"So her sore back all these months…she had a fractured disk?"

Rick stared at the doctor in disbelief as Rudy nodded.

"I'm sorry, son….I know we all thought Laurie had arthritis …..the fracture was on the inside of the disk. It never would have shown up if she hadn't had the wind knocked out of her by Morgan's throwing her to the floor, it caused her disc to split open. But Allen's the best at this kind of surgery….I taught him how to use the selisium as a filler, so she won't have any more deterioration. She should be waking up in …"Rudy looked at his watch, "about 10 minutes. We'll know more once the inflammation goes down, but I think she'll be back to normal in about a month."

"Thank you, Rudy. I know how hard it was to let go of treating her, but next to you and Doc, I trust Allen the most." Rick admitted, continuing to pace. Even though Morgan Ford was dead and John Hoff in jail, he kept having flashbacks of his wife laying on the garage floor. As if reading his thoughts, the older man moved from the waiting room doorway to stop him in his tracks.

"Laurie's going to be all right, Rick. I need you to calm down so when she wakes up, she won't be worrying about you. You know how she feels about being an invalid….."

Rick took a deep breath, then hugged him. "Thank you, Rudy. I don't know what I'd, heck, what we'd do without you. When I think of her lying there…blood all over her.." he choked.

"Rick…stop that. Laurie doesn't need your pity party…" A.J. interrupted him, coming into the room. Rick stared at him, then sat down heavily, tears in his eyes.

"A.J…..I can't help it…he was aiming his gun at me…I told her to drop, but she hit his arm and he …slammed her to the ground! She saved me….but I thought I lost her…."

"But you didn't, Rick….so don't keep rehashing it. You saved her too, and you brought her back, remember?" A.J. told him emotionally, sitting next to him and putting a arm around his brother.

"That's true, son….she could have stopped breathing if you hadn't gotten to her so fast." Rudy reminded him. Chastened, the older Simon wiped his eyes, then took a deep breath.

"Thanks guys, I promise not to go borrowing trouble again. Now let me go see my princess." He said, standing up.

"That's more like it, Rick. She should be in her room now." Rudy smiled, then led the two brothers to the recovery ward. As they approached Laurie's room, Dr. Allen came out to meet them.

"Perfect timing, Rick. Laurie's just starting to come out of it, so go in and help her wake up. She's not going to feel any pain for a while, then the nurse will be in with her medicine."

"How….is she…will Laurie.." Rick swallowed, "be able to walk?"

The doctor nodded. "She should be able to start rehab in a week, Rick. No horseback riding or driving for at least 6 weeks, but you can get her out and about as soon as she can bear weight."

Relief washed over him. "Thanks, Doc!" he smiled, then went into his wife's room. As he sat next to her bed, Rick took her hand in his and kissed it.

"Rick?" Laurie opened her eyes, then smiled groggily at him. "I thought I was dreaming…. Did Dr. Allen operate?"

"Yes, darlin'….you're all better now." He whispered emotionally, then put his face next to hers. "I love you, my angel….I don't ever want to be without you…."

"Oh, Rick…no..I won't leave you, my love…you saved me..I was so scared, I couldn't even call to you, I was so afraid." She murmured.

"I know, sweetheart….but you saved me too….such a brave girl." Rick told her, kissing her gently. "Now you need to rest up, 'cause our family will be wanting to see you."

"They can wait…what I need now is you." She said, kissing him back. Just then there was a knock on the door, and Laurie sighed.

"Told you…" he teased. "Just wait until I get you home…"

"All right, Ceci….go past him…" A.J. rooted his oldest daughter on as she dribbled past her brothers and cousin Andy, then shot the basketball into the hoop.

"Yea!!!!!" Melly and the other cousins cheered, as the adults laughed. At once Ceci high-fived her opponents, then raced over to where Rick and Laurie sat.

"Just like I taught you, honey…Good play." Her aunt held up a hand and Ceci slapped it.

"Thanks, Auntie, you too, Uncle Rick. Hey Andy, best two out of three?"

Amid the pretend groaning and moaning of her cousins and brothers, Linda announced, "Time enough for that later, we have an Easter cake to cut!"

"Are we going to ride the wagon, Daddy?" Melly looked up at her father expectantly, but A.J. shook his head.

"Sorry, honey, but not this year. Auntie can't ride a wagon yet…" he began, only for Rick to interrupt.

"Yes she can, Rudy cleared her yesterday, right Dad?"

Oscar looked up from the grill he was cleaning. "Right, son. As long as she rides in the bed of the wagon and is careful, we can go out to the meadow."

"Okay, talk about me like I'm not here, why don't you?" Laurie pretended to fuss, only to get a kiss from A.J. and a wink from Rick. "Now that's better." She laughed.

"Of course it is, sweetheart." Rick picked her up and carried her to the family's horse-drawn wagon, already lined with cushions and blankets. Carefully placing Laurie inside, he hoisted all the children inside, then settled himself next to his wife.

"Okay, Ricky, let it rip!" he hollered, then chuckled as his brother called out, "Wagon, ho!"

"Daaaad!" Ricky laughed, then slapped the reins. "Okay Brick, Joey, giddup!"

As the wagon lurched away from the ranch, a solitary figure watched them ride off.

Sensing that someone was watching them, Rick turned, then caught sight of a familiar face. Dumbstruck, he saw a contented smile, then nothing.

"Uncle Rick?"

Hearing his name, Rick dazedly turned to see a surprised Ricky looking at him. "Was that….the Chief?"

He nodded, then grinned contentedly. "Sure was, son. I think he just wanted to make sure we were keeping up the traditions."

"And we are, Chief….we'll make sure of it." Rick thought, putting an arm around Laurie as they rode over the hill and toward their past and future.

Fin