A/N: Hi everyone. Here's a long chapter for you for being patient with my health and work life (been pretty crazy I know). Remember to let me know what you think. It's my brain candy. Thanks.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Waltons, but after The Tempest I really should.

Zeb was up with the chickens. It was his favorite part of the day, especially when Esther joined him. After he poured his coffee, the elder Walton turned to his wife.

"Esther. Why don't we go out and enjoy the morning for a bit?"

"I have to make breakfast. Olivia is better but still a tad unsteady on her feet"

He wouldn't take no for an answer. "Oh, the family can wait ten minutes. Now come on, it's beautiful out"

"You old fool. Sometimes you have to stop smelling the flowers and get back in the real world"

"Well, old girl, sometimes one needs a break from the real world and what better way than to enjoy the morning quiet and smell the flowers? Hmmm?"

Esther knew when she was beat. He had her at the first request, but if she gave in too easy the game wouldn't be as much fun. "Fine, ten minutes, but then you have to do something useful so you are not under foot"

The couple joined hands as they went to sit outside. When her husband closed the front door, Esther saw something on the steps. "Zeb, aren't those some of the wildflowers you talk about?"

"Yes they are. There's a note." Grandpa read the small handwritten paper. "To my favorite girl. Meet me at 11 AM today at our spot. Love, Curt"

Esther huffed. "Wait, I thought he wasn't coming back until today"

"Looks like the good doctor missed our Mary Ellen" Zeb smelled the flowers. "Wild azaleas. Come on let's get these in water for her"

When the couple came inside, they saw their daughter in law come into the kitchen. "Get back upstairs, young lady. You need to rest" Esther scolded.

Olivia turned to her mother in law. "Grandma, I feel a lot better. I promise to take it easy for the morning after breakfast, but I am making that cake later for Curt's welcome home supper"

"Look what Mary Ellen's young man left on our doorstep" Grandpa said.

Olivia looked up. "He got back last night and surprised her at the hospital"

Zeb smiled. "For all his gruff, he really loves our little girl. Must have missed her a lot to come back early"

"That or an apology for their fight yesterday"

Esther rolled her eyes. "Those two if they aren't making up they're fighting about the silliest things"

"Just like we used to do, Ma" Grandpa said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Oh, hush now" Grandma said as the door came open. Mary Ellen came in looking tired but happy. "Well good morning, Mary Ellen. Where were you last night?"

Her smile still glowed as she greeted everyone. "I stayed at Nora's. She just dropped me off because she had patients to see"

"This early?" Olivia said before looking at the clock. "It's just half past six. I just hope she isn't too tired for supper tonight" She started kneading dough for biscuits. "So did you and Curt make up?"

Mary Ellen exhaled. "I should have known Nora would have told you. Yes, we did." The young woman looked like she wanted to say more, but was hesitant, something that didn't go unnoticed by her grandparents.

"Come on Esther, you promised me ten minutes on the porch. Now get a move on"

"I'm coming, Zebulon, I'm coming"

When the elder Walton's left Mary Ellen got excited. "Momma, I can't believe Curt did what he did. It was so romantic"

"Well, tell me"

Mary Ellen was giggling. "He knocked on the living room window and wouldn't leave until I talked to him"

"Did he do that in the middle of the night? That's not the most proper thing to do with an unmarried woman"

"Oh Momma. When I wouldn't talk to him, he poured his heart out to me, telling how I made him a better person and that I was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He then said that I ever need him, he would always be next to me. I got so excited that I ran outside—"

"In your nightgown?"

"No, Nora's. I hugged him so tight that we fell in the mud and woke up Cora Beth"

Olivia knew she should scold her daughter for greeting her intended in just a nightgown, but picturing the two falling in the mud made her laugh. "Good Lord, what did Cora Beth do?"

"Nothing. Curt told her to take a picture it would last longer. She shut the light off after that"

Mary Ellen was floating on air as she did a quick dance in the living room. "Next week, I'm going to be Mrs. Curtis Willard" She looked at the table and saw the flowers. "Wild azaleas. These are so pretty"

"Glad you think so. Read the note with them"

The young woman read it and got a glow about her. "Oh, Momma. I have to get ready. He wants to meet up with me around 11 o'clock"

Before she could race up the stairs, Olivia stopped her. "Young lady, you have plenty of time. Now help me with breakfast"

An hour later, everyone was up and at the breakfast table, ready to start their respective days.

