A/N: to my Awians, and to Livvie, and Carlie – thanks as always for the ever so kind feedback. Ali – Haven't heard from you in a while. I hope you're still reading. Nat – have you made it here yet? LOL!

If my stats are correct about 50 people are reading each chapter – so unless the people listed above each read every chapter 10 times I don't know who else is still here with me. LOL! I respect your right to privacy – just wanted to say that I hope you are enjoying the story.

As always...until 61 – enjoy! xox - G

Chapter Sixty

Rachel didn't know what she had done that was so bad. Papa had said she wasn't being punished and at first she believed him. But it had been a long time. She remembered going to sleep in the bed here five times. She knew it was five because she counted it herself using her fingers.

It wasn't that bad at first. The lady here was nice to her – but she wasn't like Mama.

She walked to the bed as she picked up Casper and held him close. Casper was her favorite toy, but he wasn't like Mischief. Missy was black, and Casper was grey. Casper was a boy cat and Missy was a girl. Casper was make believe and Missy was real. Rachel liked real better. She missed her lots.

She crawled up on the mattress and snuggled into the pillows. It was getting dark again and that would mean six days. She knew what six was because it was almost her birthday. She was going to be six really soon. Mama said they'd have a party for her but she hadn't seen her in what seemed like forever.

Rachel closed her eyes and hoped that someone would hear what she was thinking. It wasn't time for bed but she was suddenly very tired. Maybe is she went to sleep now when she woke up Papa would be here to get her. She hoped so. She really wanted to go home.

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"I still can't believe it." Billie said with a smile.

"Me either." Quinn whispered back at her as he held her close.

Ty lay curled up and tucked into his bed, completely exhausted. It had been a very busy day.

Today they got the papers that made Ty officially Quinn's son. Billie had never been happier in her life.

She yawned as she thought about it all. Things went a little out of order. First they moved into the house, then Ty's adoption went through. She had hoped that they would be married before any of that but it wasn't meant to be. Things didn't go quite as they'd planned.

Now, Billie had a plan of her own. She just needed Quinn to be patient. It was getting harder every day to keep it from him. Thoughts flew through her mind of all the loose ends that still needed to be tied. She really needed to call Chloe in the morning to make sure things were still on track.

Quinn pressed a kiss to her brow. At the same time they both heard a gentle sound, almost like someone was snoring.

"What is that noise?" Billie giggled as she realized what it was. "Oh my God! It's the puppy."

Quinn pulled back and stared down at her, a bit defensive. "He's got a name now – you know."

"I'm sorry. Slider is snoring." Billie rolled her eyes. Leave it to a former pitcher and a baseball fanatic to name the dog after some type of pitch. Billie didn't even really know was a "slider" technically was – but Ty and Quinn had thought the same was perfect – and that's all that counted.

The little chocolate lab lay curled at the foot of Ty's bed. There had hardly a discussion when they went to pick him up. It was truly love at first sight for all of them. Ty had barely come near the litter of puppies when Slider came scampering over, his little paws slipping over the hardwood floor so that he wound up crashing at Ty's feet. That was another reason Slider was a perfect name. Since they had gotten home the two of them were inseparable.

Tearing his eyes away from his son, Quinn decided it was about time they turned in too. He gently eased out of the doorway, linking his fingers with Billie's as they made their way into the hall.

"Everything's almost perfect." He whispered as they moved towards their own bedroom.

"Almost?" Billie replied, getting a little nervous. She was absolutely sure he was going to bring up the fact that they weren't married yet.

He closed the door behind him as he tugged at her hand and spun her back into his arms. "This day has been so incredible." Quinn whispered against her lips. "I can't believe he's really mine."

"He's been yours since the day you met him." Billie sighed as she kissed him. She leaned back and gave him a smile. "I'm pretty sure after that day I ceased to exist."

"That's not true." He chuckled as his hands roamed down her sides and around her back. He pulled her closer to him as his lips skimmed across her cheek and down the slope of her throat.

"I want you to be mine too. Officially, legally, completely mine." Quinn whispered as his mouth found hers again. His voice sounded breathless and slightly desperate as he added. "Soon. Billie."

"I am yours Quinn, in every way that counts…" Billie thought to herself between kisses. She blinked back tears as she replied. "I will be soon. I promise."

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"We're still meeting like this huh?" Danny laughed as he came behind Ethan at the checkout counter.

