So what now? (Katydid50 x 5Bulletproof-Marshmellows)

[Katydid50]

Daniel tried to keep calm, for Elenore's sake. He could only imagine how scared she must have been, in the hospital from fainting with no clear reason for it. She looked scared, pale. Was it normal for a woman to be that pale after fainting? He didn't know and his lack of knowledge scared him. He told himself to take slow, deep breaths, a technique he had used in his younger years when fear had threatened to get the better of him in a situation where he couldn't afford it to. As it turned out, that had happened to be most of them. He relied on that skill now, the calm breathing slowing his rapid heart rate and, in turn, easing some of the fear from his mind.

He gently cradled one of her hands in both of his, firm but careful not to apply too much of pressure lest he hurt her. That was the last thing he ever wanted to do. Her skin felt so soft within his grasp, her hand so fragile. Her hands were cold, too. Far too cold. He tentatively rubbed them, hoping to bring a bit of warmth back into her. He focused on that as she answered the doctor's questions.

Her thumb shifting made him paused, but it brought a small smile to his face at the digit trailed over his hand. However, the smile didn't last. When he focused in on the doctor and the man's questioning, he almost choked. As it was, he released a small, strained noise that sounded like he was being strangled. He felt the blood rush to his face, embarrassed for Elenore's sake more than his own. It took a great deal to embarrass him these days. Still... "What does that have to do with anything?" he muttered under his breath. She was clearly expecting a child. What did it matter if she was still having sex or not?

Apparently, Elenore felt the same. She questioned the man but he didn't give an answer, instead rattling on about being stable and needing to have tests run. He shook his head, focusing back on Elenore's hand. The doctor was useless, just like the rest of them. Never in his life had he met a doctor of actual value. Granted, he'd avoided hospitals like the plague since... ever, but that didn't change his opinion. The few times Micheal had forced him to come, he'd hated it and he still hated the place now. If any of them were competent, wouldn't they at least have an idea of what had caused the fainting?

Daniel glanced up as another person entered the room. He eyed the nurse warily, then glowered at the doctor when the man motioned for him to leave the room. He turned back to Elenore and said, "I'll be right outside." He gave her hand a light squeeze, then reluctantly pushed himself to his feet. His knees creaked in protest but he ignored them as he followed the doctor into the hallway. He could only imagine what the doctor wanted to say to him but he knew for a fact that it wouldn't be good. They never had good news.

Daniel sighed as the door closed behind him. He studied the white door, then turned to the doctor. Before he could tell the man to just say what it was he wanted to say, he heard an echo'd voice. His brow furrowed as he turned to look up the corridor, towards the nurse's station. The voice came again, slightly clearer this time, asking for Elenore Darling. More like demanding. 'That will be Grace,' he thought. How she got here, he wasn't sure, but he knew she would want to know what was going on. He debated going to fetch her immediately, then decided against it. He wanted to be able to have something to tell her other than 'They don't know yet' when she asked what had happened.

Turning back to the doctor, he said, "Alright, doc. What do you want to tell me?"  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

As soon as they were out of Elenore's hearing range, the doctor turned towards the man. It was obvious he was the one that cared for the woman, and she felt the same way about him. Considering the fact that there was no one else here that he could talk to about the patient's health, Daniel was his only option. Plus, he was the one that brought her in.

"Under normal circumstances what Elenore would be experiencing is completely fine. But I believe this may be due to all the stress that she has been undergoing. Taking that into account this may be early signs that there is a likely chance that she will loose the child." He let Daniel take that in for a second before continuing.

"It would be best if we could keep her in the maternity ward for a few days and make sure that she going back to being stable. Elenore does need to change her daily habits and stay away from anything that can cause her stress. We're going to run a few more tests to make sure that this is the only cause of the problem," just as he finished his sentence and angry red haired girl came down the hall, an elderly woman walking after her. The two looked at the man he was speaking with. The elder joined his side while the red head went through the door, not sparing a second glance. He could see the resemblance in the daughter.

"Thank you for bringing her to the hospital," Rose told Daniel before turning to the doctor and introducing herself. "I'm Rose Darling, Elenore's Aunt. How is she doing?" She hoped that everything was going to be fine. There had been a few complications with Elenore's last pregnancy and she had hoped that she wouldn't have to go through anything like that again.

