"Mom!"

Drying her hands, she looked over her shoulder and watched the two siblings slide into the room. They were covered in snow and she shook her head.

"You need to come outside and join us!"

She looked at Will and found him absolutely enjoying himself. He looked down the hall and then turned back to her.

"Everyone is waiting for you."

She looked at him again and saw his smile disappear. The room darkened and she found herself surrounded by darkness and alone. Her breath appeared in a cloud of fog before her and she ran her hands along her arms.

"They need you. Wake up, Joe."

Her eyes slowly opened and she took a deep breath. Looking up, she made out the dim ceiling light and slowly looked to her side. The empty chair welcomed her and she quietly tried to sit up. The pain radiated through her head and she closed her eyes.

"She's awake."

Opening her eyes, she found the man leaning against the door way and watched him approach. He sat down in the empty chair and she watched him put his coffee aside on a table.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like my head is exploding."

He handed her the coffee and said "Drink it."

"Reese, you know I hate that stuff."

"It'll help with the pain until we get you some food."

She tried sitting up again and he helped her. Leaning back against the head board, she was handed the coffee and carefully took a sip. The plain hot liquid tasted horrible and she fought the urge to spit it out. A chuckle caught her ear and she looked over at him.

"Drink it."

"I swear you just want to kill me."

His smirk disappeared and she silently took another painful sip. The heat radiated through her body, pushing some of the chill out of her bones. When she had all she could keep in, she handed him the drink and he finished it. She took a deep breath and ran her hand through her hair.

"How is Will?"

"He's staying strong."

"The disease?"

"No longer plaguing him."

She closed her eyes and slowly asked "What about Grace?"

"We're doing what we can to keep her comforted. She's terrified, Joe."

She slowly looked at him and said "I hoped this wouldn't happen."

"There's a cure."

"Reese, you promised."

He met her gaze and said "I promised to be realistic."

"There's no cure, no matter how much you want it."

"Why are you so willing to die?"

She smirked slowly and said "Because I have done everything I ever wanted and I know there is no other end."

She held his amber gaze and took his hand. The heat almost burned her skin but she held on.

"I fell in love and was given the most wonderful child I could have asked for. Will is going to grow up to be a good man thanks to you. My family's well being is secured for a very long time. Grace gave me a daughter I never had and in return she was given a new life."

His gaze left her and she said "I got my best friend back."

He looked back at her and said "You didn't tell me what you want. Do you want to die?"

Looking away, she took a deep breath and said "No but I accepted it when they gave me the diagnosis."

"They're wrong."

She looked back at him and tugged on his hand. He looked at her and stood up. She patted the bed beside her and he slowly took the spot.

"I won't let this beat you."

She looked up into his gaze and said "You always were the stubborn one."

"I gave my word."

"To who?"

"Everyone."

"Why?"

He brushed the hair falling in her face behind her ear and said "Because I promised someone I loved very much I'd always take care of you and I mean to keep it."

"Who was that?"

He took a deep breath and said "My mother."

She looked up at him and he saw the questions in her eyes. He pulled out the necklace he'd been keeping in his pocket and clasped it behind her neck.

"My mother made me promise to always take care of you. She told me to give this to the one person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with."

"Reese, that was a long time ago."

He took a deep breath and said "Joe, that's never changed."

She closed her eyes and let out a sigh. He watched her take hold of the ring on the chain and look up at him.

"I told you I didn't want anything from you."

He kissed her brow and said "I lost you once. I won't let you go a second time."

She leaned her head back and said "You're wrong about one thing."

"What's that?"

Smirking, she said "You didn't lose me. Just the date."

Chuckling, he kissed her brow again and carefully took her in his arms. Her cold skin reminded him of their situation and he slowly released her. A knock came from the door and he looked over his shoulder. The doctor came into the room and came around the bed.

"It's good to see you awake. We were worried you wouldn't make it back."

Reese slid off the bed and took his spot in the chair. He watched her close her eyes as the man took her vitals and recorded them on his chart.

