Hey everyone! Well here is chapter 4. This introduces you a bit more to Ella and also involves more Seth and Ryan. Please please review as they mean so much to me! I hope you are enjoying reading as much as i am writing!

Seth walked gloomily into the kitchen rubbing his eyes. He slowly opened the refrigerator door and while he was closing it his eyes became fixed on the picture that was hanging there.

He studied the picture and Kirsten and Sandy entered the room laughing together.

"Ok Mom and Dad, this is getting a little bit out of control. Now I always knew mom you wanted a daughter, but come on I'm a boy, and I'm completely on the straight road if you know what I mean, don't you think a picture of me as a girl is a little let's say crazy?"

Sandy and Kirsten exchanged a confused look before looking at their son.

"Seth honey, that picture is a picture a little girl drew for me at the children's hospital, she loves art, and I think she's really good"

"Wow, that is ok I'm going to use a girly expression but its so cute, I mean that colour of pink is just really pretty, and oh my god I can't believe those words just came out of my mouth"

Sandy gently nudged his son in the chest.

"That's ok son, according to this months vogue pink is the new black"
Kirsten looked at both her husband and her son and began shaking her head. "Wow ok I'm going to let you two girls get on with it, when my son and husband return with some manly conversation let me know"

She laughed to herself as she grabbed her jacket and headed for the front door.

"Hi Kiki" Caleb Nicol kissed his daughter's temple.

"Hi Dad, how are you?"

"I'm good, so tell me how did yesterday go"
"Dad it was amazing, I met one of mom's old friends called Hannah Taylor. Do you know her?"

"Hannah, yes I know her very well, her and your mother were great friends. You know Kirsten I'm glad you are doing this, it made your mother very happy and she would love to see her daughter following her footsteps"

"Dad, you should follow her footsteps too, there is so much out there and so many people need our help"

A small tear escaped from Caleb's eye. "Your mother said the exact same thing. I love you Kiki, I don't think I tell you that often enough.

Kirsten got up out of her seat and embraced her father in a hug.

"I love you too dad"

"Kirsten, your back so soon" an ecstatic Hannah approached Kirsten.

"Hi Hannah, yeah you bet I'm back, I thought you guys could use some help so I want to introduce you to my sons Seth and Ryan. They have volunteered to come and play with the children today".

Seth and Ryan shook hands with Hannah.

"So these kids, are all of them really really sick?" Ryan asked

"Most of them have terminal illness's that will eventually kill them. Our aim here is to help them lead a happy and pain free life for whatever days they have left"

"Do you have a comic book library here? Because I could supply some comic books if you would like that?" Seth cheerfully asked

"No Seth we don't but all donations are welcomed. We have some boys in there who will be delighted to see you, Let me show you the way to the playroom"

"Oh Hannah" Kirsten paused. "Would it be possible to see Ella today?"

"Sure Kirsten, Hannah is in her room. She was a little sick last night so is pretty tired today, but you can go sit with her if you wish"

"Thank you" Kirsten followed Hannah and the boys.

Kirsten poked her head around the door and saw Ella lying lifelessly in her bed. Her small delicate body wrapped in pink duvet covers with a teddy bear in her arms. She walked quietly over to her bed and sat down in the chair. She continued to look at Ella and couldn't help but wonder how anyone could abandon their child. Ella had very distinctive features. She had a small button nose. Sallow skin, a few blond strands of hair on her head and every so often a small smile would appear on her face as she slept. Kirsten reached for her hand and Ella held on tightly. Every so often Ella would winch in pain and her grasp got tighter on Kirsten's hand. A while later she began to stir. Her eyes gradually opened and she let out a small cough. She turned her head and was greeted with a smiling Kirsten.

"Hey pretty girl, did you have a nice sleep?"

Ella smiled weakly at her and silently mumbled "You, you came back"

Kirsten put her hand on Ella's forehead and said "Of course I came back sweetie, we have a lot more pictures to draw when you are better ok?"

"Ok" Ella's eyes were closing again.

"Kirsten" she slurred.

"Yes princess"

"Will you stay with me till I fall asleep? It hurts and I don't like waking up alone." Ella held out her tiny hand and Kirsten gently grasped it.

