Rick assured Lesley that everything was okay and Riley just woke up from a nightmare and told Lesley to go back to sleep for the night. Easier said than done and Lesley was up for the rest of the night after Rick had gone back to sleep and instead of going downstairs like she normally did, instead Lesley sat in the den to think.

" Lesley come on up to bed you're exhausted and it's not gonna be good for you to not get some sleep"

" Rick I'm fine I was just thinking again that's all… Rick do you ever picture or wonder where our lives would be if Laura hadn't been murdered that night we were in that bad accident?" Lesley asked

" You know I do…. Lesley Laura was as much as my daughter as Genesis and Jesslyn are…. That sweetheart will never change because she's still a part of you."

" I miss her so much Rick… I just wish it wasn't her that had to die that night. And I know that that sounds terrible of me to say and I should be grateful that I'm alive but she had alot of things she should be doing and instead of doing them she's laying in a coffin in the ground."

Rick wrapped his arms around Lesley when she started to get upset and just sat with her until she finally tired herself out and was asleep. Rick carried her back to bed upstairs and made sure that her oxygen supply was okay before he climbed back to go back to sleep himself.

Early the next morning, Rick got up early to see the girls go off to school and before he went to take Riley to preschool, her made sure Lesley was okay and made sure that she was okay before he went to wake up Riley

" Lesley….. can I do anything for you before I take Riley to his school.?" Rick sat beside Lesley on her side.

" No…. I think I'm okay… I think I'm gonna get a shower and maybe I thought I'd go with you to the hospital… I'd like to see Audrey… Rick, how is Audrey?"

" Audrey is still guarded but she's doing better than she was a couple of days ago." Rick answered.

" I wanna go up and see her for alittle bit…. Please Rick.." Lesley looked up at Rick hoping he'd take her with him to the hospital.

" How about when I come back from taking Riley to preschool, I'll give Martinson a call and I'll ask him about it."

" I love you Rick… Sometimes I don't know what I would do if you weren't here with me." Lesley wrapped her arms around Rick's waste

" Lesley I love you more than anything else in this world other than the kids. I will always be there to protect and take care of you." Rick gave Lesley a kiss before he helped her to lay back down before he went to get Riley to school.

Rick went into wake Riley and got him ready to go but first, he thought maybe to let him in to say goodmorning to Lesley before they left and later they left to get to his preschool before Rick had to be in for work. But remembered he had to call in to check on Audrey who was finally transferred out of CICU into ICU where she was guarded rather than having to be real watched every single second.

" Yes this is Dr. Rick Webber i'd like to speak to Dr. Martinson please…. Yes i'll hold." Rick requested as the on duty nurse answered the phone on the desk in the ICU.

" This is Dr. Martinson." Martinson answered when he was paged.

" Earl it's Rick I just wanted to get the latest for Audrey Hardy and what her condition status is?" Rick went right to the point.

" She's stable and awake and talking Dr. Hardy is sitting by her side with her right now. How is Lesley doing?" Martinson asked

" She's fine… ah actually that's another thing I wanted to find out from you, Lesley wants to come up with me and she is adamant that she wants to visit and see Audrey. Is that possible.?" Rick asked.

" I don't know that that would be a good idea Rick…. Do you remember the last time she was up here when your son was in PICU? She contracted the same strand and nearly died… all I would like to do is avoid that again." Martinson answered hoping he wasn't sounding harsh.

" I know but I can't continue to keep saying that she can't do something Earl…. Eventually she'll be back at work and back to treating her patients again she might as well start getting used to going back to the hospital again." Rick stated.

" I'm just worried about her medical condition where she may contract another infection and end up in the ICU along with Audrey." Martinson commented.

Rick got off the phone and went upstairs to check on Lesley before thinking to spend alittle time to relax before going into the hospital for work but first he knew he had to sit Lesley down to talk to her about going with him to where she'd be able to see Audrey. " Lesley darling are you alright?" Rick asked when he saw she was in the bathroom.

" Yes Rick, i'm okay…. I just hit my knee on my nightstand and I think I dislocated my shoulder the other day…" Lesley sat back down by her vanity. " Rick is something wrong?" Lesley asked

" I spoke to Martinson about you going up to see Audrey in ICU….. He's concerned that being she's in the ICU, he's concerned you may contract another infection.. I told him you'd be fine and soon you'll be back on your feet for work that there shouldn't be a reason that you can't go see her. I will admit that concerns me too. I don't want you to have to struggle again to get through a day with your health." Rick reached for Lesley's hand

" I know what I would have to do and I know that I'm risking my health but it's not like this is a regular patient that is in that ICU…. This is Audrey, we're talking about she's family to us… to me…."

