It had been six months since Nora's stroke and her parents had a surprise for her. They took her to the back yard, "oh my God!" Nora couldn't believe her eyes, "Kate, Michael, what are you doing here?"

"We told you that we'd try to get them out here," Dorothy said.

"Plus, your mother yelled at them," Stan added.

"Not the time, Stanly."

Michael and Kate walked up and hugged their sister before Sam walked in and greeted them as well. Sam helped Nora over to the patio table and helped her to sit down.

"So, what's up, sis?" Michael asked.

"That's the question you're going with?" Sam asked his brother.

"Yeah, what's wrong with it?"

"Well, Michael, I had an infection in my heart, it caused a stroke, I had to have a heart valve replaced with a mechanical one, couldn't speak or walk very well, laughed, cried, and now I'm here."

Michael stared at his sister for a moment, "I should have asked what's new, huh?"

"Well, I'll ask," Kate said laughing at her baby brother, "what's new, Nora? How have you been?"

"I'm starting to get around a lot better."

"Oh, you forgot the whole not eating and overdoing things until you were in the hospital," Sam said.

"I also forgot about you not visiting me," Nora added and glared at her brother, "anyway, I'm a lot better."

"That's good," Kate said.

"You know, if we had hung out more often, this wouldn't be nearly as awkward or difficult," Sam said.

The four laughed before telling each other about their families and the different things going on in their lives. It was only an afternoon, but it sure did put a smile on Nora's face.

It had been nine months since Nora's stroke. While she was able to get around with her cane, she still had some issues with her balance. One day Stan was at the Cranes while Frasier ran some errands and Dorothy and Sophia were at the store.

"Lunch is ready," Stan said as he walked into the living room, "it's nothing fancy like everyone else makes, but it's edible."
Nora laughed, "that's okay. Can we eat out back?"

"Sure, let me take everything out and I'll come back for ya."

Stan was gathering everything in the kitchen, "daddy!" He ran the second he heard Nora's desperate cry.

"Dear, God," Stan found his daughter on the floor, on her left side. He helped his daughter off of the floor and back onto the couch. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I don't think so."

"What happened?"

"I was just going to go to the bathroom and I guess I lost my balance."

"I can help you." Nora was quiet and looked down, "what's wrong?"

"I don't have to just wash my hands."

"That's alright," Stan said, "I'll still help you. If it makes you feel better, I will close my eyes."

"Okay, you don't have to close them, but just don't look." Stan helped his daughter stand and held onto her as they walked to the bathroom. Once she had finished, they went outside for lunch.

Nora was outside with her children, mother, and grandmother one day. She sat and played with her kids. They were just happy that mama could play again.

"Okay, mama's gonna take a break," Nora yelled as she stood.

"Where are you going?" Dorothy asked. She had been concerned since Stan told her about Nora's fall the other day.

"I'm just going to the bathroom." Nora made her way to the back door. The ground was uneven and Nora lost her balance causing her to fall on her knees.

"Nora!"

"Mama!"

Sophia, Dorothy, and the children rushed to Nora's aid. Frederick took his mama's arm and managed to help her up. "Are you alright?" Dorothy asked.

"Yeah," Nora panted.

"Mama okay?" Savannah asked.

"Yeah, baby, mama okay," Nora felt bad for scaring her children.

"Mama, let me help you," Frederick said.

"Okay," Nora didn't want to fall again for a variety of reasons, but mainly because she didn't want to scare her children again.

Frederick and Nora made it into the house, "are you alright, darling?" Frasier asked.

"You saw that?"

"Yes, but the children helped you before I could go outside."

"I don't know why all of a sudden my balance is so terrible."

"It's just a part of your therapy. Don't worry too much about it."

"Mama, you stepped on an uneven part of the ground. You would have lost your balance no matter what."

"He's right," Frasier said.

"Of course I'm right."

"He's been spending too much time with my grandmother," Nora joked.

Frederick helped Nora to the bathroom and then to the couch where his siblings were now. They went inside so that their mother could play with them and maybe not fall.

Nora's balance was worse when she was tired.

"Nora, sweetheart, dinner is ready," Dorothy said.

"Okay," Nora took her mother's hand and stood.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good now."

"Are you sure because you seem tired?"

Nora started walking away and sure enough, she lost her balance. Dorothy caught her daughter, but Nora still ended up on the floor. She just didn't fall as hard. "Okay, I'm not good."

"Let me help you," Dorothy managed to get her daughter back up on her feet. She held on as they made their way to the dining room.

That night, Sophia walked into Nora and Frasier's bedroom to say good-night. She didn't see anyone when she walked in.

"Frasier?" Sophia heard her granddaughter.

"Nora?"

"Grandma, is that you?"

Sophia walked around the bed and found her granddaughter on the floor, "are you alright?"

"I think so."

Just then Frasier walked in, "Frasier, Nora fell over here."

The man rushed to the other side of the bed and found his wife with her back to the bed and on her side. He helped her up and back into bed. Sophia made sure the woman was alright before heading to bed. "When I left you were in bed."

"I know, but ended up having to go to the bathroom."

"Why didn't you wait?"

Nora's eyes started to water, "I'm sorry."

"No, darling, don't cry. That's not how I meant it. I just don't want you to hurt yourself. Now, I can help you."

"I went and fell when I tried getting back into bed."

"Okay, are you hurt anywhere?"

"No, I'm alright."

Frasier climbed into bed next to his wife and held her as they fell asleep.

Frasier had decided to have a surprise party for Nora's birthday. She was only turning forty-eight, but he felt after the year she had that she deserved it. They had the party at Cheers and Sam had even closed for the party. Nora was on her way back from the bathroom when she lost her balance and fell. Everyone was leaving or getting ready to leave when it happened. Nora insisted that they still leave because she was fine and just needed a moment before standing.

"They're gone," Sam told his sister and Nora yelled in pain.

"Call an ambulance," it worried everyone that Nora was asking to be taken to the hospital.

The hospital told Nora that nothing was broken, but that she had bruised her hip bone. Nora decided to have someone with her for the time being when she walked.

It took three more months, but now Nora was walking without her cane. She couldn't run after her kids yet and she didn't walk at her usual pace yet. A year and a half after that awful day, Nora had a clean bill of health. She eased back into her everyday life just in case. She realized over the past year and a half that she had plenty of people who loved her. Sophia and Dorothy had gone back to Miami after Nora's doctor cleared her to work. Martin was right when he said that the Cheers gang was family because they shared her heart, and Norm when he said she wormed her way into everyone's hearts. Nora kept getting knocked down, but every time she got back up.