Chapter 86
".and the doctor said Joshua was a real fast learner, Dad, and that she bet he got that from his big brother," MJ finished with a proud grin. Miguel's dark eyes twinkled up at Grace, and the smile on his face stretched even wider when his mother-in-law confirmed what MJ said to be true. "Dr. Sampson's impressed with how helpful MJ is to his little brother, Miguel." "Yeah, Dad," MJ gave his father his best smile "And since I'm SO helpful, I deserve a raise in my allowance." "Dr. Sampson said that?" Miguel smirked. "Actually," MJ admitted reluctantly after a quick glance at his grandma, "**I** said it, but that doesn't mean it's not true, Dad. Grandpa, help me out here." Sam chuckled without looking up from Kendall and Joshua playing with Noah's old childhood collection of trucks in the floor. He reached down and helped Kendall push his fire truck over a hump in the blanket, ruffling the child's sandy blond locks when he flashed him a shy, grateful smile, then lifted his blue eyes to his eldest grandson. "I think the kid definitely deserves a raise, Miguel," Sam declared slyly, biting back a grin at MJ's triumphant, almost giddy expression. "I don't think a quarter more a week will put too much strain on your wallet." MJ's mouth fell open in horror. "GRANDPA!" Katie giggled girlishly at the scene, turning back to Noah with a sweet smile. "Your family are wonderful, Noah." "We have our moments," Noah agreed, reaching up a gentle hand and tucking an errant strand of Katie's soft hair behind her ear. He frowned slightly at the dark circles beneath her tired green eyes. "Katie, you're." "Noah Bennett," Katie chided him teasingly, "Don't say it. Don't even bring it up again. I'm not going anywhere. I made a promise to Luis and Sheridan, Ali, and myself that I was going to be here until the end, and I keep my promises so you see.you're not going to change my mind." Noah's smile lit up his silver-blue eyes. "Are you sure? I'd be more than happy to hold you while you took a short nap. Just a tiny one." "Katie's good for him," Grace commented with a small smile as she and Miguel watched Noah take a seat a few feet away and reach up to pull Katie into his arms. Miguel crossed his arms about his middle and nodded his silent agreement. "Noah's never been this serious about ANY woman. I think he's finally met the one," Grace lowered her voice to a confidential whisper. Miguel shifted uneasily in his chair at the personal, delicate turn the conversation had taken, fixing his gaze on the NO SMOKING sign across the hall, and he sighed guilty when he heard the apologetic tone of Grace's voice as realization struck her moments later. "Miguel, I'm sorry."
Miguel tucked his chin against his chest and let his eyes rest on his two boys, his and Kay's two boys, getting along better than they ever had. Sure, he had his own heartaches and regrets. He didn't think there'd ever come a point in time when missing her wasn't an every day occurrence. But, more than anything, he hated that she wouldn't be around when their boys grew into men-his biggest source of hurt. He swallowed painfully when he felt Grace's gentle touch on his forearm, and his brown eyes were bright with emotion as he let her fold him into her arms. "It's going to get better, Miguel. You have to believe that. WE have to believe that. No one will ever take her place, but, as painful and unbelievable as it sounds now, you WILL move on. We all will."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Shane chuckled at the squirming little brunette trapped in his strong embrace. "Something tells me this," he commented on the long, flowing white lab coat Sara sported, "doesn't belong to you. Unless, of course, the Harmony witch I keep hearing about transformed Dr. Joseph Edmonds into a Munchkin." Sara bristled indignantly, completely missing the teasing quality of Shane's voice. "Hey! Don't call me that. That's.that's disc.discr.disgusting. Yeah, it's disgusting," she grumbled, pushing against Shane's broad shoulders and launching into another valiant effort to get down and loose. Shane continued to chuckle in amusement, tightening his arms around Sara's ever-wiggling body as he strode further down the hallway where he'd first discovered her. More aptly, the hallway where their hit-and-run had occurred, and the ball of Bennett energy had nearly knocked him flat on his ass. He was on a mission to restore the child in his arms to her rightful caregiver, and maybe find his wayward baby sister in the process. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* "How long have I.I don't understand," Abby sputtered as Ivy snatched the photograph back from her hands. "Give me that," she ordered. "It's mine." Abby's mind whirled as she tried to process what Ivy had said just moments before. Dammit to hell, as if she needed any more stress and tension. It already felt like a bongo drum was pounding inside her head as it were. Ivy refused Abby's demand, pointing her finger at her accusingly. "You know where he is. Tell me." Incensed and confused at Ivy's icy tone, Abby struggled to keep her voice even and low under her unflinching glare. "I don't know where he is. It's been ten years.Even if I did know, it's none of your damn business, Ivy. You don't have all your facts straight so BACK.OFF. I don't know what kind of high-dollar narcotic you're high on, but the man in that picture is NOT Antonio Lopez-Fitzgerald. His name is.you know what? I don't have to take anymore of this golly . It's been a very long and upsetting day. I'm leaving before either of us says or does something we can't take back. For Shane's sake, I hope you don't follow me. Keep the damned picture," Abby muttered tiredly, raking her fingers through her messy tawny hair as she stalked toward the emergency stairwell. Watching her leave, Ivy couldn't help but think she was telling the truth as she knew it. A more twisted truth than ever, she realized, mustering up a smile when Shane emerged at the end of the hallway, toting Gwen's recovered daughter. Pushing all thoughts of Abby's murky connection to Pilar's long-lost son away, Ivy met him halfway. There WAS a baby being born, after all. '*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* "She's going to be fine," Eve smiled gently at Sheridan as she helped her don the light blue surgical cap. "Babies are born early every day, and they make it." "Not all of them," Sheridan murmured softly, lines of worry and fatigue around her eyes and mouth. "Not all of them," Eve said honestly, "but most of them." The expression in Eve's brown eyes was soft and hopeful, and Sheridan sent a grateful smile the older woman's way when she gave her hand a friendly, reassuring squeeze. "No thanks needed, Sheridan. Maggie told you what to expect during and after the delivery?" Sheridan nodded, her blue eyes straying from Eve's face as more hospital personnel began to fill the delivery room. "Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald," a warm, honey-smooth voice greeted from the head of the operating table, "I'm Sela, your anesthesiologist. It's my job to make sure you'll be comfortable during the delivery. Are you having a girl or boy?" "Girl," Sheridan answered softly, thankful for the distraction from the swirl of activity as the team hurriedly readied for the operation that would usher her baby daughter into the world. "A mighty beautiful little baby girl from the looks of things if that gorgeous man Nancy's helping get ready outside is your husband. Some women have all the luck," Sela teased, giving Eve a wink as she turned back to the various monitors and machines that recorded Sheridan's vitals and those of the baby. "Yes, they do," Eve agreed, looking up and meeting Luis's worried dark eyes as he entered the room and rushed to Sheridan's side. "It's time for me to go now. You'll be fine, Sheridan. You, the baby, Ali.all of you." "She's right, Baby," Luis echoed Eve's words, taking Sheridan's cold, clammy hand in both of his and clasping it tightly. "Everything's going to be all right, and soon, we're going to meet our little angel." "Very soon, Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald," Maggie's blue eyes sparkled kindly behind the glasses perched on the end of her nose. "He won't be so ready for their teenage-years, will he, Sheridan? You'll have young men lined up for miles for your little beauties, Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald. Miles. At least the girls are pretty far apart in age. Consider yourself lucky. Mine are sixteen and fourteen, and they make life a wonderful living hell," the OB- GYN revealed jovially. "Once we get in, this is going to go fairly quickly," she warned. Sheridan smiled softly at Luis's stricken expression and knew it was the visions of their future as parents of teenagers making him appear green and not the incision into the first layer of tissue of her rounded abdomen that Eve and her doctor had prepared him for. "Ali's not going to date 'til she's forty, is she?" "Fifty," Luis corrected her after a few more seconds of stunned silence. "Sheridan," he whispered in breathless awe as a tiny cry filled the room, "She's here. She's so.." "Exquisite, Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald," Sela picked up where Luis left off, keeping one eye on the monitors to her right, and the other on the tiny infant being attended to by a team of medical experts . "Precious and petite with a head full of black hair. Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald, that baby's got you written all over her." Luis grinned proudly, too choked up with emotion to say anything as one of the nurses paused at the head of the operating table, giving them the briefest of glances of their newborn daughter before sweeping her out of the room. Though both Maggie and Eve had warned her it would happen, Sheridan still wasn't prepared for the feelings that coursed through her when one nurse left, taking her daughter with her to the NICU, and another left, carrying Ali's hope for the future. Helpless tears pricked at her blue eyes, and she leaned into Luis as he offered what comfort he could. "Shh, Baby. We're going to make it through this. Stronger than ever."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Ali awakened with a soft gasp, bringing Nick and Pilar to her side instantly. "Mija," Pilar whispered softly with a tender caress to Ali's silky cheek. Her fingers fluttered across her granddaughter's pretty features, pausing as they traced Ali's sweet smile. "Mija?" Pilar's voice rose in question as she searched the brilliance of Ali's blue eyes for answers. "Ali?" Nick wondered quietly, his gray eyes scanning over Ali's small form in worry as he enfolded her tiny hand between his larger ones. "What is it?" "Nana," the endearment left Ali's lips on a soft sigh. "Tell Dr. Nick it's going to be okay now. She's here. Hope's here." "Hope?" Nick asked. Slowly, her own smile blossoming, Pilar raised joyful brown eyes to Nick's disbelieving gray eyes. "The baby. She's talking about her sister." "How could she." Nick trailed off as a nurse appeared outside Ali's hospital door holding up an IV bag. Nick's smile transformed his handsome face, and he sprang into action, ushering the nurse inside. "It's a match, Dr. Taylor. A perfect match," the young woman announced. "Are you ready, Ali? It's past damn time we got you better." Chapter 87
"I'm sure the entire staff of Harmony Hospital joins us, Shane, in thanking you for returning our dear, sweet, grounded daughter to us safely," Gwen punctuated her words of thanks by giving a scowling Sara a firm squeeze. "Grounded! But Mom." Sara grumbled, casting an annoyed glance in Shane's direction, "I was only having fun. I didn't hurt nobody." "Anybody," Gwen automatically corrected, regarding her young daughter skeptically. "Maybe not, Sara, but you worried us, and sometimes not knowing what's happening is as bad as actually hurting someone. Understand?" Sara crossed her arms across her middle stubbornly and huffed at the bothersome tangle of brown hair falling across her brown eyes. "But grounded? Why?" Sara whined as Gwen gently grasped her by the elbow and led her to the row of chairs occupied by the rest of her assembled family. Disgusted, Sara plopped down in the seat beside Jake, continuing to shoot Shane mean looks whenever she thought her mother wasn't looking. "Dear Lord," Ivy uttered softly beside him, "I just realized.Rebecca's given me that exact look hundreds of times. It's positively lethal." Shane turned to Ivy sporting an amused smirk. "You're still breathing so I guess that's not entirely true. Ivy? You mentioned you saw Abby earlier. Did she seem okay to you?" Ivy remembered the photograph tucked safely in her purse and Abby's strange reaction when she'd confronted her about it earlier. She decided honesty, even if it were only partial honesty, would work best in this situation. "I didn't want to worry you," Ivy sighed regretfully. "She DID seem upset about something. She wouldn't say what." Shane raised a hand to his chin thoughtfully then leaned down to give Ivy a quick kiss on the cheek. "Shane?" Ivy questioned as he moved past her, heading straight for the elevators. "I'll be back. Give my best wishes, okay?" "Mother?" Ethan queried softly as Ivy settled in the chair beside him. "What was that about?" "Nothing serious, Darling," Ivy smiled and patted her son's arm fondly. "Shane just went to find Abby and tell her the news about the baby." Beth appeared before them and handed Ethan one of the cups of coffee in her hands. "Ivy, I'm so sorry. You can have mine if you want," Beth offered. "The last thing I need is more caffeine. I won't get a wink of sleep as it is." "Are you sure? I can get my own if you." Beth grabbed Ivy's hand and placed the cup in it, waiting until Ivy's fingers curled around the cup before dropping her hand back to her side. "Positive," Beth laughed lightly, taking the empty seat at Ivy's side. The trio sat in silence for several seconds, contemplating the long day's events, until the hush was ended with Beth's simple, softly uttered question. "Do you think it worked?" Ethan sprang from his chair and started to pace in a restless circle. "I don't know," Ivy murmured. "It's early yet, but I'm sure Luis will be back soon with encouraging news."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "She's beautiful. Beautiful and tiny. So tiny, Katie, she could almost fit in the palm of my hand," Luis revealed, his brown eyes misty as he clutched Katie's trim body close in a tight hug. "She's so tiny," he continued to whisper as Katie pulled back and gave him a gentle smile. "But strong," Katie reminded him encouragingly, "with an iron will. I know everything's not free and clear yet, but I think it's time we all paused and took a breath. Look at your daughter in there, Luis," Katie suggested, and Luis followed her suggestion, breathing deeply for the first time in many long months at the sight that met his deep brown eyes. He knew it was probably foolish to think he could actually see positive results so early, but his little AliCat had a sense of serenity about her as she lay there in her hospital bed, patiently receiving the gift her new baby sister had given her. "Breathe, Luis. It's not going to be smooth sailing," Katie said honestly, sweeping a gentle but firm hand over Luis's back as she spoke, "but the worst of the storm has passed. It's okay to breathe now." Luis turned his head to the side, hiding his tearful brown eyes and face, and Katie could literally see the worry and tension of the past several months start to drain out of his tired body as he let down his guard and crumpled before her. When it was over, a catharsis she realized they'd both needed terribly, Luis turned around and wrapped Katie in a brotherly hug, repeating Ali's earlier words and making Katie laugh happily amidst her own tears. "I'd love to become an honorary member of the Lopez-Fitzgerald family. Where do I sign up?