Rae knelt on the floor in her room and opened the box in front of her. She had found it in the back of the closet that earlier that morning. In it laid a very delicate gown and, with a small smile, she lifted it from the box.

She stood and turned toward the full-length mirror, holding the gown in front of her. She smiled, running her hands over the fine needlework. It was her wedding dress, a very fine one she found at a shop in Brooklyn...


~*~

Rae and Annie walked into the small dress shop hand in hand.

"Can I help you?" the clerk asked.

Rae smiled, just a bit nervously. "Yes I... I'm getting married.. and I'd like to see what you carried in the way of appropriate dresses."

"You wouldn't happen to be Miss Kelly would you?"

She blinked in surprise. "Why... yes... yes I am."

"An older woman came in here earlier and left a package for you..."

"A package? For... me?" She frowned a little, wondering who it could be from.

The woman reached under the cabinet and placed a large dress box on the counter. Rae gave her a puzzled look. The woman opened the box and pulled out a gown. The fabric was a dull yellow and very delicate.

She gasped. "This... is for me?"

"If you name is Rae Kelly, then this dress is for you."

She gasped. "But... how? Who did this?"

"I've never seen her before and she didn't leave a name..."

Rae frowned. "Odd..."

"Why don't you try it on," the clerk suggested.

"Oh... yes... All right."

The clerk led the to the fitting rooms at the back of the store and helped her slip into the dress. "It's a very lovely color on you, Miss Kelly."

Rae looked at herself in the mirror. "Is that really me..."

The woman smiled. "Beautiful."

"What do you think, Annie?" Rae asked.

"I think ya look real pretty," she said shyly.

~*~

Rae stared at the reflection of the dress again. Looking at it, you could tell that the dress was old. She doubted it would still fit her after having Sam and then the triplets. But she couldn't stand to see it laze about in a box for the rest of her life.

"It's still just as beautiful as the day it was first used."

Rae spun around to see Noelle standing in the doorway. "Noelle!" she gasped. "How did...?"

Noelle merely smiled.

"Was this... yours?"

"Yes, it was, dear. It was given to me by my mother."

"But I don't understand?"

"Some questions are best left unanswered, my dear."

She gave Noelle a slightly puzzled look but nodded.

"Will you save it for your girls?" Noelle asked.

"Yes, of course," Rae said with a firm nod. Rae looked at the dress again. "I think I might send it to Molly...we're about the same size...and she can't afford a nice dress like this..."

Noelle smiled. "That sounds like a wonderful plan." Noelle reached into the box and pulled out a miniature copy of the dress Rae held.

Rae smiled. "Annie's dress."

"I think it would fit Kendra..."

After a moment she nodded. "Yes, it would."

"Would you like me to help you pack them?"

She nodded. "That would be wonderful."

"Why don't you rest dear...and let me do this..."

After a moment she sighed and nodded. "All right." Rae curled up on the small sofa in the room and watched as Noelle lovingly packed the two dresses back in the box.

Rae smiled a bit. "Thank you so much for all you've done for us."

"It's my pleasure, dear."

"Is there anything we can do for you or Nick?"

Noelle smiled at her. "Just let us take care of your family...the way we have been for the past five years..."

After a moment, she nodded. "If that's what you want," she smiled.

Noelle walked over to her and tucked a blanket around Rae. "Nick and I consider you as our family."

She gave a little laugh. "Well, we did intrude on your home." Lizzy began to fuss and Rae moved to pick her up.

Noelle smiled. "You are a good mother," she said, watching Rae pick up the girl.

Rae sighed and held the girl close. "What kind of mother allows her children to be stolen out of her own house?"

"You didn't LET them, Rae." She stroked Rae's hair. "It was out of your control."

"What am I going to do Noelle?"

"You're going to be strong. You're going to conquer this."

~*~

Molly entered the flat she shared with Blank and North a few days later. She was surprised to see Kendra sitting quietly on the couch. "What did you do to her?" she asked North.

"I told her she had to wait for you to open the package that came for you today," North answered.

"Package, for me?" Molly gave her a puzzled look.

North nodded. "I think it's from Pleasant Valley..."

There was only one family that she could think of who lived in Pleasant Valley. But she couldn't fathom what they'd send her.

Kendra looked up and saw Molly. "Can we open it now? Please?"

She laughed. "Yes. Yes we can." Molly walked over to the box and untied the string. Kendra bounced enthusiastically around her. Molly gasped as she opened the box and caught sight of a beautiful gown. "What in the world?" she murmured, running her fingers over the delicate fabric.

"What is it?" Kendra asked, peeking over the edge of the box.

"A dress..." She pulled the note from the box. "My.... my wedding dress..."

"Go try it on," North said, pushing her toward the bedroom.

Molly squeaked nervously. "I might tear it," she said, gently pulling the dress from the box.

"Would you like some help getting into it?"

"Yes..."

North smiled and herded her into the next room. "Was it from Rae and Spot?"

Molly nodded, in somewhat of a daze.

She smiled. "Well, aren't you the lucky one then?"

Molly slipped out of her dress and with the help of North slipped into the gown that Rae had sent.

Carefully, North buttoned up the back. "Oh, it looks beautiful already, and I can only see the back!"

Molly slowly turned around, her eyes closed. "I can't look..."

"Oh you look absolutely beautiful! Look! Go on." North stepped away so she could look in the mirror.

"Is that really me?"

She grinned. "Of course it is!"

Kendra backed into the room, dragging the box with her. "Mommy...you forgot som'thin'..."

"What is it?"

North lifted the box to the bed and reached into it. "It looks like a dress for Kendra..." North smiled, awestruck.

Kendra jumped up. "A dress for me!"

"It looks just like your momma's dress..." North said.

