Chapter 4

Willow's POV...

I could hear voices around me but I couldn't seem to open my eyes. I thought that I had to be dead. "Dad I don't know what else to do. She should have woke up by now." The voice sounded familiar but I wasn't sure who it was.

"Luke she will wake when she is ready. You saved her son. Besides look she has all but healed and it has only been a few days. You know what that means." I didn't hear the response as I fell back into the darkness.

I don't know how much longer I was out but this time I was finally able to actually open my eyes. I slowly opened them and the light was overly bright. Maybe I was in a hospital. Once my eyes adjusted I looked around. I definitely wasn't in a hospital but it looked like I was in someone's house.

I heard a small noise in the corner of the room. I turned my head and that's when I saw him. It was the young man that had been bringing food to the cave. How had he found me? Was it him that had saved me? No it couldn't have been him that had attacked the bear. That was an animal it had to be. What else could have stood a chance against a bear?

I tried to sit up a little but my strength was not there. I must have made a noise because when I looked back at the man his eyes were open and staring into mine. He had a genuine look of concern in his eyes. He jumped up and came to my side.

"Are you okay? Let me get my father. I'll be right back." He walked out of the room and returned with an older man who I assumed was his father.

"Hello dear. You had us worried for a minute. My name is Jim and this is my son Luke. How are you feeling?"

I tried to talk but my mouth was parched. As if he knew what I needed Luke turned to a glass sitting on the table behind him and handed it to me. I took a sip of the water and it felt so good. "My name is Willow. What happened?"

"Luke here found you in the woods. You had been attacked by a bear and near death. He brought you here and we were able to help you."

"Are you a doctor?"

"I was. I have been retired for many years now." I was still a little nervous but I had no choice but to trust these men.

"Is she awake finally?" The sweet voice of a woman came down the hallway. She sounded just like my mom. When she entered the room she was exactly like I imagined she would look like. She was in her late fifties with grey hair and blue eyes. She was a petite thing. The two men towered over her but she definitely ran the family.

"Martha. She is already overwhelmed right now. Why don't we give her some time to adjust." Jim tried to move her out of the room.

"Oh Jim I am sure she is more comfortable with me helping her than you two. Now, Luke, why don't you go get her some soup and crackers? Jim, is she okay for a bath and fresh clothes?"

That sounded like heaven. Jim turned to me. "Willow, this is my wife Martha. Do you feel up to a bath?" I nodded my head.

"I would love one if it is okay." He smiled at me then left the room. He returned a few minutes later with a wheelchair. He helped me set up and then helped me move to the wheelchair.

"Do you ladies think you can manage alright without us?" He asked us. Martha shooed him out of the room and it made me giggle. She turned to me and smiled.

"Men. Now let me get the water started and then we will get you in a hot bath." As she went into the bathroom to start the bath I took the chance to look down at my legs. They were bandaged but they didn't hurt like I thought they should.

When Martha came back into the room she removed the bandages from my legs and to my shock they looked a lot better than I thought. How long had I been out for? There was no way that I should be as healed as I was. It just wasn't logical. I mean I had always been a fast healer but this was remarkable.

Once we had managed to get me into the bath I took the opportunity to ask Martha some questions. "Martha, how long have I been here?" She looked over at me.

"Oh about four days now I think."

"And where am I?" She looked at me with a concerned look on her face.

"Well you are in Klamath Falls in Oregon. Are you not from around here dear?" I shook my head but I couldn't tell her where I was really from.

"No. I was on a trip with my mom when we got separated. I don't know how far I traveled." She seemed to buy my excuse and just shook her head.

"My my I'm sure your mother is just having a fit about you right now. Once you are good enough to travel we will take you into town to the hospital and they can find your mother." I just nodded at her and then took the rag and soap she handed me and started to wash my body.

I wasn't going to be able to stay here long if that was the intent. I couldn't go into town and talk to the police. They would probably arrest me the moment they found out who I was. I still needed to figure out what had happened with Jesse and Hathaway. I also needed to figure out why I couldn't remember how I had gotten out here. I mean I remember a little bit but I had thought that I was dreaming for most of it.

Then if my dreams I keep having have any truth to them then Jesse was dead and I was being blamed for it. After I was done washing Martha helped me out and helped me get dressed. Then she redressed my legs. There was a knock on the door and Martha said to come in.