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "More rooftop musings, Baby Girl?" Shane teased lightly as he emerged from the shadows, shrugging off his own heavy winter coat and wrapping it around Abby's slim shoulders. He kissed the crown of her tousled tawny head affectionately as she leaned back against his chest, no protestations leaving her mouth about his use of the hated nickname. His whole demeanor changed then, and his worry showed in the extra tight hold of his arms around her as he hugged her as close as humanly possibly, his quiet words ruffling her silky hair and making it tickle his chin. "Something happened." Abby bowed her head against the cold, wintery wind as it whipped around them, and Shane had to strain his ears to hear her softly spoken words of defeat. "He didn't say it back. I spilled everything to him. It was a crazy, bloody mess. I told him that I loved him, and he didn't say a word. And I'm not up to hearing any more of your damned 'I told you so's' so save 'em, okay?" Abby muttered, pulling herself from his arms and stalking closer to the building's edge. "You haven't told him everything, have you?" Shane surmised, noting the look of surprise that flashed across her delicate features. "Don't worry, Runt," he laughed shortly, steering the subject back to something only a little less dangerous-his sister's feelings for a certain doctor. "No 'I told you so's' from these lips. I'm not sure Taylor even knows what's in his heart, but trust me.you're in there. He just hasn't figured out why or what the hell it means." "Oh, thank you, wise Yoda," Abby cracked, rolling her hazel eyes at him and returning her gaze back to the soft shine of the lights of Harmony. "Or would Obi Wan be more appropriate? Stop going all Dr. Phil on my ass, Shane. It's the last thing I need right now." Shane chuckled. "Yoda, Obi Wan, and Dr. Phil. Which one is it? Personally, I think I've got them all beat in the looks department." "Smartass. And a modest one at that," Abby grumbled, trying without succeeding to hide the twinkle in her hazel eyes at his silliness. She felt herself dissolving into a warm mush of affection for him, and inexplicably, the tears from earlier started to flow again. She knew he would have been wonderful, just what they needed, and the regrets were too much. Maybe if she hadn't shut him out.maybe things wouldn't have happened the way they did. If she'd never met Tony in the first place, Vincent wouldn't have.. Abby felt the world she'd created for herself since he'd left so suddenly closing in on her as the realization sank in, and it was like she was back in that horrible, dark place in her past again, waking up alone and terrified in a hospital bed. Her Tony and Pilar's long-lost Antonio were one in the same. She let her big brother wipe away her tears and make a fool out of himself trying to make her smile again, but his efforts, no matter how appreciated, only served to make the tears come faster and harder. "Ten, Shane. Ten," she sobbed. "It hurts. Oh God, it still hurts." Shane folded her in his strong embrace and lay his smooth-shaven cheek back against the crown of her tawny head, murmuring quiet words of little comfort.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A gentle knock sounded at the door, and Sheridan answered it without opening her heavy-lidded eyes. "Come in." She heard the soft, hesitant shuffle of little feet across the small distance and Pilar's hushed words of encouragement and a tiny, loving smile caressed her lips as she held out a welcoming hand. "Mommy!" Her eyes flew open, bright, beautiful, and blue as she found her arms full with her sweet little son. Cristian cupped his small hands around her face, looking into her eyes solemnly. Satisfied, he nestled closer to her on the bed, resting his dark head against her shoulder with a soft sigh. "You're back." Sheridan tenderly fingered the soft hair at the nape of his neck, laughing though she felt the most awful urge to cry as she teased him about needing a haircut. "He refused to let me touch it, Mija," Pilar's dark eyes sparkled with humor. "He feared I would give him a haircut like MJ's." "No," Cristian replied, adorably flustered. "I want Porky Pine hair like Daddy's, and Nana doesn't know how to do spikes. Jake said she'd make me look like." Sheridan cupped a hand over Cristian's mouth before he could utter anything further incriminating against himself and found herself sharing a smile with Pilar, her mood already a bit lighter. "That child's mouth," Pilar mused. "Always getting him in trouble."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Mr. Fitz," Jake said, adopting Emmy's name for Ali's grandpa. "Why are grown-ups so gross?" Martin glanced over Jake's shoulder and spied his daughter and Chad sharing a happy, loving embrace. "Where's your sense of romance, young Bennett?" Martin asked, keeping a straight face despite Jake's disgusted expression. "Romance?" Jake pretended to gag. "I'm never going to be romantic. It makes you do stupid things like kiss all the time. Like THEM," he pointed to Theresa and Chad with an exaggerated shudder. "Sheridan and Uncle Luis are worse though. Nobody can beat them. Romance stinks." Martin chuckled. "That's what you think now, but I'm willing to bet you'll change your mind one day. She's young, but Ali's already a romantic at heart, you know," Martin divulged, the corners of his mouth twitching while his eyes twinkled merrily at the youth as he digested the helpful little tidbit. Martin laughed out loud when he realized how wrong he was. "If I bet you $5 right now that you're wrong, adding a dollar for every year that I PROVE you wrong, I'll end up rich. Sounds like a pretty good deal, Mr. Fitz. Wanna shake on it?" Jake grinned, extending a hand to Martin. "What do I get in return if you lose this bet of ours?" Martin wondered. "Who says I'll lose? Love and romance, "Jake cringed. "Double YUCK. And I'm never getting married either. Dad says bachelors have the good life.oh man," Jake muttered when he saw his mom gave his dad what could only be described as the death glare. "Your father looks like he could use a little help," Martin made the obvious suggestion, still chuckling as he closed the distance between himself and Eve, who approached them with a hopeful smile.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Thank them for me, Noah, for taking such wonderful care of Kendall," Katie said sincerely as they watched Grace and Sam walk toward the elevators, each holding a sleepy toddler. Joshua twirled strands of Grace's auburn hair around his little fingers, his legs twined high around her waist while Kendall slumped like a sack of potatoes against Sam's broad shoulder, sucking absently at his thumb. "They love that kid more than they do me," Noah stated, "and you're just part of the family." Katie gave Miguel a friendly wave as he steered a stumbling, barely awake MJ in the same direction and turned back to Noah with a smile on her face. "Part of the family? Really?" Katie beamed at him in pleasure. "You know how much I love your family. It's what I want for me and Kendall.with someone special," Katie's voice dropped to a whisper as she gazed directly at him, ".someday." A slow, easy grin blossomed on Noah's handsome face in return, and he felt himself falling even more in love with her at that moment. Her pretty, embarrassed smile and green eyes still aglow with happiness even now when the preliminary results from Ali's tests were more than an hour old. "Why not make someday come sooner?" Noah suggested, his voice equally teasing and filled with nervous hope as he prepared to ask her the most important question of his life. "Will you marry me, Katie?" ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Nick pushed the door to Sheridan's room open slowly, stepping in carefully and quietly in an attempt to avoid waking her only to discover her wide awake and, apparently, expecting him even though the news about Ali was already old news at this point. "I hear she's the most beautiful baby in the NICU. I don't know why everyone's so surprised considering who her mother is," he murmured as he took a seat in the empty chair at her bedside. Sheridan bowed her head, studying her own hands intently as she twisted the rings on her finger. Nick recognized the nervous gesture and felt the first pangs of guilt creeping up on him for adding to the already awkward atmosphere that always seemed to surround them whenever they found themselves alone in a room together. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." He looked up at the feeling of Sheridan's hand covering his own, and he released a relieved sigh when he saw the understanding in her blue eyes. "You're not even mine to let go, are you?" Nick said sadly. "There was no Jenny. You were always Sheridan. Always married to another man, but still I loved you. Or at least I thought I did," Nick trailed off, closing his gray eyes as he remembered another face. Eyes of a different color watching him so intently, waiting for his reaction to a declaration of love. "Maybe," Sheridan whispered, giving his hand a compassionate squeeze, "maybe you and Jenny never had a proper goodbye. She's gone forever, Nick. Let her go and move on." Nick nodded slowly, raising a hand to cup Sheridan's jaw gently as he leaned closer, his thumb absently caressing her cheek. "Just once," Nick breathed, mere seconds before his lips met and brushed lightly against hers in their first and only kiss. His gray eyes stared at her in wonder as he pulled back. It was as if he were seeing her, Sheridan, for the very first time, and his heart filled with gratitude for the understanding still present in her thoughtful blue gaze. "Thank you," he said simply. "Friends?" "You've saved my life AND my baby girl's. What do you think?" Sheridan offered him an amiable smile. She patted his cheek affectionately as he kissed her quickly on the cheek and headed for the door. On his way to find Abby she knew. "Friends," Sheridan agreed. "If you see Luis, send him my way. I can't rest without him by my side," she told him sheepishly, "Silly I know." Nick smiled knowingly. "Not silly at all."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Tink! Tink, wait up!" Hank lunged after Abby as she fled down the hall, away from the scene the three of them had just left in open-mouthed astonishment. "Bennett," Gwen warned, laying a restraining hand on Hank's arm. "Let her go." "Let her go?" Hank said incredulously. "You saw her earlier. She was obviously upset before she saw whatever the hell THAT was," he swore angrily. "Visiting hours were over hours ago. We shouldn't have seen what we did." "Damn right," Hank agreed, jerking his arm from Gwen's hold when he saw Nick emerge from Sheridan's hospital room several feet down the hall. "It shouldn't have happened in the first place." "Bennett," Gwen hissed as her husband stalked toward 'Don't do anything.STUPID," she winced when Hank's punch took Nick off-guard, and he stumbled back against the wall, clutching his jaw in surprise. "You dirty bastard!" Hank got up in Nick's face, with Gwen hurrying to his side to try to pull him away. "How dare you kiss another man's wife?!" Nick's gray eyes widened, and he started to explain. One look into Gwen's own accusing brown eyes, though, told him none of his explanations would make any sense or account for committing such a wrong in their eyes so he shut his mouth, perhaps wisely so. He was just glad he didn't have to explain the delicate situation to Abby. He doubted she'd understand in one night what took him years to figure out. "You're lucky Luis didn't see what we did. You'd be dead meat, Pal. For taking advantage of the gratitude Sheridan feels toward you for saving Ali's life not to mention breaking his friend's heart." Nick's gray eyes snapped to Gwen's face in alarm. "Sheridan and Luis are unbreakable, but Tink," Hank continued, "Abby deserves a helluva lot better than you.wait, where the hell do you think you're going?" Hank called after Nick's form. "You stay away from her. You've done enough damage for one night. TAYLOR!" "Stay out of it, Bennett," Gwen muttered wearily, massaging her aching head "Nick and Abby are grown-ups. Obviously, they have enough problems without your interference." "But Babe," Hank protested. "No but's," Gwen declared decisively, leaving him fuming in the hall. "I know the kids are tired and cranky, but we're not leaving this hospital until I've told Sheridan goodnight."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Women," Jake muttered as Abby raced past them all in the waiting room, seemingly without seeing any of them. Martin raised a brow at his young friend's comment, and Jake felt the need to explain himself further. "They're always upset about something. And they're usually PMSing." Theresa giggled beside them, pausing in her efforts to button up Cristian's coat and protect him from the blustery cold outside. Pilar tugged Cristian's hat down over his ears and shifted the dead weight of his sleeping body to her other hip before giving Jake a reproachful look. "Mijo," she scolded. "What?" Jake shrugged. "It's true. I bet you're PMSing too. You got that mean look on your face. Kinda like a fire-breathing dragon," Jake snickered. Pilar's mouth fell open in mortified astonishment. "No, Jake," Sara corrected him in a stage whisper, "Uncle Luis's Mom's not PMSing. She had THE CHANGE like Grandma." Theresa giggled helplessly at her mother's expression while Chad tried futilely to hide his tickled smirk from his future mother-in-law. "It's not polite to discuss such matters, Dears," Ivy told the two unrepentant children as she moved to help Pilar finish buttoning up Cristian's coat, keeping a concerned eye on Shane when Nick hurried by them moments after Abby as she did so. "I bet you had THE CHANGE too," Sara announced gleefully, pushing Emmy aside in annoyance when she tried to snuggle closer to her in her sleep. "And THAT," Ivy frowned as she finished wrapping Cristian's striped scarf around his neck, "was even LESS polite." "Hey! Don't look at me," Jake scowled when both Ivy and Pilar looked to him. "I only take credit for the good stuff. Besides.I heard somewhere that you should always kids to tell the truth, and the truth.well, it ain't always what you wanna hear," Jake finished astutely. "Young Bennett," Martin divulged with a sly whisper, "And a smart man-such as yourself-knows exactly the time to be quiet. Understand?" "Not really, but if you say so," Jake sighed. "Women."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Abby! Abby, wait!" Nick shouted as his feet clattered down the stairs after her. "Abby, hear me out. It wasn't what you think." Abby stopped mid- flight, shoulders straightening proudly as she whirled around to face him, white-hot anger making her hazel eyes burn with the flecks of gold always present when Nick thought he'd die from wanting her. "Listen to me, Abby," he pleaded as he carefully descended the stairs, one by one. "Hear me, Abby, when I say this." he said softly, dropping his hand back to his side in resignation when she flinched away from his touch. "Abby," he breathed, pinning her in with his arms braced against the concrete wall on either side of her head. "I never meant to hurt you. Please, look at me," he whispered, grasping her chin in his fingers gently when she tried to look away from his intense gray gaze. "I trusted you.not to make a fool out of me, and you did," Abby's voice came out in a hurt-filled whisper. "You don't love me because you're afraid to. Admit it. I scare the hell out of you. I'm sorry, but I have more self- respect than to stay with a man who doesn't want me even if I didn't have enough intelligence to not go after him in the first place." "Abby, no," Nick protested, curling his fingers around her cheek, "I want you. I do. I've wanted you from the beginning, otherwise I wouldn't have given you a second look. I.I care for you very much. You make me happy, Abby. Few people have ever done that for me, but one look from you has the power to make me smile. Always. You're important to me. Don't you see? Dammit, Abby!" Nick cried out, slapping his palm against the wall behind her and startling her. "I want you in my life," Her hazel eyes melted and shimmered wet and bright. "But I don't think I'm capable of loving you the way you deserve to be loved," Nick waited for her reaction, and his gray eyes slammed shut when Abby slipped beneath his arms and he heard the click of her heels against the concrete floor and then her quiet answer. "It's not enough. Call me when you actually grow a pair. In the meantime, I don't think we should see much of each other."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Just a few more minutes, Sir. I know you're the Chief of Police, but.I really shouldn't be doing this." Luis raised a hand up and nodded his head without looking up from his newborn daughter. "I know. Just another minute, okay?" The nurse's brown eyes melted at the love plainly exuding from the man before her as he whispered goodnight to his daughter, and knew one thing to be true.Hope Lopez-Fitzgerald was one lucky baby. In more ways than one.
