Sighing deeply, Chris carefully stood and put his weight on the crutches that the doctor had given him. With very strained concentration, he hobbled across the room. Just as he reached the door, Pape flew into the room with Sam right behind her. And Chris nearly flew over them! "Hey, what's the rush?"

"I tryin' to catch Pape!" Sam said, looking under the couch where Chris had just been laying.

"Why are you trying to catch her?"

"Gran'pa took Andy fishin' and I don't have no one to play wit'..."

"You're being nice to Pape, right?"

"Gran'ma says Pape's gonna have little kitties...and I wanna see 'em..."

"She's not gonna let you see them if you keep grabbing at her like that. She's probably not going to have the kitties for a while."

"But I wanna see da kitties..."

"You have to wait until they're born, kiddo."

Sam pouted.

He smiled. "There's nothing you can do about that, I'm afraid."

Sam folded his arms.

Rolling his eyes, Chris carefully hobbled from the room.

"How are you faring, Chris?" Noelle asked as she headed down the hall.

"I wish I didn't have to use these things..."

She smiled. "You'll get down to a cane once your leg is fully healed. It won't be so terrible."

He snorted. "Doc said I'll always need the cane..."

"Yes, but a cane is easier to use than crutches." She patted his shoulder. "Are you going to be mad at the world forever, Chris?"

"Yes."

"You're never going to be happy that way."

He sighed. "This is just so frustrating, Noelle."

"I know it is," she said calmly. "But do you know what? The wise man makes the best of a situation others might think impossible... Chris, dear, you're driving your loved ones away with this sour behavior. Is an injured leg worth all that?"

He sighed. "Not really..."

She smiled and squeezed his shoulder. "That's what I like to hear."

"I do miss her terribly," he admitted.

"Well then, what are you lolling around here for?"

"I can't exactly get around right now..."

"Nonsense. You're getting around fine to me."

"This is the first day Doc's said I could be on my feet..."

"Well, you can still get ready to go." She gave him the gentlest of nudges. "You don't have to go today, but prepare yourself for it. Think of what you might say."

He dropped into a chair. "She'll never take me back..."

"You never know until you try."

"I don't even know what to say."

"I'm sorry sounds like a good start to me."

He sighed.

"If you need any help, just shout for me." And she headed for the kitchen.

Using the crutches, he pulled himself to his feet again, careful not to put any weight on his bad leg.

A minute or so later, Sam toddled over to him. "When is Kendra comin' back?"

"I don't know, buddy."

"Are you gonna get her?"

"I can't right now..."

He pouted.

"Give me some time to get better..."

"Well hurry up!"

Chris carefully dropped onto the couch in the living room. "It's not that easy, buddy."

"Yes huh!" Sam said, clambering up next to him. "Just go and say come home!"

"But I can't go...Doc won't let me."

"Well that's not fair," he huffed.

"I know buddy"

"When are you gonna go?"

"As soon as Doc will let me, Sammy."

"Can I go too?"

"I think I should go by myself..."

Sam pouted. "But... I wanna go!"

"You can't!"

He pouted again.

Chris ruffled his hair. "Sorry, little man...but this is something that I have to do by myself..."

"That's no fair."

"Sorry."

Noelle peered down the hall. "Are you two hungry?"

"Yes!" Sam chirped.

Chris smiled.

"Want me to bring you something, Chris?"

He shook his head. "I'll go to the kitchen myself." He carefully stood to his feet.

Noelle smiled, taking Sam's hand. "Did you need any help, Chris?"

"I'm fine..."

Noelle nodded. "All right, I'll see you in a few minutes."

Sighing, Chris slowly made his way toward the kitchen. He smiled, a bit painfully, when he entered the kitchen. He'd actually made it.

Just as he eased into a chair Andy burst into the kitchen. "I caught a fish!"

Chris smiled. "Have you been practicing?"

"Yep," he said, jumping into a chair.

Noelle tapped Andy on the head. "Wash your hands."

He made a face. "Yes ma'am."

"Good boy...I won't have filthy hands at my table."

Chris smiled, watching them..

Andy quickly washed his hands and turned to Noelle. He held them out to her. "Better?"

