Two hours later, now almost 11 PM, when Lisa had a second wind after her late afternoon nap, she was working at her kitchen table, her computer open, documents spread out, and she was looking at flight information for her trip to Florida. Her phone rang again, and when she glanced at the caller ID, she raised an eyebrow seeing it was Tim of all people calling her. She was certain Tim would have plenty to say to Jack about the baby; she really hadn't thought about his reaction, but at the same time, he did like her and was always kind to her. As much as he'd messed up things in his life with the girls, with just about everything-she knew the stories from Jack and what she'd seen with her own eyes, he was a man trying. She answered, noting he wasn't one to call this late ever, and something told her it wasn't to discuss the baby.

"Tim?" Lisa said into the phone, a definite questioning tone in her voice.

"Yeah, hey Lisa, it's Jack. I mean, it's Tim, but we're at the hospital. It's Jack," he told her.

"Oh my," she said, her heart racing as she fumbled her paperwork for no other reason than her hands needed something to do. "What happened? Please tell me he didn't have another heart attack."

"No, no heart attack, but he was driving home, I guess maybe from your place from what the girls and I pieced together, and he hit a deer or a deer hit him," Tim told her.

Lisa was now up pacing, "Is he okay?"

"Ahh, it was enough to put the truck into the ditch and flip it on its side. The doctors are with him now. Look, I don't want to worry you-"

"Tim, you are calling and telling me Jack flipped his truck," she said in a panic.

"He's with the doctors, and we are here waiting. I knew you would want to know," he said. "They haven't told us much yet, but they are working on him.

"I'm on my way," she said hurriedly, muttering under her breath. He'd JUST been at her house not long ago.

"Lisa, I can do two things. I can come get you or just update you the moment we know anything. I'm fine either way," he offered.

She shook her head, "I'm on my way. I won't be any good waiting here."

"We are in the waiting room off the ER," he told her. "Just be safe, Lisa. Jack's going to be fine. I know it."

"Oh Jack," she sighed, rushing around looking for her keys.

Lisa moved hurriedly into the hospital ER area, scanning for the waiting area. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been here; it had been a very long time. She saw a sign and scurried down that hallway too, slowing only when she felt herself moving too quickly for the extra weight she was carrying. She slowed, just slightly, and tried to take a couple of deep breaths. She winced slightly, and with that, she nodded to herself to remember that she had more than one thing to focus on right now. She wasn't a runner, so this extra exertion on the baby wasn't helping at the moment.

She rounded the corner as the sign indicated, and immediately, she was met with the waiting area. She was almost moving so fast she looked like she'd run around the corner. She made eye contact with Tim immediately, who was standing up on the opposite side of the room, but facing where she'd just come around the corner.

"Lisa," he said, his eyes widening at the sight of her. She knew that would be the reaction from all of them. She was definitely visibly pregnant, not the "extra food weight look" anymore she'd discussed with Jack. She did have a tan jacket on over her shirt, so that did help, but it didn't mask anything.

"Hi," she said, now out of breath. Tim made his way to her, and as he walked toward her, she looked around and saw both Amy and Lou getting up as well to come toward her. She hadn't seen any of them in a couple of months now.

"It's good to see you," Tim said, pulling her into an embrace. He stepped back and gave her a once over, "Oh, wow, I can't believe it. Jack told me, and you know," he gave a nervous laugh, "I had to make some comments about it all in good fun, but it really is amazing. Congratulations."

"Oh, ahh, thank you," Lisa said, with a heartfelt small smile at him. He was smiling back at her, and for just a moment, she realized he was genuinely the first person to be really happy for her and for this new baby.

"Lisa," Amy said behind Tim, and Lisa turned her attention there and stepped from Tim. She saw the worry in Amy's eyes and immediately embraced her.

"He's going to be okay, honey," she said, giving her a tight hug. "Your grandpa is a tough one, and this isn't going to be like your mom, okay?" Lisa stepped back, gripping Amy's shoulders, meeting her gaze. She could see the sheer terror in Amy's eyes, and although she'd met Amy shortly after her mom had died, she'd seen over the years what that sadness had done to her. Something as simple as the school dance, well, Lisa had been glad to get her a new dress for it, stepping into that motherly role for just a moment, not wanting to at all take over a spot in Amy's life like that, but to only ease some of that pain that snuck in when least expected. At the sight of tears pooling in the corner of Amy's eyes, Lisa wiped at them. She gave her arm a squeeze and turned back toward Tim, where now Lou was there next to him.

