RATING: G
SUMMARY: Carter and Lucy just had a little girl named Katherine and are
bringing her home for the first time.
AUTHORS NOTE:  Here's number eleven! Please send feedback to
lizzyknightlight@hotmail.com
DISCLAIMER: No profit is being made from this fanfic.  The only character I
own in this story is Katherine Carter.  The rest belong to NBC, Warner
Brothers, Constant C. and Micheal Crichten (I think that's all of them).
ARCHIVES: Please email me first @ lizzyknightlight@hotmail.com

A Few Steps Forward pt.8
By: Lizzy Knight

~~~~~~April 3 2001, 2:00 PM

"Can I *please* get up?  I can walk you know," pleaded Lucy for the seventh
time since her post-natal nurse had  forced her into the wheelchair before
allowing her leave her room.

"You know the drill Lucy.  I don't make the rules, I just follow them,"
responded her nurse.

Looking up towards Carter who walked beside her, carrying Katherine in a
car seat, she begged for support in a desperate glare, "Luce, why don't you
just accept the gesture and take a break.  If you are good until we get to
the car, I'll even give you a lollipop."

"Yeah right... I bet you don't even have a lollipop."

Reaching into his pocket, John pulled out a short stick with the top
wrapped in a plastic wrapper and waved it in her face.

"Is that orange?"

"Yup," Carter grinned.

Lucy started fidgeting, "But you cant tempt me with my favourite flavor. 
That's just mean."

Laughing, Carter handed the sucker over to a giggling Lucy, "So, was I
really a horrible patient?" Lucy asked, sticking the candy into her mouth,
twirling the stick.

Hearing the nurse pushing the chair mumble a comment under her breath,
Carter ignored her, "I wouldn't go as far as to say that you were
intolerable but I wouldn't say that you were the nurses favourite either.

"So I was difficult to get along with," stated Lucy.

"You could say that," Carter lifted the car seat that his new born daughter
occupied and carried it infront of him as he fit himself through the door
beside Lucy and the nurse pushing her wheel chair.  Seeing their car a few
feet in front of them, where it was supposed to be, they started heading
over towards it.

"You would think that I would be a better patient, knowing how difficult it
is to put up with a stubborn one."

"Well, you're a lot better doctor then you are a patient."

"Thanks, but it is just because I've had my time as a patient and it wasn't
under very good circumstances, which I think you understand.  I can't bear
being the one wearing the gown.  I much more prefer having the stethoscope."

"Don't we all," waving at Dave who was leaning against the passenger side
of the car, John switched the car seat from his right hand to his left.

"Hey Carter," he handed him his keys.

"Thanks for bringing up the car for me."

"We'll just say you owe me a favour."

"Can I get out of this now?" asked Lucy, taking the sucker out of her mouth
to talk.

Carter nodded at Lucy, "Dave, can you please take Katherine a minute?"

"Yup," Dave responded.

Handing Dave the carrier, he turned to Lucy and offered his hand.  Not
really needing his help, Lucy accepted his grasp anyway and stepped onto the
pavement, "It really is a beautiful day, now that it's stopped raining," she
raised her hand to block the sun from her eyes.

Carter agreed and Lucy grinned at him.  Taking Katherine back from Dave,
they loaded their two bags into the trunk and placed Katherine in her car
seat in the back seat.  After helping Lucy into the front seat, Carter went
over to the drivers side and got in.  Rolling down the passenger side window
electrically by a switch between the two front seats, he waved to his
friend, watching in the rearview mirror as Dave waved back.

~~~~~~1 hour later

"Luce!" yelled Carter from the kitchen.

"Yeah?" she replied a little quieter, not wanting to bother her nursing
daughter.

"Did you want something to eat?"

"Not if your cooking it."

John stepped into the living room, "Ouch.  That hurt."

"Are you saying that you think you can cook," Lucy laughed.

"No," he laughed back, "Did you want to order in something?"

"Closer to dinner, maybe.  A glass of milk would be nice though.  And some
cookies."

"Kay," John went back into the kitchen, "But only if you trust me with a
milk carton and cookie jar."

She rolled her eyes, although she knew he couldn't see her.  When he came
back in the room with her snack she stood up and held out Katherine, "I have
to go to the bathroom.  Could you take her?"

"Sure," putting the food down on the coffee table, he accepted her into his
embrace.  Gazing down at his daughter, he touched her small hand and smiled
down at her as she looked up at his eyes with an expressionless face, "Hey
Renee."

"You already have a nickname for her?" asked Lucy on her way to the
washroom.

"Yeah.  Something wrong with that?"

"No.  I think it's cute.  You're building a father-daughter bond."

Huddling his daughter to his chest, Carter sat down on the sofa and started
going throw the newspaper from two days ago, reading a few of the headings
to her, "Look, Bulls win to the Raptors by twelve points!  Huh."

"What are you doing?" Lucy reappeared and went for her cookies and milk.

"Reading the paper."

"You think she's interested in basketball?"

"Yeah, I think she is.  When she's old enough, we'll put her in a league or
something."

"I had her kick my stomach repetitively while I was pregnant and I don't
remember her once using her arms.  I think she will be a soccer player."

"You have to run in basketball.  Maybe she was getting an early warmup."

"Or maybe she'll be a soccer player."

"Or maybe it doesn't matter," Carter said sarcastically.

