A/N: Thanks to Leiasky for the beta!

And thanks to all for sticking with it ... hopefully the pay-off and the 33 chapter final installment - A NEW DAY - will be worth it!

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A NEW BEGINNING, ch. 19: Doctor, Patient; Wife, Mother

***

Kaylee had again drifted off, her mind entering into a dreamless sleep state that brought her hours of uninterrupted rest. However, every time she awoke, she was met with Daniel’s blue eyes and the sight always warmed her heart. He was a good son and she loved the concern that played across his features – because it reminded her so much of her husband.

River had told her very little about Simon’s condition and now, as Kaylee again awoke, finally feeling more like herself, her impatience was rising. She wanted to get out of this bed and see Simon. She wanted to sit by his side again and be there when his eyes opened. She knew he was probably in a lot of pain, confused, scared, and disoriented and Kaylee wanted to be there for him – because he would be there for her were the situations reversed.

She glanced over to her side and saw her son sleeping there. He had taken to curling up beside her and now he rested with his head to her stomach. Smiling at the sight, she reached out a hand and brushed it through his smooth hair. Absorbed in the sight of her baby boy, it took her a minute to recognize his distress.

But with a bit of fear and motherly concern plaguing her, Kaylee watched as he started to moan and talk loudly in his sleep. His body, which had moments before been peaceful and calm, started to thrash about his little legs kicking off the side of the bed. Sitting up quickly, Kaylee put her hands to his shoulders and said, “Daniel, baby? Daniel, it’s just a dream.”

With a start he came to, his eyes already filling with frightened tears. Turning those big blue eyes to her, Kaylee opened her arms to him and he crawled into them gratefully, falling against her chest as huge sobs wracked his small form. Kaylee rocked him for a bit, murmuring words of comfort that she hoped would soothe him, and trying to fight back her own tears. Her children, her beautiful, innocent children had seen and experienced too much in the last week. It wasn’t right.

“You wanna tell me about it, sweetie?” she asked him gently, once his sobs had again died down to hiccups.

Shaking his head vehemently, he kept his face buried against her, his voice sounding muffled and far away. “No.”

Running her hands through his hair, Kaylee kissed the top of his head and said, “It’s okay to be scared, baby. I know this has been real scary for you and Ry.”

Turning his tear-stained face to her, Kaylee smiled down at him even as she felt more of her own tears well in her eyes. “Daddy got shot,” he whispered, his voice a mixture of disgust and incredulity.

Swallowing hard past the lump in her throat, Kaylee nodded once and then he said, “And you … you fell asleep and wouldn’t wake up – just like him.” More tears welled in his eyes and he again fell against her.

“I know, baby,” she murmured, wishing she knew of a way to take away his fear. “I know, but your daddy and me, we’re both gonna be fine, I promise.”

“But that man could come back again,” Daniel wailed.

Shivering, Kaylee told him quietly, “No, he can’t. He ain’t gonna bother us anymore.”

“But-" Daniel’s whimper shot through Kaylee like a dart. Scrambling for something to say, she finally pulled him back a bit and asked, “You ‘member that story I told you, but the girl goin’ to visit her grammy?” Daniel nodded once, taking a moment to wipe his now running nose against the sleeve of his shirt. Smiling at him slightly, Kaylee continued. “And you know when she’s on her way, she meets that wolf and he seems real nice, but later ….”

“But later, he went to her grammy’s house and ate her and tries to eat her too,” Daniel said hurriedly, continuing the thread.

Nodding, Kaylee said, “That’s right, but then what happens?”

Smiling for the first time in a while, Daniel recounted his favorite part of the story. “The hunter comes and saves ‘em.”

Nodding Kaylee pressed a kiss to his forehead and said, “That’s right. So even though that wolf was real mean and it looked real dark in his stomach, the little girl and her grammy they were okay, weren’t they?”

Daniel seemed to think about that for a moment, as if suddenly guessing where his mother was going with the little fable. Ai ya, he was smart. Shrugging slightly, he murmured, “I guess.”

“There ain’t no guessin’,” Kaylee told him, cupping his chin in her hand and lifting his face back up to meet her gaze. “Sometimes, we gotta learn how to make it through the dark times, like right now, so that everythin’ can be all right again.” She paused watching as his overly bright brain processed her words. Kissing him again, she asked, “Right?”

