Rick dozed off beside Lesley while she was still unconscious but was aware that Rick was there because she started to regain consciousness and later moved her hand in his when he fell asleep
" R-Rick please go on home and rest... I'm alright.." Lesley winced when she tried pushing to sit up alittle bit " Rick please stop worrying so much about me... I'm not going anywhere not anytime soon"
" Welcome back beautiful... You really scared me, you know that... You gotta stop scaring me like that... I really thought something was wrong" Rick replied and held Lesley's hand
" Rick I'm alright you need to go on home and get some sleep." Lesley tried to slightly smile. " You have to take better care of yourself until we take Riley home"
" I beg your pardon... Who's Riley?" Rick replied
" Can you help me sit up alittle bit more?" Lesley paused but winced while Rick helped her sit up alittle more than she continued " Rick all that time when you were gone and I had to face that you were... You were never gonna come home again, it just... It just about killed me inside that I had to face that my husband was gone especially because you are everything to me and... Finding out that I was pregnant again and you weren't there... Rick I didn't think I could do it again not without you... But later on, I decided to keep him even with the possible risks to me because I thought I could still try even with you gone... Finding out it was a boy it hurt Rick because I knew that you wanted a son and before you suddenly came back to me... to us, I thought of how you were never gonna have the chance to know your son it broke my heart but... I thought that I could give back to you and that's what I am doing even with you being here where you belong..." Lesley looked up at Rick with a small smile
" You were gonna name him after me...?"
" Riley Jacobs Webber after you and Jessie... I thought it would be nice because Jessie had always been so wonderful to me and has always been like a mother in my life and then you... You are the man I fell in love with all that time ago and in spite of all the problems and the heartache we caused to each other, Rick I will always love you!" Lesley leaned over towards Rick.
" And I Lesley Webber will always love you... You're the only other woman I'll ever wanna be with now and in the future" Rick made it clear and leaned over to give Lesley a kiss
Dana had just begun her rounds as she stopped by Lesley's room in maternity and looked over her vitals but noticed Lesley wasn't responding to the antibiotics that she and Dr. Gonzales had her on when she was first admitted after the night the baby was born and her blood labs showed that she did develop DIC.
" Lesley… how are you feeling?" Dana asked.
" I've had and have seen better days… still weaker than I was before, but I'm hanging in there the best I can. Is something wrong?" Lesley looked between Rick and Dana
" When you were brought in your pressure was lower than what it normally would have been had you delivered when you were brought in. We were able to stabilize and remove the placenta but not before you suffered a number eclamptic seizures that caused a tare during the placenta removal procedure and later caused a secondary infection and we then had to get you into surgery twice and Monica and I had to bring Dr Dante in following your last eclamptic seizure that caused bleeding to the brain… and looking at your labs and blood work, you have not responded to the antibiotics that we put you on for the infection which means that the infection has reached your kidneys and you have further internal bleeding in spite of transfusing you before, during, and after surgery…" Dana explained the best of the situation as she could
" I knew it was a risk this time around especially after things went when I was pregnant with the girls and you had warned me of these potential complications that were involved. Of course I wanted to take the chance at the time."
" We are keeping you transfused for as long as we can." Dana replied
" and if we can't?" Lesley looked towards Dana. " Then we'll have to get you into surgery to stop it." Rick spoke up
" No, I wo-wouldn't survive surgery... " Lesley looked as weak as she was between Rick and Dana. " If we can't correct the bleeding and get her blood to clot, then she will keep bleeding to a point that there won't be much we would be able to do." Dana said
" What do you mean by she'll continue bleeding? " Rick started to speak up " It means Rick, that I have developed a condition known as D.I.C and if we can't correct this with transfusual means, then I will keep bleeding until I…." Lesley answered Rick's question.
Rick stood up and headed outside of the room to take a ment to try to process what he just heard Lesley say. He knew her condition was guarded but to hear that it was that serious now he was terrified that things weren't gonna get better or that they weren't gonna be able to correct the D.I.C.
" I know you advised that I should've considered termination at the time… but looking back Dana, I couldn't have done it, not when I had thought at that time that I had lost Rick…. I just wish it wasn't almost at the expense that would've been between me and my son."
" We all had to weigh the risks Lesley. And it was not your fault sometimes we do everything right and things take an unexpected turn on their own. Because of the transplant and the notation in your chart that you are a heart recipient patient, you were very lucky that you made it as far as 25weeks into the pregnancy with your son. I've advised many mothers that have been organ recipients not to keep a pregnancy because that would mean that your anti-rejection medication would affect and could be lethal to the fetus. But you wanted to try knowing the risks and you did well. Had Rick brought you in before your labor started or for any other reason with that notion to your history, I would've induced you anyway for safety reasons one being because following delivery you had 5 eclamptic seizures and you developed a secondary infection that has so far been resistant to the broad spectrum antibiotics where it has gone into your right kidney…. Lesley you may have to be placed back onto the transplant list for both kidneys if we can't clear this infection and soon."