Ethan turned and smiled as he heard the sound of his voice. "Yeah. I guess so."

"What does she want now?" Danny asked as he nodded towards the bag in Ethan's hands.

"Beef jerky, olives and chocolate ice cream." He replied without blinking.

Danny shifted the massive box of diapers he carried in his arms, finally giving up and laying them down on the counter. "Oh that's just wrong." He said, shivering a bit.

"Tell me about it." Ethan got the chills himself just thinking about it.

He stood by as Danny was rung up. "I guess the late night trips don't end after they're born huh?"

Danny shook his head. "Those two go through diapers like nothing I've ever seen. I'd swear I was here just last night."

Ethan held the door open for his brother-in-law and then followed him out to the parking lot. "Is it as hard as it looks? Having both of them?"

"Sure it's hard – but it's totally worth it." Danny replied as he popped the trunk and tossed the diapers inside.

Ethan nodded as he stood there, shifting his weight back and forth nervously as he tried to say what was really on his mind.

Danny could tell there was more he wanted to talk about. He jingled his keys as he asked. "You want to go get a beer or something?"

"I shouldn't." Ethan shook his head.

"I think you could use one." Danny insisted. "C'mon. Take twenty minutes for yourself. You deserve a little break. Trust me I know exactly what it's like."

Minutes later they were tucked in a corner booth, each nursing a frosty mug of beer. "So. What's going on?" Danny prompted.

Ethan took a deep breath as he began. "Lynnie's doing great. She's a little nervous – understandably – but she's really gotten so much better."

"Well. That's good news. Right?"

"Yeah. It's great news. I was really worried about her. She always feels so responsible for things but she's doing really well. I'm just…"

Danny took a sip and gazed at him over his glass. "What?"

Ethan lifted his mug and drank deeply. "I'm scared out of my mind."

So there it was. The truth at last. Danny knew full well how Ethan felt like he had to be strong all the time. He saw it firsthand when Lynnie had run away.

"Totally understandable." He replied with a nod.

"What about you?Were you ever scared?" Ethan asked then.

"Are you kidding me?" Danny nearly spit out his beer. "I have the world's most pigheaded woman as my wife – a woman who also thinks nothing of walking into a gunfight I might add. I've got two kids who rarely sleep two hours at a time and honestly? When they're awake I can barely tell them apart. To top it all off I work an average of 80 hours a week, I sleep about 12 and my job is to save people's lives." He stared at his near empty glass and sighed. "If that's not scary, I don't know what is."

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"Are you hungry, little one?" A soft voice asked.

"No." Rachel replied.

The woman's brow wrinkled with concern. "Are you sure? There is nothing you want to eat?"

Rachel shook her head vehemently. She didn't want the nice lady. She wanted to go home. "No. All I want is Mama."

"I know, darling. I'm sorry. It's not your fault you're stuck in the middle of all this." She whispered as she sat on the edge of the bed. She reached out and smoothed Rachel's curls off her face.

"You could be happy here. I could protect you from them." She suggested.

Rachel didn't know what the lady was talking about. Protect her from whom? Not Mama or Papa. They loved her. They would always protect her. They had told her that lots of times. At her house she had everything she ever wanted. It made her completely spoiled – or so she had heard Grandma Lucy say once. Rachel had decided that the word spoiled must mean that they really loved her.

The lady's voice got quieter as she continued to stroke her hair. "You should be mine now. I think that's only fair. I had a baby myself once…"

"I am not a baby. I'm almost six." Rachel pouted, and began to get angry. "I'm a young lady. I am. That's what Papa says."

The woman didn't seem to notice. Rachel's words fell on deaf ears. "I could take such good care of you little one. I was a good mother. I would still be a good mother. If only he hadn't taken my baby from me…"

Rachel began to get scared as she watched the look on the lady's face. It was like she was someplace else. She squirmed away and crouched against the corner of the bed, near the wall.

The woman's lilting voice filled the air, the song she sang an ancient lullaby. Rachel knew it well. It's the same one Mama used to sing to her when she was little. Hearing it made her so sad. Even though she knew Papa wanted her to be brave she couldn't help it. Her bottom lip quivered as she reached for Casper. Hugging him tightly to her chest she began to cry.

