Monica stood in silence for a short moment as she saw what looked like fear in Rick's eyes and heard it in his tone of voice too

" It's not her heart is it?" Monica asked

" Not that I'm aware of and that's what scares me Monica because she hasn't come to me she won't tell me what's wrong."

" I saw her just a few weeks ago before she was brought in alittle while ago. She had slight bruising to her arms Rick… I noticed when she was first admitted before you came back from Nevada and then after her last appointment." Monica answered

" Monica you don't think it could be something more serious than just from the transplant do you?"

~~~

" Aunt Jessie I don't see what the issue would be Jesslyn and I along with Regan and Becca are just gonna study and chill... Why is it a problem that we go up to our room?" Genesis asked

" Because Genesis your mother is upstairs and isn't feeling good and the last thing she's gonna need is for there to be noise that's gonna get her upset and because as her cardiologist, Dr. Quartermaine and 3 other doctors were clear to your father and I that minimal exposure is very important when your mother is very sick because of the risks for infections that can be very dangerous... So you guys can study down here or go over to your friend's house to study and hang out but going upstairs right now is not an option for right now. Genesis look at me…." Jessie asked " lf your mother wasn't as sick as she is right now, isolation and all of that wouldn't be paramount or a priority but it is where she's of concern because she's sick so please meet me halfway." Jessie explained firmly

" Okay fine we won't go upstairs or at least we won't bring our friends up there..." Genesis replied

" Jesslyn alittle bit later I want to talk to you for alittle bit…" Jessie said and before heading up to check on Lesley.

" Okay..." Jesslyn called out.

Jessie started to pick up around the bedroom while Lesley was resting and later went to see if Lesley needed anything

" Lesley, is there anything I can do for you?" Jessie sat next to Lesley's bedside

" I'm alright... l'm okay Jessie I feel okay... Course it's just the beginning after Jerry changed the chemo so tomorrow and after that could be different... Jessie I'm so thankful that you are there with me... I don't know how I would get through this without you."

" I can't think of anything else I would rather be doing than to help you when you need me to... You're my daughter blood or not" Jessie said while reaching for Lesley's hand.

Trying to relax, Lesley started to feel like she was gonna be sick to her stomach where she needed to head for the bathroom.

" Lean on me Lesley... It's alright, it's what I'm here for."

" I... I fe-feel like I'm gonna be sick." Lesley got out when she started vomiting again that afternoon.

" Easy... It's alright Lesley, try to relax..." Jessie replied while trying to help Lesley back to lay down but Lesley had trouble with her breathing.

" Ha-have the kids gotten home from school? I have to…" Lesley winced " I have to talk to them… they need to know of some of wh-what's go-going on"

" Lesley take a deep breath right now you need to try to get some rest... I can handle talking with the kids... I actually will be pulling Jesslyn aside later to talk to her... But right now I'm gonna attend and make sure you are taken care of." Jessie helped Lesley back to lay down to relax and had reached to get Lesley's respirator mask.

" Jessie promise me you will always be there… the kids and Rick, they need som-so-someone to be there when they need it." Lesley looked over towards Jessie when she pulled down here oxygen mask

" Lesley don't you talk like this don't you start talking like you're dying on us because you will beat this. You will not give up, I will not let you. Do you hear me! I won't let you" Jessie argued while pulling her respirator mask back up onto her face

Shortly after Lesley had gone off to sleep Jessie unplugged the phone so it wasn't gonna upset her and then went back downstairs to talk to Jesslyn

" Jesslyn... Where's your sister?" I want to talk to the both of you about something important." Jessie asked

