Mike pulled up in front of Denise's apartment building and shifted into park. "I can wait out here with Sean, if you want."

"Why would I want that? Come on."

They went into the building and up to Denise's third floor apartment. When Bobby pulled out his keys, Mike raised an eyebrow. "You have a key to her place?"

"Is that a problem?"

"Not for me. Does Alex know?"

"Uh, no."

"I'll keep quiet about it then."

Bobby slid his key into the lock. "It's not a secret."

"I didn't think it was. I would put it under the 'things better left unsaid' category."

"I'm not keeping it from her, Mike. It's just something that's never come up. She's never gone through my keys and asked me what each one is for."

"I guess that would be a little much, huh?"

"Yeah, kinda."

"Sometimes it's too much for Denise to get up to answer the door. It just makes sense for me to have a key since I stop by to check on her every day."

He opened the door and they went into the neat apartment. Mike looked around. "Sick as she is, she can still find the energy to clean?"

"No. A nurse friend of mine has been hired to come by to be with her every day. She was hired to monitor her health and give her the IV medication she needs, but she cooks and cleans and helps her out wherever she needs it, too. It won't be too much longer before a night nurse comes in as well."

Mike studied him. He was too detached from what was happening. "Bobby..."

Bobby shook his head. "Please, don't."

With a nod, Mike let the matter drop. Bobby knew what he was doing. It was the only way he could cope with losing this woman he'd been so close to for so many years. Mike watched him cross the room and enter the hallway that led back to the two bedrooms. A moment later, he came back. "Well, come on."

Mike hadn't seen Denise in awhile and he was hesitant, but he finally followed his friend to the bedroom at the far end of the hall. Bobby knocked softly, then opened the door after a muffled response to his knock.

Denise was sitting in the bed, wearing an oversized sweatshirt, one of Bobby's from the look of it. She smiled at the two men, her face brightening when she saw Sean. "Hi, boys. You brought someone to see me!" she exclaimed, delighted.

Denise loved children so much. It hurt Bobby to think she would never enjoy her own baby, never experience the thrill of the baby's milestones, never see that baby grow up. He reached out to Sean, who didn't hesitate to go to him. Gently, he sat the baby beside Denise. "You look just like your daddy," she cooed to the baby, who smiled at the gentle voice.

"Have you eaten?" Bobby asked.

"Missy made me some oatmeal before she left."

"Did you eat it?"

"Some of it."

Bobby watched her as she focused her attention on the baby he'd set beside her. She tickled his belly and he giggled, which made her smile. She would make such a good mother, ever patient, ever loving. She'd put up with him for more than two decades. He moved away from the bedside under the pretense of opening the window to let in fresh air.

Holding Sean, Denise watched him. She knew him well; he was hiding nothing from her. "Come back over here, Bobby."

Reluctantly, he returned to the bedside. She shifted herself over and patted the bed. "Sit down."

He sat down and she took his hand. "Talk to me, please."

"Denise, I...I can't."

"Are you telling me that you still haven't come to terms with this?"

"How am I supposed to come to terms with...with losing you? That's something I'll never be okay with."

Mike clapped his hand on Bobby's shoulder, then he gathered Sean up and said, "We'll be out in the living room."

Bobby nodded and Mike left the room with his son after Denise gave the baby a kiss. Denise shifted again, closer to Bobby. "I can't remember a time when you weren't part of my life," she said softly, still holding his hand. "I love you so much, and it hurts me deeply to cause you pain."

He released her hand and moved so that he could hold her in his arms. "It's not your fault," he said quietly into her hair.

She rested her back against his chest and relaxed, trusting his strong arms to support her. She moved the sheet that covered her and lifted her shirt to show him her growing belly. "Look at how big the baby is getting."

He reached out and rested his hand on her belly. The baby kicked his hand and he smiled, remembering the times his own children had done the same thing. "Pregnancy is such an amazing thing," he murmured.

Impulsively, she kissed his cheek. "I love how wonderful you are."

"I'm not so great. There's lots of room for improvement."

"I love you just the way you are."

He was quiet as the baby kicked his hand again. "You've always been too good to me."

"Not good enough, I'm afraid." She paused before charging ahead to say what she wanted to say. "Sometimes, I wish I'd said yes the first time you proposed to me, but then I see the look in your eyes when you look at Alex. I never saw that adoration when you looked at me and I know it was right to say no. You were meant to be with her. You've always belonged to her."

"Don't kid yourself. I belong to you, too."

"In a very different way. I would never give you up, and I hate what this cancer is doing to you. If there was any way I could spare you this pain, Bobby, I would."

His eyes were bright with tears and he buried his face in her hair. "And if there was any way I could save your life, I would. I would trade places with you in a heartbeat."

"I don't doubt that for a second and I love you for it, but that is something I would never let you do. You have too much love in your life, too many people who love you and need you."

He had pointedly avoided discussing her impeding death, with her or anyone else, but it was a talk he knew they had to have. He just wasn't ready for it; he never would be.

The phone in his pocket chose that moment to ring, sparing him the conversation he didn't want to have. Shifting, he pulled it out and glanced at the caller ID. Reggie. He answered the call. "Hello."

"Daddy..."

He frowned and sat up straighter. "Maggie, what's wrong?"

"Daddy, Grampa fell down and he won' wake up. I al'eady called 911, but Harry's scared and Tommy's cryin' and I don' know what else to do."

"Where's Aunt Reggie?"

"Jake fell outta a tree in the backyard and she taked him to the hospital. I tried to call Uncle Aaron but he didn' answer."

"All right...Uncle Mike and I will be there as fast as we can get there."

She sounded more confident when she said, "Okay, Daddy. I'll take care-a my babies."

