ASHLEY'S POV

I put down my paperwork and stand. Emberly is gripping Andy's hand now, and he has tears streaking down his face. She meets my gaze and smiles weakly.

          "Hey Em." I greet her, pulling on some gloves.

          "Hey." She smiles. "You didn't forget about me." 

          "Of course not." Andy interjects. She shifts her eyes to meet his. "Emberly, I'm so sorry it took so long to get you." He apologizes. She simply responds by reaching up and wiping away a stray tear from his cheek. I can't help but notice how much effort the simple action takes for her. 

           "Emberly, I need to do a quick exam, ok?" I ask her. She looks back at me and nods. I put my stethoscope on and listen to her heart and lungs. I have her follow my pen light with her eyes and ask her some basic questions to determine her brain function. She complies and is able to answer all my questions. 

         "Am I ok?" She asks quietly. I smile at her gently.

         "You're having some issues with your memory, and your heart is beating a little slow. However, I think both of those are due to the malnutrition and dehydration. You're going to need some time to heal, but you should be able to get back to 100%." I tell her. She nods, tears welling up in her eyes.

          "Em, what's wrong?" Andy is standing now, concern clear on his face. 

          "I can't catch a break and I just keep hurting you." She manages to get out before being overcome with sobs that wrack her frail body. She is gasping for breath and choking on her tears. I immediately retrieve a sedative and slide the needle into her upper arm. After emptying the contents into her body, I look up to meet Andy's sad gaze. Emberly calms and soon slips into unconscious. As I place the oxygen mask back over her face, Andy speaks up.

           "She's right. She can't catch a break. It's not fair." His deep voice is rough with hints of sadness. I dispose of the empty syringe in a biohazard bin. 

            "Let's focus on getting her well again." I encourage him, reaching over the gurney to place a comforting hand on his bicep. He smiles slightly and nods. He resumes his earlier seated position and soon falls asleep. I watch him nod off and feel a bit of relief. He hasn't been taking care of himself and desperately needs sleep. My eyes find Emberly and I think back on my encouragement. I didn't want to cause Andy any extra stress, but I'm not sure if I believe that Em can get back to 100%. 

She spent almost two months being tortured in the same place as her sister was. I don't want her to have the same tragic ending as her sister, but I fear that may be exactly what will happen. I lean back against the wall of the ambulance, staring at the white ceiling, waiting to reach the hospital.