" She, Reagan and Becca took off to Becca's... I tried to tell her she had to stay home because it would get dad and mom both mad that she was to be our so late, Aunt Jessie is something wrong? Something's wrong I can see it all over your face" Jesslyn asked and moved to sit on the couch

" You're gonna have to know eventually because I'm sure you and Genesis may eventually have questions that have to do with your mother's health and her situation… that and you'll have to be prepared to know and learn what to expect." Jessie started

" Momma's okay isn't she? I mean she's gonna be fine right...?"

" I wish I could tell you that she would be... Um but her situation isn't good right now your mother's very sick and right now it isn't going as both myself and Dr Richards were hoping for... She has a rare but an aggressive form of Leukemia…. And it has started to spread before we could start the new treatment plan. At this point after we finally get to talk to your father we may not be able to continue treatment. The doctor that's been treating may decide that we have to pull treatment" Jessie explained as gently as she could

" But she'll get better, she has too..."

" Hey me and the doctors, we all are going to help your mother... What we need to do right now is to be there when she needs us" Jessie replied and pulled Jesslyn for a hug

" You're right... Momma's gonna need us... And we don't have the time to sit around and get upset..." Jesslyn said. " Um is it alright that I maybe go up talk to mom for alittle bit...?" Jesslyn asked before getting up

" Maybe after you get home tomorrow... But remember starting tomorrow you have to be real careful about things that come around her or those that come over because the kind of treatment that your mom is on now it's very strong where it will weaken her immune system enough that with any infection or even the slightest little cold, it could put her in the hospital again..."

" Okay... Give her a kiss for me would you? And tell her if she needs me I'll be up in my room studying for tomorrow's test." Jesslyn replied and went up to study in her room

Later that evening when Rick had gotten home, Jessie reminded him as always that Lesley was gonna be fine and warned him that Genesis had left the house before she had gone up to say goodnight to Lesley and had left to head home herself.

" I had a short but good talk with Jesslyn and she understands what you have going on. She knows that it's not gonna be easy for what you have to go through. Tomorrow when Dr Richards is here, I'll talk to him about seeing that it would be okay that Jesslyn is around to help you whenever you need... How are you feeling?" Jessie asked while sitting beside Lesley

" I'm... I'm al-alright... I'm ju-just... I'm just very tired…" Lesley replied

" You just try to get some rest... I'm gonna be here first thing in the morning as I normally do…" Jessie said and kissed Lesley on the forehead before heading out to head home

" Hey Jess…. Thanks for being there with me… I cou…." Lesley took a moment before finishing what she wanted to say " I couldn't be more grateful to you."

" Lesley I love you very much… sometimes it's almost as if I got to raise my own daughter. You may not be my daughter by blood but I wouldn't change anything than to be there when you need me to be. Try to get some rest."

Genesis and Becca continued to hang out at her house but Genesis was in no rush head back home

" Gene you really should be going soon is getting late and it's a school night.."

" Yeah but I'm not in a hurry besides it's more fun over here than you having to be downstairs in the living-room at my place…" Genesis replied

" Genesis that wasn't a big deal... I actually understood what your Aunt was saying about your mom not needing the noise while not feeling well…" Becca started saying when Genesis interrupted

" And that's why it's better over here... My mom's been like this for awhile now and I don't see why she'd always feel like it was a problem.."

" Genesis I can see it... You seemed to have forgotten that I have been growing up without mine for a long time... And I don't get to see my mom or talk to her because she's gone. So take this from me and be thankful that you have your mom... Cause I don't and if I were to want to see her I'd have to go up to where she was buried..." Becca tried to get through before trying to convince Genesis to head home

