Author's Note: Thank you all so much for your continued support and reviews. I know I sound like a broken record but your readership means so much to me. You are all awesome!

The night wore on, the snow continued to drift outside the window and the hallways of the hospital grew quiet. The pain medication had lulled Allison into a light sleep and Jason was resting his head on his arms at the foot of her bed.
Stevie prayed he had fallen asleep too, but when she reached out to gently rub his head, she could feel him trembling.
"Jas," she whispered his name. "I've been thinking. What you did earlier? With the computer?"
Her brother hid his face from her. "You think Dad would be disappointed in me?" he asked her hoarsely. Stevie knew that only the quiet of this moment could force such an emotional question from her brother's lips.
"No," she answered him with certainty, her light eyes meeting his. "I was gonna say it's what he would have done. Dad would have done the same thing for any of us. You know he would be going stir crazy waiting for information." She got up and touched her brother's back, before walking across the small room to look out the window.
"Stevie," she heard him whisper and she turned to look. Jason nodded toward the door where a nurse stood, looking at Allison's chart.

Seventeen. He'd been dreading this weekend for the entire month. It would be afternoon before everyone arrived. Erin had answered the phone when he had called on Wednesday. "My recital is on Saturday. Mom's taping it for you..."
Holding his breath, as his father walked toward him from the parking lot.
"Hi Dad."
"Henry."
Walking back through his dorm, breezing past the common area, ducking his head as his father kept up a steady stream of criticism.
"Hey Henry!"
Grimacing as his classmates and their families spotted them, "Hi guys, I'll -uh, I'll see ya later."

He'd buried the flier for the dinner deep inside the garbage can.

"This place is small. Where are you supposed to put anything?"
"It's all right, Dad. I don't need that much room."
"This bed is hard as a rock. How do you sleep?"
"You get used to it."
"There's no hot water? Good thing I'm not paying for this."
"I heard the other hall isn't a whole lot better. I get ready pretty fast anyway."
"They probably threw you in here 'cause you're a scholarship kid."
"It's not so bad, Dad. It's quiet most nights and there's some good guys here."
"Their fathers must be big businessmen to pay for all of this. How many kids have you met on scholarship like you?"
Swallowing hard, the truth was he hadn't told anyone he was here on a scholarship. Somehow it made him feel like he wasn't as worthy as the other students to be here. "Uh, a couple of 'em."
Unable to meet his father's eye, sure he'd been caught in a lie.

The afternoon dragged on. His classrooms were "dusty and too small." His teachers graded "too harshly," his literature paper for which he'd earned an A- was clearly "a waste of his time."
The line to stroll through the new sports complex was "too long." His hands were perspiring in the chill of the late September evening.
Counting the minutes in his mind until the dinner began.
"Dad, you wanna go grab something to eat? There's a nice place a couple streets off campus."
"Do you eat enough? The food here probably tastes like it came from a hospital cafeteria."
Shrugging, "We'll go to the sandwich shop, it's good."
Walking fast along the tree lined sidewalk, "We just have to cross over three more-"

Turning left and out into the green commons area, the excited buzz of voices,
"Dad - Dad, let's go this way!"
His classmates and their fathers meandering into the hall, dressed sharply for dinner.
The banner, hung high above the doors.
"Dad-" Stealing a glance at his father.
Confusion, anger, disappointment...
His father turned without looking at him and walked away.
"Dad-"
"Did you want to go to that, Henry?"
"Go to what?" trying to keep the trembling out of his voice.
"That dinner."
"I didn't know about it, Dad. I must have missed the announcement."

It was the longest he'd ever have to wait for a cold cut sandwich in his life.
His father's hurt gaze dogged him across the table.

"Dad, I'm sorry."
"You did know about it."
Nodding.
"You lied to me."
Nodding, his head bowed.
"I just didn't want you to feel like you had to go with me. I wasn't real sure I wanted to go."

"What else haven't you told me, Henry? Are you failing any classes yet?"
Staying still and quiet as he let his father tear him apart.
"No sir."
"You just tell us when you come to your senses and want to come home and go to work."

His father left right after dinner, driving back to Pittsburgh before the sun had even set.
Wiping his tears on his jacket sleeve, invisible in the dark, as he walked slowly back to his dorm.

"Hi, you're Stephanie?" The blonde girl walked quickly toward her and beckoned for her younger brother to follow. In the dim light of the hallway, she could see their resemblance to their sister.
"I'm-" she started, but stopped abruptly when Stephanie threw herself into her arms.

"Stevie?" her brother said her name, bewildered.
"Oh," the nurse laughed quietly, "It's okay, sweetie." She hugged her close.
"I'm sorry it took me so long to get back up here. I'm Mary. I'm-"

"You're the one who called me," Stephanie finished for her, her blue eyes full of tears.
Mary nodded, "And you're Jason?"

She felt so strange to be introducing herself to these two children when she felt like she already knew them. She'd spent years of her life caring for sick and injured patients but nothing could come close to what she experienced with their sister tonight.

"Thank you," Stephanie said breathlessly, her tears falling down her cheeks. "We can't thank you enough for-for her," she whispered, nodding toward Allison's room. Mary touched her hand. "Oh, honey. Don't thank me. I'm just doing my job."

