Rae was up early the next morning cooking breakfast when Spot woke up.

"Rae?" he asked sleepily, " what are you doing up so early?"

"Lizzy woke up early..."

Leaning over, he kissed her gently on the cheek.

"Trent's leaving this morning," he said, "but he wants to talk to you before he leaves."

"Talk to me? Why?"

"He has some instructions for you."

She looked at him quizzically.

"He's just worried about you...I am too, Rae."

She frowned slightly.

Trent walked in.

"You said you wanted to talk to me?" she asked.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Sit down."

Slowly, she sat.

He pulled a chair over and sat in front of her. "Rae...you had a lot of trouble delivering Sam...and then the triplets...your body just isn't as strong as it used to be."

".... What does that mean?"

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "It means, that if you try to have another baby, you most likely won't make it through another delivery..."

"I... ... what?"

"If you try to have another baby...you and possibly your baby will not survive..."

"But... but how?"

"Your body is worn out after Sam and the triplets...it can't handle another pregnancy."

She frowned.

"Are you saying that I can't have another baby?" she asked.

"Shouldn't...Rae...not can't..."

Again, she frowned. "But... it would definitely kill me?"

"Almost definitely."

"How... how do you know?"

He sighed. "I've been a doctor for a long time, Rae....I've seen enough of these cases before..."

She frowned deeply. "Why us? Why me?"

"I don't know, Rae."

Tears filled her eyes.

He took her hands. "I'm sorry..."

She sobbed onto his shoulder.

Marty walked into the room, rubbing her eyes. "What's goin' on?"

"Dr. Trent just gave us some bad news," Spot said, putting his hand on Rae's shoulder.

"What kinda bad news?"

"You're too little to understand..."

"I'm ten! That's not too little..."

Spot sighed and knelt in front of her. "He just told us that Rae can't have anymore babies, Marty."

"Why not?"

"Because she got kinda sick after the triplets were born."

"Well... make it better then..."

"Some things can't be made better, Marty," Trent said.

"Why not? You're a doctor!"

"Because doctors can't fix everything."

"Well you should," she said with a scowl.

"I wish I could, Marty..."

She simply wrinkled her nose. Marty walked over to Rae and put her hand on Rae's arm. She rested her hand on Marty's hand. "Can I give you a hug?" Marty asked softly.

She nodded and wrapped her arms around the girl.

Marty hugged her back.

"Thank you," Rae said softly.

"I can stay here if you want me to," Marty said.

She smiled a little. "It's all right. You do what you want to do. If you want to stay, you can. If you want to go, you can. We want you to be happy."

"I want you to be happy too..."

Again she smiled. "Thank you, Marty."

Trent stood. "I need to head to Brooklyn..."

Rae nodded, standing as well.

He looked at her. "You need to get lots of rest and plenty to eat...I've left instructions with Spot..."

She nodded slowly.

"If you can...I want you to come to Brooklyn in two weeks...I want to run some tests...just to be sure..."

"Oh... okay." Rae nodded again. Her brow furrowed worriedly.

Spot stepped next to her and slipped his arm around her.

"Would you like me to go with you?" he asked her.

She nodded mutely.

He kissed her cheek.

"I'll see you in two weeks," Trent said, leaving the house.

"All right. Two weeks," she repeated.

Marty tugged on Rae's hand.

"What is it?" Rae asked, looking down at her.

"Dr. Trent said you gotta rest...that means you gotta get in bed..."

"I will."

"Go on," Spot said. "I'll finish breakfast."

She frowned a little, but he pushed her gently along. "Go on. I'll bring you some breakfast when it's done."

"I'll tuck you in," Marty said, pulling on Rae's arm. Rae smiled in spite of herself. Marty looked up at her, "What? You always tuck us in..."

She ruffled her hair. "It is sweet of you, is all."

Marty smiled at her. She let Marty lead her away. Rae got into the bed and Marty crawled onto the bed to tuck Rae in.

She smiled. "Thank you, sweetheart."

"Your welcome," Marty said, sitting on her knees. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

She nodded. "Go right ahead."

Marty sighed. "I don't know what to do..."

"About ...? Going to live with the Websters?"

Marty nodded.

"Do what your heart tells you." Rae smiled. "If you'd like... you could try living with them for a month... and if you don't like it, you could come back?"

"I wanna go...but I don't want you and Mr. Spot to be sad..."

"Don't worry about us, sweetheart. We'll be happy with whatever makes you happy."

Marty sighed. "I guess I can give it a try...but only after I help Chris like I promised."

She smiled. "Would you like to tell the Websters? Or would you like me or Spot to do it?"

"Can you do it?" she asked shyly.

Rae smiled and nodded. "Of course."

"Will you tell them about me helping Chris too?"

"Of course."

"If I like it there....could I still come back some?"

"You'll always be welcome here, Marty."

She hugged Rae tightly. Rae held her close and kissed the top of her head. Finally, she slid off the bed and scampered out the door. She skipped back down the hall to the kitchen where Spot and Sippi were talking while Spot made breakfast.

"Did Rae go down for bed without a fight?" Spot asked with a smile.

Marty nodded.

She turned to Sippi. "Mr. Wayne?"

"Yes?"

"Is it alright for me to go back to Brooklyn and stay with the Websters?"

