Sorry about delay in posting this part - FFN was NOT cooperating and it took forever for them to figure out they had a 'issue' with their programs. Suis

Part Ten - Good Morning

Gareth looked at the travel clock he'd placed on the bedside stand when he felt Cat jostle the bed as she slowly climbed out of it. Rolling over, he glared at her in the semi-darkness of pre-dawn hour. "Damn, woman, it's just past zero-five-hundred hours, what are you doing up already? CeeJay's not going anywhere and visiting hours don't start until eight."

"Like that matters. You know it takes me a while to get moving in the mornings... and after what I put my body through yesterday - I do NOT want to hear it from you - I need a little extra wind-up time."

Gareth held up his hands in surrender. "Can I at least get something to eat?"

"I checked with the nurses yesterday, the cafeteria does a fine breakfast."

"Does it have a shower too?"

"Smart ass. You know better."

"Am I allowed to change my clothes?" Gareth threw the covers back and, after climbing out on his side of the mattress, went around to her side and helped his wife steady herself as she fought to straighten her spine.

"Please, do. Lord knows I'm going to change the minute I can move more than a few feet at a time."

Gareth wrapped his arms around his wife and pulled her close. "He'll be just fine. Remember what Dr. Mosely said okay? Please?"

Her arms snaked around his waist and held on tight. "I keep telling myself that, I do. However, part of me keeps screaming that I nearly lost my little boy. Not listening to that loud voice is not easy."

"I know, babe, I know. But you can only do so much."

She leaned into his shoulder, "I know ... but ... is it terrible of me to wish he'd already married and given us a grandchild or two BEFORE something like this happened?"

He laughed. "No, it's not so terrible but look at it this way. Would you want him doing this to his wife and children?"

"No." She untangled herself from her husband's embrace and managed to stand up. "Let's get moving, old fart. Our son is waiting for us and--" she cocked her head as his tummy rumbled "--someone needs to be fed."

"I thought you were going to wait to eat at the hospital." Gareth said, not able to resist the opening his wife just handed him.

"I was, I'm not sure your stomach can." She started to strip out of the oversized tee-shirt she used as sleepwear. "You know how grouchy you are if you don't at least get a cup or two of very strong coffee in you before 8 AM."

He grinned.

"Any idea of how we're getting to the hospital?"

"Cab. I don't want to infringe on the Eppes' hospitality any more than we have to." She tossed the shirt at him as she reached for a fresh - and smaller - tee from her bag. "And later this morning, see if you can arrange for a rental? I'm sure the agencies in the area will do drop-off service."

Gareth nodded. "Although the idea of driving in L.A. is not something I'd do willingly."

"Nor I. But I don't want to rely on the kindness of others the entire time we're here."

Gareth stood and kissed Cat on the cheek. "You've got a point, babe. I'm going to take a shower."

After getting dressed, Cat made her slow way down stairs, her VERY slow way downstairs. Between the unfamiliar bed and her worry about Colby, she had gotten next to no sleep, which had sent her back into a tango crossed with the mamba. She came into the kitchen, intent on finding a coffee pot so she could make some coffee for Gareth. When she saw Alan seated at the kitchen table, dressed for the day, she stumbled to a stop, unsure of what to do next.

"Oh, good morning, Cat. I thought I heard you and Gigi moving around upstairs but I didn't want to intrude." Alan stood when Cat came into the room, the newspaper, coffee cup and the remains of breakfast laid out before him.

"Alan... I hope we didn't wake you." Cat said.

"Not at all. I used to get up at this hour so I could make it to work on time. Force of habit now. May I get you something to drink? Coffee? Water? Some breakfast?"

Cat nodded. "Water for now." She rattled a pill bottle in her left hand. "Coffee later after I swallow my pharmacopia."

Alan retrieved a glass from the kitchen cabinet, filled it with water and set it in front of her.

"Gareth is taking a shower. He'll be down shortly." Cat finished taking her morning dosage of pills. "Alan, I can't thank you enough for letting us stay here."

"Cat...Catherine, I meant what I said last night. Colby may not be mine but he is very special to me and my family. Charlie would take it as a personal offense if you weren't staying here."

"I appreciate that. However, as soon as we know the rental places are open, Gigi's going to arrange for a car. This morning, and I don't want to hear you protest, we'll take a cab to the hospital."