Nodding once, Daniel sighed heavily and again buried himself against her. “Wish this was just a bad dream,” he said quietly, almost as if to himself.

Wrapping her arms back around him, Kaylee rested her cheek against the top of his head and said, “Me too, baby. But we’ll pass through it soon ‘nough.”

***

The next time Kaylee awoke, River was there, her eyes wide, her expression turned up into one of slight bemusement. Looking over the top of Daniel’s head where he had again fallen asleep, she returned the slight grin, and mouthed, “What is it?”

Smiling even bigger, River moved forward and took Daniel off her lap. The boy whimpered slightly at being moved, but then just as quickly settled against his aunt’s comfortable shoulder. Looking to Kaylee with tears in her eyes, she nodded towards the door and a nurse entered the room, moving to remove Kaylee’s IV. With big green eyes, Kaylee again looked expectantly to River and finally the girl said, “He’s awake.”

Her impatience bordering on rude, Kaylee waited until they had removed the IV then swung her legs over the side of the bed, one of her huge smiles already on her face and growing bigger by the second. But it fell instantly as Jayne appeared in the doorway, pushing a wheelchair.

“I gotta ride in that?” she whined, turning a pleading gaze to first the nurse and then to River.

Shrugging slightly, River told her, “I’m not getting in trouble with my brother. You ride.”

Grimacing, Kaylee relented and allowed the nurse and Jayne to help her into the chair. As she settled into the seat and felt a wave of tiredness wash over her, she realized that maybe riding wasn’t such a bad idea.

Licking her lips in anticipation, Kaylee again felt her mouth turn up into a wide grin, as Jayne pushed her just one doorway down the hall. River went before them, still holding Daniel, the little boy starting to wake, and pushed open the door.

As Kaylee’s seated form came into view, it was Rylee who saw her first. Trying to contain her excitement as she had already been scolded once for moving too much when she was next to her father, the little girl squealed, “Mama!” Had she been tall enough she would have hopped off the bed and run to her mother, but her short little legs were not up to the task, so instead, she clutched her father’s hand, and waited for her mother to approach.

And all Simon could do was stare. Kaylee was still so beautiful, even after having been in a hospital, even after all he had put her through, her smile shone with the light of a thousand suns and he was so glad he was again awake and alert enough to speak with his wife.

Jayne wheeled Kaylee over to the side of the bed closest to Rylee and the little girl practically jumped into her mother’s lap once she was close enough. Eliciting a small breath of air at the sudden impact, Rylee did not notice as she wrapped her arms around Kaylee’s neck and hugged her fiercely. “He’s awake, mama,” she whispered against her ear. “He’s okay.”

Tears welling in her eyes, Kaylee locked her green eyes on Simon’s blue ones over her daughter’s shoulder as she murmured back, “I know baby.” Keeping one hand wrapped around Rylee’s back, Kaylee reached out her other one and closed it over Simon’s. He squeezed back and smiled at her that swai grin she had loved from the first moment they’d met and she felt more tears come.

Everyone watched the scene for a few moments, and then River, setting Daniel down and taking his hand, moved forward and reached out her other hand to Rylee. “Come on, little one. I think it’s time you and your brother ate something and then went to bed.”

Both children whined and Rylee sank farther into Kaylee’s lap turning an imploring gaze to her mother. “Do we gotta?” she asked, her mouth curling down into a pretty pout.

Chuckling at her, Kaylee kissed her cheek and said, “You best listen to your aunt River. She doesn’t mess around.”

Huffing, Rylee crossed her arms over her chest and looked back to her aunt. River simply stood there with her hand outstretched and finally Rylee said, “All right. But I’m only comin’ if’n I get strawberries.”

Smiling wider, River looked to her sister and said, “She’s definitely your daughter.”

Kaylee smiled and shared a look with Simon who was still watching her in awe, but smiling at the scene as well.

Noting the standoff, Regan stood, and walked up behind River, addressing Rylee. “I’m sure that can be arranged. Strawberries for everyone.”

Grinning widely now, Rylee turned back and kissed her mother on the cheek, and then looking back to her dad, said happily, “We’ll bring ya back some.” Then, with her usual boundless energy, she was off of Kaylee’s lap, her little hand in River’s. Leading them from the room, River turned back and smiled at her brother. “I’ll be back later. Once they’re sleeping.”

