"I'm lieutenant colonel Joan Burton, deputy garrison commander here at Fort Marshall. Let me say first and foremost that our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those who have loved ones lost or injured in this tragedy. As a result of the involvement of one of our service members in the bombing of the 14th, the army's criminal investigative division, or C.I.D., has thus far determined the following: munitions stolen from Fort Marshall earlier this month have been recovered from the residence of sergeant George Polarski. That sergeant Polarski is believed to be solely responsible for the theft of these munitions and, we believe, obtained them specifically for this act. Let me be clear, we believe there is no further threat." Joan says dismissively as she walks off stage. "That was a news conference detailing the army's preliminary findings. It's been rumored the bomber's wife, Marilyn Polarski, was having an affair with a local civilian and that she was the intended target" The news reporter says on TV. "There was a second there... where the bomb didn't go off. Polarski just stood there squeezing the trigger as everyone panicked. People were running, shoving others to the ground trying to get out, to get to safety as another man tackled Polarski trying to get the trigger away from him. When I saw the men start fighting, I looked around and saw Roxie had ahold of Claudia Joy's arm trying to drag her out, while Roland got Denise. That...That's when I saw that Amanda was trying to get to her mom, because she was not going to leave without her mother. And Claudia Joy wasn't going to leave without her, so I shoved past other people and I grabbed ahold of Amanda's arm and started taking her with me. Only we had too much space between us, so I turned around and wrapped an arm around her shoulders while I clamped my hand on her left wrist, making sure I had a tight hold on her as we went for the door. I didn't know what was happening behind me, all I kept saying to Amanda was don't look back, run to the door and stay with me. We were walking down the steps of the outdoor patio and picking up our pace when the explosion went off and we were thrown off our feet, landing several yards ahead right in the middle of the road." I say as I sit on the couch in Rick's living room with a cup of coffee in my hand while the inspectors take notes on the opposite couch. There is a heavy silence that blankets the room for a while. Just as one of the investigators is about to speak Alexis comes running into the room. "Kate, can you play now?" Alexis asks sweetly as she climbs onto my lap. "Sure sweetie, just let me finish talking to these nice men." I say smiling at Alexis as I help her back down so she can run and play. "Thank you for your time ma'am, we'll see ourselves out" The older investigator says with a gentle smile as he and his partner stand up and walk to the door. After seeing the men out I make my way out to the back yard. Katie, Lucas, TJ, Fin, and Alexis are running around in the grass with giant bubble wands trying to get bubbles on each other as I sit in the last lawn chair. Roxy is sitting to my immediate right, next to her is Pamela, and the last two house Joan and Roland. "Has anyone heard from Michael about Claudia Joy and Amanda?" I ask after I take a sip of my lemonade trying not to hiss in pain as I move my right wrist too much. "No, but we are supposed to be getting a call in an hour from him. And if he forgets, we can all just go down there." Denise states. As if he can hear us talk about him, Denise's phone rings. "We will be right there." Denise says with a smile as Roxie gets a text. "Claudia Joy just woke up and wants to see all of us." Denise explains as we start getting around. "Guys, that was the hospital. Betty...Betty didn't survive." Roxie says as she starts crying.
