Chapter 6

Cassidy had opened the door to get the paper when baby Garrett started crying. Leaving the door open, she ran upstairs.

Ella smiled, grabbing her little bag full of juice boxes and animal crackers and cheerios and picking up her jacket and a blanket, and went outside. She wasn't staying there where nobody loved her... she carefully pulled open the shed door and closed it behind her. This could be her house now.

Garrett came downstairs and saw the door open. "Cass?" He called, shutting it. Ivy and Kayla were in the kitchen. "Cass?"

Cassidy came downstairs. "Hi."

"Did you leave the door open?"

Kayla waddled about on unsteady legs as Ivy helped her stay on her feet.

"Yeah, I was going to get the paper and Garrett needed to be changed. I must have left it open when I ran upstairs."

Garrett sighed. "What if something happened? What if someone got in? Ivy and Kayla were alone in the kitchen."

"Garrett, I haven't been upstairs thirty seconds. They're fine."

"Where's Ella?"

"She was playing in the living room when I ran upstairs... I think she was making a tent with her blanket..."

"She's not in the living room." Garrett said, looking around the room. "And her blanket isn't anywhere."

Cassidy panicked. "WHERE IS SHE, THEN? ELLA? ELLA!"

"ELLA SPENCER!" Garrett bellowed. "IF YOU'RE HIDING, YOU BETTER COME OUT RIGHT NOW!!"

There was no response.

Garrett ran out the door. "ELLA!!" He called.

There was still no response, but the edge of a blanket was poking out around the door of the shed.

Garrett ran around the house to look in the kids’ clubhouse and around the shed when he noticed the blanket. He threw open the door. "Ella Marie Spencer!"

Ella was sitting on the floor in the shed hugging her teddy bear, and she let out a shriek when her father entered.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?" He practically boomed, picking her up.

"I moved out," Ella told her father.

"What?"

"I moved out 'cause you and Mommy don't love me," Ella explained.

"That's ridiculous. Why do you think we don't love you?"

"You don't, you didn't wanna sit with me and Mommy only loves the baby..."

"That's not true..." Garrett told her.

"Yes it is, and I asked if I could live with Grandma and she said no..."

"Because I want you to stay with us."

"No you don't..." Ella sniffled.

"Of course I do...you're my little peanut."

Ella shook her head no. "You didn't want to sit with me, and I was scared..."

"I was scared too." Garrett said.

"You're not scared of anything, Daddy."

"Uncle Gavin's very sick. I was scared he was going to die."

"But I was scareder!"

Garrett sighed, carrying her back into the house, along with the stuff she'd brought with her. "I need you to be brave for me."

"You and Mommy don't like me, you like Ivy better 'cause she's good," Ella insisted.

"Just because Ivy's better behaved doesn't mean we like her better."

"But Ivy's a good girl and I'm not..."

"Yes you are. You are more like I was when I was little."

"Daddy you were a girl?" Ella asked incredulously.

"No...but I was stubborn, and always tried to do what I thought would please your grandfather."

"Why does everybody like the new baby better than me an' Ivy an' Kayla?"

"It was the same way when each of you was first born. New babies always need a lot of attention because they can't do anything for themselves, but you can."

"It's 'cause he's a boy," Ella pouted.

"That's part of the reason."

"Daddy do you *really* love me?"

"Of course I do, peanut."

Ella flung her arms around his neck.

Garrett shut the door behind them. "I don't want you pulling anything like you did today ever again, do you understand?"

Ella's lip trembled a little; Daddy could be scary when he got angry. She nodded.

"Your mother and I were very worried something happened to you."

"Mommy doesn't like it when I play in the shed," Ella noted.

"So don't." Garrett told her, making a mental note to get a padlock for the shed.

Ella nodded once more.

~*~*~*~

Grace walked down the long hospital corridor, if she hadn't been carrying Chelsea, she'd have broken into a run. She stopped at the door to Gavin's room and walked in.

Gavin was still laying flat on the bed, but his eyes were open.