She smiled and ruffled his hair. "Yes, thank you."

He plopped in his chair. "I'm hungry!"

"I'll bet you are. You were out a long time fishing," Nick said, helping himself to his wife's cooking.

"When Momma and Daddy comin' back?" Sam asked.

"I'm not quite sure," Noelle replied, dishing out some food for Sam.

"I want them home."

"I know. They will be soon."

He pouted.

~*~

Spot was sitting in a chair beside the bed where Rae was sleeping when Trent walked into the room. Spot looked up inquisitively. Trent bent over Rae and placed his hand gently on her brow.

"What's the matter?"

"I don't understand this fever. It comes and goes...without any explanation."

Spot frowned worriedly.

"It's not much of one..."

"Will she be all right?"

"She should be...with lots of rest..."

He still looked worried.

"I'm just as worried as you are..."

Spot took Rae's hand. "She'll just have to rest."

"Her being ill wasn't the only reason I asked you to come..."

"It wasn't?"

"I've been worried about China...but having you here...with Rae sleeping almost all the time...has been good for her..."

"What have you been worrying about China?"

"Depression..." he said. "Loosing those two babies was very hard on her."

Spot frowned. "I'm sorry..."

Trent snorted. "I'm a doctor...but I can't even explain to my wife why she lost two babies..."

Spot frowned. "Perhaps you should adopt? At least until China can get pregnant and stay so on her own?"

"I've tried to talk to her about it...but she avoids the subject altogether..."

"Well, maybe you'll just have to sit her down and make her talk."

"If only it were that easy. Last time I tried that she packed her bags and said she was going to stay with Rae until after the baby was born...only it ended up being three babies..."

"Well, Rae's not having any babies right now... so she can't use that as an excuse."

Trent sighed. "As soon as we get Rae better I'll talk to her."

Spot tilted his head. "You said it yourself that might be a while."

"I would like to send you home next week...I think she can rest as well in her own bed as she can here."

He nodded. "All right."

Trent stood. "Let me know when she wakes up."

Spot nodded. "I will."

"Have you been to see Annie, Ginny and Marty since you two got here?"

Spot shook his head. "We haven't left since we got here last week."

"When she wakes, you should go see them."

"Do you think China would mind keeping an eye on the babies?"

"She won't mind."

"I think we'll stop in and see North and see how Kendra likes being back home..."

Trent smiled. "I'm sure she's loving it."

"And waiting very impatiently for her Aunt North to have her baby."

He laughed. "Yes... nearly every day she was here, she was asking whether or not North had her baby yet."

Trent sighed. "I have work to do."

~*~

Spot helped Rae out of the carriage in front of a small dance school. Their first visit would be to Ann's dance class. They had gone to Sippi's house and had found that Misha did indeed know the right people to get Annie into the class.

"I don't want to interrupt," Rae said, peeking through the window into the room where Annie's class was.

"We can wait. There is a room inside."

She allowed him to led her inside, making sure she sat where she could still watch through the small window. She smiled, watching half a dozen little girls bobbing up and down through the window, clinging to a slender wooden bar.

"She looks so happy," Rae said.

He nodded, standing behind her. "And she's not too bad at that…bobbing thing," he said with a smile.

Rae laughed softly.

The girls then crowded at one end of the room and one by one they did a simple number across the floor. Spot sat back a little bit, watching Rae smile and laugh in a way that she hadn't done in a long time. He was happy that she was finding joy in this. A short time later the group of little girls ran happily from the room.

"Hi!" Ann said, running over to Spot and Rae and giving them both tight hugs.

"Hello, sweetie," Rae said as Ann, pounced on her lap.

"Did you see me dance?"

"We sure did."

She beamed. "I already made friends with the girls too."

"That's wonderful, sweetie," Rae said, not noticing that Spot had gotten up and left the room.

She grinned. "And I can plie and arabesque and passe already!"

Rae kissed her daughter's forehead and held her close. "I've missed you so much!"

"I missed you too." Ann wrapped her arms tightly around Rae's neck. "Are you feeling better?"

She smiled, "Yes."

"How are the babies?"

"They're doing well. Dr. Trent and China are taking care of them right now."

Ann looked around. "Where did Daddy go?"

