*Author's Note*

Thanks for reading, faving, following, and reviewing.

I know, it's been a while. Well, here's a new update. Finally, lol.

The Dire Call

Nova POV:

The tv was on, but the volume was turned down a bit, as I laid in bed with Tolbert. We were cuddling and absent mindedly watching Chicago One. I think he just put it on for me, even tho neither of us were really interested in watching tv. The day's events, both Randall and Sally acting out on the stand, had taken a toll on us. Neither one of us wouldn't admit it, but we were still shaken up.

The grim thought that the trial was lost cause of Mr. and Mrs. McCoy's day in court was in the forefront of our minds. Tolbert knew what was on the line; I think that's why he was in a mental stupor. Honestly, I think he was having a depressive episode even tho he wouldn't admit it.

I knew that if I failed at my job of defending Tolbert and his brother that I'd be responsible for destroying a family. That was a heavy burden to bear. I knew that if he had to do time then I'd be Sally Elle's legal guardian, well in retrospect her adoptive mother, but that terrified me. Not cause it meant I had to raise a lil girl, but cause it meant that Tolbert would never be able to raise his daughter.

A lot was riding on this trial and right now, it looked like my ADA husband was holding the steering wheel.

"What'cha thinkin' 'bout?" Tolbert asked me, his smooth timbre cutting thru the soft sound of the tv.

"Nothin'." I lied.

"Hmm…" He hummed as he slowly threaded his fingers in my hair. "Can't say I b'lieve ya, but I'll accept yer answer."

"Got anything on your mind?" I asked flipping the tables back onto him.

"Plenty, but I'm sure it's same shit on yers." He dryly answered, his stormy eyes locked onto the tv screen in a sense of uninterest.

"Yea…" I trailed off into a heavy sigh.

"I don't think the trials gonna go into next week, not wit' Judge Wall bein' a Hatfield an' the ADA bein' yer husband an' all. Think after 'morrow that witness list's gonna get chopped down right t'me an' Pharmer."

"Don't think like that." I told the redhead next to me even tho I shared his thought on the matter of witnesses and when he'd be called to testify along with his brother.

"Kinda hard not too when it's only logical t'do so, darlin'."

"I know…"I trailed off in a long sigh.

"I don't think I'm gettin' outta this cleared." Tolbert revealed, his voice tight and a bit shaky.

"Sadly, I agree Tolbert even tho I shouldn't." I honestly told my ex turned client turned temporary lover as I gave him a sad, but soft look with my cornflower blues.

"At least Sally Elle'll have a small moment o'havin' a real family wit' a mama an' a poppy 'fore-'fore the verdict's read an' I'm caged up like a goddamned zoo animal." Tolbert choked out, his emotions gettin' the best of him as he stared at the tv wit' a glassy look in his stormy blues.

"I promise I'll take good care of her, Tolbert. I'll be a good mom to her." I swore with such a deep conviction, wanting him to know that his daughter (his world) would be safe with me.

"I know ya will, Ella. I know." Tolbert assured me, rubbin' circles in my lower back thru my nightshirt (which was one of Cap's old and faded hockey t-shirts).

A short-lived silence filled the room only to be ended by the sound of Tolbert's phone ringing. He removed his hand from my lower back and stretched his arm to grab his phone from his nightstand. I just silently laid on his chest as he answered his phone with a simple, "Hello." After a short pause he nodded his head and told whoever was on the phone, "Yea, this is him.", in a tight timbre. He leaned his back against the headboard and ran a hand over his face, lettin' out a huff, as he listened to whatever was bein' said over the phone to him. "Bye." Tolbert said in a low, but smooth tone, before hanging up his phone and droppin' it on the space next to him.

I could tell that something was wrong by the sullen look on his angular face. I just looked at him softly, nudging my head in a supportive way to let him know that he could tell me what was wrong. After a minute or so his voice cracked out with a shaky, "That was the hospital in Pikeville. Rosie's there, lupus complications."

