Getting up early in the morning, Lesley was feeling alittle under the weather but she brushed it off as she didn't want anyone to worry about with what she had going on. Rick had already left for the hospital which was perfect because it gave her alittle time to slow and collect herself without Rick hovering every moment though, she wished that she had said something but knew otherwise to do that because of the kind of man Rick always had been where if he thought something was wrong he'd drop everything to tend to what she needed and this time she wanted to stop him from doing so much especially as he had a trip planned to go fishing with his brother in Nevada and shortly after he had a convention in New Hampshire that he had to go to.

" Girls let's go, you're going to be late for school and I still have to get your brother ready for school." Lesley called up from the stairs in the living room.

" We're almost ready. I'm just trying to make sure I Have everything for the classes I have today." Jesslyn answered from the bedroom.

" Genesis do you have everything you need just in this little bag you're carrying? That just seems to be alittle too small." Lesley asked while reaching for her coat in the front closet.

" Yeah l'll manage like usual. Um Becca wanted to know if she could spend the night tomorrow.?"

" Ah you better talk to your dad because you know how he feels when it's during the week." Lesley replied before she left for the hospital.

After checking in, Lesley was immediately paged to the ICU and later she was up in the clinic with wall to wall patients before she was able to find the window to get a break to sit with Rick for lunch.

" Everything this morning go okay…. You were still fast asleep this morning when I left."

" Well I've seen better mornings. I just had alittle trouble this morning but i'm feeling fine. How come you were up and out early this morning, did you have surgery?" Lesley asked

" Yeah but I also had a consultation with Noah and Cunningham.."

" I just thought I'd ask…." Lesley responded but unintentionally had indicated she wasn't feeling right again

" Lesley what's going on….?" Rick asked directly

" Rick, I'm fine. I'm just alittle tired and I was up a couple of times last night."

" Lesley I don't think I like the way that sounds….. Now I don't want to push the issue or push you about it but I'm concerned about you. I just need you to talk to me and I want you to feel that you can just tell me what is wrong." Rick said in response hoping that Lesley would open up and tell him that she wasn't as okay as she was trying to be

" Rick…. I just…. I just don't want you to worry about me… I think it's just a little bug…. Riley had a stomach bug last week and Jesslyn, she had it a couple of days ago so I think now it's decided to say it was my turn but really Rick I'm fine."

" I want you home and in bed you're in no shape or condition to try to work… and you're in no shape to try to push yourself in trying to prove it like you were to need anyone's approval."

" I can't just drop work and go home Rick. I need to work too." Lesley challenged but reminded herself that Rick was only trying to look out for her in the long run " I'm sorry Rick… I don't mean to sound like I'm not grateful to you… I know that you're just trying to look out for me."

" You don't need to apologize Lesley…. I know it's hard for you and I also know that your work means alot to you….. but honey you mean more to me than anything else and your health is more important than trying to just push through the day like everything is okay."

" You're right Rick. I do need to slow down and go at a pace… but I also don't think I should just go home because I feel slightly nauseated or under the weather."

" I'm not gonna suggest that you do that today…. Sweetheart, all I'm saying is that when you feel like you're gonna have a bad day, you should try to rest and stay home and off your feet."

" I promise you I will when I can…. Ah what time do you think you might be home later?"

" I don't really have a set time. I may be here longer depending on a patient in CICU. Why what's up?" Rick asks

" Well nothing in particular I was just thinking that after the kids are in bed and we have spare and free time, we could maybe just relax by the fireplace and just take time for ourselves."

" I think I like that idea…. How about when you get home and you relax without pushing yourself…. I'll call you and I will let you know if I'm gonna be longer than planned." Rick suggested when he raised his hand to set it Lesley's shoulder.

Rick walked Lesley back to the clinic and stayed for alittle bit to make sure she was really okay before he headed to the ICU and later to CICU. Granted that Rick still had a nagging feeling that Lesley wasn't okay, Rick did his best to attend to his patients for the remainder of his shift before he was able to get home to take care of Lesley as he always has.

" Jessie, do you mind that I use the phone.?" Rick asked

" No, help yourself… I saw Lesley a couple hours ago… Rick, is everything okay?"

" I don't know Jessie. She hasn't said anything to me and she's just continued to push herself. Maybe a dear friend's opinion or advice could help her to face whatever she's afraid of knowing about before something happens to her."

" Leave that to me. In the meantime Rick, go home for the night to spend time with Lesley and try to get some sleep." Jessie replied and turned him towards the front entrance of the hospital.

The distance home wasn't long and Rick was glad that he was gonna be finally home for the night but something immediately poked at his worries when he started seeing blue and red lights when he turned on their street. Pacing up to the door Rick watched incase the paramedics were about to bring her out to the ambulance.

" Jesslyn what happened." Rick said right away

" I tried to catch and help her but I couldn't and she took a bad fall down the stairs. I immediately called for the ambulance and just stayed here. I didn't want to leave her…."

" Hey you did the right thing and what's important is help got to her in time. For now could you keep an eye on your brother while I take care of things and make sure your mother is okay?"