"She's conscious now, feel free to see her but please keep the thoughts positive." His beeper went off and another patient was wheeled in, a broken leg, the bone was sticking out of the skin. "Have to go, work. The nurses will inform you." With that he was off running after the patient, getting the stats from the board that was handed to him.

Grace walked into the small room and her eyes went immediately to the bed that her mother was lying on. Her face was a bit pale. Slowly walking up to the bed, she sat down in the nearest chair and lowered her head, her eyes examining the needle in her mother's arm. She wanted to run out of this canned building, away from the people in white lab coats, but she wanted to make sure her mother was alright first.

Knowing that Grace wouldn't speak first, she began the conversation. " I'm fine. Just a dizzy spill," she paused, trying to read her daughter's face behind the first curls. "I want you to come back home. You know that Nicholas and Deserai need their older sister. I need to know that my family is still together..." Elenore put one of her hands palm up and after a few seconds Grace put her hand into her mother's.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel wasn't overly surprised to hear that the fainting had been caused by stress. People reacted to stress in different ways and though Elenore had never crossed him as the fainting type, pregnancy did wacky things to women. He knew that much.

However, when the doctor said there was a chance she would lose the baby, he froze. His thoughts ground to a halt and all he could do was stand there, staring at the doctor. Lose... the baby? Somehow, it didn't seem possible. He knew that women sometimes miscarried but it had never crossed his mind that Elenore might be one of them, that his child might become nothing more than a statistic. The color slowly drained from his face and he ran a shaky hand down it.

Calm down, Daniel, he thought. Nothing's actually happened yet. The baby's fine and doctors have been wrong before.

The doctor remained silent while the news sank in, for which Daniel was grateful. He had just managed to bolster himself up when the doctor continued.

Daniel didn't like the idea of leaving Elenore at the hospital, even if only for a few days, but what choice did he have? As little as he respected doctors, he knew that they had a better idea of what was good for Elenore's health than he did. But, even he knew that their arrangements had to chance. Mostly between himself and Grace. As much as he dreaded the conversation, he knew that the two of them would have to come to some sort of agreement, out of concern for her mother.

Reluctantly, he nodded. Not a moment later, the object of his attention came barreling down the hallway, her face contorted in anger. It was all he could do to restrain a sigh. He'd hoped to have had at least a minute to organize his thoughts before having to see Grace. Apparently, he wouldn't even have that. His only relief was that Rose was there, too.

Daniel watched as Grace slipped into her mother's room without so much as a second glance in his direction. He wasn't sure whether to be grateful for that or not. It seemed he was going to get his minute after all.

When Rose thanked him, he merely nodded. What else was he supposed to do? Just leave her on the floor? He stood back as Rose turned her attention on the doctor, introducing herself and asking how Elenore was doing. He didn't stay with them long, however. No sooner had he admonished them to keep thoughts positive that his beeper went off and he rushed off after a patient with an open fracture.

Daniel sighed and ran a hand over through his hair. He noted vaguely that he needed a haircut, his focus primarily on the door that led to Elenore's room. As much as he wanted to return to Elenore's side, he didn't want to get into a confrontation with Grace. He needed to talk to the girl, to build some kind of understanding between them. Her mother needed her back under his roof, with them. He and Grace needed to work out a way to live in the same house without constantly being at each other's throat. He needed to be able to speak frankly with her, something that he wouldn't be able to do with Elenore in the room.

Daniel glanced at Rose, then headed into the room. He would wait until they had returned home before speaking to Grace. Hospitals put him on edge and Grace reminded him far too much of a young, female version of himself in order for her to feel any different. In the mean time, he would just keep back, try to say as little as possible in the name of peace.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Rose frowned as the doctor went off. Of course there were other patients that needed to be taken care of. Glancing at Daniel she could tell that he wasn't exactly looking forward to being in a small room with Grace. That girl had a temper. Though Daniel was probably used to it from Wolf, living under the same roof with it was completely different. Watching him go inside, she followed. If anything she would pull one of the two out, she doubted they would fight with Elenore there though.

Seeing Grace sitting with her mother on the bed she got a chill down on her spine. She didn't like the idea of Elenore staying here, she would much rather bring her home and take care of her. "How are you feeling?" she asked, walking up to the bed and placing a hand on her shoulder. She couldn't help but think of Elenore's mother. The two had so much in common... It was too bad that her father was never sober enough to appreciate his only daughter.