~~~
After another couple of weeks in the hospital, Rick was finally able to bring both Lesley and the baby home where Jessie waited with the girls and Ruby with a welcome home banner.
" Rick, I can take him... It's okay" Lesley reached for Riley after Rick helped her out of the car.
" You have a son..." Lesley looked up at Rick with a smile
" We have a son... And like his mother, he is one special life... I better take you inside so you can go straight to bed and relax. You've had a tough time in the hospital... And I hope that you never scare me like that again." Rick kissed Lesley on the head.
" Rick… I'm sorry…. You know that I don't mean to do that… I just hope that it won't take long for a donor to come through again."
" Hey, we are going to find one… I promise you… I will do whatever it takes for you." Rick helped Lesley to walk inside for her surprise.
" Rick, why are the lights off? I can't see a thing?" Lesley got out
" Hold on Les, I might have to check the box again. I may have blown a fuse..." Rick replied hoping he was able to hide the grin that was on his face.
" Rick what do you have up your sleeve?" Lesley called out...
Lesley reached for the light switch to turn the lights on and was not expecting what was waiting for her.
" Welcome home Lesley; mommy!!!" Everybody shouted
" You guys, this is just incredible... I really don't know what to say..." Lesley replied with a few tears that had escaped.
" It was well long coming for you Lesley, you've been away from home alittle too long and the girls missed you... They also were asking about their new baby brother too." Jessie stood beside Lesley and the baby.
" Turns out the fuse box was just fine.. sorry it took alittle bit" Rick grinned when Lesley turned around to look at him
" I almost forgot how easy it once was to leave you without being able to say a word after you've been surprised." Rick stood beside Lesley when she looked at him.
" I love you Lesley and if I had to do today all over again I wouldn't change one thing. You are a
blessing just as the kids are." Rick said without leaving out how he felt about the true love of his life.
" We will have to talk later about this Richard but all I want to do is be with you… Although first I think it's time that Riley goes down for right now since he's asleep.." Lesley kissed Rick and passed Riley on to him " He looks so small in your arms" Lesley added with a smile.
" As far as I see it he's as perfect as his beautiful mother. You go ahead and take an easy, I'm gonna get Riley settled in the nursery."
~~~
Frank Smith was waiting for a visitor while thinking about how his plan wasn't gonna fail this time and how he could finally finish what he started and grinned just as his name was called out for a visitor.
" I'm sorry it took me awhile boss but I had to be sure that nobody could see or notice that I was hanging around and watching them.."
" And what have you seen so far?" Smith asked with a straight face
" The woman you want taken care of, she just had another kid... and the husband who supposedly had died on her, just took her and the kid home."
" You mean to tell me that Webber has been alive all that time!" Smith bit out
" That's what I have seen."
" This is very interesting; keep a watch on both of them... If the opportunity to take the brats they bread comes in take it but keep an eye on both Webbers they've been thorns in my side for too long" Smith got out as quietly as he could.
Rick had just finished putting Riley down so he could spend some time with Lesley downstairs while he had a chance
" Lesley, it's so nice to have you home again. And you now have a son. How's it feel to have 3 kids..." Ruby asked
" You know Ruby if you were to suggest that I was gonna be a mother again 10 years ago and to 3 kids, I would have probably told you that you were somewhat crazy but to see now and I watch the girls playing and now to see how they're gonna be with the new baby, Ruby it's the greatest feeling I've had in a real long time..." Lesley smiled
" Well it's good that you are home and you're better... How have you been doing since Rick came back... Jessie filled in and told me I just think it's incredible."
" Truthfully Ruby..." Lesley looked towards Rick. " I was really hurt and was just angry with him for a long time but it's like the more I think of it... That anger or that hurt it just… it goes away Ruby because while it did hurt that he had just left, I know now that he only risked everything if it meant to keep me and the kids safe and that's the kind of man I fell in love with I couldn't never have expected to have anything less than someone like Rick..." Lesley admitted but smiled
" Lesley out of the time that he gave you some space and he asked if he could stay with Bobbi... She was watching him and she thinks he cried some of the time just out of fear that he was gonna lose you and the kids... She may have also seen the guilt he carried Lesley... He was heartbroken because he knew he had hurt you... But that sacrifice he made, it was so he could protect the woman he really loves..."
" I know and that's part of why I love him so much... I don't think I could ever live without him..." Lesley smiled while watching him with the girls
" Lesley I promise you that is something you will never have to do... We're all safe and I will always protect you and our family." Rick smiled
~~~
Over the next few weeks Lesley finally started to feel safe enough to go back to work while Alice stayed with the kids during the day and while she was on her rounds with Rick.
" Ah good you were just the person I was looking for" Lesley smiled
" Oh and should I be worried about that?" Rick grinned but kept her condition in mind.
