A/N: Sorry for such short chapters and far between lately. I've been exhausted and sitting in front of the computer makes it worse. I have jury duty coming up too but hopefully that won't be too bad. I still have plans for this, never fear!

"Mama! MAMA!" Colton shouted, bursting through the door and running towards her bed. "Lift me up!"

"I can't lift you honey," she said with a chuckle. "And use your library voice please."

"But I so happy," he reported, trying to climb up on the bed. "Daddy help me please."

Adam lifted him up and set him on Lindsay's good side, reminding him to be very careful because she was still hurting.

"You feeling better, mama?"

"Yeah, I'm feeling a lot better."

"When you coming home?"

"I'm not sure honey. Maybe tomorrow."

"Could I sleep here with you?"

"No, you have to go home with daddy. But don't worry about that now, okay?"

"Okay. Wanna know what me and Ben did today?"

"Yeah, what did you do?"

"Well first before daddy come home we was playin' play-doh with Jo. And Ben, he tried to eat some and Jo said "No, don't eat that it's toxic!" and Ben spit it out and Jo throwed it away a'cuz it was spitty. And then daddy come home and he make breakfast and we was watching cartoons and then a movie come on and we was watchin' it but it got too scary so daddy put the kibosh on it."

"He put the kibosh on it?"

"Yep that what him said. Then we was eatin' lunch and it was macaroni, and then Ben and daddy taked naps but I just read my books and then we come here to see you."

"Well it sounds like you had a long day already."

"Yeah, but I not tired. So can I see your owwie?"

She chuckled and brushed her fingers through his hair.

"No, not right now. It's all gross and it has a huge band-aid on it but maybe sometime."

"It hurt bad mama?" he asked, reaching up to pat her face while snuggling against her with his head on her shoulder.

"No, I've got lots of medicine."

"From the doctor?"

"Yes, from the doctor."

"So doctors is good still?"

"Yes, they are."

"Okay. So what you done today mama?"

"Austin came to see me and we watched movies for a little while and then she left and I took a nap and now here we are."

"I the only one that taked no nap today!" he exclaimed, feeling quite grown up and proud of himself.

"Yes you are, but you still need to be quiet."

By this time Ben was growing tired of exploring the room with Adam and reached out for her desperately, his eyes wide. She couldn't put him in her lap or on her bad side and she didn't really want to move Colton either. The dilemma brought tears to her eyes as she tried to figure out which son to hold. Adam solved the problem for her, sitting down on her bad side and having Colton crawl across the end of the bed and back up to him. Ben took Colton's spot and they were all soon happy again.

"Mama, can we watch Yo Gabba Gabba?"

"Who let you watch that?"

"Um well, Jo."

"Well if Jo doesn't mind that inane singing that's her deal but I'm not suffering through it."

"Well how 'bout somethin' else?" he asked, taking the remote from Adam and flipping through the channels. "I find somethin'."

Lindsay smiled as she watched him figure out the remote, aiming it at the TV and flipping through the channels until he found something colorful and animated.

"There we go. Ben wanna watch this?"

"Bo!" Ben agreed, nodding his head and sticking his thumb into his mouth.

"So how are you feeling?" Adam asked quietly, once the boys were completely entranced by the story playing out before them.

"I'm tired and sore but I really just want to go home."

"Did you talk to the doctor today?"

"He said no lifting over ten pounds for a week, no more than fifteen for two weeks and I'm not allowed to do the dishes or clean up after the kids or scrub the toilet-"

"Lindsay."

"Okay so he just said the lifting thing, but I'm supposed to be really careful about bending down too."

"Did he say when I can take you home?"

"Tomorrow if all my tests come back okay."

"Good. I don't like leaving you here."

"I'm fine here," she said softly as he twirled a strand of hair around her finger.

"You know how much I hate sleeping alone. I'm not looking forward to it."

"Me neither."

"I'll feel better once you're home. It's still kind of scary."

"I'm alright, Adam."

"I know, but for a while there you weren't."

She nodded and found his hand, squeezing it gently.