~~~

" Momma, it's Jesslyn... Do you mind alittle company for alittle bit...?" Jesslyn asked

" You can come on in kiddo, it's okay... I'm alright..." Lesley pushed to sit up alittle bit with Rick's help. " I'm gonna let you girls talk for alittle bit... Just remember you have to get to bed soon for school." Rick added before he stepped out.

" Aunt Jessie and I talked for alittle bit... I want you to get better... Cause I don't want to lose you Momma I need you to stick around for awhile.."

" Oh baby, I'm trying and I'm gonna fight this as hard and for as long as I can... Me Jessie and the doctors are hopeful that this new Chemotherapy that I'm on will help it go away... Hey Snoopi, you wanna tell me what's bothering you? What is it?" Lesley replied and reached to take Jesslyn's hands...

" I don't want to upset you mom or bring in my issues to you... At least not until you get better…" Jesslyn's replied

" You're scared aren't you... That this new treatment isn't gonna change what's going on right now is that what you're upset about...?" Lesley asked

Lesley waited for Jesslyn to look up again and squeezed her hand alittle bit " Sweetheart it's okay for you to be scared because I know that I am... Cancer is not a nice thing for anyone to have but I also know that I'm gonna be okay because Jessie and my good friend his name is Jerry, they're gonna keep going to get all of this to go away... Give me a hug…." Lesley smiled and hugged Jesslyn…

" lt's alright to be upset.. don't hide how you're feeling I don't want you to feel like you have to hide it because you think it might bother me… I know that it might seem like I may not pull through but I promise you Jesslyn you hear me? I promise you I'm gonna fight this right until I can't. Go on to bed and you and I will talk about some things tomorrow when you get home okay sweetheart.."

" I love you Momma I'll see you in the morning…" Jesslyn gave Lesley a hug and a kiss before going to bed

Rick was about to head up but stayed downstairs for when Genesis was gonna walk in the door and he wasn't happy because she knew that it was a school night and staying out late wasn't a smart thing

" Young lady where have you been all of this time.. and do you have any idea what time it is?" Rick called out

" I'm sorry I lost track of time I was with Becca at her house."

" You know better at almost 15 years old you should by now... You are grounded... Go upstairs and get to bed you have school tomorrow and when you get home, you are to do your chores, and your homework and that is that do you understand!." Rick ordered

" Yes I get it." Genesis walked away.

Lesley wasn't sure what time it was that Rick had came back up but she sensed it she knew he was there to stay right by her side

" I'm right by your side Les, I love you more than you think" Rick whispered in her ear and went to sleep himself.

Over the following month, Lesley was going back and forth with her treatments and her medical appointments with cunningham before catching up with Dan who was concerned for a while but didn't want to pry into it

" Dan, it's good to see you.. I'm sorry that I have been away.. I just… I've had alot going on lately."

" Not a problem Lesley the hospital is doing just fine… what about you, Lesley forgive me but you really don't look well?" Dan asked

" I'm not doing well Dan, not at all… The Leukemia started to spread further in spite of the Chemo and what's made it worse is I still haven't gathered the courage to tell Rick that not only have I been told the cancer is back, but I have been told that this Leukemia is rare, and I may lose mobility unless the Chemotherapy starts to work but that's not even the worst part because if l don't respond or if l haven't responded to the stronger chemotherapy that Richards had started, he is gonna then recommend that treatment will need to be pulled and l may not make it…" Lesley replied while trying to keep herself together

" I'm sorry to hear that Lesley… I hope you know that you are my prayers and if you ever need anything I'll be there for you." Dan responded

" Thank you Dan I appreciate that coming from you, you've always been a good friend to me."

Lesley left with Jessie to head home not noticing that Rick had just gotten off the elevator after Dan turned to head for a board meeting.

" I'm checking out Bobbi, will you have Monica take my afternoon patients, I'm gonna be home for the evening to spend time with Lesley while she is home trying to get better."

" Tell her my prayers are with her and I will be there if either of you need anything." Bobbi replied while signing Rick out.

Rick left and was on his way home from the hospital to be near incase Lesley was to need him unaware that Lesley had a surprise for him.

" Jessie I hope that this will work out… I know I'm risking my health more by throwing this but I want to make Rick happy Jessie." Lesley

" Hey everything is gonna be alright Lesley… and Rick is gonna be very happy even if he was just to spend the evening with you."

" I just… I wish I could find the words to tell him…. I love him so much Jessie but I'm scared… I'm just scared that I'm gonna end up being the one that's gonna hurt him the most." Lesley admitted and ducked her head down.

Now Jessie turned and stopped and had put the box she was moving down. " Lesley you couldn't hurt anybody if you wanted to… you don't have a selfish bone in your body." Jessie paused when Lesley interrupted

" Yes Jessie I do…. He has no clue, no idea that I have cancer again… Rick of all people I have been lying to for weeks now about it.. I should have told him that I have been sick. He should know that it's gotten so bad but I haven't and it isn't right." Lesley turned away from Jessie

" Lesley we all have our fears about something…. I know I've had mine… a month and a half ago I was terrified. I was terrified I was gonna lose another daughter." jessie stopped when Lesley looked up at her

" Jessie I'm sorry… I don't mean to get you upset or myself upset…. Jessie I don't want to give up, I want to live.. but I also don't want Rick to have to see me like this.." Lesley cried but was grateful Jessie was there to help her when she needed help with anything.