He nodded once, and then turned his gaze back to Kaylee even as her eyes stayed focused on her little ones leaving the room. Blowing them kisses, she said, “Love you.”

In unison, they answered back, “Love you,” and then the door swung shut, taking Jayne and Regan with them and she was alone with her husband. Sighing heavily, she took a moment to collect herself before turning to face him.

When she did, she realized that moment had been a foolish one to waste. More tears welled in her eyes, quickly spilling down her cheeks, and dripping past her chin. Pulling herself out of the wheelchair slowly, she sat gingerly on the edge of the bed, trying to be as close to him as possible without causing him further discomfort. While she longed to lie down at his side and hold him, she could tell by the paleness of his face and the tension in his eyes that he was still in a lot of pain.

Once settled, Kaylee gripped his hand tightly and placed her other one against his face. “Oh Simon,” she breathed, watching as he struggled to contain his own tears. “I was so scared.”

“I know, bao bei,” he murmured, wishing he could kiss her or hold her or something. He wanted to reassure her that he was all right, that they were all right and he needed to feel the warmth of her beside him for the same reason. “I’m so sorry.”

Trying to blink back her tears, Kaylee shifted closer to him and continued to run her fingers through his hair and down his cheek as she asked, “Whatda ya gotta be sorry for?”

“I should never have called her,” he told her firmly, his gaze hardening a bit. Her breath catching in her throat as her guilt started to rise, Kaylee listened as he continued. “You were right. It was too dangerous and because I couldn’t see that, it almost cost us everything.”

More tears falling down her face, Kaylee pulled the hand she held up to her mouth and kissed it gently, murmuring against it. “Oh God, Simon, please don’t apologize to me. I’m the one should be sorry.”

She met his confused gaze and felt more tears coming. After all she had said to him, the things she had accused him of, falsely, he was still worrying about her. He was still willing to take the blame for this whole miserable ordeal, when it had been her insistence that Simon would willingly endanger his family that had drawn him so far away from her and the homestead that night – leaving him vulnerable to that hun dan – almost costing him his life.

Pressing another kiss to his hand, she told him weakly, “I did this, Simon. It was me. Don’t ‘pologize no more, it’ll just make me feel worse.” She sobbed once, and then swallowed it back as Simon tried to contradict her. “No, now you wait,” she told him, fixing him with a glare that held no real edge. “I been waitin’ over a week to say this, so you’re gonna let me.”

He smiled at her, through his own tears and squeezed her hand gently. Nodding to him, she said, “I was wrong. I was the one who made you choose, who pushed you away. I mean, my god Simon, I actually said you wouldn’t protect our family.” Kaylee was ashamed by both her behavior and her words, but her words most of all. How could she have been so wrong? “And if I had just stopped and listened to my heart for one second, instead listening to my fear, I woulda known that the man I love, my husband and the father of my children would do anythin’ for me and our family.”

Returning her tearful eyes to his, she finished, “And you did. And I’m just prayin’ that now that I have you back, you can forgive me for what I did, what I said.” She paused again as she felt another sob well in her chest, and she pulled back from him, dropping his hand to the bed and allowing her face to fall into her hands. She didn’t deserve his forgiveness and she feared she wouldn’t get it. “I love you so much,” she cried, not able to again meet his gaze.

Simon could only stare at her in awe. He had never, not for one second, considered the type of blame Kaylee would associate with herself over this and he could not believe that she honestly thought any of it was her fault. “Kaylee,” he called to her, his voice still not quite strong, but strong enough to penetrate her sobs. “Kaylee, please, look at me.”

Taking a few shaky breaths, Kaylee finally did raise her eyes to meet his face and again started to cry at the love she saw shining there. Reaching out his hand to her, Simon waited for her to place her own hand in his. When she made no move to do so, he softened his gaze and whispered, “Please.”

Kaylee joined their hands and then leaned towards him a bit as he tugged on her arm ever so slightly. When she was close enough, Simon pulled his hand away and ran the back of his fingers down her smooth cheek, wiping some of her tears away. Kaylee sighed against the touch, her eyes fluttering closed as she enjoyed the feel of his hand on her skin. “I’m sorry, Simon,” she murmured again, not opening her eyes.

