Disclaimer: Still not mine no matter how hard I wish.

Author: Catgurl83

Title: Shocking News chapter title-The Truth About Prayer

Feedback: Keeps me motivated. My e-mail address is catgurl83@yahoo.com

Rating: G

Author's notes: Not a doctor. See A \ N for chapter two.

For me school starts the middle of Aug. My stories probably won't be updated as often after that point. They will be finished though. I am obsessive about finishing what I start.

Thanks to Kimberly for betaing this for me. I really appreciate all of your help!

**********

"This is a stupid show," Simon announced as he stood up.

"Is not!" Sam called after his older brother as he left the room.

The adults all watched Simon leave in concern.

"This is a good show," Sam insisted. His twin brother nodded his agreement.

"Yes," Annie said distractedly.

Sarah walked into the room with Charlie on her hip. "What's up?"

"We're watching TV," the boys said together.

Sarah sat down between her husband and her mother-in-law. "What's wrong?" she asked Annie quietly, once the twins had gone back to their program.

"Simon. He is refusing to spend time with us now. He hasn't returned any of Cecilia's calls in several days. He won't hang out with his friends. He is totally withdrawing."

"Have you talked to Eric?" Sarah asked quietly.

Annie nodded. "He is going to talk to Simon but I don't think he'll get much of a response."

Sarah thought for a few minutes. "I think Simon needs to go see Ruthie," she finally said.

Matt stared at his wife in surprise.

"He is withdrawing because he isn't accepting Ruthie's illness," Sarah explained. "He has to confront it."

Annie nodded in understanding. "He won't go to the hospital though."

They were all silent as they tried to think of a way to get Simon to go see Ruthie.

"Maybe if Ruthie called and asked him," Sarah suggested.

"Maybe," Annie agreed after a moment.

The phone rang and Mary stepped into the living room. "It is for you Sarah."

Sarah stood up. "Who is it?" She asked curiously.

Mary shrugged. "I'm not sure."

Sarah went to the phone. "Hello?"

"Is this Sarah Camden?"

"Yes it is."

"I work in the hospital lab. Your baby's blood test results are in. Can you come in now to have them read?"

Sarah smiled as hope coursed through her. "Of course."

She slowly made her way into the living room. Annie and Matt both looked up as she entered the room. David and Sam were too engrossed in their television program to care. Charlie lay on a blanket in the middle of the room kicking her little legs in the air.

Sarah sat down near the two adults and spoke quietly. "The results are in."

Neither Annie nor Matt had to ask what results she was talking about. "Can we go over there now?" Matt asked.

Sarah nodded as she stood up and walked over to the blanket. She picked the baby up and kissed her forehead. "Let's go get your diaper bag," she whispered to the infant.

Annie went into the kitchen and picked up the phone. She punched in a number from memory. "Eric," she said once he answered, "Charlie's test results are back. Matt and Sarah are going over there now." She hung up a few minutes later. Eric was on his way home. He wanted to be there when Matt and Sarah got back.

***********

Sarah and Matt stepped into the small office. The lab tech that they were going to be talking to sat behind a desk punching something into her computer. She looked up at the young couple and smiled reassuringly. "Please, sit down."

They sat down in the two visitor's chairs in front of the desk. Sarah had Charlie on her lap. Charlie peered around her curiously.

"Would you like me to read the results for you?"

Matt and Sarah looked at each other. "Please," Sarah answered after a moment.

Charlie chortled and reached for a jar of pencils sitting on the desk. Sarah gently grabbed her hand and pulled it back. She smiled apologetically at the lab tech.

The lab tech waved a hand in dismissal. "Don't worry about it. I have a two- year-old." She picked up an envelope and carefully opened it with a letter opener. She extracted the thin sheet of paper.

Sarah held her breath and linked hands with her husband as she waited for the results to be read. They both knew that this was probably Ruthie's last chance at survival. If Charlie weren't a match then there probably wouldn't be one.

Matt sat tensely as he waited for the lab tech to tell them the results. If Charlie wasn't a match Ruthie would most likely die. But even if the baby were a match it was not certain that Ruthie would survive; there were so many variables.

"There is a five antigen match." The lab tech stated softly.

