A/N: OK – it's late and I looked it up online. Either Mother Goose or Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the little girl poem.

I just know it wasn't me so I'm trying to give credit where it's due.

Livvie – Oh yes. That's what Lynnie's thinking. No getting through to her I'm afraid. :(

Here's hoping someday Katie will say "Gooooooooo Yankees!" for me.

Sigh. I work so hard. I don't know what else I'd need to do to deserve it. (heehee)

I'm sorry it's sad. I really am. But I had to break it completely before I could start to fix it. And also here's something to remind you that other things are going on now too.

PS – It's not my fault that where Jamal lives and BG's sweet little baby girl have the same name. Simply coincidence. ;) But congrats to the new parents in any event!

Btw - I'm fast forwarding…a lot. So - until 48 - Enjoy! xox - G

Chapter Forty-seven

Rachel bundled her coat around her, Mischief at her heels as she walked a slow circle around the courtyard. She talked to herself in a sing-song voice as she made her way.

"There was a little girl who had a little curl – right in the middle of her forehead. When she was good she was very, very good. And when she was bad she was horrid." She said over and over as she carefully skipped around the perimeter.

Rachel loved that poem. She had curls too. She reached up and tried to keep one of them in the middle of her own forehead but it kept springing back. She loved the word horrid. She didn't know what it meant but it sounded so good. She hoped she was horrid sometimes. She thought it would be cool.

She also loved her new coat – a deep crimson with a black velvet collar. Kate and Colin had sent it to her for Christmas. Mama always let them have a tree but Papa thought it was all so silly. Rachel continued to hum and sing to herself as she skipped around. She was a happy contented little girl.

Unbeknownst to Rachel, the person observing her every move admired her coat as well. It made it so much easier to keep track of her.

Just you wait, Caleb. The figure hidden in the dense woods surrounding Caleb's property thought as they watched her circle around. You took what was mine; I'll have what's yours.

All in due time.

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"Becky – we're not leaving." Kyle said with a sigh for the third time.

"I thought you wanted to find them?" She asked him again.

"I do. I do – but we have a lot of other things to do first. I can't just go off having no idea where they actually are."

"For the thousandth time – they're in Alabama." Becky rolled her eyes. "Alaina called you just last week from there."

Kyle knew he was in for a fight. "Yeah. OK. Where in Alabama? Becky – you have no idea."

"We can find them. Seriously – just think about it." She leaned close and kissed him softly. She ran a hand over his cheek as she whispered. "We could go on a road trip." She ran her fingers through his hair and stared deeply into his eyes. "We've never gone away together you know."

Kyle's heart beat frantically as he watched her. He took a deep breath and tried to form a sentence. "Yeah. There's a reason for that." He replied, pulling away.

"What?" She blinked at him, still incredibly annoyed.

"I like breathing." He chuckled as he placed a quick kiss on her nose.

"Ky-le." Becky whined.

"Beck-y." He mimicked her.

"I really, REALLY don't like you right now." She grumbled as she leaned back in her chair and folder her arms across her chest.

"Too bad." He whispered as he took her hand in both of his. He pressed a kiss to her palm as he added. "Because I really, REALLY love you."

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"Are you hungry at all? I was going to order pizza." Ethan whispered from the doorway.

Lynnie turned and gazed over at him. She couldn't believe it had come to this. But they had had an awful Christmas and an even more horrible New Year's. She had promised herself that if it had gone this far that she'd take matters into her own hands.

She rose on shaky legs, knowing in her heart that this would be the last time she saw him like this. She took a mental picture of him, an ache in her chest as she saw the sorrow in his eyes.

Ethan simply stood there and looked at her, unsure of what she was thinking. When did that happen? He thought with a sigh. I used to always know.

Without a word Lynnie crossed to him, tears stinging her eyes as she watched him hang his head as she approached. Gently, slowly she lifted her hands to his face, pulling him closer until his lips were on hers.

It was the first time she'd kissed him since before they'd lost Lilly, the sensation so disconcerting to him he almost didn't know what to do. But weeks and months of being without her had his arms curling around her and pulling her close.

"Lynn…" He whispered against her lips, his hands reaching up to spear through her hair.

"Shh. Don't talk." She replied, shaking her head as her lips sought his again. "Don't talk…just…"

There was so much Ethan wanted to say. So much he wanted to know. What had changed? This morning had been like every other since she'd come home from the hospital. She had been distant and cold. But now she was in his arms and kissing him like her life depended on it.

