A/N: See intro for the standard stuff. This is a little long. Hang in there though. Rest time is over by the end of this. Please R/R. It's the only way I know if I'm going way off track. Thank you kindly.

Don stood holding Tess outside the security gates. Neither one was quite ready to let go. Don longed for the old days when he could have sat at the gates with her and watched the plane taxi away. He seriously considered using his badge to get him through security, so he could sit with Tess.

"I could still do it, ya know."

"You're not here on business. It could get complicated. I'll be fine," Tess said softly. Don tilted her face up and kissed her tenderly. Tess trailed her fingers over his chin. "Are you going to miss me that much?"

"It's gonna be cold in bed tonight." Tess' eyes started to water. Don pulled her close again. "I wasn't trying to make you cry, Sweetheart."

Tess took a deep breath. "I'm just a little emotional right now. I'm sorry."

"What are ya apologizing for? Ya have no reason to be sorry. I was just teasin' ya." Don stood there rubbing Tess' back. "I can't even find ya under that heavy coat."

Tess' smiled up at Don her eyes shining. She stepped away from him. She unzipped her coat, shrugged it off and dropped it on top of her carry on bag. Then she stepped back into Don's embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist.. "Better?"

Don gave her a slight squeeze. "I guess it'll have ta do." He kissed the top of her head. Tess looked up into his eyes.

"You're thinking about something."

"Rockefeller Center."

Tess frowned, then blinked slowly and shook her head. "I don't believe you." Her eyes started to prickle again. Don started looking worried. Tess dashed her hand across her eyes. "I can't help it." She leaned up and kissed him quickly. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Trying to distract me. And for remembering." Tess looked over at the gates. She wished that she could just go home and curl up in bed with Don. "I should probably start through security."

"Yeah, ya probably should." Don reached for Tess' hands and wove his fingers through hers. "Remember, if ya need me ta fly out, jus' call."

"You might hear your phone ringing in about five minutes."

Don groaned and pulled her back against him quickly and then pushed her away. He picked up Tess' coat and helped her into it. "You'd better git goin' or yer gonna miss that plane." Tess picked up her carry-on. "Get ta Toledo and you'll have one less thing ta worry about." Tess just nodded unable to trust her voice. She turned and went through the checkpoint. On the other side of the gates, Tess turned back and gave Don a small wave. He waved back. Tess headed deeper into the terminal. Don stood watching her until she disappeared around a corner. Don let out a heavy breath. He felt lonely already. He started slowly out of the airport.

Don had barely hit the AirTrain when his phone rang. He grinned and unclipped it from his belt.

"I think that was a little longer than five minutes, but not much."

"I forgot to say I love you."

Don's chest ached. "I know that, ya didn't have ta call ta tell me."

"I know."

"I love ya too, Sweetheart."

"Take care of yourself. Promise?"

"You too. You and the baby." Don looked around the train taking note of who else was riding. "Do ya want me ta talk ta ya until yer plane leaves?"

"That's okay. I just wanted to make sure you knew that."

"Ya think I'd forget or somethin'?"

"No."

"Okay. Jus' let me know when ya get ta Toledo."

"I'll do that. Bye."

"Talk ta ya later, Tess." Tess hung up and Don clipped the phone back to his waist. He shook his head. Worse than a couple of teenagers.

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Tess sat in the kitchen of her parent's house nibbling on a piece of dry toast and drinking some tea. Adam had raised her eyebrows at her request for tea, but hadn't questioned it. Tess watched her father stirring his cup of coffee for the fourth time since it had been poured still not drinking it. Adam set a plate of scrambled eggs in front of him. He pushed it away towards Tess. Tess' stomach flip-flopped, but she didn't have to rush from the table. She sighed and pushed the plate back.

"Daddy, you've got to eat."

He shook his head. "I'm not hungry. What's your excuse?"

"The same."

"Then don't lecture me, Teresa."

Tess sighed. "I'm going to ride with you to the hospital this morning, while Adam waits for Steph and John to come in. They'll all visit this afternoon. We can go out for dinner and then take turns visiting later." Tess' father didn't answer. He just stared into space. Tess was worried. Her father was normally very gregarious. Beyond filling them in last night, he had hardly talked. She didn't count the grumbling about eating. Tess watched him as she ate. She let out a silent sigh of relief as he pulled his plate back and slowly worked his way through the eggs. Tess looked over at him. "Daddy, if you would like to rest, I can go by myself this morning."

