Amy watched proudly as Ricky crossed the platform and accepted his diploma with a smile on his face. Amy and Ricky's son sat on Amy's lap in the front row of the audience. John and Amy were both smiling at Ricky. Amy never so proud of him now as he accepted a great honor after four long years of work. But Ricky had been fighting since he was a child from horrible things that happened to him. But eventually Ricky found a stable home with his foster parents Margret and Shakur who were also sitting in the front row cheering on their son. Amy's parents Anne and George were also there along with Amy's siblings Robbie and Ashley. Everyone cheering on the senior class as they graduated from High School and went on to a future of wonderful schools and careers no matter what each of them chose.

An hour after the graduation ceremony Amy, Ricky and John sat at their kitchen table enjoying a quiet family celebratory dinner in honor of Ricky. Amy couldn't keep from smiling at Ricky throughout the meal. She couldn't help but think of how far he had come in the last three years that she had known him. He had become a wonderful father and boyfriend.

"I am so proud of you Ricky." Amy expressed joyfully to Ricky.

"Thanks but you and John are what are important to me. That and building a future together with you. Speaking of the future I have a question for you." Ricky said as he got up from his chair and got down on one knee in front of Amy and pulled out an engagement ring from his pocket and held it up for Amy to see.

Amy gasped in surprise. The ring was just a small diamond. Nothing flashy or big. But it was beautiful to Amy and it was being given with love if she accepted his hand in marriage. Amy started to cry. Tears of great joy just kept coming and wouldn't stop.

"Amy I love you with every beat of my heart. I know it hasn't always been the easiest relashionship. But it's always been worth the effort. I knew I had feelings for you that night at band camp. I know it took me a while to see that but I do. And I wouldn't trade any of the moments with you and John for anything in the world. It would make me very happy if you would accept this engagement ring as a symbol of my love. And one day for me to put a wedding band on your hand and live together as man and wife and love one another until the end. Will you marry me?" Ricky said with tears in his eyes as he poured his heart out to the woman he loved more than any woman he had ever had in his life.

"Yes. Yes I will marry you Ricky. I love you too." Amy told Ricky as she got up from her chair and got down on her knees in front of Ricky. Ricky placed the ring on Amy's left ring finger and it fit perfectly. Ricky than kissed Amy and continued to kiss and hold onto her for a long while until their son John finally started to talk.

"Daddy." John pointed to Ricky as he said it.

"Hey buddy. We didn't forget about you." Ricky told John as he got up and pulled Amy up to a standing position next to him.

"I'll get him cleaned up and put him to bed. I love you." Ricky said and gave Amy a quick kiss on the lips.

"I love you too." Amy told him.

Ricky then picked up John from his booster seat and took him to the kitchen sink to get him cleaned up after dinner. Amy watched as the two men she loved most stood in front of her. Amy sat back down as Ricky got John ready for bed after a long and exciting day. After he was cleaned up and got a bedtime story John fell fast asleep. Ricky then left the room and went back into the kitchen. He found Amy doing dishes. She had already put the leftover dinner away and had cleared the kitchen table. Ricky went up behind her and he put his arms around her waist.

"I think that the cleaning can hold until tomorrow." Ricky told Amy as she turned around to face him.

Ricky pulled Amy closer to him and began kissing her. Amy kissed Ricky back with a deep passion and love. The two of them left the kitchen and went into the living room. Where they showed their love for one another by becoming one in a night of great passion and deep love for one another. And later Amy snuggled closer to Ricky for warmth and comfort. Amy fell asleep finally long after Ricky had. But the joy and hope for the future filled mind with so much that she could hardly sleep until the exhaustion from the day finally overcame her.

The next morning Amy woke in the dark hours of the early morning. She got up and went in to check on her son John like she did every morning. She walked over to John's bed. He lay so still and quiet that it scared Amy. Amy went over to John and felt that his chest was moving up and down. But then she felt his forehead and he was extremely warm to the touch. In fact his entire body felt on fire. Amy picked John up and ran into the other room where Ricky was still asleep.

"Ricky. Ricky wake up. Somethings wrong with John." Amy cried as she held her son in her arms. She knew he was too still, too quiet. John was generally a bundle of energy in the morning. Every instinct told Amy that he was sick, really sick.

Ricky jumped out of bed and got to Amy's side in the same instant it seemed. He put his hand to John's and felt his forehead. John was very hot to the touch. Ricky ran out of the room and grabbed the thermomitor and he placed in John's mouth. It read 103. Ricky immediatly knew he had to take his son to the hospital.

"How high is his fever?" Amy asked in a panic.

"103. We're taking him to the hospital now." Ricky said as he ran around grabbing keys and wallet and throwing a few of John's things in a bag.
Amy held onto John as Ricky took him from her and placed him gently in his car seat. Amy then jumped in next to her son and buckled him in as Ricky jumped into the drivers seat and started the car. Then he drove as fast as he could.

It seemed like it had been hours since they brought John in. No one was telling Ricky or Amy anything. They just held one another in the waiting room as they hoped someone would tell them soon what was happening with their son. They had taken John as soon as they arrived and took him in back. Then they had both filled out forms and signed all kinds of sheets it seemed. But still no word on how their son was doing.

Finally after what seemed like forever a doctor came out and called their names. Amy and Ricky got up and held onto one another as they finally got word on what was going on.

"Ms. Juergens and Mr. Underwood I am Dr. Thomas. I have been treating your son John when he came in a few hours ago. The good news is we were able to get your sons fever under control but some of his tests that we did are coming back as unusual. We would like to run some more tests and do a thorough exam and get a complete history. Its important that we figure out whats causing these symptoms and get to the bottom of this. I know this can be scary to hear but we are going to do everything to give John the best care possible." Dr. Thomas told them.

Amy felt her legs start to give way but Ricky held onto her and held her up. He could see the fear in Amy's eyes. It was the same fear that he could feel in his heart as the doctor said every word about their sons health. Both knew that was the last thing either of them wanted to hear.

"Do what you have to do to get our son well." Amy finally found her voice and told the doctor.

"We are I can promise you that. Just hang in there we will keep you updated. The nurse will be back within the hour to take you back to see John." Dr. Thomas said as he turned to go back to taking care of their son.

"Ricky if anything happens to John... I don't think I can handle it. Oh God why is this happening to us?" Amy said as she cried into Ricky's shoulder as he embraced her.

"Amy there doing everything they can to get John well. We have to be strong for him. He needs us to be there. We will get through this somehow someway. I promise you and I will be right here with you through all of it." Ricky said as he held Amy as she cried tears of fear and of the unknown all the while Ricky silently cried deep inside from the same fear that she felt. He knew that life was fragile and all it took was one moment and everything could change.