Camila's POV

One of the things which means the world to me are my children. I stopped working after William was born because I knew he needed me. He was my sweet little angel. I remember how I cried after the nurse placed him in my arms. This tiny life came from me and Steven and I was going to make sure nothing was going to harm him.

I made sure to include him in everything after I became pregnant with Georgina. He helped me pick out toys for her and we read books about becoming a big brother. He was so happy to see her after she was born and he tried to be her protector. It wasn't easy. Georgina is her own person.

I went with him when he started Baby School and he would run to me at the end of the day when I came to get him. He would talk non-stop about what he did at school and I was so proud of him when he became Head Boy for his class.

He wasn't happy when he had to go to private school.

"Please! Don't send me away! I'll be good!" he said while tears rolled down his cheeks and I thought my heart had stopped.

"You think you did something wrong and we're sending you away forever?" I asked him and he nodded. "Oh, Darling. That isn't true. We would never get rid of you."

"Then why are you sending me away!?"

"It's because we want you to go to the right school. Your father went away to school. So did I."

"Did you like it?"

"If I am to be honest? I was terrified. Then I started enjoying my classes. Made friends. And became Head Girl of my dorm."

"Did Grandmother and Grandfather visit you?"

"Yes. And your father, George and I will visit you. And you come home on breaks, at Christmas and at the end of the school year."

"Alright. I'll go."

I was so proud of him. He excelled in his classes, became Head Boy in his dorm and his teachers and headmaster had nothing, but high praise about his achievements.

Then he changed. He was eleven or twelve when he became distant and cold toward me, Steven and Georgina. I still don't understand what had happened.

He worked hard to get where he was at the agency, but I didn't like the rumors of how cold he was toward his clients or how he would crush them to make a deal. Nor did I like the idea of him having one affair after another. I was worried he would end up with a STD…or end up with an illegitimate child. That is why Will keeping Lily a secret hurt me more than I can say. Yes. I would have wanted him to marry her mother, but I would have also sided with him if he wanted to apply for full custody of his daughter. And now Lily is suffering due to our indiscretions. She should have a happy family life with William, Louisa and Little Steven instead of the monsters she lives with now.

Speaking of Louisa. When Louisa came into our lives, I wasn't sure what to think. I became suspicious of her and I wanted to protect William from her. That changed the night he asked her to come over for dinner. She wasn't what I thought she was and I began to think she was perfect for William. I wasn't wrong. She makes him happy and, for the first time in a long time, I saw my little angel.

Now my little angel is broken. I went to church and talk with my priest and he had asked the congregation to pray for William. I need all the help I can get.

The strap to the satchel hung over my right shoulder as I walked down the hallway and Tanya Houghton-Miller's solicitor, Henry Windsdale, walked next to me. We had faced each other in court a few times. He is an excellent lawyer, but I was surprised he would take on a case like this. We were at the women's facility where Tanya was incarcerated and I noticed the prison guards standing at attention near the visitation rooms. Some of the guards nodded to me as I walked by, but I was concentrating on the task at hand. The guard opened the door to the visitation room while Henry and I walked by her and we walked to the metal table at the center of the room.

"Please be seated," the guard said and we sat on the metal chairs. The shatterproof glass surrounded us as I looked at the white door at the back of the room then at the metal loop embedded in the top of the metal table. The sound of the door opening made me look up and I watched while Tanya entered the room with a guard walking behind her.

I had only met Tanya once or twice. I knew from the start she would only bring heartbreak to my son, but I kept my mouth shut. I scanned her with my eyes and I noticed her long, dark hair had been pulled back into a ponytail. She was wearing an orange jumpsuit and white sneakers without any laces. Her green eyes looked furious, but I kept my face blank while I watched her head for the metal table. She sat on the chair next to Henry and I was surprised to see they had handcuffed her. The guard locked the chain of the handcuffed to the metal loop embedded in the metal table then the guard stood just behind her chair.

"Good afternoon," I said with a cold tone, but Tanya just sat there. "I am sure you know who I am."

"Yes. I know who you are," Tanya said with a grumble. "What do you want?"

"I would like to speak to you about Lily."

"They finally told you?"

"Yes. Do you know where she is?"

"Like I told the police. My daughter is with friends."

"And yet none of her friends have seen her."

"How do you know that?" Henry asked.

"I have read the police reports."

"If she isn't with her friends then I don't know where she is," Tanya said with a small eyeroll.

"You don't seem so upset about her being missing."

"She's gone missing before."

"Is it true she started running off after her father's accident."

"Her father is fine."

"I am talking about her birth father," I said with a growl, but she didn't flinch.

"He's dead."

"No. I am afraid he's very much alive."

I tried to read her face, but her face was cold. Blank. Emotionless.

