The mere presence of Lillian Baxter lowered the temperature in the room. Ethan had tried to explain the effect of his mother on other people to Sean, but his point didn't come across until Sean had met her at the manor house. She was pleasant enough, polite to a fault. "Mum's the stereotype of a proper Victorian woman. She could be collected with the house on fire."

"Even Grandmama was more affectionate then mum is in public and she was a lady of the British Empire. Dame Ethel Baxter of the Somerset Hanover's." Ethan explained as he searched the line of people coming off the plane from England.

"There's a title and a half." Sean replied with a smirk. "Though it's good to know your history. Dad never talks about his parents. I suppose mom didn't know her mother, but sometimes she tells a story about her dad."

"I've heard stories about your grandfather." Ethan offered. "He was a poet. Not a bad one from what my Grandmama told me. Just never really got anywhere with his writing before he died."

Surprised, Sean stopped watching the arrivals. "How'd you hear stories about my grandfather?"

Sean didn't get an answer as Lillian appeared behind them, surprising them both with her clipped accent. "You are pretty poor watchers aren't you?" She was tall, even statuesque with steel-blonde hair kept short and austere.

Ethan whirled, grinning. "You always did like to sneak up when a man's guard is down."

She touched Ethan's chin, studying his face as she straightened his hair. "You're starting to look too much like your father."

"I've thought of having a facelift." Ethan explained dourly as they started towards the baggage claim. "Just to make sure I don't look anything like him."

"That might be a good idea." Lillian nodded to Sean, giving him the same apprising look. "You have more Gregory than your mother in you as well. Be careful for that."

Ethan abandoned Sean to his mother's scrutiny as he nudged through to grab her bag. "Son's should never look like their father's." She explained without cracking a smile. "Makes the father's nostalgic for their own lost youth."

"My dad was never young." Sean deadpanned back, and garnered himself a raised eyebrow of respect.

"Gregory Richards was once the third in a pack of rascals." Lillian explained as she took her bag from Ethan. "But you are correct. Even then, he was never young."

"If that's all mum-" Ethan pointed to the exit.

Lillian shook her head. "I have to pick up Belle from quarantine."

Ethan nearly skipped in excitement. "I knew you'd pick her."

"Belle?" Sean asked in confusion as he followed them to security desk. "Who's Belle?"

Roger looked over the pile of test results one more time, perhaps hoping that this time they'd be different. Alex took the papers from his hands and insinuated herself into his arms. "I know it isn't what you wanted to see."

He knocked the papers off the edge of the coffee table and sent them flying onto the floor. "They're gone now."

Alex laughed as they sailed away. "Just smile for me."

Roger obeyed, turning her around to play his hands through her hair. "Lillian's at the airport by now. She wants to drop Belle off at the Richards' and let the boys get her settled in. Then she'll come by and fill out all the paperwork for you. Sign at the end and you're mortal life will be over, summed up in a nice neat legal document."

"If Lillian does it it'll certainly be neat won't it?" She left his lap and reached for her picture of Casey, tracing the frame with her hand. "I know he's going to be all right. I'm just going to miss him like crazy."

"Wouldn't be his mother if you didn't." Roger settled back into the couch at Surf Central. "I know I'd miss my boy like crazy if I was going away."

Alex set the picture down, loosing her smile as the jolt of pain ran up from just inside her hipbone.

Roger took her hand, letting her dig her fingers into his wrist. "Looks like that hurt."

"Oh it did." Snapping almost playfully at him, Alex nodded. "Why can't I take my morphine?"

"You need to let it out of your system." He explained sadly. "Lower your tolerance so it will do what you want it too."

Alex curled up against him, putting his hand over the stabbing pain in her abdomen. "Sounds so simple when you say it. Can't you throw some medical jargon in there to disguise it for me?"

Roger looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Clearing the blood now will make it work better, faster."

