Just then the woman looked up, then froze, an ashamed expression on her face.

"Rick…I think you'd better sit down for this." Rudy was next to him, and automatically he obeyed.

"Rudy…you've got to be kidding me.. I thought Dr. Allen said "Mrs. Jackson"?

"Apparently she went back to her maiden name after she got off parole, son." Oscar appeared at his elbow, referring to the role Fran Branson played in the previous attack on the Simons. Rudy gave a sympathetic look to Rick as Oscar sat on the sofa opposite him.

"We just found out ourselves, Rick. The boy you saved all those years ago is sixteen now, and he's stable, but if he doesn't get a bone-marrow donation from Laurie, he'll have to go into isolation for another two months until his system can handle the radiation treatment."

Rick shook his head, "I don't know what to say…oh my God…did you tell Laurie?"

Oscar slowly nodded. "I didn't want her blindsided if she wasn't well enough. I think you'd better give her a moment, Rick."

"Dad…what are we going to do…I don't want Laurie pressured into something she's not ready for…especially with what that piece of crap did to her." Rick didn't mean to raise his voice, but Rudy put a hand on his arm. "Shhh..calm down."

Suddenly Rick needed to see his wife. "I'll be back, guys."

Getting up, he marched down the hall to Laurie's room, and knocked on the half-closed door.

"Darlin'?"

"Go away, please."

Rick was surprised; never in their time together had she ever told him to leave. Worried,

he went into the room and shut the curtain. Turning around, he saw her laying on the bed, facing away from him.

"No matter how many times you tell me, I'll never leave my angel." He said quietly. At once a sob erupted, then Laurie sat up, tears in her eyes.

"I'm not your angel, I'm an awful person!" she cried. Upset, Rick crossed the room and climbing onto her bed, gathered her into his embrace.

"You're not awful, you'll never be anything but my sweet girl…don't you ever think anything else." He said sternly, looking her in the eye.

"But….that poor boy…it's not his fault his father was horrible…but I can't do the transplant…I can't. Every time I think about it…I get a sick feeling..I see nothing but that terrible darkness." She wept, clutching his shirt.

"I know, my sweetheart, I know." He held her tightly in his arms, tears falling from his eyes as he ached for her. When she realized he was also crying, Laurie stopped in mid-sob, then wrapped her bandaged arms around him.

"Oh love, it's all right, I'm all right." She assured him, kissing his neck. "You found me, Rick, you saved me from that nightmare. I was so afraid…but I'm more afraid of being without you then anything in this world, I love you so."

"Me too." Rick wiped his eyes, then caressed his wife's bruised face. "I'm scared of what life would be like without my Light, my Laurie." He paused, "If you don't want to go through with the procedure, it's okay. Everyone will understand."

They were both quiet for a moment, just holding each other, then Laurie sighed.

"No, darling. I want to donate my bone marrow. That poor kid….he shouldn't die because of the bad things his parents did."

Rick brushed the hair from her forehead, and kissed it. "Are you sure, princess?"

"I'm sure, my warrior." She smiled at him, then snuggled against him. A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. "Pop? Mama?"

Laurie and Rick sat up as Robbie and Robin peered in. "There's my babies." Laurie happily held out her arms as their children came to embrace them.

"We were so scared, Mama… I told Grandma I didn't want Pop to go…I thought Branson was going to kill you both." Robin said, choking up. Robbie nodded, adding, "Grandma said you promised, Pop, that you wouldn't leave Mama. She said you always keep your promises."

Laurie put an arm around Rick as he grinned. "He always does, my son….he always does."