Simon shifted his hand to cup her cheek and Kaylee did finally return his gaze. “I love you,” he said firmly, his eyes filling with tears, his expression one of complete sincerity. “I will always love you and I could never blame you for this. For any of it. It wasn’t your fault, so please don’t blame yourself.” Pausing, he swallowed hard and then added, “It’s over. And now, all I want is to be with you and our children. Forever.”

Kaylee smiled at him as more tears fell and then leaning forward just a bit more she touched her lips to his. Simon caressed her cheek slightly as she deepened the kiss, and sighed against her at the comfort and passion he felt from her. Pulling back a bit, she whispered, “Forever and always.”

He smiled at her and then kissed her lightly again. He silently cursed his inability to move, to get up and start making that promise a reality, but his body was still healing from surgery, his blood stream still full of drugs that were meant to keep him listless and slightly numb. With a dread coiling in his stomach, he knew some of the numbness he felt, especially below the waist was not all a result of the medication – it was a result of the gunshot wound, which had no doubt caused severe damage. Simon knew, from years of experience, what that type of wound could do to a man. He had wanted to mention it to Kaylee now, when they were alone, but as he watched her struggle to contain her emotions, trying so valiantly to be brave, for him and his children, he knew he couldn’t. Not until he knew more, not until he knew, beyond a doubt, that he would never walk again.

Pulling his thoughts away from that dark place, he returned his gaze to Kaylee’s face and asked finally, “Is the baby all right?”

Kaylee nodded once, her cheeks again flushing with shame. “I din’t mean to get so bad,” she told him, still stroking his hand as she held it in her own, but not meeting his gaze. “I didn’t know it was so bad.”

Squeezing her hand, Simon made her meet his gaze as he said, “You’ve got to take care of yourself. Until I’m up and about and can take care of you both.”

Kaylee smiled warmly at him and he returned the grin, feeling a million times better by just having her close. With a sigh, he felt his eyelids drooping once again and he realized that although he had stayed awake much longer than he’d anticipated, it would soon be time for him to sleep again. Turning a lazy grin to her, he murmured, “I’m tired.”

Smiling at him, she ran her hand down his face and then leaned forward to kiss him gently. “I know, sweetie. Just get some sleep. You gotta rest now.”

Gripping her hand, Simon again opened his blue eyes and fixed them on her. “You’re staying, right?”

Her grin growing even bigger, Kaylee nodded once and let her hand fall against his cheek. “I ain’t goin’ nowhere. You just sleep.” He smiled a bit at her and his eyes again fell shut. “Love you,” she whispered uncertain as to whether or not her words had reached him before he was asleep.

His murmured, “I love you,” was the only response she needed and with a new hope in her heart, Kaylee sat by her husband’s side, praying that this really was the start of their forever and always.

***

For the next few days, Simon was still sleeping more than he was awake. Every time he opened his eyes he was greeted with two things – one was Kaylee’s smiling face and sweet voice, which raised his spirits in just seconds; the second was increasing pain and pressure in his lower back.

He had not mentioned it to Kaylee, waiting until at night, when she would go, taking the kids to the room next door that his mother had paid for in order for them to be comfortable, to speak with the nurses about increasing some of his pain meds. Finally at the end of his sixth day following the surgery, he was awake and alert enough to speak with the doctor administering his care.

River and Regan were still in the room with him, Kaylee having turned in for the night with Daniel and Rylee. She had tried at first to stay with Simon, sending the children to bed with River or Jayne, but both of them had fussed and could only be comforted by their mother – no surprise considering all they had been through. And Simon had encouraged her to spend time with them. He knew that if she was with them when they slept, she would rest as well and that was what she and the new baby needed, plenty of rest to keep up their strength.

His doctor, Doctor Michaels was making his final rounds for the evening. Simon had met the man a few times in the past few days, but now would be the first time he would address him as a colleague, a peer. Trying to affect his most commanding tone, although he was in the most demeaning position, Simon greeted the man with clear eyes as he entered the room.

“Doctor Michaels, it’s good to see you.”

He was older, as most of the doctors on the Rim seemed to be and he had a weathered face that had been drawn with lines of age and experience. Flipping through Simon’s chart as he entered, he paused to greet both River and Regan who both liked the older man, especially since he had managed to save Simon’s life. Turning to Simon at his greeting, he smiled warmly and said, “It’s good to see you too, son. Especially so alert. That’s a good sign.” He smiled down at him, again reading the board he held in his hand.

