A/N: I never understood why Bonnie wouldn't understand not to touch Stanley when he was soaked with possibly radioactive rain, so I made that part Lillie's reaction instead of Bonnie's.

Disclaimer: I own nothing or anyone you recognize. Just playing with them for awhile. No money to be made.

Richmond Ranch 2006

Lillie was sitting on the floor of the storm shelter, playing with her doll. She had been down there several times before during storms. Everything would have been just fine, if her Mommy or Daddy was home, but Aunt Bonnie was there. That was good. She watched Jake suspiciously. She wasn't sure that she liked this 'Uncle Jake' guy. Mommy and Grandma had been happy to see him this morning, but Grandpa and Uncle Eric didn't seem too happy.

She looked up when she heard footsteps in the house. Suddenly everyone was on their feet and Mr. Jimmy and Deputy Kohler had their guns out.

"There's someone in the house," Uncle Jake said to Bonnie.

"Not more prisoners," Miss Emily all but whimpered.

Then someone stepped down into the cellar.

"Daddy!" Lillie shot to her feet and took off to him.

"Bonnie! Frog! Thank God," Stanley said, reaching for her.

Jake managed to catch Lillie around the waist and drag her back.

"Don't touch her, Stanley!" He warned. "The rain may be radioactive."

"What?" Stanley asked.

"The rain could be fallout from Denver," Jake explained, struggling to hold on to Lillie who was yelling and trying to break free.

"Lillie, be quiet," Stanley said. "Bonnie, help Jake."

Bonnie picked Lillie up and rocked her, murmuring to her.

In Town Hall Shelter 2006.

"Come on, Daddy. April said to take your blood pressure again," Missy said, sitting down beside him.

"Sure, Sweetie. Keep it this time so that you don't have to keep coming back," he said holding out his arm.

"Haha. Fuss at her." She pointed at April who had joined them.

"April," Eric walked over to them. "Jake says Stanley's back. He was out in the rain and they need to know what to do."

Missy dropped her stethoscope and stared at him, taking in what he said.

"Really?!" April said, accusingly, casting a pointed glance at Missy, then back to Eric.

"Sorry," he shrugged. He really hadn't seen her there.

"April, Stanley seems okay," Jake's voice crackled over the radio. "He was out in it like 20 minutes."

"It doesn't mean he'll be affected," April said to Missy before taking the radio. "Is he vomiting?"

"No."

"Do you have any iodine?" She asked Jake.

"In the old pie safe in the corner," Missy answered. "I have a medical kit in there."

"Missy says to look in the old pie safe," April relayed. "He needs to take a couple of tablespoons, but it taste vile. Do you have any bread, something he could take with it?"

"We're in the storm cellar," Jake answered. "Just canned peaches and pickles. Ask Missy."

She shook her head. She kept all other food stores in the pantry that was just what wouldn't fit.

"Not the pickles," April said. "Maybe the peaches."

Missy heard Stanley talking in the background, but couldn't understand what he was saying.

"The minute the rain stops, rush him to the clinic," April instructed. She looked down at her sister-in-law and friend. She so didn't want to say this in front of her, but Jake had to know. "And Jake, if Stanley throws up in the next couple of hours, get Lillie and Bonnie out of that room."

"Why?"

"Because if that happens, Stanley is going to die," she said.

Missy dropped her head to say a prayer and felt Johnston's arm around her shoulders.

"It's okay," he said. "Stanley will be fine, okay?"

She nodded, unconvinced.

"The mighty Johnston Green says he has to be," Johnston smiled, trying to ease her fears. "He wouldn't defy a direct order like that. He's still scared I'm going to shoot him."

Missy looked up and smiled. "I think the statute of limitations has expired on that one."

"Never," Johnston shook his head. "He'll understand one day, Lord willing."

"Well, if makes you feel any better, Bonnie is just as boy crazy as I was," Missy smiled.

"A little," Johnston grinned. "Payback and all."

Richmond Ranch 2006

"Stanley is going to die," Aunt April said over the radio.

At that, Lillie tore away from Bonnie and raced to Stanley, only to be caught by Jake again.

She kicked and hit at him.

"Daddy!" she cried. She knew what die meant. Grandpa Green died. That meant he went away and she could never see him again until she went to heaven. Mommy said it was okay because Grandpa Green was a very old man and he had lived a very happy life and that he wouldn't want his Lillie-pad to be sad. But Daddy wasn't old. He couldn't go away.

"Frog, calm down," Stanley said. "It's okay, Sweetheart. It's okay."

But Lillie was past listening. She slumped to the ground, crying then started gasping for air.

"Oh, no," Stanley moaned. "Jake, on her necklace is an inhaler. Lillie, listen to Daddy. Breath, baby."

Five scary minutes and three doses later, Lillie's breathing had slowed considerably with just the occasional gasp. She sat in Jake's lap with a blanket wrapped around her, her arms around his neck as she was dozing off.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked Stanley.

"Asthma. April says she has weak lungs. She may outgrow it. Maybe not. She spent most of last winter in the hospital with bronchitis, pneumonia, allergies, the flu, you name it," he shrugged.

"Why?" Jake asked, looking at his little niece. She was small, but looked otherwise healthy.

"She was born ten weeks early," he said. "We're lucky she's even here. Breathing problems are nothing. Missy tried to find you and tell you in case.., well, in case you needed to come home, but we couldn't reach you. I think that's why she never told you. She was mad that the family couldn't reach you when they needed you."

Jake looked down at the little girl in his lap again, wondering what else he had missed in the almost 5 years he had been gone.

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