"I don't believe you. As for my daughter? Are you the reason she's gone missing? Have you or your husband finally resorted to kidnapping to get your hands on her?" she asked.

"Making false accusations against me or my family isn't going to change the fact you and your husband have been negligent with her care."

"You're lying! I work my ass off to provide care for her!" Tanya shouted and she pulled slightly on the handcuffs.

"Calm down or this interview is over," the guard said and I noticed her right hand went toward the small, black box on her belt. I recognized it as a taser and Tanya sighed.

"You removed her from school," I said.

"Are you are talking about that school your son sent her to? Like I told the police. We couldn't afford it."

"You weren't the one paying for her being there," I said as I opened the satchel and I removed a file folder. I slid the file folder across the table and the guard opened the file folder so Tanya could see the information. "As you can see. My son has been paying for her education. You will also see letters from the headmaster of the school and her teachers. They highly praise for her as a student and they were sad to see her leave. Also… You will see she had high marks in her classes."

"She doing ok in the school she's in now."

"Yes," I said and I removed the next file folder and I slid the file folder to her. "This folder contains her grades and letters from her headmaster and teachers from the school she attends now. They contradict the letters from her previous school. I would like to know how she went from getting high marks to barely passing her classes. How she went from being on time to her classes to barely going to them at all. How she went from never getting into trouble to being threatened with expulsion. Care to enlighten me?"

Tanya glared at me and I pulled the file folders back to me.

"These are her medical records," I said as I removed another file folder then slid the file folder to her. "They are up-to-date."

"You're surprised?" Henry asked.

"Considering who we are dealing with? Yes."

"Hey!" Tanya shouted and the guard leaned down to look at her.

"I said calm down," the guard warned and her hand went toward the taser again.

I removed another file folder and I slid the file folder to her.

"These are copies of numerous calls to your local police department. Calls about loud shouting coming from your home and sounds of things being thrown."

"Families fight," Tanya grumbled.

"There are also reports from Child Services. According to these, you and your husband had been warning several times about how your children are being raised. One more violation and you will lose all of them."

"Let me see those," Henry said and I slid the file folder to him. I watched his face as he read the information then he slid the file folder back to me. "Damn."

"Now…," I said as I removed the next file folder and I slid the file folder toward Tanya. "This is a list of all the presents my son had sent to his daughter for her birthday and Christmas. There are also receipts from the stores where the gifts were purchased and mailing receipts."

Henry opened the file folder as he looked at the information and I noticed the hard look in Tanya's eyes.

"From the talks my son has had with his daughter, the presents were given to your other children instead of her," I said.

"Or he didn't send them," Tanya said.

"He did," Henry said as he showed her the mailing receipts. "Including one from Japan."

"That would be the blue silk pajamas set with matching slippers," I explained then looked at Tanya. "Those were, according to Lily, cut into shreds by one of your other children and the slippers were flushed down the loo."

"Yeah. She told me about it," Tanya said with a small shrug of her shoulders.

"Did you do anything about it?"

"No."

"What about the music box?"

"That belongs to my husband. One of his grandmothers gave it to him."

"Are you saying his great-grandfather called his grandmother his little pixie?"

"Yeah. My husband told me he did."

"That's impossible. The inscription which was on the mirror on the lid of the music box was written in German. Did his great-grandfather speak German?

"How should….?"

"Her son bought a music box in Berlin. And the words 'My Little Pixie' was etched into the mirror…in German," Henry said as he showed her the receipt.

"Whose side are you on?" she growled and Henry placed the receipt back in the file folder.

"Now…. I would like to talk to you about the necklace my son bought his daughter. It was a gold chain with snowflake charms on it," I said and Henry checked the information.

"What about it?" Tanya asked.

"Lily said it's yours."

"Yeah. It is. I had it for years."

"Uh…," Henry said as he looked at the receipts.

"He did buy one. Didn't he?" I asked and Henry looked at me.

"Yes."

"That doesn't prove anything," Tanya said.

"Do you have a receipt stating where you bought your necklace and when?" I asked and her lips went into a thin line. "I will take your silence for a no. Where is the necklace?"

She didn't answer and I took back the file folders.

"Finally," I said while removing the final file folder and I slid the file folder toward her. "I would like to talk to you about Lily's savings account."

"What about it?" Tanya asked as she slid the file folder toward Henry and he opened the file folder. He looked through the information then he closed the file folder.

"Oh shit," he whispered.

"I see Mister Windsdale has noticed something," I said and Tanya frowned. "This is the information about the account. Which includes all the checks my husband and son have sent you over the last thirteen years. According to what was found, the amount in the account does not correspond with the amount on the checks."

"Must have been a bank error."

