2000

Will and Leah returned home from Florida late Friday night. Leah was exhausted after the four days in Ft. Lauderdale, but she had really enjoyed their time there.

"Will? Have I told you how much I love you lately?" She asked as he carried their luggage up the stairs to their bedroom.

"Not in the last ten minutes. I am glad you had a good time Leah." They had really reconnected during the last few days. He hadn't realized how much they needed it, but now was glad he had taken James' advice.

"Hmm. James isn't home." Leah observed as they walked past his bedroom on the way to their own. "Maybe he is with Megan."

Will shook his head. "Leah you need to give that a rest. James and Megan will either work or they won't, but you meddling in the middle of things will not help."

"So you say."

James, in fact, was over at Megan's apartment. They had spent the entire week together, first with her staying with him at Leah's and then last night they had moved over to Megan's.

"When are Leah and Will to return?" He and Megan were enjoying a quiet dinner that she had prepared.

"Tonight. I suppose I should call and let her know where I am."

"Will she be worried?"

James laughed. "Leah is so totally a mother hen. If she thinks I am to be home and I am not there she is liable to call the police and report me missing."

"Oh she is not that bad. Is she?"

"Well, maybe not quite."

"I am curious to how she got along. I still am concerned that maybe the trip might have been too much for her."

"I'll call her after dinner and you can ask her yourself." James hoped it hadn't been too much on Leah, but was more optimistic about it.

"Are you planning to bring her in for her chemotherapy treatments?"

"Yes, it will be easier for me than it would for Will. I can just bring my laptop and work from there."

"She will be there most of the day with these treatments but on the plus side you can be in the room with her while she receives them. She will be in a bed with an IV drip in her arm. She can watch TV, read, or visit with her brother. It is really pretty boring, but she doesn't have to be in a room alone like she did with the radiation."

"So you are telling me I may not get much writing done."

Megan shrugged. "Some patients try to sleep."

"I could only be so lucky." He said laughingly.

After dinner Megan and James got distracted and forgot all about calling Leah. Megan thought it was amusing that after James had been so slow to make a move on her, once he had, she found he was insatiable.

It ended up being Saturday afternoon before James finally got around to calling home.

"Hey Stranger, having fun?" James smiled at her comment. She sounded good.

"How was your trip?"

"Great. We had a wonderful time James. How about you? Did you enjoy yourself while we were gone?"

"I did okay."

"Just okay? You at Megan's?"

"Yeah."

"Good. That is where you should be."

"You think? I'll be home tomorrow night."

"Why?"

"To be there to drive you to your treatment Monday morning."

"You don't need to do that. Will can take me."

"I am taking you. Will needs to work, besides Leah, I want to do this. We have been over it a million times. I want to do this for you."

"Okay." She whispered. It really touched her just how much her brother cared for her.

Leah had spent Sunday trying not to think about what lay ahead of her the next day. Ryan and Eric came out to spend the day with her. James had come home mid-afternoon. The five of them had sat around that evening watching television and eating pizza.

Monday morning she awoke to a grey rainy day. The drive to the hospital was quiet. James knew better than to try to make light of what Leah was facing. They were both concerned as to how her body would react to the treatments.

Megan was there to greet them when they arrived. "Hi Leah. How was Florida?"

"Oh it was wonderful. We had so much fun."

"That's great. You look like you got a little sun."

"I tried to make sure I had sunscreen on most of the time, but I just couldn't resist getting a little color." Leah explained.

Megan led her and James back to the treatment room. She got Leah settled into the bed and began explaining exactly what would be happening. Leah was relieved that James was able to stay with her.

The IV was inserted into Leah's arm and the long wait began. It would take around three hours for all the medications to be delivered into Leah's body via the tube leading to her arm.

"Tell me about Florida." James wanted to distract her and keep her mind off of what was happening.

"Oh James. It was wonderful. We just laid around on the beach and sipped on little fruity drinks. It was so beautiful there. So peaceful."

"Sounds like just what you needed."

