August 18, 1435h

	Spud barely murmured as Filb gently unbuckled him and lifted him from the 
back of the squad car.  "He's really out," Amy commented softly.
	Filb nodded.  "Hasn't been much sleepin' goin' on around here last couple 
of days."  He shifted Spud so the boy rested against his shoulder.  "You wanna 
go ring the bell?"
	"Oh!  Yeah, sure," Amy agreed, tearing her eyes away from the exhausted 
child.  She walked up to the Graysons' front door and tapped the doorbell.  
There was the familiar wait and then the sound of the locks being undone, and 
then the door opened.
	She couldn't place the name with the familiar face that answered the door 
until Filb said, "'Lo, Tim.  Brought back this sack of potatoes."
	Tim smiled at the weak pun.  "I *knew* someone was missing.  Come on in, 
Filb.  Captain."
	As Filb headed down the hall with Spud, Amy stood awkwardly in the foyer, 
not sure what to say to the man Dick had described to her as his "sort of" 
little brother.  Finally she asked the question that she most wanted the answer 
to.  "How's he doing?"
	Tim pulled his gaze back from following Filb's progress down the hall.  
"Dick?  Well, the infection seems to be under control and I think technically 
he's not really exactly in a coma anymore - Captain?"
	The seasoned cop had closed her eyes against Tim's almost off-hand 
description of her former rookie's condition.  She hadn't realized, or somehow 
hadn't believedÉ  She moistened her lips.  "Call me Amy, Tim.  Do they have any 
idea -?"
	He shook his head, understanding the unasked question.  "Do you want to 
see him?"
	Amy hesitated, her mind flashing back to early memory, of her father's 
last lingering days on life support after getting shot in the line of duty.  
Those sickbed images had crowded out happier memories of her father for years.  
"No," she decided.  "I'll stop by when he's stronger.  You'll pass my best 
wishes along to Barb."
	The sympathy that appeared on Tim's face made her almost want to hug him.  
"Of course," he replied.
	They lapsed into a silence that lasted until Filb reappeared from the hall 
a few minutes later.  "I tucked him in and let Barb know he polished off a bacon 
cheeseburger.  She said to tell you that she's gonna need help getting Grayson 
shifted over before the nurse comes around at 3.  I gave him hell for being 
lazy, but he listened to me 'bout as well as he usually does.  You ready t'go, 
Amy?"
	Amy nodded as Filb opened the front door, heading out toward the driveway.  
Filb hesitated, giving Tim a penetrating look.  "Seems to me Spud isn't the only 
one who could use some sleep," he observed.  Then he rested a beefy hand on 
Tim's shoulder for a second before slipping out the door to follow Amy.