"What do you mean she might not wake up?"

Sam sighed. He'd known telling Kayla would be rough, but the look of fear on her face was overwhelming. He'd waited a day to tell Kayla the truth because he was hoping that Jess would be awake by then. But the doctor had confirmed his fear. Jess wasn't recovering. She was stuck in limbo, and whether she woke or not all depended on how hard she fought.

"Honey, like I said, Mommy's very sick. Her body's shut down right now to try and rest to get better."

"I want to see her." Kayla said.

"No." Sam said. "I'm sorry, honey. Mommy's not in the maternity ward anymore, where she went to have the baby. She's in a place called the ICU. You can't visit there unless you're a grown up."

"NO!" Kayla shouted. "No, she's my mommy. I should get to see her."

"I'm sorry, Kayla, but the answer is no." Sam said, trying to be firm with her but failing miserably. "Mommy needs to rest right now."

"She wouldn't leave me alone if it was me that sick." Kayla objected.

"You're right. She wouldn't, and neither would I. But Mommy's not alone. Grandma's there with her right now, and after I bring you back tonight, I will be too."

"I thought you said I couldn't go." Kayla said as she wiped her face.

"To see Mommy, no. But to see Mary, yes. Grandpa will take you and then the three of us will get some dinner together. Uncle Dean'll bring you back to the house tonight."

"I don't want to see Mary. She made Mommy sick." Kayla said. "I want my mommy."

"Honey, Mary didn't make Mommy sick."

"Yes, she did. Mommy was fine until Mary got here. I don't want Mary to come home. Not unless Mommy does too." Kayla said.

"Kayla, STOP IT!" Sam said. "Don't say that, do you understand me? Don't ever say that!"

"Sam." John spoke from the chair next to the couch. "She doesn't understand."

"I do understand. Mommy might never come home and I'll never see her again."

"Baby…" Sam said, reaching out to hug her again, only to be promptly pushed aside.

"Leave me alone!"

Kayla ran to her room crying, leaving a scared, hurting Sam behind. John was stuck in which direction he should go. He wanted to comfort Kayla, reassure her that everything would be okay, but he didn't know that for sure. Sam needed comfort too, but John knew all too well there was nothing he could say to Sam that might make the slightest bit of difference in how he felt. It had been years since he'd lost Mary, but the hole in his heart where she had been had never closed. He could only imagine the hell Sam was going through, wondering if he'd be feeling the same way soon.

"I'll go talk to her, Sam."

"No, I will." Sam said. "Just give me a minute."

"She just wants her mother, Sam. She's not trying to be…"

"I know." Sam said, cutting him off. "I know." Sam stood up and walked down to Kayla's room. She was sitting on her bed, holding a picture of her and Jess taken a few weeks before, and crying. "Kayla."

"Leave me alone." Kayla said again, though it wasn't nearly as forceful this time as it had been in the living room.

"I will if you really want me too. But if I leave, I'm going back to the hospital and you won't get to go with me. I was really hoping you'd come meet your sister and eat dinner with me tonight." Sam said. "I could use your company."

Kayla looked up, surprised that Sam wasn't mad at her for stomping out of the living room. Her crying, pained eyes bore holes into Sam's soul, reminding him far too much of Jess.

"Where was that place you said mommy was?"

"The ICU. It means Intensive Care Unit." Sam explained.

"Why do you have to be a grownup to see someone there?" Kayla asked. "She's my mommy, I should get to see her."

"Can I sit with you?" Sam asked, and Kayla nodded, her shoulder length brown hair bouncing slightly. Sam took his place on her bed. "I know it's unfair. But the doctors are worried that if you go see Mommy you'll catch whatever germs might be floating around the ICU. There's more than other areas of the hospital. You might get sick too."

"But you said she might never wake up." Kayla said. "Does that mean Mommy might die?"

