Sorrow's Sieve Ch. 04

The moment she fell into his arms he felt an electric pulse run through his body. For a brief instant he heard and saw the visions from the dreamscape before he forcefully pushed them back and focused on the beauty in his arms. Looking down into those bright blue orbs caused his breath to catch and the smile she gave him caused his heart to skip. Gently brushing a stray hair from her face he smiled back.

"Good to see you again too, Galen." he said softly, hoping Peter was too far away to hear. He looked up cautiously to see that Galen's brother had gone stock still. The look on his face would have been comical if it had not been trained upon himself. His eyes were shooting daggers but it was obvious he was restraining himself from forcibly removing his sister from the strangers arms.

"I told him," Galen whispered to him as she withdrew her embrace to replace it with a soft hand in his own. Braedan looked at her in surprise and then back to her brother. "Last night when I 'woke up'. Although I have to say I'm surprised he hasn't punched you yet." she giggled and pulled him toward the imposing form bursting with protective desire. "Peter, I would like to introduce you to Dr. Braedan Kelly. His favorite color is blue and his favorite food is shrimp spaghetti." She grinned from ear to ear while grabbing her brother's hand and forcing him to shake Braedan's. Braedan had to hold in a hiss of pain when the man squeezed his hand quite a bit harder than was common curtsey, but he met Peter's eye and refused to blink.

"It's nice to meet you more officially, Mr. Lang. I hope I can be of some help." Braedan polity said.

At his comment, Peter's fierce gaze and grip softened and moved to his sister.

"It appears you have already," he said without a hint of resignation. A small smile could be seen at the corner of his lips. Galen went to his side and gave him a big hug which he returned whole heartedly. "So what's the plan today, Ada?" he asked, turning to his friend after a moment.

Ada was looking at the trio carefully. When Galen had run to Braedan she had expected to see him laid flat. When Peter saw the look she was giving them he smiled at her too.

"I'm surprised you didn't tell me about Braedan's dreams, Ada. I assumed you knew after insisting that Braedan join Galen's sessions but I didn't want to bring it up just incase. Galen filled me in last night. I have no idea what it means but I learned long ago not to take anything for granted."

"You never cease to amaze me, Peter." Ada said to her friend with a shake of her head. "With how well Galen did yesterday I had anticipated getting her back on Turbo and working on some more basics but seeing how...alert...you are today, Galen, how does a trail ride sound?"

"Really?" Galen squeaked. "Do you think I'm ready for that?" She had come to stand by Ada expectantly. Her excitement was contagious and Braedan chuckled at her enthusiasm.

"It will be a nice slow ride, nothing you can't handle. Plus, we'll all be here to help if need be." Both men were nodding their agreement and Galen jumped up and clapped her hands together happily. She spun around and Braedan could not help but admire her graceful and lithe form. Even the little light in the stable caused her hair to shine with silver highlights making him ache to run his fingers through it. Clearing his throat he brought everyone's attention to his direction.

"I let Turbo out a while ago, if you'd like, Galen, you can help me bring him in and get him brushed down before we get on the trail."

"That would be perfect," Ada broke in as Galen smiled warmly at Braedan. "Peter and I will pull out three other horse for the rest of us and get them hooked up while you and Galen start on Turbo."

While Ada led Peter to the tack closet discussing which mounts would be best for the outing, Braedan gingerly took Galen's hand in his own. She squeezed his big hand and offered him another smile.

"You are so beautiful when you smile," he said quietly, capturing the stubborn strand of her hair that refused to cooperate in his fingers and tucking it behind her ear once more. She blushed fiercely.

Galen looked into Braedan's warm brown eyes and could not help the shiver that coursed through her at witnessing the desire she found there. She felt lightheaded all of a sudden and the warmth from her cheeks spread, making her limbs feel weak. It felt wonderful. She had been in college before the accident, and although she had led a pretty active social life it did not often involve men. She knew about sex, having lost her virginity at nineteen to her boyfriend of six months. But despite what her friends had told her there had not been any fireworks and the discomfort and pain of her first time, and her boyfriend's lack of concern for her had turned her away from that particular activity. Her accident had not been many months after that and so her experience in anything sexual could be packaged up neatly and put into a nice box. She had thought she had been attracted to her last boyfriend, but never had she felt herself literally go weak in the knees, as cheesy as it sounded, just from someone's heated gaze.

"Umm," Galen swallowed, "shouldn't we get Turbo?"

Braedan could hear the catch in her voice and easily saw the blush that had risen to her cheeks at his compliment. But what got him going to the point where he had to forcibly stamp down his desire was the hardly recognizable quickening of her breath in excitement as she looked back at him. She seemed to be just as affected as he was, and this knowledge was not any easy thing to accept quietly.