"I read something once-to live in hearts you leave behind is not to die. Now I know Betty wouldn't want us to get all mushy and everything, she'd be more for a drunken bar party, but I think I speak for everyone when I say I hope that's true." Pamela's muffled voice sounds through the group hug in Claudia Joy's room. "Kate, how are you?" Claudia Joy asks as we all find a spot to sit down in the hospital room. "I'm fine. Just a fractured wrist, some bumps and bruises, and a concussion that resolved itself within twenty-four hours." I say smiling. "You call that fine?" Michael asks stunned while the girls look at me like I am crazy. "Really, I'm fine. In fact, the first week on the job I worked through a pair of cracked ribs." I state offhand. After a moment of everyone staring at me, I ask how Amanda is doing. "She's doing better. The gash on her forehead isn't infected anymore, her wrist is bandaged and in a sling, and her leg has been put in a cast this morning." Michael explains with a tight smile. "When will she be released?" Denise asks. "If everything checks out, today. Otherwise she will have to stay for another night." Michael says. "What about you Claudia Joy?" I ask worriedly. "Later this week. Some of my burns still need to be cleaned and dressed." Claudia Joy explains. "Well there's no need to worry, we all have been checking in and staying with Emmalin every night." Roxie tells Claudia Joy as we all nod. "Thank you, all of you for helping my family; especially you, Kate. You made sure Amanda was out away from the bomb, she might not be here." Michael says trying not to cry as Claudia Joy puts her hand on his arm. "I just did what anyone else with my training would have done." I say shyly trying to brush of their praise. "No, Kate. You did more than that, you saved our little girl." Michael says as he steps over and wraps me up in a hug. After a moment of hugging, Roxie asks me how my dad is doing. "Well, he hardly talks to me, his nurse is over twenty-four seven, and his cancer is just getting worse so all there doing is making him as comfortable as possible." I explain with a watery smile. "Have you contacted any of your family? You may need them when the time comes." Roland says. "My mother was murdered when I was nineteen, it was a hired hit; she was stabbed to death. Ever since then it's only been me and my dad, then my friends from work when I became a detective." I explain as my phone starts ringing. "Hello?" I ask into the phone. "Hello, this is Mrs. Webster from Fort Marshal elementary school calling on behalf of Alexis Castle." Mrs. Webster announces over the phone. "Is she alright?!" I ask, starting to panic. "She's alright. Just a small stomach bug, most likely the flu." Mrs. Webster says calmly as I hear Alexis cry on the other end. "I'm on my way." I say before I quickly hang up and gather my things. "Kate, what's wrong?" Denise asks as I dig out my keys. "Alexis is sick with the flu at school." I explain as I rush out the door with Denise on my tail.
"I want daddy!" Alexis cries as I help her settle back down on her bed. "I know sweetie, I know; but your daddy is helping the army save lives." I say trying to sooth Alexis so she can take her kid's medication. "But I want daddy here!" She cries again starting to get red in the face. "Honey, if he could be here he would, but I'm here so why don't you take you medicine so you can get all better." I try to coax the medicine into her mouth only to have her turn her head causing me to spill the purple liquid. "Alexis, please take your medicine for me. I promise you if your dad calls today I'll wake you up so you can talk to him." I say starting to lose my temper. Instead of an answer all I get is puke all down the front of me as Alexis gets sick yet again. "Here, why don't I take over while you get changed." Denise asks as she picks Alexis up and takes her to the bathroom. Sighing, I set the medicine on the bedside table and go into the guest room that Rick lets me use while I watch Alexis. I quickly strip out of my old baseball tee and jeans, and get in the shower. "She's asleep for now. Gave her the medicine, after a quick bath and clean clothes. Right now though she is running a fever, and I have to go back to the hospital." Denise says as she gets ready to leave. "Thank you so much for your help Denise." I say as I walk her out the door. After I check in on Alexis to make sure she is asleep I gather up two bottles of room temperature water, her bottle of children's Motrin, along with a blanket and Rick's Gone With the Wind book. Then I settle myself in a chair in Alexis's room. Throughout the night I help Alexis through bouts of sickness, two more baths to cool her down and wash the puke off her, and her crying for Rick. That morning I wake up in the rocking chair that I was in most of the night, with little Alexis curled up in my lap and her quilt tucked around us. "Alexis sweetie how are you feeling?" I ask as I feel her forehead and cheeks with my hand. Her little face scrunched up in annoyance as I prompt her awake, but slowly her little blue eye's flutter open with a glassed over shine. "How do you feel sweetie?" I ask again as I shift her in my arms so I can get up and put her back in bed, only to find the bed had puke stains from last night. "Tummy hurts, want daddy." Alexis whines as she buries her head in my chest and winds her arms around my neck. "I know sweetie, I know. How about you get a small nap in my bed, while I clean yours?" I ask as I rub gentle soothing circles on her back. All I get from her