A/N: Hey, my peeps! Sorry, I know it's been a looong time since I had an update. Here's why. Today is Tuesday. Ten days ago, I had the stomach flu. Just the basic stomach flu, nothing to be concerned about. I was throwing up and felt bad, but was back to work the next day and completely over it in three days. Anyway, last Friday, three days after getting over the stomach flu, I contracted food poisoning. So, basically, another two days of throwing up, feeling weak, and a fever to deal with.

It's not been fun. For every time I wasn't laying down or sleeping, I just didn't have the energy to write. This chapter here is the product of ten days. Usually, a chapter from start to finish takes a maximum of three days. But I'm back now, and hopefully will stay healthy this time.

In this chapter, Kayla decides that she wants to go back to school, but she and Todd don't really have the finances for it. Sam sees an opportunity to pay Kayla back for all the time she's spent taking care of him.

The story takes a more hopeful turn in this chapter. I am not, however, promising that everything will be perfect from this point forward. They will still have ups and downs, just like every other family on the planet. Enjoy!

Sam plated the last of the pancakes, wondering where everyone was. He made breakfast for the entire house every morning, and by the time he finished, everyone was usually in the kitchen. Just as he flipped off the burner, Kayla walked in, dressed in her only business clothes and nicest shoes.

"Look at you!"

Kayla smiled and blushed. "Thanks, Dad."

"What are you up to today?"

Kayla seemed a little hesitant, but decided to tell him the truth. "Todd and I have an appointment at the university."

"An appointment? What kind of appointment?"

Kayla sighed. "Maybe I shouldn't go."

"Go to what?"

"Todd and I have been talking. About me going back to school."

Sam paused getting out plates for breakfast. "Really?"

"Yeah. I was in the dual enrollment program at University of South Dakota. I'm only five credits away from finishing my master's."

"Really?" Sam asked. "That's great!"

"Yeah. We're gonna go talk to the dean today and see what I've got to do to get enrolled."

"That's fantastic."

"Yeah. I hope so." Kayla said. "I'm really nervous, though."

"Nervous about what?"

"Just…going back to school after all this time. I've been so focused on taking care of the kids, how am I gonna go back to being a student?"

"You'll figure it out." Sam said. "I have faith in you."

"Thanks, Dad. Can you take the kids to school for me, please?"

"Sure I will. Good luck today."

"Thanks."

"You ready, babe?" Todd asked, coming into the kitchen. "Your appointment's in an hour."

"Yeah. Dad, we got the kids up. They're getting dressed now. They should be down in just a few minutes. If they're not, just threaten to send them to school in their PJs and they'll be here in a flash."

"I got it. You go see the school."

"Okay. We'll be back."

Three hours later, Kayla and Todd were walking back inside the house. Sam was finishing the breakfast dishes, drying them and putting them away. He immediately picked it up. Something was wrong. Kayla was quiet, and Sam could swear she'd been crying. Kayla went straight for the couch, Todd following close behind. Sam walked in from the kitchen and stood next to them. Todd had a comforting arm around Kayla's shoulder, and Sam arrived just in time to hear Todd say,

"I'm sorry, babe."

"How'd it go?" Sam asked.

Kayla looked up and sniffled, faking a smile. "We, um, decided against it."

"Why?" Sam asked. He knew better than to think that they'd actually 'decided' against it. Something was in the way. "What happened?"

When Kayla didn't answer, Todd explained, "It's just not in our budget, Sam. There's not any scholarships Kayla really qualifies for. They'll let us make monthly payments, but even that's way out of our league."

"What do you need?" Sam asked.

"Dad, I can't ask you to do that…"

"You didn't ask. I offered." Sam replied. "Tell me what you need."

"The total cost to finish all five classes would be around ten thousand plus books. And we'd have to hire someone to watch the kids while she's in class and working on schoolwork."

It took Sam all of five seconds to make his decision. "I've got it."

Kayla was sure she'd heard wrong. "What?"

"I've got it." Sam said. "Just tell me what you need when you need it."

"Dad. How?"

"Your mom and I had some savings for an emergency. That and my retirement for the next couple of months should give you what you need."

"Dad, I don't want to take your money you had with mom…"

"This is exactly the kind of thing your mother would've wanted us to use it for." Sam insisted. "She would've been very proud of you for doing this."

Kayla smiled. "Really?"

"Yes." Sam answered. He swallowed against a lump in his throat. He rarely talked about Jess, but it was getting easier with each passing day. "She would've loved this idea, and she would've made you the same offer I'm about to."

"What's that?"

"Don't worry about hiring someone to take care of the kids."

