Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: This is NOT the final chapter. There are two more after this one. Please, please stay with me. There will be yet another twist. I promise.
The theme song for this chapter is "Good Enough" by Evanescence.

Chapter 21—A Sort of Homecoming

It was late afternoon when Yelina helped Mrs. Johannsen out of the car. Rather than the observant, genteel lady that all of them knew, she was now clearly pale and tired. She strained as, with both arms she hoisted herself up from the car seat, along the car door, and let herself fall into her wheelchair where she let out a breath and dipped her head. There she sat, limp like a rag doll.

Cal Barber came around and peered under her hat brim. "Addie? You gonna be okay, Sweetheart?" he whispered.

"Can…Yelina…put…me…to…bed?" she nearly gasped, her head still down.

His eyes darted between the two ladies. He hated to put such an imposition on Yelina. "Well…."

Yelina grasped the wheelchair handles. "I don't mind a bit. I'll get her to her room."

The young attorney seemed relieved. "Thanks. Home Care doesn't get here for an hour or so."

Mrs. Johannsen looked at her room differently. Almost as though she'd never been there before. She studied every detail again. Yelina touched her arm. "Will you be all right?"

With a weak, tired hand, she motioned to a nightgown that hung on a hook. Quickly the P.I. grabbed it and laid it respectfully over the armrest of her wheelchair. "Should I go out?"

She nodded. "Thank…you."

Yelina knocked on the door after waiting for about ten minutes. "Okay to come in?"

"Please…come…in" a voice whispered. Yelina could barely hear her.

Mrs. Johannsen had slipped into the roseprint nightgown and eased herself under the light blue covers of her bed. It seemed to take every ounce of strength she had. She now lay on her back, pillows propped up behind her neck. She made no attempt to study Yelina to try to mine more secrets from her soul.

"I can get you some water."

She put up her hand.

Yelina couldn't help but notice that, even when this majestic lady was lonely and scared, she always had that sympathy that just seemed to pass through those brown eyes. Now those eyes looked tired. Vacant. As though sympathy, understanding and life were clearly used up. Slowly she grasped Yelina's wrist.

"Yelina."

She bent down to the lady, her curls falling around her face like a curtain.

Mrs. Johannsen always struggled to talk, but this time she held her hand over her chest and took breaths between words. "I..will…always…be…grateful."

Yelina furrowed her eyebrows. "For what?"

"Everything…you…and…Horatio…did."

Her eyes locked with those sad, brown eyes that were growing more lifeless by the minute. She dropped to her knees next to the bed and held the woman's arm.

"Mrs. Johannsen?"

"It's…all…right."

She then bolted up, her curls bouncing behind her as she stood at the stairway landing. "Horatio? Cal?"

Both gentlemen knew that kind of panic in her voice. Horatio raced into the room, followed by Cal. "Is she okay?" Cal wanted to know.

Horatio didn't wait for an answer. He knelt by her side and touched her hair. "Ma'am?"

"Horatio" she whispered faintly turning her head toward him.

His eyes were just inches from hers. She gently reached out and touched his red hair, slowly drawing him forward into a hug. Why did this woman penetrate his soul so easily, he thought. He wrapped his strong arms around her weak, tired body. "I'm right here. Mrs. Johannsen. Addie. Your hands are awfully cold."

"I…will…always…be…grateful…for…you."

He smiled sadly. "And I for you."

Yelina looked on with Cal Barber. "We should call an ambulance."

"She has a DNR order" he whispered. But then frantically he kneeled where Horatio had been. "Addie?"

She leaned forward and touched her lips to his brown hair. He couldn't control his tears as he looked into her pale, tired face. "Addie?"

"You…took…good…care…of…me."

He nodded, sniffing and wiping the tears from his face.

"Yelina" she whispered.

The normally strong P.I. could barely control her own tears as she touched the lady's grayish blonde hair. "You're dying, aren't you?"

She nodded as she held her chest. "Going…home."

Yelina's eyes glistened as the lady touched her face. "You know, the night you moved into the house across the street, I'd been praying for a miracle. Now I know you were that miracle." She smiled at the memory now.

"And…you…were…mine."

"We're all gonna miss you."

"It's…not…forever." With her weak hand she held Yelina's fingers, touching the silver engagement ring. "You…have…Horatio…and…Ray."

"Yes, I know."

Slowly the lady eased herself up and motioned toward the wall. "My…white…book."

In one smooth motion, Cal Barber grabbed the old photo album from the shelf and tucked it into her arms. She held it like a teddy bear.

Cal clutched his hands. "Addie?"

Though Mrs. Johannsen had been tired and weak, she now seemed to be fixed on something. There seemed to be strength of another kind now. Still clutching the photo album comfortingly, she slowly reached ahead of her.

"Steven."

Cal stepped out of the room and sobbed openly, his face over his hand.

"Lizzie. Joshua. My…babies."

"That's right, Addie. Go to them" he whispered, holding back tears himself. "They're waiting for you."

There was peace and hope in those brown eyes as none of them had ever seen, as she slowly lowered her hand and closed her eyes.

With one hand Horatio felt for a pulse in her neck. "She's gone."

Yelina wiped her eyes. "To them."

Cal Barber wiped his eyes and blew his nose as he stood outside the door.

Horatio took deep breaths to dispel his own sadness. Gently and respectfully he took the white book out of her hands. He then eased the blue blanket over the Mrs. Johannsen's sleeping face. "TOD is four-fifteen pm. I'll call Alexx." He touched Cal's shoulder. "You all right?"

He nodded, his eyes still closed. "Now I know why she held on for so long."