Her boots clacked against the tile floor of the buildings entry way and she hurriedly wiped them on the mat by the door. It had been a perfect spring rain, cold, but with that smell of life that only happened once or twice a year. She'd walked just a little slower from the car to the building, just so it could get her hair wet and cling to her clothes, like the promise of a new season that wasn't going to go away.

She took the stairs instead of the elevator, simply because she had the time and the energy, something that she had missed in the winter months. The mornings were a little brighter when they were warmer, and hopping out of bed as soon as the alarm went off was getting slightly easier. Of course, the leaving for work part wasn't as enjoyable, but she tried to focus on coming home instead.

She was met at the door by a worried Adam who handed her the phone.

"What happened?"

"Call your mom."

"Why?"

"Honey, just call your mom."

She stared at him and then at the phone for a moment before shaking her head.

"What's going on?"

"She's been trying to reach you all afternoon."

"My phone died."

"Call her, please?"

"You're making me nervous," she said, shedding her coat and hanging it by the door. "Is it that bad?"

"Sweetheart, please."

Giving him a look and a sigh, she sat down on the couch and dialed the long distance number, her stomach doing flips of uncertaintly.

"Hello?"

"Jake? Didn't I call mom?"

"Uh, yeah. I've got her phone."

"What's going on?"

"Do you want to talk to mom?"

"No, I want to talk to someone who is going to tell me what the heck is happening over there."

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Sis, dad had a heart attack."

"What?" she squeaked, clutching the phone closer to her ear as her breath started to come in gasps.

"Him and Taylor were out in the back field bringing in the cows in and she said he just fell down. She managed to get him onto the Mule and back to the house and mom called an ambulance."

"Is he okay?"

"He's in the cath lab right now. We haven't heard much else."

"Well… how was he when he went in there?"

"I don't know sis. I just got here. Wanna talk to Eli? He got here a few hours ago."

"Yeah."

"Hey Leonard," Eli said, his voice soft as he used her childhood nickname.

"Hey, how's dad?"

"He's strong sis."

"Eli."

"I got here just as they were bringing him in. He was… kind of gray looking. He was awake but he wasn't really talking or anything, just kind of staring at the ceiling."

"Is he going to be okay?" she asked, choking back the tears that wanted so badly to fall.

"Linds… I don't know."

"Should I come out there?"

"I don't know."

"I'm on the next flight."

"Linds-"

"Don't try to talk me out of it Elias William Monroe."

"Alright. I'll call you as soon as we know anything."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you too. I'll talk to you in a while."

She sniffled and hung up the phone, turning to look at Adam who was sitting quietly beside her.

"Do you know? Did they tell you?"

"No, your mom only said they were taking him to the hospital, she didn't say what happened."

"He had a heart attack."

The words stuck on the end of her tongue and she wasn't sure if she had actually said them or not. Adam's arms went around her tightly and she leaned on him for a second before jumping off the couch.

"I need to go out there, Adam."

"I know. Go pack, I'll see if I can find a flight for you."

"Really?"

"We've got credit cards and this is an emergency. Go."

"But what about work? What about Colton? Who is going to feed you guys? I haven't been shopping-"

"We'll manage. I'll talk to Mac about work, Austin and Stella can help with Colton. It's going to be just fine baby. You don't worry about here."

"Okay."

"Go pack."

She turned and went into the bedroom and he took the laptop off the table, sitting down on the couch and starting his search for a plane ticket. He hated that this was happening, but it was really bad timing on top of that. Lindsay was supposed to go back to her doctor soon, in two days in fact. It had taken a lot to get her to agree to even keep the appointment, as talking about things was harder on her when it was so fresh. He knew she needed to go and now she wasn't going to be able to. Not to mention that this was going to throw a brand new wrench into the works of her progress. He hoped she went out there for no reason, that her father, a man she had basically idol-worshipped most of her life would be just fine. He knew it was not proper to be thinking about it that way, but he couldn't help but look at the effect on her first.

He scanned through several sites and finally found a cheap fare for early the next morning. He booked it, even though she was going to have to change planes twice. At least she would get there. He made a note of the flight times and stood up from the table, joining her in the bedroom. She was frantically throwing clothes into a suitcase and it was the least organized and planned her had ever seen her. She looked like a whirlwind and he knew she needed to be reigned in for a second.

"Sweetie?"

She turned to look at him, her eyes full of tears that spilled gracefully as she walked into his waiting arms.

"He has to be okay," she said, sniffling as he ran his hands up and down her back.

"I know."

"He can't… he just can't."

"Shh, don't think like that."

"But-"

"Honey, look at me. You don't need to think about that right now, okay? You just need to focus on getting out there and seeing him."

"I'm not ready for this. I'm not old enough. He's my… he's my… my daddy. He can't do this."

"I know baby. He's gonna need you when you get out there. I'm betting that smile of yours is going to work wonders."

She took a deep breath and nodded.

"Pick that skirt up and step over it, Nancy," she muttered, wiping her eyes.

"What?"

"That's what dad always said when we were bellyachin' about something stupid. I don't remember where it came from but my grandmother's name is Nancy, so I am pretty sure it's something my grandpa said to her."

He smiled and kissed her forehead before she stepped away, finishing packing her bag.

"I got you a flight for tomorrow morning. We'll have to get up kind of early."

"S'okay. I don't think I'll sleep tonight anyway."

The next morning broke dark and gloomy as they made their way over rainy streets to the airport. Her chest was tight with exhaustion and worry and many more emotions that she couldn't even sort out. Adam parked the car and turned it off and they both just sat there for a second before saying anything.

"I wish you were coming with me."

"Me too. I brought something though," he said, pulling a Sharpie out of his pocket. She grinned a little, the last time feeling like forever ago.