Luke came walking in holding a tray with a bowl of soup and crackers and some water. "How are you feeling?" He asked as he placed the tray in front of me.

"Better. Thank you. How did you find me?" He looked at Martha and then back to me.

"Well I had been out for a walk when I came across the dead bear. Then I found you a few feet away. I don't know how you managed to kill the bear but you did." I shook my head.

"I didn't kill it. Some other animal did. I think. I was pretty out of it." Martha and Luke looked at each other and then back to me.

"Well then you are very lucky." Luke said as he started back to the door. He seemed nice but I didn't want to get to attached or dependent on these people. If they found out the truth then they would probably turn me in.

The next few days went by quickly and before I knew it I was up walking around with no assistance at all. I still couldn't understand how this was possible unless my injuries had not been as bad as I had thought. The sun had started to set and Luke came into the room.

"Willow, my parents would like to talk to you." I knew that this was coming and I was wondering if maybe I could come up with another story so I wouldn't have to leave just yet. I was actually starting to feel comfortable around these people. They had all been nothing but kind to me and I was starting to feel like I could trust them. Maybe not a hundred percent yet but enough to make me want to stay a little longer.

I walked out of the room and down the hall. There was a very pleasant aroma coming from the kitchen and my mouth started to water a little bit. Luke looked over at me and smiled a little. "Smells good huh?" I nodded my head at him as he lead me into the kitchen where Martha and Jim were waiting for us.

The table was set and everything looked good. Luke held out a chair next to him for me and I took a seat. I looked at him nervously and he winked his bright blue eyes at me. He looked alot like his mother. I took a deep breath and prepared for the questions.

Jim was the one to speak first. "Willow, it has come to my attention that you got separated from your mother is that correct?"

"Well now that I feel a little bit more comfortable with you all I guess I can tell you the truth." They all looked at me waiting for me to explain. What was I going to say that would be believable. "My mother actually passed away a few months ago and I have been on my own since."

"Oh no. What about your father?" Martha's voice cracked a little as I could see her fighting back tears.

"I don't know my father. He was a one night stand my mom had." All eyes were on me and I could see that they were concerned.

"Well, for now you can stay with us until we figure out what to do. How old are you?"

"Seventeen." I lied more hoping that maybe it would keep them from calling the police or the foster care system.

"Well that settles it then. You will stay with us." Martha piped up and Jim looked at her almost as if he was going to say something but then changed his mind. We all went back to the beautiful dinner before us and no one mentioned anything else or asked any more questions.

After dinner I went back to my room. I noticed that the room I was in had two big glass doors that opened to the porch. The curtains had been drawn so I didn't really notice it. I walked over to the doors and opened the curtains. Then I opened the doors and walked out onto the porch. There was two lounge chairs and what looked like a small fire pit.

It was absolutely beautiful out here. I took a good look around at the surroundings. The cabin was in the middle of a wide open field. Then it was surrounded by nothing but forest for as far as you could see. The moon was now high in the sky and the breeze was chilled.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" I jumped a little bit at first but when I turned and saw Luke standing there something inside me immediately soothed. He stood in the doorway just watching me. He was in just a pair of basketball shorts and I felt my breath catch as I took a real good look at him. He was definitely a lot more defined than I had originally seen and now I had a better view of his tattoo. Although I had no idea what it was.

"You like what you see?" I realized that I had been staring for far to long.

"I was just admiring your tattoo. I have never seen anything like it " He smirked as if saying sure you were but he played along.

"Well you probably won't either. It is my families spirit symbol."

"Spirit symbol?"

"Yeah I will explain it to you one day." I decided not to push to much.

"It is beautiful though. Did you grow up here?" He nodded as he walked up next to me.

"Yes this house has been in my family for many generations." I wondered how old this cabin really was. If it's that old they have done an amazing job on keeping it updated.

We just stood in silence for a few minutes taking in the beautiful night. I shivered a little when a cold wind blew and Luke looked at me. "Come on let's get you back inside. I think mom made some brownies if you want some."

I smiled and nodded brownies had always been my favorite dessert. We walked back inside and down to the kitchen. Martha was already cutting into the brownies and had some vanilla ice cream to go on top of it. It looked so good.

Later that night I sat in my bed thinking about what the next step was. I needed to try and remember something but I had nothing. It was like my mind was blocking out whatever had happened. I finally gave up and fell asleep.