A/N: There is not enough excuses for my delay with this. I guess I just lost my muse, there's one more chapter left after this one, which I'm close to finishing xx

She had her head rested on the bed with her eyes towards the ceiling. It was all becoming so real and scary, she was a strong woman, she hardly considered herself weak, maybe a bit fragile when it came to her husband and kids, but this was different, and she had every right to feel fear. After spending the better half of what was supposed to be a good morning, vomiting last night's dinner and this morning's coffee, she had collapsed back on the bed and found herself getting emotional for no apparent reason's other than her hormones that were driving herself insane.

She stared down at her breast, she hated feeling this way, completely insecure and scared. It was all foreign for her, remarkably since it was only last night that she had made love to her husband for hours, which insecurity of her self-esteem was far from her mind at that point.

Stretching her hand up in the air, her ring had been the centre of her attention in moments like these where her thoughts went from positive to negative. A form of distraction, reminding her of how lucky she was to have the life she had.

"I can't believe you're still staring at it." Her bossy son entered the room, he was hesitant when he sat on the edge of the bed, he had a tennis ball in his hand, probably ready to say goodbye before his game this afternoon.

"Why not?"

"It's getting a lot of attention."

"One day Zach, when I die you're going to give this ring to one of your kids and then you'll understand. And under no exceptions will you ever give it to some girl unless I give you permission. Do you understand?"

"Eww mom come on"

"I'm serious Zach."

"Yes. Okay! Okay!"

"So I'm guessing because you're here you want something?"

"Does it always have to come down to us wanting something?"

"Yes." She laughed at his face and ran a hand through his silky adolescent hair. "I'm just kidding."

"Well in that case, can I have ten bucks?" he laughed at her not so pleased reaction. "Just kidding." He was mocking her now.

"Honey can you do me a favour and pass me those papers on the draw please?"

He got up and shuffled to the other side of the room, he joined her on the bed and watched her carefully as she sorted them out in her lap. "What are they? Work stuff?"

"No. They're some papers I have to sign for the surgery to… tomorrow." She nearly let the secret out, for the surgery that was actually tonight. Will was taking the next couple of days off work thanks to Diane who was finally told about Alicia's condition, there was no other way the older woman was going to allow her partner off after his recent vacation. Therefore Will had no choice but to tell her the truth, and it wasn't as difficult as he expected.

"Are you nervous?" her son asked innocently

"No not really." She answered. "I've had a lot of time to think about it."

"What are things going to be like after the surgery?"

"I don't know sweetie. I'll definitely be happy, knowing that I won't have to worry if I get cancer in the future."

"Will you be happy though?" he asked. "How do you know that you won't resent doing it?"

"Well, I won't know until it happens right? Trust me honey, nothing bad can happen out of something good." She stroked his cheek and kissed his hair.

"No.. Charlotte.. talk with Diane, I can't do this right now. I'm getting ready to take my fricken wife to the hospital.."

She heard his frustrated voice as she made her way into the kitchen, the kids were upstairs doing homework, the night was pitch black, Will's mother was reading with Grace in her room and all Alicia could worry about was the lines on her husband's forehead

"You know what, I could care less about yourself and Diane's problems. You're a partner, be an adult and take it to her!" and with that he hung up and dropped the phone on the counter. He ran a hand through his hair as he leaned against the chair allowing a sigh to escape his mouth.

She was careful as she slipped her arms around his waist and brought her hands up to rest on his chest as she pressed soft kisses against the fabric of his shirt. She felt his heartrate slowdown from her touch, he entwined his fingers with hers and brought one of her hands up to his lips.

"Work?" she questioned softly, she watched him as he nodded and clicked his neck back and forth.

"Stressful." He mumbled

With her free hand she dried patterns against his chest and stared at his face from where she stood behind him. "Baby, the firm needs to stop putting so much pressure on your shoulders. You're already having to go through so much."

He lifted one arm as an invitation for her to snuggle up to his side. His lips were on her forehead when she leant into his warmth. "I can handle it."

"I know you can. But there's only so much one can handle before one bursts. I don't want to have the surgery now if I know that you're gonna be sitting in that room alone with anxiety over everything including your business. I swear I will kill her if she calls.."

"Leesh I'm fine okay?" he was smiling. "I'll have my work phone switched off for the next two days while I take care of you. The firm can go to hell."

"You mean the firm that will provide for your kids tertiary education?" she grinned.

"Yea, that one."

"Speaking of them.." she looked at the hall where the bottom of the staircase stood. "I'm so scared what their reaction is going to be waking up in the morning and finding out that I'm not here."

"Hey, by then the surgery will be over and I'll be here to explain everything before I drag them to the hospital, whether they accept it or not Alicia, you have to prioritise." He promised

"I just can't stand the thought of them knowingly waiting for me to come out of the surgery. I just want them to be safe and asleep."

"I know" he rubbed her shoulders. "I may not agree with it but I understand it. Everything's going to be fine."

"I know." She smiled up at him with a type of affection that sent his heart into overdrive. There weren't much moments that involved Alicia happy with him in any circumstance, the majority of the time she was always mad at him for some reason or another, that seemed to lessen down in the last week, he had a feeling it had something to do with the ring he gave her and the attention he provided their relationship, but he wasn't going to rely on false information that had yet to be studied on.