Kayla and Todd shared a look. "Dad…"

"I was going to tell you guys that I was going to start paying rent. But, if it works with you two, I'll show you how to access the money so you can pay for school and your books, and I'll take care of the kids while you're in class and working. Sound fair?"

"Dad, you don't have to do that…" Kayla said, a smile forming on her face.

"I know I don't have to. I want to."

Kayla jumped up from her position on the couch and wrapped both her arms around Sam's neck. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, Dad!"

Sam chuckled, not fully able to understand the way he was feeling at the moment. He was sad because he missed Jess desperately. But that feeling never left him. It plagued him constantly. He missed Mary with the same intensity, but in a different way. Though Jess had still been young when she died, she had lived her life, while Mary's was just beginning when it was ripped away from her.

Then, Sam spotted something. In the corner of the room, where the two kids were sometimes sent for time outs, stood Jess and Mary. They were only there for a brief second, so short a time that Sam couldn't be positive he'd really seen them at all. But Mary was giving him an enthusiastic thumbs up, and Jess had an approving grin on her face. She took Mary's hand and turned, and they were gone.

Sam figured out what the mysterious feeling was. He was needed again. He was taking care of his family again, all of it that was left.

"Thank you." Sam said.

Kayla pulled away from him, wiping her eyes of the tears of gratitude she'd been crying just moments before. "Why are you thanking me?"

"For everything you've done. For all of us. You've held us, and especially me, together the last few years. All of us would've fallen apart without you. You deserve this, kiddo. And we'll figure it all out together. Okay?"

"Okay, Dad." Kayla said. "I guess I should go call the dean."

Kayla was formally accepted into the college, and after registering for courses, buying her schoolbooks, and working out a tight schedule with Sam and Todd, the time had finally come to talk to Samantha and Jesse. Both children had seen how excited their mother was now, and both had asked about what was going on. Kayla turned it into a game for them, allowing them to guess and telling them that the one with the closest guess would get a special prize. Samantha and Jesse guessed everything that came to their minds, from a family trip to Disney World, to getting a new pet, to having a new baby. Kayla took a deep breath and finally told them the news.

"Mommy's decided to go back to school."

Both children were surprised, but Samantha was the first to speak. "School? But you finished school."

"Not quite. It's a long story that I'll tell you someday, but Mommy didn't quite finish as much college as she wanted to. Papa's gonna help me go back and finish."

"But why are you going back?" Jesse asked.

"Well, it's just something I've always wanted to do. I couldn't really do it before, because I was too busy taking of uncle Dean and Papa and you guys and Daddy."

"We're why you want to go back to school?" Jesse asked. "You don't want to be here with us anymore?"

"No!" Kayla said, reaching out and pulling Jesse up into her lap. "No, that is not it at all. I love being your Mommy more than anything in the whole world. But I want to do this too. Okay? Does that make sense?"

"It does, Mommy." Samantha said.

"But I need help from you guys too."

"What kind of help?" Jesse asked.

"Well, I'm not going to be home all the time like I am now. With going to school and the homework I'll be doing, Daddy and I'll both be gone a lot of the time."

"Who's gonna take care of us?"

"Mostly, it'll be Papa. He's going to get you guys up for school in the morning, make you breakfast, and take you to school. I should be home by the time you guys get back from school, but there will probably be nights I won't be home until dinnertime, and they may even be days you two don't see me at all. I need you two, especially on those days I may not be home, to be really, really good for Papa. Can you do that?"

"You'll still do your Mommy stuff, right?" Samantha asked, worried. "Like tuck us in and play with us and tell us you love us?"

"Every single chance that I possibly can, I will do that. You have my word. And Daddy will be home some nights without me, too. I know you guys love it when he stays with you."

Both kids looked at each other and grinned.

"My point is this. Things are changing some for us, guys. And I need both of you to be big kids about it. You're six and seven. I need you to help me do this. Can you do it?"

"We'll do it, Mommy."

"Jess? You with me?"

"I'm with you." Jesse responded.

"Okay. It's almost time for bed. Go brush your teeth."

"You'll tuck us in, right?"

"I'll be right there." Kayla promised.

Three days later, Kayla was standing outside the door of her first class. She was early, drastically early, but had wanted to make a good first impression. She walked in and sat in the front row, and the class slowly filled with students. They were all years younger than Kayla, but she made up her mind to not be intimidated by them. Finally, the professor walked in and up to the blackboard.

"Hello, class. I'm Professor Mills. Welcome, and let's get started with Psychology 101. I know this is cheesy, but I'd like to start with introductions. How about you, Ms…"

"Whitaker." Kayla said confidently. "Kayla Whitaker."