"Of course I will sweetie, now you just rest and sweet dreams"

Kirsten began to slowly drift off to sleep and her head was resting on the pillow. Ella and Kirsten's foreheads were almost touching, when Kirsten felt a small tap on her shoulder.

"Kirsten, wake up" Hannah whispered.

Kirsten slowly rose her head carefully not to disturb Ella.

"Wow I fell asleep, sorry she just did not want me to leave her, and I didn't want her to wake up alone"

"She won't wake up now; she's on a lot of medication and is very drowsy. Don't worry about her; she has her good and bad days. Today is just one of her bad days"

"Hannah, tell me honestly how long does she have left" Kirsten asked in a concerned tone.

"Ok Kirsten I'm going to give you her medical history. She's already had radiation, chemo, and bone marrow transplant. The results from her bone marrow biopsy and DNA typing were not good. It turns out that of the "new" marrow growing in Ella only 12 of the cells are from the transplant the remaining 88 are her "old" cells growing back. Her pulse is racing, her blood pressure is high, she gets numerous infections and her kidneys and liver are filling up with fluid from all the drugs she is on. She's not doing too well at the moment now honestly. I can't tell you how long she has to live all we can do is pray and hope"

A small tear escaped from Kirsten's eye and she turned to face Ella "It's so unfair, cancer is a horrible thing, and the worse thing about is you have to watch your loved ones disappear before your eyes"

Hannah put a supportive hand on Kirsten's shoulder.

"Kirsten I know your mother died of cancer, and I completely understand if you don't want to watch Ella slowly slip away. That's the horrible thing about this disease and it is heartbreaking"
Kirsten shook her head "No, I won't do that to Ella. I wish I got to spend more time with my mother before I died. Too many people have abandoned Ella in her short life time and I'm not going to be one of those people. I mean look at her why anyone would want to leave her is a mystery to me"

"Well Seth and Ryan are having a lot of fun, but we need to get the kid' back to their beds for evening tea"

Kirsten planted a small kiss on Ella's forehead and walked out of the room.

She walked past the playroom window and joyfully watched her two sons interact with the children. Ryan had a little girl on his lap and was reading a story to him and Seth had an audience of kids watch him perform a puppet show. She was really proud of her two boys and it felt wrong to interrupt them.

On the way home in the car Seth and Ryan both said in unison "that was awesome"

Kirsten laughed and looked in her mirror at Ryan who was smiling merrily.

"I'm glad you had fun boys, you have no idea how much those kids appreciate your company"

I know, one little boy asked for my autograph because I told him I met superman before"

"No Seth, you said you were superman that's why he asked for your autograph"

"Dude, it was a slip of the tongue, it's not my fault he thinks I resemble him"

Kirsten rolled her eyes as they pulled into the driveway.

Seth and Ryan pushed past Kirsten as they raced to the playstation.

Kirsten found Sandy in his office. She went over and sat in his lap and kissed him squarely on the lips.

"Hard day" he asked her.

"Yeah, Ella is sick today. Her chances aren't good, Hannah told me her medical history and I'm not good on medical terms but I don't think she has long left"

Sandy kissed her temple.

"Honey are you sure you're up for this? I mean this little girl sounds very precious to you and what if you get too attached"

Kirsten gazed sadly into her eyes

"I already am. I can't leave her Sandy, there is just something about this little girl, I want to pick her up and hold her tight. I know it's going to be hard but I also know that I can't let this little girl die alone"

Sandy admired his wife's honesty and also her determination.

He turned her face towards him and bent forward so their noses were touching.

"Well this little girl is so amazing perhaps I could go visit her sometime. So she will have two people there"

Kirsten kissed Sandy lightly but passionate. "You would do that for me?"

"In a second, what's important to you is important to me"

"She is amazing Sandy I'm so glad you want to meet her. We can go see her tomorrow"

"Sound great, so how did the boys get on?"

"Amazing they had a lot of fun, but I'm worried about Seth he told this little boy he was superman"?

Sandy sniggered at her statement.

"Wow that boy does have an interesting prospective on his appearance! I'm going to have a lot of jokes lined up at his expense at dinner!"

"I can't wait" Kirsten replied as she kissed Sandy again.