John Boy saw the flowers that were now in the middle of the table. "Hey, these are pretty. Grandpa did you pick these from the homestead?"

"Nope, they're Mary Ellen's"

"Where did you get them, Mary Ellen? I hope Curt doesn't find out" Ben said to most people's laugh.

Mary Ellen smiled. She didn't want to tell everyone else about earlier in the morning, especially her traditional grandmother, so she kept it as brief as possible.

"They're from Curt. I got them after a fight we had yesterday."

"Must really love you if he arranged that from North Carolina, especially since he's coming for supper tonight" Jason said

"He came back last night because he missed me. We have a date later before supper"

Elizabeth was excited until she saw Erin's face. She smiled like the others, but instead of joining in on the conversation, she looked off into the distance while eating. The younger sister looked at Aimee, who saw the same thing.

'I may be ten, but I sure as heck ain't stupid' Elizabeth thought before she turned to her sister. "Don't you think what Curt did is nice, Erin?"

Erin was surprised out of her thought. "What?"

"Curt getting Mary Ellen flowers and coming back early. He does a lot of nice stuff for her, don't you think?" Elizabeth said while stifling a laugh at Erin's face.

Erin thought of something to say. "Yeah, it sure is. David used to do that, too, remember?"

Forks all clanked down on plates at Erin's words as looks of disbelief and annoyance popped up on everyone's face. "What? It's true, isn't it?"

Olivia looked at Mary Ellen and she could see that the wound of yesterday still burned her. Wanting to give her space, she spoke up. "Mary Ellen, I have a few things I need you to pick up in Rockfish for me. Would you mind dropping off Aimee and Elizabeth at Ike's along the way?"

Mary Ellen was grateful for her mother. "Sure Momma. Come on girls, finish up and brush your teeth. I need to be back by ten."

The three finished up the last parts of their breakfast before getting up and heading upstairs. John grabbed Jason and Ben to work in the mill, followed by Zeb.

"I'm heading out to the shed now" John Boy said

"I can start the clothes washing while you clean up in here, Olivia. Erin can help you" Esther said, giving her granddaughter a face as she was getting up.

"That's a good idea, Grandma" Olivia said before turning to her daughter. "Come on, Erin, you can help me with the prep for supper also since I have to take is easy for a while"

"But I have plans with G.W. around ten."

"Not anymore you don't. You'll see him tonight at supper, but then you will have to help me with all the cleaning up afterwards. Now, wash up the dishes while I run outside to pick some vegetables for tonight"

Erin knew when she was in trouble. She pushed it with blurting out what she said about David, but she couldn't help it. When she heard the front door close, she put the dishes in the sink. After filling with soap, she began to absently wash as she remembered her brilliant plan for today. It was a more pleasant thought than the dread she felt for her mother to return for another lecture on David.

After nine, Mary Ellen was driving back to Walton's Mountain with the two girls, who ended up coming with her on errands. As they got closer, she noticed the silence with the younger two. "Girls, what's wrong? You've been quiet since we left Rockfish. Definitely not like you"

Elizabeth and Aimee looked at each other before the former spoke. "Mary Ellen, I think there's something we need to tell you"

The elder girl pulled her father's truck over to the side of the road. She then turned and put her hand on her sister's shoulder. "Honey what's wrong?"

"We don't want to make you late for Doctor Willard" Aimee said.

"Don't worry about him now. What's wrong?"

For the next several minutes, Mary Ellen could only listen as the two children told her about seeing Erin with David. The further the story went, the madder she became. When they were done, the pickup truck started again as Mary Ellen drove the girls back.

When they arrived at Ike's, Mary Ellen turned to her sister and her friend. "Girls, don't say anything to anyone about what you told me, not even to Momma and Dad, you understand?"

"But—"

"Elizabeth, I'm going to have a talk with Erin and settle this." She saw the looks on their faces. "You're not in any trouble. You did the right thing telling me, understand?"

When the children nodded, Mary Ellen smiled. "Go on, get inside. Curt and I will come get you on our way to supper, okay Elizabeth?"

"Sure"

When Mary Ellen saw them go in, she headed back for home, seething with anger. By the time she got home, she had calmed enough to not blow up. She walked in and saw her sister cutting up vegetables with her mother.