Sam swallowed hard. The possibility had, of course, come to him, but he hadn't faced it yet. He just couldn't imagine raising the girls alone. It was too much to bear. He knew he'd have Leslie, John, Dean, and Bobby to help, but it just wouldn't be the same. Nothing would ever be all right again. At first, he wanted to snap at Kayla like he'd done in the living room when she blamed Mary for Jess being sick. But he didn't. And, as hard and painful as it was, he had to be honest with her.

"She might, baby." Sam said. "But we can't worry about what might happen. Mommy might just as easily get better and come home soon."

"I don't care if I get sick too." Kayla said. "It's worth it if I get to see her. Please, Daddy. Please. I can't let her die and not tell her that I love her."

Sam swallowed. Kayla pulled at his heartstrings the same way her mother did. "I promise I will tell Mommy every day how much you love her. But I do care if you get sick. I'm sorry, baby, I can't let you go see her." When Kayla started to cry all over again, Sam got an idea. "How about this? After uncle Dean brings you home tonight, I'll call and let you talk to Mommy on the phone."

"Can she hear me?"

"Yes." Sam said, wishing he felt half as confident as he let on. "She can't talk to you, but she can hear you."

"You promise you'll let me talk to her?" Kayla asked. "No matter what?"

"No matter what." Sam promised. "Will you come with me? Please?"

Kayla had thought about asking Daddy to video call her, but a plan was forming in her mind. She knew she'd get in big trouble for it, but she didn't care. Kayla knew that if it was her, bleeding so much she couldn't wake up, and the doctors told her mommy to stay away, the doctors would be the ones bleeding next. Kayla wasn't big enough to fight adults, so she'd just have to be extra careful that night.

"I'll come with you, Daddy. But can we eat first? I'm really hungry."

Sam agreed, and Kayla insisted on riding to the hospital with him. She asked John to get Leslie to come and join them for dinner too. She did want to see her grandma, but she knew that if anyone was waiting in mommy's room when she got there, they'd turn her around and send her back to Daddy.

"Don't be scared, Mommy. You'll only be by yourself for a few minutes. I'm coming, no matter what."

An hour later, Kayla's plan was in place. Grandma, grandpa, and Daddy were eating a late lunch with her in the hospital cafeteria. Kayla nearly deserted her plan. Sam looked so lost and lonely that she didn't want to make him even more upset. But she had to get to Mommy. She couldn't stand the thought of Mommy being in that room and not hearing her voice, or feeling Kayla's hug and kiss. Daddy would eventually forgive her. She had to believe that.

"Daddy, I need to go to the bathroom."

"Okay, sweetie. I'm sure grandma'll take you." Sam said.

"It's right across the hall. I can go by myself." Kayla said with a slight whine, praying her tactic would work.

"Kayla, we talked about this…" John warned.

"It's okay, Dad. Me and J…Kayla can go alone. We have a deal." Sam said. He turned to Kayla and said, "What's the deal?"

"Go straight to the bathroom, do not go anywhere but the bathroom, and come straight back." Kayla recited.

"Or?"

"Take a trip back to the bathroom and come out with a sore butt." Kayla said with a sour expression.

When Kayla noticed her grandfather nodding approvingly, her sour expression deepened. She hated having to repeat what she thought was a dumb rule in front of her grandparents. Kayla was old enough to use the bathroom by herself. But now wasn't the time to argue. She had to get away.

"You've got three minutes, then I'm sending grandma in to look for you." Sam said.

"I'm supposed to get five." Kayla reminded him.

"Four." Sam said. "And not a minute more, young lady."

"Yes, sir." Kayla said.

Finally, she was gone. She walked towards the bathroom and went inside, knowing full well her father was watching. She peered around the corner of the doorframe, and when Sam's back was turned, she made her move. She darted out from behind the doorway of the bathroom and down the hall. She was free.

She was free, but she didn't have a lot of time. She knew that, at exactly the four-minute mark, someone would come looking for her. Kayla kept walking down the hall, not stopping until she came to an elevator. Kayla looked at the sign on the wall, and she got excited when she saw it.