"Can you do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Can you not think about that for a while?"

"Why?"

"Because if you think about it now you're going to be really over protective and constantly asking me if I'm okay and that will just make me irritated."

"I irritate you when I love you?"

She snickered and shook her head.

"I'm just high maintenance."

"I can deal with that."

"You have to dude. Stuck forever."

The car ride was especially bumpy, the elevator seemed to have to stop at every floor and by they time she was finally home, she wanted to beg to go back to the hospital for some wonderful pain medication.

"Honey, you okay?" Adam asked, holding onto her shoulders and leaning down to look at her.

"It hurts really bad," she said, her voice strained and cracked. "I need to lay down."

"Okay, we're going inside. Do you want me to carry you?"

"No, I can walk."

They hurried through the door and closed it behind them, taking a moment to shed their coats.

"Mama's home!" Colton chirped from the table, waving his fork in delight as bits of his lunch went flying everywhere. "Jo, mama's home!"

"I know. And from the look on her face, I am betting your mama needs some peace and quiet."

"But I not seen her since yesterday."

"That doesn't mean you need to yell," Adam said softly, more in reminder than reprimand. "Let mama get settled and then you can come in and talk to her."

"Okay," Colton grumped, sitting back down to eat his lunch. Lindsay gave him a half smile, then let Adam half carry her into the bedroom. She winced when he lifted her onto the bed, gritting her teeth at the pain that shot through her side.

"I'm sorry baby. I'm sorry," he said, slowly removing her shoes and drawing the quilt up over her.

"It's okay."

"Do you want me to run to the pharmacy and get your prescription filled?"

"Yes, please."

"Alright. I'll see if Jo will stay with the boys until I get back. Sit tight okay?"

"Okay."

He leaned down and kissed her forehead, noticing that it was a little warmer than he would have liked it to be.

"Do you remember what the doctor said about a fever?"

"I dunno."

"You've got one."

"It's probably just from moving around. I'm fine."

"Okay," he said, half convinced. "I'll be back in a little while."

She nodded and closed her eyes, breathing deeply to make the pain go away.

The boys spent the majority of the day snuggled up in bed beside her, watching movies and reading books and seeming perfectly happy to just be next to her for a while. She needed rest but she needed the boys even more. They kept fudging on bedtime until it was a whole hour later than normal and Adam decided to put them down, despite their cries for their mama.

He returned a few minutes later and found her half asleep, curled up in a position that couldn't have been comfortable, but had been easier to hold both boys. He leaned down and kissed her more awake, taking a second to look into her eyes before he said anything.

"I brought you a present."

"Oh did you?"

"Want to guess?"

"Chocolate?"

"No, not quite," he chuckled, pulling the DVD from behind his back.

"Lost In Space," she chuckled. "The one with Matt Le Blanc?"

"The one and only. I thought cinematic crap might make you feel better."

"Especially if I get to watch it with you."

He gave a half smile, then let his eyes drift down to her stomach.

"What?"

"We have to change your bandage."

"It hurts."

"I know, but if we don't change it, it'll get infected."

"Gross," she whined, wrinkling her nose.

"It'll only take me a minute."

"Okay," she agreed, knowing he would do his best not to hurt her.

He took the gauze and other wrappings off the side table, drawing in a deep breath before slowly gliding her shirt up over her skin. He didn't want to do this any more than she did and his fingers trembled lightly with fear. She bit her lip and closed her eyes, wishing he would hurry up and get it over with. She didn't like being taken care of like this, even by him. It wasn't a thing of vulnerability, it just wasn't comfortable.

He was suddenly still and quiet and she opened her eyes, finding him with his head bowed and his shoulders shaking.

"Adam?"

"It was so close," he whispered. "I almost lost you."