"I am fine, Teresa."

""Maybe that's a good idea, Dad," agreed Adam as he sat with his own plate.

"I am fine," he said defiantly. He suddenly deflated. "I just want to be with my wife," he ended quietly.

Tess nodded. "Okay, Daddy. Just finish your breakfast and we'll head out."

Adam looked at Tess' toast. He waved a fork at her. "There's enough eggs for you too, Tess."

Tess wrinkled her nose. "That's okay. I'm not really hot on eggs this morning."

"You really should have something besides toast." Adam waved his fork at her again.

"I'll take an apple with me and eat it." Adam nodded satisfied. Tess excused herself and went upstairs to shower and change.

She wiped the steam off the mirror on the back of the bathroom door. Tess turned left and right checking out her thickening middle. She wrapped a towel around her body and sat down on the toilet with a heavy sigh. How had things come to this? Tess shook her head at the irony of where she was sitting. Unwed and pregnant in your parents bathroom. There was a knock on the door.

"Hey! Dad's waiting. You need to get a move on."

"Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm moving." Tess stood up, got dressed and braided her hair. She looked briefly in the mirror. Quit feeling sorry for yourself, Teresa Suzanne. Think of your mom and dad. Tess buried her worries about her and Don and the baby, sent a silent prayer up for her mom and left the bathroom. "I'll be down in a minute, Daddy. I've just got to drop my things in my room." She did that, slipped on a pair of shoes and headed downstairs.

Adam handed her an apple as she headed out he door. "Remember to eat it."

Tess rolled her eyes. "I can take care of myself."

"Just make sure Dad leaves for lunch. I'm sure he'll bully the nurses into letting him stay, if you let him."

"I'll try and get him to do that. I don't make any guarantees."

"Then we'll run you both out when Steph and I get there." Adam gave her a hug. "Give that to Mom, will ya?"

Tess nodded with watery eyes. "Will do." She quickly went out to the car.

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Tess sat knitting while her father sat beside her mother, holding her hand and murmuring in Hungarian. It had been a long morning. The update from the doctor was guardedly optimistic. While she had had severe injuries, including a shattered leg, surgery had gone well and she should pull through with few complications. She was still sedated, but should be off the sedation by evening and by tomorrow if she continued to show improvement, she would be moved out of ICU and down to a regular floor.

Tess' father glanced over at what Tess was doing. "What are you knitting, mezem?"

Tess' fingers stopped moving. She ran her fingers over the soft, dark fabric. "Just a scarf, Daddy."

"Mmm. For your new boyfriend?" Tess looked a little surprised at the tone in his voice.

Didn't he know she had a boyfriend? That couldn't be. I know I've talked about Don. How could I not have talked about him?

Her father smiled softly. "Adam told us he had met him. Stephanie too. I am glad that you all spent the New Year together." He frowned slightly. "It would have been nice to hear about him from you though, Teresa."

Tess' eyes widened. He hadn't heard about Don before Oh no, this was trouble. Capital T trouble. I had to have at least mentioned him before. "I'm sorry, Daddy. I'm sure I mentioned him to Mama."

"If you had mentioned a boyfriend you were seeing seriously enough to take to Boston with you, I'm sure your mother would have passed that information on."

Tess looked at her lap and searched for the conversation where she was sure she had talked about Don. Had she really not talked about Don to her parents? This was going to make everything so much more difficult.

Tess' father watched her. "Actually, your mother did mention you were dating someone. I just though we would have heard some more about him. So?"

Tess blushed and nodded slightly. "What would you like to know? And yes, the scarf is for Don."

"He is a policeman?"

"Detective," Tess corrected.

Her father nodded and went back to talking to her mother. "So our little girl is dating a police detective in New York City. Apparently seriously enough to take him to visit her brother, but not seriously enough to bring him back here to meet her parents. And Stephanie is getting married. There is so much to keep track of. Too much for me, but not for you, kedvel."

The ICU nurse popped her head around the corner of her station. "Mr. Nagy? I just got a call that a priest has come to see you and Mrs. Nagy."

Tess stuffed her knitting into her messenger bag and stood up. "I'll bet it's Uncle Stash. I'll go for a little walk, okay?" Tess' father nodded.