" Well only if you don't wanna maybe go for lunch and then take the rest of the day off to be with me and the kids..." Lesley replied with a returned grin of her own
" Well when you put it that way... I can be out of here in about 25 and I'll take you to the Floating Rib..." Rick replied with a grin
" Well don't forget... I also have my appointment with Monica in an hour and after a week and a half ago... l'm alittle nervous" Lesley looked up at Rick
Now Rick pulled Lesley to the side " Hey everything is going to be fine because I won't let you go through anything by yourself and if there happens to be a problem, we'll get through it together Lesley because you're all that matters for me and the kids."
" I love you Rick..." Lesley hugged Rick before catching the elevator
" Hey... I love you too Lesley... That will never ever change" Rick gave Lesley a kiss
Both Rick and Lesley went to finish their rounds until Rick was paged to the lobby to take a frightening call from Alice
" Dr. Webber, it's a call from home and she sounds very upset." Georgia called out
" Alice, it's Rick... What's going on... Is there something wrong with the kids?" Rick asked quickly
" Everything was fine until..." Alice said
" Until what... Alice, I need you to calm down and tell me what's going on, what is wrong?" Rick said firmly
" The baby is gone. I went to check on him after I checked on the girls. They're okay, they're asleep in your room. I moved them... And went to check on the baby and he was gone... I also saw that his window was open... I swear to you sir I didn't leave or open his window I even made sure it was locked" Alice tried to get out
" Alice, just tell me this, have you called the police?!" Rick asked
" I called you right away and I will call the police right after" Alice replied
" Alice stay with Genesis and Jesslyn upstairs lock the bedroom door. I am gonna be there as soon as I can after Lesley is finished with her medical appointment with Monica. Don't let them leave that room." Rick got out and got off the phone
" Georgia, get Captain Ramsey on that phone now and tell him to meet me at the house in 30 minutes and whatever you do... Don't mention any of this to Lesley, she needs to hear about it from me and me alone..." Rick requested..
~~~
" Just as you requested boss but I was only able to get the baby. Their maid was with the other 2 kids."
That's fine, give the little brat to the family I told you about but make sure the adoption is legal and the family knows the boy's parents are deceased..." Frank said quietly over the phone
" Yes sir..."
" Monica I hope it's okay that Rick is here with me I just didn't want to do it alone" Lesley said
" Not at all Lesley, I think it's good for him to be there... How are you feeling? Any more chest pain or shortness of breath?" Monica asked
" Not really since the scare the week before last... I mean I sometimes get run down but I think that's from the kids and taking care of them..." Lesley replied
" Lesley, anything you experience it's okay for you to tell me..."
" Monica I'm alright... I honestly think it's just from the stress and the pressures from getting back into a normal routine again now that the baby is here my focus when I go home is to him..." Lesley insisted
" I think to be on the safe side, I think I should look over and do a full work up just incase."
~~~
Bert got out to the Webber residence as fast as possible just as Rick had gotten to the house
" Bert, my son is only 4 and a half months old. He's still a newborn baby and someone has broken into my house and has taken him... I want something done before I go back to the hospital and have to tell Lesley that our son was kidnapped." Rick bit out
" Rick, I have my men on it, we will find your son... Can you think of anyone who would want to set out to hurt you or Lesley by taking your child.?" Bert asked
" No I haven't gotten the slightest clue Bert... Only guy that wanted to go after my family was Smith... But we dealt with him when I worked with the FBI to stop him." Rick replied and continued " I got to get back to the hospital and get up to Lesley for her appointment... I'm already about 15 minutes late"
~~~
" Rick should've been here before now... I wonder what's keeping him so long" Lesley stated while waiting for her tests to come back
Just as quick as Lesley thought about it, Rick was just coming off the elevator when Monica was on her way with her medical reports and test results and Lesley caught on that something wasn't right and Rick was very upset
" Rick what is it... What's wrong?" Lesley asked
" Not right now Lesley, we will talk after your appointment with Monica and I'm sorry for being late." Rick replied
" Rick it's okay you're here now but whatever it is that made you late it's obviously got you upset now what is it?" Lesley asked again
Rick was about to say something when Monica came in with what Lesley was waiting for
" I have your results from everything that we did with your exam and you are fine Lesley... Everything is normal, your blood work is great, your EKG shows no irregularities and the medication protocol following the transplant is normal and responding the way it should Before and after you have had the baby... Lesley you are in good health for the time being" Monica got to the point
" I'm really okay? There's nothing serious with my heart or anything else?" Lesley asked again
" Lesley l looked over your labs carefully you are okay"
" Monica thank you I really don't know how to thank you enough" Lesley replied
Monica stood up and gave Lesley a hug "Just keep taking your medication and keep your appointments with me and or Cunningham and that's all the thanks I will need."
Monica had stepped out to hit her rounds while Rick stayed back with Lesley who wasn't about to let Rick off the hook with what was wrong.
" Rick, what is wrong... Why were you so upset..." Lesley shot up a look.
Rick braced himself because he knew that Lesley was gonna be more upset than he was that someone had kidnapped the baby while Alice was attending to the girls downstairs. And what scared him more was that telling Lesley, his concerns that Lesley could have any issues with her health threatened him to try more to avoid telling her more.
" Rick please just tell me what is wrong?!" Lesley insisted.
