FIVE

Lizzie stands back as a doctor and nurse come into the room. He grips onto her hand, forcing her to stay close to him.

"Okay, Mr. White, on the count of three, I want you to breathe out. One…Two…Three," the doctor says. Ray breathes out as the doctor pulls the tube from his throat, he then starts to cough.

"Water," he croaks out. Lizzie looks around the room, but couldn't find a cup. She looks to the nurse. The nurse smiles politely before walking out of the room. She comes back a few minutes later carrying a pitcher of water and a cup. Lizzie fills the cup and brings the straw to his lips. He sucks a few mouthfuls before pushing it away. "Nora?" he asks looking at Lizzie.

"She's spending some much needed time with her Uncle Don," Lizzie tells him. "I'll call him and have him bring her here. I will call Dembe as well. I'm sure he would like to know."

"Where is he? I figured he would be right here with you."

"As much as we both love you, we had to sleep some time. Besides, he's off doing an errand for me," she grins as he narrows his eyes at her. She leans down and gives him a kiss before walking out of the room. She finds a quiet place at the end of the hall before pulling her phone out. Lizzie quickly dials a number with a smile on her face.

"Ressler," he says with a laugh. Lizzie's smile widens as she hears Nora laughing. She loved that little laugh.

"What are you guys doing?" she asks.

"We are making funny faces at each other. What's up? Everything okay?" he asks.

"Yah, you think you can bring her to the hospital? Ray's awake and he wants to see his little girl."

"See, I told you he was too stubborn to die. He would never leave the two of you. Do you hear that baby girl?" Ressler questions to Nora. "Your Papa is awake."

Lizzie giggles as she hears Nora squeal. "Papa!" she yells out. The two adults go quiet.

"Did she just…?" Ressler asks dumbfounded.

"Mama!" Nora yells out this time.

"She said 'mama' this morning. But this is the first time I heard her say 'papa'. Oh, Ray is going to be so thrilled. He's been waiting for this moment since she was born." Lizzie hears the shuffling of the phone before everything gets a little louder in her ear. Ressler must have put the phone on speaker. "Hey sweet girl. It's Mama. Uncle Donnie is gonna bring you to see Papa."

"Papa!" she calls again.

"She is clutching that stuffed elephant," Ressler mutters.

"She has been since this morning. She knows her Papa gave it to her. Alright, I am going to get off the phone. I have to call Dembe and tell him."

"Okay, we will see you soon. Say goodbye to Mama."

"Mama! Papa!"

Lizzie grins again as she ends the call. She dials the phone that Dembe was using. It rings a few times before she could hear the soft timbre of Dembe's voice using her full name.

"He's awake Dembe. He woke just a few minutes ago."

"Do you want me to have Glen cancel his search?"

"No, have him finish. Even though Ray's awake, I would rather have Jennifer's location just in case. It might even be a good surprise if we can convince her to see him."

"All right. How is he?"

"Seems to be okay. His first thought was of Nora. I just got off the phone with Ressler. He's going to bring her here. I left Ray and the doctor with Kate. She would be able to better comprehend everything the doctor says anyway. I have a feeling that he's going to be stuck in the hospital for a few more weeks at least."

"Okay, then. Let me finish up and then I will see you in a little bit." She nods even though he couldn't see it. She then pockets the phone and heads back towards Ray's room. The doctor is just walking out when she gets back.

"How is he?" she asks.

"He is doing remarkably well. He is going to be in pain for the next few days. No strenuous activities for at least two to three weeks. Lots of rest. But something tells me he isn't going to like being confined."

"Oh, you got that right," Lizzie mutters. "He definitely isn't going to like being confined to one place for too long. Thank you Doctor," she says as the two go their separate ways. She walks into the room to see Kate smiling smugly and Ray pouting. "What's going on here?" she asks taking a seat in her empty chair. He holds his hand out, palm up and she places her hand over his, lacing their fingers together.

"Oh, he's just upset that he has to stay in the hospital instead of going home," Kate tells her. She pats his shoulder in a comforting manner. "It's only for a few more days, then you will be able to get out of here. Then Elizabeth and Dembe will be able to take you home."