".and the doctor said Joshua was a real fast learner, Dad, and that she bet he got that from his big brother," MJ finished with a proud grin. Miguel's dark eyes twinkled up at Grace, and the smile on his face stretched even wider when his mother-in-law confirmed what MJ said to be true. "Dr. Sampson's impressed with how helpful MJ is to his little brother, Miguel." "Yeah, Dad," MJ gave his father his best smile "And since I'm SO helpful, I deserve a raise in my allowance." "Dr. Sampson said that?" Miguel smirked. "Actually," MJ admitted reluctantly after a quick glance at his grandma, "**I** said it, but that doesn't mean it's not true, Dad. Grandpa, help me out here." Sam chuckled without looking up from Kendall and Joshua playing with Noah's old childhood collection of trucks in the floor. He reached down and helped Kendall push his fire truck over a hump in the blanket, ruffling the child's sandy blond locks when he flashed him a shy, grateful smile, then lifted his blue eyes to his eldest grandson. "I think the kid definitely deserves a raise, Miguel," Sam declared slyly, biting back a grin at MJ's triumphant, almost giddy expression. "I don't think a quarter more a week will put too much strain on your wallet." MJ's mouth fell open in horror. "GRANDPA!" Katie giggled girlishly at the scene, turning back to Noah with a sweet smile. "Your family are wonderful, Noah." "We have our moments," Noah agreed, reaching up a gentle hand and tucking an errant strand of Katie's soft hair behind her ear. He frowned slightly at the dark circles beneath her tired green eyes. "Katie, you're." "Noah Bennett," Katie chided him teasingly, "Don't say it. Don't even bring it up again. I'm not going anywhere. I made a promise to Luis and Sheridan, Ali, and myself that I was going to be here until the end, and I keep my promises so you see.you're not going to change my mind." Noah's smile lit up his silver-blue eyes. "Are you sure? I'd be more than happy to hold you while you took a short nap. Just a tiny one." "Katie's good for him," Grace commented with a small smile as she and Miguel watched Noah take a seat a few feet away and reach up to pull Katie into his arms. Miguel crossed his arms about his middle and nodded his silent agreement. "Noah's never been this serious about ANY woman. I think he's finally met the one," Grace lowered her voice to a confidential whisper. Miguel shifted uneasily in his chair at the personal, delicate turn the conversation had taken, fixing his gaze on the NO SMOKING sign across the hall, and he sighed guilty when he heard the apologetic tone of Grace's voice as realization struck her moments later. "Miguel, I'm sorry."
Miguel tucked his chin against his chest and let his eyes rest on his two boys, his and Kay's two boys, getting along better than they ever had. Sure, he had his own heartaches and regrets. He didn't think there'd ever come a point in time when missing her wasn't an every day occurrence. But, more than anything, he hated that she wouldn't be around when their boys grew into men-his biggest source of hurt. He swallowed painfully when he felt Grace's gentle touch on his forearm, and his brown eyes were bright with emotion as he let her fold him into her arms. "It's going to get better, Miguel. You have to believe that. WE have to believe that. No one will ever take her place, but, as painful and unbelievable as it sounds now, you WILL move on. We all will."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Shane chuckled at the squirming little brunette trapped in his strong embrace. "Something tells me this," he commented on the long, flowing white lab coat Sara sported, "doesn't belong to you. Unless, of course, the Harmony witch I keep hearing about transformed Dr. Joseph Edmonds into a Munchkin." Sara bristled indignantly, completely missing the teasing quality of Shane's voice. "Hey! Don't call me that. That's.that's disc.discr.disgusting. Yeah, it's disgusting," she grumbled, pushing against Shane's broad shoulders and launching into another valiant effort to get down and loose. Shane continued to chuckle in amusement, tightening his arms around Sara's ever-wiggling body as he strode further down the hallway where he'd first discovered her. More aptly, the hallway where their hit-and-run had occurred, and the ball of Bennett energy had nearly knocked him flat on his ass. He was on a mission to restore the child in his arms to her rightful caregiver, and maybe find his wayward baby sister in the process. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* "How long have I.I don't understand," Abby sputtered as Ivy snatched the photograph back from her hands. "Give me that," she ordered. "It's mine." Abby's mind whirled as she tried to process what Ivy had said just moments before. Dammit to hell, as if she needed any more stress and tension. It already felt like a bongo drum was pounding inside her head as it were. Ivy refused Abby's demand, pointing her finger at her accusingly. "You know where he is. Tell me." Incensed and confused at Ivy's icy tone, Abby struggled to keep her voice even and low under her unflinching glare. "I don't know where he is. It's been ten years.Even if I did know, it's none of your damn business, Ivy. You don't have all your facts straight so BACK.OFF. I don't know what kind of high-dollar narcotic you're high on, but the man in that picture is NOT Antonio Lopez-Fitzgerald. His name is.you know what? I don't have to take anymore of this golly . It's been a very long and upsetting day. I'm leaving before either of us says or does something we can't take back. For Shane's sake, I hope you don't follow me. Keep the damned picture," Abby muttered tiredly, raking her fingers through her messy tawny hair as she stalked toward the emergency stairwell. Watching her leave, Ivy couldn't help but think she was telling the truth as she knew it. A more twisted truth than ever, she realized, mustering up a smile when Shane emerged at the end of the hallway, toting Gwen's recovered daughter. Pushing all thoughts of Abby's murky connection to Pilar's long-lost son away, Ivy met him halfway. There WAS a baby being born, after all. '*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* "She's going to be fine," Eve smiled gently at Sheridan as she helped her don the light blue surgical cap. "Babies are born early every day, and they make it." "Not all of them," Sheridan murmured softly, lines of worry and fatigue around her eyes and mouth. "Not all of them," Eve said honestly, "but most of them." The expression in Eve's brown eyes was soft and hopeful, and Sheridan sent a grateful smile the older woman's way when she gave her hand a friendly, reassuring squeeze. "No thanks needed, Sheridan. Maggie told you what to expect during and after the delivery?" Sheridan nodded, her blue eyes straying from Eve's face as more hospital personnel began to fill the delivery room. "Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald," a warm, honey-smooth voice greeted from the head of the operating table, "I'm Sela, your anesthesiologist. It's my job to make sure you'll be comfortable during the delivery. Are you having a girl or boy?" "Girl," Sheridan answered softly, thankful for the distraction from the swirl of activity as the team hurriedly readied for the operation that would usher her baby daughter into the world. "A mighty beautiful little baby girl from the looks of things if that gorgeous man Nancy's helping get ready outside is your husband. Some women have all the luck," Sela teased, giving Eve a wink as she turned back to the various monitors and machines that recorded Sheridan's vitals and those of the baby. "Yes, they do," Eve agreed, looking up and meeting Luis's worried dark eyes as he entered the room and rushed to Sheridan's side. "It's time for me to go now. You'll be fine, Sheridan. You, the baby, Ali.all of you." "She's right, Baby," Luis echoed Eve's words, taking Sheridan's cold, clammy hand in both of his and clasping it tightly. "Everything's going to be all right, and soon, we're going to meet our little angel." "Very soon, Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald," Maggie's blue eyes sparkled kindly behind the glasses perched on the end of her nose. "He won't be so ready for their teenage-years, will he, Sheridan? You'll have young men lined up for miles for your little beauties, Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald. Miles. At least the girls are pretty far apart in age. Consider yourself lucky. Mine are sixteen and fourteen, and they make life a wonderful living hell," the OB- GYN revealed jovially. "Once we get in, this is going to go fairly quickly," she warned. Sheridan smiled softly at Luis's stricken expression and knew it was the visions of their future as parents of teenagers making him appear green and not the incision into the first layer of tissue of her rounded abdomen that Eve and her doctor had prepared him for. "Ali's not going to date 'til she's forty, is she?" "Fifty," Luis corrected her after a few more seconds of stunned silence. "Sheridan," he whispered in breathless awe as a tiny cry filled the room, "She's here. She's so.." "Exquisite, Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald," Sela picked up where Luis left off, keeping one eye on the monitors to her right, and the other on the tiny infant being attended to by a team of medical experts . "Precious and petite with a head full of black hair. Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald, that baby's got you written all over her." Luis grinned proudly, too choked up with emotion to say anything as one of the nurses paused at the head of the operating table, giving them the briefest of glances of their newborn daughter before sweeping her out of the room. Though both Maggie and Eve had warned her it would happen, Sheridan still wasn't prepared for the feelings that coursed through her when one nurse left, taking her daughter with her to the NICU, and another left, carrying Ali's hope for the future. Helpless tears pricked at her blue eyes, and she leaned into Luis as he offered what comfort he could. "Shh, Baby. We're going to make it through this. Stronger than ever."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Ali awakened with a soft gasp, bringing Nick and Pilar to her side instantly. "Mija," Pilar whispered softly with a tender caress to Ali's silky cheek. Her fingers fluttered across her granddaughter's pretty features, pausing as they traced Ali's sweet smile. "Mija?" Pilar's voice rose in question as she searched the brilliance of Ali's blue eyes for answers. "Ali?" Nick wondered quietly, his gray eyes scanning over Ali's small form in worry as he enfolded her tiny hand between his larger ones. "What is it?" "Nana," the endearment left Ali's lips on a soft sigh. "Tell Dr. Nick it's going to be okay now. She's here. Hope's here." "Hope?" Nick asked. Slowly, her own smile blossoming, Pilar raised joyful brown eyes to Nick's disbelieving gray eyes. "The baby. She's talking about her sister." "How could she." Nick trailed off as a nurse appeared outside Ali's hospital door holding up an IV bag. Nick's smile transformed his handsome face, and he sprang into action, ushering the nurse inside. "It's a match, Dr. Taylor. A perfect match," the young woman announced. "Are you ready, Ali? It's past damn time we got you better." Chapter 87
"I'm sure the entire staff of Harmony Hospital joins us, Shane, in thanking you for returning our dear, sweet, grounded daughter to us safely," Gwen punctuated her words of thanks by giving a scowling Sara a firm squeeze. "Grounded! But Mom." Sara grumbled, casting an annoyed glance in Shane's direction, "I was only having fun. I didn't hurt nobody." "Anybody," Gwen automatically corrected, regarding her young daughter skeptically. "Maybe not, Sara, but you worried us, and sometimes not knowing what's happening is as bad as actually hurting someone. Understand?" Sara crossed her arms across her middle stubbornly and huffed at the bothersome tangle of brown hair falling across her brown eyes. "But grounded? Why?" Sara whined as Gwen gently grasped her by the elbow and led her to the row of chairs occupied by the rest of her assembled family. Disgusted, Sara plopped down in the seat beside Jake, continuing to shoot Shane mean looks whenever she thought her mother wasn't looking. "Dear Lord," Ivy uttered softly beside him, "I just realized.Rebecca's given me that exact look hundreds of times. It's positively lethal." Shane turned to Ivy sporting an amused smirk. "You're still breathing so I guess that's not entirely true. Ivy? You mentioned you saw Abby earlier. Did she seem okay to you?" Ivy remembered the photograph tucked safely in her purse and Abby's strange reaction when she'd confronted her about it earlier. She decided honesty, even if it were only partial honesty, would work best in this situation. "I didn't want to worry you," Ivy sighed regretfully. "She DID seem upset about something. She wouldn't say what." Shane raised a hand to his chin thoughtfully then leaned down to give Ivy a quick kiss on the cheek. "Shane?" Ivy questioned as he moved past her, heading straight for the elevators. "I'll be back. Give my best wishes, okay?" "Mother?" Ethan queried softly as Ivy settled in the chair beside him. "What was that about?" "Nothing serious, Darling," Ivy smiled and patted her son's arm fondly. "Shane just went to find Abby and tell her the news about the baby." Beth appeared before them and handed Ethan one of the cups of coffee in her hands. "Ivy, I'm so sorry. You can have mine if you want," Beth offered. "The last thing I need is more caffeine. I won't get a wink of sleep as it is." "Are you sure? I can get my own if you." Beth grabbed Ivy's hand and placed the cup in it, waiting until Ivy's fingers curled around the cup before dropping her hand back to her side. "Positive," Beth laughed lightly, taking the empty seat at Ivy's side. The trio sat in silence for several seconds, contemplating the long day's events, until the hush was ended with Beth's simple, softly uttered question. "Do you think it worked?" Ethan sprang from his chair and started to pace in a restless circle. "I don't know," Ivy murmured. "It's early yet, but I'm sure Luis will be back soon with encouraging news."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "She's beautiful. Beautiful and tiny. So tiny, Katie, she could almost fit in the palm of my hand," Luis revealed, his brown eyes misty as he clutched Katie's trim body close in a tight hug. "She's so tiny," he continued to whisper as Katie pulled back and gave him a gentle smile. "But strong," Katie reminded him encouragingly, "with an iron will. I know everything's not free and clear yet, but I think it's time we all paused and took a breath. Look at your daughter in there, Luis," Katie suggested, and Luis followed her suggestion, breathing deeply for the first time in many long months at the sight that met his deep brown eyes. He knew it was probably foolish to think he could actually see positive results so early, but his little AliCat had a sense of serenity about her as she lay there in her hospital bed, patiently receiving the gift her new baby sister had given her. "Breathe, Luis. It's not going to be smooth sailing," Katie said honestly, sweeping a gentle but firm hand over Luis's back as she spoke, "but the worst of the storm has passed. It's okay to breathe now." Luis turned his head to the side, hiding his tearful brown eyes and face, and Katie could literally see the worry and tension of the past several months start to drain out of his tired body as he let down his guard and crumpled before her. When it was over, a catharsis she realized they'd both needed terribly, Luis turned around and wrapped Katie in a brotherly hug, repeating Ali's earlier words and making Katie laugh happily amidst her own tears. "I'd love to become an honorary member of the Lopez-Fitzgerald family. Where do I sign up?