"How's the patient?" the doctor asks as he walks over to Ashleigh.

Cody moves out of the way and daddy walks over to stand next to the doctor. I felt mama tense up when she heard daddy say the doctor's name.

"How do you feel Ashleigh?" he asks.

"I'm tired…and thirsty," she said weakly.

The doctor checked her chart and listened to her heart.

"Have you found anything out yet?" daddy asks him.

The doctor looks around the room. "Is this the rest of your family?"

Daddy nods and the doctor smiles. "I'm sure you're glad to have more of your family around," he said to Ashleigh.

She tried to smile and nodded.

"Let's talk outside," he said to daddy.

Mama squeezed my hand and followed the doctor outside the room and daddy followed her.

"What are they doing?" Ashleigh asked as she watched mama and daddy leave.

"They're going to talk to the doctor so they can find out how to make you feel better," Grandma told her. She had stepped up next to the bed and was smoothing back Ashleigh's hair.

Within a few minutes the door opened and mama and daddy stepped back into the room. Daddy had his arm around mama and he leaned over and kissed her temple.

It was hard to read their expressions so I prepared myself for the worst, even though mama's eyes weren't betraying bad news.

"Well?" I ask, not being able to stand the silence.

Daddy quickly glances over at Ashleigh who appears to be sleeping.

"They have ruled out a few possibilities…which is good because they were looking at the most fatal…" he broke off because it was hard for him to say that word.

"He says her heart rate is still strong and she's reacting well to the antibiotics they're giving her."

"What does that mean?"

I'm now sitting on the edge of her bed and mama has made her way back over to Ashleigh's side.

"It means they have to keep ruling out different possibilities."

"This is so frustrating," I say.

Daddy nods. "It is but we have to look on the positive side. She's not getting worse."

"Thank God," Grandma said.

The phone next to the bed rings so Grandma picks it up.

"Hello? Oh hi Lynne. Yes, she's right here." She holds the phone out to mama. "It's your mama, honey."

Mama gives daddy a pleading look so he takes the phone.

"I have to go to the bathroom," mama says. She goes into the bathroom and shuts the door.

"Hi mom."

"Justin? Hi honey, how is Ashleigh doing?"

"She's still the same. The good news is that she's not getting worse."

"Why don't I take you two down to the restaurant and get something to eat," Grandma says to me and Cody before she ushers us out the door. Daddy waves that he overheard her.

"They haven't found anything out yet, though?"

"No. They're just ruling possibilities out right now. It's so frustrating."

"I know," she says softly. "Is Brit nearby?"

"Uh…she just ran into the bathroom. Mom, I think she might be too upset to talk to you. The kids and my mom are gone now though, so maybe she'll feel like talking to you."

"If it's too hard for her, I understand."

But she didn't. She needed to hear her daughter's voice.

"Let me go see."

Justin set the phone down and walked over to the bathroom.

"Baby…you okay?" he asked softly and he rapped his knuckle on the door.

He put his ear close to the door to try to hear her. He could hear her throwing up so he tried the doorknob and luckily it was unlocked. Her head was leaning over the toilet, one hand was holding her hair back.

"Sweetie?"

She flushed the toilet.

He put his arm around her and helped her stand up. She leaned against the sink and splashed her mouth out and then splashed her face.

"All of a sudden…" she started.

"Morning sickness?"

She shrugged. "I don't know."

He turned her to face him and held her shoulders. "You're not taking care of yourself. First of all you need to get some rest…"

"But…"

He touched his finger to her lips and then continued to hold her shoulders.

"Second of all, you need to eat something other than crackers."

The tears were starting to form in her eyes.

"But what if she wakes up and is scared?"

"I'll be here, okay? We'll take turns tonight. Baby just go home and sleep for a few hours and then come back. As soon as my mom gets back with the kids you and I will run down to the restaurant and get something to eat and Adriana and Cody can make Ashleigh laugh more. Maybe they can rent a movie to watch. She needs that…not us sitting by her side looking at her sadly."