" I'm fine," she smiled at her. "The doctor mentioned that I should spend a few days here but I'm itching to get home already." Plus they had bills to pay and there was no way in the world that she would tolerate Daniel going back to the fighting ring. Glancing over at him, she knew that there was quite the brick wall between him and Grace but she hoped that they would set their differences aside.. even if it was only temporary for now.

"You guys really should get going. Nicholas and Deserai are probably worried sick and driving Michael up the walls," she let out a small laugh though it was a little weak. Giving Grace's hand a squeeze, the girl's birthday was in January. Things would have probably calmed down by then. Biting her lower lip in thought, she wasn't quite sure how she would be spending the next couple of days but she did want to be with her kids and Daniel. All of them couldn't stay here though.

Rose frowned but Elenore was right. There was no point in them all being here if she was feeling better. They would definitely come visit tomorrow. She watched Grace get up reluctantly. The girl told her mother to rake care before walking out. "We'll be back tomorrow," she smiled at her and gave her a quick hug before turning to Daniel. It was late already and it didn't look like he was headed back anytime soon. "Feel free to call if you need help with anything," she told him before walking out.

Grace took in a big breath of air once she reached the parking lot. She was glad to finally be out of there. She really didn't want to go back tomorro-

"Red!" Grace spun around to see the beach blond haired girl. It seemed like forever since their little run in at the school parking lot.

"Well, well, well, didn't expect to see you here. Didn't know that we had beaten you to a pulp." The blond smirked.

Grace narrowed her eyes. Her arm wasn't completely healed yet though it was a lot better than the last time she had seen her. "I was just checking in on you. Heard you had quite the injury last week," Grace said. Candy has gotten into a fight with the girl that had been hooking up with her boyfriend, and had saddly lost miserably. She could see anger boiling up in the bright blue eyes. The two side stepped to the right twice. Sizing each other up. Grace wasn't planning on fighting her but she was about to turn her back on the girl. She wouldn't put it past her to throw a blade into her back.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel stepped into the room slowly, eyeing the two females who already occupied it. Elenore looked the same as she had minutes ago but Grace had calmed down, he was glad to see. A riled Grace was not something he wanted to deal with at the moment. Then again, it was something he'd have to deal with sooner or later. Preferably later when they could work things out between them without causing Elenore any further stress, which would undoubtedly happen if she were to be present for the working out phase.

Standing in the background, trying not to draw attention to himself, he watched Rose cross the room and hover at her niece's bedside. He listened to the conversation between them, a small smile tugging at his mouth when Elenore said that she was already itching to get home. He wondered briefly if she already did think of his place as home if she was merely saying it to spare his feelings. He wouldn't put it past her. When she glanced over at him, he forced himself to keep the smile in place. As much as he didn't want her pretending around him, he had to admit that he was doing the same thing, and for the same reasons. To spare her feelings, to put her more at ease.

However, when she pointed out that her two other children were probably driving Micheal crazy, he considered the idea before immediately throwing it away. Micheal was born to be a father. He was probably having the time of his life. He'd certainly enjoyed having a hand in raising Wolf, despite the boy having the temperament of a wild boar with a migraine. No, Micheal most likely had Nicholas and Deserai already in their pajamas and was busy telling them a story about talking animals in a magic forest or some other such nonsense that parents were prone to.

Daniel watched as Grace got up and bid her mother goodbye before walking from the room. He sighed quietly. She really did remind him of a younger, female version of himself. That alone was cause for worry. He didn't have long to worry, though, because he found himself the focus on Elenore's aunt. He nodded at her instruction to call if he needed help. He probably wouldn't but it was nice to have the offer, regardless. Then she was gone, too.

Daniel eyed the door for a few seconds before turning his attention to Elenore. He was both relieved to have the extra women gone and awkward now that he finally found himself alone with his... fiancee. It still felt strange to call her that, even in his own mind. Never in his wildest dreams had he ever thought he would have a girlfriend, let alone a fiancee or wife.

He opened his mouth to say something but stopped when he spotted something on the floor beside the bed. A card. He stepped forward and stooped to pick it up. It belonged to Rose. A library card or license of some kind. He didn't look close enough and didn't care enough to look. He was curious as to how it had gotten there but didn't care enough about that either to wonder for long. "This belongs to your aunt," he said. "Um, I'll just run and give it to her before she leaves."