"Lisa, hi," Lou said, giving her a quick hug. "We are waiting to hear from the doctor."

"Ahh, okay," she said, letting out her breath. Tim, noticing she looked a little flushed, gestured to a seat.

"Lisa, here, grab a seat. Lou, get her a cup of that water over there from the machine."

"I'm fine, really," Lisa waved them off. Tim nodded to her.

"You are flushed, and I'm guessing you ran from the parking lot. You aren't doing anyone any good if you don't take care of yourself."

Lou returned with the water, and Lisa accepted it, looking up at the three of them. She absentmindedly had her hand on her side, and she realized that with everyone looking at her. "I'm fine," she sighed, patting her side, "just pregnant, as you've all now heard."

"It's really crazy, Lisa," Lou said. "We couldn't believe when Grandpa told us."

"Let's not get into that now. Let's focus on Jack," Tim shook his head at the girls and looked back to Lisa. "More water?"

She shook her head, "I'm fine. What happened with Jack?"

"The doctors have only been out once. They have him in surgery," Lou said, shaking her head. "He'd been at your place, we think, right?"

"Wait, surgery?" Lisa's eyes widened, and she stood up now with them, unable to just sit there. "What is going on?"

Tim nodded and gestured to the chairs, "Come on, we can all sit," and as he did, Lisa and the girls did too. He continued, "The doctor only came out briefly to say his spleen had ruptured with the impact, they were removing that, and they would be back when he was out of surgery."

"Yeah, I've been looking up that, and it can cause internal bleeding and all if not addressed quickly," Lou added.

"Jack will be fine," Lisa said with a firm nod, looking at the girls. "That is something they can handle."

"They are pretty sure he has a concussion too," Amy added. "We haven't talked to him, but they think he hit a deer or something, tried to swerve, and he ended up in the ditch with the truck flipped. That truck doesn't have the air bags and all like newer cars," Amy rolled her eyes. "We know how Grandpa is."

"Okay, okay," Lisa said nodding as she absorbed all of the details. She looked around to them, "Yes, Jack had left my place after dropping off all that food, which was very kind of all of you." She gave them a small smile, and continued, "Tim, your call came two hours after he left."

"Yeah, well, one of the paramedics on the scene is a guy I've known for years, and he recognized Jack. He called me right away before they even left to transport him to the hospital."

"Peter is away, but Ty volunteered to stay with Katie and Georgie," Lou offered.

"Well, thank you for calling me, even with our situation being what it is," Lisa said, biting her lip and looking down briefly.

"Lisa, regardless of well, whatever," Tim rolled his eyes, "you should be here."

"I just want to know that he's okay," Amy said, standing up and pacing around. "He has to be okay."

Changing the subject, Lou nodded to Lisa, "So, Lisa, you're really pregnant?"

"Yes I am," Lisa said with one nod. "We don't need to get into that now. Let's just focus on Jack."

The four of them settled into a silence, with Amy trying to stay awake, but nodding off against Tim multiple times. Lisa sat on the other side of Tim, and Lou spent her time pacing and sitting over by the widow, looking out at the night sky.

"Seriously, for what it's worth, I'm happy for you, Lisa. I know you and Jack have a lot to work out, but I'm sure you will," he said quietly to her after they'd been sitting there a couple of hours. Lisa just hummed and looked down to realize she'd been absentmindedly running her thumb over the side of her stomach. She gave Tim a sad smile.

"Life does have a way of throwing us curves. Not all can be straightened. Sometimes we have to adapt and make the best of a new path," Lisa told him.

"Family of Jack Bartlett," they heard, and all heads snapped up, including Amy who'd been almost asleep.

"That's us," Lou said, almost running to the doctor. "How is he?"

The four of them stood, and the doctor walked over to them, "Dr. Carter," he told them, glancing around. "We dealt with the spleen. They will check on his concussion later, but he's already in recovery. We're watching his blood pressure."

"He had a heart attack a few months ago," Lou offered, and the doctor nodded.

"We have that in his chart," he told the group. "The notes are all up to date, at least from a month or so ago. Any recent change in medication?"

Amy shrugged, "Grandpa won't tell us anything. I think he's been doing fine with things."

Lisa looked to her and titled her head, gesturing back to the doctor, "Yes, he's had a recent change. He changed medication not long ago, just the other day. I don't know the dosage, but his cardiologist would."