Tess left quietly and headed for the family waiting area. She found a priest and a white haired woman standing there. Tess burst into tears as she hugged the woman. The woman rubbed her back. "Nagymama Sophie!" Tess stood up a minute rubbed her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Sophie patted Tess' hand. "I know, Tessie. I would have rather seen you someplace else too." Tess hugged her again. She seemed so frail.

Tess stood up again and rubbed her eyes. She hugged the priest. "Hi, Uncle Stash."

"Hello, Tess. I'm glad you could make it in."

Tess rubbed at her eyes again. "Like I wouldn't come see my mother in the hospital? This is me, remember. Even Stephanie is flying in." Tess stepped back and shifted her weight from foot to foot. "Mama is doing better. They think they can send her to a regular room tomorrow."

Sophie nodded. "That's promising." Everyone stood silently for a few moments, unsure of what to say next. Tess looked around. "You could probably both go in. I'll hang around in case they won't let everyone stay."

Stash shook his head. "I have some other parishioners to visit. I'll let you go in Mama and I'll check back later." He hugged Sophie. "Tess would you walk her down?" Tess nodded. "Then I will see you later, Mama. You can have someone page me, if you're ready to go before I come back." He looked back over at Tess. "How long are you staying, Tess?"

Tess shrugged. "At least until the end of the week, all things depending."

Stash nodded. "Well, remember, there's still Mass at St. Stephens every morning at 7. Your mother could use your prayers."

Tess dropped her head. "Yes, Uncle Stash."

Sophie frowned at her son. "Stanley, leave the poor girl alone. Her mother, your sister is in a hospital bed and you're harassing her for not coming to Mass this morning."

"It's okay, Nagymama. He's right."

"He may be right, but there are ways and there are ways. Come on, Tess. Walk me down to Veronika's room. Will an hour be enough time for you to do some visiting, Stanley?"

"I don't know, Mama."

"Well then maybe Tess will be able to drive me home. I need to get your father some lunch. Check back when you're done." Father Stanley waved as he headed out the door.

"Daddy…," Tess started to protest.

"I think that Eva and Lily were planning on coming down this morning. Frank and Lazlo this evening sometime. Your papa won't be alone. Have you talked to Zsuzsu yet?"

Tess sighed. "No, I know that Papa talked to her this morning. She said she wasn't going to come down here. There were already going to be too many people. I think Stephanie and John planned to stay with her. I just don't think that Nagyanya Zsuzsu likes hospitals."

"Who does?" replied Sophie. She shrugged. "Zsuzsu is probably right about too many people. Maybe she could send something to eat over to your father's."

"We can cook, Nagymama."

"And when are you going to have time to cook, running back and forth to the hospital? And don't tell me you plan to go out. All of you have so much money to burn?"

"No, Nagymama."

"Then I'll see if Zsuzsu will send over some of her soup. It's easy to reheat and keeps well."

Tess just nodded and walked Sophie down the hall. It was easier not to argue with her. Tess stood outside the unit and while her grandmother went inside. Her father stood up hugged her and let her sit in his seat. They leaned their heads together and talked quietly. Tess walked down the hall to the elevators. She headed down to the lobby to make some phone calls.

The first one was to her Grandmother Zsuzsu. Tess leaned against the wall as she waited for the phone to get picked up.

"Nagyanya?"

"Hello, Tess. I just finished talking to your brother. Stephanie and John just got in and they were all headed here to drop off luggage. How is your mother?"

"Still sedated. Hopefully, she'll be moved to a regular room tomorrow. Nagymama Sophie and Uncle Stash just came. Nagymama is in the room. Uncle Stash is visiting other parishioners."

"And everyone else?"

"I'm not sure. Nagymama knows when everyone is coming. I'll just keep out of the way. I just wanted you to know she was looking for you to send some soup."

"I'm sure she is. I was already making some. You will find it on the glass porch this afternoon. I think that Julia Farkas was going to bring something by too."

Tess smiled. "I'm sure we'll find a very full porch when we make it back home. I'll send some over for you and Steph and John."

"Don't do that, mezem. I can cook."

"But we won't be able to eat all of the food."

"It is winter. It will keep on the porch. Your parents will need something later."

"Okay, Nagyanya."

"I will talk to you later, Teresa. Make sure someone calls me if there is a change."

"We will. Bye." Tess hung up the phone.

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Tess was almost asleep in the corner of the Family Waiting Room. Her knitting lay in her lap. It had been a draining day. Family members came and went. Tess chatted superficially about what was going on in her life to most of them. Only Stephanie had asked some very pointed questions when there was no one else within earshot. She dozed off.