"Just remember you are not allowed from that bed."

She opened her eyes and he caught her rolling them. The doctor left the room and she took a deep breath. He watched her close her eyes and ran his hand through her hair.

"I promise you we'll get through this."

She met his gaze slowly and he said "You should get some rest."

"My family will want to come in."

"I can handle them."

He watched her slide down onto her side and curl up under the covers. Her skin was still chilling to the touch and he brushed her hair out of her face. When she closed her eyes, he walked to the door and stepped outside. Billy stood up and met his gaze.

"I heard her talking. Can I see her?"

"She's resting."

The man looked like he had taken a blow to the stomach and he took a deep breath. The last thing he wanted was to cause the rest of the family to press their luck against him. He took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair.

"Let her sleep for a while and when I get back, I'll see if she's up to company."

"You guarding her?"

"I am respecting her wishes."

Billy stared back at him with some of the old Andrew annoyance and he walked down the hall. He needed to check in on Will and get a breather for himself. The room's door was shut and he knocked on it as he opened it. Will looked over at him from the bed and motioned for him to stay quiet. He looked over at the chair and found Grace asleep.

"She just fell asleep a little while ago."

He pulled another chair up beside the bed and took a seat. Will caught the serious look in his eye and sat up higher in bed.

"She's awake."

"Is she okay?"

He took a deep breath and looked at the boy. Telling him that his mother was still dying was not an option but he wasn't ready to give the alternative.

"She's resting now."

"So she was awake when you last saw her but now she's resting."

Will looked over at Grace and said "You're hiding somthing."

Amber eyes turned on him and he felt like he was looking at himself. The only difference was the clarity in the boy's look. It was something only his mother possessed.

"What aren't you telling me?"

"I gave her back the necklace."

Will's eyes grew slightly wider and he asked "Did she say yes?"

"Ask her when she wakes up."

"I can go see her?"

He nodded and said "When she wakes up I'll take you to see her."

The boy smiled and he quietly stood up. Glancing at Grace, he left the room and shut the door behind him. Letting out a sigh, he walked down the hall. He passed the receptionist as he left the hospital and walked outside. The afternoon sun barely warmed his skin and he crossed the street to the stables.

Entering the place, he let the scent relax him and he caught Champ's wandering gaze. Reaching his friend, he ran his hand along the stallion's face and let the familiar routine ease his mind. Champ nudged his hand and he scratched an ear. A snort came from behind him and he looked over at Daemon. The stallion was pawing at the bottom of the door and Reese approached him.

Daemon pulled away when he ran his hand along the strong neck and he watched him circle the stall. The restlessness reminded him of her and he smirked.

"She's going to be okay."

Daemon's ears went up and he looked over at Reese. The stallion quietly approached him and allowed him to run his hand along the strong nose. Daemon pulled away again and he let out a sigh. The stallion turned away from him and he left the stall. Silently he walked outside and crossed the street.

He returned to the hospital and made his way down the hall. Billy was still sitting outside her room but didn't budge as he opened the door. He shut it quietly behind him and moved around the bed. He sat down without a sound and carefully took her hand. She was curled into a ball and he pulled the blanket up further over her shoulders.

"They want to see me, don't they."

"When you're ready."

She opened her eyes slowly and said "I'm ready."

He kissed her brow and said "I'll only let Will in."

"Grace?"

"She's resting."

She closed her eyes and he quietly stood up. He helped her sit up and left the room. She took a deep breath and tried adjusting position. The last thing she wanted Will to see was her in this bed. Pushing the covers off, she felt the room's cool temperatures drive the little amount of warmth from her body and she bit back the shiver.

The door opened before she could climb out of bed and the look on Will's face was priceless. He came around the bed and pushed her back under the covers. She watched him hop onto the bed and met his amber gaze.

"You have to stay in bed and get better."

She ran her fingers through his golden hair and said "Only if you obey the doctor's orders."