"It was. It was just what Will and I both needed. It was great to spend the time with him without all this being there. I mean it was still in the back of our minds, the cancer, and the treatments, but just really tried to forget it while we were there. It was nice."

Leah didn't start getting really sick until the night of her second treatment. That evening she woke up from a nap with a severe case of nausea. James came upstairs to check on her and found her lying on the cool tile of the bathroom floor.

"Leah?" He knelt down beside her.

Her only response was a moan.

"Here, let's get you back into bed."

"No, leave me here." She mumbled.

"Leah, you can't sleep on the floor. C'mon." James got her to sit up and then helped her to her feet. After he got her back into bed he went down stairs to get her a bottle of water.

When he came back into her bedroom she was sitting up on the side of the bed with her head in the trashcan. He sat down beside her and held her hair back as her body was racked with dry heaves.

Once the spasms subsided he tried to get some water down her, but as soon as she would lie down her stomach would revolt and she would throw the water back up.

"Here Leah. Take a drink. No, don't lie back down just yet." By now she was sick enough she was pretty well out of it. Her body crying for sleep, she only wanted to curl up in her bed. James was trying to arrange the pillows so she could sleep propped up. Finally giving up, he crawled up into bed with her and sat leaning against the headboard, then pulled her up so that she leaning up against him. Keeping her propped up this way she was finally able to keep some water down and get some much needed rest.

Will came upstairs to find the two siblings asleep. He watched them for a moment or two, wishing he could be so comfortable taking care for his wife as her brother was. Leah made him nervous now. He hated that about himself, he wished he could be the one to comfort her, but seeing her so gaunt and fragile looking made him feel scared and lost. Finally Will walked on down the hall and crawled into bed in the guest room.

James woke up with a kink in his neck. He looked at the clock, it was almost two a.m. Leah was still sleeping soundly leaning up against his chest. He slowly rolled her over off of him and onto the bed, then careful as to not wake her, he got up and covered her back up. He then padded down the hall to his own bed.

When Leah woke the next morning she felt a rage building in her. She was so absolutely sick of this. Of being sick, of James feeling he needed to care for her, of Will being repulsed by her, of Ryan looking at her with pity in his eyes, of Megan telling her it was all normal and would only last a few more weeks. Most of all she was sick of herself, of her own weakness, of her own fear of the disease, of her inability to take care of herself, of her inability to take control of her life again.

She came downstairs to find Will and James sitting at the kitchen table reading the paper and sipping on their morning coffee. Drinking coffee with Will in the morning used to be one of Leah's favorite times of the day. Now just the smell of coffee would cause her stomach to turn.

"Good Morning." James said without looking up from his paper.

"Hmph" was Leah's response. It was not a good morning as far as she was concerned.

Will watched her over his paper. He could see the storm brewing behind her eyes. "How are you feeling this morning?" He braced himself as he asked her.

Leah had pulled a bottle of water from the refrigerator and was now over at the counter sorting out her morning medications. When she heard Will ask as to how she felt she simply turned and looked at him with eyes that spoke volumes.

Later that afternoon Leah was in the den lying on the sofa watching a movie. James had been up in his room with his writing and Will was in his study hard at work. James was taking a break and stopped in to check on Leah.

"Hey. How are you doing?" He stuck his head in the doorway of the den.

At first he thought she must be asleep as she didn't even acknowledge he had spoken to her. He stepped into the room and saw that her eyes were open.

"Leah?" He tried again.

When she finally locked eyes with him he was taken back by the anger he saw in her eyes. "Leah? What's wrong?"

That was a loaded question. James knew he was in trouble the minute it slipped from his lips.

"Wrong? What could be wrong? I've just spent the few days sicker than I ever was with the radiation and I still have four months of this ahead of me. Will can't even look me in the eyes, Ryan avoids me like I have the plague and you hover over me like I … I… I don't know what!" Her voice was starting to rise as she grew more upset. "I have no control over my life anymore. I have no choice but to be at the mercy of this fucking disease and the fucking treatment that is suppose to save me, but somehow feels like it is killing me! Why would you think something is wrong?"

