Hey Peeps!

so don't get too used to this update-every-day thing; I am TOTALLY using this story to avoid my anxiety about finishing school right now! But obviously can't do that indefinitely. So, just enjoy while it lasts I guess. And thanx for all the groovy feedback!

Into the Morning

Chapter 14

By JewWitch

"Honey, we're home!" Ashley was in the kitchen cutting up carrot sticks for Ella when Spencer's voice echoed down the hallway, and Jackson came galloping into the kitchen, dropping his backpack and coat on the floor as he made his way to the fridge at top speed.

"Hey buddy, aren't you forgetting something?" she asked pointedly, raising one eyebrow at the mess on the floor. Jackson rolled his eyes, but abandoned his snack-quest long enough to pick up his stuff and hang it over a chair by the counter. "Thank you," she said graciously, going over to the little boy and kissing his head as he rooted around in the fridge. "How's the cold today?" She slipped her hand down over his forehead to check his temperature, though he was obviously feeling better if the pile of snacks in his arms was any indicator.

"Eh," he shrugged. "I'm okay." Shutting the fridge, he hoisted his assortment of yogurt, string cheese, and apples more securely in his arms, and made for the living room.

"Take these to your sister, will you?" Ashley placed the cup of carrot sticks on top of the pile, receiving another eye roll in return. He was just leaving the room when Spencer appeared from the front hall, looking exhausted. "Hi bunny," Ashley grinned warmly. "You look wiped. Bad day for mental health in Los Angeles?"

"I'd rate it about a 9.5 on the crazy-o-meter," Spencer smiled sardonically, collapsing into a chair at the counter. "The freaking holidays just make everybody so neurotic! Thank God I'm off till after Christmas." They smiled at each other, and Ashley came around the counter, leaning over her growing stomach to give Spencer a kiss.

"No, don't kiss me," Spencer squeaked, leaning back in her chair. "I think I'm getting Jack's cold."

"Jeez, why not just stick with the old standby, 'not now, honey, I've got a headache'?" Ashley scowled, crossing her arms sulkily and leaning against the counter.

"Ash! I'm just trying to protect you and the baby." Spencer slipped a hand out, and gently rubbed Ashley's slightly rounded tummy.

"I didn't realize we were both in such dire danger from the common cold," Ashley grumbled, still pouting, and refusing to meet Spencer's eyes.

"Baby, come on. When I was pregnant with Jackie and you got the flu, you slept on the couch for a week."

"Well, the flu can cause serious pregnancy complications," Ashley grumbled, still staring determinedly at the floor.

"Which is why I'd already had a flu shot, and couldn't catch it anyway."

"So you're saying I was being as dumb then as you are now?" Ashley asked, finally looking up with a little smirk. Spencer sighed, and found herself smirking unwillingly back.

"Oh, come here…" Beaming, Ashley wrapped her arms around Spencer's neck and kissed her thoroughly.

"That's what I'm talking about," Ashley murmured playfully. Spencer snickered, then turned her head away from Ashley and sneezed into her hands. "Aw, bless you honey." Ashley reached out and felt Spencer's forehead, just as she had done with Jackson a moment ago.

"I don't have a fever, Ash, it's just a cold." Spencer sniffed, pulling a tissue out of her pocket to wipe her nose.

"Well you're still getting O.J. with dinner," Ashley frowned, satisfied for the moment with her forehead-check, but still inspecting her wife's face closely. "I don't want you sick for Christmas."

"Me neither," Spencer shrugged, yawning. Ashley ran a hand through the golden-blond hair beside her, and planted a soft kiss on her temple.

"Mommmmmy!" Jackson's cranky voice floated down the hall. "Elly's got boogers all over her face, and we're all out of Kleenex!" They looked at each other and sighed.

"I got this, Spence. Why don't you go catch a cat nap? I'll call you when dinner's ready."

"Yeah, that sounds good…you are so in your nesting phase right now," Spencer grinned sleepily, rubbing Ashley's stomach with her Kleenex-free hand. "Mommy takes such good care of us, doesn't she?" She playfully addressed her unborn child.

"Okay, get out of here," Ashley laughed, swatting Spencer on the butt as she slipped off her stool.

"Love you," Spencer murmured, turning her head for one last kiss before she left the room.