"Good girl."

He shoved his phone in his pocket and leaned over to kiss Denise's cheek. "We've gotta run. Call if you need me. Otherwise, I'll see you tomorrow."

She touched his hand. "Are the kids okay?"

He nodded. "Maggie's watching them. They're fine, but something's wrong with John."

"Let me know."

"I will."

He hurried out the door. Mike was sitting on the couch with Sean when he rushed into the living room. "What's wrong?"

"Maggie just called. We've gotta go now."

Without hesitating, Mike jumped up, called good-bye to Denise and ran out the door after Bobby.

After securing his son in his carseat, Mike got into the passenger seat. Bobby pulled away from the curb before he got the door closed. "What's going on?" Mike asked as he fastened his seatbelt.

"Jake fell out of a tree and Reggie took him to the ER. She left the kids with John. He collapsed and Maggie said she can't wake him up. She called 911 and then she called me."

"Oh, no...Hey! There's a car...Never mind."

Bobby pulled out his phone and tossed it to Mike, who was tense. "Here. Distract yourself and call Alex."

"Promise me you'll put a little more space between us and the next car you pass."

"Just call her."

Mike did as he asked, wondering if the ride would be less harrowing with his eyes closed. He tried it as he waited for Alex to answer and decided it wasn't. His imagination actually presented a more frightening ride than the one his friend was giving them.

"Hi, honey," Alex answered.

"Wrong honey, dear," Mike replied.

She could hear the stress in his voice. "What's wrong? Is Denise okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine. Look, something happened at your sister's and your fighter pilot husband is flying us there now."

"Oh, God...what happened?"

"Apparently, your nephew fell out of a tree and his mom took him to the ER. She left the kids with your dad. Maggie called and told Bobby that Grampa fell and she can't wake him up. She's taking care of the little ones and we're—hey! You promised not to do that again!"

"Did not," Bobby answered tightly.

"Dammit, Bobby!"

"Mike! What's going on?" Alex demanded.

"He drives like Speed Racer when he's not in a panic. Just say I never questioned your judgment in doing the driving."

"Tell him to be careful. We'll meet you at the house."

"I'll tell him."

The line went dead and Mike hit Bobby's shoulder. "Your wife said to be careful."

"I am careful."

"Then why am I getting ulcers? Watch that—" He winced involuntarily as Bobby swerved around the tail end of a truck backing out of a delivery zone. "—truck..."

"I saw it."

"Did he see you?"

"Do you want to walk?"

"At least I'd get there in one piece. We have a baby in the car, remember?"

"I know. I told you I'm being careful."

"Can you ratchet that careful up just a little?"

Bobby tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "Quit being a baby."

"Look," Mike said, trying to be reasonable. "We'll never get there if you wreck the car. And if you do wreck the car, your wife and Carolyn will be vying for the chance to kick your ass to who wouldn't have it. That is, if I leave anything for them to kick. You said Maggie called 911, right?"

"Yes."

"She'll take good care of her sister and the boys until the cops get there, and they won't leave them alone in the house. The kids will be fine."

"The boys are scared and so is she."

"You aren't going to break any land speed records in Brooklyn, so quit trying. We'll get there as fast as we can."

Bobby was quiet. He held the steering wheel in a white-knuckled grip. "My kids are scared. They need me, and I don't want to let them down."

"You've never let them down, buddy. They know you're on the way and that thought alone will comfort them."

Bobby remained tense, but he slowed down enough to mollify Mike. It took tremendous effort for him to ease off the accelerator, but Mike was right. If he wrecked the car, he would do his children no good.

When he turned the corner onto Reggie's street, there was a lone patrol car parked in the driveway. He brought the car to a screeching halt at the curb and jumped out. The front door flew open and Maggie ran across the porch, down the steps and into his arms. She held tightly to his neck. "Shhh," he said softly as she began to cry. "It's okay now."

"The amb'lance taked Grampa to the hospital," she sobbed.

He looked toward the house where a uniformed officer stood on the porch, holding Molly. Bobby approached him, extending his hand to the officer. "Robert Goren. Thanks for staying with them."

"Stan Horowitz. They're good kids. They're scared and worried about their grandfather."

Mike joined them on the porch. Without taking her head from her father's shoulder, Maggie reached out to Sean. "Hi, baby Sean."

Sean made a happy, excited sound at her. After greeting Horowitz, Mike held out an arm to Maggie. "Come on, bunny. Let's go inside and check on the boys."

She went with Mike, who came back out once he'd set Sean down to play with Maggie and her brothers. He took Molly from the officer and carried her into the house. Horowitz jerked his head toward the house. "That's some little girl you have there. Very responsible."

"Thanks. What about my father-in-law?"

Horowitz shook his head. "Maggie told us he was in the kitchen fixing them a bedtime snack. He called out to her and collapsed before she could respond. She tried to wake him up, but couldn't so she called 911. She made sure the stove was off and she sat by her grandfather, comforting the other children until I arrived."

"Thank you for staying with them."

"It was my pleasure."

"What hospital did they take him to?"

"Nassau University Medical Center."

"Thanks again."

Bobby shook his hand again and went into the house as Horowitz walked to his patrol car. Mike was sitting on the floor with Sean and Tommy in his lap. Maggie sat beside him with Molly in front of her, rolling a ball back and forth. Harry watched them from the couch, still careful to keep Mike at a safe distance. That distance, though, was becoming shorter and shorter.

Mike looked up at him. "Why don't you go over to the hospital? I'll stay here with the kids."

"I'll leave shortly," he said, sitting in a nearby recliner.

He needed to take a minute to regroup, to be with the children and find some semblance of inner calm before he could possibly deal with what had happened to the man who had become a father to him.