Disclaimer: The characters in this story don't belong to me, they are owned by Erle Stanley Gardner's pen. I don't receive any economic good for them. I only write for the pleasure of doing it.

Many thanks to the incredible to tengland2 for helping correct this story and for staying by my side helping me.

Thanks so much, to 52shari and the guests for their reviews.

All the errors are only mine.

Chapter Twenty Six

It was nearly five hours later, when Tom finally arrived at Tufts, after inquiring at the reception desk, he headed for the ICU floor, where his sister was located. Stopping at the desk he gave his ID to one of the nurses, who directed him to where Mae and Andrea were waiting. Apparently between Diana and Capt. McDonald, little or no information was to be given out about Lizzie to anyone. Anyone calling would be required to leave a name, number and the person they were wishing information about.

Mae having heard his voice, was near the door when he stepped in. Tom reached out to hug his grandmother.

"Tom, my boy. THANK GOD, that your finally here," Says Mae, kissing his cheek.

"Tom I'm so glad you made it." Says Andrea with a slight smile. "Its going to be a couple more hours before our parents get here." Says Andrea, worried that her parents are not there yet.

"Yes, I made it." Says Tom, he reaches out for Andrea to give her a hug as well. Letting go, they sit at the table, "How are Lizzie and the baby doing?"

Mae looks at her grandson with a slight smile, "now, you're an uncle to a beautiful baby girl, who is currently in the neonatal unit." But her smile fades when she talks about her granddaughter. "As for Lizzie, we haven't been able to see her, as she is still out from the surgery and it may be awhile longer. They want to make sure there are no other complications." Says Mae. "It has been awhile since anyone came to tell us anything."

"Grandma Mae, What about you? your must be very exhausted, you need a place to lay down." Says Tom.

"My boy, you should not worry about me, I'm fine." Mae strokes her grandson's cheek with a grateful look. "I have been able to get a few minutes sleep, they let us use one of the rooms, one flight up." Says Mae, "I would like to go home, shower, change and return, but not until we know something."

"Knowing Mom, she got them all on the first available flight. Dad was going to call Diana and let her know when they were leaving. Figured it was the easiest way to communicate.

"Tom any idea how your Mom is doing?" Asks Mae. She krnowingher niece would be scared for her daughter and grandchild.

"No, the only thing I'm sure of both of them were very worried and upset. Dad didn't say anything, but I know they both are wondering why this happened and who maybe responsible for this.' Says Tom. "I'm afraid we all have come up with the same name or two. Laura Robertson and Eva Belter."

"I know, after the last incident, your mom wanted to stay in Boston with your sister, but we convinced her that it was better for everyone, that I stayed with the girls, I don´t know, why this had to happen, when everything was quiet." Says Mae, "I have no doubt that there has to be others out there, so that the reporters that could fill their gossip pages."

"I know, but it would be a matter of proving it. I did have a bit of difficulty getting up here and saw an officer in the hallway." Says Tom. "have you been able to at least see the baby."

"Not yet," says Mae, then she tells Tom the important information regarding his new niece. Tom kisses her check, then noticing Ken and John were both in the room, hellos and handshakes.

"John, you can't find out anything for us?" Asks Tom.

Johnny shake his head,"not really, even being a friend of the family and working here, isn't getting me very far." He smiles, "I did try to get into the neonatal unit, but the on-duty nurse reminded me that I didn't have privileges in the unit." John shrugs his shoulders.

Finally, Dr. Cooper appears in the room, greets everyone, requesting that Mae and Andrea come with her.

Tom also approaches the doctor, "may I come as well?" Asks Tom, Dr. Cooper raises an eyebrow. "I'm her brother Tom Mason." Says Tom extending his hand to the doctor to introduce himself.

Once inside the office, they take a seat on the couch, Dr. Cooper on one of side chairs.

"Just so you know right off, all things that have gone on, both Lizzie and her baby are doing fine." Says Dr. Cooper, "When Lizzie arrived here we had to do an emergency cesarean, she had very severe lacerations, caused by the fall and delivery, she did lose a lot of blood and had to be revived once while on the table. At this moment we have put her in a medical coma which is..."

Tom raises his hand, "We know what that is, I was in a sever car accident about fifteen years ago, spending several days in one. Just how long will Lizzie be in this one. When will we be able to see her and the baby."

"My suggestion is that you all go home, get some rest, better food than what we tend to serve here." Smiles Dr. Cooper. "If anything happens I will call you. What about your parents?"