Too afraid that she would stop he decided to act now and ask questions later.

Lynnie turned in his arms, walking backward until she reached their bedroom. In the dark her hands fumbled with the buttons on his shirt, until he took pity and helped her ease them open. Ethan smiled when she slipped her glasses from her face and then reached up to draw his away as well.

"I love you…" He murmured as her mouth searched for his over and over. "Lynnie. I missed you…so much…"

"I know." She replied, nodding quickly before she dragged him into bed with her. "I know…"

She blinked back tears as his hands gently ran over her, peeling away layers until there was nothing at all between them.

As Lynnie strained against him, worry filled Ethan's mind. "Hold on…" He said softly. "Wait a second…"

"No." She shook her head and pulled him back to her. She couldn't bear it if he stopped now.

His eyes filled with concern as he ran a hand across her cheek. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm sure." Lynnie replied. "Ethan, please…"

"I mean…" Ethan sighed as he gazed down at her. "I don't want to hurt you…"

"You won't…" She insisted. "I promise." She pulled him back down towards her as she pleaded. "Ethan…"

He never could resist her, the way her eyes got cloudy and her skin flushed a pale shade of pink. Ethan knew her so well. Lynnie's head was always so full, so busy, but there was always this moment. A moment where he knew there was nothing – no one filling her mind but him.

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"He'll go to Lia first." Abby explained to Cameron as they lay cuddled up together at home. She idly picked at a pull in his sweater. "He won't understand…"

"Shh. Abs…" He whispered as he pulled her closer. "You can stop this if you want to you know."

She shook her head at him. "This isn't my business. It's hers. And I understand it, Cameron. I can't stop her from doing what she feels she needs to do."

"OK. But promise me you won't kick yourself for this later." Cam's voice was low and sweet in her ear. She shivered as his arms closed tighter around her.

"She'll be OK. I think it'll actually be good for her to do this." Abby replied. Tears slipped from her eyes as she added. "But Ethan…"

"We'll take care of him." Cameron replied. "It might take a lot longer but he'll be OK too."

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The sun had barely risen when Ethan stirred, his heart light for the first time in months. He turnedon his side, amazed at the sight before him. His hands lightly threaded through her long dark hair, its texture like silk. A smile filled his whole face as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her cheek before slipping from the bed.

He dressed quickly and was soon right back beside her. He nibbled a trail from her shoulder to her ear before he felt her begin to awaken. "Shh. Honey. Don't get up." He whispered. "I'm just going to run out to the bakery." He grinned at her as she turned to him, her eyes fluttering open as she did. "I'm going to get you some of those cinnamon rolls that you love."

"Ethan…" She began, wishing he would stay.

"Shh. Go back to sleep. I'll be back before you know it." He said softly as he bounced from the bed and moved towards the door. "Love you…" He called out as he fled down the stairs and to the car before she could even begin to answer.

"Love you too…" Lynnie whispered as she swung her legs over the side of the bed, pulling a robe on as she moved to the dresser. She pulled out a small pile of clothes and dressed quickly, wanting to stop and make the bed but there just wasn't enough time. She raced downstairs, pausing at the closet at the bottom, grabbing a warm jacket and the bag she had carefully packed three days before. She turned a full circle where she stood before reaching for the door with a trembling hand and walking out into the cold.

Drunk with love and giddy at the prospect that they were finally on their way back to normal, when he drove back up the long and dusty driveway, Ethan didn't even notice that her car was gone. He bounded into the house, paper bag in tow, cheerfully calling her name. When she didn't answer he began thinking she'd fallen back to sleep. Quietly, he tiptoed up the stairs, shocked when he found their bed empty.

"Lynnie?" He called out softly, placing the bag on a bench at the foot of the bed and walking towards the bathroom.

"Lynnie!" He said again, louder this time, his voice edged with desperation.

He ran through the house, the blood roaring in his ears as he made his way through every room. He searched top to bottom before he came to the horrible conclusion that she was gone.

"Lynnie!" Ethan screamed as he threw open the door to each room again, hoping beyond hope that he'd find her tucked away in some corner. "No. Please. LYNNIE!"

At the same moment that Ethan's voice rang through their empty house, alone in her car, miles away Lynnie finally did something she'd needed to do for months.

She sat there and cried.