Meanwhile Over In Mate Creek, WV…

Cap POV:

I was sitting in the tavern at Mate Creek, nursin' a glass of whiskey. My brother, Johnse, was with me. He was also nursin' a glass of whiskey. We both had some heavy things on our minds. My heart felt heavy since this trial was puttin' a big wedge between me and my wife. Also, I had a feelin' she was lyin' to me 'bout where she was since I didn't see her truck in the hotel parkin' lot in Pikeville when I went there. I also knew that she wasn't at her uncle's, so there was only one other place she could be. Tolbert's. Fuckin' goddamned Tolbert's!

Johnse took a sip of whiskey before letting out a deep sigh of, "I got a call from Pikeville Medical Center on my way 'ere to meet ya." He took a long pause before revealin' in a wounded tone, "Roseanna's in for some lupus complications."

"Oh…" I wasn't too surprised to hear 'bout Roseanna tho. With how frail and sickly she was, well, I always had a feeling her lupus would do her in.

"Yea…" My brother sighed, soundin' so gutted, as he stared into his whiskey glass.

I took a sip of my whiskey and placed the glass on the table before asking, "So, um, you're gonna have Sarah Elizabeth longer than your 2-weeks then?"

"Looks like it." He nodded, knockin' back the rest of his drink.

"Gonna take her to the hospital to see her ma?" I asked as my brother grabbed the bottle between us; filling up his shot glass.

Placing the bottle back onto the table with a slight clunk, Johns nodded, "Yea, reckon I will."

"That's good." I simply told him, my tone a bit detatched, as I picked up my glass and took another sip of it.

"What's ettin' ya up, lil brother?"

I downed my drink and let out a deep, long sigh of, "I think Nova's with Tolbert."

Johnse's blue eyes widened as he let out a rambled, "What? But ya'll are married."

"Yea, I know we're married, but 'tween this case and her soft spot for his kid, he's manipulatin' her to feel pity love for him." I explained to my brother as I refilled my whiskey glass.

"Are ya sure?" He asked with a empathetic, but curious look on his face as I slammed the bottle back onto the table.

"She ain't stayin' at the Pikeville Hotel even tho she said she was." I answered him, downing my drink on one go.

"Ya went there, checked up on her, didn't ya?" Johnse asked even tho he already knew what the answer was. Sometimes my brother could be foolish when it came to askin' questions.

I just nodded my head. I couldn't say anything, my throat felt dry and was swelling up from the hurt and anger I was feeling. God, I just wanted me pregnant wife back home with me. Hell, now with Roseanna hospitalized, well, Nova's gonna be feelin' even more pity for Tolbert. Also, I doubt the trial's gonna carry on since Perry's most likely glued to Roseanna's side.

Reckon I need to spend every moment I can in my office perfecting my case 'gainst the McCoy boys. Hell, my legal assistant's gonna hate all the long hours we're gonna be workin'. Oh well, if I gotta work late then so does she. Maybe when the trial resumes, I'll have my assistant join me in court. That should make Nova jealous and make her run right back home to me.

Nova POV:

After getting a call from the hospital about his sister, Tolbert wanted to go see her. I was a bit leery about going since things were still tense and broken between me and Roseanna. I suggested that I just stay at his house with Sally Elle, but Tolbert insisted (well demanded in a bi-polar fit) that I come with him cause I needed to set things right with Roseanna cause god forbid if she didn't make it out of the hospital I'd never forgive myself for never repairing our friendship. So, I gave into his wishes.

That's why I'm currently in an elevator with Tolbert. Sally Elle was asleep in Tolbert's arms as we anxiously waited for the elevator to stop on the floor Roseanna was on. God, I was a nervous wreck. I wasn't ready to face Roseanna, not after how we had such a horrible falling out. One that I had a hand in since I told Cap about Sarah Elizabeth legally having the Hatfield name.