"They are on their way from LA. Once my Dad shows up, I wouldn't tell him that he can't be in the neonatal unit with his grandchild." Smiles Tom.

"Lizzie was a preemie, her father sat in one of those over sized chairs for hours watching her through the window." Mae continues, "he doesn't do well when someone tells him he can't do something, when it involves the women of his life."

"So, I've heard," smiles Dr. Cooper. "There is more to her recovery condition, but it can wait until your parents arrive. I do have a home phone number for you and Capt. McDonald left a number if there was an issue."

Tom, Mae and Andrea got up, thanking Dr. Cooper for her time. Upon returning to the waiting room, Tom sent Andrea and Mae home, with Ken and Johnny, promising the minute something happened he would call. Just before they departed a nurse came and told them, they could see the baby.

Following the nurse to the neonatal unit, Tom stood between Mae and Andrea, wrapping an around each one, as they stand outside looking in.

"She is a beautiful girl, with an extremely loud set of lungs for someone who was born a couple weeks early." Says the nurse.

"She comes by them naturally, just wait until you meet her grandfather." Says Mae, causing Tom and Andrea to laugh.

"Wait here, give me a couple minutes to change and I will move her closer to the window. I'll check her over, perhaps I can pick her up for you to see better." Smiles the nurse, going into a room, near where the group stood. Finally, the crib was carefully pushed closer to the window. Having carefully picked up the baby, whose eyes suddenly opened, a brief cry of surprised escaped.

"Look, my little girl is got the deep eyes of the hazel color Della's, even she has the first signs of brown curls in her head. My baby looks so much like her grandmother." Smiles Mae."But also her has the dimples of her mom and her grandfather."

"Even that brief cry is Uncle Perry's." Says Andrea.

Tom drifted off into his own thoughts about his niece. He could only hope and pray his little sister, would survive all of this, to raise her daughter. He realized there and then he would always be there for her, he would always be next to her Wawita.*

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After a long day, followed by an overnight flight to Boston, the Masons and Drakes had finally arrived. They had claimed their luggage and were greeted by a group of reporters and photographers as they stepped outside, managing to avoid the press, with the exception of a few pictures, they were on their way.

Perry realized that there was no doubt that someone was keeping tabs on them and the girls, otherwise they would have quietly gotten out of the airport. Della commented that they would at some point have to rent a car, as she hadn't made a reservation prior to leaving LA. She had been glad for the moment about that fact, as she wasn't sure if Perry could control his anger should the reporters start asking questions. As they waited for the luggage to be put into the limo, Perry and Paul stood close, quietly discussing who was behind all of this. Perry decided, to do nothing, for the moment, since his main concern was getting himself and Della to the hospital and finally be next to their daughter and grandchild.

After resting in home for a few hours, get a shower and change, Mae and Andrea returned to Tufts Medical Center and were informed that Lizzie had already been moved into an ICU room. When they entered the room, Mae felt that her heart stopped when she saw her granddaughter connected to all those machines and tubes.

Andrea could see Tom standing next to Lizzie's bed, she approached him,Tom felt Andrea's forehead against his shoulder, he could hear her softly telling him everything was going to be fine, then Tom realized they would have to start talking to Lizzie. Because perhaps Lizzie would hear them and he wanted her to know that there were many people waiting for her to wake up, especially her beautiful girl. He wasn't going to let God take his sister without a fight first.

Finally, the Masons and Drakes check into their hotel, all quickly showered, changed clothes and headed for Tufts Medical Center. Because, Della and Perry had an urgent need to see and check on their daughter and grandchild's condition, that had only grown as each moment passed. Della thought for herself, that all this wasn't fair, someone needed to be punished for hurting Lizzie and her daughter.

When they arrived at the Tufts Medical Center, they were directed to the small ICU waiting room. Perry noticing to Tom, Mae and Andrea are sitting on the chairs of ICU room. When Tom saw them arrive, he got up approached to them and hugged his mom. Mae and Andrea also approached. Andrea hugged her mother, she was crying. While Mae greets Perry and Paul.

"How are they Mae?" Asks Perry.

"Well, for now, what I can tell you is, you and Della a grandparents to a beautiful 5-pound 5 oz, 21-inch-long baby girl," Mae replies, she giving a sad smile. Because that happiness was tarnished with the condition in which her granddaughter was.

"A GIRL" says Perry very excited, he approaching Della, "my love we are grandparents of a girl." Della nods as her tears fall down her face.