Mary moved her gaze to Jason's face, his brow was furrowed in consternation.
"Do you know anything about our Dad?" he asked her, his voice was heavy with anxiety. Mary reached out to touch his arm. "I'm afraid I don't, but I can find someone who does. Let me make a call for you, okay? In the meantime, are you all right here? Can I get you anything to eat or drink?"
She took in their pale, anxious faces and shook her head, corrected herself.

"Of course not. You're worried sick. Let me see what I can find out for you. I'll be right back," she said. A thought struck Mary and she doubled back, glancing into the room. Stephanie was seated by the bed, and was dabbing her tears with a tissue. Jason stood against the wall and Allison was sound asleep. She didn't see their mother and for a moment she debated asking them if everything was okay. She knew their mother as the Secretary of State, a job that required guts and fortitude. Right then, she couldn't imagine anyone who would be prouder of the bravery shown by these children.

She moved a few steps down the hallway when she heard her name. She turned to see Jason, following her. "Are you okay, sweetheart?" she asked him and then mentally kicked herself, the kid was almost as old as her son and here she was calling him "sweetheart." Jason didn't seem to notice or mind.
"Mary, sorry. Do you think I could get a blanket? For Stevie?" With that she realized that no matter what happened tonight, she would make sure these children were taken care of. She felt as if she'd been entrusted with them, if only for a short time. As she reached into a linen closet and handed Jason a light pink blanket, he thanked her and then hurried back to his sisters.

Twenty. "Do you guys know who that is?"
"The blonde, again?" Dave smirked, exasperated.
"Hey. Cool it," he bantered.
"He's been studying for this exam all semester. We're minutes from it and he chooses now to go talk to the girl of his dreams, who he saw for the first time hours ago..." Brett whispered dramatically.
Rolling his eyes at his friends, making his way toward the aisle nearest to the alcove where she was studying.
She'd been in the same spot for the last two days. He'd noticed her on Sunday night. He was sure he'd never seen her before - he would have remembered a girl who was that beautiful. She'd been engrossed in a heavy tome, as she was now.

The last thing he wanted to do was disturb her – bang.
His shin colliding with the heavy metal stool. He could hear Dave's laughter all the way over here.
The blonde girl jumping at the sound, her book slipping from her slack grasp.

Limping toward her, feeling his face flush, his chances with her flying out the window. The least he could do was to pick up her book..."I am so sorry."
Early May sunlight tangling in her golden hair, "I'm Elizabeth Adams."
The most perfect cerulean eyes he'd ever seen, forgetting his own name...

"Are you okay?" her voice was soft and her cheeks were blushing pink, for some reason beyond his understanding. He was the one making a fool out of himself. Standing there for a moment more before realizing he was staring at her, laughing with embarrassment.
"Yeah, thanks. Gotta watch my step."

Her smile, "I've done the same thing. Those stools are heavier than they look."
Nodding, "They are. Sorry about that, again." Turning to walk away, shaking his head at how ridiculous he must look to her...

"Frozen peas."
Doubling back, "I'm sorry?"
"You'll probably be black and blue. Frozen peas will help with the bruising," she was clarifying for him. She was still talking to him after he'd made a racket, slammed his shin into an ancient heavy footstool, interrupted her, and made her lose her place in her book...by some strange miracle, this gorgeous girl, Elizabeth Adams, kept talking to him...

Laughing out of sheer confusion, "Thanks."
Catching sight of the front of her history book, "Are you studying to become a doctor?"
Her laughter was sweet, "No, but I grew up on a horse farm. Lots of bumps and bruises."
"Oh, thanks. I'll keep that in mind. I'm-"
"Damn it!" jumping up and tossing her books into her bag. "I'm sorry, I'm gonna be late for my test."

Test.
Final Exam.

"Oh God, me too!"
Grabbing his bag, berating himself for losing track of the time. He was late, worse he'd made her late...he'd probably never see her again... Dave and Brett had left.
Looking up, there she was, holding the door for him..."Thanks!"
"Good luck, Stranger."
Oh! "I'm Henry – Henry McCord."
"Good luck, Henry McCord."
"You too, Elizabeth!"
Her resulting smile was enough to send him head over heels. Running the rest of the way to class and falling into his seat beside Dave just as their professor walked through the door.
Dave's girlfriend, Kate, tapping his shoulder and whispering, "Did you meet her?"
Knowing his bashful grin was the only answer she needed.

"Stephanie?" Michael's voice made all three of them jump. "It's okay," Stevie whispered to her brother and sister.
Jason reached for Allison's hand as Stevie stepped outside the room.
Michael took a few steps down the hall and motioned for her to follow him.
"We're still working to get you through to your Mom. The roads are too dangerous for us to get you home any time soon. We're going to set you and Jason up here for the night to sleep in Allison's room. In the mean time, since you the only one of legal age, are you able to speak with the doctor?"
Stevie felt her heartbeat shoot into her throat. "Yes, do they know anything-?" she stopped short at the sight of an older gentleman in a white lab coat walking toward her.