The ding of the elevator's doors opening after it stopped shook me out of my mental musings. Silently, I followed Tolbert out of the elevator and over to the nurse's station. He politely asked what room his sister was in, since on the phone he was only told her floor, and then walked off down the hall after the nurse told him the room number. I just followed him. I felt my stomach turning and churning as I walked down the hall towards Roseanna's room.

"Calm down, darlin'. She'll wanna see ya." Tolbert told me, placin' a reassuring hand on my back as we stopped at his sister's room.

I just nodded at Tolbert since I didn't know what to say. I hope she wants to see me. Tolbert took his hand off my back, opened up his sister's door, and ushered me in. I spotted my Uncle Perry sitting by Roseanna's bedside, holding her pale hand. My friend's face looked a bit sunken and sickly. Her blue eyes blinked with shock as she saw me enter the room with her brother and niece following suit.

"Goodness gracious, what're ya'll doin' here?" Roseanna weakly asked us, causing my uncle to turn his attention towards the door and in extension onto us.

"Hospital called; said ya were here so we came t'see ya." Tolbert answered his sister, trying his best to keep his tone as level as possible.

"Roseanna's havin' some complications from the lupus. It seems that her body's shuttin' down." My uncle explained to us, his tone so deflated that it rivaled a week old party balloon.

Oh no. Oh no. That mean's she's…

"Yer dyin'." Tolbert stated, not asked, as he ushered me towards where my uncle was at by his sister's bedside.

"Doc seems to think so." Roseanna sadly confirmed. Her blue eyes were dull and tired, as her lips formed into a sad line of a smile. Even when deathly sick she was being sweet and gentle.

Holding his fiancé's hand in a gentle, but supportive way, my uncle interjected hopefully with, "But I'm certain that the doctors can run test and find some kind of medication regiment to help Roseanna."

"Oh my god…" I trailed off in a shaky whoosh of breath. The situation was too dire, too drastic for me to comprehend. Roseanna, my dearest friend, so too young to be on her deathbed. She was too young to be so sickly, just too young to be going thru this.

With a ghost of a smile, my childhood friend told me, "I see there's still somethin' 'tween you and my brother."

I blanched at her words. I didn't know what to do, so I just nodded. Tolbert on the other hand let out a small huff of a, "Yea, seems so."

"Please excuse me, but I need to step outside and give Judge Wall a call and request a recess til Roseanna's discharged." Uncle Perry told us, his slick voice a bit tight, as he stood up from his chair and reluctantly let Roseanna's hand go.

My uncle rushed out of the room without another word. The atmosphere in the room felt heavy and sorrowful. It was making me feel a bit sad, honestly. Tolbert silently ushered me over to the vacant chair by his sister's bed. I knew he wanted me to sit down cause I was pregnant. I didn't feel like sitting, but only did so cause I didn't want Tolbert slipping into another bipolar episode, like he did earlier.

"Tolbert, can ya get me some ice chips?" Roseanna asked her brother, giving him a weak smile as she gestured to the pitcher on her tray table.

"Yea." Tolbert nodded before grabbin' the pitcher and leavin' the room to go get the ice chips.

A few minutes after Tolbert left, Roseanna looked at me and weakly said, "Nova, I forgive you for telling Cap and Johnse about Sarah Elizabeth."

"You shouldn't tho, Roseanna. If it wasn't for me you wouldn't 've had your daughter taken away from you."

"She wasn't taken away from me; just given over to her daddy for split custody. Something, considerin' my declinnin' heath, might be for the best."

"What? You mean-" I began to ask only for my best friend to interrupt me with her soft and weak tone tellin' me, "Johnse's a good person wit' a big heart. Without me 'round, maybe Sarah Elizabeth'd be cared for better by him."

"But what about Perry? Your daughter grew up for years callin' him poppy."

"Perry's a good man and I love him in my own way, but he works a lot. I'm 'fraid that when I cross over the River Jordan that he'll be too wrapped up in work an' grief; won't be there like he oughtta be for Sarah Elizabeth."

