Harry came rushing in, and Sam had never been so happy to see anyone in her life.

“They’re telling me I can’t stay with him.”

“I’ll get you in there as soon as I can.” He gave her a quick hug. “Go with Nancy. She’ll get you settled somewhere to wait.”

“Harry, please... Please.”

“He’s going to be fine. I promise.”

Those were, without any doubt, among the best words she’d ever heard. While Brant and another member of Nick’s detail stood watch outside the exam room, Sam let Nancy lead her to a private waiting room. She wanted to ask why the agents could stay but she couldn’t, but she already knew the answer to that.

“Is there someone you could call to come sit with you?” Nancy asked.

The only person Sam wanted was Nick. “I, um, I could call my sister.”

“Would you like me to do it for you?”

Angela would freak out if she got a call from a nurse at the GW Emergency Room. “Thank you, but I’ll do it.”

“Is there anything I can get you? Water, coffee?”

“A stiff drink?” Sam said with a small smile.

“Wish that was on the menu.”

“I’m fine, thank you. Please let me know the second you hear anything.”

“We will. I just want to say... All of us here, we think you and the vice president make for a beautiful couple, and we admire you both so much.”

Sam blinked rapidly, overcome with emotion. “Thank you. That’s very nice of you.”

“He’s young and strong and healthy. Have faith in all those things.”

Sam nodded because she didn’t trust herself to speak.

Nancy left her alone, and Sam took a moment to get herself together before she called Ang.

“Hey, what’s up? I was going to call you later.”

“Ang.”

“What? What’s wrong?”

“Can you come to the GW ER? Please? Nick is here, and he’s really sick. I don’t know what’s wrong with him—”

“I’ll be there. Hang tight.”

“Thank you.” Thank God for her sisters, Sam thought. They always came running when she needed them. Her phone dinged with a text from Tracy saying she was at Sam’s house, and Scotty was still sleeping.

Let me know when you hear anything about Nick.

I will. Harry is with him now.

He’s in very good hands.

Sam tried to take comfort in that, in knowing Harry cared about him as much as anyone did, anyone other than her, that is. No one cared more about Nick than she did. She couldn’t sit still. She paced from one end of the small room to the other, worried about Nick, worried about Scotty waking up to Tracy rather than her. If anything happened to Nick...