Baby slowly eased Johnny's hospital room door open and stepped inside. It seemed Johnny's eyes were closed. Baby quietly walked to the bedside and laid her pocket book on the bedside table. As she did that her keys fell on the floor and the sound of them hitting the tiled floor startled Johnny.

"I didn't mean to wake you." Baby said reaching for his hand.

"I wasn't asleep I was just resting." Johnny gave Baby's hand a little squeeze. "How is Josie?"

"She is still in recovery but from what the doctor said everything went great. They are going to let me know when she is back in her room." Baby said smiling down at him. "How do you feel?"

"Oh, like I have been run over by a Mack truck." Johnny said grinning.

Baby couldn't help but grim back at Johnny. He was an amazing man for what he had done for Josie. Not many men would have stepped up and done what he done. He is what makes a man, a man.

"I am glad to see you." He said to her. "I have wanted to see your beautiful face since I got out of surgery."

"I have wanted to see you too. I couldn't help but worry." Baby confided in him. "They are telling me you can go home tomorrow if you feel up to it."

"What about Josie?"

"I am not sure when she will go home. Dr. Fleming told me they need to keep her here for observations. It's just to make sure her body accepts the marrow." She told him.

"Well, it's just a step closer to her being well again." Johnny said as he tried to move up I the bed. "I tell you what I am a sore man."

"You need me to help you?" Baby said as stepped closer to the bed to help him.

"Nah, I got it." Johnny said finally sliding up a little.

Johnny reached for her hand. "I can't get last night out of my head."

Baby eased onto the side of Johnny's bed trying not to bump him. "Johnny I…."

Baby's voice trailed off as Dr. Fleming walked into the room.

"How we doing in here?" He asked Johnny as he walked over to the bedside.

"I'm sore but other than that I guess I am ok." Johnny said trying to sound upbeat.

"Well, that will subside in a couple of days." He looked over at Baby. "I am here concerning Josie."

"Oh, can I see her now?" Baby asked rising to her feet.

"Ah," Dr. Fleming paused, "Let's wait till you parents make it in here."

Baby noticed Dr. Fleming's demeanor change. "What is it?"

"Just go ahead and tell us." Johnny told him.

"Doctor?" Baby was beginning to worry at this point.

About that time Marge and Jake made it into Johnny's room. "The nurse said to come down here and get the latest news on Josie." Jake said to them all.

"Please tell us." Baby pleaded.

"She is out of recovery but things aren't how we planned." The doctor told them as he watched everyone's expression change.

"What do you mean?" Baby said stepping from around the side of Johnny's bed closer to the doctor.

"Well, as it is right now we have transferred her to intensive care." Dr. Fleming continued before anyone could speak. "Her body isn't handling the marrow like we had hoped. Her body went into cardiac arrest in recovery and now she has slipped into a comatose state."

"My God!" Jake said holding Marge as she began to whimper.

"Comatose?" Johnny asked unsure.

"A coma." The doctor hated to say.

"How?" Johnny asked sternly.

Baby's eyes froze as she was speechless. All she wanted to do was scream out but she couldn't. She felt her legs become weak. The room was getting darker and darker.

"Mr. Castle I know it is hard to take in but sometimes the body does this. It was beyond our control." He told the scared family.

The room was spinning out of control as Baby felt her knee's give. Her body began to lean toward the floor before Jake hurried and caught Baby. "Honey."

"Baby!" Johnny said as he leaned up ignoring the pain he was causing himself.

"Here sit down Baby." Jake said pulling the chair up behind her.

"I cannot even being to fathom that." Baby said as she looked up at the doctor. "Please explain to me how this happened. It doesn't just happen."

"Like I said her body is reacting to the marrow. It sent her body into shock and then cardiac arrest. When we revived her she went into a coma." He said solemnly.

Baby looked over at Johnny who seemed to be freaking out just as much as she was then looked back to the doctor. "I want to see her NOW!"

"I understand that. I will have the nurses take you down now." Dr. Fleming replied.

Johnny watched Baby's every move. She was so beside herself he couldn't help but notice. She was feeling on the outside how he was feeling on the inside. Baby had always been one to wear her feelings on her sleeve. Now she was about to explode with them. "I want to go."

"Mr. Castle you need to stay in bed." Dr. Fleming told him.

"Look, that is my daughter in there and I am going." Johnny laid the line down for doctor.

"Very well, I will send a wheelchair in." Dr. Fleming said. "Please, everyone, I know this is upsetting but, all we can do is wait for her awaken."

"Yes, it is very upsetting." Jake said as he felt he was speaking for the whole family.

"Take me to her." Baby said immediately.