He left the room, feeling slightly relieved and feeling guilty for feeling relieved. He didn't know how to act around Elenore anymore and being alone in her presence made him uneasy. Hurrying down the halls, he headed for the entrance that he assumed Rose had taken. Stepping into the cool evening air, he scanned the area. He didn't see Rose but he did spot Grace with another girl her age. A blond, one who looked less than friendly, judging by her stance and the way the two girls were eyeing each other.

The way the two stood, it brought back memories he would rather leave forgotten but he couldn't ignore the familiar stance. A muscle in his left arm twitched. This wasn't good. He made a beeline for the two, trying to keep his movements casual despite his sense of impending danger. Women always meant trouble when it came to fighting, no matter how they were involved.

"Grace," he said calmly as he approached. When he reached them, he offered her the card. "Your aunt left this in the room. Must've dropped it somehow." He shifted his attention to the beach blond. "You going to introduce me to your friend?" He kept his tone relaxed but his eyes were sharp, piercing.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Elenore looked over at Daniel after her daughter and aunt left. He looked a little uneasy, but not as much as he had been with the other two. She looked away. Was he having second thoughts? Her eyes closed. She knew he would carry out his word, his promise. He was a man of integrity.. but at the same time she wondered if he still wanted to be with her. They barely were ever alone together and he always seemed to flee when they had a moment. When had been the lat time he had kissed her?

A soft sigh escaped her lips. She needed to calm down, for the sake of the child. Their child. Hearing his voice, she looked up. He was leaving. Nodding her head, she hoped he'd come back. She didn't want to be alone here.. Her eyes followed him as he disappeared through the door. Biting her lip, she then looked up at the ceiling. Would they ever have things figured out?

Grace froze when she heard Daniel's voice. s**t. This was literally the last thing she needed. She could see the confusion in the blond's eyes. Everyone at school knew that her mother was divorced. The fact that their was a male figure in Grace's life was completely unknown. She would have liked to keep it that way.

Taking the card, she shoved it into her pocket. "I'll give it to her," she said, her eyes on the blond. They both knew that this would resume at a later, more convenient time. Hearing Daniel's question, she smirked. "This is my dear friend Becky. She doesn't talk much though. Probably won't see her again either." With that she turned around, the girl went off her separate way as well. She could only hope that Daniel wouldn't interrogate her about it later. She could stay with Rose to avoid it.. but she really did miss her siblings. She wouldn't abandon them like her father did.

After making a pitstop by the bathroom Rose walked out of the building to see Grace walking off and Daniel standing in the parking lot. Confused, she figured that Daniel had probably just tried to get more in touch with the girl. From the looks of it, it hadn't gone well. Smiling a little at him as she walked up, she then walked up to the car that they had showed up in. Grace was already by the passenger's side.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel eyed the blond girl. While part of him wanted to dismiss her as no threat, his past experiences told him not to. He'd learned quickly that girls were just as dangerous as boys, women just as lethal as men, and even less trustworthy. Keeping one eye on her, he turned to Grace. Immediately, he sensed that she didn't want him there. It was all he could do not to scowl. It wasn't like he wanted to be there either. He'd much rather be inside where it was warm.

Daniel released a small huff as Grace snatched the card from him and stuffed it into her pocket. He gave in to the urge to scowl when she introduced her friend, stating that he probably wouldn't see the girl again. He wasn't stupid. He knew they weren't actually friends and he was as anything knew that he probably would see the girl, Becky, again, but not for good reasons.

Before Daniel could say anything, Grace turned and started walking away. He knew better than to be insulted by her lack of respect but he couldn't quite stem the glare he shot at her back, then at her 'friend'. With a shake of his head, he started back towards the hospital, pausing when he caught sight of Rose leaving it. She smiled at him and he forced one back, though it probably looked more like a grimace. Oh well. He settled for a nod of acknowledgement before darting back into the building.

As he headed back towards Elenore's room, he debated how much to tell her about the incident outside. She should probably know, being Grace's mother, but he couldn't justify telling her considering it was stress that had landed her in the hospital. He was more than capable of handling a situation like that. How hard could it be? They were only two teenage girls. If worse came to worse, he could always enlist Micheal and Leaf's help. Even Rose, if he was really desperate.

