Lenora happily ambled up the front walk to her boyfriend's house. They had decided to include Toby and Mary on this date and, rather than going out, had planned an 'at home' date. Dinner, a movie with the kids, put Toby and Mary to bed, watch what ever suited thier fancy.

When the door opened, she was greeted by a very frazzled Otto. He had his phone in one hand and a sobbing Mary in the other. Toby was curled up on the sopha with thier cat, Fragwa.

"Lenora! Oh! I completely forgot!" He pressed his phone to his temple and shook his head, "I-I'm afraid VVe'll have to postpone our date for tonight."

"Why? What happened?" Lenora gently rubbed Mary's back.

"Barbara vvas hit by a drunk driver," Otto explained, "Jim vvas in ze car vviz her und VValt vvants me to come pick him up from ze hospital. I can't take all zree of ze children in ze car. Mary started scream because she over heard what happened. Toby isn't talking. Und, on top of it all, Nana isn't answering her phone so I have no one to vvatch Toby und Mary."

"I'll watch them," Lenora offered, "I'll take care of Mary and Toby, you go get Jim."

Otto shook his head, "I can't ask you to do zat!"

"You didn't ask," Lenora took Mary from Otto, "It's not much different from what we had planned. Go. Get Jim and make sure Barbara is alright. Our plans can change. Go."

Otto stared at her for a moment before turning, grabbing his coat and keys, and kissing her on the cheek, "Dinner is in ze oven, DVD is on ze TV. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Alright. Go!"

Otto ran out the door and drove off. Lenora sighed and began rocking Mary. She toed off her shoes andd slipped on her house shoes. Sitting on the sopha, she pulled Toby over to her side."

"Sh...It's alright, Mary. Alles ok," Lenora whispered into Mary's hair, "Why are you crying? Do you want to talk about it?"

"T-Tanta Barbara's going to go away just like Mommy and Daddy!" Mary wailed.

Lenora felt her heart shatter, "Oh, Baby! Sh, sh...Tanta Barbara's not going anywhere. She'll be just fine andd home soon. And until then, Jim is going to come here and we're going to play. Ok, Baby girl? Baby Bear?"

"Tanta Barbara's going to be ok?" Toby signed, uncertainly.

Lenora nodded and stroked his hair, "I promise. Now, are you hungry? Do you want to eat what Papa made for us?"

Toby and Mary nodded, smiles spreading over thier faces. Lenora pulled out a handkerchief and whipped Mary's face before picking both four-year-olds up and danced into the kitchen. Fragwa scuttled along behind them. She plopped them down at the table and pulled the Shepard's pie out of the oven. Grinning, shee spooned it out into bowls for the children.

*Clang!*

Lenora jumped when the plastic dish labeled 'Fragwa' landed on the counter. The odd green cat landed next to it and grinned up at her. After a moment of hesitation, Lenora shrugged and spooned out food for Fragwa. She could have sworn she heard Fragwa say 'thank you'.

Lenora set the food on the table.

"Danke!" Mary and Toby coursed.

"Bite," Lenora chuckled as she got her own food and sat at the table with them.

Fragwa could be heard slurping up his food while Toby and Mary were to preoccupied with thier own food to even talk to eachother. When they finished eating, the toddlers took thier bowls and put them in the sink. Then Mary grabbed a towel and Toby hopped up on a chair. They both turned to look at Lenora.

"We always help Papa with the dishes after dinner," Toby signed.

"I know, " Lenora swallowed her last mouthful of food, "Remember the last time I came over?"

She got up and put the rest of the food in the fridge and went over to the sink and washed the pan and the bowls before handing them to Mary who fired them and handed them to Toby to put away. When dinner was cleaned up, Toby and Mary each grabbed one of her hands and dragged her back into the living room.

Lenora laughed and put the rented Scooby Doo movie into the DVD player. Then she sat on the sopha with Toby and Mary on each side of her. They had been watching for ten minutes before the door opened and Otto walked in with Jim on his hip. He set Jim on the sopha but didn't sit down.

"Lenora, can I speak with you for a moment? In the kitchen?"

Lenora looked at each of the children then back up at Otto, "Alright."

She moved Jim to between Toby and Mary and followed her boyfriend into the kitchen.

"Barbara took the brunt of ze crash. She...she's not doing vvell," Otto whispered to a degree thatt Lenora could barely hear him, "She vvas still in surgery vvhen I left vviz Jim. Jim is terrified."

"I bet he is. Has he stopped talking like Toby does?"

"No. But he does spontaneously start crying. I just thought I should let your know."