Grace sat Chelsea down on the floor, like she'd done every day for the past four months and approached the bed cautiously. "Gavin?" she almost whispered.

"I think so."

"Are...are you really awake? Should I get a doctor...or your father...or your mother....?" Grace sat down in the chair and got back up again. "You're awake."

"They know I'm awake."

"But...how?" She sat down again.

"No idea. I just... woke up. Had no idea how long it had been...." Gavin looked at her.

"You're... you're..."

"I'm...?"

"You're pregnant?"

Grace paused. "Oh yeah...six months." She nodded. "You're awake." She smiled.

"You didn't tell me before... is everything okay? My god, Chelsea got so big..."

"It's been four months, Gavin." Grace told him softly. "It's so good to hear you talk again."

"She's beautiful..." Gavin looked up. "You're beautiful."

Grace leaned over the many wires surrounding the bed and kissed him. "I was beginning to believe the doctors when they said you weren't coming back to me."

"I just feel like I took a nap... this is so strange..."

"Well you're awake now..." Grace smiled. "And if you ever, *ever* think you can go into a mission and not wear a vest again, I will hurt you."

"Figured it'd slow me down if we had to run."

"I don't care. I'd have rather us going slow than you bleeding to death."

"I didn't, though."

"You almost died."

"I know... but a miss is as good as a mile?" Gavin offered.

Grace frowned. "You don't know how scared I was when you collapsed...I thought I did lose you...they told us you were lucky to even be alive...."

"But I am."

"You are."

"Come over here so I can kiss you, huh?"

Grace sat on the side of the bed next to him. "How are you feeling?"

"Alright, I guess. Weird, like I said."

She kissed him softly. "I hope you don't plan on slipping into anymore comas anytime soon."

"Well I didn't exactly plan the first one, either," Gavin pointed out.

"I know. And now that you're awake, I just want you to stay that way."

"I plan on it so long as I can manage it."

"Good."

"Can I hold Chelsea?"

Grace got off the bed and picked Chelsea up from her spot on the floor. "Say hi to daddy, baby girl." She handed the eleven-month baby to Gavin.

Gavin held her close. "Hi baby... You got so big, and you're gorgeous..."

Chelsea touched Gavin's face. "Daddy?"

"That's me." Gavin kissed her forehead.

Grace smiled. "She started talking two months ago, but really hasn't said too much."

"Can you come home?" Chelsea asked, garbling her words a bit.

"She's beautiful, Grace..." Gavin kissed the child again. "I hope so, honey. Soon."

After deciding she liked that answer, Chelsea showed her father the stuffed animal she'd been clinging to. "This is Tigger."

"He looks like a good friend. Do you play with your cousins too?"

"A little. Ella doesn't like me." Chelsea told her father. "She's mean."

"I'm sure she doesn't mean to be mean to you." He hugged his daughter close. "Where did Tigger come from?"

"Auntie Cassidy." Chelsea said. "When I went to play with Kayla 'cause mommy was crying too much. Grandpa made her go to sleep."

"Ohh. You're a very smart girl you know that?"

She grinned. "I know."

"Like your Mommy."

Grace kissed the top of Chelsea's head. "She's very brave."

"Is she?"

Grace nodded. "Our little girl was very brave for mommy."

"Of course she was... she's a good girl."

Chelsea beamed. "Daddy, why have you been sleeping for so long?"

Gavin kissed her forehead. "I don't know baby girl, but it's alright. I’m here now."

"Are you going to go to sleep again?"

"I hope not, Chelsea."

"I don't want you to."

"I'll try not to, angel girl."

"Good. You have to come to my birfday. Mommy said I can have a party." Chelsea told her father.

"Show daddy how old you'll be."

"This many." Chelsea held up one finger.

"You better believe there's gonna be a party for you, little girl." Gavin hugged her close. "You'll be almost a lady."

"Is mommy a lady?"

"Yes she is... she's a very special one."

Grace gave him a misty smile over Chelsea's head.

Gavin returned the smile.

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