Finally a nurse walked into the waiting room and called their names. Ricky helped Amy got up to her feet. She looked exhausted from the long morning in the emergency room that had turned into the afternoon.

"My name is Allie. I have been taking care of your son. He's stable now. I am going to take you back to see him if you would both please just follow me."

"Thank you for taking care of our son." Amy told the nurse as she and Ricky followed her down a long hallway that never seemed to end until finally she stopped in front of a room and went in.

Amy took a deep breath and followed Ricky into the hospital room. Amy looked horrified as she saw her small son hooked up to machines and needles. It was extremely hard to see John so small and helpless and hooked up to frightning machines. Ricky squeezed Amy's hand as he felt her gasp when they saw John for the first time. It took him off guard as well but he was trying to stay strong for Amy, and for John. But deep inside he could feel himself falling apart at the sight of John so helpless and so vulnerable.

"You can bring the railing down of the crib and you can hold his hand and touch him. Just don't pick him up. There might be a few of our medical personnel coming in from time to time to do some more test or to check on his progress. I'll be back in a while to check up on you." Allie said as she recorded some information on John's chart and then quietly left the room to give Amy and Ricky time with their son.

Amy took a seat next to John's crib. She touched his hand and kissed his forehead. He was fast asleep. He felt much cooler to the touch than he had several hours before.

"John, honey it's mommy and daddy. We love you so much. John we just want you to get well." Amy told her son as she felt Ricky's hands on her shoulders.

"That's right buddy. We're right here and were not going anywhere until your all better." Ricky said as he gave Amy's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"We should call our families and let them know what's going on so that they don't hear from someone else. I don't want to leave him though." Amy said out loud.

"I'll call them and let the know. Be right back in a few minutes. I love you Amy." Ricky said as he left the hospital room and went out to the waiting room to make a few calls that he didn't really want to make either. He didn't want to leave John but he knew that Amy would never forgive herself if something happened to John and she wasn't near him.

Ricky pulled out his cell phone and opened up his contacts and scrolled down until he found Amy's parents numbers. He called her mother's cell phone first. It rang for a few times until he heard someone pick up.

"Hello?" Anne answered.

"Hi this is Ricky."

"Hey Ricky. Did you or Amy need something?" Anne asked him.

"Theres no easy way to say this. John had a very high fever this morning and Amy and I brought him into the emergency room. They were able to get his fever down and they said he's stable but some of the tests they did came back abnormal. The doctor said they want to do more tests to see whats going on. Amy wanted me to call and let everyone know what was going on so you didn't worry if you didn't hear from us." Ricky said in as calm a voice as possible.

"How is Amy holding up? How are you doing? Is there anything that we can do?" Anne asked several question quickly.

Ricky could tell she was worried and scared.

"Can you let George and my parents know. I want to get back up to John and Amy. If you I will text you my parents phone number. We are hanging in there but Amy is really worried. She's trying to be strong but I can tell she is afraid of what the doctors might find. I know that I am. I'll keep you updated as soon as we know anything more than we do now. And if you please also keep my parents and everyone in your family updated it would be a big help to Amy and me." Ricky said nervously as he checked the time on the clock in the waiting room.

"Of course I can call George and your parents. I"ll let them know as soon as I get off the phone with you. Thank you for being there for my daughter and my grandson Ricky. I know that I really appreciate and so does Amy. Please let me know if there is anything else that I can do to help." Anne told Ricky.

"I will and thank you. I got to go though. I'll text you their number in the next few minutes. Bye." Ricky said quickly.

"Bye." Anne replied.

Ricky hung up the phone and then opened a new text message and forwarded that information to Amy's mother. Ricky then walked briskly back to John's room. He found Amy sitting next ot the crib. Her head on the pillow next to John. She had fallen asleep. She had John's hand held in her own. A bond that anyone could see was very deep between mother and son. He knew Amy would give her life for John if it came down to it. He took a seat in the chair in the corner of the hospital room and he watched Amy and John as they both slept for a while.