Daniel ducked around a pair of nurses before slipping into Elenore's room. He smiled at her, this one decidedly less forced than the one he'd sent her aunt. It still felt awkward, being alone with her, but with his attention divided, he didn't feel as awkward. Taking a seat in the chair beside her bed, he asked, "How are you feeling?" As though she was going to miraculously improve over the course of four minutes. At that thought, he cleared his throat. "Do you need anything?" While the awkwardness had not fully returned, his sense of helplessness did. He hated this, not being able to do anything to help.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Grace bit her lower lip as she climbed into the car. She had set her school problems aside for the time being and she knew now they would be there to jump her the moment she went back. After adjusting the seat belt, she ran her fingers through her hair. There had been so much going on lately. Daniel, her mom, siblings, Wolf... Wolf. She lowered her head. She wasn't sure what to do with what was going on between them. He touched her hair. Helped her home.. but yet they still fought. Constantly. Her eyes went back to the window as Rose started to drive back home.

"I'll head back to Daniel's place tonight," she said. The sun had already set and she figured her siblings had already eaten dinner. She'd fix something up for herself or have leftovers when she got back. If she had the stomach to eat anything.

Elenore looked up as Daniel walked in. She smiled back at him before wrapping her arms around her growing waist. Smirking a little at his question, she tilted her head back and looked up at the ceiling. Her eyes teared for a moment before the extra water disappeared. She didn't know what to do.. to fix things. Again she couldn't force Grace to like Daniel and she knew Daniel didn't think too highly of her either but she hoped they'd be at least civil around each other. Hopefully when the baby came it would bring them all a big closer together. If not.. Well, she didn't want to think about that.

Hearing his next question, she returned her attention to him. Her eyes searched his light blue ones for a moment. He looked tired. "How do you feel about us?" she asked him. He wanted to get married but at the same time it felt like he was distant. Of course she wasn't expecting this to be easy, not at all, but she had thought that they'd be able to talk a bit more. That they would be warmer around each other. He cared for her... and she for him. So shouldn't something be different here? She sighed and looked down. Maybe her thoughts were just driving to delusional conclusions.

((Sorry it's a little short))  

[Katydid50]

At least she had smiled. That was something to be thankful for, Daniel figured. Even if it was in laughter, at him. It was better than frowning or crying. Not that he would have blamed her for either of those but he had no idea what he would have done in either of those cases. When she finally answered his question, it was not what he had expected.

Daniel pursed his lips. How did he feel? "Um..." He paused, frowning. He was tempted to give her a shallow assurance but he knew that was no way to start a relationship. If they were like that now, what would they be like in a year? Two? Ten? Instead, he forced himself to examine things he would have preferred to leave alone. "I feel..." He licked his lips. "Sometimes I feel nervous and awkward, as though we're complete strangers and I have no idea what I'm doing. Other times, I feel like we've known each other forever and that things are perfect." He released an explosive breath and ran a hand through his hair. "I still want to get married. I'm not having second thoughts or anything." Even if he was, he would have kept them to himself. "Sometimes, I just wonder if, you know, I'm cut out for marriage and fatherhood. It all seems so... normal. Before I met you, I never even considered the possibility. I just assumed I would die unmarried and childless." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, childless in regard to legitimate children anyway."

"How do you feel about us?" He'd shared his thoughts. It was only fair if she did the same.


Micheal surveyed the clean kitchen with a sense of accomplishment, his hands propped on his hips in triumph. It hadn't been so hard, getting Nicholas and Deserai fed and the dishes washed and put away. He didn't know what women were always complaining about. It was easy!

However, when he caught sight of Nicholas by the window, his feeling of triumph fled and he deflated. Though it was now too dark to see, the boy had barely left his spot, staring out over the front yard. They hadn't received any word from the hospital yet and he knew the children were worried about their mother. Micheal was worried too but, without knowing what exactly was wrong, he hadn't been able to convince Nicholas that his mother would be alright.

Deciding that a distraction was needed, he said, "Nicholas, me boy, your mum isn't going to appear for you staring 'oles in the window." When the boy looked over his shoulder, Micheal grinned and said, "'ow about you and me go find that sister of yours and get 'er ready for bed?"

