A/N: Chutes and Ladders is by Milton Bradley.

"Unna My!"

Logan looked up from the paper in time to drop it and catch the little boy who ran to him. He lifted him into his lap beside Maggie. "Hey, slugger." He smiled at Barek. "I see you got all the donut out of his hair."

"The donut was no problem. The jelly was a challenge."

"Good practice," he smiled. "And yes, I've had my fair share of practice," he added before she could say anything. "Spaghetti is my specialty."

Tommy patted Logan's chest to get his attention. "Unna My..."

"What is it, buddy?"

He reached out and gently touched his sister's cheek. "Maga seep," he whispered.

Logan nodded and whispered back, "Just for a little while, bud. She'll be up soon."

"Maga gup?"

"Yes. Soon." He kissed the baby's head. "What did you and Aunt Carolyn do after your bath?"

His face lit up. "'Wings!"

"Wings?"

He looked at Barek for clarification. She smiled. "We went down to the playground."

"Ah, you went on the swings."

Excited, Tom forgot about being quiet and bounced on his lap, babbling and laughing. Logan laughed with him, looking at Barek when the baby was done with his narrative. "Were Bobby and Alex with you?"

"We ran into Bobby in the hallway on his way to the room, and then Alex came with us for a little while before she went to check on him."

"Okay, then...the general gist I got was that he saw Daddy, then Mommy chased him and he played on the slide with a donut?"

Barek laughed. "Almost. We saw Bobby, Alex chased him around the slide and he wanted a donut."

"Oh, okay."

She gently ran her hand over his hair. "That was good, Mike. You have a real connection to these kids."

"Because I understand Tommyspeak?"

"Because you care enough to listen to him and learn Tommyspeak...just like you did when Maggie was little."

"Maggiespeak was a little easier."

"Every kid is different. You understand Tommy just fine. I've seen a change in you since Maggie and Tom were born, and they aren't even yours." She hesitated and ran a hand over her stomach. "Mike, if you love this baby as much as you love these two, I'll be happy."

He leaned over and gave her stomach a kiss. "I will. That much I think I can be sure of."

She placed a finger under his chin and tipped his face up so she could kiss him. He wasn't perfect, but he put his heart into this part of his life and she loved him for it. In his lap, Tommy started bouncing and squealing. "Maga! Maga!"

They looked toward the little girl in his lap. Maggie had opened her eyes and now she smiled broadly at her little brother. "Tommy!"

Tommy dove into his sister's arms, hugging her tight and squealing her name. Maggie giggled. "My baby missed me!"

"I see that."

She looked around. "Where is Daddy?"

"He went to get some sleep. He'll be back soon."

She nodded. "He should sleep inna bed. That chair is comf'able for me, but Daddy's bigger than me. Is Mommy takin' care-a him?"

"Yes."

"Good. Mommy takes good care-a him."

"Yes, she does. And he needs some takin' care of right now."

Barek picked Tommy up and Logan got to his feet. They set both kids on the bed. After settling herself against her pillows, Maggie got Tommy nestled in beside her and asked, "Can we play a game?"

"Okay...like what?"

She pointed to the corner of the room. "Onna table there. My nurses bringed games for me an' Daddy to play. Let's play the ladder game."

He pulled out Chutes and Ladders while Barek cleared off the tray table and moved it into position. After setting up the game, they began to play. When Tommy's turn came around turn, Maggie always moved his piece around the board for him, and then he picked it up and chewed on it. When his turn came again, she took the piece from him and moved it the right number of spaces before he grabbed it again and chewed on it some more. "You're not 'posed to eat it, Tommy," she giggled.

"Donut!"

"It don' gots a hole or jelly in it, silly. It's not a donut."

"Wanna donut!"

She giggled again and hugged him. Logan smiled at Barek. Everything was looking up. Maggie was going to be all right.

Logan was once again struck by how much Maggie reminded him of her father. She was studying the cards in her hand with the same intensity he did. Now granted, he never played Go Fish with Goren, but he wasn't about to risk the wrath of Alex by teaching Maggie to play poker. He was happy to let her father have that one. Tommy was sleeping on the bed beside his sister, worn out from the playground and the excitement of having his sister awake again. Barek sat in the chair beside the bed, watching them. She had opted out of the card game. "Do you gots a five?"