"Follow me," he said, his voice having taken on a huskier tone. She shivered once more; he smiled knowingly. "Are you cold?"

"No, just perfect I think," she responded and followed Braedan through the back doors of the barn.

It took a half an hour to get all the horses ready to go. Once everyone was set they led the animals to the back of the property and the beginning of the nearest trail. Braedan had ridden it many times and knew that as long as they remained on the main trail there should not be any problems.

"Stay on the main trail, the side trails narrow and aren't as easy for inexperienced riders." Ada told Peter and Galen, glancing at Braedan who nodded his agreement. "Why don't you two lead the way, Braedan and I will follow. It's a big loop so as long as we take no turn offs we'll end up right back here" The trial was wide enough for two horses to ride abreast and the two siblings did so. Braedan watched as Galen spoke animatedly to her brother. Turning his attention to Ada he asked a question that had been growing for a while now.

"Ada," he said softly, hoping his voice would not carry to the two in front. "You mentioned Peter was not fond of 'medical' doctors. Obviously he and Galen have some history there, what was said about her condition?"

"The bad blood came from their lack of information. Everything they came up with was mere speculation. Countless MRIs were done, electrode readings, they even attempted hypnosis. The only definitive finding was that Galen seemed to be in a perpetual state of REM sleep, despite also being physically awake."

"Like sleep walking?"

"Yes, but no. Sleep walking usually lasts minutes, not years. Although technically that is what she was going through, sleep walking during REM sleep isn't as common as it is during earlier sleep stages. There was another difference as well, a normal sleep walker can be woken up, even if that isn't the first course of action you should take. Galen would never wake up."

"They couldn't find anything else out?" The doctor in Braedan was in wonder.

"The only other thing that sticks out was that in each and every scan that was done the area of her brain that showed she was in REM sleep was lit up like a spot light. The doctors were pretty astonished at the amount of brain activity she had compared to the average person during REM sleep."

Braedan was intensely curious. If he concentrated he could pull back the images that passed to him from Galen. They were still there, in the back of his mind and he wondered what his MRI would look like. Galen was definitely awake now but he was curious whether there would still be readings of REM sleep for both of them. He glanced at the young woman in front of him and warmed yet again at her glowing smile. The morning sun slanted through the trees to highlight her hair and he had to readjust in the saddle to remain anywhere near comfortable. A smile crossed Ada's face when she noticed what he was doing but he ignored it.

"Gunna need another cold shower?" she asked cheekily. Braedan couldn't help the blush that crossed his face, especially since Ada had spoken loud enough for both Peter and Galen to hear. Peter glared dangerously and the girls laughed.

The group continued on their way, chatting about various things. Braedan found out that Galen had been going to school in hopes of being a music teacher. Besides singing she also played the piano and the violin, and quite well according to Peter. Galen however swore she was no one important.

"Galen, you played with the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie hall at twelve. They called you a prodigy for Christ's sake. Give up the act, sis, you are someone."

Galen humphed at her brother's comment, settling into the saddle and staring straight ahead.

"You could be so much more than a teacher, Galen. With your talent you could do just about anything."

Galen turned on her brother angrily.

"I want to be a teacher, Peter. I love children! Why isn't that enough for you? Why can't I do what will make me happy? Because I can tell you right now that traveling around for the rest of my life performing for complete strangers is not the type of life I would consider enjoyable."

"So you'll throw away all of your talents?" he asked, clearly as frustrated as she was.

"You are so...so....ahh," she yelled, throwing her hands up in the air in outrage, "insufferable!" She gripped Turbo's reins tightly and tried to push him into a slow trot to get away from her brother. Her anger, however came through in her actions and she urged him a bit too much. Turbo lurched into a canter and Galen screamed as she disappeared down the trail.

"Shit!" Braedan yelled and without thinking spurred his own mount after her, leaving a stunned Peter in his wake. "Please don't fall, please don't fall!" he chanted under his breath. In the back of his mind he could feel a real terror, but it did not feel like his own. The path in this part of the trail had narrowed a bit and although it was not all that likely, there was a definite chance that a fall would not be onto something as forgiving as simple undergrowth.

"Galen, hold on!" he yelled, rounding the corner and was thankful that Turbo had not taken off down a side trail. A flash of pain erupted in his mind that shot first across his cheek and then down to his leg. Chancing a quick glance he could tell he had not hit a thing, however. He raced after her and when her horse came into view he wanted to heave a sigh of relief. Pulling up beside Turbo, he grabbed onto his reins and pulled back, slowing both animals down at once. Once they were stopped he quickly dismounted and pulled a trembling Galen from her saddle and into his arms.