Lenora nodded, "You were right. Is ther anything I can do?"

"I don't zink so. Just being there for him is all vve can do. At least until VValt calls."

Lenora nodded and they went back into the living room. Lenora picked up Toby and put him on her lap and Otto put Mary on his lap and they and sandwiched Jim between them. Jim started crying only once.

Lenora took her handkerchief back out and wipped his face. He was laughing at the movie before long and all the kids fell asleep before the movie ended. Otto took Jim and Toby and tucked them both in into Toby's bed. Lenora took Mary up and tucked her into bed.

Otto peaked into the bedroom just in time to see Lenora lifting the blankets over his oldest child. She leaned forward and kissed Mary's forehead. Then, she set Mary's house shoes on the floor by the bed.

"Zey really like you," he said.

"I like them too," Lenora didn't turn around, "I like you."

She stood up and turned off the lights, leaving the door open slightly.

"So," Otto wrapped his arms aroound her waist, "VVhat are vve going to vvatch?"

"I don't know. What did you have in mind? Preferabley in English I'm a little to tired to translate."

Otto chuckled and kissed her, "How does zat new Lord of ze Rings movie sound?"

"Isn't it two hours long?" Lenora kissed him back.

"Is zere a problem vvviz zat?"

LLB

Otto and Lenora were watching The Two Towers at midnight when Walter stumbled threw the front door.

"VValt! VVhat happened?"

Walt stumbled forward and collapsed into the lay z boy, eyes distant.

"Should he have been driving like that?" Lenora asked as Otto rushed to his brother's side.

"VValt?"

"Th-th-they nearly l-l-l-lost her t-t-t-twice..." Walt choked out, "T-t-twice! I don't know what I would do withought her, Otto! Oh! Pale Lady! What would I tell Jim?!"

"VValt. VValt. Calm down. She's going to be fine, now. Right? She's in recovery?" Otto knelt in front of Walt.

Walt nodded mutely. He hid his face in his hands.

"Dada?" Jim stood bleary eyed on the steps.

Walt looked up at his son. He stood up and picked up Jim.

"Young Atlas."

Jim popped his thumb in his mouth and lay his head on Walt's shoulder.

"I-I have to get him home."

"No. You can stay here. Go, ze spare bedroom in clean and set up, take Jim und go to bed."

Walt took a deap breath and nodded. He placed his hand on the back of Jim's head before heading to tthe guest bedroom.

"He vvon't sleep," Otto shook his head, "Do you vvant to finish our movie?"

Lenora shook her head, "No. It's late. I should be heading home."

"Alright," Otto agreed.

He walked her to the door and wrapped his arms around her one last time, "Or your could...stay?"

"Otto," Lenora chuckled, "Did you forget that you just put your brother and nephew in your 'spare bedroom'? Which is little more than pantry, I might note."

"No...No...I remember...I just zought..."He blushed and bowed his head.

Lenora smiled and kissed him.

LLB

Walt rubbed his eyes as he followed the smell of coffee into the kitchen. He hadn't been able to sleep a wink. He had just lied there with his son and wooorrieed about his wife.

"Otto, please tell me you made the good coffee."

"Um...is plain Folgers' good?"

Walt's head snapped up. Lenora was standing in front of him, cup of coffee in hand, Otto's shirt draped around her shoulders.

"Oh...When did this start?"

"Last night," Lenora handed him the cup in her hands, "It wasn't really planned. It was just so late and, with everything that happened we just..."

Walt acctually managed to chuckle, "Well, at least not everything that happened last night was bad."

Lenora poured her own coffee and sat at the table with him, "I'm sure Barbara will be fine. I bet she'll even be back in your arms by the end of the week."

"I know that. I was...I was just so scared last night. I really don't know what I would do if I lost her."

"You would turn to tthe rest of your family. Otto, Ms. Nomura, Barbara's brothers, me. We would all be there. You know that."

Walt smiled at her ffoor a moment and took a sip from his coffee. There was a period of silence.

"You know, I half expected a lecture from you this morning," Lenora admited.

"A lecture?" Walt looked appalled, "I lived with Barbara for six months before I asked her to marry me. And I moved in the night James moved out! We may not have intended that I stay after that first night but that's how it happened. What kind of lecture were you expecting? 'Now, tell me Lenora. What exactly are your intentions towards my Little Brother?'"

They both burst out laughing and Walt had to admit, it felt good to laugh after the night he had had.

LLB

AN: A day will come when I write bout characters other then the Scaarbachs. BUT IT IS NOT THIS DAY! Tomorrow doesn't look to good either...