A/N: Last chapter, guys! Thanks so much for the support!

On the off chance that the guest who left the long review on the last chapter changed their mind and is reading this chapter, I want to say something. I'm not going to address your review point by point, I just want to tell you that I really appreciate you leaving such a detailed review about the problems you had with the story. It doesn't bother me that you posted an 'unpopular' opinion, but you did it with respect and that makes me respect you. Seriously, thank you.

I will say this. I actually don't think that Sam would treat his kids like this. On that I agree with you. But that's the great thing about fanfiction-you can take your favorite characters and explore different sides of them. I think Sam would be more of the father he was in my story New Life, New Family. But again, I appreciate you leaving such a detailed review. I hope, eventually, you decide to come back, but if not, I respect that too.

Warning-there isn't a happy ending to this story. Abby does come home, but the relationship between her and Sam begins the deterioration it has in Fridays in May.

"Well, Miss Abby, I have good news for you." Dr. Hart said as he walked into the room.

Abby looked up from her game, excited. "What is it?"

"I can't promise, but if you don't get any worse, I'm gonna send you home tomorrow."

Jess grabbed Abby into a relieved hug, and Abby's face lit up in a smile. It was Thursday, two weeks and five days after Abby had first gotten sick. She had a lingering low grade fever of 99.8. She still looked slightly pale, and was tired more often than energetic. But her appetite was returning, and she was eager to get out of bed and walk around, play, or just be involved in whatever her family was doing.

"Is she really ready to go home?" Jess asked.

"Yeah. I'm gonna give you a prescription for an antibiotic for seven days."

"I gotta take more medicine?" Abby pouted.

"A little more, sweetie. It'll help make sure that all the bad germs that made you sick are completely gone." Dr. Hart explained.

"Is there anything else I need to do?" Jess asked.

"I want you to make sure to take her to her doctor once the antibiotics are gone. He needs to give her a full once over. Assuming she gets a clean bill of health from him, you should be out of the woods."

The next day, around lunchtime, Jess was walking out of the hospital with Abby, who, with the exception of her trips to the garden in the pediatric floor, hadn't been outdoors in nearly two weeks. She actually asked Jess whether they could walk home, but her mother convinced her to get in the car with the promise that they'd eat dinner in the backyard that night. Abby wondered why the rest of the family didn't come to take her home when they'd been there the whole week. Jess had to resist the urge to smile, and promised Abby that she'd see everyone that night. Finally, they pulled up to the house, and Abby eagerly grabbed the door as soon as the car was turned off and started to run inside.

"Wait!"

Abby stopped and turned to her mother. "Mommy, I want to go home!"

"We are home. But there's a surprise inside for you."

"A surprise?" Abby asked. "What is it?"

"If I told you…" Jess said, shutting her car door and walking over to pick up Abby, "it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?"

"Should I close my eyes?" Abby asked.

"I think that would be a great idea." Jess said.

Abby closed her eyes tightly and bounced slightly on her mother's hip as Jess walked up the front steps into the house. She opened the door slightly and put her fingers to her lips.

"Alright, sweetie. On the count of three, okay? 1, 2, 3…"

"SURPRISE!"

Abby squealed and buried her face in Jess's neck, before reaching over for her grandfather, who was closest to her. The party had Abby laughing and playing much more than in the previous weeks, but around eight, when Jess noticed she was getting slightly out of breath, she decided to start bringing everything to a close.

"Okay, everyone. I see two sleepy little girls that need to start getting ready for bed."

"Aww!" Abby and Kelsey groaned together.

"Please, mommy. Just a little longer." Abby said.

"Nope. Bedtime." Jess said. "Kiss Papa and uncle Dean goodnight."

"But what if Papa's leaving again?" Abby asked, desperate to not have to go to bed.

"I'm not, princess." John said. "I'm not working on the road anymore. I'll start being around a lot more now."

"Really?"

"Really. I'm living with uncle Dean now; you'll see me as much as you do him." John promised.

"That's the best surprise ever!" Abby exclaimed.

"It is pretty great, kiddo." John said. "But your mommy's right. It is bedtime. Can I have a kiss goodnight?"

It took a little more prodding on the part of both her parents, but finally both girls were lying in bed. Sam, unable to sleep, got up later that night to walk around and try to cure his restlessness. He poked his head in to check on both girls, and was surprised to find Abby sitting up in bed.

"Abby, you're supposed to be asleep, baby."

"I tried, Daddy. Can't sleep." Abby said, sitting up in bed and looking at her father with glazed over eyes.

"Oh, honey, come here." Sam sat down next to her on the bed and started to rub her back. Then he spotted it. The video game Dean had given her, sitting in her bed, still turned on. "Abby, that's why you can't sleep. You're playing games."

"I was practicing my letters." Abby protested.

"We can practice together when I get home from work tomorrow." Sam said, reaching over and taking the game from Abby.

"Daddy, don't take it, please. I'm sorry, I'll put it away."

"No, I will put it away. You've lost it for tomorrow because I told you to go to bed and you didn't listen. After that, it needs to be given to me or mommy before you go to bed. Understand?" Sam asked.

"Please don't, Daddy. I want to show you I can do it." Abby begged again.

"I said no, Abigail."

Abby stopped and turned away from Sam. Daddy meant business when he called her Abigail. She didn't understand why Daddy was so mad. He was always trying to make her do stuff to help her learn her letters and numbers. She thought most of it was boring. But the game that uncle Dean had gotten for her made it easy for her to learn, and she felt good about herself finally being able to get something that everyone else seemed to get faster than she did. But she didn't know how to explain all this to Daddy, and he was too mad to listen to her now anyway.

"Abby, come on. Let's go to bed, sweetie."

"I'll put myself to sleep." Abby said, trying not to cry in front of him.

Sam was a little taken aback by her sudden attitude, but figured it was because she was sick and tired. It never crossed his mind that he might have hurt her feelings. Sam stood up, kissed her goodnight, and headed towards his own room, falling asleep long before Abby did.