James said nothing, but took a step toward her.

"Don't touch me." She spat at him. She was furious with him, no, she wasn't, but he was there so he was where her anger was being directed.

"Leah." He said it so softly she barely even heard him.

"Fuck off James. Go play with Megan or something. Just leave me the fuck alone."

James looked at her for a moment, then nodded and walked out of the room. He went back upstairs to retrieve his shoes and coat, then headed out of the door. A few minutes later Leah heard his tires squeal as he pulled out of the drive.

James rode around for a few hours stewing over Leah's words. He knew that he had bared the brunt of Leah's misdirected anger. Knowing she didn't mean to take it out on him didn't make her words hurt any less. Finally he found himself at Megan's apartment building. He looked at the time, she should be home by now.

"James." Megan was pleased to see him on the other side of her door. It had surprised her when he rang her buzzer and requested to be let in, but she was glad to see him.

As he walked into her apartment she could tell something was wrong. "James? What's going on?"

James just walked in and slumped down on the sofa. Megan followed and sat next to him. "Okay, talk to me."

He sighed and then started. "Leah is so angry. She doesn't know what to do with it and I stepped in the middle of her rage."

"Oh James, I'm sure she didn't mean any of it."

"I know she didn't, but her words still stung. I feel so helpless."

"Maybe you just need a break. Why don't you stay here tonight, let Will take care of her?"

"No, I can't. Will can't handle her. She starts getting sick and he turns to putty."

"What about Ryan?"

James shook his head. "Ryan isn't much better. Besides, I need to do this for her. She has done so much for me. Now it's my turn."

"But James, if you don't take care of yourself…."

"I know, I know. And I am. Leah is just having a bad day, and thus I am having one too."

"You two are so close."

"Yeah, we are." James smiled a shy smile.

"Tell me."

"Tell you what?"

"About your parents' death. You have never told me how they died."

James was quiet for a moment. Megan was starting to think he wasn't going to tell her when he finally spoke. "In a car wreck."

"How old were you?"

"Twelve." He wasn't looking at her, instead he focused on a place on the floor a few feet away from his shoes.

They were both silent, then James continued with the story. "I was in the backseat." He spoke so softly she almost didn't hear him.

"Were you hurt?"

"No, just a broken collarbone. My mother was almost completely decapitated. I was trapped in the car with their mangled bodies until the paramedics got there."

Megan ached for what he must have gone through. "Where was Leah?"

James shrugged. "She was eighteen then. She was living in an apartment across town and going to school. She showed up at the hospital later. I suppose someone from the hospital notified her, I don't know. I do know that she quit school and moved back home to take care of me. I know I was a basket case for many months following their death. And that she had just learned she was pregnant with Ryan when it happened. She was there for me then, and now it is my turn to be there for her."

Megan was silent.

"Except that some times I think she resents me taking care of her. I know she is trying to not be disappointed in Will. She keeps telling me that he is dealing with it the best he can, but how can she not be disappointed to find he is not strong enough to be there for her when she needs him most? So she is stuck with me."

"She is lucky to have you for a brother. She knows that, James."

When James came home that evening Leah was asleep in her bed. He stuck his head in Will's study. "Have you talked to her this afternoon?"

Will looked up. "No, is she okay?"

"I don't know, I've been gone. She's in bed asleep right now."

Will nodded. "When did you leave? You should have told me."

"You didn't hear Leah and me fighting?"

"You and Leah had a fight? When?"

"This afternoon. It wasn't so much a fight as it was her telling me off. I got pissed and left. I guess I should have told you, I just assumed you heard us."

"I'm sure she is fine. She is just having a bad day."

James sighed. "Yeah, I know."

James went back out to the kitchen doubting that Leah had eaten anything recently. He warmed up some soup and put that and some crackers on her bed tray. He would either make peace with her, or he would soon be wearing this soup.