"We should just get permanent ones," she said as he slid the marker over her skin, leaving his words there.

"Are you serious or joking?"

"I'm tired, so I don't know."

"C'mon, we'll walk you in."

They got out of the car and headed to the ticket counter, checking her bag and making sure everything was in order before going over to the security checkpoint.

"Colton say bye to mama."

Colton grinned and leaned out of Adam's arms, hugging Lindsay around the neck and planting a sloppy kiss on her.

"Bye mama."

"Bye baby. You be good for daddy, alright?"

"Daddy," he agreed with a nod. She smiled and Adam hugged her tightly, wishing more than anything that he could be going with her.

"Call me when you land, okay?"

"I will."

"And eat something when you get a chance."

"I'll try."

"And don't talk to strangers on the plane."

"What about snakes on a plane?"

"You're a Parselmouth?"

She snickered and gave him a quick kiss.

"I'd better go before I can't go."

"Alright. We love you."

"I love you too."

She took a deep breath and walked away and Adam sent up a quick prayer to a God he rarely thought about to keep her safe in every way.

The flights were long and uncomfortable, but passed by in a blur as she half slept, half worried. By the time the plane touched down in Gallatin Field she was a twist of emotion, and definitely needing the big sky and fresh air to calm her. She called Adam first to let him know she was alright, then called Eli to come to pick her up. He was waiting outside once she got her luggage and she left it sitting on the sidewalk as he swept her into his arms.

"Hey sis. You doing okay?"

"I'm fine. How's dad?"

"No change. The doctor said some stuff about heart muscle, but I was sure you would talk to him yourself once you got here, so I only paid attention to the pertinent stuff."

"Big word for you there, brother."

"I'm getting better."

"Is dad awake at all?"

"He's conscious, but I don't think he's aware of much. He just kind of stares at us, like he's trying to figure out what's going on. It's not as bad as when gramps was in the hospital, but it's still not fun."

He hugged her a little tighter then let her go, stooping down to pick her suitcase up off the ground. He tossed it into the back of the truck, then opened the passenger door for her. She slid in and buckled her seatbelt and waited until he got in to lean over and change the radio station.

"Between you and the wife and kids, I never get a say in what to listen to," he muttered as the local country station blasted out of the speakers.

"It's Clint Black, you like him. I remember you belting out this song a time or two."

"Okay, you win."

She managed a small smile and rolled down the window, closing her eyes as the wind whipped over her face.

"Sis, have you eaten?"

"A little."

"And the truth?"

"No, not yet."

"You're not seeing dad until you eat."

"Eli, I'm fine."

"You're going to eat because you know mom is going to ask and if you have to tell her no you're going to be in big trouble."

"Okay, okay you're right."

"We'll get something at the hospital cafeteria."

"So you want me to eat but you also want me to throw it up about five minutes later."

"Their food's gotten better, I swear."

"Whatever," she said, grabbing the bottle of pop from the cupholder and taking a swig.

"Gross, warm Pepsi."

"I didn't tell you to drink it."

"At least it's not like I accidentally chugged out of someone's spit cup."

"Speaking of throwing up," he said, shuddering at the memory. She grinned a little and watched out the window as the town went slowly by the window. Country music and fresh air always took her back to carefree summers as a kid, running barefoot for three whole months, even to church because there was no point in putting shoes on such dirty feet. Dirty blonde hair up in braids that were over a week old, grass stains on the skin of her knees, mosquito bites littering her arms. Getting up at the crack of dawn and running wild until the crickets chirped their last. Climbing trees and exploring the woods and the only care was what kind of snake just shot through the brush ahead of you. Her feet itched to be free, but she was too old to run barefoot now, so encased in socks and shoes they stayed.

"What'cha thinkin' about so deep over there?"

"The whippin' rock," she answered, pointing to a boulder on the side of the road where her dad had once pulled the car over to spank all three boys for tormenting her after repeated warnings to leave her alone. The talking back had really been the final straw, and Lindsay remembered sitting in the car trying not to smirk as the boys lined up against the boulder to receive their spankings in front of everyone on the highway.

"Your favorite story ever."

"Justice had never been so sweet."

"You've always been daddy's favorite."

"Favorite daughter maybe."

"I'm glad you're here sis. It's going to be good for him."

He turned the truck into the hospital parking lot and she sat there for a second, as hesitant as she had been this morning.

"Eli… I don't want to see him like this. Tubes and machines."

"I'm not gonna lie sis. It's not easy to see. But under all that stuff he's still daddy."

She sighed and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders for a second before letting her go.

"Let's get some food in you, alright?"

"Okay."

They went into the hospital and he led her down to the cafeteria, paying for a fruit bowl and bottle of water for each of them, then finding a table in the corner.

"Mom and I got in a fight last time she called," she confessed, realizing just how long it had been since she'd been in contact with most of her family.

"I heard."

"She still mad at me?"

"No, she knows you were right. And I doubt she's really thinking about that right now."

"Yeah," she said, stabbing a piece of watermelon with her plastic fork.

"Is Adam gonna be okay while you're gone?"

"He'll be fine. He's more capable than you are."

"Thanks sis."

She grinned and stole a strawberry out of his bowl while he took a piece of cantaloupe out of hers.

"It's going to be okay," he said after a moment. She just nodded and pushed the last little bits of food around her bowl.

"You ready?"

"Yeah, let's go."

They dumped their garbage and headed upstairs, coming too soon to stand outside their dad's room.

"He might be asleep and he might not really act like he knows you're there, but I think he does. I'm going to stay out here so you can have a few minutes, okay?"

She nodded and placed a hand on the doorknob, taking a deep breath before turning it and stepping inside.