Glancing to his mother and sister, he caught River’s gaze. While Regan was intent on studying the doctor, his reactions, his movements, River’s eyes never once wavered from her brother. She had felt his fear, growing in leaps and bounds over the past few days as he had continued to awaken with feeling in only half his body. She had not said a word, to anyone, as she knew that was why Simon had been quiet as well; he was concerned about what the undue stress would do to Kaylee and their baby, as well as Daniel and Rylee. But River knew his fear was slowly gnawing away at him, and now he was ready for it to stop.

Looking back to the doctor, he told him, “My mother’s mentioned to you that I am a doctor.” The man stopped reading the chart and closing it, regarded him with an unreadable gaze, before nodding at him.

Extending his hand, Simon said firmly, “Then I’d like to see my chart.”

Releasing a deep breath, Doctor Michaels looked back to Regan and River, before again turning to regard his patient. “That’s not normal procedure,” the older man told him, holding Simon’s blue-eyed gaze in his own.

Simon nodded once and swallowed hard past the lump rising in his throat. “And as a doctor, I can appreciate your desire to treat me as a patient. But I’m afraid I must insist you treat me as a colleague.”

Hesitating for only a second more, the doctor surrendered the documents. Simon took them, again finding it difficult to swallow past the lump building in his throat. Closing his eyes for just a moment, he said a silent prayer and then flipped it open and began to read.

It was as he had imagined, but that didn’t make it any easier to digest. The bullet had managed to lodge itself in the lumbar region of his back, between his L3 and L4 verterbrae, hitting dangerously close to his spinal column. The doctors had already removed his spleen and part of one of his kidneys during the last operation and were predicting the need for a second surgery. They had been unable to repair the damage to his nerves, which was what was causing the numbness in his lower body. There was every reason to believe he would be fine, once the swelling went down and they operated again, but still, there was a chance, as there always was with injuries like this, that he would never regain feeling in his lower body.

River watched her brother’s reaction with a practiced eye and a familiar heart. She saw the way his eyes widened and then narrowed, the way his chest heaved slightly and then slowed, the way his hands shook even as his face grew paler. She had known what the chart would say, but she hadn’t quite imagined what Simon’s reaction would be, until she saw it played out in front of her – and it was fear.

Closing the document, Simon handed it back to Doctor Michaels, and when he spoke his voice was steady and even. “What are the next steps?”

If the other doctor was surprised by Simon’s seeming detachment, it didn’t show. “Well, we’d like to operate again. Based on the swelling of the tissue and muscles, I would say day after tomorrow, it should be all right to go back in. We have every reason to believe that you’ll be fine. After a bit of rehab and some slow going, you should be up, walking and running, same as other folk.”

Simon smiled tightly at the man, appreciating his reassurances, but not able to digest them. It didn’t matter if his chances were a million to one, Simon would not feel relief until he was again standing on his own two feet, walking into his wife’s embrace. “Thank you, doctor,” he said curtly and then waited as the man left the room.

Once he’d gone, River was by his side in a moment, Regan right behind her. “Simon, dear, what is it?” Regan’s face was full of concern and fear and Simon felt his heart go out to her. He knew she had been by his side the entire time and it was her contacts and money that were paying for his care now. Despite all she had done in the past, he was grateful for all she had done for him and his family.

River continued to hold his gaze and Simon smiled tiredly at her. “It’ll be okay,” she told him, her voice unwavering.

Smirking at her, he asked, “You know that for a fact?”

River returned the wry grin, and said, “Pretty much.”

Feeling a bit better, Simon finally addressed his mother. “Mother, in order for me to be able to walk again, they’re going to have to perform a second surgery.” Her eyes widened, but she kept silent, waiting for him to continue. “The chances of a full recovery are very good, but it’s a dangerous procedure. And there is a chance that it could backfire spectacularly.” Pausing, Simon swallowed once more before saying, “And it that happens, I could be permanently paralyzed.”

Regan’s eyes immediately clouded with frightened tears, and River reached out to her, putting a strong arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. Getting the woman to meet her gaze, River smiled and said, “He’s going to be fine.”

While Regan wanted to believe that, she also could read the uncertainty running through her son’s eyes. And if he was worried, then Regan would not be at peace until he was again standing. But, trying to be as supportive and optimistic as possible, she nodded once and smiling weakly, patted the hand River had placed on her shoulder. “Of course he will.”