Her breath caught at his words and tears pounded against the back of her eyes. She knew it had been on his mind all day, but the gravity of the situation was hitting him harder now as he stared down at the very real wound that had almost taken her. She didn't know what to say, there were no reassurances that would work. She stayed silent as he finished what he was doing, the pain of it fading away as she watched him closely. He'd nearly slipped into stoicism by the time he was done, setting all the boxes and spools of tape back on the table before shutting the light off and climbing into bed on her good side. He wrapped his arms around her and carefully pulled her closer, nuzzling her hair and kissing her cheek before dropping his head to her shoulder and letting out the tears that had wanted to fall for so long.

"I love you so much," he said finally, the only words he could think of.

"I love you too."

"I couldn't do it, Linds."

"Do what?"

"Live without you."

"Yes you could," she said, swallowing hard at the idea. "You would have to."

He shook his head.

"I'd be so gone. I wouldn't know how to function. I would figure it out, I would have to for the boys but I just don't know how I could do it."

"I don't know what I'd do without you either," she sniffled, running her hand gently over his arm. "I think I would just be a zombie most of the time."

"I could never be with anyone else," he confessed, kissing her shoulder.

"What?"

"Linds if you were gone, I don't think I could ever love anyone again. Not the way I love you. And I would have to love someone that much to be with them."

"I wish I could tell you that I would want you to be happy and fall in love again but I'm too selfish. I would never be with anyone else either. I'd feel like I was cheating on you."

He gave her a wry smile, then sighed and tucked her under his chin.

"What if it was for the boys? To give them a father. Could you do it then?"

"They already have a father."

"I know that, but if I was gone tomorrow-"

"They don't need a substitute. They have grandfathers and uncles and no one could ever take your place in their lives. No matter what. I wouldn't bring someone into their life and into my life just because I think they need something. They would need me more than they would need that."

"What if it was you? They need their mother, but what if you were gone? I'd never want anyone else, but where do I find that mother figure for them?"

"It would be the same, Adam. We have family, we have friends. They would be okay. If it happened and you decided that they needed someone… I guess it's up to you then."

"Linds, I'm not asking you to tell me to marry someone else. I just don't know if I could give them the world if you're not there with me."

"You could Adam because you already do."

He sighed and wiped her tears away before taking care of his own.

"I would miss you so much. I miss you just thinking about it."

"It scares me," she admitted. "I'm always scared of losing people, but losing you… I can barely think about it."

"I'll let you go first," he said quietly, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I won't make you go through that again. But you gotta promise not to leave me until we're really old."

"Like nine hundred."

He laughed and tipped her chin up, kissing her long and deep until all the fear retreated and he could just be happy she was home in one piece.

"So what do you think, time for a movie?"

"Yes."

He got off the bed and put the movie in the player then came back and they spent a few minutes adjusting how they were sitting until they were both comfortable. He kissed the top of her head and played with her fingers while she breathed through the little bit of pain that was still there.

"Matt Le Blanc is weird in this movie."

"There were three words too many in that sentence babe."

"That's what I was thinking as the words were coming out of my mouth."

He grinned and traced over the words on her wrist.

"Need some pain meds?"

"No."

"You're wincing and squinting."

"Yeah, because of this movie."

"Linds, you need something," he said, starting to get up. She grabbed his arm tightly and shook her head.

"If you get up then we're going to have to move again and that hurts worse."

"Sweetheart I can see in your eyes how much this hurts. Let me get up and help you."

"Okay."

"Sit up."

"It's not really that easy," she half laughed as he slowly moved her forward and then gently moved her back.

"I'm sorry."

"Not your fault."

"I'll be right back."

She wrinkled her nose and stretched a little, wishing she could have a full out stretch from head to toe but knowing the kind of pain that would involve. It was almost worse than recovering from labor and delivery, but at least this time she didn't have to deal with lack of sleep as well.

"Your narcotics, miss," Adam said, returning to the room with her meds, a glass of water, and a towel draped over his arm.

"Don't make me laugh."

He handed her the medicine and she took it while he resumed his previous position.

"Thank you for takin' care of me."

"You're welcome, baby. Just don't let it happen again."

His half teasing earned a smile and a kiss. She couldn't promise that they would both be safe forever, but she could promise for now.