"Uh… No. There are records from the bank," Henry said and he showed Tanya the information. Her eyes widened and her face turned a ruddy red color.

"I understand you would open savings accounts for your other children," I said while I sat back in the chair and I steepled my fingers together. "But the money in these accounts add up to the amount which should be in Lily's savings accounts. Care to explain?"

She just sat there and Henry looked like he was about to faint. I watched her face as she had a silent conversation with herself when the door opened behind me and a guard walked to the metal table. I glanced at her and she seemed highly upset.

"I am sorry to interrupt, M'Lady, but you are needed on the phone," the guard said and I frowned.

"Take a message," I said.

"It's the hospital."

Those three words caused a cold chill to move through me. I quickly gathered the file folders as I stood then I placed the file folders in the satchel and I placed the strap over my right shoulder.

"You better have an answer the next time I see you," I said then I followed the guard out of the room. We quickly headed down the hallway when we arrived at the guard desk and I looked at the receiver resting on the desk. I steadied my nerves then picked up the receiver and I held the receiver to my right ear. "Hello?"

"Hello," Steven's voice said with a small crack.

"Steven! What's wrong!? Is it William!?"

"Yes. He… He…."

"Is he…dead?"

"No. But his doctor wants to talk with us. All of us."

"I'll be there as soon as I can," I said and handed the guard the receiver. Turning, I headed quickly down the hallway and I sent a prayer out for William to still be alive by the time I arrived at the hospital.

Saint Bartholomew's Hospital

The doors to Accident and Emergency hissed open while I headed for the nurses' desk and I told the nurse my name. I demanded to know where William was and she typed on the keyboard.

"He is in CCU. Room 2," the nurse said as she read the information on the screen and I headed down the hallway. I arrived at the CCU a short time later when I saw Steven, Georgina, Lily and Louisa sitting on the couches in the waiting area and Louisa had her face in her hands.

"What happened?!" I demanded and Steven stood. He walked to me when he placed his hands on my shoulders and we locked eyes.

"Calm down," he said and I felt like I was about to faint.

"Will….," Louisa said as she raised her head and I walked to her. I knelt down next to the couch she was sitting on, but she didn't turn her head to look at me. Tears were rolling down her face and I swear I never saw her this upset since that incident with Alicia Dewar.

"What happened to William?" I asked in a soft voice. She finally turned her head to face me and I reached into my purse for some tissues. I handed her some tissues and she wiped her eyes and nose.

"He was fine. Talking. Smiling. Laughing. Then he said he felt warm and he started coughing. I went to get a nurse. He was moaning when we came into the room. Lily and I went out into the hallway after the nurse started examining him. That's when the blue light over the door to his room started flashing. They wouldn't let us back in the room. The next thing I knew? They brought him up here," she explained and I stood.

I held out my hand as she stood and I pulled her into a hug. I looked over at Lily as she stood and I held out my right arm. She nearly knocked me down as she ran to me and she held me. I looked over at Georgina and she stood. She went to stand behind me as she wrapped her arms around my waist and I placed my right arm back to touch her hair. I held onto my girls while Doctor O'Shea walked in the room and she had a medical chart in her arms.

"Hello," Doctor O'Shea said with a small sigh.

"Is…? Is Will alright?" Louisa asked as she let go of me.

"He's alive."

"What happened?" Steven asked.

"He has pneumonia."

"How the hell did that happen!?" I demanded as I let go of Georgina and Lily.

"There has been a strong viral bacterial strain going around the hospital. We have been good at preventing the bacteria from spreading, but some patients have become ill."

"Like our son," Steven said.

"Yes."

"How bad is he?" Lily asked.

"It's hit him rather hard. We have him on some very strong antibiotics and we will be monitoring him."

"Is there a chance he might die?" Louisa asked with a crack to her voice.

"It's up to him."

"That isn't the answer I was expecting," I said with a stern look.

"I'm sorry, but that's the only one I have for now. We'll know more in the morning."

"Can we go see him?" Louisa asked.

"I can take you to his room, but you can't go in."

I took hold of Steven's right arm as we left the room and we headed down the hallway. I glanced at some of the patients in the other rooms while we walked by and Doctor O'Shea looked at me.

"Do all of them have pneumonia as well?" I asked.

"A few of them," she said then she ducked her head. "I am so sorry."

"You should be," Steven said.

"I promise I will do all I can to help your son."

"Hmph."

We stopped at the window which looked into William's room and I felt like I had been hit in the chest. He was lying under the blue blankets tucked around his waist and the head of the bed was up enough to help him breathe. His arms were under the blue blankets, but I could see the tubing for the intravenous drip sticking out from under the blue blankets. I looked at the heart monitor and the clear oxygen mask over his nose and mouth. His skin looked gray and his hair was sticking up slightly on his head. A pulse clip was connected to his right index finger and the blood pressure cup was wrapped around his right bicep.