Not wanting to scold her sister in front of their mother, she turned to look at the clock. When she saw it was after ten, she rushed upstairs. Finding the outfit she wore on her birthday, she put it on and put her hair in a pony tail. The thought of a tryst to make up for two weeks without each other was making her excited, especially in their spot. 'Curt is so romantic. He couldn't wait to see me'

Thankful she had time to spare so she could walk to her shed as the day was beautiful, but saw the slight cast over of gray to the east. 'By the cabin. Making love in the rain like their first time'

Curt was at home looking over patient charts that Mary Ellen left for him to review when he got home, but he couldn't get his head in the game. All he could think about was his girl.

He was grateful she forgave him for being a jackass the previous night. He couldn't believe he let his feelings of insecurity overpower him to the point he accused Mary Ellen of leading David Spencer on. It was ridiculous and stupid. 'I'm the one she's marrying, not that drunk'

For a moment, his rival came to mind. Professionally, he was one of the best young doctors he had ever worked with. He would be an asset anywhere he went, as long as he stayed sober. He hoped so, because he saw people in the past have their talents wasted away in the bottle, including one of his father's friends after he returned from the Great War, his lungs destroyed by mustard gas.

He saw the time….eleven in the morning. Knowing he wasn't going to get anything done, he put the files aside and walked to the residence section of his practice. Moving towards the bathroom, he put out the stuff to shave his stubble.

Curt was going to see his girl. He couldn't wait until four o'clock

Olivia opened the oven to put the cake batter in. When done, she gathered the ingredients for cake frosting. As she mixed the items together, she had a sense of dread wash over her. Before she could register it, it went away again.

Suddenly, she remembered her dream again. It felt so real to her, but she didn't believe in future telling. 'I was very sick yesterday and it came from that' Olivia thought, but it was getting harder to convince herself. After several minutes, she relaxed enough to continue the task at hand.

Just as she finished the frosting, she heard a knock on the door. Going to the door, she was surprised to see her future son-in-law. "Curt, what a surprise!"

"Good morning, Olivia. Mmmmmm, something sure smells good" He said while trying to sneak towards the kitchen.

"That's enough of that Curtis Willard. You don't get that until after supper tonight. If you are looking for Mary Ellen, she's already gone to meet you"

"Meet me? I came here to surprise her. I wanted to see if she wanted to go for a walk"

Olivia had a look of concern. "You were supposed to meet her at eleven. You left her a note and flowers on our porch"

Curt felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. "Olivia, I didn't do anything like that. After the fight we had, I cooled off at the hospital. Nora found me as she was leaving here last night and gave me an earful. I went home for a while before I went to apologize to Mary Ellen. I didn't get to bed until four this morning. I only slept for a few hours because I had patient charts to look over"

"Curt, you left a note. I'll show you" The two walked over to the table where the flowers and note remained. "Here"

Curt read the note and the blood drained from his face when he read 'our spot' as he and Mary Ellen were the only two who knew what that meant. "Something is wrong. Is everyone here for the most part?"

"Yes" said Olivia, now scared. "Grandpa went to pick more flowers, though. I don't know when he'll be back"

"Good" Curt said as he took her hand.

The two came out and separated as Olivia ran to John Boy's shed and Curt ran to the mill. As the men came out to meet in the driveway, Jim Bob was nearby under the hood repairing a car with Rover nearby when he heard the commotion. "What's up?"

"Someone forged Curt's name and wrote that note for her instead of him" Jason said.

Curt continued to talk to his future family. "Something is seriously wrong and we have to find Mary Ellen now"

"Okay, I will go with Curt—" John said as he took over but was interrupted by a familiar convertible driving fast into their driveway. A disheveled David climbed out.

"I need your help. Mary Ellen is hurt"

"What the hell do you mean? What did you do?" Curt asked furiously.

David knew it wasn't the time to get into an argument. "Worry about that later, damn it. Come on! She's at the homestead"

The men ran to either Jim Bob's jalopy or Curt's van except John, who turned to his terrified wife. "Olivia, honey, we're gonna get her. She'll be okay"

"John…my dream. I'm coming with you"

"Livie, you're staying here. I don't want Erin or my parents scared out of their minds. Please"

She reluctantly nodded. Her silent consent gave John permission to jump into Curt's passenger side. "Let's go"

Olivia walked slowly back inside, where Grandma hugged her. "She's going to be fine, Honey. Come on"

The elder woman turned to Erin who was standing by the door watching where the men left. "You, too Sweetheart"

Erin followed them inside reluctantly as she continued to watch where her family and David left. She had only one thought.

'I'm so sorry, Mary Ellen. You weren't supposed to get hurt.'