He smirked and hugged her. Slowly she wrapped her arms around him and looked up at Reese. The man was unreadable but she knew he understood.

Will pulled back and asked "Are you feeling any better?"

"As good as to be expected."

He hugged her again and said "I thought I was going to lose you."

"I'm still putting up a good fight."

"Good."

The door opened and she found Jeff and Calli standing in the doorway. Reese left his seat and pushed them back into the hallway. He shut the door on them and looked back at her.

"I'll deal with them. Make sure you let her rest, Will."

"Promise."

He slipped out into the hall and shut the door behind him. Jeff was fuming and tried to open his mouth but one look left him silent.

"Another stunt like that and I will have you banned from this place."

He walked up to Reese and said "Your authority as a marshall doesn't hold when it comes to my family."

"She needs rest, not an invasion of people."

"That's my sister in there, Reese. I won't just stand by out here and wait for her to die."

His eyes flashed and the connection with his jaw felt good. Calli stepped between them and Teddy took a seat next to Billy. Jeff rubbed his jaw and met the burning gaze.

"You Andrews are thickheaded."

"You're too emotional."

"She isn't going to die."

Jeff groaned and said "Just listen to yourself. You're clinging to hope that doesn't exist."

The second blow drove the man onto the floor. Reese pinned him down on the floor and held his gaze.

"I know what I'm talking about. That's why I had you bring my sister."

Jeff rubbed his jaw as he was let up from the floor and Calli helped him up. She turned to her brother and he finally met her gaze.

"How bad is it?"

"This will work. The doctor will need to talk with you."

She nodded and asked "When will he be back?"

"What's going on?"

They ignored the question and he said "In another hour."

Calli took a deep breath and said "I wish you had come to me sooner about this."

"I thought I'd have more time."

She caught his arm and said "I hope this works, for your sake."

He watched her walk over to Teddy and take his hand. They walked down the hall to see Will and he was left alone with the two older brothers. Billy started chuckling and stood up. Jeff shot him a dirty look but he continued to chuckle.

"You think two blows to your jaw is the worst he could do? He almost suffocated me when I said the same thing."

Jeff turned his gaze on Reese and found the man calmly watching them. His jaw still hurt and he knew he'd have a bruise in the morning to equal it.

"What does this have to do with Calli?"

Reese shot him a look and said "She has the cure."

"Meaning what?"

He took hold of the door handle and said "When the doctor gets here, you'll know."

The two looked ready to argue but he stepped into Joe's room. Will was resting in her arms and she was running her hand through his hair. He came around the bed and she met his gaze.

"He dozed off a few minutes ago."

"I'll take him back to his room."

"Let him stay."

He watched her hand slide through the blonde hair and took her free hand. She was still freezing to the touch and he could see the wear on her. As her eyes drifted closed he stood up and carefully slid Will from her arms. The boy slept as he slid from the room and carried him past his uncles. Silently he moved to the boy's room and stepped into the room.

Teddy sat on the bed once Will was down and Calli met her brother's gaze. He left the room and waited for her in the hallway.

"They need the sleep. Grace is taking this harder than Will."

"She lost one mother. I don't blame her."

He took a deep breath and said "I hope I'm right."

She gave him a hug and said "It will."

Her comfort helped but it wasn't what he needed. He needed the confirmation from the doctor that this was going to work.

"Go check on her."

He let her go and she walked back into Will's room. The walk back down the hall was quiet and he found the two brothers still waiting by the door. They looked up at him as he slipped into the room and shut the door on them. He found her stirring and returned to the chair.

"How you holding up?"

"I didn't think it'd be so hard."

She watched him stand up and come around the bed. He carefully slid beside her and she rolled over. He took her in his arms and she leaned against his shoulder. Sliding his hand through her hair, he tried to ease her to sleep and waited until she finally surrendered to it. A knock came from the door and he watched it open.

The doctor slipped into the room with her two brothers in the door way. He came up to the bed and leaned into his ear.

"It'll work."