INTENSIVE CARE-FIFTH FLOOR

"Going up?"

Kayla jumped. She hadn't heard anyone come up behind her. But there was a doctor, an older man that looked familiar to Kayla, but that she couldn't quite place. She didn't know why, but she wasn't scared. He seemed friendly enough. She knew she shouldn't talk to strangers, but she needed help.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm going up too."

"Yeah. I've got to go to the ICU." Kayla said.

"What a coincidence. I'm headed there too." The doctor pressed the upward arrow and they waited together for the elevator. "I'm Lucky."

"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." Kayla said.

"That's a good rule. Very smart." Lucky said. The elevator doors opened and Lucky motioned inside. "After you."

"Thank you." Kayla said. When they were inside, Kayla couldn't help but ask, "Can I press the button?"

"You certainly may." Lucky smiled and pointed at the 'five' on the wall. "That one right there."

Kayla pressed it, and couldn't help the smile that crossed her lips. Even at eight, she loved pressing buttons. As she went to the corner of the elevator opposite Lucky, she giggled a bit, then realized she probably shouldn't look so excited. She was trying to pass for a grownup. So she closed her mouth and looked hard at her feet. She took another look at Lucky, who was watching the numbers change on the elevator slowly.

"Are you a doctor?"

"I am." Lucky answered.

"When we get up there, would you help me find my mommy?" Kayla asked. "I wanted to go see her, but my daddy said that the doctors said I couldn't."

"Is that why you're doing this yourself? Because your daddy said no?"

"Yeah." Kayla admitted. "Are you gonna take me back to him?"

Lucky sighed. "If you promise that when I take you to your mommy, you will stay in the room with her."

"Really? You won't make me leave?"

"No." Lucky said. "You see, we doctors have got rules to follow, but we're allowed to break them if we think we need to. If you're working this hard to get to your mommy, I can tell you love her very much. But like I said, you have to stay in the room with her and you can't leave. Do we have a deal?"

"Deal!" Kayla said. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, sweetheart."

The elevator finally came up to the fifth floor, and Kayla stepped out after Lucky did. He took her hand and led her to a room on the far end of the hallway. The door was closed, and Kayla suddenly found herself nervous and scared again. She saw the 'J. Winchester' nameplate on the outside of the door, and she stopped cold. Lucky seemed to sense her reluctance, and knelt down to talk to her.

"Are you okay?"

"My mommy's in there?" Kayla asked quietly.

"Yes. She's right in here." Lucky said, pointing to the door.

"Can she hear me?" Kayla asked.

"Yes. She can. She can't answer you, but you can talk to her all you want." Lucky explained. "Would you like to sit on the bed with her?"

"Can I?" Kayla asked.

"You can. Just be careful with the tubes and things that are attached to your mommy. They might look scary, but they're helping her get better. Okay?"

"Okay. I'll be careful." Kayla said. "Dr. Lucky? Is mommy hurting?"

"No. She's not in pain, sweetheart. She's just very sick and asleep. Are you ready to go in?"

"I guess." Kayla said. "Let's go."

Lucky led the small, frightened girl inside. Kayla stood at the end of Jess's bed for a long moment before going any further. It looked like her mommy, but it didn't look like her too. There were tubes going in and out, and a couple of machines that seemed to help mommy breathe. Mommy looked white, like a ghost, and Kayla wondered just how much blood she really had lost.

"Are you okay, Kayla? It's alright if you've changed your mind."

"No. I want to see her." Kayla said. "You said I could get on the bed?"

"Yep. Right here." Lucky helped her climb up on the bed, and helped her get into a position where she could sit comfortably. "I'll leave you alone now."

"Thank you." Kayla said, keeping her eyes on her mother.

