The party ended and everyone left. Rachel got a lot of "goodbyes" and hugs. There was a big mess and Rachel and Tom began to clean it up. Ashley and Sam were eating chocolate cake; kids plus chocolate cake late at night equals bad idea.

"Ashley, Sam, it's way past your bedtime", Tom told his children. "It's too late to be eating chocolate cake. Go get ready for bed."

His children wanted to be difficult and they both said "no" in unison.

Rachel decided to help Tom out. "Your father is right. It's really late and you do really need to go to bed. I'll be up in a few minutes to read."

Tom's children put down the chocolate cake and hurriedly ran up the steps shouting "Yay".

Tom looked at Rachel. "You're really good with them", Tom commented. "How do you get them to actually listen to you?"

"I don't know", Rachel said as she shrugged. "They just do."

"I wish they would listen to me. They fight me on everything I tell them to do", Tom complained.

Rachel smiled and they were both silent for a few minutes.

"Tom?"

"Yeah?"

Rachel walked over to him and hugged him. "Thank you", she told Tom.

"For what?", he asked her.

"For everything you have ever done for me, and this party. You didn't have to do it, you didn't have to do anything that you have ever done. Thank you so much."

"Tom's arms tightened around Rachel. "I wish you didn't have to leave", he admitted. Tom knew that it was a risky thing to say, but he said it anyway.

Did Rachel hear that right? Tom didn't want her to leave?

"Me too", she told him.

"Everyone is going to miss you, I know the kids will. I...", Tom was struggling for the right words. "I'll miss you." Words probably couldn't explain how much Tom would miss her.

Rachel pulled back and looked into his eyes. His expression was serious. When she heard those words, Rachel's heart fluttered. What Rachel really wanted to do was kiss him right there, but she knew that she just couldn't kiss the man and leave the next day. That would definitely complicate things; kiss him and not see him for months? If she would kiss him, that would make her want to stay even more.

"I'll miss you too", she told him and it was the truth. Since she couldn't actually kiss him, Rachel went for a cheek kiss. She got on her tiptoes and tried to kiss him on the cheek, but Tom moved his head slightly and she ended up kissing the corner of his mouth. Rachel froze and her lips lingered way too long. Rachel froze even more when she could have sworn that Tom was kissing her back.

Rachel finally pulled back from that awkward cheek/mouth kiss. She started blushing and muttered "Sorry".

"I better get up to the kids", she told him.

Rachel didn't want to do that. She wanted to go back and kiss him.. kiss him the right way. No friendly cheek kisses, no awkward mouth kisses. Rachel wanted the kind of kiss that would make her lips swell and make her gasp for air.

Tom just stood there and nodded his head.

Rachel walked to the kids' room. "What am I reading tonight?", she asked the children.

"You don't have to read tonight", Sam told her. "We just want you to stay in here with us. Will you?"

Rachel smiled. "Of course I will."

"We got you something", Ashley told Rachel as she jumped off the bed. She gave Rachel something that was wrapped up.

She unwrapped it and it was a picture frame. In it, was a picture of Tom, Rachel, Ashley, and Sam on one of their movie days and they were all smiling. God, she loved Tom's smile; she didn't get to see it very often.

"It's a picture of all of us, so you won't forget Ashley and I", Sam told Rachel.

"I could never forget you", Rachel told them. "Come give me a hug". They gave her a hug and Rachel said "I will take this with me wherever I go. Thank you".

Rachel had tears in her eyes.

"We will miss you Rachel", Ashley told her. "It won't be the same without you."

"I will miss you too."

"What if you get hurt again?", Sam asked. "Dad won't be there to help you. I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want you to leave." Sam had tears in his eyes.

"I will have a guard with me at all times", Rachel assured him. "I won't get hurt again. As far as we know, there aren't any of those bad people left. Everything will be okay."

"Can you video-chat us once a week?", Ashley asked her. "That's what we do with dad when we don't get to see him for a long time."

"Sure", Rachel said. "You two should get some sleep."

Rachel, will you lay beside me?", Sam asked.

"No", Ashley said. "Will you lay with me?"

"We can just sleep on one bed and I'll be in the middle. How is that?", Rachel asked them.

"Good", they both said in unison.

Rachel kissed both of their foreheads and the three of them fell asleep.