Later on in the evening Dr. Thomas stopped in to check on John and update his parents on his condition.

"Ms. Juergens and Mr. Underwood if I could speak with you for a moment in private about your son." Dr. Thomas asked.

Amy and Ricky both stood up and followed the doctor down the hall to a small family room. The three of them took a seat on the two sofas in the room. Ricky held Amy's hand as they prepared for news of their sons condition. But nothing would prepare them for what they were about to here. It was the last thing that they expected.

"We done several tests and we got a complete history and exam. John is showing signs of acute leukemia. It often presents quickly with almost no warning signs. Your son is very lucky that we caught it early enough that he will do very well with treatment. The odds are in his favor for John to make a complete recovery in the future. I know hearing your child has cancer is very scary but medicine has made wonderful advances for treatment of all kinds of cancers and illnesses. I believe John is strong and will respond well to treatment. If you have questions I can answer them for you. "

"So your saying that you believe that John will have a normal healthy life?" Ricky asked Dr. Thomas.

"I am very hopeful that yes he will have a healthy life. But it is very important that we begin treatment immediatly. Otherwise leukemia is a very aggressive cancer that left untreated and undetected can spread throughout the blood cells and into the bone marrow. John is lucky though he is still in the very early stages. We have an oncologist Dr. Howard coming from Texas. He is one of the best in his field. Once he arrives we will decide the best treatment for John. Until then we want John to rest and continue to monitor his condition to make sure we have the infection under control. Do you have any other questions that I can answer for you?"

"What are the odds he won't make it through treatment and survive?" Amy asked with tears running down her face. She couldn't bare to hear John and cancer and treatment all in the same sentence. She didn't want her son to have to face any of this.

"Ms. Juergens I understand your scared for John. Any parent would be considering the circumstances. But I really and truly believe that John will do well and will continue to have a healthy and wonderful life once he is fully recovered and in remission. Can I give you a complete certainty that he will pull through? No that I can't give you. But I can give you my best judgement that I believe using my medical training and John's condition. I promise we are all continuing to do everything that we can for John. And I promise that I will be straight with you about everything with your son. I have to be getting back though. If there aren't anymore questions that I can answer for you now?" Dr. Thomas asked Amy and Ricky.

They both shook their heads no. Cause neither of them could get over the shock of what they had just been told about their son John's current condition. It only took one day for their whole lives to turn upside down completely. Neither of them felt ready to handle what was thrust upon them just now. But they knew they would have to someway somehow for John.

"Alright. Once Dr. Howard has arrived we will go over all of John's test results, and we will make a plan for his treatment. I know this is hard for you both but please know that John is in good hands and he is where he should be and we are doing everything to get him well. " Dr. Thomas tried to reassure them but he felt like no matter what he said it wouldn't have any affect on either of them. He turned and left the room quietly leaving Amy and Ricky holding one another and trying to process what he had just told them.

"Ricky I can't take this. I don't care what the doctor says I can't stop worrying. That's my son up there. My two year old son who is so small and helpless. Why is this happening to him, to us? I don't think I can handle this. I just want to grab John and take him away from all of this. But that won't help John it would only make him worse. How do parents get through something like this. I can't stop thinking about all the treatments and tests that John will have to go through. Oh God Ricky I don't know what to do or how to handle this." Amy began talking fast with tears pouring down her face. She was in a complete state of shock and fear.

"I don't know Amy, but we have to for John. He needs us to be stong and be there for him. That's all you and I can do for him. That and let the doctors do what they think is best for him to get well. I know the thought of him being in the hospital and having tests done isn't what anyone wants but it's the best place that John has a fighting chance against the illness that's causing his own body to fight itself. But we will get through this. And I will be right there next to you the entire time. I promise you." Ricky told Amy as he held her as they both held onto one another. Amy couldn't stop her tears and Ricky fought to hold his back. Both unsure of the future that way yet to come.