At first, Micheal thought the boy would refuse but, after a few seconds, Nicholas pushed away from the window with a sigh.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

She watched him as he thought about how to answer. Biting her lip, she knew that she wanted the truth. They had to fix things.. or at least talk over where they thought they were and where they wanted to go. She was getting a little antsy though. Hearing his answer, she closed her eyes for a moment. Complete strangers... What he said next relaxed her a little. After all she felt that way too at times. She wanted to know him better.

Taking in a breath when he started talking about marriage and being a father, she looked over at him and then gently reached out for his hand. He had imagined a completely different future. At least she knew he wasn't marrying her just for the child. Hearing the question directed towards her, Elenore's green eyes met his for a second, searching them.

"I want our marriage to work. I didn't know if I'd ever start over with someone again. Ever since my divorce I've just been trying to stay on top of everything." She sighed softly. "This marriage has a lot of potential.. and I can see us being a happy family," she didn't want to bring up Grace a moment, "I just.. I know I don't talk a whole lot and we don't get a whole lot of time to spend together, if any. Sometimes I wonder if we're growing apart.. and I want to get to know you better." Looking over at him, she smiled a little, not sure how to lighten the situation. "I guess I feel the same way.. and I want to get past the awkwardness." She swallowed, not sure what would happen now.

Deserai was lying on the floor. Her hand was out stretched under the bed trying to reach the fluffy cat that was hiding from her. Nicholas has been standing next to the window forever and mom was in the hospital. Grace was off at Rose's. She just wanted someone to play with and hold. Kitty wasn't cooperating though. Hearing footsteps coming up, she pushed herself up and managed to hit her head against the frame of the bed. "Oww," she frowned as she finally sat up.

Grace thanked Rose for helping her out before heading back to where her family now lived. She knew there was still a lot that needed to be solved, but they needed to stay together, no matter what. She would never forgive her father for doing what he did.. but she still missed him sometimes. Grace would never betray her family. Walking up the gravel driveway and creaking porch, she looked at the door for a long moment before walking inside.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel stared down at the small, soft hand that clasped his own. Her fair digits seemed so delicate, wrapped around his large, scarred hand. The two of them shouldn't have belonged together but, somehow, they looked just right. He was never one to look for 'signs' and things but he couldn't help being reassured by the sight. If their hands could make a good pair, perhaps they could, too.

When Daniel finally worked up the courage to ask Elenore about her own feelings in regard to their relationship, he listened intently. That she wanted their marriage to work reassured him and that she saw potential in it eased some of his anxiety. When she mentioned that they might be growing apart, he bit the inside of his cheek. They hadn't been overly close to begin with, romantically speaking. When it came right down to it, they were more strangers than lovers, but it didn't have to stay that way. He offered a smile when she said she wanted to get to know him better and turned his hand and gave hers a light squeeze.

"Well, seeing as how we're going to build a life together, I think getting past the awkwardness will be necessary at some point." How and when they would accomplish that, he wasn't sure, but they'd get it sooner or later. "Until then, we'll just take it one day at a time." He glanced over at the clock. Compared to how he used to spend his days, it wasn't overly late, but he was tired after a long day playing Mr. Mom. "It's been a long day. We'd better get some rest. Did you want me to stay the night?" He didn't know where he would sleep. Perhaps he could commandeer the room's other bed, currently vacant.


Micheal and Nicholas searched the house, ending up finding Deserai with her head and one arm shoved under her bed. The pair stared down at the little girl until she hit her head and dragged herself out. Micheal crouched down beside the girl. "What are you doing, bubby?" he asked before lowering himself down enough that he could see the frazzled Max, hiding back in the very corner. "Ah," he said as he straightened himself. "Leave Max alone for a while and 'e'll come out on his own. Until then, you can busy yourself gettin' ready for bed."

A sudden light shining through the window made Micheal look up. He creakily got to his feet and peered out to see a car in front of the house. The passenger door opened and a young woman hopped out. He turned and shot Nicholas and Deserai a grin. "Looks like your big sister's finally come home," he told them.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Elenore smiled a little as he squeezed her hand. They had a long ways to go and she truly hoped that he wouldn't regret it. Being a father of three, soon to be four, was not the easiest task. Like he mentioned before, his whole future had been rewritten. Biting her lower lip gently, she couldn't help but think of the time that they were at the park. Laughing. Smiling. They had a good time besides her falling into the lake and the rain. She wanted to have more moments like it.

