Note: Thanks for the helpful reviews. You've really encouraged me to continue this story. Bluenose - I'll have to think about your question, and let you know.

They sat in the waiting room for hours. Jack and Martin eventually joined them. Martin interrogated the ex-boyfriend. He finally admitted to starting the explosion, and hitting Danny with a 2X4 as he was trying to escape the fire after guiding the mother to safety.

Vivian and Samantha didn't mention the baby again. They just made sure that Kathryn ate and drank something to keep up her strength. After four hours of surgery, the doctor came out to inform them of the outcome. "So far, he is looking pretty good. We were able to repair his lungs. We just took him off the respirator, and he is breathing on his own. The dangerous part is the internal bleeding. We think we've gotten it all, but it is something we will have to monitor."

"Can we see him?" asked Kathryn.

"He probably won't wake up until morning."

"I just want to see him, if that is OK?" pleaded Kathryn.

"OK, just one of you, though. He's still in ICU."

Kathryn followed the doctor to his room. He was sleeping peacefully. He had bruises and scrapes on his face and arms. She sat in a chair by his bed, and took his hand. She must have been in there for an hour when Jack walked in.

"Hey," Jack said.

Kathryn looked up and said, "Hi."

"I sent everyone home. The doctor said that he wouldn't regain consciousness until the morning. You should go home, too."

"I can't go home."

"He doesn't even know you're here."

"I need to be here when he wakes up. I don't want him to wake up alone."

"Kathryn…"

"When he was a kid, he spent three weeks in a hospital and no one came to see him. I just don't want him to feel abandon again. And I need to tell him…"

"What?"

"I just need to tell him something. I don't want to wait anymore."

"OK. I'll…uh…I'll be back first thing tomorrow. Try to get some sleep."

"I will. Thanks, Jack.

Kathryn slept on and off with her head resting on Danny's bed. She woke up when she felt Danny's hand in her hair. Kathryn watched as Danny started to open his eyes. Danny looked at her and struggled to say, "What happened?"

"Um…you were in a fire. You had surgery. The doctor says your going to be OK."

After taking sip of water, he asked, "How are they? How are Mrs. Cole and her daughter?"

"They are both fine. You got them both out. You weren't so lucky. The firemen found you and pulled you out."

Danny seemed to have a hard time processing everything. He was very confused, so Kathryn said, "Let me get the doctor…"

"No…wait…what…what are you doing here? The last time we…"

"Danny, we can talk about it later. You need to rest."

Danny whispered weakly, "No. Not yet. I need to tell you how sorry I am…for acting the way I did. I don't blame you for…"

"I didn't do it. I'm still pregnant. I should have told you sooner, but I was scared. We'll talk more about this later. Let me get the doctor."

"OK." But before she could leave he grabbed her hand and said, "Thank you…for being here."

She just smiled and went to find the doctor.

The doctor checked out Danny, and was cautiously optimistic about his recovery. His breathing was almost back to 80%. Jack returned to the hospital, and found Kathryn again in Danny's room watching him sleep. Kathryn informed Jack of Danny's progress. Then Jack tried to convince Kathryn to go home. As they were talking, Danny woke up.

"Jack's right. You need to go home and get some sleep," Danny said as he opened his eyes.

"I will. I just want to make sure you are OK."

"I'm great…"

Jack then interrupted, "Yeah…he's great…he just needs to learn not to run into burning buildings."

Danny smiled, "Jack…you know me…I have the patience of an ant. I couldn't wait."

"Thank God, you do. Mrs. Cole and her daughter wouldn't be here if you would have hesitated."

Danny then looked down in sadness. The smile that momentarily lit up his face went away. Kathryn noticed the change, "Hey, are you OK? Do you need the doctor?"

"No, I'm OK. I just…I need to tell Jack something."

"Of course. Look, I'll take your advice and get out of here. I'll be back…" Kathryn started to respond.

"No, I want you to hear this, too. I…um…I really messed up," Danny said desperately.

"Messed up? Danny…you're a hero. What you did…was very brave…stupid…but very brave," Jack said.

"No, you don't understand, Jack."

Kathryn knew what he was going to say so she took his hand in support.

"For the past couple of months since Raffi died, I've been drinking. I've been drinking a lot. At first, I could control it. I'd only do it at night. But lately….Jack…I couldn't wait for Viv to leave so I could go into a liquor store and by something. I got out of the car and went into the store. If I would have been in there thirty seconds longer I would have missed them. They would have died in that fire."

Jack went from a confused look to a dead serious look in seconds. "How long have been drinking on the job?"

"Jack…I…"

"How long, Danny?" Jack said raising his voice.

"For the last couple of weeks…"

For the first time since she met him, Kathryn saw tears brimming in Danny's eyes. Knowing he had let Jack down was devastating Danny.

Jack didn't say anything for a minute and then said, "Look…uh…you need to focus on getting better, so we'll talk about this later. Don't tell anyone else about this. Is that understood?"