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "More rooftop musings, Baby Girl?" Shane teased lightly as he emerged from the shadows, shrugging off his own heavy winter coat and wrapping it around Abby's slim shoulders. He kissed the crown of her tousled tawny head affectionately as she leaned back against his chest, no protestations leaving her mouth about his use of the hated nickname. His whole demeanor changed then, and his worry showed in the extra tight hold of his arms around her as he hugged her as close as humanly possibly, his quiet words ruffling her silky hair and making it tickle his chin. "Something happened." Abby bowed her head against the cold, wintery wind as it whipped around them, and Shane had to strain his ears to hear her softly spoken words of defeat. "He didn't say it back. I spilled everything to him. It was a crazy, bloody mess. I told him that I loved him, and he didn't say a word. And I'm not up to hearing any more of your damned 'I told you so's' so save 'em, okay?" Abby muttered, pulling herself from his arms and stalking closer to the building's edge. "You haven't told him everything, have you?" Shane surmised, noting the look of surprise that flashed across her delicate features. "Don't worry, Runt," he laughed shortly, steering the subject back to something only a little less dangerous-his sister's feelings for a certain doctor. "No 'I told you so's' from these lips. I'm not sure Taylor even knows what's in his heart, but trust me.you're in there. He just hasn't figured out why or what the hell it means." "Oh, thank you, wise Yoda," Abby cracked, rolling her hazel eyes at him and returning her gaze back to the soft shine of the lights of Harmony. "Or would Obi Wan be more appropriate? Stop going all Dr. Phil on my ass, Shane. It's the last thing I need right now." Shane chuckled. "Yoda, Obi Wan, and Dr. Phil. Which one is it? Personally, I think I've got them all beat in the looks department." "Smartass. And a modest one at that," Abby grumbled, trying without succeeding to hide the twinkle in her hazel eyes at his silliness. She felt herself dissolving into a warm mush of affection for him, and inexplicably, the tears from earlier started to flow again. She knew he would have been wonderful, just what they needed, and the regrets were too much. Maybe if she hadn't shut him out.maybe things wouldn't have happened the way they did. If she'd never met Tony in the first place, Vincent wouldn't have.. Abby felt the world she'd created for herself since he'd left so suddenly closing in on her as the realization sank in, and it was like she was back in that horrible, dark place in her past again, waking up alone and terrified in a hospital bed. Her Tony and Pilar's long-lost Antonio were one in the same. She let her big brother wipe away her tears and make a fool out of himself trying to make her smile again, but his efforts, no matter how appreciated, only served to make the tears come faster and harder. "Ten, Shane. Ten," she sobbed. "It hurts. Oh God, it still hurts." Shane folded her in his strong embrace and lay his smooth-shaven cheek back against the crown of her tawny head, murmuring quiet words of little comfort.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A gentle knock sounded at the door, and Sheridan answered it without opening her heavy-lidded eyes. "Come in." She heard the soft, hesitant shuffle of little feet across the small distance and Pilar's hushed words of encouragement and a tiny, loving smile caressed her lips as she held out a welcoming hand. "Mommy!" Her eyes flew open, bright, beautiful, and blue as she found her arms full with her sweet little son. Cristian cupped his small hands around her face, looking into her eyes solemnly. Satisfied, he nestled closer to her on the bed, resting his dark head against her shoulder with a soft sigh. "You're back." Sheridan tenderly fingered the soft hair at the nape of his neck, laughing though she felt the most awful urge to cry as she teased him about needing a haircut. "He refused to let me touch it, Mija," Pilar's dark eyes sparkled with humor. "He feared I would give him a haircut like MJ's." "No," Cristian replied, adorably flustered. "I want Porky Pine hair like Daddy's, and Nana doesn't know how to do spikes. Jake said she'd make me look like." Sheridan cupped a hand over Cristian's mouth before he could utter anything further incriminating against himself and found herself sharing a smile with Pilar, her mood already a bit lighter. "That child's mouth," Pilar mused. "Always getting him in trouble."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Mr. Fitz," Jake said, adopting Emmy's name for Ali's grandpa. "Why are grown-ups so gross?" Martin glanced over Jake's shoulder and spied his daughter and Chad sharing a happy, loving embrace. "Where's your sense of romance, young Bennett?" Martin asked, keeping a straight face despite Jake's disgusted expression. "Romance?" Jake pretended to gag. "I'm never going to be romantic. It makes you do stupid things like kiss all the time. Like THEM," he pointed to Theresa and Chad with an exaggerated shudder. "Sheridan and Uncle Luis are worse though. Nobody can beat them. Romance stinks." Martin chuckled. "That's what you think now, but I'm willing to bet you'll change your mind one day. She's young, but Ali's already a romantic at heart, you know," Martin divulged, the corners of his mouth twitching while his eyes twinkled merrily at the youth as he digested the helpful little tidbit. Martin laughed out loud when he realized how wrong he was. "If I bet you $5 right now that you're wrong, adding a dollar for every year that I PROVE you wrong, I'll end up rich. Sounds like a pretty good deal, Mr. Fitz. Wanna shake on it?" Jake grinned, extending a hand to Martin. "What do I get in return if you lose this bet of ours?" Martin wondered. "Who says I'll lose? Love and romance, "Jake cringed. "Double YUCK. And I'm never getting married either. Dad says bachelors have the good life.oh man," Jake muttered when he saw his mom gave his dad what could only be described as the death glare. "Your father looks like he could use a little help," Martin made the obvious suggestion, still chuckling as he closed the distance between himself and Eve, who approached them with a hopeful smile.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Thank them for me, Noah, for taking such wonderful care of Kendall," Katie said sincerely as they watched Grace and Sam walk toward the elevators, each holding a sleepy toddler. Joshua twirled strands of Grace's auburn hair around his little fingers, his legs twined high around her waist while Kendall slumped like a sack of potatoes against Sam's broad shoulder, sucking absently at his thumb. "They love that kid more than they do me," Noah stated, "and you're just part of the family." Katie gave Miguel a friendly wave as he steered a stumbling, barely awake MJ in the same direction and turned back to Noah with a smile on her face. "Part of the family? Really?" Katie beamed at him in pleasure. "You know how much I love your family. It's what I want for me and Kendall.with someone special," Katie's voice dropped to a whisper as she gazed directly at him, ".someday." A slow, easy grin blossomed on Noah's handsome face in return, and he felt himself falling even more in love with her at that moment. Her pretty, embarrassed smile and green eyes still aglow with happiness even now when the preliminary results from Ali's tests were more than an hour old. "Why not make someday come sooner?" Noah suggested, his voice equally teasing and filled with nervous hope as he prepared to ask her the most important question of his life. "Will you marry me, Katie?" ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Nick pushed the door to Sheridan's room open slowly, stepping in carefully and quietly in an attempt to avoid waking her only to discover her wide awake and, apparently, expecting him even though the news about Ali was already old news at this point. "I hear she's the most beautiful baby in the NICU. I don't know why everyone's so surprised considering who her mother is," he murmured as he took a seat in the empty chair at her bedside. Sheridan bowed her head, studying her own hands intently as she twisted the rings on her finger. Nick recognized the nervous gesture and felt the first pangs of guilt creeping up on him for adding to the already awkward atmosphere that always seemed to surround them whenever they found themselves alone in a room together. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." He looked up at the feeling of Sheridan's hand covering his own, and he released a relieved sigh when he saw the understanding in her blue eyes. "You're not even mine to let go, are you?" Nick said sadly. "There was no Jenny. You were always Sheridan. Always married to another man, but still I loved you. Or at least I thought I did," Nick trailed off, closing his gray eyes as he remembered another face. Eyes of a different color watching him so intently, waiting for his reaction to a declaration of love. "Maybe," Sheridan whispered, giving his hand a compassionate squeeze, "maybe you and Jenny never had a proper goodbye. She's gone forever, Nick. Let her go and move on." Nick nodded slowly, raising a hand to cup Sheridan's jaw gently as he leaned closer, his thumb absently caressing her cheek. "Just once," Nick breathed, mere seconds before his lips met and brushed lightly against hers in their first and only kiss. His gray eyes stared at her in wonder as he pulled back. It was as if he were seeing her, Sheridan, for the very first time, and his heart filled with gratitude for the understanding still present in her thoughtful blue gaze. "Thank you," he said simply. "Friends?" "You've saved my life AND my baby girl's. What do you think?" Sheridan offered him an amiable smile. She patted his cheek affectionately as he kissed her quickly on the cheek and headed for the door. On his way to find Abby she knew. "Friends," Sheridan agreed. "If you see Luis, send him my way. I can't rest without him by my side," she told him sheepishly, "Silly I know." Nick smiled knowingly. "Not silly at all."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Tink! Tink, wait up!" Hank lunged after Abby as she fled down the hall, away from the scene the three of them had just left in open-mouthed astonishment. "Bennett," Gwen warned, laying a restraining hand on Hank's arm. "Let her go." "Let her go?" Hank said incredulously. "You saw her earlier. She was obviously upset before she saw whatever the hell THAT was," he swore angrily. "Visiting hours were over hours ago. We shouldn't have seen what we did." "Damn right," Hank agreed, jerking his arm from Gwen's hold when he saw Nick emerge from Sheridan's hospital room several feet down the hall. "It shouldn't have happened in the first place." "Bennett," Gwen hissed as her husband stalked toward 'Don't do anything.STUPID," she winced when Hank's punch took Nick off-guard, and he stumbled back against the wall, clutching his jaw in surprise. "You dirty bastard!" Hank got up in Nick's face, with Gwen hurrying to his side to try to pull him away. "How dare you kiss another man's wife?!" Nick's gray eyes widened, and he started to explain. One look into Gwen's own accusing brown eyes, though, told him none of his explanations would make any sense or account for committing such a wrong in their eyes so he shut his mouth, perhaps wisely so. He was just glad he didn't have to explain the delicate situation to Abby. He doubted she'd understand in one night what took him years to figure out. "You're lucky Luis didn't see what we did. You'd be dead meat, Pal. For taking advantage of the gratitude Sheridan feels toward you for saving Ali's life not to mention breaking his friend's heart." Nick's gray eyes snapped to Gwen's face in alarm. "Sheridan and Luis are unbreakable, but Tink," Hank continued, "Abby deserves a helluva lot better than you.wait, where the hell do you think you're going?" Hank called after Nick's form. "You stay away from her. You've done enough damage for one night. TAYLOR!" "Stay out of it, Bennett," Gwen muttered wearily, massaging her aching head "Nick and Abby are grown-ups. Obviously, they have enough problems without your interference." "But Babe," Hank protested. "No but's," Gwen declared decisively, leaving him fuming in the hall. "I know the kids are tired and cranky, but we're not leaving this hospital until I've told Sheridan goodnight."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Women," Jake muttered as Abby raced past them all in the waiting room, seemingly without seeing any of them. Martin raised a brow at his young friend's comment, and Jake felt the need to explain himself further. "They're always upset about something. And they're usually PMSing." Theresa giggled beside them, pausing in her efforts to button up Cristian's coat and protect him from the blustery cold outside. Pilar tugged Cristian's hat down over his ears and shifted the dead weight of his sleeping body to her other hip before giving Jake a reproachful look. "Mijo," she scolded. "What?" Jake shrugged. "It's true. I bet you're PMSing too. You got that mean look on your face. Kinda like a fire-breathing dragon," Jake snickered. Pilar's mouth fell open in mortified astonishment. "No, Jake," Sara corrected him in a stage whisper, "Uncle Luis's Mom's not PMSing. She had THE CHANGE like Grandma." Theresa giggled helplessly at her mother's expression while Chad tried futilely to hide his tickled smirk from his future mother-in-law. "It's not polite to discuss such matters, Dears," Ivy told the two unrepentant children as she moved to help Pilar finish buttoning up Cristian's coat, keeping a concerned eye on Shane when Nick hurried by them moments after Abby as she did so. "I bet you had THE CHANGE too," Sara announced gleefully, pushing Emmy aside in annoyance when she tried to snuggle closer to her in her sleep. "And THAT," Ivy frowned as she finished wrapping Cristian's striped scarf around his neck, "was even LESS polite." "Hey! Don't look at me," Jake scowled when both Ivy and Pilar looked to him. "I only take credit for the good stuff. Besides.I heard somewhere that you should always kids to tell the truth, and the truth.well, it ain't always what you wanna hear," Jake finished astutely. "Young Bennett," Martin divulged with a sly whisper, "And a smart man-such as yourself-knows exactly the time to be quiet. Understand?" "Not really, but if you say so," Jake sighed. "Women."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Abby! Abby, wait!" Nick shouted as his feet clattered down the stairs after her. "Abby, hear me out. It wasn't what you think." Abby stopped mid- flight, shoulders straightening proudly as she whirled around to face him, white-hot anger making her hazel eyes burn with the flecks of gold always present when Nick thought he'd die from wanting her. "Listen to me, Abby," he pleaded as he carefully descended the stairs, one by one. "Hear me, Abby, when I say this." he said softly, dropping his hand back to his side in resignation when she flinched away from his touch. "Abby," he breathed, pinning her in with his arms braced against the concrete wall on either side of her head. "I never meant to hurt you. Please, look at me," he whispered, grasping her chin in his fingers gently when she tried to look away from his intense gray gaze. "I trusted you.not to make a fool out of me, and you did," Abby's voice came out in a hurt-filled whisper. "You don't love me because you're afraid to. Admit it. I scare the hell out of you. I'm sorry, but I have more self- respect than to stay with a man who doesn't want me even if I didn't have enough intelligence to not go after him in the first place." "Abby, no," Nick protested, curling his fingers around her cheek, "I want you. I do. I've wanted you from the beginning, otherwise I wouldn't have given you a second look. I.I care for you very much. You make me happy, Abby. Few people have ever done that for me, but one look from you has the power to make me smile. Always. You're important to me. Don't you see? Dammit, Abby!" Nick cried out, slapping his palm against the wall behind her and startling her. "I want you in my life," Her hazel eyes melted and shimmered wet and bright. "But I don't think I'm capable of loving you the way you deserve to be loved," Nick waited for her reaction, and his gray eyes slammed shut when Abby slipped beneath his arms and he heard the click of her heels against the concrete floor and then her quiet answer. "It's not enough. Call me when you actually grow a pair. In the meantime, I don't think we should see much of each other."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Just a few more minutes, Sir. I know you're the Chief of Police, but.I really shouldn't be doing this." Luis raised a hand up and nodded his head without looking up from his newborn daughter. "I know. Just another minute, okay?" The nurse's brown eyes melted at the love plainly exuding from the man before her as he whispered goodnight to his daughter, and knew one thing to be true.Hope Lopez-Fitzgerald was one lucky baby. In more ways than one.