A/N: Ladies. I hear ya. But I can't stop quite yet. I want to – believe me I'd like to fast forward to happiness but it can't happen.

PCGirl, Kathy, Ali, CAGirl, Bethany and Melody (and all the rest of you dear readers) – Just so you know - I prefer happy endings too. ;)

PS Since I moved and gotten more cable channels I've been watching far too much Once & Again – hence Cam's nickname for Ethan. If you watch it too you know what I'm talking about. LOL!

Until 60 – I promise – the torture's almost over. xox-G

Chapter Fifty-nine

No one really knew what to do. Each hour that passed was tense and filled with sadness. The door to the chapel seemed to be revolving. One person would enter looking for answers just as another came out without them.

When Lia finally arrived to sit with Lynnie, Ethan took his turn.

He entered slowly and as he did he came upon Cameron. Silently he moved to sit beside him.

Cam sat there quietly. He knew Alison had broken down but even so he knew she was stronger than he was. How do you do this? How do you sit by helplessly while your children fight for their lives? How do you do it? He honestly didn't think he could.

Ethan wracked his brain and tried to see if he could figure it out. There was only one thing he could think of.

Cam gave Ethan a slight grin and then moved to leave. He stopped when he heard him call softly.

"Mr. Donovan?"

"Yeah?" He replied as he turned back around.

"If Lynnie needed to, she could…"Ethan swallowed, not really knowing how to say what he needed to. "She could move home couldn't she?"

Concerned, Cam walked back to sit beside him. "Something wrong between the two of you, E? Did you have a fight or something?"

Ethan looked genuinely shocked at his question. "Me and Lynnie!?" He shook his head. "No sir. Not at all. Lynnie and I are just fine. It's funny. We never really even argue. And I love her – more than anything else in this world."

"I know that." Cam said as he gave Ethan's arm an affectionate pat. "So I don't understand your question."

Ethan stared at his hands. As he spoke his voice sounded far away. "I made them a cradle – you know, Kate and Colin? That's what I do - so I figured I'd make them one so they could use it for the baby." He smiled sadly. "Lynn – she loved it. When I showed it to her it was so amazing. I couldn't help but think of what she'd look like when it was our turn."

Cam knew that Ethan had more to say. He sat back and waited for him to finish.

"But today – you know, today I was thinking that it was really weird that I got a chance to come back. I mean – why me? And I keep hearing people say that an angel can save Katrina. So…" Ethan stared Cameron in the eye and said. "I've been here the least amount of time. Maybe it should be me."

Cam blinked in surprise. It was the absolute last thing he expected to hear him say. "Are you saying you want to leave?"

Ethan shook his head vehemently. "No. No. I don't want to go anywhere. Not now. You see - my life before was lonely and I didn't have much. But now - now I have Lynnie." He said with a sigh. "I don't have to tell you how incredible she is." He fought to find the perfect words. "Lynnie's just…"

"…like sunshine, twenty-four seven." Cam finished for him. Smiling, Ethan nodded in agreement.

Cam's eyes got dreamy. "She always has been since she was a baby. Lynnie and Lia are two sides of a coin. You'll know what it's like when you have kids of your own. I love Lia's spirit. She's fiery and headstrong and so stubborn it's infuriating. But her heart is huge and she's selfless and a really good person. At the end of the day that's all I really care about."

Cam smiled thinking about the two of them. "Ah, then there's my Lynnie. If Lia got the worst of both Abby and me – then Lynnie got everything good. She's kind, she's caring; she's so incredibly perceptive that I used to worry about her a lot. All the time I'd wonder if she would make it because she feels things so deeply – it's extremely difficult for her." Cam sighed as he turned to face Ethan as he finished. "But, E - I haven't had to worry for years. Not since she found you."

Ethan was extremely touched by Cam's words. Still the thought nagged at him that maybe his going back was what was meant to be. "Thank you. I appreciate that." Ethan said. He chuckled a bit as he added. "It's not so hard though, Lynnie's very easy to love."

"That she is." Cam agreed. "But you know – not everyone gets how special she is. She needed someone who understood her. She needed you."

