AN: Sorry again for the long wait! I've been busy and tired. But I have a week off now so I'm hoping to finish this story! And I'm so excited, JABE finally got married! YAY! But as a JABE fan I felt cheated, the wedding wasn't only about them as it should have been, it was more about Krystal and Adam. And I hated how Babe's vows were only used to prop Dixie. Well, I guess I should be happy that they are married and happy now at least:) -Danielle

Ch. 18

Together again

When everyone returned home from the hospital, Krystal and Adam retired to their rooms, and instead of Babe going to hers, she went to JR's. That night JR and Babe just laid in each others arms like they had longed to do for so long.

"I've waited so long to do this." Babe said quietly, her head resting on JR's chest.

"Me too." He kissed the top of her head.

"You know, I used to imagine stuff like this. Just me and you lying in your bed, not even doing anything except enjoying each others company." Babe admitted.

"When did you start doing that?" JR wondered.

Babe thought for a moment, "A little while after you were in the hospital."

"You thought about me even when you were with Jamie?"

Babe nodded, "My relationship with Jamie... it was falling apart. At first I didn't even notice it because I was spending so much time with you. And when I did notice... I wasn't even that upset or bothered by it. I just spent more time with you."

JR kissed her head again, "Babe, I honestly don't know what I would have done without you. Even before my accident, I was such a mess. All I could do was want to hurt the people around me, but all I was doing was hurting myself. And even the accident didn't fully open my eyes to what I was doing and the damage I was causing. You were the one who helped me remember that there is more the life then revenge and that I could actually be happy again."

Babe looked up into his eyes and smiled.

JR leaned down and kissed her sweetly. Babe pulled back and laid her head back down on top of JR's chest, listening to his heart beat.

"I almost lost you JR, even before I found you again..." Babe said so quiet that JR barely heard.

"It was close, but it was just a sign that we both needed to wake up and see what is right in front of us." JR responded.

Babe smiled, "I'm glad we finally see, but I wish the sign could have been a little more subtle."

"Subtle? We are both so stubborn and blind that a subtle sign wouldn't have been enough."

"That is true." Babe yawned.

"I'm a little tired too, let's go to sleep." JR suggested.

"No, I don't want to. I don't want this night to ever end." Babe said.

"We will have many more like it, trust me." JR promised.

Babe sat up and kissed him, and then lay her head back down on her pillow, "Goodnight JR. I love you."

"I love you too." JR said as he placed his arms around Babe.

Then they drifted off to sleep.

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The next morning Babe woke up early and threw on one of JR's robes, and walked out of his room and into the living room. She walked out the back door to the porch. She stood there, feeling the sunshine on her face and the birds chirping, and she knew that her life had never been as great as it was now.

And as she thought about JR and how much she loved him, she also felt sad for him. He had lost what he considered one of the most important things about him, his independence.

JR had always been very independent ever since his mother died, not wanting help from anybody with anything. There were very few occasions when he would let go of the wheel completely and let someone else take charge. Babe was one of the people he allowed to do that. And he was really letting her do that now; he very seldom did it when they were married. It was almost as if he trusted her more now then he actually did before.

Babe was amazed he trusted her after everything, but she was also very happy he did. But Babe did earn it. These past few months had been great, but they hadn't been easy. There had been times when Babe had just wanted to leave and never come back, but she always did. Physical therapy was probably the worst thing to deal with, because for some strange reason JR always came back in the worst mood.

Maybe it was because every time he went in that room, he was forced to remember what he had before the accident, and everything in there reminded him of how needy he really was now.

But he had learned so much since the beginning of the accident. He could do so much, and he should be proud of that. And now that he had a little feeling in his leg... Babe was ecstatic that things were finally going well for JR. He really deserved it, even though sometimes you really didn't think he did.

Babe smiled again and walked back inside, wanting to make JR breakfast in bed. But as she stood in the kitchen she decided against doing that, and instead called the cook in to make something for JR.

So as Babe watched their cook whip up some food for JR, she told herself that she would need to start taking cooking lessons. She wanted to be able to cook for JR.

In his room, JR started to wake up and felt for Babe. When he didn't feel anything, he opened his eyes and sat up. He saw that his robe was missing off the back of the door and smiled, guessing Babe had it. He stretched his arms and then got in the wheelchair. He wheeled out of the room and towards the kitchen, since that was where Babe usually was in the mornings.

"Good morning sleepy-head." Babe called out and looked at him, "Forget something?"

JR didn't have a shirt on because he usually just slept in PJ bottoms, "Well, somebody took my robe."

"Hey, you have like 10 robes in your room." Babe pointed out.

"I know, but that one is my favorite." JR told her.

"Ahh I see, well next time I will grab a different one to wear." Babe smiled at him.

"Breakfast is ready." The cook announced, placing their plates in front of them.

"Oh, thank you. It smells so good." Babe said to the cook who walked out of the room.

"You read my mind. French toast, bacon, fresh fruit... my mouth is watering." JR said, digging into his food.

"I knew you would like it. I was going to make it, but I don't think your mouth would be watering as much as it is right now." Babe took a bite of bacon.

JR smiled, "Yeah, probably not."

Babe threw a piece of bacon at him.

"Hey, that's good food! Don't waste it!" JR laughed.

Babe shook her head. They continued eating and when they finished Babe placed their dishes in the sink. They went out to the living room.

"Have I kissed you good morning yet?" Babe asked JR.

JR shook his head, "No, I don't think so."

Babe leaned down and placed a soft kiss on JR's lips. JR deepened the kiss, and neither of them heard the front door open and close.

"No way in hell am I going to let this continue." David Hayward said angrily.