" Lesley it's all gonna be alright. You've beaten tougher odds than this before."

~~~

Before signing out, Rick called to check in on Lesley who was sound asleep from having trouble with the vomiting and side effects from her treatment which, didn't in any way help Rick feel any better at his worries that Lesley was in serious condition but he could for the life in him figure out how bad it was.

" She's alright Rick I just had her go and lay down to rest while she can…" Jessie assured Rick

" Jessie tell her something for me… tell her I love her and I will be home as soon as I can. There was another 3 car accident and we have at least 4 critical. 2 of them we had to rush into surgery and Monica is still in there. I just got out and I got to do my rounds so I can get home from here to be there with Lesley." Rick said just as he was paged to CICU.

" Course I will tell her Rick... you just keep your head up and do the best you can." Jessie replied and got off the phone to check on Lesley.

Lesley had just started to try to get some rest but felt like it was gonna be difficult to sleep. " It's alright Jessie, I'm okay… you can come in."

" How are you feeling? Is there something I can do for you or that you need me to do for you?" Jessie asked

" Jessie come and sit down with me…" Lesley said

Jessie sensed and knew Lesley was slightly upset and not just that she spoke to Rick, but because she wants to tell him of Lesley's condition but knows she can't as Lesley was afraid to tell him and she was also torn in between of what she should do even though she knew Lesley should be the one to be able to open up to him

" Rick called alittle bit ago… He said to tell you that he loves you and he is gonna to try to get home soon there was a very bad bus accident and Rick and 3 other doctors had to rush 4 critical of the victims to emergency surgery."

" He does what he does best and I can never be more proud of him for that. I just wish I could gain the courage to tell him what I should have told him weeks ago.." Lesley tried to hide the guilt she's been carrying as she hadn't told Rick that she was diagnosed with cancer.

" Lesley it's gonna be alright, you're not alone."

" I appreciate that you're trying to distract me from feeling as guilty as I do, but Jessie it isn't gonna change that I'm doing what I swore I would never do again. He has no idea that I have cancer. He hasn't got a clue that treatment may not even matter. And keeping that from him, how could I do it Jessie, how could I do this to Rick?!" Lesley exclaimed

Over the next few weeks Lesley finally finished with her first round of the Chemotherapy and hoped that things would be starting to head for the better but it didn't seem to go entirely that way as she knew that it was still just the beginning of her treatment and she would be starting at it again in a couple of weeks.

" Rick I'm fine really…. And Steve evaluated me and determined that I can start to go back to work soon."

" Lesley I just don't want you to overdo yourself. Your health and you are just too important to me." Rick protested

" Oh Rick I promise you…. I'm gonna be okay I will… because I have you and I have Jessie and the kids right here by my side.. you better get going, you have surgery and Jessie will be expecting to see me upstairs taking it easy and the kids will be up soon to get ready for school and that. I'll be alright Rick I promise you." Lesley wrapped her arms around Rick for a few minutes.

" Knowing that you need me Sweetheart, makes it hard for me to leave you when I know that you're not well and you're trying to hide it." Rick replied and held Lesley close to him

Rick finally left to head out for the hospital after Lesley had gone back to sleep. Thinking of what she hasn't told him and what he is suspecting she's afraid to tell him has made it difficult for him to leave the house but he knows she's right about getting on with a normal day where he was finally able to pull out of the driveway after he saw Jessie arrive for the day.

Jesslyn and Genesis were just about to head out but Jesslyn stayed back as she started to worry about Lesley and with good reason as Lesley had more difficulty keeping anything down and had continued to lose weight more but what scared Jesslyn more was that it took alittle bit more time than usual to wake Lesley when she went to tell her she'd see her later after school.

" Aunt Jessie somethings alittle bit off this morning… I don't know that moms okay… I had alot of trouble waking her up just before I was about to leave with Genesis for school."

" That doesn't sound good.. Hey if anything turns up I will make sure that you know and your father would be there to pick you up from the school. Don't worry about your mother I promise you, I will look after things and make sure she's okay." Jessie assured Jesslyn and had her head off for school.

Jessie went up to talk and make sure Lesley was okay but to also see if she needed anything. " Lesley? It's Jessie. I just want to make sure you're alright and see if you need anything." Jessie called out

" I'm al-alright.." Lesley started coughing again. " Thank you Jessie… Rick didn't want to leave again… and Jesslyn she's getting concerned.."

" She said she had alot of difficulty with waking you up to tell you she'll see you later tonight… Lesley are you sure you're okay?" Jessie's concerns started to rise when Lesley's temperature had gone up but her blood pressure started to drop.

" I'm alright… I'm ju-just… I'm just tired."

" Lesley you have to try to eat something… you can't go on without trying." Jessie insisted not that she was trying to be forceful but she knew the longer Lesley wasn't eating, the more that Lesley's condition was gonna get worse.

" Lesley come on now stay with me… Lesley, I need you to stay awake."

Jessie immediately called for an ambulance when Lesley became unresponsive.

Rick had just finished his rounds but was paged to emergency where Lesley had just been brought in

Rick turned around as Jessie had called out to him when he was about to ask about what was up when Jessie had him paged to Emergency.

" Jessie what happen where's Lesley?" Rick started to panic

" Steve and Martinson are in there right now I'm sure we'll know soon enough…" Jessie replied

" What happened Jessie, she was fine when I left this morning?!" Rick asked again

" She spiked a very high fever and her blood pressure had dropped. I think if I had waited anymore than I did, she would have died."

Rick paced back and forth waiting for word on Lesley's condition and

whether or not she was gonna pull through. All Rick thought of was the worst moment of his life even while Jessie and other of his friends tried their hardest to get him to not lose faith that they couldn't help Lesley get better.

" Rick?" Martinson called out

" Tell me Lesley's alright…" Rick stood up

" Lesley's condition is very serious but she's stable… she hasn't woken up and she has not started to respond to treatment for the Staphylococcus infection either; she's responsive to stimuli so that is encouraging… we have to move her over to CICU where we can watch her every second" Martinson answered

" Lesley you better fight… I need you.. I can't say goodbye to you Lesley. I don't know how to do that, nevermind how to try…" Rick begged for Lesley to hear him just as Steve and Martinson were preparing to have her taken to CICU