River rolled her eyes, exasperated. She had told her mother, granted in very vague detail, that she was a reader, as was Rylee. But while the woman was making huge strides in mending her relationship with her daughter and building a relationship with her granddaughter, she had very little experience in the realm of things she deemed to be impossible. Being a reader fell into that category and so she still had not managed to fully process all that River was capable of. River had resigned herself to the fact that might not ever be able to accept it.

Turning back to Simon with a grin on her features, she told him, “She doesn’t believe me.”

Squeezing her hand, Simon smiled back and said, “Give her time. It took all of us a while to get used to you plucking thoughts out of our heads.”

Before the siblings could continue their banter, Regan inhaled sharply, pulling both of their gazes to her. As she met their wide eyes, she breathed, “What are we going to tell Kaylee? That poor girl.”

Simon’s jaw set with determination as he said firmly, “Nothing.”

When both women turned to regard him, he hurried to explain. “Kaylee can’t take the added strain right now. The ba-" Clamming his mouth shut, Simon realized he’d already said too much and would have to explain as his mother’s eyes grew even wider. Smiling to her patiently, he said calmly, “She’s pregnant, mother.”

Regan’s hand flew to her mouth as her heart simultaneously swelled with joy and constricted with new fear. No wonder the girl had been in such bad shape when they had reached the hospital. The doctors had told her it was exhaustion and dehydration, but of course, they could not tell her the real concern; Regan was not immediate family and therefore did not deserve the right to know. “Oh, Simon, I’m so happy for you,” she breathed, reaching up to cover the hand that River held with her own.

Maintaining the smile on his features, he continued, “Thank you. But now you see why we can’t tell her anything, not until after the second surgery. I don’t want her worrying over something that will probably never be an issue.” Simon watched as both his mother and his sister accepted his judgment. What he couldn’t tell them, but what he wanted to add was that Kaylee was already suffering enough, still placing blame on herself for all that had happened. And while had reassured her that none of it had been her fault, he knew that the additional information that he might never walk again would destroy her.

As her friend, Simon wanted to tell her, not liking the idea of keeping secrets. But as her husband and the father of her children, he could not put her through that. He already knew, based on her pregnancy with Rylee, that this first trimester was the hardest for her. And now, at almost eight weeks, she was just starting to feel the effects of that new life. He would not add to that the tension and anxiety of more guilt or worry, not if he could help it.

“We won’t tell, Simon,” River assured him quietly, squeezing his hand and again getting him to look at her. “We won’t. You’re going to be fine anyways.”

Simon smiled warmly at her, glad that she felt so confident. Looking over her shoulder to his mother, he asked, “Mother? Do I have your word?”

Regan looked between her two children and then nodded once. “Of course, Simon. Whatever you wish; she’s your wife. It’s your family.”

Sighing, Simon felt himself relax and again felt the pull of sleep. Pulling his hand away from his sister and shifting slightly into a more comfortable position, he said, “Thank you,” and in minutes was again asleep.

River turned to Regan and guided her mother back to the chairs they had come to know intimately over the past week. Once seated, Regan took River’s hand and asked urgently, “Is he really going to be all right?”

River met her gaze and then turned a quizzical look back to her brother. He was healing, she knew that, she could feel his body and his mind slowly piecing itself back together, slowly making progress. But there was a lot of work still to be done, a lot of damage to correct and while she felt certain that he would be all right, she could not tell if he would ever walk again. All she knew was that he would survive.

Turning back to her mother, River kissed her lightly on the cheek and whispered, “He’s going to live and love and be happy.”

Regan blinked back a few tears and then settled back in her chair as River did the same. The two of them sat in silence for a long while staring at Simon, neither of them admitting that River had never really answered her question.

***

Kaylee was awake before the rest of them and it was early. Glancing around the room, she made sure her son and daughter were still sleeping peacefully and smiled at the sight of River and Jayne wrapped in each other’s arms on a narrow hospital bed. With a pang of longing, Kaylee could not wait for the day when she could again be with Simon like that, be that close to him. She had missed his touch, his embrace, his body in these past two weeks and she eagerly anticipated the day that their physical separation was a distant memory.