Hearing his voice once more, she glanced up at him, taking her eyes off of their hands for a second. One day at a time... It was hard for her to look at it that way after continuously thinking about her children's' futures for the past seventeen years but it wasn't like she had forgotten how to take baby steps. She nodded her head to show him that she agreed.

Noticing his eyes stray to the clock, she let her own eyes follow. She hadn't realized how late it had gotten. Her fingers gently intertwined with his. She didn't want to be alone but she didn't want to put Michael into the situation of looking after the kids the whole night. Of course Grace probably thought she could handle the situation on her own if need be. "Yeah but the kids probably need your presence more than I do," she said softly. It pained her to be spending the night away from them but she didn't have much of a choice.

Looking at Micheal as he told her to leave the cat alone, she sighed. She wished that he was more social but oh well. Hearing the creaking of the porch just as Micheal said something, she eagerly got up. "Grace!" she yelled as she ran out toward the front door. Wrapping her little arms around her sister's legs, she looked up at her with a big grin. "You're back."

Taking in a breath of air, she was happy she at least didn't have to deal with Daniel seeing as his truck wasn't in the parking lot. For once she wished that she had someone her own age to talk to about everything that was going on. She'd never admit it to anyone though. Hearing Deserai's voice, she smiled a little before almost being knocked over by the curly redhead.

"Yeah, I'm back," she said as if it wasn't that big of a deal. Looking around she didn't see her younger brother. "Where's Nicholas?" she asked before moving farther into the house having slipped off her shoes. She adjusted the strap of the backpack on her shoulder since all of the weight was on one. The other strap wasn't going anywhere near her wound. She could only hope it would heal quickly.. at least before Daniel confronted her about her pains from earlier.  

[Katydid50]

When Elenore nodded in agreement about taking things one day at a time, Daniel almost sighed in relief. Even though he had pushed her about marriage before, now that he was actually playing a role in parenting, he struggled to think beyond the next hour, let alone the next day or week. He was more exhausted than he could ever remember being and the baby wasn't even born yet. He could only imagine how little energy he would have after the birth. But, he didn't regret his decisions.

As Elenore's fingers slipped between his own, Daniel glanced down, carefully mimicking the gesture. After all, he didn't want to hurt her. He'd broken people's fingers before. He knew how delicate they were. When she said that she did want him to stay the night but that the kids needed him more, he shrugged. "I can stay," he told her. "The kids will be alright with Micheal." He paused, thinking again over how they might actually be. "Well, they'll be alive, anyway."

In all honesty, he didn't doubt the older man's ability with the children. Micheal had been more of a father to him than his biological father and though Elenore's kids were much younger than he had been, he had no doubt that Micheal would take good care of them, too. Some people were just born to be parents.


Nicholas watched as Micheal moved over to the window before announcing that Grace was back. He hesitated, torn between joining the older man at the window and joining his younger sister at the front door. Finally, the window won out and he hurried over just in time to watch Grace ascend the stairs of the front porch. When he could no longer see her, Nicholas whipped around and headed for the door with Micheal in his wake.

By the time they reached the bedroom doorway, Grace was already inside, Deserai wrapped around her legs. When Grace questioned where he was, he stepped into the hall and said, "I'm here." He glanced back over his shoulder into their bedroom before shrugging. "Deserai was trying to get the cat out from under her bed, but he refuses to come out."

"'e's an ornery old thing," Micheal said, "but you get used to 'im after a while, and 'im to you." He shot Grace a wink before turning his attention to Deserai. "Now you, little missy, need to get ready for bed."

While Micheal busied himself with Deserai, Nicholas stepped closer. "Did you got to the hospital?" he asked. "Did you see Mom? Is she alright? When she's coming home?" He hadn't intended to ask the questions all at once but, once he'd started, he had been able to stop the flow anymore than he'd been able to hide his worry.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Talking about this actually released a few stressful thoughts that she had been holding in. She couldn't wait to come back home even though it had only been a few hours. Grace would be back and things would finally start settling. She smiled a little at the thought of them finally being a family. She didn't doubt that they would have conflict but she was sure that they'd be able to get past it. Hope. It was a good feeling.