"Tonight isn't that far away, is it?" Alex looked out the window; the sunrise was lovely, bright with promise. "What should we do today?"

Roger tucked his hands beneath her arms, turning his face to her. "Don't you want to spend it with Casey?"

"Casey's out on Heather's research boat today." Alex finished with a wink. "They'll get in around eight. That should give him enough time to say goodbye without him hovering over me all day."

Roger smiled like a little boy on Christmas morning. "So you want to spend your last day on this mortal coil with me?"

"Might as well." Alex teased as she stood up and headed for the kitchen. "You're the next best thing to my Casey around."

"I'm going to remember that you said that." Chuckling, he followed her into the kitchen. "I hope we're going to have waffles. Always thought waffles were the thing on a special occasion."

Gregory climbed the rope ladder back to the deck. Shaking the water out of his hair he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist. Diving into the open ocean was like being alone in the universe. The blue water opened beneath him and went on forever, and he loved it. The quiet power of the ocean calmed him, eased the worries in his heart. The ocean conquered every obstacle it encountered, won every battle. It was inspiring.

Olivia was waiting for him when he dropped back into the cabin, making coffee. She hadn't been doing her hair, just brushing it out and letting it dry. Gregory liked it that way. He liked sneaking up behind her and running it through his hands. She sighed happily as she realized he was back from his swim. "Coffee?"

He took the cup from her hands, taking in the smell gratefully. "You're feeling better again."

Shaking her head in confusion, Olivia let him take her cup and started a new one. "I don't know what it is. I'm fine until the afternoon. Then I'm seasick-"

He rubbed her shoulders, thinking about how cute she was in his old college sweatshirt. "You don't get seasick."

"I did once." She argued innocently. "When we took the boat down to Baha."

Gregory nearly had to spit his coffee back into his cup to keep from inhaling it laughing. "You were pregnant with Caitlin."

Olivia took a sip of her coffee, smirking at him. "We didn't know."

"No, we didn't" Gregory repeated, chuckling at the memory. "I almost sold the boat. I was almost relieved when you told me you were pregnant. At least until I realized what that meant."

"The doctor had to tell you three times." Olivia pointed out, dropping her tone to one of mock seriousness. "I promise you Mr. Richards, in a few weeks you'll be able to take her out on the boat again. In fact, you'd better enjoy it while you can."

Gregory nibbled her neck, thinking about breakfast as he smelled the vanilla of her shampoo. "We did enjoy it, didn't we?"

"Yes. Yes we did." Olivia turned around, taking her neck out of his reach. "What are you making me for breakfast today?"

"Why don't you go up and sit in the sunshine for awhile and let me make it." He suggested as he opened the little refrigerator. "Then you can find out when I'm done."

She pouted over her coffee cup. "I can't sit down here and watch?"

Gregory took a large wooden bowl out of the top cupboard. Setting it on the table and smiling at the adorable way she played with her lips. "If you want to, that would be nice."

"I like to watch you." She explained as she sat back down at the table. "I missed this side of you. Almost forgot it even existed."

He cracked the eggs two at a time, only needing one hand to do it on the side of the bowl. "I think I've missed it too. There's a simple freedom in cooking. You have a blank slate to work with and the finished product is always a surprise."

"Like life?" Olivia wondered as she watched him start beating his eggs into a froth. "It always surprises you. Even if you have the best intentions."

"It is easier not to burn life." He remarked as he fussed with the stove. "Harder to make it smoke because you spilled something on the burners yesterday."

"I think you're missing the metaphor." She hugged her arms across her chest, still wondering why her breasts were so sore.

"Probably." Gregory replied with a smile as he decided he was happy with his batter. "But, I've made what looks like a good start on breakfast."

Olivia finished her coffee, setting the cup back on the counter next to the sink. He was smiling to himself as he continued stirring his batter. "Can I help?"

"I'll let you cut strawberries if you promise not to eat at least half of them." He pointed to the fridge. "I'm serious about half. I really do want some of them to end up with your crepes."