They sat down with the kids and watched a movie after dinner, she snuggled into Will's side, his arm wrapped around both hers and Grace's shoulder. Zach sat on the floor in front of them and Lenora sat next to her. She could tell that Nora was tired and grumpy, but with insistence Alicia managed to get her to sit down with them for the hour. The teenager easily fell asleep against her shoulder followed by laying her head on her lap. She ran her hands through her hair and looked at her kids. Grace's eyes were beginning to flutter tiredly as she snuggled into her father, and Zach had his eyes firmly set on the television.

Alicia would remember this moment, the feel of her husband heartbeat beneath her thingertips, Lenora's stunning dark hair pressed against her lap, Zach's chuckles in response to the movie and Grace and Will's whispers. "Go to sleep now princess." Will was saying

"Daddy, I'm not tired."

"Yes you are. It's okay, I will carry you upstairs when the movie is finished."

Grace's eyes closed and within seconds she was out against his shoulder. Will caught his wife's eye and used his free hand to push her bangs out of the way.

She pressed the palm of her hand against his cheek and pushed her weight to kiss him, a kiss that lasted no longer than a minute before he pulled back and smiled down at her. "This is the happiest I've ever been." Her words that were whispered in his ear made his heart flutter and his arms tighten around her. "You make me the happiest man every day." He whispered in her ear, for her ears only.

"Really?" she looked up at him. "Even when we fight?"

"Especially when we fight. It tells me that you still care."

She rested her head against his shoulder and snuggled into the faint scent of his familiar after-shave, she pressed her lips against his neck. Never wanting to let him go. "I love you."

She couldn't eat anything before the surgery which was in a few hours so she allowed herself to watch Will and his mother enjoy their last bit of supper for the day before Will was to take her to the hospital. She knew that her insatiable husband wasn't one for coffee particularly at twilight, but knowing that he was consciously going to be awake all night, his mother made him a hot bottle of caffeine along with some sandwiches to accompany the ride, her traditional way of making it clear without words that he needed to stay alert for the remainder of the night for the sake of everyone else.

Alicia slipped her arms around his neck from behind his shoulders as he sat on the stool next to the island counter. She had just kissed her children to sleep, their peaceful unconscious limbs crashed against their own individual beds. Will had done a good job carrying each one up the stairs after they fell asleep near the end of the movie.

"Ready to go my love?" she said, a soft kiss went to his firm cheek. The association of his warm body heat against hers warmed the extreme nerves in her tummy that kept building and building as the hours passed by.

"As long as you are." was his response as her turned to accommodate her lips, sparks and fireworks flew across the room as it often did when she kissed him.

Just then, Nora walked back in from the adjoined door that connected to the shed, "Okay, I packed everything in the car, William I was very disappointed to see how disorientated your vehicle is at the moment" his mother had a disapproving guise that peered across her features. Alicia tried to stifle a giggle, it was only a day ago that Will tried to deny any complaints about his ridiculously expensive vehicle and it's owner's incompetence to clean it.

"So I put everything in Alicia's tidy one, I also added your phone charger in case it goes flat and you can't call us.."

"Mom" he sighed, "For the last time, I have everything sorted. And if it weren't for your less than subtle hints, I could only assume that you're trying to kick us out."

"I've done no such thing." She objected, followed by taking a deep breath. "I'm just afraid that the kids will wake up and realize what's going on."

"Trust me, they're completely knocked out. Camomile tea is my best confidant at the moment." Alicia said, chuckling at Will's dissatisfaction. He hated camomile tea.

"I think we should go." She said after a few minutes.

"Yes dear, I'll see you in a bit."

"In a bit." Alicia agreed as she wrapped both arms around her mother in-law. They shared words that Will couldn't understand but didn't necessarily worry about, especially when he watched from the corner of his eye as his wife pulled back and kissed her cheek.

Alicia's boots clicked against the floors as she made way for the door, he took the extra time to kiss his mother's forehead and she closed her eyes. "Everything's going to be fine mom."

"I hope so William."

"I'll see you in the morning okay? Get some sleep, don't want you walking around like a zombie in the morning." She swatted his shoulder and he laughed on his way to the car. Alicia sat in the passenger's seat, she had just finished switching her cell-phone off when he jumped into the driver's seat.

"Ready beautiful?"

"Sometimes I don't understand your enthusiasm." She teased, shaking her head at her husband's goofiness. But leaning over to kiss him nonetheless. The taste of coffee on his lips had her pushing her nose up and her hand going to her tummy instantly

"What? What is it?"

"Nothing… I just.. I think I have a stomach bug coming on. Let's just go."

As promised, Liz accompanied him, she wasn't as concerned about the surgery as he had originally expected, though they had quite a long time to think about it, he wasn't surprised that she was more prepared for this than he was.

"Will and I will be just outside the operating room, you're so brave, I love you." Liz was getting all emotional as she stared down at her best-friend. Alicia once told him that husbands come and go, but best friends stay forever, and Elizabeth and Alicia's relationship was the ultimate testament to that in spite of everything they went through.

"Yes yes I'll go get him!" Liz rolled her eyes as she chuckled. "She wants you." she said once reaching him where he stood near the doorway, she pushed him forward and walked outside into the hall.

"Hey there beautiful" he sat on the edge of the bed and took her hands.

"Is it too late to take back what I said earlier?" she teased

"Yes. Most definitely."

"If you remarry, I want it to be in the distance of at least a couple of years from now, out of respect for the kids you know? Lenora will probably be upset but she'll get over it."

He couldn't help but laugh at her poking humour, he pushed himself further and dug his nose into her shoulder, her arms slipping around his waist as she kissed his hair.

"I'll see you in a few hours my love."