"Oh…"

"So, you and my brother?" Roseanna asked with a knowin' look.

"It's, hell, I don't know what it is. Reckon we're together durin' the length of his trial to give Sally Elle a sense of normalcy and family."

"If ya say so, but I think you're together cause you're still in love."

"Roseanna…" I sighed, shaking my head and feeling my chest flutter with unease. "I don't know what's going on with Tolbert, just that once this trial's over I'll be going back home to Cap and he'll be either going to jail or going home to his daughter."

"Oh…" She sighed, sounding a bit disappointed by my words. Even tho she was weak and looked so frail, she gathered her strength to change the subject to, "Mama called me a few hours 'fore my lupus flareup got real bad. She told me that Peggy Eldridge called her up; told her that her teenaged daughter's got Billy's bastard in her belly, but mama don't believe it since 'fore Billy died he was so focused on Mariah." Giving my a soft, but pleadin' look, she asked, "Can you talk to mama an' poppy 'bout it. Maybe a gran'child, Billy's child, will warm their hearts an' help 'em thru their grief."

What? Billy was hooking up with Mary Eldridge even

"Yea, I'll talk to them." I told my best friend with a ghost of a smile.

Tolbert POV:

I knew my sister sent me off t'get her ice chips was cause she wanted a moment alone wit' Nova. They had a friendship t'mend an' not much time t'do it. I hope they can fix things 'tween them, 'specially since me an' Nova's been mendin' our own broken pieces.

"They're having a moment, coming to terms and repairin' their friendship?" Perry asked me, pocketing his phone, as he sat one of the chairs by the waiting area near the nurses' station, which was by the room that held the ice machine along.

"Yea." I nodded. Holdin' up the pink pitcher, I explained, "Roseanna asked me to get her ice chips so they'd be 'lone to talk."

"They need to fix things, especially given that Roseanna's so ill right now." Perry knowin'ly said, causin' me to just nod. "Seems that you're back together with my niece." He stated not asked, givin' me a tilted look.

"For the time bein', but once the trials ov'r we'll go our separate ways."

"Seems that Nova sacrificed a lot, includin' her dignity and family for you." He told me, referin' to Ella bein' married to that demon ADA, Cap.

"I know, Perry, but I nev'r asked her to do it. Nev'r would neither."

"Deep down my niece loves you; she'll do whatever she has to in order to get you acquitted."

"I know." I sighed, my shoulder's slumpin' a bit. Wantin' to end our talk, I jiggled the pitcher an' told Perry, "I better get the ice chips."

"Yes, you should." He nodded. 'Fore I could walk off, he told me, "After you do, we'll rejoin the girls."

I just nodded and went over to the nurses' station to ask the charge nurse to get me some ice chips for my sister. The woman was nice, even asked if my sister would like some graham crackers or a pudding cup. I didn't know if Roseanna wanted anything, by I just had the nurse give me some graham crackers for her. I reckon my sister can nibble on 'em.

Wit' a pitcher full of ice chips in one hand an' some packets of graham crackers in the other, I made my way over to Perry. "Let's go." I simply told him wit' a slight jerk of my head, gesturin' towards the hall my sister's room was in.

Perry just nodded, rose from his seat, an' followed me down the hall. It only took us a minute or so to reach my sister's door. When he walked inside it was to Ella sittin' my Roseanna's bedside as they talked and smiled. It was clear as day that they made up; were best friends 'gain.

AN:

I hope you guys liked this chapter. I know, it was very emotional and angsty. Nova and Roseanna are friends again, yay! How do you guys feel about Billy knocking up a girl still in high school (he's the same age as Moses so he's like 20-21) and that she's Mary, Shaw Eldridge's little sister? Everybody's favorite shady bastard OC pops up again in the next chapter. I have no idea when that'll get out tho since I work on this and my other stories in between Transcending Time, but as you know a chapter will eventually get posted.