Coming home was like waking up from a beautiful dream. Part of her wanted to stay sleeping forever. Olivia wouldn't have minded as much if the mysterious nausea didn't creep up on her as the sun sank into the Pacific. Gregory was steering the boat, talking to the harbormaster on the radio. She stared at the horizon, praying the sick feeling in her stomach could be banished away to it like seasickness.

Satisfied with their course, Gregory set the wheel for a moment coming to the back of the boat to check on her. "You're not going to throw up your crepes are you? I was pretty proud of them."

Olivia failed in her attempt to smile as he sank to the stern next to her, dangling his feet over the railing. "Don't talk about food. Please."

Gregory's face softened in sympathy. "Sorry. Should I talk about work then?"

She leaned her head against the cool wood of the boat. "We have a board meeting tomorrow don't we?"

"Unfortunately the real world wants us back." Gregory teased, reaching for her shoulder. "I'll put it in the morning."

"I should be all right tomorrow." His hand on her face was almost enough to make her feel better. "I can hardly get seasick on land now can I?"

Gregory almost laughed, sliding closer to her as he watched the sun fade beneath the ocean. "You might be able to find a way." He wondered softly. "If you put your mind to it I think you could do anything Olivia. Even find a way to be seasick on land."

Cuddling up into his arms did make her stomach feel a little less turbulent. She could see the lights of the town start to appear in the reflection of the still water and she wanted to beg him to turn the boat around. To go back out into the ocean and forget everything that happened in town.

"But I doubt that's the problem."

Tim picked them up at the marina. It took a double take to make sure the Richards' were where they said they were. Olivia's hair was loose, straight down her back. The old sweatshirt she had on was too big and the rolled up cuffs made her look like a little girl. Tim had never seen Gregory in a t-shirt before. He looked like an ordinary guy. Except for his posture, he could have been any middle-aged man from Ludlow. The bearing was that of a statesman, but the smile made him a contradiction again.

Olivia barely acknowledged him, getting into the car as soon as he opened the door without a word. Gregory had that look he'd been walking around with more and more lately. A quiet sort of pensiveness, as if he was waiting for something to happen.

He took Tim aside. "I want to stop on the way home. There's a 24-hour drugstore on Lexington that's not too far out of the way."

Tim nodded quickly. "Sure, that's no problem."

"Good." Gregory started back to the car.

"Forgive me for being nosy- but are you both all right?" Tim knew it was almost a mistake to ask, but Gregory didn't have a reprimand for him. Instead, he paused and waited a moment for Tim to fall into step with him.

"Thank you for your concern Tim, but we're both going to be fine. Just fine."

Gregory was the one to get out at the pharmacy. Olivia's eyes were closed; she could have been asleep just from the drive over. Tim watched the empty street. Parts of Sunset Beach were so quiet at night. Almost like home. Though there never would have been a big black limousine parked in front of the pharmacy in Ludlow.

Through the window he could see Gregory paying for something the pharmacist folded into a white paper bag. Tim spent the time it took to drive back to the house speculating about what it was. Vitamins? - Not at this time of night. Condoms? - Tim didn't really want to speculate on his employers' sex life. Tranquilizers? News of Olivia's radio incident was all over Sunset Beach. Death threats invoked the same morbid fascination as a car accident or news of a mafia hit on the news. Mrs. Richards would be upset, maybe she was sedated and that was why she had fallen asleep almost the moment she had gotten into the car.

Tranquilizers made the most sense. Gregory woke her apologetically as they pulled into the driveway.

It was certainly a testament to how exhausted she was that Olivia didn't even argue with her husband. She let him led her home without complaint. Tim followed them up to the door, holding it open for them as they made their way slowly inside. He shut the door just as they collapsed on to the sofa together.

Olivia looked up at him, eyes already full of sleep. "Can't I just sleep here?"