"If he dies…," I whispered while glancing at Doctor O'Shea. "I swear I will make sure you lose your medical license and this hospital will be shut down."

Steven led me away while I held the small gold cross in my left hand and the tears rolled down my cheeks.

Five days later, William opened his eyes and I hugged Steven when we received the phone call from the hospital.

Saint Bartholomew's Hospital

I admit I felt a little odd wearing surgical scrubs, plastic booties over my shoes, surgical gloves and a plastic faceplate, but that was the only way I was able to see my son. I walked to the doorway of his room while the nurse looked at the screen to the heart monitor then she looked at me. She nodded her head and I walked to the bed. William was awake, but he still looked ill and he moved his eyes to look at me. The skin around his eyes had a bluish tint and he could barely keep his eyes open. I stood by the bed and he made a small smile under the oxygen mask.

"Don't upset him," the nurse said and I glared at her.

"Mother," William said with a small croak and I looked at him.

"Hush now," I said and he blinked his eyes a few times.

"You…look…tired."

"So do you," I said with a small grin.

"Will…you…do…something…for...me?"

"What do you want me to do?"

"Let…me…die.'

It felt like he slapped me.

"Let you die?" I asked and he barely nodded his head. "No. I will not allow you to do that."

"I…want…to…die."

"I'm sure you feel like that at the moment. But the one thing I know about you is you are no quitter."

"I…am…now."

"Did you tell Louisa the same thing?"

He stopped talking as he looked at the ceiling and the nurse checked the screen on the heart monitor again.

"I'm sorry, but you have to leave," the nurse said and I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"What is going on in here?" made me turn and Doctor O'Shea walked in the room. She headed for the bed as she stood next to me and I frowned. "You look surprised to see me."

"I am surprised you're still his doctor," I said and Doctor O'Shea arched an eyebrow.

"It wasn't my fault he became ill."

I just glared at her and she glared back at me then she looked at the keypad in her hands.

"Do you know why I'm still his doctor?" she asked.

"Enlighten me."

"It was his idea. He told me he still trusts me to take care of him and he doesn't want anyone else. If I do get replaced, he will give up."

"He really said that?" I asked with a suspicious look.

"Ask him yourself," she said and I looked at William. He glanced at me then he looked at Doctor O'Shea and I waited for him to say something.

"If…you…remove…her…as…my…doctor…then…I…give…up," he said and I heard the truth in his voice. I knew he was waiting for me to say something. But how could I dismiss her? If I do then I lose my little angel. "Mother?"

"What do we do now?" I asked while looking at Doctor O'Shea.

"We have to see how well he responses to the antibiotics then we have to run some tests to see if there was any damage to his lungs and heart. Once his lungs are clear, we will place him back on the ward…," she said then paused. "We have decontaminated the ward."

"I hope so," I said and William glared at me.

"Stop," William said then he made a small sigh.

"What needs to stop is you flapping your gums," she said and William gave her a tiny smile before he gave her a puzzled look.

"Baby…food?" he asked and she smiled.

"I'm afraid so," she said and I realized he was talking about what he was going to have to eat once he recovered.

"But…I…was…starting…to…like…the…lumpy…mush…and…the…protein…shakes."

"I promise you'll get them back once you're better."

"I…want…coffee…shakes."

"We've been through this. No coffee."

"Spoil…sport."

I was surprised with the banter between them and how happy William looked. I listened while Doctor O'Shea explained to him about what happened and William frowned every time she apologized.

"It…wasn't…your…fault," he said and she sighed.

"I know. But the thought of losing any of my patients to something so…so…," she said then paused.

"Stop."

"Fine," she said a few times as she nodded then a serious look appeared on her face. "So… Are you going to keep fighting?"

"Yes," he said and she smiled. She lightly patted his left shoulder then she looked at me.

"Am I still his doctor?" she asked.

"Of course," I said with a blank look on my face and she left the room. I looked at William then carefully slid my hand under the blue blanket and I took hold of his left hand. His hand was a little cold to the touch and I felt his eyes on me. I was careful of the tubing taped to the back of his hand with surgical tape and I wrapped our fingers together.

"Mother?" he asked and I looked at him.

"Yes?" I asked and he barely moved his fingers against mine.

"Tanya?"

"I believe we will have to talk about her another day. Right now? I want you to close your eyes and go to sleep."

"I…don't…want…to."

"Why?"

"I'm…afraid…I…won't…wake…up."

"You will," I assured him. He closed his eyes while I watched my little angel drift off to sleep and I blinked the tears from my eyes.