Spot found Rae in their room, feeding Robert. "I'm back."

She looked up when he entered. "Welcome back.... Spot... why were you acting so odd back at Ann's dance school?"

"It's nothing..." he said, sitting next to her.

She gave him an odd look. "I know it's not nothing..."

He sighed. "I left because of Annie..."

She tilted her head. "Why?"

"She had enough problems because of me back in Pleasant Valley...I don't want her to have those same problems here...not when she's so happy..."

Rae sighed. "Oh Spot.... not this again."

"You were so busy talking to Annie you didn't see the looks that those girls were sending our direction..."

She sighed.

"Rae..."

"Not everyone will be afraid of you, Spot..."

"I'm doing this for her Rae!"

"So are you going to miss her recital just because you don't like how you look?"

"I'll slip in after it starts and leave just before it ends..."

She shook her head. "That is ridiculous."

"I want her to be happy, Rae..."

"She'll be happy if you give her attention!"

He sighed and started pacing.

Rae watched him.

"You saw how upset she got when those kids in Pleasant Valley made fun of them...I just don't want to see her hurt like that again..."

"But you don't know that's going to happen."

"You're right...I don't. But I don't want to take the chance that it does."

Again, Rae sighed. "All right..."

"I'm sorry, Rae...I just can't do that to her."

"I know..."

He sat down next to her. "You're mad at me, aren't you?"

"Not exactly... I just get upset when you let your scars interfere with your life..." she said with a sigh, resting her head on his shoulder. He stroked her hair and kissed her forehead. She leaned down and picked Lizzy up from her cradle.

"Rae...these scars are very much a part of my life...they won't go away..."

"I know... but you can't let them rule you, Spot."

"What am I supposed to do? Just forget about them?"

"You can go places and show people how kind you are."

"They don't give me a chance..."

"Then make them."

He turned and started pacing again. "How?"

"By putting yourself where they are. Start going to the stores, to the kids' school. Don't let what they say get to you! You never did before your accident!"

He ran his hands through his hair.

She took his hand. "Please, Spot."

He sighed. "It isn't easy, Rae..."

"I know... "

He knelt on the floor in front of her. "I can barely look at myself in the mirror..."

"And I don't understand why... "

"My looks were always important to me..."

She sighed and shook her head with the faintest smile. "Don't I know it."

"I still haven't gotten used to looking like this..."

"It's been five years Spot..."

"I know..."

"Spot..."

"I'm sorry, Rae..."

She held her hand out. He took it carefully. She pulled him down beside her. He rested his head on her shoulder. "You've changed a lot since the accident, Spot...for the better... It wasn't the old you that I fell in love with..."

He smiled a little. "Yes... That is true."

"The old you would never have taken in children who had nowhere else to go..."

He hugged her briefly.

"Annie thrives on your love and attention...don't deny her that..."

"I'll try."

She smiled. "That's all I ask..."

He smiled and kissed her softly.

"I love you," she whispered.

He rested his forehead on hers. "I love you too."

"I want to go home Spot..."

"I'll talk to Trent about it tonight."

"Thank you..."

He smiled. "You're welcome."

Noelle walked out onto the porch when she heard the wagon pull into the yard. "I was hoping it would be you," she told Rae.

Rae looked at her worriedly. "What's wrong?"

"Sam has just been asking a million times a day when you are coming home...and Chris is getting antsy as well..."

She frowned. "How is he doing?"

"The doctor has him up on crutches..."

She smiled. "That's good to hear. Is he feeling any better?"

"He's still in a lot of pain, but that's to be expected."

She nodded.

"Hand me some of those babies..."

Rae smiled, doing as told. "Thank you."

"You get yourself inside and into bed, missy."

She nodded. "I will."

Spot came around and helped Rae down.

She smiled. "Thank you, Spot."

"Want me to carry you to the bed?"

She laughed. "I think I'll make it."

He kissed her forehead. "I'll be there to check on you in a few minutes."

"All right."

Rae made her way toward the bedroom, looking for her boys.

A moment later, Sam ran down the stairs. "Momma!!!!" he yelled excitedly.

She smiled and caught as she flung himself at her. "Hello sweetie."

"I missed you!"

"I missed you too." She smiled, kissing her forehead.

"Gramma says Pape is gonna have kitties..."

Rae blinked in surprised and laughed. "Wow, that's neat!"

"And Chris is gonna go get Ken'a and he gonna take me..."

"He's going to get Kendra?"

Sam nodded.

She smiled. "That's wonderful!" She ruffled his hair. "Mommy has to go get in bed now..."

He sighed. "Okay."

"You can come with me..."

He grinned. "Okay!"

Rae walked down the hall with Sam skipping along beside her chattering happily. She smiled. It was nice being back home again. Rae sat on the bed just as Noelle walked into the room with Robert and Lizzy.

"All settled?" Noelle asked.

"Just about," Rae said, leaning back against the pillows.

Noelle smiled. "Would you like to hold the children?"

"Just lay them on the bed for now...they should be hungry soon..."

With a nod, Noelle did so.

"Thanks, Noelle," Rae whispered, rolling on her side and playing with Lizzy's foot.