Lucky left, and Kayla sat awkwardly looking at her mother. Finally, Kayla took some of her mother's hair and moved it out of her face. Just like Jess did with her when Kayla was lying down sick. Kayla wanted to talk, but she was afraid she'd start crying if she did. Mommy needed her to be strong, so Kayla waited until she could talk without crying to say anything.

"Hi, Mommy." Kayla said. Her voice wouldn't stop shaking, so she spoke slowly. "It's Kayla. I'm sorry I haven't come yet, but I didn't know where you were." Kayla stopped playing with Jess's hair; it was getting harder and harder to talk, but she had to do it. "I ran away from Daddy to get here to you. I know you wouldn't've like that, but I had to come see you."

Kayla waited a moment, hoping that Jess would answer her. When it didn't happen, Kayla got scared. Really scared.

"Mommy, I know you don't feel good. But you gotta wake up. I need you. You're the best mommy in the whole world and I need you to come back. Please, mommy, please wake up."

She knew it wouldn't do any good, but she had to try. Kayla placed her hands on Jess's chest and shook her, despite Lucky's warning to be careful with the medical equipment on Jess's bed. When it didn't work, just as Kayla was afraid it wouldn't, Kayla lost her fight to not cry. She didn't mean to fall asleep, but the last thing she remembered before waking up was lying down next to her mother, wrapping an arm around her waist, and begging her again to wake up.

Down in the cafeteria, Sam was oblivious to what was going on. He found himself, for the first time in days, relaxed. John was doing his best to try and cheer him and Leslie up, and they'd lost track of how much time Kayla had been gone. Sam checked his clock and jumped.

"Oh, my God."

"Sam? What is it?" Leslie asked.

"Kayla's been gone almost ten minutes. You guys didn't notice?"

"No, we didn't." John said.

"We're sorry, Sam."

"It's not your fault." Sam said. "I'll be right back."

Sam fought back both panic and anger. He certainly didn't want to spank Kayla today, but that was better than the two alternatives-that she was sick, and just hadn't come back yet, or worse, she had been taken. He would later wonder why it hadn't occurred to him to check Jess's room, but the thought just never came to him. He poked his head into the women's room, checked under the stalls for feet, and called Kayla's name, with no results. Panicking, he went into the hall and called Kayla's name, running up and down the hall, praying to find her. John and Leslie came out to join him when they heard him calling Kayla's name.

"Sam?"

"She's gone, Dad. I can't find her." Sam said.

"Okay, okay, stay calm, son. We'll find her." John said. "Where have you looked?"

In her sixty years of life, Leslie had only truly panicked a handful of times. But between worrying about Jess, worrying about Mary, and now, worrying about Kayla, it was all beginning to take its toll. While Sam talked to the security guards about the missing Kayla, John sat with Leslie in the waiting room chairs, trying to calm her.

"We'll find her."

"You don't know that." Leslie said. "Besides, I'm not really thinking about Kayla right now."

"Jess?"

"Yeah." Leslie said. "Is that terrible?"

"That you're worried about your sick kid? Not at all."

"That I'm not that worried about Kayla." Leslie said.

"You've got too much going on right now. That doesn't make you a bad person. It makes you human."

"Did Sam ever tell you where Kayla got her name from?" Leslie asked.

"No."

"Jess had twin sisters. They were three years older than her. Katherine and Layla." Leslie explained.

"I didn't know you have other kids." John said.

"I don't." Leslie said, restraining a sob.

"What happened to them?" John asked, afraid he didn't want to know the answer.

"I was nine months pregnant with Jess. Lloyd was gone, on a case in another city that day. It was a nice day, and the girls were begging to go outside. I took them out, and sat on the porch while they played in the yard. The mailman came, and the girls wanted to go get the mail for me. I told them it was okay, and to be careful." Leslie was staring straight ahead, and John took her hand to try and comfort her. "They were at the mailbox when this guy came speeding down the street…"

"Both of them?" John asked.

"On impact." Leslie said.

"My God, I'm so sorry." John said. Losing spouses was what had connected John and Leslie in the first place. But John could scarcely imagine losing one child, much less two.