After drying her tears, "Mae, how is my daughter?" Asks Della.

Mae shakes her head, "DELLA, my girl is not well at all. Dr. Cooper will come soon and he explain your everything."

A short time later, Dr. Cooper arrived to inform Perry and Della about the condition of their daughter and granddaughter. The doctor explained that Lizzie's condition was extremely delicate, that she had very severe lacerations, caused by the fall and delivery, that she did lose a lot of blood and had to be revived once while on the table. He also informed them that they had induced Lizzie into a coma, due to her critical condition and that she had to overcome the next 48 hours to be able to say that she was recovering. He also explained that the baby had an issue with the first breath, but once she caught it, she did very well and that she was placed in a an incubator for at least 48 hours, for observation.

After the Dr. Cooper left his office leaving the Masons alone, Perry hugged Della bringing her close to her chest, kissing her on the forehead, he promising that everything would be fine, that her princess and her granddaughter would soon be at home with them and it would only be a bad memory to forget. After they being for a while alone in Dr. Cooper's office and more calm, Perry and Della headed to the neonatal unit accompanied by Paul and Margaret, they all smiled, when they had found Tom sitting outside the neonatal window, as Perry had done, 25 years ago.

When Della and Perry saw their granddaughter, it was a very big emotion, they had their baby's baby in front of them. But his emotions and feelings were intertwined between happiness and sadness, on the one hand they were happy to meet their granddaughter, but at the same time they were torn, knowing that maybe their daughter would never wake up and she would not know her beautiful baby.

After being for a short time in the neonatal unit, they went to Lizzie's room. They were never prepared to see their daughter lying in that bed hooked up to machines. It was like going back 25 years ago and seeing your baby in the incubator of the neonatal unit fighting for her life again. Della approached Lizzie´s bed, she reached to move the rebellious hair that covered her face, she leaned in to kiss her forehead.

"My little girl, I need you to open those blue eyes. So you can meet the beautiful baby you just had. Please wake up my girl, that your daughter needs you."

As her eyes filled with tears, she felt Perry's strong arms, wrapping around her waist from behind, his chin resting on her shoulder. "Quiet my lady, our princess will wake up and she will be fine so that she knows my new little princess, who is as beautiful as her mother and grandmother." Says Perry giving him a kiss on her curls.

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After staying long enough with your girls, Perry forced Della to go with him to a quick dinner and to rest at the hotel. He didn't want Della to get sick too. Tom offered to stay with his sister and niece, he promised his mom, if something happened he would call.

The Masons, Drakes and Mae had dinner near the hotel, before getting some rest, as it had been along day and a half. Andrea had left her parents her car, so they would be able to get Mae home and take Lizzie's car for the duration of their stay.

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Upon arriving in their suite, Della went straight to their bedroom, to prepare for taking a shower. She had the need a bath to help relieve some of the stress in the last 24 hours, but figured she would fall asleep once she got in.

She shuddered, as she remembered seeing her girl hooked up to machines, again fighting for her life again like when she had just begun to live. All she wanted was to see the blue eyes looking back at her. But she was afraid that her daughter would lose the battle. Stepping into the hot shower, she smiled at the thought of Tom, sitting outside the neonatal window, that was what Perry looked like all those years ago. Della remembered the day Lizzie had been born and she couldn't hold her or even see her. But like Lizzie, had her father there for protection, this newest addition had her uncle watching over her, he would be for his niece his knight in shining armor. She finally let herself be carried out by her emotions, crying as she letting the water run over her face, wishing that the hot water would remove the pain she felt in her heart and soul, throwing it by the drain of the shower. Finally feeling a bit better, she stepped out of the shower, towelling off she wrapped one of the hotel bathrobes around herself, setting down to dry her hair.

Perry had found the bar area stocked with items, he knew Della must have requested. Pouring himself a drink, he sat on the couch facing the fireplace, he kicked his shoes off under the coffee table. He stared at the glass of bourbon and ice in his hand, as it was a rarity that he had a drink these days, since he stopped drinking since the incident with Laura Parrish, but at that moment he felt the great need to drink a drink. He leaned back against the back of the couch, taking a sip, his mind went back to the hospital. His precious princess, lay hooked up to machines due to an accident that wasn't her fault, that the only one to blame for his daughter being in that room in the ICU was him and nobody else, for his bad decisions in life, especially with women. Except for Della all the others were a terrible mistake.