Gregory was almost tempted to let her, but she'd never get to sleep long enough in their living room. "If you sit up I'll carry you to bed."

"I'm afraid you can't go to bed just yet." Lillian emerged from the shadows of the study. Her proper features were almost readable. Something was wrong. "You need to change, both of you, and go to the hospital."

"Lillian-" Gregory started in surprise.

"The hospital?" Was the only part Olivia heard. She sat up quickly, taking Gregory's hand for support when the living room began to spin around her. "Who's in the hospital?"

"Everyone now." Lillian began as gently as she was capable of being. "Sean, Ethan, Caitlin, Bette, Roger, a young man named Casey and his sweetheart." She came towards them both, sitting down stiff backed in a chair across from the sofa. "Alex Mitchum is dying, her cancer put her into multiple organ failure this afternoon. She was admitted a few hours ago."

Olivia ran into the kitchen, her dormant nausea flaring up with the terrible news. Gregory remained across from Lillian, starting at her in cold shock. Her face softened again, but never broke into real emotion. "I am sorry. I know Alex was a friend to both of you. I've only just met her today, but I find her a charming wit. It will be a shame indeed to see her go."

Gregory's voice sharpened into a demand. "What- what happened?"

"Roger says the combination of everything was too much. Cancer, chemotherapy, steroids. Her cancer was diagnosed very late. There were few options a year ago. Now they have all been exhausted." Lillian's calm would have been infuriating if he could bring himself to blame her.

Gregory couldn't. "Will Roger meet us there?"

"He's been there all afternoon. He was the one who had her admitted."

Olivia emerged quietly from the kitchen. Her face chalk-white but her feet steady. "I'm going to go change."

Lillian pulled her car keys from her pocket and waiting by the door. "I'll drive you, seeing that you've just sent your driver home for the evening."

"Thank you." He wished Lillian sincerely. "It was good of you to come to wait for us." She nodded, knowing she was useful. Retrieving his white paper package from the floor next to the doorway, Gregory followed Olivia upstairs.

She was already dressed in the first thing from her closet, a simple gray sweater and black pants when he found her in the bathroom. The calm from their boat trip had gone along with his class of '74 maroon t-shirt. Hanging her head over the sink, Olivia had her eyes closed tightly.

Gregory took the necessary moment to touch her arm, inquiring after her well-being without saying a word.

Olivia shook her head, taking a deep breath as she lifted her head. "I'll be fine. Get changed."

He set his package on the counter in front of her, letting her open it as he changed clothes. Gregory was pulling on the top pair of slacks from his neat pile in his side of the closet when Olivia appeared in the doorway, pregnancy test in hand.

That hand was shaking as she gestured towards him. "When did you buy this?"

He pulled on a pale green polo shirt, reaching for a pair of socks. "On the way home."

Olivia held the box to her chest for a moment, her expression fluctuating rapidly from one emotion to the next. "Oh, darling."

"I thought we'd have time." Gregory explained simply as he stepped into his shoes. "After all, you don't get seasick."

Ripping the box open, she stuffed the test into her purse as she slung it over her shoulder. "When we get home." Olivia promised them both, her free right hand unconsciously going to her stomach, wondering if there was a passenger beneath her fingers.

Gregory took her arm to lead her back to the car. 'Alex is dying' seemed like a joke as it played in his head on the way to the hospital. He wondered if she'd even be awake when they arrived. Maybe she'd die during their trip, robbing all three of them of the chance to say their goodbyes.

Olivia was barely tolerating the motion of the car. Her hand became clammy in his as Tim drove to the hospital. She wanted the car to stop moving, to beg Tim to pull over long enough for her stomach to quiet down. That wasn't possible. Time was essential. She squeezed Gregory's hand once, deeply relieved when he squeezed back.

Understanding how much worse she must have been feeling now that stress was compounding her symptoms, Gregory knew how much effort went into her composure. It was going to be one of the longest nights of their lives.