"Baby you go ahead. I will wait for the wheelchair." Johnny told her. "Then I will be right down.

Baby and her parents all quietly followed Dr. Fleming as he led them behind the double heavy doors which read: Intensive Care Unit. It was quiet inside the isolated area. The only sounds you could here was the beeping of breathing machines and heart monitors.

They walked nearly to the end of the unit before the doctor stopped at a door with windows on both sides with the curtains shut. "Here we are."

The doctor opened the door for Baby as Jake and Marge followed. Then Baby's frail little girl's body came into view. "Oh my baby."

Baby tried to hold it together as she went straight to Josie's bedside. Baby noticed the IV in her hand and oxygen in her nose. "Oh Josie…..please honey….mommy is here."

"Why the oxygen?" Marge asked Jake.

"It's to make sure enough oxygen is getting to her brain." Jake said as she walked over to Baby. "She looks peaceful."

"I can't believe she is in a coma daddy. This wasn't supposed to happen." Baby said as her tears couldn't hold back any longer. "She has got to wake up."

Baby held Josie little hand as she lightly stroked her arm. Her body was warm but very still too still. It was so frightening. Baby looked over at Josie's heart monitor and watched it jump over and over. "Does she have a good heartbeat daddy?"

Jake walked over to the monitor and then relived a little of Baby's worry. "Yes, strong."

"Damn." Baby said as she buried her head in her hands.

Jake sat still by the door as Marge paced again. Baby sat right up as Josie's bedside as she hoped her little eyes would open. "I don't know what to do."

"All we can do is wait honey." Jake told his daughter. "That is all."

It was about the time that Johnny had made his way down. The nurse wheeled him in and over next to Baby. Baby still had her face buried in her hands. Johnny wanted to take her in his arms but for now all he knew to do was place his hand on her back.

Baby looked over at Johnny then. "This can't be happening."

"I am so sorry sweetie." Johnny said looking into Baby's broken eyes.

"She has never been this still in her life. Not even when she is asleep." Baby turned her attention back to Josie. "I can't stand this."


Hours and hours passed and there was still no change. It was growing late and they all needed to get some rest.

"You will call us as soon as you hear something, right?" Marge asked Baby as she hugged her bye.

"I promise." Baby said kissing her mother on the cheek.

"You take care of her." Jake told Johnny as he shook is hand.

"Don't worry Mr. Houseman, I will." Johnny promised him.

"And thanks son." Jake told him with tears in his eyes.

"I would do it again." Johnny said as she reached over to Baby.

"I will call you in the morning if nothing changes." Baby told her parents as they disappeared out the door.

"Oh, I am so tired." Baby said quietly.

"Why don't you go home and get some rest?" Johnny mentioned to Baby but he knew what her answer would be.

"I want to be here when she wakes up." Baby told him. "I can't leave her."

"I know. I just wish they would let me stay in here with you." Johnny told Baby.

"Well, you need to go to your room and get some rest. You have had a big day too." Baby tried to sound upbeat but it was hopeless.

"I will have the nurses check in on you and her okay." Johnny pulled Baby closer to him. 'I am not far away if you need me tonight."

"I know."

Johnny turned her face to his and gave her a light kiss on her lips. "I will be here with you every step of the way. Just know that."

Baby nodded that she understood and opened the door to let the nurses know to come get Johnny. "Good night."

"Good night sweetie." Johnny turned his head back to look at her one more time. "Be strong."

It was hard to get comfortable in the little chair that probably was the only hope of resting in. But, she knew she wouldn't get much sleep anyway. Her heart monitor proved she couldn't even possibly sleep. All she wanted to do was just talk to Josie.

"Sweetie? I hope you can hear me…..I am not going to leave you……..You need to wake up for mommy……It's time to get you home so you can get better…….Your daddy has been here too…..He is doing okay……Oh, Josie please wake up for mommy…..I love you my precious……I love you with all my heart……We just have so much to do so just need to wake up."

Time would slowly pass. She couldn't help but look at the clock over and over. Nurse after nurse would come in and check Josie's vitals and all they could do was just smile sympathetically to Baby.

It was close to 3 am when Baby was finally ready to relax. She had gotten a pillow from the nurses and laid her head back in the chair. But, soon Baby was interrupted by Josie's heart monitor's beeps turning into a stead high pierced beep.

Baby jumped up and looked over. Her heart line was flat. Her heart line was flat. No pulse!

Baby jumped up and snatched the room door open. As soon as she did she was met by nurses running in. "Help me!"

"Stay back." One of the nurses told her as she watched a crash cart being rolled in. "Code blue, we have a code blue!"

Baby's world was crashing.