"Lisa, what?" Lou looked to her with a shocked look on her face. "Grandpa didn't mention any of that. He said he's been fine."

Lisa held up her hand in defense, "I'm sorry, girls, but that's what I know. I'm sure he didn't want to worry you, but he's had several appointments in the last week or so and has been talking to his cardiologist regularly."

"He told you, though?" Amy asked.

"Girls," Tim sighed, shaking his head. "Yeah, apparently, he told Lisa and didn't tell you. Different relationship. Let it go, and let's focus on Jack. Sorry, Doc," he said, looking back to the doctor.

"I can check on that," the doctor nodded. He looked to Lisa, "Same cardiologist as listed in his records?"

"Yes," Lisa nodded. "He's been happy with the cardiologist." Jack had told her he liked the cardiologist, which was big for him because he didn't like a lot of doctors. They'd talked about that briefly when he'd asked her if she'd liked the OB she'd seen in Calgary.

"Can we see him?" Amy asked, the tears building in her eyes again.

The doctor nodded, "One at a time right now, and then, we will be moving him to a room. He's got a couple cracked ribs too. That with the surgery, and the probable concussion, well, he'll be okay, but he needs to go slowly with this."

"Sounds like just what Jack will want to hear," Tim grumbled.

"Ahh, how long do you anticipate he'll be here?" Lisa asked.

The doctor thought a moment, "I'd say at least three days, maybe more depending on how he responds and recovers. Hopefully, he'll rest here."

"He hates hospitals," Lisa said, gesturing with her hands. "He will give the nurses a hard time about being here."

"Noted," the doctor said with a reassuring smile.

"Can I see him?" Amy asked.

"Lisa, you go first," Tim jumped in. Lisa shook her head and put her arm on Amy's shoulder.

"No, absolutely not. Amy and then Lou need to see him. I'm fine, and it's important they see him," she said with a determined voice.

"I'm going," Amy looked to Tim and then to the doctor.

"Girls, fine, both of you see him, and then I'm taking you home for the night. Jack isn't going anywhere, except to a room to rest. You both need some sleep and can come back in the morning," he said to them, and when they started to protest, he held up his hand. "I'm not taking no for an answer."

"Dad, I don't want to just leave Grandpa."

"I'll stay," Lisa said, reaching out to squeeze Lou's hand. "I'll be fine. You all go check on Jack, and I'll stay with him tonight."

"Oh, Lisa, you shouldn't have to do that-" Lou shook her head, and Lisa shook hers too.

"I'll be fine. As we have all noticed, I'm pregnant. I'm pregnant, but not an invalid. I'll be just fine sitting here. I slept earlier this evening, so I will be just fine," she said giving them an encouraging smile.

"Lisa's right," Tim nodded to the girls and then to Lisa, mouthing a silent 'thank you' to her. "Check on Jack, I'm taking you home, and tomorrow, you can come back and relieve Lisa."

"Go," Lisa told Amy. "Put eyes on him to calm your nerves."

Another hour and a half later, after Tim and the girls had put eyes on Jack and had reluctantly gone home, a nurse brought Lisa to Jack's room now that he was out of recovery. Lisa thanked her, but before the nurse left, she turned to Lisa.

"I can get you a blanket to sit with in here. It gets cold," she offered.

"That would be great, thank you," Lisa said, putting her purse down next to the chair. She turned and finally laid eyes on Jack. "Oh gosh," she sighed.

"He will recover," the nurse said reassuringly. Those cuts on his face are superficial from the glass shattering." Lisa nodded as the nurse described more. Lisa moved toward the bed and moved his hair to the side to see a big gash, with a couple of stitches, by his forehead. Lisa shook her head and sighed, turning back to the nurse. Jack continued to sleep, a low hum coming from the monitor next to his bed. He seemed to be comfortable, at least for the moment and didn't wake up with their talking.

"Thank you for your help. That blanket would be great," she said, now taking off her jacket and turning slightly to put it on the chair.

"Oh, you're pregnant," the nurse smiled. "Congratulations. I can get some juice too if you would like to sip on that while you sit here."

"That would be great, too," Lisa said with a small smile and nod. "Thank you." The nurse turned to leave, and Lisa ran her hand over his arm where he had a few more cuts by his hand. She looked back at his face, grimacing at the cuts. He'd really been through it.

"My goodness, Jack," she sighed. "All that talk about not being here for a long time. It wasn't something I want to deal with now. What in the world am I going to do with you?"