"You're quite welcome."

Sam crawled up on the bed. "Hey baby..."

He plopped next to Rae. "Pape is very grouchy now..." he said.

Rae smiled. "I bet she is."

"She scratched me yesterday." He showed her the scratch on his hand.

She kissed the scratch. "Maybe you better leave Pape alone..."

He sighed. "Probably..."

Spot walked in with James. "Hey buddy," he said, smiling at Sam.

"Dadddy!" He jumped off the bed and hugged Spot. "Guess what... Pape scatched me."

Spot laughed as he placed James on the bed. "Were you making her mad?"

"Just tryin' to pick her up. But she's gonna have babies..."

"Well you just leave her alone for now. She's probably very grouchy."

"She is! But I will."

"Good boy."

He nodded.

Andy ran in. "I thought I heard you come back!"

Spot smiled. "Hello Andy!"

"Hey Daddy," he said, hopping on the edge of the bed.

Rae smiled. "What about me, kiddo?"

He carefully crawled over the triplets and hugged her. "I missed you!"

She hugged him and kissed the top of his head. "I missed you too, Andy."

"Nick taught me to fish!"

She smiled. "That's wonderful! Have you caught many?"

"More than a dozen..."

Again, she smiled. "Catch one for me to try sometime, all right?"

"I will...How's Annie?" he asked. "I really miss her."

"She's doing well. I think she's happy with the dance school. But she misses you too."

He smiled and jumped off the bed. "I'm gonna go write her a letter."

Rae smiled. "She'll like that."

He ran from the room and then came back. "Do you think Ginny might like a letter too?"

Rae smiled, grinning. "Yes... I'm sure she would." He blushed slightly and ducked back out the door.

Spot glanced at Rae. "What's that smile for?"

"Our children are growing up," she replied.

Spot still looked a bit bewildered

She rolled her eyes. "He likes Ginny..."

"How do you figure?" he asked, tucking her in.

"I just know, Spot..."

He kissed her forehead. "It seems that we not only provide a home but also provide a starter for love."

Sam jumped off the bed. "Ch'is is back!"

Rae and Spot looked at Noelle. "Nick took him to see the doctor this morning...hopefully to start using a cane."

"That's good to here. I'll bet he's glad to get off the couch."

"He was very glad to get back on his feet."

She smiled. "Well, I'm glad that he is able to as well."

A moment later they could hear slow, uneven steps in the hallway.

Spot smiled. "I think that's him now."

"Come on, Ch'is," Sam said, standing in the door.

Rae laughed lightly.

"I'm moving as fast as I can," Chris said, through clenched teeth.

Spot poked his head out the door. "Good to see you on your feet, Chris."

"You don't know how glad I am to be rid of those crutches."

He smiled. "I'll bet."

"How are you doing, Rae?" Chris asked, hobbling into the room.

"Not too happy about having to rest all the time, but all right other than that."

He nodded and eased into a chair.

"How'd your visit with the doctor go?"

"He said I'm doing really good...and he's given me the ok to go to Brooklyn."

Rae smiled. "So you're going to get Molly?"

"First thing in the morning."

She tilted her head and smiled again. "I'm glad to hear that."

Chris carefully climbed from the buggy. Andrew and North's tenemant loomed above. Sighing deeply, he slowly began to climb the stairs. By the time he reached the top, he was exhausted and his leg was throbbing. Pape was mewing rather pitifully in the small box at his side.

He set the box down. "There you go, Pape." She mewed more. Chris shook his head, smiling faintly. Then, he took a deep breath and knocked on Blank's door.

"Coming," he heard Molly call softly from inside.

He bit his lip apprehensively.

She opened the door. "Chris!" she gasped.

He blushed. "Hi Molly..."

Pape mewed plaintively at their feet.

"PAPE!!!" Kendra squealed, pushing past Molly and tearing into the box. Chris laughed a bit. Kendra looked up at him. "She's fat!"

He smiled. "That's because she's going to have kittens."

"Little kitties?"

"Yep. Very little kitties. Why don't you pull the box inside?" Chris suggested, looking at Molly.

She nodded, seizing both sides of the box and hauling it through the door.

"Oh..." Molly said with a blush. "Come in."

He caught her hand. "Wait...please...can we talk out here?" She looked a bit puzzled but nodded. He reached around her and pulled the door closed behind Kendra.

She looked at him, biting her lip.

"Molly..."

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry..." She stared at him for a moment and then her bottom lip started to tremble.

He carefully leaned his cane against the wall and pulled her into his arms. She hugged him tightly. "I shouldn't have taken my frustrations out on you, Molly girl," he whispered into her hair.

"You shouldn't have..." she agreed.

He looked down at her, gently caressing her cheek. "I can't live without you, Molly...Will you marry me?"

Tears trickled down her cheeks and she nodded, hugging him tightly. "Yes, I'll marry you."

He gently brushed the tears away.

"I love you, Chris," she said quietly.

"I love you too," he whispered, kissing her gently.

THE END!!

Stay tuned for installment #11 - Cheaper by the Half-Dozen