After a moment he nodded. "Yes."

"So you decided to go then?" Spot asked.

"For a little bit, but after I help Chris. 'Cause I promised I would help him."

Spot nodded. "Good girl. He's really counting on you."

"I know... and I'm gonna be the best helper ever..."

"Well...since you're the best helper ever, wanna help me with breakfast?"

She wrinkled her nose and then grinned. "I guess."

He tossed her an apron and set a bowl of batter on the table. "Think you can mix that up real good?"

She nodded and took the bowl. "Just watch."

He smiled at her and looked over at Sippi. "She couldn't do much when we worked in the factory together...but she was my little helper even then."

She wrinkled her nose.

He messed her hair and went back to frying bacon.

Sippi smiled as well, watching them.

"He used to give me lemon drops if I was good," Marty said with a shy smile.

"Why Spot, I never knew you were such a softy!"

Spot sent him a look out of the corner of his eye, but Marty didn't see it and kept talking.

"He would walk me home after work, cause my Momma used to worry lots...and sometimes he would stay for dinner..."

Sippi grinned.

"Does he still give you lemon drops?" he asked.

She nodded. "Sometimes. He keeps them hidden in the desk drawer."

Sippi grinned. "Why don't I get a lemon drop?"

Spot shot him a look. "You haven't been good..." he said with a smirk.

"Oh, but I have been," he grinned.

Spot rolled his eyes. "Go get him a lemon drop, Marty."

"Can I get one too?"

He smiled. "Yes, but that's it. Rae will have my hide if she knew I was giving you candy before breakfast."

She grinned and scampered off.

"Is everything alright, Spot?" Sippi asked.

Spot shook his head. "I'm just worried."

"Need to talk about it?"

He sighed. "Trent told us... that having Sam.. and then the triplets weakened Rae's heart."

"She's alright, isn't she?"

"Yes... Trent just said she had to rest a lot."

"Is the extra company too much for her?"

"I don't think so... I think it's just her irritation with having to rest all the time. She likes to be moving about."

"Let me know if there is anything I can do..."

He smiled. "I will... Thanks."

"I'm going to go ahead and take Ginny back with me now...I can come back and get Ann later when she's ready to come to New York."

Spot nodded. "Thank you, for letting her stay with you."

"It's not a problem..."

"I know Ann will love it."

Marty skipped back into the room. "Here ya go."

Sippi smiled. "Thanks, Marty," he said, taking the lemon drop.

She grinned at him and went back to helping Spot.

"So, have you decided when you were heading back to Brooklyn?" he asked Sippi.

Sippi nodded. "Probably right after lunch...I have a lot of paperwork waiting for me at the office."

He smiled. "And I have a lot of planning for the library still to do..."

"I'd like to see what you've gotten done so far before I leave town..."

With a laugh, he nodded. "All right. It isn't much. Still a terrible mess, really."

Sippi laughed as Ginny walked in and crawled into her brother's lap. "Hello Ginny."

"Mornin'," she whispered, resting her head against his shoulder.

"You all right, kiddo?" he asked her.

"She doesn't like mornings," Marty replied. "Neither does Annie."

"Ah yes, I forgot." He hugged his sister. "I'd always been at work before she got up.

She snuggled up against him. "I missed you, Beau," she whispered sleepily.

"I missed you too, Ginny."

He kissed the top of her head. "How about coming back home with me today..."

She nodded. "Me an' Annie."

"Annie is gonna stay here a little longer," Sippi replied.

"Rae and I will be coming to Brooklyn in two weeks...we'll bring her then," Spot added.

"Oh..." She yawned.

"Why don't you go wake Annie up," Spot suggested. "And you two can start packing your stuff..."

"Kay."

She gave her brother another hug and stumbled from the room, still half asleep. Sippi smiled, watching her go.

"Good morning," Misha said, walking into the room. She headed toward the cabinet and grabbed a stack of plates to set the table.

He smiled. "Morning, Misha."

She blushed slightly.

"Did you sleep well?"

She nodded.

"Good."

Spot looked at the two of them and, after a minute, smirked knowingly. "Why don't you two take a walk," Spot suggested.

They looked at each other a bit shyly before nodding. "That sounds like a good idea," Sippi said.

He put his arm around Misha and led her toward the door.

Spot smiled. "You two be careful!"

Sippi shot him a look over his shoulder as he closed the door.

With a grin, Spot finished breakfast, with help from Marty.

"Why'd you tell them to take a walk?" Marty asked.

"I figured they'd like to have some time alone to talk."

"Why?"

He laughed a little. "I think they are fond of each other."

She made a face. "I don't understand."

Ruffling her hair, he said, "You will in due time."

She made another face.

He grinned. "Come on, help me set the table, kiddo."

"Alright," she said, grabbing some forks.

~*~

"Do you have to leave so soon?" Misha asked.

"Unfortunately yes..... I have a huge stack of paperwork that needs finishing."

Misha sighed.

"I'm sorry... I wish it wasn't that way."

"When can I return?"

"I'm not sure... I'm working as hard as I can to get it sorted out."

She sighed. "I miss being on that stage dancing in front of all those people..."

He hugged her briefly. "I know... I will come back for you and you'll have your time to dance again."