"I had Jess two days later. As bad as it was losing the girls, having Jess saved me. She gave me something to hold onto."

"That makes sense."

"I can't do it again, John. I can't lose another baby…"

Before John could comfort Leslie any further, Sam came running to them. "Guys, they found Kayla."

"Where is she?" Leslie asked.

"Jess's room."

The three adults travelled up to the fifth floor, all holding their breath that Kayla was safe. They were met outside Jess's door by the nurse that Sam had become familiar with. Nurse Owens, a kind woman a few years older than Sam, looked distraught and apologetic.

"Mr. Winchester, I'm so sorry. I checked your wife's room twice when I heard your daughter was missing, but I never saw her…"

"It's fine. Is she okay?" Sam asked.

"She seems fine. She's just asleep. Do you want me to wake her up?"

"No. It's fine. Thank you." Sam said. "Thank you."

Sam opened the door to Jess's room, and for the first time in days, there was something on the bed other than Jess. Kayla was curled up next to her mother, arm around Jess's waist, sleeping soundly. Sam sighed deeply, his relief overwhelming. But the relief gave way to guilt. He realized that Kayla being 'hungry' had actually been a smokescreen. She had planned to run and try to find her way to Jess the second she agreed to go to the hospital with him. He knew that he should be angry about it, be disappointed that she had deliberately deceived him, but he really wasn't. He was proud. He was proud that Kayla had fought so hard to get to her mother, no matter what it cost.

He also felt like an idiot. It was the kind of thing Jess would have seen coming a mile away.

Sam quietly approached the bed and placed a hand on Kayla's arm. She stirred a little, but didn't wake. Sam saw the fresh tear marks on her face. He noticed Jess's hair slightly out of place, and imagined Kayla playing with her mother's hair before she went to sleep. She often did it when she'd just had a bad dream, and, Sam thought to himself, they were in just about the worst dream imaginable. He gently shook Kayla awake.

"Kayla. Wake up, sweetie."

Kayla stirred, whining softly. She gripped Jess' arm a little tighter. "M'my."

"Kay. Wake up, baby."

Kayla opened her eyes and looked up. "Daddy?"

"Sit up, kiddo."

Kayla sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Kayla, you had me worried sick about you." Sam said. "Me and grandma and grandpa too."

"I'm sorry." Kayla said. "I'm sorry, Daddy."

"Why did you do it?" Sam asked.

"I had to see her. Daddy, I had to. Please don't make me leave." Kayla begged.

Sam frowned. "Kayla, you can't stay…"

"I need my mommy. Please don't make me go." Kayla begged, keeping her voice quiet so her mommy could sleep. "I'll be really quiet, I'll take whatever punishment you give me, just please don't make me go, Daddy."

"You can stay." Sam said, surprising even himself. "You can stay until bedtime."

"Thank you, Daddy." Kayla said. "Thank you."

"I want you to think about going to see Mary too."

"No." Kayla said. "No, she made Mommy sick. I don't want to see her."

"Kay…"

"I tried to wake up Mommy." Kayla said, the tears swimming dangerously close to the edge of her eyes. "I asked her to come back, I told her that I needed her."

"Honey…"

"Daddy, why won't she wake up?" Kayla asked. "Why won't Mommy come back?"

"I don't know, baby." Sam said. "I wish I could bring her back, but I can't."

"I want my mommy…"

Sam pulled the chair in the room next to the bed and picked up the now crying out of control Kayla. Kayla shook so hard crying for her mommy that Sam felt himself shaking too. He missed Jess the most at that very moment. She would know exactly the right thing to say and do to not only calm Kayla, but have her laughing uproariously and forgetting all about why she was hurting so much in the first place. All Sam could think to do was to keep saying he was sorry, that he wanted her mommy back too. Kayla was crying so hard that Sam nearly missed it.

"Why she crying?"