"Hey, Tessie. Time to pack it in." Adam shook her awake. Tess blinked rapidly. "I know. Very long day." Tess yawned and nodded. "Go on in and say good night to Mom and we'll get Dad down to the car."

Tess nodded again, untucked her foot, and started to stand up. Almost as soon as she was on her feet, she found herself on the floor. She heard the clunk just before the shooting pain filled her head. She could hear the commotion going on around her and struggled to wave Adam off. One of the other people in the room went to find a nurse.

Tess waved Adam off again. "I'm fine. Too much stress."

"Tess, you just collapsed," Adam said insistently.

Tess sat up. The room spun a little. She leaned forward. "I'm fine. Low blood pressure. I've had it for years. You know that."

Stephanie came in. She spotted Tess and rushed over. "What happened?"

"Tess collapsed and hit the floor."

Tess lifted her head slightly from between her knees. "I'm fine really. Nothing special."

"Are you sure? Just your blood pressure?"

Tess looked up at her sister. "I'm fine, Stephanie. Really."

Adam's gaze shifted between his two sisters. "Is there something going on here I'm not getting?"

Tess pinned her sister with tense frown. "I'm fine."

"Tess…"

"Shut up, Stephanie." Tess' father and a nurse cam into the room Tess groaned and rubbed her head. "Just great," she mumbled.

Her father bent down next to Tess. "A woman came down to the nurses' station and said you had fallen."

Tess sighed heavily. "I had been sitting too long and stood up too fast. End of story." She looked straight at Stephanie willing her to let it drop.

"I was told you hit your head," said the nurse.

"I did, but beyond a sore spot, I'm fine. I'll fill out whatever paperwork you want stating that."

"Tess…"

"Drop it, Steph."

Adam frowned at Tess. "Why do you keep saying that, Tess?" Tess looked at Stephanie and shook her head hard. She winced as the pain flared up again.

"Tess is pregnant," blurted Stephanie. Tess dropped her head back in her lap as the questions started flying at her. Tess ignored them.

The nurse came up and tapped her on the shoulder. "I'm afraid, you'll have to go down to emergency and get checked out."

Tess tuned everyone, but the nurse out. "I'm fine really."

"I have to get someone to confirm that. I'm sorry."

Tess waved her hand and sighed. "No, I understand. Liability and all that."

"I don't want you to move. I'm going to get a wheelchair."

"I can walk down. I'm fine really."

"I'm sorry. As you said, liability." She disappeared. Tess stared at her knees. She refused to look at her family.

"Teresa."

Tess looked up at her father. His eyes held a question. She nodded. "Yes, Daddy." Adam swore.

"Not appropriate, Adam," reprimanded their father.

"Besides, Don's mom is a very nice woman," snapped Tess.

"Teresa," her father said with a warning note in his voice. He carefully boosted himself into a chair. "When were you going to tell us, Teresa?"

"That's why I was trying to call Mama," said Tess quietly. The nurse came back in with the wheelchair.

"Okay, time to head downstairs. Can you get in or do you need help?"

"I really am fine," insisted Tess. She carefully got up and slid into the chair. Tess looked over at her father. "I'm so sorry, Daddy."

He shook his head. "Now is not the time. I will talk to you later, Teresa." Tess nodded and let the nurse wheel her out. Adam, Stephanie and their father just stayed where they were. Adam finally looked over at Stephanie.

"You seem to know so much. How long?" Adam started to pace.

"I figured it out at New Year's."

"And you didn't say anything?" he accused.

"Adam, this is not the time or the place," said his father.

Stephanie spotted Tess' tote. "Tess didn't grab her bag." She picked it up.

Adam held his hand out. "I'll run it down."

Stephanie pulled the bag close to her. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

"I won't saying anything to her. I'll just run the bag down. Come on, Steph. She needs her ID."

"You promise not leave your sister be, Adam?"

"Yes, Dad."

He nodded. "Stephanie give him the bag." Stephanie reluctantly handed it over. "Remember, not the time or the place, Adam."

"I got it," Adam replied. He took the bag and headed for the ER. He made a quick detour to the lobby. Adam dug into Tess' bag and pulled out her cell phone. He flipped through her contacts and pressed send.

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Translations: mezemhoney; kedvelbeloved; Nagymama/Nagyanya Grandma/Grandmother