They sat in silence for a few moments before Ethan spoke again. "I just keep thinking – the baby should have his mother here and Becky – she's so young. Ed originally sent me here to look after Katrina. Maybe it was for now – not then that she needed me. I don't know. Honestly – I can't figure it out. I don't want to leave but maybe it's the answer."

Cam decided to say it plainly so that Ethan would understand. "I can't really blame you kid. I had the same thought myself. As I'm sure Rafe did and I know Alison has. Any one of us would offer our lives to save those girls but that's not how it works. Trust me. You going back isn't the solution."

Even though that was the response he'd been secretly hoping to hear, Ethan felt just awful as he heaved a sigh of relief. "You don't think so?"

"I know so." Cam replied. He shoved Ethan gently towards the door. "Now go. Go do what you were really sent here to do."

Ethan looked at him confused.

"Go be with my daughter." Cam clarified with a grin.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Grant watched through the glass in the nursery, looking at his nephew. His arm was curled around Chloe's shoulder. "I can't believe we're going to have one of those soon." He whispered softly.

"I can't believe Katie hasn't even been able to hold him yet." Chloe replied, her voice full of tears. She turned to face him and clutched at his shirt. "I need some air." She said desperately.

"Clo?" He said, concerned as she pulled away.

"A few minutes. I just need to go outside for a bit." She promised him. "I'll be right back."

She waited until the door closed behind her before she broke into a run.

Chloe ran across the street to the edge of the park. She didn't stop until she got to a bench. She sat and tried to compose herself. Thoughts flew through her mind furiously. How could all this be happening? How could she be there for Grant when she couldn't bear to be in the hospital for more than a half hour? This was too awful for words.

She took a few deep breaths and tried to dry her tears so she could go back inside. She was almost ready to go when she heard a soft rustling of branches nearby.

"Who's there?" She called out as she moved towards the sound. Chloe was taken aback by what she came upon.

"Kyle." She whispered. "Oh my God. I can't believe I found you." She clutched at his sleeve. "Come on inside. We've all been so worried about you."

"No. Please. Pretend I'm not here." He said as he moved to stand. He started to back away. "Please. You didn't see me."

Chloe's heart broke all over again as she looked at him. "Kyle…"

He wanted to run but now that he was here he needed to know. "Chloe. Becky – is she…" He looked away and couldn't finish.

"She's in the ICU." She answered him honestly. "She still hasn't woken up from her surgery…"

"But she's alive?" Kyle asked her then, not really believing it was true.

Chloe blinked back tears as she spoke to him softly. "Yeah, Kyle. She's alive. And listen to me…" She desperately tried to reach him. "I bet you that herknowing you were there would help things a lot."

"NO." He looked at her in horror. "I can't do that. I can't go in there."

"OK. OK. You don't have to go in there" She promised him. "I'm not looking forward to going back myself. But listen to me Kyle. Just stay here for a little bit. I'll go check on Becky and I'll come back and tell you how she's doing. That's really what you want to know – right?"

He nodded, too flooded with emotion to really speak.

"Alright. I'll be back soon. Just sit here, OK?" Chloe began to walk away. "Promise me you'll be here when I get back."

Kyle nodded again as he whispered. "I promise."

Chloe had only taken a few steps when he called out to her. "He blames me – right?"

She turned back around and looked at him, shocked. "Who do you mean? Becky's father?"

Kyle nodded sadly.

"No sweetie." Chloe whispered. "He doesn't blame you."

He hung his head and stared at his hands, which were still shaking. That hadn't stopped since he'd used them to stake Mark. "But Chloe. Look what I did. I didn't protect her…"

Chloe cut him off. "Grant told me exactly what happened. He told me exactly what you did. He told me how you stood up to Mark. He told me that you tried to keep Becky safe and he told me that before he could slay him you'd already finished the job. Don't you dare think that they blame you because I know the opposite is true. I know they are both grateful and very, very proud of you."

"I never meant for her to get hurt." Kyle said as he stared into Chloe's eyes, tears brimming from his own. "She shouldn't have done that for me. I didn't want her to. I wish it was me in thereinstead."

"I know. That's obvious." She said with a slight smile as she held her hand out to him. Cautiously he took it, almost powerless not to.

"Come on with me, Kyle." She continued. "Please. I promise you. It'll be alright. You belong with us. Everyone in there will be happy to see you."