"Yes," Danny replied quietly.

"Sam, Viv and Martin are waiting to see you. I'll send them in." Jack then turned and walked out.

Kathryn looked at Danny sympathetically, "It's going to be OK, Danny. You needed to be honest. I'm going to run home and take a shower. I'll be back soon. OK?"

Danny just nodded as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

When Kathryn walked out of the room, she found Jack by the coffee machine. "Was that really necessary?"

"Kathryn, you don't understand…"

"Understand? Understand what? That was the hardest thing he's ever had to do. And he didn't even have to tell. No one would have found out, but he needs help. He was pleading for help, and you treated him like a criminal."

"I have a job to do. And you…if you knew he was drinking…you should have said something. He put lives in danger."

"He saved lives…"

"That was lucky. It could have very easily gone the other way."

"What are you going to do? Jack, he will be lost if he doesn't have this job…"

"I don't know. I don't know what I am going to do." Then Jack walked away from her down the hall.

Kathryn went home and took a shower. Then she laid down not thinking she would fall asleep, but she ended up sleeping for several hours. When she woke up, she quickly called the hospital and spoke to Vivian. She asked Vivian to let Danny know that she was on her way.

When she went back to the hospital, she walked in Danny's room. Vivian was sitting with him. Kathryn apologized, "I'm so sorry. I went home and laid down. I don't know what is wrong with me. I lost all track of time."

Danny smiled at her, "I'm glad you got some sleep. I'm sure you needed it."

Vivian got up and said, "I'll let you two have some time."

"Thanks for everything, Viv," Danny said sincerely.

"I'll stop by tomorrow."

After Vivian left, Kathryn said, "I should probably tell you…I told Vivian and Samantha about the baby. They kind of helped through an emotional meltdown. I know you don't like to tell them things…"

"No…it's fine…I'm glad they could help you. And we won't be able to hide it much longer, right?"

"Right," Kathryn said as she sat down next to him. "I had my first pre-natal appointment. Everything looks good. I heard the heartbeat."

"Really? I wish I could have been there. Maybe the next one…"

"Definitely, the next one," Kathryn smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. Earlier I felt like a bus hit me…now it just feels like a small car."

"It's good to know you can still joke even under life-threatening circumstances."

"I try," Danny replied with a small smile. Then his smile turned to sadness when he said, "Jack and Viv talked to me earlier."

"Was he still pissed?"

"Yeah, you could say that. I don't think he'll ever trust me again, but he has agreed to let me stay," Danny said quietly. "I have to go to a 30 day rehab facility before he will let me come back. He said that he'll tell people I need time to recuperate from my injuries. He wants me to go as soon as they discharge me."

"Well that's fair, I guess."

"I have a feeling Viv talked him into it. I don't think he wants me back," he said sadly. "I didn't go to rehab when I quit before. I just started going to meetings. Of course, it took me four times before I actually succeeded. But I guess now I really didn't succeed at all…did I? Things got rough, and I downed the first bottle I could find."

"Do you want to tell me what happened? I mean when did you…"

"After Raffi's burial. I went to this room he was staying in…and it was all so sad. He lived such a wasted life. He has this beautiful son that he never even got to know. That little boy is never going to know his father, and all his memories of Raffi will be bad ones. And I felt guilty. I should have done more to help him. I shouldn't have given up on him. He had a bottle of tequila right there, and before I even realized it -- I was drinking it. Once I started, I didn't see any reason to stop. I blew it."

"Why didn't you ever tell me about AA…about being an alcoholic?" Kathryn asked with hesitation.

Danny smiled, "We happened so fast…you know? I didn't expect to end up spending every non-working hour with you, and then all of sudden we were together all the time. It wasn't something I told people as soon as I met them. After we got closer, I was afraid to tell you. I was afraid that you would think I was weak."

"I'm afraid now…I'm afraid that being with me put too much pressure on you. That's what made you want to drink."

"No…it wasn't you…it could never be you. I always want to drink. That's my problem, not yours."

Kathryn nodded.

"So, how are you? How are you feeling?" asked Danny as he lightly touched Kathryn's stomach.

"Ready to change the subject, huh?"

"Yeah, I want to talk about anything but me and my sorry-ass problems."

Kathryn smiled, "I'm OK, but I've been pretty sick. If having terrible morning-sickness is an indicator of a healthy child, then this child will be immune to everything!"

"That bad, huh?"

"Yeah, I'm ready for the time when I'll be feeling wonderful and maternal."

"What made you keep it?" Danny asked suddenly.

Kathryn looked down at Danny's hand, and touched it lightly. "I just couldn't…" Then she took her hand away from his, and said, "You...uh...probably need to rest, and if I don't eat something in the next few minutes, it won't be pretty. So I'm gonna go, but I'll be back."

Danny smiled at her, "Take care of yourself."

"I will. You, too."