"Leah?"

"Hmm?" She had been dozing off and on for the last few hours, her conscience keeping her from actual sleep.

"I made you some soup. Are you hungry?"

As she rolled over to face him the tears began to fall from her eyes. "James, I am so sorry."

"Hey, shhh. It's okay." He sat the tray of food down on the dresser and went to sit by her on the bed. She wrapped her arms around him and sobbed. "Shh, Leah. It's okay. I understand."

"I'm a jerk, James. I am sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you." She was crying so hard he could barely make out what she was saying.

"Its okay, Leah." He sat with her and let her cry for awhile, finally he felt her starting to calm back down. "Hey, your soup is getting cold. C'mon, sit up and I'll bring it over."

During the second week of Leah's treatments James tried to get her on a schedule, like she had been on with the radiation. But with the radiation it was fairly predictable when Leah would be sick. Chemo wasn't so easy to predict.

Will had taken to sleeping in the guest room as Leah seemed to be the sickest at night. Will stated that he didn't want to disturb her with the TV or him getting in and out of bed. They all knew better, but no one pushed the subject. James dragged the recliner from his bedroom into Leah's and spent most nights trying to sleep in it.

Megan was worried by the circles under James' eyes. They hadn't spent much time together since Leah had begun this stage of her therapy, but James called her almost every night. Now it was Megan's turn to feel helpless. She tried to get James to spend as much time with her on the weekends as she could without putting more guilt on him. She understood and admired his devotion to his sister. But she also knew that he needed a break from it too. She also suspected that if Will had to, he would find that he could take care of Leah just fine on his own.

That Wednesday night was a bad one for Leah. Her hormones made her body temperature swing from hot to cold. She would first kick off the covers and ask for a fan, then she would begin shivering and want piles of blankets over her. She couldn't keep even water or broth down. Her stomach was churning so that when she tried to lay flat her stomach acid would burn her throat. James tried getting her to sleep in the recliner, but Leah insisted that she couldn't sleep on her back. So once again James ended up sitting in her bed with her propped up on his chest.

The next day James was so tired he could barely go. Leah wasn't feeling much better and both were feeling the effects from their lack of sleep. Will had flown to Phoenix for a meeting on Tuesday and wasn't due home until Friday so it was just the two of them.

James had called on Eric and Ryan to pick up a prescription of Leah's and bring it by as he didn't feel that he could leave her alone. Eric had offered to go pick it up and also to bring them some food. James had told him to get Leah some wonton soup. He was hoping it might be something she could keep down.

When Eric arrived he walked into a quiet house. "Hello?"

No answer. He sat the food down on the kitchen table and went to find James. He found them in the den. Both were sleeping soundly, Leah on the sofa and James in the recliner. He was surprised at how sickly Leah looked, but he was even more surprised at how worn down James looked. He decided against waking James up and went to put the food he had brought with him in the refrigerator.

Eric was in the kitchen writing James a note after putting the soup and lo mien in the fridge. James came walking in.

"I thought I heard someone."

"Oh, sorry. I was trying to be quiet. You look like shit James."

James plopped down in a chair at the table and rubbed his hands over his face. "Thanks. I feel like shit too." He picked up the package the prescription was in lying on the table. "Thanks for picking this up Eric. Maybe it will work for her. So far nothing else we have tried has enabled her to keep any food down. We are running out of medications to try."

"She's been pretty sick?"

James sighed. "Yeah, this has been a rough week."

Eric seemed to think for a moment. "James, I don't have anything pressing at the office today. Let me stay with her for a few hours and you go upstairs and get some sleep."

"I can't ask you to do that Eric."

"Why not? Besides, you're not asking, I'm offering."

Eric could tell James was considering taking him up on his offer. "Come on James. I can handle it."

"You think? I don't know, I seem to be the only one that can. She has been doing a lot of vomiting. Can you handle being puked on?" It was said almost as a challenge.