" I know and that's why I'm gonna bring you with me… but you have to promise me that you will be careful and you won't make it a habit of wanting to stay when it comes time that I take you home. Deal?"

Lesley hugged Rick and later grabbed a few things while getting ready to leave with Rick. " Ready to go Les?" Rick asked when he reached for their coats

" I suppose so…. It might be alittle weird to be there because I haven't been there in a while."

" Hey everything will be fine… everyone there at the hospital miss you and hope you return soon for duty. In fact Steve will be happy when he sees you because he was thinking to see if you would be cleared to come back for work. I however before I go to agree and you know I want you to get back on your feet, I think maybe you should have a follow-up with Monica or Cunningham just to be safe." Rick suggested and pointed out as he was walking with Lesley out to their car.

" I think maybe you're right. It's better to be safe than sorry later." Lesley commented.

The drive wasn't too long in fact Rick took the short route this time and shortly after he walked in with Lesley to set up just a check up with Monica and to look in on Audrey's condition and to accompany Lesley so she'd be okay even though she knew the Hospital like the back of her hand and Rick kept that in mind even as his worries and fears never like to end where she is of concern.

" Steve, how is everything this morning? I hope you went home last night to get some decent rest." Rick asked while being direct.

" Actually no Rick I stayed here at the hospital all night to work on paperwork and also I wanted to keep an eye on Audrey's vital signs…. I think it's safe to say that she's now out of the woods and maybe even ready to be transferred to 7 for the remainder of her care." Steve answered.

" Steve I don't want you to become a patient yourself so tonight I'm insisting you go home and rest. On another note I think there's someone waiting to see you and is also waiting to visit with Audrey." Rick started to say when he held his hand out for Lesley to walk in

" Well isn't this a sight for sore eyes… Lesley it's been so long and it's so good to see on your feet again… how are you feeling."

" I've been okay Steve. Sometimes I do struggle but the majority of the time I'm going along fine. How's Audrey doing.?"

" She's coming along just fine and later in the week or so she'll be fine enough to go home."

" Has she been awake at all yet?" Lesley asked.

" Yeah she was this morning but then she's been asleep again from being tired so I told her to just sleep." Steve answered

" Oh well I don't want to wake her or anything… I was gonna maybe see she wanted some company but she needs her rest. I'm thrilled that she's okay Steve." Lesley gave Steve a hug

" Lesley you take care of yourself so when you come back to work there won't be much of any issues for you."

A few weeks after Audrey was sent home and Lesley was back at work everything was back to a normal setting where Rick didn't have to worry much about Lesley other then he usually does and she was doing well where she was able to handle her patient load at a steady pace. One thing Lesley did worry about was if the kids were safe.

" Lesley I think you're jumping the gun just alittle bit… Riley and the girls are safe and sound. If there were any problems I think either of the girls would call and get ahold of us…"

" Rick, a guy has been watching us every day, and you're telling me our kids are safe and nothing is gonna happen…. How can you be so sure that they'll be fine?!" Lesley turned around upset

" Lesley I know you are scared… I have been too because all I have to do is think about what happened to you 3 years ago when you were taken from the hospital and nearly beaten to death… that's all I have to think about and then I'd get scared…Lesley nobody is gonna hurt our kids I promise you that."

" Rick… I don't mean to upset you or to get upset myself…. I'm just scared that what happened to us before is gonna happen again and I can't lose anyone else… especially any of the kids… it will kill me." Lesley started to cry when Rick reached to pull her into a hug.

" I promise you sweetheart no one is gonna hurt me, you, or any of our kids. I won't let what happened to Laura and you happen to Jesslyn, Genesis or Riley." Rick did his best to calm and comfort Lesley.

Lesley sat with Audrey while Steve and Rick went about the day to get their work done and later after Rick checked out, Rick walked in to check on Audrey to find Lesley asleep in the pull out chair and Jessie was talking to Audrey for alittle while before everyone went home for the night.

" Audrey, how are you feeling?" Rick asked shortly after walking in to get Lesley to go home.

" l'm better than I was a about a week or so ago." Audrey answered

" Well that is very good to hear, just remember when I release you tomorrow, you take it easy at home and don't overdo yourself." Rick reminded Audrey and what she had to do for the first few days to the following week after being released from the hospital.

" I know… Steve has already informed me he's gonna have me on strict house arrest until I see you after next week…. I think it's time that Lesley goes home. Poor girl is exhausted and is out like a light."

Rick went over next to Lesley to gently wake her so he could get her home and make sure she gets to bed. " Lesley… honey it's time for me to take you home so you can get to bed. Come on sweetheart let's get you home." Rick rubbed on her hand as she was waking up.

" Hi…." Lesley yawned…. " How'd surgery go.." Lesley asked while Jessie and Steve grinned.

