Warning... Sexual Content between a husband and wife to follow. You have thus been warned. Peace.

Throughout the next two weeks, Don spent hours on the phone with doctors in nearly every state and several foreign countries. So far, none seemed able to perform the in-depth surgery needed to reach deep into Stella's brain to remove the tumor. He kept getting the same answer; "Surgery any further than just the beneath the hard exterior of the skull is too risky" and "I would recommend trying radiation treatments, not surgery."

He was almost willing to let Stella live the last few months of her life in peace with him and Jordan without the stress and frustration of doctors. There was only so much he could do and in a short amount of time.

He spread his arms across the desk in his and Stella's room, phone in one hand, a notepad with names and numbers several pages deep in his other. The stress was building up and, thinking Stella was sound asleep behind him, he finally let silent tears fill his eyes. He half-heartedly dug through a drawer on his left until he found a small leather bound photo album with their names engraved on metal embellishments. Opening each page, he allowed his fingers to trace the pictures from their wedding. They hadn't had a photographer, but instead Lindsay and Jane and taken them all. Some of them didn't come out very well, but Don didn't mind. It made them seem more real and more personal. Everyone was dressed casually as it was last minute and Stella's stomach was growing ever larger with their child's birth getting closer.

Suddenly another set of fingertips joined his on the photos. Stella's other hand rubbed his back in a gentle circular motion.

He hadn't heard her get up, he hadn't heard her come over, but here she was. Love, honor and cherish, in sickness and in health. "Stella..?" He looked up at her, not hiding the tears or even bothering to wipe them away.

She let her fingers move from the album to his lips, up his cheek and to the tears. Wet and warm, she had never seen him cry. Not like this. No, this was genuine fear for his wife. She recognized the same fear Mac had carried with him in the days after 9/11. He loved her more than life and he wasn't going to give up, even if she begged him to.

She took his hand and led him back under their thick quilted blankets. Stella was going to show him how much she needed him right now. She slowly and gently removed his shirt before letting him take the long one she wore off. She cuddled against his bare chest as he slipped his hands down her back, sliding her undergarments off as his went.

She did the same and than, holding both of his hands tightly in hers, she closed her eyes and whispered to him. "Don, please… help me. I'm not ready to let go of you… or of Jordan. I need you. Maybe all you can do is watch. But with you here, I have a fighting chance. With you near me I feel stronger and I feel more compelled to find a way through this."

He watched as her eyes squeezed tighter as more tears threatened her beautiful features. "St-Stel-… baby. I will never leave your side." He pulled her naked flesh tight against his as he moved to cover her entirely with his body. He felt her shaking violently as he pressed himself closer… closer… until he was inside of her.

She gripped the sheets beneath her, her nails digging deep. She bit her lip to try and stop the screams she was almost certain would escape. She didn't want Jordan to wake up. For the first time since her diagnosis, she didn't want their baby crawling in bed with them. She needed him more and more. The more he moved, the more she was certain of that.

"Don – God, oh-" She wrapped her arms around his neck and she felt his tears hot against her chest. He was crying. Hard. There was nothing that was going to stop him… nothing was going to stop them from making love to each other either. If she wound up in a hospital, this could be the last time he would touch her, hold her, feel her.

He slid in and out of her, nibbling at her shoulder carefully until he found her mouth. He kissed her softly and stared deep into her eyes. He stopped moving as he studied her face… her lips, her eyes, her cheeks, her chin. Both of them were shaking, and her arms were still entwined around his neck.

Holding her close as to not lose that bit of contact they still had, he got to his knees, pulling her with him. They knelt facing each other. Their bodies close, touching… he still inside of her. Her face was pale. She was still scared, terrified of what was coming between them.

A gentle knock on the door interrupted the moment. Don reached for her shirt and slipped it over her head, without pulling back. He pushed against her one more time, causing her to gasp and grab his shoulders, her nails drawing blood. It didn't bother him, he made her happy and that was all that mattered. He gently sat back, pulling himself away from his beautiful wife. He slipped his sweat pants on as he made his way to the door. Opening it and picking Jordan up in the same motion, he kissed her hard on her neck making her squeal and giggle happily. Even with the stress and emotions flooding her once happy family, Jordan was still blissfully ignorant. He was grateful for that, and grateful for her volunteer babysitters throughout the weeks. They've given her so much distraction that she hadn't had time to pick up on the anguish and defeat her father was feeling.

"S'ayapo, ba-bás." She giggled as her pudgy arms made there way around his still sweaty neck.

He cast an awkward glance to his wife who had been trying hopelessly to rearrange the sheets and blankets.

She caught him staring at her. "I love you, daddy." She provided after a moment.

"Ahha, why Greek? Why did you have to go and learn Greek?" He stared at Stella who shrugged.

"I dunno. Guess I wanted to retain part of my heritage even though I don't know who my parents were."