Chapter Eleven

Here We Are Again

Emma and Peter rushed into the emergency room to find Manny sitting in a chair in a waiting room. They quickly ran over to her.

"What's going on?" Emma asked terrified.

"Yeah, is Elizabeth ok?" Peter asked concerned.

"I don't know yet, they wouldn't tell me anything since I'm not family." Manny replied upset.

Emma nodded and walked over to the front desk with Peter.

"I'm looking for Elizabeth Sierra Nelson-Stone." Emma told the receptionist.

"And how are you two related to Elizabeth?" The receptionist questioned.

"We're her parents." Peter responded.

The receptionist nodded and searched "Elizabeth Sierra Nelson-Stone" on her computer.

"Elizabeth went into cardiac arrest but it seems as though her condition is stabilized. She's in the NICU. If you both go there you'll find her. Do you both know where that is?" She asked.

They nodded and grabbed Manny and went to the NICU.

Emma pushed open the doors to the familiar room. "Hi, I'm Elizabeth Nelson-Stone's mother, where is she?" Emma asked frantically.

"Is she ok, the receptionist in the emergency room said she went into cardiac arrest." Peter said upset.

"Well it seems as though little Elizabeth here has a solid tumor in her chest." The doctor said slowly, not wanting to upset the young parents.

"Oh my god." Emma said starting to cry. Peter embraced her, crying himself now. He couldn't lose is daughter, he loved her too much.

"What does that mean? She has ca-cancer?" Peter asked, trying to get the words out.

"Well, I'm not too sure yet, but I think so. The reason Elizabeth was having trouble keeping her food down and had trouble breathing was because the tumor was in her chest. We're going to do a cat scan soon to check if it's cancerous. She'll have to stay here on constant watch." The doctor said answering Peter's questions.

"Is she….is she going to die?" Emma managed to ask. Peter stared at the doctor stunned. "How can my daughter have a tumor?" Peter thought to himself.

"Can we see Elizabeth?" Peter asked.

"I'm sorry, but you can't right now. She's getting blood and bone marrow tests. You can wait in the waiting room down the hall and I'll come get you when everything is done. I'm very sorry." He answered.

They both nodded, too upset to speak.

"You will also need to fill out some forms and sign some things, see the receptionist in the waiting room and she'll give you everything." The doctor said going back to tend other babies.

Emma and Peter walked into the waiting room, they got the paper work, filled out and signed everything and finally sat back down, taking in everything Dr. Jake Thomas had told them.

"Em, I'm really sorry what I say earlier, about me having a life and wanting a break. I don't, I was just stressed, overtired you know." Peter said holding Emma's hand.

"I know what you mean, just forget about it, there are worse things happening now." Emma replied. Peter nodded.

"I can't believe Elizabeth might die of a tumor-a cancerous tumor, that's just not right. She's too young." Peter said his eyes getting moist.

"I know, I didn't think we'd ever have to see Elizabeth in this hospital again, but here we are." Emma said crying on Peter's shoulder. Peter cried as well.

About four hours later Dr. Thomas came into the waiting room. "You may come see Elizabeth now." He said to the two of them.

"How was the cat scan?" Peter asked on the way to the NICU.

"I'm sorry but I'm afraid Elizabeth has a cancerous tumor, she has severe neuroblastoma, which is a cancer of the nervous system. I'm afraid that two thirds of children with this don't survive." The doctor told them.

Peter looked at Emma, sorrow filling both of their eyes. They entered the NICU.

They stopped at the incubator with their daughter in it. She looked pale, weaker than usual. She wasn't kicking her legs or making spit bubbles, her eyes were barely open and she looked exhausted.

"Hi, baby, mommy's here now, everything's going to be ok, I won't let anything happen to you. I love you." Emma said reaching in and touching Elizabeth's frail hand. Elizabeth was too weak to grab it, as she always used to do.

Peter rubbed her arm. "Hey Lizzie, I promise you, your mommy and I won't let anything bad happen to you, we both love you so much." Peter said now crying as well as Emma. About twenty minutes later the nurse told them to leave, Elizabeth needed to rest.

"What now?" Emma asked the doctor.

"Well, Elizabeth will undergo several MRI's tomorrow and another cat scan, and more blood tests. We recommend you staying overnight." Dr. Thomas said.

"Of course." Peter replied.

Peter led a sobbing Emma out of the NICU and into the waiting room where they both sat, crying. Manny had been waiting for them in the waiting room to hear the news; the nurses wouldn't let her in the NICU. Peter told her everything, as well as Emma's parents and his mother. They all planned to visit in the morning, as it was very late.

Emma sighed and nuzzled her tear stained face onto Peter's shoulder. He let the hot tears pour down his face, thinking of his tiny daughter, being sick. They both fell asleep, dreaming about happier things.

AN: I hope you liked it! Please review!