Tiptoeing out of the room, Kaylee stretched once in the hall and allowed her hand to fall across her stomach. She wasn’t showing yet, of course, eight weeks barely a blip on the radar of a pregnancy, but she knew she was changing. She could feel the demands and joys of nurturing a new life pulsing through her and with a sigh, she closed her eyes for a moment to relish the feeling. While she was still worried about Simon’s condition and what it would mean for their family, she could not be sad about the prospect of being a mother again.

With a bright smile on her face, she pushed open the door to Simon’s room and saw that he was still slumbering. Her eyes shining with love and joy at just the sight of him, she closed the door quietly behind her and went to his side, sitting on the edge of the bed and taking her hand in his. She was content to simply stare at him, his handsome face calm and peaceful as he slept, the hand she held no longer cold as it had been a few days before, but warm and familiar. With an audible sigh, Kaylee eyed the empty strip of bed that Simon had managed to leave beside him. She grinned a bit, noting that even in his current state, he had left room on what was normally “her” side of the bed, possibly anticipating his wife lying next to him. But she knew she couldn’t. He was still in a lot of pain and she didn’t want to run the risk of jarring his injuries.

Lost in thoughts of their life together, Kaylee did not register as Simon’s eyes blinked open and came to focus on her. She was staring absentmindedly into space, the look in her eyes communicating to him in moments that she was far away, thinking of something. The slight smile that turned up the edges of her mouth let him know that at least it was a happy memory and that brought a similar expression to his features.

Squeezing her hand slightly, Kaylee’s green eyes immediately dropped to his face and she smiled wide at the sight of his blue-eyed gaze. “Mornin’,” she said warmly, leaning down to kiss him lightly.

“Good morning,” he answered her, disappointed when she again pulled her lips away. God, he missed her. “You all right?”

Running her hand down his face, she told him, “Right an’ shiny. How’re you?”

Simon could not hide the grimace that automatically played across his features. As he’d awoken he had felt the beginnings of fresh and more determined pain start to creep along his back, but he had tried to ignore it preferring instead to gaze at his beautiful wife. However, Kaylee’s forthright question deserved an honest answer.

“Not so hot,” he admitted, smiling sadly at her.

“You want me to get the doc?” she asked hurriedly, gesturing towards the door. Not waiting for an answer, she moved to stand, but Simon kept a firm grip on her hand, keeping her by him.

“No, bao bei, I’m fine.” Smiling at her again, he lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it gently. “Trust me, it’s going to hurt a lot worse before it gets better.”

Frowning at him, Kaylee blinked back a few tears. “Well, I know, but I don’t wan’ ya hurtin’. Ain't there anything they can do?”

Sighing, Simon realized he needed to tell his wife about the surgery he would be undergoing later that day. While he still did not want to tell her about the paralysis, he needed to let her know about this second procedure as it was dangerous and long and it would again put him into a groggy and drug-induced stupor for at least another week. “Well, actually there is,” he told her, watching as her eyes lit with hope. Quelling his own rising fears, he swallowed thickly and continued. Covering their joined hands with his other hand, he said, “They’re going to take me back in for another surgery.”

Instant tears formed in Kaylee’s eyes and she averted her gaze in a second, not wanting him to see. But he had and he wasn’t about to let her off the hook. “Kaylee,” he said gently, knowing she would be stubborn. Running his fingers down her arm softly, he called again, “Kaylee, look at me.”

With a sigh she did, and Simon watched as the tears she had tried to hide fell steadily down her face. She was scared again, fearful of what this second surgery might mean and while Simon wished he could take away her fear, he knew there was nothing any of them could do, but trust the doctors and pray.

“I’ll be okay,” he whispered to her, tugging on her hand gently. Leaning forward, she pressed her forehead to his as he repeated, “I’ll be okay.”

“Why you gotta have another surgery?” she asked, her voice broken by her tears. “I thought the docs were able to get the bullet last time.”

Reaching up and placing his hand against her cheek, he stroked her skin lightly as he said, “They did, bao bei, but now they need to go in and repair some more of the damage that the bullet caused. It’s perfectly normal for an injury like this to have more than one surgery.” She pulled back from him slightly so they could stare into each other’s eyes and reaching up just a bit, Simon captured her soft lips in a kiss.

Kaylee continued to cry, even as he pulled away, and with a sigh, buried her head on his shoulder. Simon pulled his arms around her, whispering into her hair as she let her tears fall. “I just got ya back,” she whimpered, wishing she could be stronger for her husband.