Eric looked him in the eyes, accepting the challenge. "My older brother died of pancreatic cancer. I can handle it James."

"I didn't know. I'm sorry."

"S'alright. He died about seven years ago. I was seventeen. My sister and I took care of him most the time toward the end. It was just too hard on his wife and our mother was a basket case over it. So I understand a little of what you are going though."

"Why didn't you say something before?"

Eric shrugged. "Dealing with cancer is too personal I guess. I didn't want my experience to cloud your outlook. I don't know, it just didn't seem appropriate."

"Does Ryan know?"

"About my brother? Yeah, he knows I had a brother that died. We haven't talked about the details of it though. Seriously James, go to bed. I can sit with her this afternoon."

James nodded. "Okay, when she wakes up try to get her to drink some water, and to eat something. Have her take one of those pills you brought out too, maybe she will be able to keep that soup down."

"Got it. Now go, before you drop."

James stood up and turned to head upstairs. "Thanks Eric."

Eric called his secretary and explained that he wouldn't be back in the office today, then he went into the den where Leah was still sleeping on the sofa. He picked out a book from the bookshelf and settled into the recliner.

It was almost an hour later when Leah awoke to see Eric in the chair the James had been sitting in when she fell asleep. "Eric? Where is James?"

Eric looked up from his book. "I sent him upstairs to get some sleep."

A look of guilt flashed across Leah's face. She knew her illness was taking its toll on her brother and she hated that fact.

Eric's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "Want something to eat? I brought you some wonton soup."

"Yeah, I'll try some." She sat up and a wave of dizziness washed over her.

"Stay here, I'll go warm it up and bring it to you."

"Wait. I need to pee. Help me into the bathroom."

"Okay, come on."

Eric held her arm in his for her to lean on as he helped her down the hall. He walked her to the door of the bathroom.

"I can take it from here."

"Okay, just shout and I'll be back. I'll go start warming up the soup."

Eric was just getting the soup into a bowl to put in the microwave when Leah came into the kitchen and sat down at the table. He couldn't help but notice how gaunt and pale she was. Flash backs of a time with his brother filled his mind.

"What are these?" Leah picked up the new bottle of pills that were on the table.

"James had me pick those up. I think they are for your nausea. He wanted you to take one with your soup."

She sighed. "Okay." Taking one out and washing it down with a sip of water. "Hope it works, I am so sick of throwing up."

He sat the soup down in front of her. "There you are Madam. Enjoy."

She tried to smile. "Thanks Eric. So what are you doing here?"

"James called and asked if Ryan or I could pick up the prescription for you. I guess it was called in this morning. Anyway, I had a slow day at work so I said I would drop it by. When I got here he looked so tired that I offered to stay so he could go lie down."

Leah frowned. "I don't need a babysitter."

Actually that was debatable but Eric let the comment slid. "I know, but I also know that James wouldn't go upstairs to his bed and take a nap unless he had someone here to keep an eye on you."

She nodded. He was right.

James woke up and could tell by the fading light that it was getting late. He found Eric and Leah still in the den. Leah was now napping in the recliner and Eric had his nose in a book.

"Did you get her to eat?"

Eric put the book down. "Yeah, she ate about half of the soup."

"And kept it down?"

"Yeah. I got off easy. No puking." Eric grinned.

"You should have woken me. I didn't mean for you to be stuck here all day."

"It's okay. I didn't mind."

James sat down on the other end of the sofa. "Did she take one of the new pills?"

"Yeah, before she ate."

"Good, maybe we finally found something that will work." He was quiet for a moment. "Have you eaten anything yet? Want to share my lo mien?"

"No, I'm good. I had a big lunch before I came over and Ryan is holding super for me."

James nodded, "Then you should get home to him." He stood and Eric followed suit. They walked into the kitchen. "Eric? Thanks. Really."

Eric turned to look him in the eyes. "It's okay James and I want you to call me any time you need a few hours off. Okay? You shouldn't try to do this on your own."

"Okay."

"I mean it."

"I will."

