[Last chapter! Hope you enjoy it. Thanks for all the reviews and kind comments! :)]

Megan brushed the sweat-plastered hair off her forehead. She had a tired look on her face, but her eyes were alight with satisfaction and anticipation. Todd's shaky utterance of "You're amazing… just amazing…" was drowned out by the wailing of a newborn baby.

After being rubbed down, weighed, stamped and wrapped in a blanket, the tiny baby was brought over to Megan and placed on her chest by one of the smiling nurses. Todd stared at his daughter in amazement. Megan's heart leapt as she gazed into her tiny face. Her eyes were mostly closed.

"Well Meg… what should we name her?" Todd asked in a whisper.

She's so soft… and delicate.

Her little features were so beautiful. One of her tiny fists reached up toward the ceiling. Megan smiled, and her tired eyes brimmed with tears of joy.

"Lacey."

Todd nodded, and smiled.

"Lacey Fleming."

"Megan, Mrs. Thompson's here."

Megan glanced away from Lacey's photo, which she had been staring at, in thought, for the last several moments. She sighed. It was hard, thinking about how she had driven her away for the last five years. Only recently had she been able to begin mending her relationship with her daughter. A week or so ago, Megan's nightmares had stopped. She figured that they were probably caused by lack of sleep combined with stress about the then-current case. After re-examining Jenny Thompson's body and running several more tests, she found that she had suffered from a seizure while holding a razor blade, presumably to re-load her razor before shaving her legs. The razor slashed her across the throat and she exsanguinated. Her friend had discovered her upon exiting the bathroom, and had completely freaked out. She ran out of the back door and collapsed in shock in a neighbor's yard. The neighbors brought her to the local hospital, where she was taken care of and afterwards questioned by the detectives. She was unable to give any clear answers at first, but after a couple of days she described what she had found to the police.

Megan was relieved to find out that it wasn't a suicide.

That would've just been such a waste.

Mrs. Thompson's pain was also somewhat alleviated when she learned the cause of her daughter's death. After she had been allowed to see Jenny and say goodbye, Megan covered the girl's body, rolled her back into the cabinet and closed the door. The morgue was dark. Everyone else that worked on that floor had already gone home.

The quietness atmosphere was broken by Megan's phone ringing. She saw Lacey's name on the caller I.D. and picked it up.

"Hey Lace."

"Mom, where do we have batteries? It's been more than two weeks and I forgot to change the batteries in my insulin pump…"

Tears sprung to Megan's eyes.

Oh Lacey…

"They're in the cabinet in the closet, second drawer down. Lacey, you need to remember! I'd hate to think of what would happen if they ran out, and you were alone somewhere…"

"Mom, I'm fine, okay? I gotta go. Thanks."

"Yeah, bye…"

Lacey hung up abruptly. Megan sighed and shook her head.

Why did this have to happen to my Lacey? Is there something I could have done…

She remembered the day when her mother called to tell her that Lacey was in the hospital, being stabilized after being in a diabetic coma. Megan was terrified. Her first thoughts were Why didn't I see the signs? I'm a doctor; how did I let it get that bad? She could've died, and I wouldn't have been there so help her…

She had paced up and down the hospital room.

Drove Mom crazy… Thought Megan, with a slight smile.

I could've lost my daughter.

Megan swung her purse over her shoulder and headed to the elevator.

Lacey has been so brave. She's everything to me. I couldn't ask for a better daughter. I've let her down so often… but she's still giving me a chance.

Megan brushed a tear from her eye as she waited for the elevator doors to open on the bottom floor.

I hope she knows that I'll always be there for her.

Megan rushed up the stairs to her apartment. She twisted the key in the door and pushed open the door quickly.

"Lacey, did you find the batteries?"

Lacey came out of her room, dressed in her pajamas.

"Hey Mom."

Megan paused for a moment.

"You okay, Lace? You're ready for bed early."

Lacey smiled.

"I thought that maybe we could… watch a movie tonight?"

"Oh, so that's it!"

Lacey shrugged apologetically.

"Yeah, well, I know I sorta scared you… about that battery thing."

Megan looked indignant.

"Well yeah, you did. I thought we'd gone over this a million times…" She stopped, and her keys fell out of her hands as they both went numb suddenly. She sighed and began rubbing them together furiously as she tried not to show her frustration. Without a word, Lacey walked over to her mother and began to gently massage her hands. Megan felt a lump rise in her throat as she felt her daughter's hands rub hers.

Her hands are so soft… and delicate.

She let her tears roll down her face as she squeezed Lacey's hands before hugging her tightly. Lacey seemed to know that her mother just needed some comfort. She closed her eyes and rested in her mother's embrace. After a few moments, Megan let go and held Lacey out at arm's length.

"Listen, Lace… last week I had these… awful dreams. That you were dead… they were horrible. I know it may not seem like it, and I've let you down so many times…" Megan shook her head and the tears rolled down her face again.

"But you're my world. I'm always going to be here for you, not matter what happens, okay? I'm sorry if it always seems like I'm trying to keep you from having fun. I just don't want to lose you again."

Lacey's eyes grew moist.

"I know, Mom. I don't want to lose you either."

Megan nodded, and took a deep breath. Lacey smiled, and blinked her tears away.

"So… what movie do you want to watch tonight?"

"How about Black Beauty?"

Megan sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Lacey, I've cried enough for one night, you want me to flood this place? I could you know."

Lacey chuckled, and the chuckle turned into a laugh that she and her mother shared.

"I'll make the popcorn this time!" Lacey declared.

"That sounds good. Just don't burn…"

"Mom, I've made it a ton of times before, don't worry!"

"I was going to say, don't burn the popcorn. I'm not worried about you anymore."

Lacey tried to look indignant, but she couldn't stop herself from chuckling again as she went to set up the air popper and find the salt.

"Hey Lace…"

"Yeah Mom?"

"Thanks. My hands feel a lot better know."

Lacey nodded.

"Good."

As Megan and Lacey sat down to watch Black Beauty, Megan couldn't help but savor the sweet moments that she'd had with her daughter that night.

Oh, life is good. I wish it had always been this way… no. Don't think like that. Lacey is here with me now, and that's all that counts.

After the movie was over, Megan and Lacey started to head to bed. Megan gave Lacey a quick hug.

"Thanks for that. Thanks for everything. You're the best daughter ever, you know that?" She squeezed Lacey tightly before letting go.

"G'night, Lace."

"Night, Mom. Love you."

"Love you too."

As Megan climbed into bed and turned out the light, she wished that she could've been more like Lacey when she was that age.

She's such a thoughtful girl, sometimes it's hard to believe that she's my daughter. But…. Tears sprang to Megan's eyes, and she smiled in the darkness.

She really is a piece of me.