Lizzie grins as Ray lets out a sigh. "I hate the hospital. I hate what they signify." He turns to look at Lizzie who frowns knowing what exactly what he was talking about. Her concussion, her almost death when that blacklister had snuck into the hospital. The whole thing that had started the two on their journey to being together, to making Nora, to being a family. She startles as she feels Ray tug on her arm.

"What?" she asks.

"Come here. I want to wrap my arms around you," he pleads.

Lizzie shakes her head. "You're already hurt. I don't want to cause you any more pain."

"Lizzie," Ray pleads again. She looks over at Mr. Kaplan who just shrugs her shoulders. Lizzie finally lets out a sigh and gets onto the bed. Ray turns with a grunt and wraps his arms around her. Lizzie looks into his eyes, and see they were scrunched closed. He lets out a breath but then opens his eyes as he feels Lizzie pulling away. "Lizzie," he groans watching her get off the bed.

"Is it easier for you on your back?" she asks. He nods. "Then lay on your back." He does as she instructs. "Can you move this arm? I mean do you have free motion with it? Does it hurt when you lift it above your head?" he lifts it up without his injuries hurting too much.

"Yes, Lizzie," he responds. She nods before slipping back onto the bed. She lays on her side, flush up against him as he wraps his free arm around her. She uses her free arm to reach across his stomach to bring their hands together. "Much better," he says blinking his eyes trying to stay awake. "Remind you of anything?" he asks.

"Definitely," she responds with a smile. "Sleep Ray. I will wake you when our girl gets here." She lays her head down onto his shoulder and listens as his heart monitor starts beeping a little more slowly signaling he has fallen asleep. She catches Kate's eyes across the bed.

"I'm glad he has you," she murmurs before getting up. "Call me when they are ready to discharge him. I will meet you at your house to make sure he gets settled in okay."

"Alright," she remarks watching the older woman walk out of Ray's room. She blinks against her own sleep. She was so warm and comfortable snuggled up against Ray that sleep was coming on fast. She closes her eyes a final time, letting sleep claim her.

She gets woken up when she hears a squeal and a 'Mama!' she blinks slowly as she hears Ray grumble under his breath. She couldn't tell what he was saying, seeing as it was in a foreign language.

"What?" she asks wiping the sleepiness from her eyes.

"I said, who is screaming?" he asks not opening his eyes.

"Papa!" Ray opens his eyes to look at Lizzie. They turn to where Kate was sitting previously only to see Ressler sitting there. Nora was standing on his legs, while he held onto her waist. "Papa! Mama!" she calls. Ray turns to Lizzie with a big smile.

"She called me Papa," he chokes out, his eyes misting. Lizzie gets out of the bed and walks around to take Nora from her partner. She goes back to her original position next to Ray. Nora holds her hands out to her papa. Ray looked helpless, knowing he was still in pain. "Screw it," he says. "Lizzie, will you help me sit up?" he asks. Lizzie gets up and hands Nora off to Ressler once again.

"Papa," she calls holding her hands out once again. Lizzie presses the button to incline his bed. Ray grunts against the pain, but he didn't care. He wanted his baby girl. Lizzie stops the bed and then helps Ray move so he could be a little more comfortable. She takes Nora from Ressler again and then allows Ray to take her. "Papa," she says his name again. Nora leans up and places a big open-mouthed kiss on his lips. He grins at his little girl.

"She's never done that before," Lizzie breathes out. "She saved her first kiss for you." Lizzie watches as their daughter wraps her tiny arms around Ray's neck before settling down and yawning. Lizzie then lays down next to Ray, trapping Nora between the two of them.

Ray grins before yawning once again. "I love you guys. Now, give me a kiss and let's take a nap." She leans over to give Ray a kiss. She then turns to see Ressler looking over some sort of report.

"Ressler?" she asks. He looks up. "Thanks for watching Nora."

"Wasn't just me. It was a team effort. Why don't you rest with your family? I'll wait until Dembe gets here."

"Thanks," she says snuggling into the two most important people in her life.