The hallway to Alex's room was a gauntlet of familiar faces. Ethan and Sean camped out together on the couch closest to her room. Bette standing with Caitlin by the wall. Roger looking surprisingly professional in his long white coat. He addressed them first. It was obvious, both in the pink around his eyes and the roughness of his voice that he had been crying.

"Good of you to make it." He took Olivia's arm, and then hugged her. Communicating with his concern about her to Gregory over her shoulder with a lift of his eyebrows. "Have fun sailing?"

The forced small talk made Olivia start to cry. Bette came to comfort her, whispering to her as Roger pulled Gregory aside.

"She looks awful."

Gregory lowered his head, careful to keep his whispering from being overhead. "Like clockwork on the boat. Started to hit late afternoon and she was miserable."

"Don't keep her here long." Roger warned. "You should get her to bed."

Gregory nodded subtly, taking a deep breath before he could ask. "Alex?"

"Livie, Livie it's all right." Promising in a voice full of compassion, Bette brought Olivia to the couch she was stealing from the two boys. "She said she's relieved. Death hanging over her head was getting boring."

Olivia made a choked noise somewhere between a sob and a laugh. "That sounds like Alex."

"She's all right honey." Bette assured her with complete confidence. "She's a tough girl. Just glad you and Greggy made it a back."

"Mom and dad cut it close didn't they?" Caitlin asked her brother as he and Ethan came over to her after loosing their seats. "I mean they barely made it to the hospital in time."

"Must be tough to get a message in protective custody." Sean justified calmly. "Can't just let anything go through."

She didn't care for his apathy. "You're not worried?"

Sean shrugged. "You talked to Alex when I did. She said she was happy. Contented/ even. Why should I worry for her?"

"I'd worry about your mom." Ethan indicated with a tilt of his head. "She looks worse then the day she left. Food must have been awful in police custody." They stood around uncomfortably in a long silence.

Finally Sean looked up from his feet. "Anyone else want to look for the vending machines?" The other two nodded, and the three of them left together. Hoping to find some answers in chocolate bars and pretzels.

Alex smiled up at her son from the stark white of her hospital bed, ignoring the tears streaming down his handsome face. "Oh honey. I know you're going to miss me. I'm going to miss you just as badly."

"I'm always around you baby boy. Just pick up a camera. There I am." Casey leaned down, unable to speak as he kissed his mother's forehead. "I'm always around. Even cancer can't get rid of me."

Roger circled around Casey, walking up to whisper in her ear. "They just got back. Want me to send them in?"

Alex nodded to Roger, and then turned to meet her son's earnest blue eyes. "Baby I need to say goodbye to them. You give me a minute and come right back."

He leaned down to kiss her forehead again, following her request without a word. Casey was a ghost of his former self as he emerged into the hall. Roger was a step behind him, pulling in Gregory and Olivia with a gesture of his arm. Bette rubbed her back, trying to help steel her against her task. Then she went to Casey, wordlessly wrapping her arms around his chest.

Alex still had her smile. An IV was connected to her wrist, but no other machines filled her room. No monitors, no hissing respirator. Gregory looked around, but was too distracted to be suspicious.

She opened her arms to them, sitting up in bed to hug Olivia to her. Patting the bed next to her and scooting to the side, Alex coaxed her onto the bed next to her. "Sorry I couldn't get you a better welcome back present."

Gregory's hands went to Olivia's shoulders, drawing support from her. "This is a hell of a way to say you missed someone Alex."

She shrugged, her eyes twinkling for a moment. "I try to be unique."

"You've always been that." Olivia ventured in a shaky voice. "Always the adventurer."

"Borneo's going to miss me." Alex teased, flashing that irrepressible smile.

Gregory had to swallow before he could speak. "Sunset Beach will miss you too."

"I want you two to promise to take care of each other." Alex asked firmly, starting finally to get serious. "Since I'm not going to be around to tell you to behave you'll have to listen to each other. Be good to each other."