Now life was dealing him another hard lesson, a way of punishment for his bad behaviour when he found out about his daughter's pregnancy. That two week period, haunting memories of what he had said, his rejection of her, he wishing that her daughter had aborted or given away her baby. All the memories would haunt and would torment him forever. Remembering his son Tom sitting where he once sat twenty five years ago, scared him. Perry remembered spending hours sitting at a neonatal window, now there was a new baby in the crib, his beautiful granddaughter, just like her grandmother, smiling as he remembered the beautiful eyes hazel color of Della reflected in the face of the baby. He was scared seeing Lizzie, laying hooked up to machines as Tom had been fifteen years earlier.

Perry promised himself, he was going to keep making things right for his family. First seeing that Lizzie and his grandchild were healthy and at home. He then with the help of Paul, would find out where the reporters and photographers had come from. Finishing off his drink, he was tempted to toss the glass at the wall, but that wouldn't help anything.

When Della came out of the bedroom, finding Perry still sitting on the couch, with his face in his hands. She reaches over the back of the couch, placing her hands on his shoulders and caressing him, then moves to sit beside him, placing a hand on his leg.

"Perry, darling, are you alright?" Her voice barely above a whisper. Dropping his hands, he looked over at his wife, seeing tears in her hazel eyes. She could see the hurt and pain in his.

Taking her hand in his, he kisses it, "I will be eventually, just so much hurt and pain right now and there is nothing I can do to stop it." Attempting to give her his best smile.

Della knew there was more to his expressions, he had suffered a lot over the past several months, his words had come back to haunt him more than once. She leaned in to give him a tender kiss on the lips, as there was nothing she could say to change what was going on in his mind. Suddenly, tears filled Perry's eyes, rolling down his checks, letting his emotions beat him, collapsing into his wife's arms. Della just held him quietly, letting him cry like a child in her arms. Perry finally pulled himself from wife's' arms, she brushed a thumb under both eyes, as he took a deep breath.

"We can't lose those two, Della, we can't lose them." Sobs Perry, who realizes his wife is hurting as much or more than him, for the condition of their daughter and granddaughter. His beautiful lady, she had been at his side for over thirty years, his wife, his companion, the person who gave his life meaning and which on more than one occasion he had betrayed and caused pain.

"Perry my love, we both know we have a stubborn daughterand she is going to hold on to life, she knows that we need her with us and especially that little one, who is in an incubator in the neonatal unit waiting to meet her. Right now her other protector is watching over the newest member of our family." Della smiles.

Perry pushed her away as he stood up, "Della please, its my fault that my princess is in that hospital fighting for her life. I am the one who deserves to be there, not here. She doesn't deserve to die, but I do."

"ENOUGH, MR. MASON, I don't have time, nor do I want to listen for your self-pity. Neither one of us is responsible for our daughter being in the hospital. If we assume that someone paid, those reporters and photographers to follow her. That is where the blame lies." Getting up she turns Perry around pushing him towards the bedroom. "Go take a shower and come to bed, we both need to get some sleep. Our daughter and granddaughter need us to be well for them. If anything changes, we will be found."

Perry had taken a shower, finally was climb into bed, Della putting down the book she had been reading. With the ligths out, she settled next to him, her head resting on his chest, listening to the beating of her heart, both were asleep within minutes.

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Two floors below, Margaret sat with Paul in bed, her emotions had gotten the best of her, as tears streamed down her face, remembering Lizzie's baby. Margaret couldn't explain, the emotion she felt when she saw her goddaughter's daughter. She felt the same way now, for this baby, as she had when she first saw, her children PJ and Andrea. She was going to love and spoils this baby, as if it were her own grandchild.

Margaret looks at her husband, remembering the baby, " don't you think? Paul that even seeing her in neonatal, she is a beautiful baby." Asks Margaret.

"Of course, she is, comes by it naturally, look at her grandmothers," Paul responds kiss his wife's cheek. "Now can we turn out the lights, get some sleep, so you can go stare at her more tomorrow."

"It won't be all day. She's going to need a couple smaller items to leave the hospital in. Everything the girls have is for a larger baby." Replies Margaret.

"Oh, my poor wallet," Paul says with a laugh, turning off the lights.

"No problem, since Perry pays you very well," says Margaret, kissing her husband's lips.

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Author's Notes

*Wawita diminutive of Wawa, Quechua word for a newborn boy or girl.(Quechua is the language of the Incas, it extended from northern Argentina to southern Colombia, encompassing the territories of Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.)