About two weeks later, Kate was sitting at her desk at work when she got another call from her mother. After having some time to cool down from their first conversation, she took a deep breath and answered it.

"Mom, I'm working. Can I call…"

"It's your father," Susan sniffed.

Kate dropped her pen.

"He…is he…"

"He was just admitted. They think it was a heart attack," Susan choked up. "Can you…please come…"

"I'll be there," Kate told her before hanging up.

She hurried down the hall to Megan's office.

"What's wrong?" Megan could immediately tell from the look on her face.

"Dad's in the hospital," she repeated, almost numbly. "Heart attack, they think."

"Oh my god," Megan stood, crossing to her, hugging her tightly.

"Will you go with me?" Kate whispered.

Megan pulled back and looked at her, a little unsure.

"To Texas? Are you sure that's…"

"I don't care," Kate shook her head. "If I have to be there, I need…please."

"Okay," she hugged her again. "Let me call Todd and just make sure he can take Lacey."

Kate nodded. That afternoon, they were on a plane to Dallas/Ft. Worth.

Megan stood in the hallway of Baylor Heart Hospital, pacing back and forth. She had suggested Kate go in and see her parents first. She told her she'd be waiting right outside. After about ten minutes, the door opened, but it wasn't Kate. Susan looked at Megan and smiled nervously.

"How's Lacey?" she asked.

"Great," Megan answered pertly, anxious to get an update. "What's going on?"

"He had a minor heart attack," Susan relayed. "He's still pretty groggy, but he'll be fine."

Megan tried not to lose it, considering how panicked Kate had been and how much money they had paid to fly across the country at the last minute. Still, she was happy John wasn't in critical condition, even if he did make her skin crawl.

"Any sign of congestive heart failure? Arrhythmia?"

Susan smiled sadly and shook her head.

"Of course you doctors know all the right questions to ask," she noted. "I suppose it'll be good having two of you around."

Megan's eyebrow rose. Trying, she told herself.

She finally stopped pacing and leaned against the wall.

"Sounds like he'll be fine," Megan sighed. "He'll just need help getting back on his feet. Watch his diet. Exercise."

"He used to be in such good shape," Susan reminisced. "It's only the past couple of years he's had to slow down."

"It happens."

Susan continued to stare at Megan, curiously.

"Can I ask you something?" she began a bit timidly. Megan couldn't figure out how this woman had been a Captain in the army. Compartmentalize, she remembered.

"Sure."

"What do your parents think of all this?" Susan asked.

Megan ran her fingers through her hair a little, shifting, trying to figure out where to start. There was a lot to tell. She figured she should just be honest.

"My mother's fine with it," she swallowed. "My father… died when I was twelve. They say it was suicide, but I'm not entirely convinced."

"Dear lord," Susan looked embarrassed for having brought it up. "I'm terribly sorry."

Megan pressed on.

"I'll never know exactly what happened, or what he would have thought about my relationship with Kate. But we were very close. I know he loved me, so I have to believe he would have been happy that I'm happy."

Susan paused for a moment, leaning against the wall next to Megan.

"You do seem happy," she offered softly, tearing up. "I haven't seen Kate smile so much in…well, I can't even remember, tell you the truth."

Megan couldn't help but blush.

"And Lacey seems to really have taken to her," Susan continued.

"She has," Megan nodded. "She loves her."

I love her, Megan didn't even have to say. She could tell by the way Susan looked at her that she knew.

Meanwhile, Kate sat next to John's bed as he continued to sleep. She reached out hesitantly and grabbed his hand, taking a deep breath as she watched his eyes slowly open.

"That my little girl?"

Kate froze. She knew he was probably a little doped up on pain medication. That and the near death experience were the only reasons he'd be willing to call a truce.

"What you doing here?" he continued, a little more sternly. "You should be at work."

"Mom asked me to come," she whispered, then swallowed. "I wanted to come."

"She tell you I was already dead?"

Kate rolled her eyes.

"No."

"Huh," he huffed. "I imagined that'd be the only way you'd agree to see me."

She shook her head, not wanting to argue, but also not wanting to completely back down.

"I'm not the one who walked out," she reminded him.

"Feels that way. Felt that way for years," he sighed, coughing a little. She squeezed his hand, but he assured her he was okay.

"Why?" she asked.

He continued to fidget, which was very out of character. Kate knew it was a combination of drugs and nerves.

"You made it clear you wanted no part in the life your mother and I lived. Army's the only thing I've ever known. That and faith." He looked at her hand, clearly noting the diamond on her ring finger, but refusing to acknowledge it. He took a deep breath before he continued. "I don't feel like I know you."

"You don't," Kate used her other hand to wipe away a tear from her cheek as she nodded. "But it doesn't have to be that way."

For a moment, she thought she might see her father cry for the first time in her life. He looked at her, lost, confused, but also with undeniable affection.

"Don't expect a General to surrender overnight, Katie," he whispered.

Kate's heart practically stopped. He hadn't called her that since she was a kid. She watched as he closed his eyes again and kept a hold of her hand.

"Now go back to work," he demanded.

"Dad, I just flew four hours to…"

"That's an order," he barked. She watched a small smile form across his lips.

"Got it," she sighed, conceding, knowing he'd make a full recovery.

"And tell your mother to get back in here, will you?"

She gave his hand a final squeeze before letting go.

"Kate," he called before she could open the door. "Stay in touch."

She nodded again, then left.