"Love you too," Ashley winked. Sighing happily, she turned and unzipped Jackson's backpack, preparing to separate homework from discarded lunch items and gym clothes. She heard Spencer sneeze again on her way up the stairs.

"Jackie, homework time in fifteen minutes!" She called, dumping everything out on the kitchen counter. On top of the pile was a notice printed on bright pink paper, always a sign of something that needed a parent's attention. As she pulled it toward her, the words MEDICAL ALERT FOR ALL VALLEY VIEW FAMILIES jumped out from the top of the page. For a few moments she stood there frozen, her eyes going over the words several times without really taking them in. A stab of dizziness made her realize she hadn't taken a breath since she started reading, and she gasped, sitting down heavily in the chair Spencer had just vacated. For a moment she just sat there trembling; then she grabbed the phone.

"Hello, I need to speak to Dr. Carlin immediately…this is her daughter-in-law Ashley. Yes, it's a family emergency." Those weren't words that Ashley used lightly, and when Paula's voice came on a moment later, she sounded almost as freaked as Ashley felt.

"Ashley? What's wrong?"

"Have you ever heard of something called…" she looked back at the pink sheet. "Fifth disease?"

"Oh." Paula's sigh of relief made Ashley's heart unclench slightly. "Honey, that's nothing to worry about. It's a mild childhood virus, basically just a cold with a scary-looking rash, and it almost never leads to complications. Do the kids have it?"

"I don't know…maybe," Ashley frowned, re-reading the notice again. "There's this note from Jack's school, and it says there's been an outbreak of Fifth disease in his class, and to look for a bright red rash like slapped cheeks. It also has a pregnancy warning." Ashley was on the brink of hyperventilating at this point.

"Ashley, honey, I want you to calm down." Paula's voice was even and reassuring on the other end of the phone, but Ashley's heart still hammered in her chest, her free hand cradling her stomach as if to protect the baby from some invisible threat. "There is a small chance of complications for the baby if you catch it, but the odds of that are pretty slim. You might've had it when you were young and not known it, in which case you'd be immune now; and anyway, do either of the kids have a rash?"

"No, but Jack's had a cold all week, and now Spencer has it, and I think Ella too. The note says it starts with cold-like symptoms."

"Or they might just have a cold," Paula reminded her sensibly. "How long has Jack been sick?"

"Um…four days," Ashley said, closing her eyes as she counted back in her head.

"All right. If it's Fifth's, you'll see a bright red rash on the kids' cheeks within a week. In the meantime, you should come in for a blood test; that way we can find out if you've been exposed, or if you're already immune. Then you can stop worrying."

"What about Spence? She could have it, too."

"It's a very mild virus, Ashley," Paula reminded her again. "The only one with any real chance of complications is you."

"Oh, great, that's exactly what I wanted to hear…" Ashley's heart felt like it was leaping up into her throat with every beat.

"In all likelihood, you and the baby are going to be just fine, sweetheart, I promise you. Even if you do catch it, there's about a 90% chance that everything will be normal."

"And the other 10%?" Ashley demanded.

"The other 10% is the chance of miscarriage," Paula admitted.

"Um, okay…I think I'm gonna pass out…"

"Sit down and breathe, for God's sake. Is Spencer there with you?"

"Upstairs, taking a nap," Ashley said quietly, her panic settling into an ice-cold ball in her chest.

"Well you just go wake her up, and the two of you come down to the hospital right now for a blood test. I'll call Arthur and send him over to stay with the kids. With any luck, we'll straighten this whole thing out tonight, okay?"

"Oh…okay." Ashley hung up the phone and wandered up the stairs in a daze, the bright pink school notice still clutched in her hand. The light from the hall spilled into the bedroom when she opened the door, illuminating the steady, sleeping breath of the still figure in the bed.

"Spence? Spencer, wake up," Ashley said stiffly, shaking her shoulder a little roughly. Spencer whined and rolled over.

"Five more…minutes…" She mumbled, her soft voice more asleep than awake.

"Spencer, wake up!" Ashley snapped, making the blonde jerk upright with a start, as if a bucket of ice water had just been thrown over her.

"What?" She blinked dazedly, with a cough. Ashley leapt back like she'd been jolted with live electricity. "Jesus, Ash, it's not the plague," she grumbled. Ashley leaned against the wall, slid down to the floor, and burst into tears.