TAKE TWO, LOL (something wonky happened with the first upload)..."Hi there! I SOOOO appreciate all the comments and messages with feedback and wishes for a new update! Life has been so busy and a case of writers block is a terrible combination...I have however been inspired by all the incredible new stories and updates of fics that have been posted the last while; they've all been phenomenal!...here's a long overdue update. It reads a bit choppy and all over the place; i'm hoping it will all come together in the next few updates! Replies most welcome!

19

She's asleep beside him and given the fitful way she's tossed and turned all night, she's finally found some peace.

Sam had given up hours ago on any type of restful sleep and had opted to rearrange his schedule for what felt like the millionth time that month. He's surprised he still has any patients, actually, with the constant rescheduling he's had Eve do. Middleton is a small town and he knows how many of the townsfolk adore the woman sleeping beside him; they hadn't given Eve a hard time when she had asked to move their appointments. They knew he was needed elsewhere at the moment.

Scrolling through his ipad, he brings up Bobby Burke's latest post op scans from Dr. Samir and he's relieved to find his growth plate fusing with help from the pins put in place.

Small victories.

He switches over to his email, and is surprised to find a new email from Amy Johnson. Opening it, he reads her message.

Dr. Radford:

I was hoping to get a consult on a patient. Their scans are attached.

I hope you and Cassie are well.

Dr. Amy Johnson
Paediatrics, Boston Medical Center

Sam smiles at Amy's email signature, knowing Boston Medical is a great fit, especially paediatrics. Opening the X-rays, he studies the images of a heart. He pinches his screen to zoom in and out, examining it, before opening the ECG and echocardiogram. While the X-ray looked normal, the ECG shows abnormal heart function. His gut tells him there's an atrioventricular canal defect, but he has a feeling Amy already knows this. He clicks the reply button.

Hello Amy,

What does your gut tell you?

Cassie and I are well, thank you for asking. I'm glad you found a landing place.

Sam
Family Practitioner, Middleton Medical Center

He frowns at his own email signature. He loves his practice, but he misses the hospital. He misses the ER. With everything going on, he hasn't really thought about Bob's proposition of taking over the ER. If he's honest, his pride had been more than hurt loosing his position as Chief of Staff.

Sending the email, he switches from work to his library, bringing up a medical journal on holistic medicine he had been inspired to look at.

...

His hand slides across her protruding belly, his wedding band causing a chill against her skin. "How are we doing this morning?" He questions, leaning down to press a kiss against her skin.

Sifting her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck, she smiles. "Someone has been anxious to hear your voice."

Sam smiles too, rubbing his hands gently over her belly. "Is that so, little one? Well, I'm here now." Their baby rolls inside her, their arms and feet falling at the sound of his voice. "Did you feel that?" Sam marvels.

She nods, placing her hands on top of his. "Can you tell them not to kick my bladder?" she laughs.

Sam chuckles, pressing another kiss to her skin. "Don't kick Mommy's bladder...Let me tell you about the double bi-pass I just performed..."

His voice falls into a gentle cadence , as he recounts to their child his latest surgery. Their baby immediately settles and so does she, closing her eyes.

"...I think I'm putting mommy to sleep."

She smiles and his lips are next to hers in a gentle kiss.

...

She wakes gently from her dream, her heart still full of the love she had felt. It chases away any of the lingering fear and upset she had felt at the thought of loosing Sam, and she feels more settled than she has in days.

His fingers sift through her hair, brushing it back from her eyes and behind her ear, and it's such an intimate touch that it settles somewhere deep inside of her.

"You ok?" He questions softly.

His concern for her is palpable. He had completely taken over in the shower as she came apart from the inside out. The grief that had overtaken her was reminiscent of what she had felt after Jake had died.

Insurmountable.

He held her against his chest as she cried and when there weren't anymore tears, he had taken care of towelling her off, finding what she was sure was his comfiest t-shirts for her to wear before tucking her against his chest under the covers in his bed.

Opening her eyes, she meets his concerned gaze. "I had the most beautiful dream." Setting his iPad in his lap, his expression lightens. "Beautiful, huh?"

Scooting across the bed, he makes room for her to rest her head in his lap. "Beautiful," she repeats.

"Tell me about it?"

His fingers sift through her hair gently again, and she closes her eyes. As much as her dream should have perhaps worried, or caused her some concern, it hasn't. They certainly haven't talked about the future, and the idea of her having any more children is not realistic. The thought of marrying him, though, incites a wonderful feeling inside of her she can't yet place. "If I tell you, then it won't come true."

He chuckles. "Is that how it works?"

She nods. "...I think I want this one to come true."

"If it's as beautiful as you say it is, then I hope it does too."

She smiles to herself. She can picture him in a tux, waiting for her at the end of a long isle. She can picture slipping the ring on his finger and calling him her husband. Being Mrs. Sam Radford.

His fingers running through her hair brings her back to reality, and she decides to change the subject before she falls anymore head over heals into the future. "You haven't slept."

"I guess you could say my mind is a bit restless."

The comforter under her head is thick, but she's well aware of what lies beneath. "...I could help," she offers.

Sam's fingers still and she knows she's caught him off guard. The few times they've been intimate, he had always been such a giving lover focusing on her pleasure, that she's never gotten the chance to do the same. She rolls over to look up at him. "Have I rendered you speechless?"

He smiles. "A little, yes."