" Surgery went okay the patient is critical but made it through surgery Monica is gonna keep me on standby and let me know if anything changes. Let's get you home so you can get some sleep." Rick insisted when he helped her up to head out.

" Audrey you get some rest and l'm thankful you're okay." Lesley gave Audrey a hug before walking out with Rick.

Over the next 8 weeks everything looked to go normal as Audrey was back at work as Lesley was and everyone seemed to be back to a normal setting until there was a threatening call that way for Jessie and Rick didn't think twice about taking steps to make sure someone he cared about was safe

" Rick, we've had this conversation… We can't risk our lives and you can't do it yourself… I need you and so do the kids…. Call in the police, have them handle the threats."

" You mean like how they handled you when you were taken the last time from the hospital and nearly beaten to death. I remember when I went out on a search and rescue. Lesley your head was bashed in like someone took a boulder and just dropped it on your head for you to have survived the injuries of that caliber is an unbelievable miracle one in which I'm forever grateful for…. I'm not gonna take any chances especially with your safety. I will figure something out to make sure Jessie is safe with you."

" Rick I don't want to upset you or anyone…. But I really think we should leave this for the police. I can't lose you.. and you can't go risking your life for me or the kids either. Riley needs his Dad just as much as the girls and I do."

" C'mere…." Rick pulled Lesley into his arms. " If I go risking my life or anything it's not because I want to make a stupid move… it's to do what I promised you from the first and second time I got to put this on your hand." Rick pointed out of her ring finger.

" Lesley I love you very much and that means I may have to compromise with making sacrifices to ensure your life is safe including the kids."

Rick took Lesley home and made sure everything was okay before he went back up to get Jessie from the hospital to take her to a secret place he was hoping to keep for just him and Lesley later down the road but before he left the house he made sure Lesley was okay for the evening

" Lesley, can I get you anything?" Rick asked

" No Rick I'm okay…. I need to rest and hopefully sleep through the night. Rick, what are we going to do about Jessie."

" Don't you worry about that I have that already taken care of and first thing hopefully tomorrow I'm gonna take you to the same place. I'll have Alan take the kids for alittle while until I figure it all out."

" Richard I don't want you to be doing anything that's gonna be dangerous or stupid.." Lesley said while looking at Rick.

" I mean it Lesley! I refuse to play out wrong when it comes to your safety and your health. I'm going to pick up Jessie right now and tomorrow I'm gonna take you outta here and take you to the same place. I will not take a chance on your safety." Rick stated

" I'm sorry I don't mean to make you mad I just…. Rick, I am scared that something is gonna happen again. I cannot face losing anybody else and if somebody were to come after us and I end up hurt again like before I just won't be able to make it through again."

" Sweetheart, calm down and take a deep breath… hey nobody is gonna hurt you or lay a hand on you because I won't let it happen…. You're gonna be fine and so will the kids and so will I and so will our friends and Jessie."

Rick made sure Lesley was comfortable and made sure her oxygen support was running before he left the house to do what he needed to do before anything was to happen.

" Rick, are you sure that this is the right thing to do…." Jessie asked

" Jessie, you are our family… I can't let anything happen to you or Lesley. If something happened to you it would kill Lesley..."

" The main goal we need to accomplish is not to protect me Rick…. We have to protect Lesley and the kids." Jessie pointed out

" I know that Jessie…. But you are a part of the family… you're too important to Lesley. I can't protect her and ignore about protecting you…."

" Rick, it will devastate Lesley but I need you to focus on her and not me. When it's my time, then it'll be."

" Well Jessie I rather that time come because of something that as a doctor I would only be able to help you so far. Not because someone wanted to get at me by hurting my family and my dearest friends."

After another 3 days Rick continued his work like nothing was wrong until Robert was made aware of a call that came in from a neighbor that had reported Lesley missing after the house was staged to look like there was foul play.

" Robert… This better be important. I'm about to take a patient up to surgery for a triple bypass." Rick expressed

" I'm afraid it is Rick…. It's about Lesley and what may have happened to her."

" Robert what are you talking about, my wife is fine…"

" Rick…. Lesley had to have been taken… because your neighbor reported Lesley missing after seeing that your home was ransacked and it looks like a blood trail was left most likely from Lesley fighting back."

" Excuse me Robert." Rick walked away from Robert to the main desk. " Bobbi sign me out and page Monica stat and tell her to take the rest of my patients. I have an emergency I have to handle and if you see Steve tell him I couldn't ignore this emergency."

Rick ran out with Robert to head back to the house to see what Robert was talking about and to see it for himself all Rick could think was the possibility that he lost the love of his life that time for good.

" Robert what the hell are you gonna do about this!"