Eric nodded, "I doubt you will, but now that I am aware of the situation over here I will make it a point to drop in from time to time to make sure you are okay."

James smiled. "Okay, but seriously, I'll call you if I need a break."

After Eric left James pulled the take-out from the refrigerator and went about warming it up.

"Is there any of that soup left?" Leah came padding into the kitchen.

"Shit. Leah. Do you always have to sneak up on me?" James had jumped a mile when she spoke.

She grinned, "Like anyone could sleep with all your noise."

He turned and pulled the soup out of the fridge and began preparing it for the microwave too. "Take another of those pills. It says one with each meal."

"Hm, okay."

After they ate she went back into the den and dialed Will's hotel room in Phoenix.

"Hey."

"Hi Leah. You sound good. Are you feeling better?" It was so much easier on the phone.

"Yeah, I think I am. How is Phoenix?"

"Things are going good."

"Yeah? Tell me more about it. What's been going on?"

Will went on to tell her more about the current project and how things were panning out on it.

James came into the den after cleaning the kitchen up. He noticed that Leah kept rubbing her eyes while she was talking on the phone. He flopped down on the sofa next to her and picked up the remote turning on the TV. "Hi Will." He shouted.

Will chuckled. "Tell James hello back."

"Forget him. What time will you be home tomorrow?"

"I think my plane lands around seven, so I would say I should be home by eight-thirty."

"'K, see you then."

"Love you."

"Love you too."

Leah hung up the phone and reached over punching James in the arm.

"Ouch. What was that for?"

"For being a brat."

The two settled into the sofa and started watching a movie on TV. James noted that she was still rubbing her eyes. He finally asked if they were itchy, thinking maybe she needed some eye drops.

"No, they don't itch, they just feel weird." She shrugged. "I'm sure it is just another side effect of something or other I am on."

Around a half an hour later Leah found she was having trouble keeping her eyes on the television. They seemed to move off the screen on their own. She would reach up and rub them and she would be able to focus again for a short time, then they would wonder up to the ceiling again.

"James?"

He could hear the fear in her voice. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know. I can't see." He turned to her and saw that her eyes had rolled back into her head.

"Just close your eyes Leah." James was trying to not panic. "Here, lie down on the sofa and close your eyes. I'm going to get your coat and shoes."

"Why?" She was trying not to cry.

"Because I am taking you to the emergency room."

After he carried Leah out to the car and got behind the wheel he stopped to call Megan on his cell before pulling out of the drive. She agreed to meet them at the hospital.

When they pulled up to the ER Megan was waiting outside for them. "What's going on James?" He jumped out of the car and ran around to the passenger's side to get Leah out. Megan took one look at her and knew exactly what was happening. "James, it's okay. It is just a reaction to the medication they put her on today."

James looked at her like she had lost her mind. "It's okay? She can't see Megan."

"I know, it just a reaction. They'll give her some Benadryl and she'll be fine. It's not serious. Come on, let's get her inside."

James carried Leah in as Megan ran ahead to explain to the doctor on duty what was happening. They had James bring her straight on back to an exam room where the doctor agreed with Megan. It was a simple drug reaction.

"Fuck." James did not see it as a simple drug reaction. Leah had been through enough, she didn't need this. Not to mention this had been the first drug they had found that had help her nausea and now the doctor was saying Leah was allergic to it. What kind of screwed up world was this?

The doctor gave Leah a shot and told her to lie back and try to relax. It would take the Benadryl a few minutes to take effect and loosen her spasming muscles behind her eyes.  Megan stayed beside her as a calming influence as James paced back and forth across the room.

After about a half an hour the doctor came back in to examine her and found that the reactions had been stopped. James had calmed down somewhat by now. "Can we take her back home?"

The doctor was reviewing her chart. "Let me keep her here for another half hour and then if everything is still okay we will send her home."

The Benadryl was making Leah sleepy and she was having a hard time keeping her eyes open now. Megan's soothing voice talking to her was lulling her to sleep.