Looking into those piercing brown eyes of Gregory's, she let her secret off of her chest. Letting the weight disappear with it. "I love you."

He struggled for a reply, but Olivia leaned forward, folding Alex into a tight embrace. "We love you too."

As Olivia sat back up, Gregory brought his hands immediately back to her shoulders. If he put them anywhere else, they were just going to tremble. Alex smiled again, she seemed to have no shortage of them tonight. Olivia's solution was simple, acknowledging everyone's feelings without treading that shaky ground between.

"I'll see you two again." Alex promised, taking heart that they were together. Stable. "Now you get home to bed. Both of you look worse then I feel."

Olivia hugged her again and Gregory kissed her cheek just shy of the corner of her mouth. "We'll see you." He affirmed as he wrapped his arm around Olivia's back. "We'll see you."

"I'll be around." Alex pulled Roger close again to whisper to him. "Just take care of each other!" She ordered, finding that inner strength that let her chuckle as she whispered to Roger.

Bette had a long, comforting hug for Olivia. Even Gregory welcomed her quick embrace. Sean and Caitlin both got crushed to Olivia's chest one at a time. Caitlin was quick to come to her father, but something was odd when she hugged him. Gregory couldn't place it, and was soon so distracted by the awkward hug Sean gave him that he distinctly forgot all about the strange feeling he got when he looked at Caitlin.

Lillian had waited with Bette, leaning in close to her ear as Caitlin hugged her mother. "Roger says you should watch her."

"Alex mentioned it too." Bette replied, trying not to stare at the young blonde. "I'll keep my eyes peeled. Going back with them?"

Lillian shook her head. "Oceanview Hotel. Though, I wish I was going to be around when Gregory finds out about Belle."

Bette smirked, putting her hand on her hip. "And just who is Belle?"

"The biggest, fluffiest alarm system I've ever seen." Lillian granted Bette a secretive wink. "He's going to adore her."

Sean and Caitlin followed their parents to the car. Caitlin volunteered to drive, and Gregory handed over the keys. Sean dropped into the passenger seat, listening to his mother cry into his father's chest in the backseat. Caitlin started the car and turned up the radio in the front seat. She didn't want to hear anything her parents were doing.

Sean gave her puzzled look, but she didn't reply or even seem to notice him. He looked out the window, watching the street lights twinkle in the darkness.

Casey fell asleep with his head on his mother's hospital bed. Roger entered Alex's room just before dawn, he had already filled the needle. She gestured him closer with one finger.

Alex pulled him in close. She took a neatly folded note and tucked it into his pocket. "That goes in a copy of my book for the Richards baby. I want him or her to understand what I was thinking."

Roger patted the note and nodded. "Note for the baby, check."

Rhythmicly stroking her son's hair, Alex closed her eyes for a moment. "Two-to-one says Olivia's pregnant by the end of the week."

Shaking his head, Roger leaned down to kiss her cheek. "I'll give you one-to-one she's pregnant now. Lillian saw Gregory bring the test up to their bedroom."

Alex's last smile was contented. "Keep an eye on things for me?"

Roger nodded, shameless tears fringing his green eyes. "Always do."

She closed her eyes again, listening to the breathing of her son, asleep at her feet. "Going to miss him" Alex offered again, opening her eyes to look at the needle in Roger's hand.

"Ready?"

She pulled him in, kissing him hungrily. Roger returned the kiss as he threaded the needle into her IV. He brought his thumb to his fingers, flooding the IV line with the contents of the syringe.

Alex lay back on the pillows, her hand still resting on Casey's head. "Best last day of my life."

Her eyes closed.

He shut the door to her room when he left. Leaning back against it for a moment.

"She's gone now?" The voice was Bette, sitting patiently on the couch by his side. Roger nodded as she stood up and took his hand. "She asked you."

Not a question, a simple statement. Again, Roger nodded. "How could I refuse?"