Sam was so startled that he almost dropped Kayla. "Jess?"

Kayla turned in Sam's lap and squealed in delight. "Mommy! You're awake!"

"Why…" Jess' voice was scratchy from not using it for days, "…why are you crying so much? What's wrong?"

"Kayla, stay here with your mommy. I'm going to get the doctor."

Jess was examined and given clearance to see Mary. Kayla refused to leave her mother's side, but wouldn't touch Mary. Finally, long after it had gotten dark and long after Kayla should've been in bed, Sam made the announcement.

"Kayla bug, it's time for you to go home and go to bed."

"No!" Kayla begged, grabbing Jess's arm. "You said I could stay."

"I said you could stay until bedtime. It's past your bedtime, you need to go home and go to sleep."

"Kay." Jess said. "Listen to your daddy, okay? I don't want you spending the night here. I want you to go home and get some sleep. You can come back tomorrow."

"But Mommy, you've been gone so long…"

"Shh. Listen to me, okay? The hard part is over. I'm getting better, and the doctor said I'll be home in a couple of days at the most. But I need you to go home right now so that I'm not worried about you too. I need you to help me and Daddy by getting the house ready for us to bring the baby home."

"What do I need to do?" Kayla asked.

"Just make sure that everything's picked up really neat and clean. Okay? Will you do that for me?"

"I'll do it, Mommy." Kayla said. "Promise."

"But don't worry. You're not the only one going home."

"What do you mean?" Kayla asked.

"Grandma, Grandpa, and Daddy are going with you." All three adults started to protest, but Jess raised her hand to silence them. "No. No arguing with me. I know you guys. You've all been here every day since I had Mary. I want you to take Kayla home and spend some time with her. She deserves it. She's gotten the short end of the stick the last few days, and it's time we fix that. She doesn't have to go to school until I come home, and I don't want any of you back tomorrow until at least lunchtime. Mary and I are fine. Go home."

"Jess, honey…"

"Wait just a minute now, young lady, I'm your mother and I'm staying here…"

"Kayla." Jess said, cutting Sam and Leslie off at the same time. "When you're not in school, what time do we usually eat lunch?"

"Twelve o'clock."

"If Grandma or Daddy tries to get back in the car before twelve tomorrow, I want you to hit them with a water balloon." Jess said.

Kayla giggled almost as hard as she had been crying earlier that afternoon. "Okay!"

"Alright, we get the point." Leslie said. "Let's go."

The room emptied quickly, and Kayla was fast asleep by the time they pulled into the house. Sam picked her up carefully. Leslie offered to spend the night with Sam at the house, but Sam declined. John and Leslie said goodnight to Sam, promising to be back in the morning. Dean, who had been at Sam's all day with Bobby finishing what was left of Mary's room, went to Leslie's so that Sam could have a little peace and quiet. As Sam carried Kayla to her room, Kayla stirred awake.

"Daddy, can I seep wif 'ou?" Kayla slurred.

"Sure, baby." Sam said. "Let's go."

Sam laid Kayla down on his bed and promised to be back. He quickly changed into fresh pajamas and came back. Kayla was sitting up in the middle of the bed, looking at her feet.

"What are you thinking about?"

"I'm sorry, Daddy."

"For what?" Sam asked.

"Running away at the hospital." Kayla said. "I know I scared you really bad and I'm sorry."

Sam flipped off the light switch and climbed into the bed on the side he normally slept on. "Come here, baby." When Kayla was lying down next to him, Sam said, "I know why you ran away. I understand it. And I'm sorry too. I should never have tried to keep you from Mommy. That was wrong of me."

"Am I in trouble?" Kayla asked.

"You should be." Sam said. "And if you run away again, you will be. But because you were just trying to get to Mommy, I'll forgive it this time."

"Thanks, Daddy." Kayla said.

"Get some sleep, baby." Sam said, kissing the top of Kayla's head. "I love you."

"Love you too, Daddy."