The tears were falling freely now. "Is that what we're doing?"

He nodded. "It feels that way to me. She's not getting worse, okay? Concentrate on that."

She nods and then starts to lean into him. He wraps his arms around her and closes his eyes. This is what he needed to feel. She had been distancing herself from him since they had found out that Ashleigh had more than just a cold. Slowly her arms eased their way around his waist and she cried into his chest.

"I'm so scared," she sobbed.

"Me too," his voice cracked. "But she has so many people praying for her. I do believe her Guardian Angel will be watching out for her."

She nodded. Justin kissed the top of her head since that's all he could reach.

"Oh shoot…Brit, your mom is on the phone and would really like to talk to you."

She pulled back and wiped the tears away, grabbed a Kleenex and nodded. She walked back into the room. Before she picked up the phone she touched Ashleigh's cheek. She was still sleeping.

"Hi mama," she said.

"Hey sweetie. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing okay. How is daddy feeling?"

"He's getting stronger every day. Justin told me what the doctor said. You know she's in our prayers."

"I know…thank you. It's so hard mama."

"I know baby, I know. I wish I could be there right now for you…"

"I know you do but you need to stay by daddy's side."

"Mama?" Ashleigh was slowly waking up.

"Hey baby," Justin said leaning down over her and kissing her forehead.

"Hi daddy," she said as she stretched. "Ow." The tubes of the IV got caught on the bed and pulled at her skin a little bit so Justin helped her loosen it.

"You hungry?"

She nods.

"Okay, I'll tell the nurse."

"Well, Ash just woke up again."

"Can I talk to her?" Lynne asked.

"Sure. Ash, Grandma Spears wants to talk to you."

"Okay. Hi Grandma," she said when Britney handed her the phone.

"How's my little angel feeling?"

"I feel okay."

"I wish I could be there but I'm going to take care of your Grandpa."

"He's still sick?"

"He's getting better…just like you will be."

"I hope so. I want to go home."

Britney looked up at Justin. Hearing her say that broke her heart.

"I'm sure you will soon. Do you have a TV in your room?"

"Uh huh…with a DVD player."

"Wow, that's great. Maybe Cody can bring his video game and you can play that."

"You think they'd let me do that?"

There was a knock on the door as someone walked in with a tray of food. She placed it on the cart next to Ashleigh and left the room.

"Tell Grandma that you're going to eat now," mama said as she held her hand out for the phone.

"Grandma, my food is here."

Lynne laughed. "Okay…put your mama back on."

"'K."

"I love you angel."

"I love you too."

She handed the phone back to Britney and Justin pushed the tray of food closer to her and helped her sit up more.

"Okay mama. I love you too," Britney said before she hung up the phone and then sat on the other side of her daughter. She leaned over and kissed the side of her head.

"I love you," she whispered in her ear. Ashleigh smiled and took a bite of corn.

When Ashleigh ate as much as she could, Justin stuck a piece of chicken on the fork and held it to Britney's mouth.

"Eat," he said.

She opened her mouth and took a bite.

"You don't have to feed me, Justin," she said with her mouth full.

He smiled and nodded. "Uh huhhhh, I want to make sure you guys are taken care of," he winked at her.

"Oh good, more food," Cody said as we walked back into the room.

Mama glared at him but he laughed. "I was kidding."

"Grandma said maybe you could bring your video game, Cody," Ashleigh said.

"Wow, you seem to be feeling better," I say.

"Did you eat?" Grandma asks her.

She nods. "Now daddy is feeding mama."

We laugh.

"Actually, since you guys are here, we're going to go eat at the restaurant, ourselves. We'll be back soon."

"You okay if we leave?" mama asks her.

Ashleigh looks at me and I smile, so she smiles and nods. "I will be fine."

"We won't be long," mama says as she gives Ash a kiss.

"See you later," daddy says kissing her cheek.

"Bye," I wave.