He handed her a five and looked at the back of his cards. "Are you sure you can't see through these?"

She giggled. "No, silly." She set down a pair of fives. "You gots a seven?"

"Go fish!" he replied, poking her in the belly.

She giggled again and picked up a card from the deck. She looked toward the door when someone came into the room. "Grandpa!"

Beside her, Tommy's eyes popped open. "Gapa!" he yelled as he sat up, sending Maggie's cards flying.

Logan laughed and gathered the cards as John came into the room, followed by Deakins. "You bringed me Uncle Jimmy! Thank you!" she said happily.

It warmed Deakins' heart to be considered a gift worth a happy thank you. John hugged her and set a large bear on the bed beside her. He smiled at Barek. "We decided a teddy bear was better."

She nodded. "Good choice, but it took you all afternoon to find a teddy bear?"

"We had to find one we liked. That took time."

Deakins laid a large cement mixer in front of Tom. ""Ruck!" the baby announced excitedly.

Maggie reached over and spun the mixer for him. "Look, Tommy. It spins."

"'Pinnin' 'ruck," he giggled. "'Roooooommm..."

With a laugh, John looked around. "Where are Bobby and Alex?"

"She sent him to get some sleep and I sent her to make sure he did. I expect them back any time."

Deakins nodded. "Good. I'm glad he listened. He was exhausted."

Logan nodded agreement. "That's an understatement. As soon as they get back, the nurses are going to transfer Maggie upstairs to room 528."

The captain nodded. "Excellent. I have to head back to New York right now. A new case came in. MacDonald and Sandoval took it, and they're at the crime scene. I need to get back."

A new voice answered from the doorway. "Thank you for coming down, Captain."

"Mommy!"

Logan caught Tommy when he launched himself off the bed at his mother. It always amazed him how complete the little guy's trust was in the adults around him. He never thought about what he did, trusting them to catch him when he dove off furniture without warning. It could be nerve-wracking. Eames took him and hugged him, leaning over to kiss Maggie, who asked, "Where's Daddy?"

"He'll be right here. He's talking to one of the nurses about moving you to your new room."

Deakins gave Maggie a hug. "After you get home, Mommy and Daddy can bring you to my house for a barbecue. How does that sound?"

"Fun!" She looked at Tommy. "We can play ball with Max!"

Tommy clapped his hands. "Mack!"

They loved playing with the Deakins' golden retriever. Deakins said his good-byes and left the room. A few minutes later, Goren came in. "Hey, mouse...ready to go for a ride?"

"Inna car?"

"Not yet. You're going for a bed ride upstairs to a new room."

"A bed ride? Can Tommy ride with me?"

"Sure."

Logan nudged his side. "You look a lot better."

Goren nodded and looked at him. "Thanks, Mike."

"Anytime. We played Chutes and Ladders and tried to convince Tommy the game piece isn't a donut."

Eames had set Tommy back beside his sister and he looked up from his truck. "Donut?"

Logan laughed. "Kid's got an ear for that word. After dinner, buddy."

Within a few minutes, one of the nurses came in and smiled at the two children in the bed. "Well, are you two ready to go for a ride?"

Maggie smiled. "Are we goin' to my new room?"

"Yes, we are."

She looked around the room and nodded. "Okay. We can go."

The nurse laughed and unlocked the wheels on the bed. The room quickly emptied, but Goren hung back. Eames poked her head back in the doorway. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. I was just...thinking."

"About?"

"How close we came to losing her. It...caught me off guard."

"She's going to be fine, Bobby."

"I know she is." He met her eyes. "Do we...do we have to send her to school in September?"

She smiled warmly at him and walked to his side. Slipping her arms around his waist, she hugged him. "Yes, we have to send her to school."

He sighed heavily. "I knew you were going to say that."

"Because you know we have to send her."

He nodded. "I had to ask."

She reached up and kissed him. Leaning into the kiss, he pulled her close, then rested his forehead against hers. She caressed his cheek. "She has to grow up, and you have to let her go, eventually. But there's time...and she'll always be your little girl." She turned away and slid her hand into his. "Come on. She's going to notice we're missing and she'll worry."

"Why would she worry?"

"She always worries when you're out of sight."

"Not when I'm with you, she doesn't."

"Smart girl," she said with a laugh as they left the room and headed down the hall toward the elevators.