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There was one thing Billie was quite sure she would never get used to. The feel of Quinn's hands on her skin, the way he kissed her, how when they were together like this he seemed to take his time and rush all at once.

It seemed like hours since they'd come into the bedroom yet the clock said it was far less than that. She turned her attention back to Quinn. She blinked and tried to focus as she felt his lips on her shoulder, nibbling a path down to her wrist, then suddenly she felt them roaming across her stomach.

Billie decided then and there to just let go. Her arms and legs felt like jelly, her mind began to spin again. She sighed and breathed his name.

"Married or not, you're mine Belinda." Quinn whispered against her skin as his lips madetheir way back up, pausing to nuzzle her neck.

He had vowed to himself he wouldn't push her but there were times, especially times like these that he couldn't help himself. She'd given him so much, today, offically, she'd given him a son. But it wasn't quite enough. He wanted more. He wanted her.

Gently he eased away and shifted to stare deeply into her eyes. "Tell me…"

Overcome with emotion, it took her a moment to find her voice. "I'm yours Quinn." She replied, her voice catching on a small sob. "Always…"

Quinn linked his hands with hers as he quickly moved to take her. As always the moment he did she finally felt whole. She had often wondered what people were talking about when they said someone made them feel complete.

Now she knew, without question. This was exactly where she belonged, Quinn was exactly who she'd been looking for her whole life. It was crazy how they'd found each other but she was so lucky that they did.

Their bodies were still joined as he drew her close and moved to stare into her eyes. "I'll wait." He whispered, as he ran his fingers gently through her hair. "I'll wait forever if I have to Billie. Just promise me that someday…" He took a deep breath and tried to swallow the lump that had suddenly lodged in his throat. "Someday…"

She didn't let him finish. Her hands moved to frame his face and she tugged him towards her, kissing him deeply. "Someday…" She replied with a nod. Knowing it was the truth she kissed him again before she added, "Soon…"

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"They are so different." Ethan said with a sigh. "Lynnie is stronger than she thinks she is. I've never seen anyone so brave. Lia at least has a gun to protect her but Lynnie faces things all alone. All I want, all I've ever wanted to do is take some of that away from her."

Ethan wasn't saying anything that Danny didn't already know. "I know, E." He nodded. "And you do – more than you know."

"She's got all sorts of doctors watching out for her. They all tell us that it'll all be fine. She wants me to tell her too and when I do I feel like I'm lying to her."

Danny could only imagine how hard this would be. If the tables were turned, he wasn't sure he could be so strong. "Ethan, trust me. You're not."

He sighed as he gazed at his watch. "Lynn's going to be annoyed if I take too much longer." He drank down the last of his beer and eased from the booth. "She might even see what I'm doing - which will make it worse." He laughed as he began to walk away. "Thanks for the drink and the reassurance. I really appreciate it."

"Don't mention it." Danny dug some money from his pocket and stood himself. Wanting to help as much as he could he called out to Ethan who had already almost reached the door to the bar. "None of us are experts at this. You know? And you've had a rougher start than anyone."

"I know." Ethan stopped and nodded. "That's why I'm so worried…"

Danny was determined to make sure Ethan understood what he meant. "You've got everything it takes to be a good father, E. All of us – but especially Lynnie can see that." He clapped a hand on his brother-in-law's back as he finished. "I know it's tough but you don't need to worry so much."

"I hope you're right." Ethan sighed as he walked out the doorfeeling much better than he had earlier in the evening.

"I know I'm right." Danny said with a smile. "Trust me. I'm a doctor."

"Yeah – but you're not a psychologist now are you?" Ethan grinned.

"Hey. I had plenty of experience." Danny pretended to be offended at the thought. "I've done I psych rotation you know."

"I guess I should tell you. Some people might think you're still on it." Ethan bit back a chuckle as he opened the door to his truck and slipped inside.

After the door clicked shut, Danny leaned against the window and stared at him. All of the sudden he was genuinely confused. "I'm doing surgery now. What the hell are you talking about?"

Ethan shrugged as he turned the ignition. "I'm just questioning your mental capacity – I mean – look which twin you chose." He couldn't hold back his laughter any longer as he tried to get the last of it out. "Some people - I mean – not me of course, but some people might just say you are psychotic or maybe you just enjoy torture."

Danny smiled widely at the joke. "I have a confession to make." He called out as he made his way to his own car. "It's a little of both."