is a small nod of her head before she falls asleep again. So I wrap her quilt around her as I take her down the hall and lay her down on my bed. Quietly leaving her to sleep off the rest of the sickness, I go back to her room and gather all her blankets and stuffed animals from her small bed and take them down to the laundry room to pre-treat them with bleach and soak them in cold water. Just as I am starting to hand wash poor monkey-bunkey, someone knocks on the door. "Hi Kate, we just came over to see if you needed any help with Alexis." Pamela asks as she and Roxie stand on the front porch. "Well, I was just about to wash her blankets since she got sick on them last night, other than that Alexis is asleep upstairs in my bed, wrapped up in her quilt. Actually, I have to give her the next dose of her medicine." I say as I welcome my two friends into the house. "I could do that while Roxie helps you make some soup for Alexis." Pamela offers as she takes her light jacket of. "Yeah, I could make chicken noodle for her, it's always a big hit with my boys when they're sick; besides Pamela here can't cook." Roxie teases as she goes right into the kitchen to get started. "Thank you, both of you." I say teary eyed at their generosity. "No problem, it's what friends do." Pamela says. "Just so you know she's a little upset, and she really wants Rick right now." I warn Pamela as she starts for the stairs, then go back to the stuffed animal in the kitchen sink. "So how bad did it get last night with her?" Roxie asks as I start scrubbing the toy. "Not too bad, just not pleasant; and a little disgusting." I say making a funny face as I run some cold water over the toy in my hand. "It never gets better, but you kind of get used to it when they're a baby, then by the time they're older it's not too bad." Roxie says with a smile. "That's just it though, I've never taken care of a kid before, never was around them growing up. Plus it's not like I'm her mother, I didn't give birth to her, change her diapers, or anything like that." I explain as I wring out Money-bunkey so I can dry him later. "You may not be that little girl's mother, but you care for her very much; and who knows someday you and Rick just might get married and have your own little ones." Roxie teases as Pamela walks into the kitchen. "That Roxie is probably never going to happen." I mumble as I take Monkey-bunkey and leave the room.
Later that day, after checking on my dad while Denise watches Alexis, I am heating up a bowl of soup when the phone rings. "Hello." I answer as I press accept. "Hi there, how are the two of you?" Rick asks on the other end. "We're doing alright, beside the fact Alexis is just getting over the flu. How are you?" I ask taking comfort just from the sound of his voice. "Alexis is sick, is she okay?!" Rick asks starting to panic. "Rick relax she's fine, watching Scooby-doo and eating some homemade chicken noodle soup and waiting for monkey-bunkey to finish drying." I say, trying to sooth his worries through the phone. "Are you sure she's fine?" Rick asks skeptically. "Yes I'm one-hundred percent sure she is fine." I answer a little annoyed that Rick would think I couldn't handle a small flu. "Here sweetie, there's someone on the phone for you come say hi." I call over to Alexis as I stand in the doorway to the living room phone in my hand. She smiles and pads over still wrapped up in her quilt. "Hello?" She squeaks out. "Hi pumpkin, are you feeling better?" I hear Rick ask through the phone as Alexis's little eyes widen is surprise as she smiles at me. "I'm fine daddy, Kate is taking really good care of me." Alexis says happily. "Well that's good to know." Rick says cheerfully. "She even stayed with me all night to make sure I was okay, unlike meanie Gina." Alexis says scrunching up her little face. "Well that was nice of her, but remember we don't talk behind people's backs pumpkin." Rick gently scolds. "Kate is really nice daddy, when are the two of you getting married?" Alexis asks hopefully as she stares at me. "Okay that's enough for now, why don't you finish your soup before it get's cold." I say taking the phone back from Alexis and giving her a slight push to the back in the direction of the couch. "Sorry about that, don't know where she got an idea like that." I apologize through the phone only to be met with Rick's laughter. "It's fine Kate, she's just curious." Rick chuckles in my ear. "So how are you doing, being over there; are you hurt or need anything?" I ask to change topics. "I'm doing as well as can be expected, not hurt; the only thing I need to know is if you're alright." Rick asks seriously. "Rick we're fine, I'm all healed up from the accident, just looking foreword to you coming home." I say as I sit down at the breakfast bar. "This may be the totally wrong time to ask, but when I get home would you consider going on a date with me?" Rick asks. "I..Rick..I don't know." I stutter. "You don't need to answer right now, think all you like about it, I have to go now so can I say goodnight to Alexis?" Rick states. "Sure." I say shocked as I hand the phone of to Alexis. "Goodnight pumpkin, daddy loves you very much, and I hope to come home safe and sound soon." Rick promises Alexis as she says her own goodnight to him. "Daddy wants to say goodnight Kate." Alexis says handing the phone back to me before leaving to go back to her movie. "Hello?" I ask putting the phone to my ear. "Goodnight and sweet dreams Kate." Ricks voice sounds in my ear. "Goodnight, oh and Rick; I accept." I say with a smile.