Reaching up, she brushes her fingers through his hair, settling at the nape of his neck. "You're not the only one that can do magical things with their mouth."

His gaze darkens the same time his eyebrow cocks in curiosity. "I do magical things with my mouth?"

"Otherworldly," she clarifies.

He flips the iPad closed, removing his glasses and placing them both on the nightstand. Tracing her lips, he contemplates her offer. "...Cassie...you don't have to..."

Their flirty banter has turned suddenly serious, and she can see the hesitation colour over his previous intrigue. She's sitting up, moving to straddle his lap. His hands rest tentatively on her thighs and she holds his gaze. "I know you'd never ask of me anything I wasn't willing to give, Sam."

He exhales, and there's a flicker in his eyes.

He's bare chested and she runs her hands up his arms, shoulders and over his chest. "...I want to taste you in my mouth, Sam...feel you pulse against my tongue."

"Jesus Cassie," he sighs.

She bites back her smile, leaning in to press her lips to his. "...let me help you relax."

He's yanking the comforter from between them, and she's got her hands beneath the waistband of his pyjamas. She's pleasantly surprised that he's gone commando underneath and his grip on her thighs tightens as she wraps her hands around him firmly.

"...You have no idea how long I've wanted your hands on me like this," he confesses.

She can feel him harden in her hands, lengthen as she reaches between them to stroke his heavy sack. "You've never said anything?"

He chuckles, letting his head rest against the head board, closing his eyes. "Should I have said "Cassie, I want to bury my cock in your hands?"

She's got a perfect view of his throat, and she presses her lips to his exposed skin, sucking his flesh into her mouth before soothing the sting with her tongue. "I would have went with "Cassie, I want to bury my cock in your mouth."

He growls, letting out a strangled fuck, and it's such a jarring difference from his gentle, calm demeanour, that she finds herself oddly turned on.

"Language, Dr. Radford," she admonishes playfully. He smiles. "You're going to unravel me, Cassie."

He's rock hard in her hands, and she presses a gentle kisses down his chest, shimming from his lap to lay between his legs. "That's my plan."

...

"Yoo-hoo! Cassie!"

She smiles, greeting Martha as she breezes into the Bell Book and Candle. "Hello Martha." Martha looks around the empty shop. "A slow day?"

Folding her arms around herself, Cassie shrugs. There aren't any customers in the shop, and there hasn't been all day. "One would say, yes." Downtown Middleton is as busy as ever, as she's watched customers peruse many of her neighbours shops all morning. Just not hers.

Martha gives her a reassuring smile, giving her arm a gentle squeeze. "Things will turn around."

She nods, giving Martha's hand a gentle squeeze in return. "They always do. What can I help you with?"

Adjusting her purse in the bend of her elbow, Martha's hand begin talking before she does. "The Historic Middleton event is set for tomorrow evening, and with everything that's been going on, I wanted to ask how you felt about postponing the event."

"Oh Martha, you can't postpone it. You've worked so hard," she reasons.

"I can read the room, Cassie; there are more important things than this exhibit. It can always be rescheduled for a more optimal time."

The bell over the door chimes and shel looks over her shoulder to find Sam letting himself in. "Martha, don't cancel the exhibit. I think we could all use something to enjoy and celebrate."

It takes a minute, but a smile spreads across Martha's face, her hands clasping together in excitement. "Touché!...hello Sam!"

"Martha," he greets.

His hand slides up her back, settling at the nape of her neck and it feels as if her body has been electrified at his touch.

"If you'll excuse me! I have some last minute planning! Toodle- loo!"

She can't help but laugh a little as Martha scurries out of her shop, a woman on a mission.

"What's got her so excited?" Sam questions.

Turning into him, she slides her arms around his waist. "With everything going on with Weld, Martha wanted to postpone the Historical Middleton event tomorrow."

His hands slide up and down her arms gently. "I take it it's still on?" She nods. "I think we could all use a distraction."

He ponders her words before a slow smile tugs at his lips. "I can think of more pleasurable distractions than dressing up for a formal event."

The idea of his pleasurable distractions has the heat igniting inside her, and she pulls back, putting space between them. "...so can I," she counters back.

His eyes flash and he's reaching for her again only she moves back towards the counter where she had been organizing a new display. "The Merriwick woman are being honoured with a display; being there is important to me."

He takes the few steps to close the space between them, leaning against the counter. He brushes the hair from her shoulder. "Then it's important to me too."

Leaning in, she presses a kiss to lips. "I love you." "...I think I love you more."

She smiles. "What brings you by?""

He looks over the jewelry display she's putting together. "I just on my way to the Bistro for a coffee and wanted to stop by, see how you were doing."

As much as they're trying to move forward, Jackson Weld continues to hold them back. Derek, Brandon and the entirety of the Middleton PD have been working non-stop trying to find Weld, to little avail.

Arranging a set of earrings to her display, she looks for the positive in her slow day. "I've been able to finally unpack the boxes of new merchandise, set up a few new displays, and reorganize the books."

"Productive," Sam praises, checking his phone. "I better head to the Bistro...can I get you anything?"

She shakes her head. "Your visit was enough."

He holds her gaze for a minute, before engulfing her in his arms. The weight of everything seems to melt away for a brief minute, and she takes a deep, cleansing breath.

"I needed this," she admits.

He presses a kiss to the side of her head. "I know."

tbc