"Hey, it's ok, sweetheart. I've got you," he cooed while running his hands through her wind blown hair and over her back. Once she had calmed down he pushed her to arm's length to make sure she had not been injured. Gently taking her chin in his hand he lifted her face and noticed a long gash across her left cheek, it was nothing serious but he knew it must hurt. "Are you hurt anywhere else?" he asked while closely examining the cut on her face.

"No," she responded shakily. "I don't think so."

"Alright, hang on for just a minute, I'm going to grab my first aid kit, I want to get that cut taken care of before we get back." Braedan released her and went to the small saddle bag that held his first aid kit. Galen stood with her arms wrapped tightly around her body. Her shaking had subsided but when Braedan glanced back and notice the glazed look in her eyes he scanned the rest of her and sucked in a sharp breath at seeing blood spread across her pants from her left thigh. He thought of the fear he had felt as he rode and the pain he had felt that he knew was not his own. It had been hers. The adrenaline in her system had numbed the pain so far and from her glazed eyes he could easily tell she was going into shock. The sound of riders coming up had him moving more quickly. Grabbing his kit he raced back to Galen just as Peter and Ada rounded the corner.

"Galen, I need you to sit down, sweetheart. I need to take a look at your leg, can you do that for me?" She nodded weakly and he helped her down; flinching when she cried out in pain when she bent her leg. Her eyes locked with Braedan's. "You're going to be fine, I hope you aren't too fond of these jeans though, because I have to cut them to get a better look ok?"

"Go ahead, I trust you." She attempted a smile. Braedan could not resist and leaned over to kiss the top of her head. He pulled off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders before pulling his gloves on and getting the pair of scissors.

"Galen!" Peter yelled. He had dismounted and raced to his sister's side, his eyes wide with worry. He quickly noticed her blood stained pants and Braedan with the scissors.

"Get the fuck away from my sister!" he screamed, pushing Braedan away causing him to loose his balance and fall to the ground.

"Peter!" Galen cried.

"We need to get her to the emergency room where they can actually take care of her!" he was still yelling so Braedan rose slowly and faced the man. His own anger had risen at the accusation he could not take care of the woman he cared for.

"I would like to remind you that I am an ER doctor and I am more than capable of taking care of Galen right here." He spoke in a dark tone. "Now, my intentions are to get her into the ER as soon as possible but I need to take a look at her leg first. I will not have her remount a horse and ride a few miles without knowing exactly what is wrong. Now you can help me by comforting your sister instead of screaming, or you can take your horse and ride back to the Wolf Hallow and have Mr. Trent bring out his four wheeler with the rescue trailer. Whatever you choose, you better shut up and let me get to work."

He knelt beside Galen once more and offered a grim smile while her brother stood in shock above her. Ada broke the silence by coming up to his side and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Peter, why don't you stay with Galen? I know these trails better than you do and I don't want to see her back on a horse until she's been taken care of. I'll go and get Greg and be back in no time." He seemed to understand her words. "Be nice and let Braedan work," she added quietly and he nodded and knelt by his sister and took her hand. Ada mounted and with one last glance over her shoulder she was heading back to the ranch.

"Galen...I," Peter tried.

"Don't Peter." Galen said tiredly. "I don't want to hear it right now. Just shut up."

Peter nodded, lowering his head in ashamed defeat. Braedan fought a smirk. Turning his attention back to Galen pulled any humor from the situation, however.

He cut up the length of the pant leg, adjacent to where the injury seemed to be. As the skin of her leg was revealed he had to force down the urge to caress it. Taking a deep breath he forced himself to think as a doctor and see her as nothing more than a patient; it was not an easy task. Once above the knee he slowed down the cutting. He could have cut from the slice in the jean but he had not wanted to hit the injury by accident. Glancing into her eyes he saw nothing but trust and in the next moment he was carefully pulling aside the jean material to get a look at the damage. He suppressed a sigh of relief at seeing the gash on her leg. It looked painful but it was nothing serious. It wasn't very deep and the amount of blood came not only from it but the few layers of skin that had been pulled off around it from whatever tree Galen had taken on.

When Mr. Trent and Ada drove up a few minutes later on a pair of ATVs it was to find Galen expertly bandaged up and chomping on a granola bar. Peter was sulking nearby and Braedan was packaging up his kit.

"Thanks for coming out Mr. Trent. I'd like to get Galen into the ER to get her cleaned up properly."

"No problem, Braedan. Let's get the young lady loaded on the stretcher and we'll get her there in no time."