Sarah and Matt both sat completely still as they digested the verdict. Charlie was a match. She could save Ruthie's life.

**********

Matt and Sarah stepped into the house and were surprised to find a very full living room waiting for them.

Annie and Eric sat next to each other on the couch. Eric had a pad of paper in his hands but wasn't concentrating on whatever he was doing very well. They both kept looking up every few minutes.

Lucy and Kevin sat cross-legged on the floor. They were quietly discussing something.

The twins sat near Lucy and Kevin. They were still watching a television program. The TV was down very low now, though.

Simon stood by himself across the room. He was making a show of being uninterested in what was going on but everyone could see how tense the young man was.

The Colonel and Ruth stood a few feet from the sofa. They were pursuing all of the others in the room concernedly.

Mary was perched on the arm of the sofa watching the door expectantly. She was the first one to notice Matt and Sarah. "Guys." Everyone turned at the word.

Matt and Sarah stepped into the room as everyone turned to stare at them.

Sarah handed the baby to Mary and turned to look at her mother-in-law. She stepped closer to Annie and sat down next to her. "She's a match," she told Annie softly.

Annie took a moment for the words to sink in and then pulled Sarah into her arms. "Thank you," she whispered. She knew how hard this was going to be for the younger woman.

Lucy and Kevin kissed.

Simon took a step closer to the group before catching himself and hanging back aloofly. He couldn't hold back his grin though.

Eric hugged his daughter-in-law after his wife was done.

The Colonel and Ruth stepped over to Matt. Ruth hugged her oldest grandson while the Colonel clapped him on the shoulder.

Mary bounced the cheerful baby on her lap. "You know all this excitement is about you don't you?" she asked her.

Even David and Sam turned away from the cowboy show on the TV to join the excitement. They jumped up and down happily although they didn't know what was going on yet.

Once everyone had calmed down Ruth turned to her daughter-in-law. "When are you going to tell Ruthie?"

"I'm not." Annie answered firmly.

Everyone stared at her in shock.

Annie smiled. Her smile reached her eyes this time, making them sparkle with love, happiness, and relief. "Matt and Sarah are going to tell her," Annie told them all.

**********

Ruthie lay on her hospital bed reading a magazine. She was reading an article on hair care although she really didn't know why. If a match were found, her hair would fall out because of the chemo she'd have to have. If a match weren't found, she'd definitely die.

She had been praying almost non-stop that she'd live. The whole town had. But the truth about prayer was, you didn't get to choose the answer. God sometimes said yes but he also could say no. Just because you prayed for something didn't mean that you'd get it.

Her head snapped up when the door opened. She smiled at her brother and sister-in-law. Her smile instantly faded though. Matt was carrying Charlie. The baby was dressed in a pink jumpsuit with a small Elmo on the front. A blue bow was in her whisper soft hair.

Matt and Sarah sat down next to the bed wordlessly.

"The baby?" Ruthie whispered the question fearfully. What did this mean? They had said that the baby couldn't come here.

Sarah smiled reassuringly at her youngest sister-in-law. "We got special permission from your doctor."

Ruthie looked at the curiously. "Why?" Why would the doctor have allowed this? Something was definitely going on.

Matt shifted the infant on his lap. He smiled at his baby sister. "We had Charlie tested."

Ruthie looked between them incredulously. "What?" She paused a moment. "The doctor allowed you to bring the baby along to tell me that?"

"Nope," Sarah answered cheerfully.

"Then why?"

"The results came back today," Matt stated quietly.

Ruthie blinked a few times. "Are you saying.?"

"Charlie is a match," Sarah told her very softly.

"Wow," Ruthie whispered. Maybe her prayer had been answered the way she wanted after all. "Can I hold her?"

Matt and Sarah looked at each other. "Just for a minute." Matt finally decided. He didn't want Charlie to get Ruthie sick. He didn't think Charlie was sick but you couldn't be too sure with young children.

Ruthie gently took her niece. "Thank you," she whispered to the baby. "I know that you don't understand what is going to be happening really soon but you might be saving my life."

After Matt, Sarah, and Charlie had left, she lifted her head to stare at the ceiling. "Thank you," she whispered again, feelingly.

*************