospital with herthe bottom of the screen translated her words: "For days the world has wondered and worried about John Patrick Ryan, the TV news producer as seriously injured when a boh funeral services were held yesterday for the reporter, Arthur Gulder, ith him, the Ryan family and the German hospital remained unavailable to journalists And how can we blaedy for the Ryan family John—Johnny to his friends—suffered a serious head trauma in the explosion A complicated medical procedure was perforhdad Specialists tell ery on site, Mr Ryan would not have survived "

The picture on screen changed Now Tully was standing beside Johnnys bed He lay ed Though the ca to Tullys face, the iet

"Mr Ryans prognosis is uncertain The specialists ho in his brain recedes If it does, he has an excellent chance of survival If not" Her voice trailed off as she moved around to the end of the bed There, she looked directly into the caht now, except this: This is a story of heroes, both in the war zone and at ho this story to the Ah to say that he knew the risks he was taking and wouldnt havethe war, his wife, Kathleen, was at ho that what her husband was doing was important Like any soldiers wife, it was her sacrifice as much as his that made it possible for John Ryan to do his job " The picture cut back to Tully on the hospital steps "This is Tallulah Hart, reporting from Germany And may I say, Bryant, that our prayers are certainly with the Ryan family today "

Kate stared at the television long after the segment had ended "She made us look like heroes," she said to the empty room "Even me "

She felt a flutter-soft entle that at first she allanced down

Johnny slowly opened his eyes