Grandma gives me a look and I shrug. "Wonder what was said while we were gone. I didn't think mama would ever leave Ashleigh's side."

"Look what I brought," Cody said holding up a movie.

"Oh goody," Ashleigh said, clapping her hands.

I chuckle. "What did they put in that food?" I ask, tapping her nose.

"I don't feel as tired," she said as she yawned.

I laugh. "I can tell."

Cody puts the movie in the DVD and sits down in the chair next to Ashleigh's bed. I sit over on the other side of the room, kind of in the corner because I don't want to get in their way. Grandma walks over and sits next to me.

"So, how are you doing?" she asks.

I smile at her. "I'm doing good."

"Your daddy was telling me that the touring is going well."

"I think it is. I'm having a lot of fun. I feel so alive when I'm up there."

She smiles and nods. "You're just like your daddy. He was the exact same way…still is I guess."

Slowly my smile disappears. "I'll probably miss the show tomorrow. But I want to be here," I say looking over at Ashleigh.

"People will understand."

"I hope Tony explains it to my band. They'll be in Oklahoma, or wherever it is, without me. I feel so responsible."

She lays her hand on my leg. "Don't put the burden on yourself. You're where you should be…with your family. I'm sure they understand that."

I nod.

"Speaking of your band…your mama was telling me about Brad. I remember meeting him. He's cute."

I smile and slightly blush when she says his name. I've been thinking about him off and on all day. I really want to call him…I need to talk to him.

"He is cute. He's so different than other guys I know. I feel like I'm the only girl in the world when I'm around him."

"I know another guy who was like that."

"Who?"

She laughs. "Your daddy. He was so smitten with your mama."

"Isn't he still?" I playfully roll my eyes.

She pats my leg and laughs. "More so now than then. I'm happy for you sweetie, but you're still young. Just enjoy your life right now."

"I am."

We hear Ashleigh and Cody laugh so we both look over there and laugh ourselves. We sit there and watch them for a few more minutes and Ashleigh's eyelids start to get heavy.

"Excuse me," I say to Grandma as I stand up and walk over to Ash's bed. I move a couple of pillows around and pull myself up on the bed so I can lie next to her. I wrap one arm around her and she snuggles into my side. That's the way mama and daddy find us.

Britney stops so suddenly that Justin bumps into her from behind.

"What?" he asks.

He looks at the bed and smiles when he sees his daughter's lying there.

I look at mama and daddy and wave.

"How did she do?" mama whispers to me as she walks closer to us.

"She was fine. She and Cody were watching a movie."

"Shhh, I'm still watching a movie," Cody says.

Daddy ruffles Cody's hair.

"Why don't you go home with your mama. Mom…" daddy turns to Grandma, who stands up and walks over to them, "would you mind taking Britney, Adriana and Cody home?"

"Of course not."

"Justin I don't know…"

He takes her shoulders. "Remember what we talked about earlier. Take care of yourself."

She nods. "I know."

"Where will you be dad?" Cody asks.

"I'll stay here with Ashleigh."

"Can I stay with you?"

He looks at mama and shrugs. "Sounds fine to me."

"Okay," he says and turns around to continue watching his movie.

"What about you, though? You need to get some rest too daddy," I say.

"Your mama will come back in a few hours and I'll go back home then."

"Okay," I say as I get up out of the bed and walk over to him. He wraps me in his arms and kisses the top of my head.

I get my purse and stand at the door. Grandma hugs and kisses daddy and then joins me. Mama spends a couple of minutes looking at Ashleigh. She's smoothing her hair and whispering things to her. I see a tear fall from mama's face and land on Ashleigh's shoulder. Seeing that makes me tear a bit myself. She leans down and kisses her, then she walks into daddy's arms. Before she pulls away she wipes her eyes and nose. She looks into his eyes and they kiss.

"I love you," she tells him.

"I love you more," he smiles.

Grandma holds out her hand when mama walks over to us and mama takes her hand and we leave.