" Daddy please let me go with you…. I want to be there when she wakes up and see that I'm there." Jesslyn asked

" I know you want to be there but there isn't room for everyone. So how about we do this, after she's taken care of and I see Jessie at the hospital I'll tell her to come and pick you up."

Jesslyn hugged Rick as the paramedics were about to take Lesley out and Rick went with them. As short of a distance from the house to the hospital and vice versa, it didn't seem short for Rick while he was keeping his eyes at Lesley's vital signs and continued to be worried each time that her heart rate and blood pressure continued to drop.

" 45 year old female BP is 74 over 30 respiration is shallow and was intubated on scene, possible internal bleeding after taking a fall down a flight of stairs and possible neck fracture.." paramedics explained while Rick had Jessie and Steve paged to the Emergency room.

" Rick, I need you to wait outside….. I need to have room to help her. I need you to trust me and believe that she's in good hands." Martinson asked

" Lesley you come back to me… You keep fighting for the kids.. we all need you." Rick took a few minutes before stepping out to the hall.

" Rick I thought you were gonna be home where I said for you to be with Lesley and the kids…." Jessie looked at Rick but didn't say anything else when she saw the look in Rick's eyes. " What happened Rick?"

" The ambulance was there already when I got home…. They were just about to finish up. Jessie the second I saw her lying the way she was… no movement, barely any pulse or respiration. I thought we lost her right then until they got her to respond after they intubated."

" You don't think that maybe the cancer is back, do you.?"

" God I hope not Jessie but it would at least explain her loss of balance and how she took this fall to begin with… I spoke to Jesslyn when I got there and she was in tears afraid that she couldn't save her mother..." Rick answered

" Lesley is a fighter, she'll get through this. You just need to keep telling yourself that.."

A few hours after Lesley was brought in, she was finally able to be taken to the ICU where Rick spent every second with her until she was to wake up.

" Rick, could you and I talk for a moment." Monica asked

" Now's not really a good time Monica… I'd like to stay with Lesley until she wakes up. I need to be the first thing she sees when she wakes up." Rick answered

" I understand Rick, believe me I do… But I think it's a good idea to look over and make sure that it isn't her heart that contributed to her fall.."

Rick took a moment before agreeing because at the thought that the cancer was back terrified him but to think it could've just been related to her heart condition, it only eased up on his fears but it didn't make them dissipate.

" You think maybe it could be a problem with her heart?" Rick turned to Monica

" I won't rule it out. With her history of infections following after her transplant and after your son was born.. I think it's best that we cover the basics before we rule anything out."

" I just…. You might think it's terrible to say this and I hate that I do but… I just…. I pray to God that it is her heart… because to think that the cancer returned and then she can't overcome it… it scares me to death Monica."

" You're not a terrible person Rick, you're just human. It's not easy to not worry about someone you love. We'll see Lesley through all of this."

After a couple of weeks in the ICU, Lesley started to come around where she was more conscious and aware of what was going on and Rick made sure he was the first thing she saw when she finally woke up. After examining carefully and thoroughly, Martinson determined that there was no paralysis from the fall and Lesley was lucky that how she landed, she avoided breaking her neck by the way she fell.

" You are very lucky. Had you fallen just alittle more at this angle, you would have broken your neck.."

" Do you remember anything at all from what you were doing when you took that bad fall.?" Rick asked gently at Lesley's side

" Just that I was upstairs with Jesslyn and Riley and I know that I was dizzy off and on but I didn't really think much of it because the next thing, I tripped over and Jesslyn tried to catch me when I went down."

" That's what she was saying when I got home. She was really upset and scared. Luckily everything is going for the better and soon you'll be home where you belong." Rick scooted closer

" I'm al-alright… I'll be okay… I'm just glad that I didn't take Jesslyn with me when I fell."

" Oh she's a tough girl. What's important is that you are okay and hopefully soon we'll have an answer as to why you fell in the first place."

" You think maybe the cancer is back don't you?"

" I hope it isn't but if it were it would at least be an answer in which we could treat and help you. I'm not gonna let you give up Lesley… I need you and so do the kids." Rick answered.

" Rick…. I… I…. I just don't know that I can do it all again…. I don't want to give up… but I also don't want to hurt you either."

" Sweetheart, you don't know how to hurt a fly, nevermind me. The important thing is if something is gonna be found… you'll get through it because I'm gonna be right here right by your side." Rick kissed Lesley on the forehead

Rick stepped out to make a phone call to check on the kids and later he arranged to spend the night close to Lesley until he took her home where they would be able to spend quality time with each other.

" Rick…. Where are you…" Lesley started to get scared that Rick had disappeared

" Lesley I'm right here… Everything is okay..." Rick shot up to sit at Lesley's side.

" I thought someone had ta-taken you..." Lesley started to cry

" Oh sweetheart we are okay, everything is okay no one will ever take me from you again and no one is ever gonna take you away from me again." Rick quickly pulled Lesley into his arms.

" Does this feel better.?" Rick asked while rubbing and massaging her shoulders.