"I wanna wear it!"

"You can try it on...but that's it..." Molly said.

She cheered happily and scampered off to try the dress on. She came back a few minutes later. "Can you help me, Aun' North?"

North smiled. "Of course I can." North helped her into the dress.

All the while, Kendra sang, "I got a new dress, a new dress just for me!"

"Go look in the mirror," North said.

Someone knocked on the door.

Molly headed for the door, but North laid a hand on her arm. "Why don't you change first? I'll get the door."

"Is it Daddy?" Kendra asked. "He promised he would come!"

"Let me see," she said with a laugh. She opened the door and smiled at their visitor. "Hello Chris."

"Daddyyyy!" Kendra shrieked, throwing herself at him.

"Hey there, Short Stuff," he said, scooping her up in his arms.

She giggled. "You came!"

"I promised I would didn't I?"

She clung to him happily.

"That's a pretty little dress you have on there," he said.

"Momma's got...." She said, trailing off when North clamped her hand over Kendra's mouth.

"That's a secret, Kendra!" she said, giving the little girl a look.

Chris smiled. "Oh? A secret?"

"Don't you even start," North said, looking at him.

He simply grinned. "Is Molly about?

"You wait here," North told him, taking Kendra's hand. "Let's get you out of this dress, honey."

"'Kay! See ya in a little bit, Daddy!" And she scampered off with North.

"Is it Chris?" Molly asked, still standing in front of the mirror.

She smiled. "Yes, of course it is."

"I can't reach the buttons on this dress..."

Again, she smiled. "I'll help you."

"Thank you," Molly said, turning around.

"You're welcome."

"Go on," North said once Molly was back in her everyday dress. "I'll change Kendra."

"Okay," she said. "Thank you..." And then she hurried into the main room, where Chris was waiting.

"Hey sweetheart," he said, hugging her.

"I've missed you," she murmured, hugging him.

"I've missed you too," he replied, kissing her forehead.

"So, are you here for Kendra then?

He nodded, holding Molly close. She smiled, wrapping her arms around his waist. Hearing North and Kendra heading back into the main room, he gave Molly a quick kiss.

Immediately, Kendra threw herself at them. "I'm here!"

Chris picked her up again. "Is your stuff all packed?"

She nodded vigorously and North laughed. "It's been packed for two weeks now."

Chris kissed the top of Kendra's head and set her on the couch. "I'm gonna take your Momma out to eat...and then you and I are gonna catch the late train."

"Yay!"

She exclaimed. "Can I go too?"

"You get to go back home with me..."

"But-"

North smiled. "Come on Kendra, they want some time alone. You'll get him all to yourself later today."

"It's still not fair," she pouted.

"Well, I think it's more than fair. Come on, let's make sure we put the rest of your things in your bag."

"Alright," she said, following North into the other room.

Chris laughed a little and held out his arm for Molly. "Shall we?"

She took his arm and smiled. "We shall."

And together they left the tenement.

~*~

Chris stopped Molly from opening the door to the flat. "Wait..." She looked at him curiously. He gently caressed her cheek.

"Must you go?" she asked, softly.

He nodded. "There's still a little work that needs to be done on the cabin."

"When will it be done?"

"Two or three more weeks, at least."

She sighed a little. "That long?"

"I'm working as quickly as I can."

"I know... I'm sorry.."

He tilted her face up and gently kissed her.

She kissed him back softly. "I'll miss you..."

"I'll miss you to sweetheart," he said, running his fingers through her hair.

Kendra flung open the door a minute later. "I'm ready to go Daddy," she said, dragging her carpetbag into the hall.

North came up behind her. "She's been waiting there for the last hour."

Molly let out a little laugh. "Excited, are you? Won't you miss me?"

Kendra threw her arms around Molly's legs. "Yes."

She smiled and ruffled her hair. "Well good... I'll miss you too, munchkin."

Molly bent down and kissed Kendra's forehead. "You be good."

"I will."

"Go say goodbye to Aunt North," Chris said.

"'Kay." She ran over to North and hugged her tightly. "Bye Aunt North!"

"Goodbye, honey," North said, hugging the little girl.

"See ya later!"

North waved as Kendra ran back to Chris.

He took her hand. "Ready to go kiddo?"

"Yep."

"Then let's go!" He leaned over to kiss Molly goodbye. "I'll see you in a few weeks."

She sighed and leaned against the doorframe, watching them leave.

North smiled. "You could always go with them, if you really wanted to. Stay with Spot and Rae, and help with the house."

Molly shook her head. "You need my help."

"Well I hate to keep you from your one true love!"

"It's not just you...Kendra was really looking forward to some time 'alone' with her Daddy."

"All right... You win for now."

Molly turned around. "You go rest, North...I'll fix dinner for you and Andrew."

After a moment, North nodded. "All right."


~*~

Kendra leaned against Chris as the train headed toward Pleasant Valley.

"Tired?" he asked her, giving her a brief squeeze. Kendra's kitten, who was growing bigger everyday until she was almost full grown now, shifted on her lap and gave a lazy yawn as well. "I think Pape is tired too," Chris said with a smile.

Kendra nodded and placed Pape in the box on the seat beside her. "Go to sleep, Pape," she told the kitten. The kitten yawned again, arcing it's little pink tongue out at her and snuggled down for a nap.

Chris lifted Kendra into his lap. "Why don't you get some sleep too, sweetie. We should be back in Pleasant Valley in the morning."

She nodded and yawned as well, snuggling under his arm. "Night night, Daddy."

"Good night, Short Stuff," he said, kissing the top of her head and wrapping his coat around her.

She closed her eyes and was asleep quickly.

He smiled down at her. Who knew he would actually love this little scamp?