She paused and looked around. "I.. I don't know."

Rae set Ann on the ground and stood. "Let's go find him." She nodded, following her.

Not seeing him in the building, they walked outside and found him waiting in the buggy that they had borrowed from Trent. "Why are you all the way out here, Spot?" Rae asked curiously.

He glanced at Ann. "We'll talk about it later."

She gave him a puzzled look but nodded.

"Why don't we go see Kendra?" Spot asked as Annie plopped onto the seat next to him.

She climbed into the seat as well. "All right."

Rae was silent as they traveled to the flat where North and Blank lived, but Annie kept up a constant stream of chatter.

"And we even get to dance for everyone's parents!" Ann finished enthusiastically.

"We'll have to make sure that we come back for that," Rae said with a smile.

She nodded. "You have to see me!"

"Here we are," Spot said, stopping the buggy. He helped Ann and Rae down. They walked up the stairs and knocked on the door to Blank's flat.

Blank opened the door with a weary smile. "Hello."

"You look terrible, buddy," Spot said.

"I feel terrible," he said with a short laugh. "Come in."

They walked into the flat and Kendra ran over to them. "Annie!" she said, nearly tackling the girl.

"Hi Kendra!" Ann exclaimed.

"Aunt North had a baby!" Kendra said excitedly.

Rae and Spot looked at Blank. "When?" Rae asked.

"I got to Trent's office just after you left..."

Rae grinned. "So... what is it?"

Blank smiled. "It's a girl."

"Can I see?" Rae asked.

Blank nodded. "They're both sleeping, but I'll let you peek."

She smiled. "I'll be quiet, I promise."

"Come on," he said, leading the way to the bedroom. She followed, pulling Spot along after her. Blank opened the door, and Rae slipped in. She knelt on the floor by the cradle sitting beside the bed.

She smiled, looking at the tiny face. "She's beautiful."

"We think so," Blank said.

She smiled. "I'd hope you would."

"Does she have a name?" Spot asked.

Blank laughed softly. "North was so sure that we were gonna have a boy, we never discussed girls names...and North fell asleep before we could decide."

Spot laughed a bit as well. "Well, that does through a damper on things... I don't think she'd make a very good Henry."

"Oh stop it you two," Rae said.

Blank jerked his head to the door and Spot and Rae followed him out.

"Did you see the baby?" Kendra asked.

Rae smiled. "Yes we did."

"She's real tiny..."

"You were that tiny once, you know that?" Spot said.

"Really?"

"Yep."

She grinned and crawled on Blank's lap.

"Is the baby gonna grow big like me?"

"She sure will," Blank said.

"Will I still be bigger than her?"

"She may catch up to you one day..."

She wrinkled her nose. "I'll grow bigger than her then!"

Rae, Spot and Blank laughed and Blank kissed her forehead. A few minutes later, Molly came home. Kendra hopped off Blank's lap and flew across the room. "Guess what Mommy?"

"What??"

"Aunt North had her baby!"

Molly looked at her brother. "Really?"

Blank nodded. "Yep."

"A little girl..." Rae said with a smile.

"I can't believe I missed it! What's her name?" Molly asked.

"Haven't a clue," Blank said with a laugh.

Molly smiled. "She was sure it was a boy."

"And I was sure because she was sure." Blank smiled. "But it doesn't matter. She's a beautiful baby."

"I'm gonna go see," Molly said, heading toward the bedroom.

Spot stood. "We should be leaving...we left the babies with Trent and China..."

Rae nodded in agreement. "And we've left the babies with them all day..."

"Thanks for stopping by," Blank said. "As soon as we decide a name, I'll let you know."

Rae smiled. "We're expecting it.

"Let's go Annie," Spot said. Ann nodded, following them. Spot dropped Rae off at Trent's clinic before taking Ann back to Sippi's house. "Now you behave for Sippi, okay?" Spot told her.

"I will," she said, hugging him tightly.

He kissed the top of her head. "Write us when you know the day you will perform," he said. "Mom and I will be out to see you right away."

"I will," she said, jumping from the buggy and running up the front steps.

Spot smiled, watching her go. Once she was inside he drove back to Trent's clinic.