A/N: Y'all. This cold is kicking my butt to hell and back. Updates might be spotty the next few days :(.
Having been at the hospital for a week, Jess felt guilty admitting to herself that it was a relief to be away from the hospital. Away from the bad hospital food, the constant beeping of the heart monitor, the steady influx of doctors and nurses, away from Abby's crying about wanting to go home.
Away from all the things that Abby was still having to deal with.
Jess shook the thought away, and turned her attention back to Kelsey. It was almost eleven, and the two of them were still up. Jess laughed as she thought of the face Sam would have made catching Kelsey up this late. Kelsey was catching her up on school, and Jess suddenly felt a stab of guilt.
"Baby, I'm sorry I haven't been here or talked to you much this week."
"It's okay, mommy. Really, it is. I know Sissy needs you." Kelsey said. "You're not upset I asked you to come home, are you?"
"No. No, I'm not." Jess said.
"Sissy wanted me to ask you about something." Kelsey said.
"What? Why didn't she ask me herself?"
"Because she thought Daddy would say no." Kesley explained.
Jess smiled. "Okay. What is it?"
"When you and Daddy went to eat earlier, she started crying. She said she felt like she was making everyone sad and making you and Daddy fight."
"She…she heard that?" Jess asked, more to herself than to Kelsey.
She and Sam had been fighting, but they'd been trying to keep it away from Abby. Fighting about Sam going back to work on Monday, about Sam trying to force Abby to keep up with her routine as much as possible, about generally getting on each other's nerves. Way to go dummy. You were in the same room with her, how much do you really think she didn't hear?
"Yeah. She did." Kelsey said. "She was crying and talking about how much she wanted to come home."
"What did she want you to ask me?"
"Whether or not she could come home. Just for one night." Kelsey said.
Jess frowned, and she felt guilty all over again. "Baby, I would love nothing more than for her to come home. But if she comes home before she's ready, she could get worse. And we can't let that happen. I'm sorry."
Kelsey nodded. "You're right."
"Look, why don't we do this?" Jess suggested. "Your dad's got your sister. We can sleep in tomorrow. Why don't we start a movie?"
"I don't have to go to bed?"
"I won't tell if you don't." Jess smiled.
"Deal."
"Abby. Wake up, honey. Come on, wake up."
Abby stirred and whined in her sleep.
"Abby. Wake up, sweetie."
Abby finally woke up and looked around wildly. Daddy was with her, she was safe. She wanted mommy, but mommy had gone home with Kessy for the night.
"You okay, honey?"
"Where's mommy?" Abby asked, even though she knew.
"Mommy went home, remember?" Sam said. "You okay?"
"Had a bad dweam." Abby said, rubbing her eyes of sleep.
"I figured. You want to talk about it?"
"No." Abby said immediately.
"You sure?" Sam asked. "It might help."
Abby sighed. She did need to talk about it, but she was afraid. "I'm afraid you'll tell me it'll come true."
"That what'll come true?" Sam asked. "Honey, what was your dream about?"
"You and mommy left me here because I got sick again." Abby said. "I tried to get you to come back but you wouldn't."
"Honey, look at me." When Abby kept looking at her feet, Sam picked her up, leaned against the head of the bed, and pulled her to him. "Abigail Joanna, look at me."
Abby squirmed. Daddy meant business when he called her full name. She looked up at his face, wondering what she was in trouble for now. But Daddy didn't look mad, just tired and sad. He wiped her face of the tears that were falling, and asked her quietly,
"Why are you afraid that mommy and I are gonna leave you?"
"Because you've been fighting about me." Abby said. "I heard you when you thought I was sleeping. Me getting sick's made everybody sad. I feel like I ruined everything."
"Shhh. Listen to me. You didn't ruin a thing. None of this is your fault. Mommy and I were arguing because we're tired. No other reason. I don't want you to blame yourself for that. You hear me?"
"I hear you." Abby said.
"Listen, baby. I know we don't always get along. I know I'm really tough on you, maybe more than I need to be. But I love you so much that it hurts me to see you hurting like this. If I could take this from you and be sick instead of you, I would."
"That's what mommy said." Abby sniffed.
"That's how much we both love you." Sam said with a slight smile. "You believe me?"
Abby nodded, wiping tears away again.
"What's wrong?" Sam asked. "You're still crying."
"It feels like it won't go away." Abby said. "I been sick for so many days. I just feel so bad."
"Oh, sweetheart, I know. I know you do. Come here."
She felt weak and fragile underneath her father's strong arms, but Sam held Abby tightly. She cried a little, but mostly just wanted him to hold her and comfort her. Sam didn't know how long they stayed that way, Abby burying herself into her father's chest and Sam rocking her gently back and forth, but Abby was just about to drift back to sleep when the door to Abby's hospital room opened and a voice that chilled Sam's spine spoke.
"Can I join you?"
Abby was still awake enough that she opened her eyes again and looked at the door in disbelief. Even though she hadn't seen him in months, she knew right away who it was. Her tears were immediately forgotten when she noticed a bag in his hands.
"Papa!"
Sam was decidedly less enthusiastic. "Hi, Dad."