Alan started to say something but stopped and looked at her. "I'm not going to win this one am I?"

She leaned across the table and patted him on the arm. "Your wife trained you well."

Alan smiled. "You would have liked Margaret. You two would have gotten along just fine. At least let me let me take care of the rental car, all right? As far as calling around and getting one sent over."

"Alan..." She stopped when he just stared at her. "Fine. I appreciate it." She heard movement on the stairs and raised an eyebrow. "That's too light a tread to be Gareth, or your son--"

Alan cleared his throat, a smile hovering at his lips. "You would be correct. Good morning, Amita."

"Mister Eppes! I didn't think…I mean..." The young woman stumbled to a stop.

Cat looked at her and the way she was blushing. "Well, I doubt you're Alan's paramour ... so, just guessing...You must be Charlie's?" Amita looked at Cat and nodded. "Good for you. But sneaking out of a house at oh-dark-thirty is not the way to make a good impression on a potential future father-in-law."

If it was possible Amita blushed even further.

Alan bit his tongue and tried not to laugh. "It's all right Cat. Amita, this is Catherine Granger, Agent Granger's mother? She and her husband are staying here while he recovers."

"Ah, the brilliant and beautiful Amita Ramanujan." Cat held out a hand to the baffled young woman. "Colby's told me about you. Forgive me for being rude...it's a habit mothers of young men get into rather fast when they hit their teen years."

Startled, Amita laughed and held out her hand. "It's a pleasure, Mrs. Granger. I hope Colby gets better soon. I never thought he was..." She stopped talking when she realized what she had almost said.

"It's all right...I've quit badgering people about it. I know what my son is and isn't."

Amita nodded. "You just know don't you?" She looked at Alan. "I'm going to go now. If you wouldn't mind, could you tell Charlie there's a breakfast faculty meeting this morning at eight? Thank you." And out the back door she went.

"She seems like a very self-posessed young woman." Cat gestured after her.

"She is a delightful and charming woman and I am more than happy that she and Charlie are..." he paused "what's the phrase nowadays? An item. She thinks I'm going to bite though." He grinned.

"You're the father of the man she's...sleeping with. Of course she thinks you're going to bite."

Alan shook his head. "It was never this bad when Margaret and I were dating. Of course, I didn't sneak out of her father's house at 5 a.m. either. I don't think I'd be sitting here, if I had. I left at 4."

Cat laughed. "The younger generations tend to 'forget' it was our generation that started free love...it would shock them to no end if they knew the kind of capers our generation used to get up to. I wasn't so reserved ... I was a bit more rebellious, I think. However, Gigi was the first and the last." Cat sipped her coffee then set the mug back down. "Free love – it's never free. Our first was born less than 8 months after we married."

Alan quirked an eyebrow. "Shot gun wedding?"

"Only if you counted the one in my hands." She grinned.

That got a real laugh out of Alan. "You've got four boys?"

"Well, I had hoped for a girl, but I'm very happy with what God gave me and Gareth."

"Yes, I am extremely grateful what He granted myself and Margaret. We have no regrets." He paused, fiddled with his coffee mug, and then looked at Cat again. "Feel free to tell me none of my business but..."

"Alan - you can ask me anything."

"How did your boys handle the news? About Colby being…" He did not finish that sentence. "It was devastating to Donnie and Charlie. I can't even begin to imagine what it was like for your family."

"Lars, the eldest, had the easier time of it, I think. He just told his boss and staff that there was a mistake, that it might take a while but it would be cleared up." She sighed. "Cliffton and Cody, however, had a much harder time of it."

Alan nodded. "One works for the Bureau in D.C. and the other is in the Navy? That right?"

"Yes. Cliff is the Navy man. He apparently spent a night in the ship's brig after busting the chops of some fellow crewmembers that dared question his little brother's loyalty. As for Cody ... He avoided fisticuffs, but only barely."

Another nod. "I never believed a word of it. I just couldn't. That was not the man I had met. Charlie ... I thought he was going to hide in the garage again, long story, and Donnie--" Alan shook his head. "He knew there was something off, he knew it, he just couldn't figure it out. He did in the end though with Charlie's help. Nothing makes me happier than watching them work together. Their mother would be very, very proud of them."