~~~

Over the next 3 days Martinson and Steve worked round the clock to get Lesley to stabilize but the fact remained that the Staphylococcus infection wasn't the only thing they had to worry about as just 4 months ago Lesley was diagnosed with an aggressive form of Acute Leukemia.

" We're facing a real dilemma Steve… we're gonna have to decide whichever one of the serious issues to treat. The Staphylococcus or the Leukemia. We can't do both at the same time. If we try, it would kill her for sure." Martinson pointed out

" I think we should treat the Staphylococcus infection first, get it contained before it goes into the bloodstream then we can resume with her treatment for the cancer providing it doesn't spread to anywhere else further." Steve responded

Both Steve and Martinson headed to talk to Jessie as Rick still doesn't know about her ongoing battle. " I know that look Steve and Lesley is gonna be fine."

" Jessie if we don't stop the Chemotherapy and treat the Staphylococcus infection Lesley will die right now she's stable but it's only a matter of time before the infection spreads into the bloodstream and once it does there's not gonna be much that we can do" Martinson explained

" You're asking me as a mother to stop Chemotherapy…. Earl, I can't do that… Lesley at heart is my daughter. I'm not just gonna say okay stop her treatment when she needs that.!"

" Jessie as a parent myself, I could never ask you to choose, however, if we don't act now the Staph infection is what's gonna kill her… we can't treat both problems at once. But we can save her life if we do it right." Martinson tried again.

Martinson and Steve acted fast as they got the okay from Jessie to treat the infection first. Jessie felt compelled to finally tell Rick what's been going on but reminded herself that he had to hear it from Lesley and it had to be Lesley's choice to tell him. And after a month, Lesley was finally getting better enough that she was able to be taken home. Rick carried her up to bed so she could rest but was in no rush to leave her side especially after he caught a glimpse of what he thought was a Chemo port but wasn't sure as to what it was that she was being given.