Sam had known that the relative peace of the last week was too good to be true. Abby started recovering slightly faster. Dr. Hart had weaned her off the medication for her headache, and it hadn't come back. Her fever was staying steady at 100, and she was able to eat a little more each day. She cheered up considerably with company in the room, so for the majority of the weekend, much to the admission nurses' chagrin, Abby's hospital room contained Abby, Sam, Jess, Kelsey, John, and Dean.

On Sunday afternoon, after John, Kelsey, Dean, and Jess had all decided to go for a walk, they came back to find that they could hear some kind of argument going on from Abby's room. Whatever Sam and Abby were arguing about, Jess was not looking forward to mediating it. She opened the door to find Abby pouting on the bed and Sam standing at the window.

"It's not fair, Daddy! I been in this bed for fifty million days!"

"Honey, I just think you need to wait a little longer…"

"Hey you two! Time out! What's going on?" Jess asked.

"Dr. Hart said I could go outside and play if I wanted to and Daddy said no!"

"What?" Jess asked. "Really?"

"Yeah." Abby said, throwing her arms over her chest.

"Sam? What's going on?"

Sam frowned, knowing he was about to lose this argument. "Dr. Hart came in to check on her and said there's a small playroom on the pediatrics floor and an outdoor garden she can visit if she's feeling up to it."

"So, if she's feeling up to it, what's the problem?"

"That's what I said!" Abby exclaimed, in a voice that clearly said told you so to her father.

"Sam, can I talk to you in the hallway for a second, please?"

"Jess…"

"That wasn't really a question, Sam." Jess said, holding open the door going out into the hallway.

Annoyed, Sam walked to the hallway with Jess, who leaned against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest. "What's going on?"

"I just think she needs to rest some more."

"Sam. Listen to me. I know you're worried, and I know you want her to get better. But she has been in bed for two weeks. She will not get better if she doesn't get up and get some exercise too." When Sam pursed his lips tightly, Jess reminded him, "Look. I know I disagree with you over how to deal with the girls a lot. But how often do I go against you?"

"Never."

"Fair warning. You don't go in there and tell Abby she can go downstairs, it's going to happen." Jess said. "With you going back to work next week, I will not spend all day listening to her crying because she wants to go outside and Daddy said no. As long as the doctor says it's okay, she's going outside."

He didn't want to admit it, but he knew Jess was right. "You're right."

"Hey." Jess pulled her arms around Sam's waist, which always immediately made him calm down. "She's getting better."

"I know."

"Do you?" Jess asked. "Because you seem like something's really bothering you."

"It bothers me that she didn't think I would stay with her."

"What?" Jess asked.

"The night you went home with Kelsey. She thought we were going to leave her alone." Sam explained. "Why would she think that instead of thinking that Daddy would be here?"

"Oh, Sam." Jess said sympathetically. "She knows you love her too. You just have to remember. Who's she with eighty percent of the time?"

"You."

"Right. She knows you love her, she's just more used to me being there. Does that make sense?" Jess asked.

"I guess."

"Sam, I promise. She knows you love her." When Sam didn't seem to believe her, Jess suggested, "Look, why don't you take her to that garden?"

"Without you?"

"Dean and I'll be here all week. I have a feeling the two of you need to talk." Jess said.

Jess arranged for a wheelchair, and a few minutes later, Sam was pushing Abby towards the garden on Dr. Hart's directions. There was a low brick wall there, and Sam pushed Abby towards the wall and took a seat there. Abby's entire face lit up as she looked at the flowers that were planted all along the wall.

"Wow." She whispered to herself. "Look, Daddy. They're so pretty."

"Yeah, they are." Sam said.

"Thank you, Daddy."

"For what?" Sam asked.

"I know you didn't want to come." Abby said. "Thank you for bringing me out here."

Sam sighed. "Baby, if I ask you something, do you promise me you'll tell me the truth?"

"Promise."

"You know that I love you right?" Sam asked.

"I know."

"Do you? Really?" Sam asked. "Do you remember that night that mommy went home with Kessy?" Abby nodded. "Why did you think that mommy and I would leave you here alone? Did you think that I didn't want to be here with you?"

Abby frowned. "It feels that way sometimes."

"Why?" Sam asked. "You're not in trouble, sweetie. I'm just trying to understand."

"Well, you get mad at me real easy." Abby said. "Like when Dr. Hart said I could come outside. It feels like sometimes if something'll make me happy, you say no just to be mean."

Damn that sounds familiar, Sam thought.

"I do know you love me, Daddy. I really do. I just don't feel like you like me mos' the time." Abby said. "I just want to be with you sometimes, and not be scared you'll yell at me for something."

"Oh, baby. I'm sorry." Sam said. "I really am."

"Don't cry, Daddy." Abby said. "You said I wasn't making you sad."

"You're not. You make me very, very happy. I know it doesn't feel like it, but I promise you do."

"Daddy, you go back to work tomorrow, right?"

"Right."

"You're still going to come see me?" Abby asked.

"I swear I will." Sam said. "Mommy's going to be here with you just like she has been. Papa's going to bring Kessy to see you after school. As soon as I get off work, I'll be here. And I'll spend the night if you want."

Abby looked around the garden again. "Can I walk around?"

His first instinct was to say no, but Sam resisted. "Do you promise me you'll tell me if you start feeling worse?"

"Promise."

"Okay. Sure. You can walk around." Sam said.

"Will you hold my hand?"

Sam smiled. "You bet."

It was getting dark when they left, nearly two hours after Jess had sent them to the garden. Abby walked slowly, and held Sam's hand in hers tightly, unless she was reaching out to try and touch some flower she found particularly appealing. There were small signs next to the different types of flowers describing what they were, and when requested, Sam would read them to Abby. He carried her back to the room, asleep with her head on his shoulder. As he tucked her into bed and prepared to leave with Kelsey, his heart felt slightly lighter.

"Good night, baby. I love you."

Across the street from the hospital, Dean was shopping for things for Jess. Snacks, easy to fix meals that would keep her from having to go to the cafeteria for every meal, things to entertain Abby. Dr. Hart had come to check on her and said that she was facing another few days in the hospital. She was recovering, but not as quickly as he'd like. Suddenly, Dean spotted something. He didn't know what made him get it, and he was certain that Sam wouldn't be happy about it, but he grabbed it. It was a kids' handheld video game, designed to teach numbers and letters. Abby was a smart kid when it came to numbers. At only five, and barely a few weeks into kindergarten, she could count all the way to 100, and already had a grasp of basic addition and subtraction. But she struggled with learning to read. Maybe if it's made fun for her, she'll learn it, he thought as he threw it into the cart. Making sure he had the batteries required for it, Dean headed to the checkout line.