"You should be as well. I'm not sure what exactly it was that made Don decide to go after my son, I've not had the full briefing, and I doubt I'll ever get it, but I am forever thankful he did." She shook her head, "Of course, after what I dropped on his head last night, Don may never forgive himself."

Alan tilted his head to one side. "He did look a little shell shocked. But he'll work through it, he always does."

"I hope so, he's a good man." Cat's head went up as another set of footsteps sounded out in the living area. "Now that's tread I recognize."

"Morning, Gigi." Alan called out.

"Morning, Alan. Still an early riser I see--" Gareth stopped speaking as he entered the kitchen and saw the spread on the table. "You must have gotten up earlier than your usual to have this prepared already."

Alan shrugged and winked at Cat. "Maybe, maybe not. I know what I would be thinking if Donnie was in the hospital and it wouldn't be eating breakfast." He held up the coffee pot. "Coffee?"

"Yes, thank you." Gareth leaned over Cat and dropped a kiss on top of her head. "Did you try to shock another Eppes, Cat?"

"No, Alan's a bit harder nut to crack than his son."

Alan snorted. "I've had plenty of practice. Dare I ask if either of you slept well?"

"I am pretty sure Cat didn't, even if she won't admit it." Gareth said.

"And I'm pretty sure that if Gigi knows that, he didn't either." Cat replied.

"Guilty." Gareth took a huge swig from the coffee mug Alan handed him. "But at least I can catch a nap anywhere."

"As long as you don't snore." Cat said.

"I promise I will try not to snore." Gareth looked over at Alan. "Alan, before I get sidetracked, what taxi company would be the best one to use from here to the hospital?"

Alan thought for a moment. "'Glendale Livery.' Cat and I worked it out that if you took a cab this morning, I'd work on getting you a rental car for the rest of your stay here. Cat took me firmly in hand and told me how things were going to be." Alan deadpanned.

"I would argue, but if Cat and you have worked things out, I won't beleaguer the point." Gareth looked over at Cat. "You already take your morning round, dear?"

"Yes. I was just waiting for you to see if you wanted to take the time to honor Alan's hospitality by helping him not waste food or..."

"Dang it woman, you were the one who wanted to leave ASAP." Gareth groused.

"Yeah, well, I'm am - as you pointed out - a woman and you know how we women are." Her grin was wicked as she teased her husband, then the smile faded. "But I do want to get back to CeeJay as soon as we can."

Alan stood. "If you could hang on for just a moment." He went into the pantry and came back out with an empty plastic container and some plastic cutlery. He scooped a little bit of everything into it, shut the lid and handed it to Gareth. "I'll call the cab company for you." He looked at Cat. "Colby's a good man. He'll get through this. You all will." He left the room to call the cab and give the Grangers a little privacy.

Cat watched Alan leave the room and shook her head. "CeeJay did find a surrogate family here, didn't he, Gigi?"

Gareth nodded. "I told you he had, you just weren't listening."

"Yeah, well," She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "I was more than a little upset back when you brought him home before and now...do you blame me for not exactly listening?"

Gareth shook his head and held out a hand to his wife. "Come on, dear. If we don't go now, the hospital might disappear in the next 45 minutes."

"Yes, love." She grasped his hand and, with a little effort, got to her feet. "Maybe by the time we get there, the Darvon will have taken effect and I won't look like my mother walking the halls."

Gareth laughed. "That would certainly surprise CeeJay, now wouldn't it?"

"Yes, it would." She paused in the living room and, with a little effort, found where she had laid her purse, more of a small back pack actually, and then turned back to find Alan waving at someone through the open front door.

"Your cab awaits." he said.

Gareth carried their breakfast out to the cab while Cat reached up and surprised Alan with a peck on the cheek. "Thank you, Alan. For everything. I'll have Gigi call you - or Charlie - if we're going to be too late."

Alan smiled. "I'll leave a light on for you." He hugged her gently. "Tell Colby that I'll be by later."

"I will." She walked out the front door to where the cab waited and, with a little help from Gareth, managed to get into the back seat without too much difficulty. Then her thoughts once more focused in on her son, willing him to be better than when she saw him last night when he - her youngest child - had guilted her into leaving his side.