"Megan?" James walked up behind her, rubbing her shoulders as she was sitting next to Leah. "Come home with us tonight."

"I have to work tomorrow."

"I need you."

She turned and looked in his eyes. "Okay, but I'll have to stop by my apartment to get some clothes and stuff."

James leaned in and kissed her. "Thanks."

By the time the doctors signed off for Leah to go home she was sleeping soundly. James simply picked her to carry her out to the car. "Why don't you just leave your car here James? We can come get it later."

After stopping by Megan's apartment and picking up a change of clothes they arrived back at Leah's around midnight. Even with the long nap that afternoon James still felt weary. He carried Leah up and got her tucked into bed. Then he and Megan headed to his room.

Their love making that night was slow and tender, taking their time to explore each other's bodies. After it was over James lay there in Megan's arms. She felt him shivering and it took a few seconds for her to realize he was crying. All the ups and downs of Leah's illness had left him drained. She knew there was nothing to be said so she simply held him until she felt him finally relaxing as sleep claimed him.

The next morning when Leah padded down the stairs into the kitchen she found James there scrambling eggs. He smiled at her as she sat down at the table. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, I think."

"Hungry?"

"Yes. It smells wonderful. What's up with you? You seem awful full of yourself this morning."

James only grinned and placed a plate of eggs and toast in front of her.

She began eating when she heard someone coming down the stairs. She looked up as Megan came into the kitchen.

"I got to run." Megan said to James before reaching up to give him a kiss.

"You don't have time for breakfast?" James seemed truly hurt.

"Oh James, that is so sweet. But no, I will be lucky to not be late if I leave right now. We spent too much time in the shower this morning." She smiled at him shyly.

"Thank you for being there for me last night." He said as he pulled her into his arms for a passionate kiss.

"Anytime." Megan turned to head out the door and saw Leah sitting at the table. "Oh. Morning Leah." Megan blushed realizing what Leah had just witnessed.

Leah smiled. "Morning Megan. Have a good day at work."

"Thanks." And Megan scurried out the door.

Leah turned to her brother. "James, you dog. Why didn't you tell me she was here?"

James shrugged "I guess you were too out of it last night to remember."

"You two look good together. She's good for you."

He actually blushed. "She is a good person."

"You should spend the weekend with her."

"We'll see." He sat down at the table with his own plate of eggs.

"Seriously, I am feeling better and Will is coming home today. You should go, get out of here. Take a break from all this."

"I said we'll see. I'm not making any plans until we see how you feel today. You've been pretty sick the last few days Missy." James tried to be stern with her. They both knew who would win this argument.

Leah just grinned at him. It was so good to see him in love.

By the time Will got home at eight that evening James had given up and left to spend the weekend at Megan's. Leah could be like a bulldog at times. When she got an idea in her head she just wouldn't drop it, and she was determined to get James and Megan together.

"Leah?" Will walked into their bedroom with his luggage to find her propped up in bed watching TV.

"How was your trip?" She smiled up at him.

"Good. How are you? You look good today Leah. Feeling better?"

"I feel pretty good today. Yes."

Will came over and sat down next to her on the bed. "It's good to see you smile."

She leaned over and kissed him.

"Leah, I know I keep saying that I am going to try to be there for you, then the first time you get really sick I bail. I don't know what to do about that, but I want you to know I feel badly about it. I really do love you."

"It's okay Will. I understand. We'll get through this."

Will smiled at her before kissing her again. "Tell you what," he said after they broke the kiss "once this is over, you and I will take a trip. I mean a real vacation. Anywhere you want. You name the place."

"I thought that we just had one, remember?"

"I mean a real one, without all this hanging over our heads. Anywhere you want to go. Just name it and we're there."

Her eyes lit up. "Really? Anywhere?"

"Yep. You name it."

Leah sat there in thought for a few moments, then nodding her head as she made up her mind she stated. "Rome."

"Rome huh? Okay, Rome it is."

© Melina Catts 2004

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