She watched as he carefully slid his fingers between the spaces of her own. It reminded her of the morning when she woke up with him. Her eyes lite up a bit when he said that he could stay. Upon hearing that the children would still be alive she couldn't help but laugh. Micheal would take good care of them. "They're feisty but I'm sure they'll be alright," she said with a smile before looking at the clock. They would probably be falling asleep soon. Swallowing, she felt her stomach tighten a bit as reality was beginning to sink in more and more. She didn't want to stay here for a couple of days.

"I should probably call them," she murmured. It was strange to not at least be saying good night to them. They would at least be happy to hear her voice.

Grace looked at Nicholas before smiling a bit. She looked down at Deserai before running her fingers through the girl's curls. "The poor cat probably just wants some time alone Dezzie," she told her. Hearing Micheal, she looked up, not sure how she should feel about him. She didn't know how much he knew about her little incident with Daniel. He seemed friendly enough though that she let her shoulders relax slightly.

"Go get some sleep," she told Deserai and the girl frowned at first but then bounded off, singing an incomprehensible song. Shaking her head, she was about to set her backpack down, an old one that she had found at Rose's, when Nicholas walked up. She could see the worry in his eyes. He hadn't gotten the luxury to see mom at the hospital.

Raising a brow as the questions shot at her like bullets from a machine gun, she then leaned against the wall. "Yeah, I saw her. She's going to be alright. As far as I know she's going to be spending a few days in the hospital to rest. It's what they told me," she shrugged. Looking at him once more, she sighed. Seeing how worried he was, she couldn't help but feel a bit guilty for not being here when all this happened.

"You can probably call her tomorrow. Maybe Aunt Rose will take you and Deserai to her depending when the hospital allows visitors," she told him before turning to lock the door out of habit. She had always done that back home before everyone went to sleep.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel's heart skipped a beat at how her eyes lit up when he said he would stay. Although he didn't look forward to sleeping on a thin hospital bed, her blatant pleasure was more than worth it and he offered a small smile.

When she stated her confidence -in either the children or Micheal, he wasn't sure- Daniel smiled. She was right. He had only been joking but, in all honesty, he knew they would be fine. They were good kids and Micheal had been great with Wolf when he was younger, though no less ornery. Deserai and Nicholas would be a walk in the park after that boy.

Just as quickly as it had come, her pleased expression faded as she looked at the clock. He wondered at this and debated asking but his curiosity was satisfied without him having a speak a word. "If you wish," he said with a glance around. He spotted a phone on the rolling table near the wall. "I'm sure they'd be happy to hear from you." Knowing them, they would be worried, despite Micheal's best efforts to reassure them.

Pushing himself up, he walked over to the table, relieved to see that it was a cordless phone. He snatched up the device and punched in the number for his house before handing it over to Elenore.


Nicholas watched as Grace convinced Deserai it was time for bed. He half expected her to put up a fuss but she didn't, bouncing away with Micheal following after her, an amused smile on his face. When they had disappeared into their bedroom, Nicholas crossed over to Grace, pelting her with his anxious questions.

Luckily, Grace didn't hold back any answers. He sighed in relief, knowing that their mother was going to be alright, but frowned at the news that she was going to have to stay in the hospital for a few days. If she was alright, why did she have to stay in the hospital? She could rest just as well here as there. Then again, if she was here, she would want to be up and doing things. There, she wouldn't have a choice about resting. But, would she really rest? He knew how stressed she got about things. What about her work? Did they know already? Would they fire her? The thought sent a jolt of fear racing through him. With Daniel not working, they couldn't afford for her to lose her job! What would happen to them if she did?

Grace's voice jerked Nicholas from his tormenting thoughts. He liked the idea of calling, liked even better the idea of going to see their mother. Although Grace had said she was fine, he couldn't truly believe it until he saw her with his own eyes. After all, people who were 'fine' didn't need to stay in the hospital. But, he nodded anyway. "Yeah, maybe."

Just as Nicholas turned to head into the bedroom, the phone in the living room rang. He hesitated, uncertain about answering it, but then forced himself forward. After all, this was his house now and there was no reason for him not to answer. Slipping down the hallway and into the living room, he reached up and grabbed the receiver, lowering it to his ear. "Hello?"