Simon blinked back a few of his own tears, as he said, “I know, but it’ll just be this one other surgery and then in a few days, I’ll be back to normal.” That wasn’t totally the truth, but Simon could not even begin to imagine how to tell her about his painful recovery process or the rehab he would have to endure. One step at a time.

Kaylee leaned back from him, and held his gaze as her eyes cleared. Shaking her head a bit, she whispered, “I’m sorry, Simon. I know you gotta be scared, I should be comfortin’ you.”

Smiling at her concern, he cupped her face in his hands and said, “I’m fine. I’m more worried about you and the baby.”

Shaking it off she said, “Aww, we’re shiny, honey. No need to fret.”

Simon was about to say something else when Doctor Michaels and the doctor who had treated Kaylee when she’d been admitted entered the room. Turning at the sound of the door, Kaylee sat back from Simon and wiped her hands across her cheeks to get rid of her tears, as her husband greeted them both. “Good morning, Doctor Michaels, Doctor?”

“Doctor Ming,” the older woman said, approaching Simon’s side and extending her hand. Simon shook it, as the doctor looked to Kaylee and smiled, “Good morning, Kaylee. How are you feeling?”

Smiling at her, Kaylee said, “Oh, jus’ fine. You know, still pregnant, but just fine.”

All of them chuckled slightly at that and then with a quick glance to Doctor Michaels, Doctor Ming stuck her hands in the pockets of her lab coat and turned back to face them both. “Well, I think you’re actually doing a bit better than fine.” As Kaylee and Simon shared a quizzical gaze, the doctor grinned and continued. “Now, Simon, I want you to know I’m only sharing this with you now because Doctor Michaels told me you’d be able to withstand a shock.”

Their eyes quickly clouding with apprehension, Kaylee felt Simon grab and squeeze her hand. Waving away their concern, Doctor Ming smiled deeply, and placed one hand on Kaylee’s shoulder, while placing the other on Simon’s. Looking to Kaylee, she told her, “You’re going to have twins.”

Kaylee felt her eyes widen and her jaw drop. Without a coherent thought in her head, she finally turned to meet Simon’s gaze and saw an identical look of incredulity on his face. Her hand flying to her stomach, Kaylee whispered, “I’m gonna what?”

Doctor Ming continued to smile, her reassuring hand squeezing Kaylee’s shoulder lightly. “You’re going to have twins. We ran some additional tests as a follow-up and were able to confirm it this morning.”

“And they’re healthy?” Simon, always the doctor, and now the concerned father asked, looking to Doctor Ming hopefully for an answer. “The children and Kaylee?”

Nodding once, the doctor answered him. “Yes, mother and both babies are doing great.” Pausing for a moment, she looked between the shocked parents and then stepped back, saying, “Congratulations.”

“Yes, congratulations to you both,” Doctor Michaels chimed in, his own benevolent gaze focused on the young couple. As neither of them said anything as the seconds ticked by, both doctors headed back for the door. “I’ll be back in a few hours Simon, so we can start your prep for surgery.” Not receiving an answer and not expecting one, Doctor Michaels opened the door, ushering Doctor Ming from the room, leaving the surprised people behind.

Once they’d gone, it was Simon who spoke first. “Kaylee?”

Finally meeting his gaze, Simon saw happy tears in his wife’s eyes, as she moved forward and kissed him soundly. “Twins, Simon,” she breathed, pulling back and cupping his face with her hands. “Twins! Ain’t it great?”

Simon could not help but smile at her enthusiasm. “Of course it is,” he told her, squashing his desire to panic. He was thrilled of course, but he was also nervous. Nervous about what two newborns would mean on the close quarters of Serenity; nervous about his condition and what would become of his wife and his soon-to-be four children, if he could never walk again. Shaking his head slightly to clear those thoughts, he smiled warmly to her and said, “It’s wonderful.”

Smiling wickedly, Kaylee again leaned her head down on his shoulder and told him, “So you best get better, Simon Tam, ‘cause I ain’t raising four babies while you’re lying around.”

Glad she could not see the look of concern that crossed his features, Simon wrapped his arm around her shoulders and placed a light kiss to her forehead. “Yes, ma’am,” he answered her, delighting as she laughed and the sweet sound echoed through his ears and into his chest, finding its way into his heavy heart.