Sitting down on the sofa, Lucy started munching on her cookies, dipping
them in her milk, "Or maybe it does and you don't want to admit that I am
right and you are wrong."

Carter sighed, "Don't you think it is a little early to be fighting over
what she will be doing in seven years," he tried to end their discussion.

"You never know."

~~~~~~Eight hours later

After brushing her teeth and washing her face, Lucy put on her pyjamas and
went over to her and John's bed, "John?"

"Yeah?" he asked half asleep.

"It's her first night home."

"Uh... It is isn't it."

"Do you think she will be okay alone in there?" referring to Katherine's
nursery.

"She's fine.  She's sleeping.  The baby monitors on.  If she wakes up we
will hear it."

"But she is so little.  Alone in that big, dark room all by herself.  What
if she gets scared.  Or what about SIDS?"

"Lucy, if you want her to sleep in here, let her sleep in here.  I don't
see why she can't her first day home."

"I'll go get her," beamed Lucy.  By the time she got back, Carter was
already asleep.

~~~~~~Next Day, April 4 2001

"What about the Ross'?"

"Doug and Carol?  Definitely," stated Carter as if it were a given.

Lucy wrote down their names on her pad of paper labelled 'wedding guest
list' at the top.  She wrote down 'Tess and Kate' in brackets beside 'Doug
and Carol', "Ok, nurses.  Chunni?"

"Yes."

"Lydia?"

"Yes."

"Casey?"

"Who?"

"I'll take that as a no.  Hellah?"

"Of course.  Write her husband down to."

"Milik?"

"Uh..."

"Come on.  It's Milik!"

"Write down Milik," Carter gave in.

"Lily?"

"Put her on the 'undecided' list."

"We don't have an undecided list."

"Make one."

"And what about Randi?"

"We'll have to give her a dress code," laughed Carter, "But write her
down."

"It's our wedding.  She will understand that it is formal.  I'm sure she is
capable enough to dress appropriately, John."

"I was kidding."

"What about Ramono?"

"I'd rather die."

"Is that supposed to be some kind of sick pun?" Lucy asked disgusted.

"I don't know what you mean," he responded cluless.

"You don't know what I mean?" Lucy restated, believing he was playing dumb
to get himself out of trouble.

"What do you mean?"

"If it was not for him, I'd be dead.  If any other two, completely sane
doctors were put in the same position as those two, they would of gave up on
me, but Ramono and Elizabeth kept going.  I wouldn't be here right now if it
wasn't for them."

Carter sighed, knowing he would have a hard time getting out of this one.

"Although, does the person walking the bride down the ail have to be
formally invited to the wedding, or is it just a given that he come?"

"What?!  Where'd this come from?  Ramono?  Walking you down the ail?   You
want Dr. Robert 'Rocket' Ramono to give you away?!"

"Yes!  Stop sounding so shocked.  And lower your voice or you'll wake up
Katherine."

Carter calmed down, taking a few breathes, "Have you even asked him yet?"

"No, but I have a feeling he'll say yes."

John took a long moment to think about it, "Fine.  Ask him.  Write him
down.  Ramono is invited."

Lucy beamed, "Yes!!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!"

"Be quiet, you'll wake up Katherine," retorted John, imitating Lucy in a
squeaky voice.

~~~~~~

Walking towards her bedroom from the kitchen after getting a drink of
water, Lucy stopped infront of her daughters nursery.  She creaked the door
open to reveal teddy bears everywhere.  The theme was carried on across the
bedspread of the crib, the change table, dresser and walls.  There was even
a pile of plush bears in a corner of the room.  Walking over to the dresser,
Lucy turned on the decorative lamp to a low light and walked over to her
sleeping child.  Leaning on the bars, she reached over, into the crib and
brushed the top of her daughters head.  Although she was sleeping
peacefully, with her eyes shut and blanket pulled up to her chin, Lucy had a
uncomforting feeling.  Standing above her content daughter for a moment
longer, she gave into temptation and carefully picked her up, along with her
little quilt.  Cradling her in her arms, Lucy immediately felt better, being
able to feel her even breathes against her chest.  Striding out of the
nursery, Lucy was careful not to trip over the end of her long pyjama pants.

Standing in the middle of the hallway, Lucy looked to her left, past the
living room and into their small dining room.  Sitting at the table
surrounded by four chairs was John, going over some paperwork.  Although she
knew that he did not totally agree with Katherine sleeping in their bed, she
decided to act upon her instinct anyway.  Turning to her right, Lucy entered
her room and curled up onto her mattress with her daughter in her arms and a
pillow at her side to prevent her from going anywhere.  Satisfied, knowing
that her daughter was sleeping peacefully, she was able to drift off soon
after she closed her eyes.

~~~~~~

An hour and a half after saying good night to Lucy, John stacked up his
finished work on the dining room table and stretched his arms above his
head, ready to turn in for the night.

Changing into a a pair of sweats and one of his old university t-shirts, he
lifted up the covers to crawl into bed when he thought of going to check on
Katherine.  Looking down to replace the comforter, he saw her resting
between a pillow and Lucy.  Since he didn't have to go into the other room
to make sure she was all right, he crawled into bed and looked over at her,
sighing.  He knew that this sleeping arrangement of theirs was becoming a
habit.  It wasn't that he didn't love his daughter, but it was just that he
wasn't content having someone so small sleeping in the same bed as him. 
Lucy was obviously worried about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, which is one
of the reasons she wanted her to sleep with them, but weren't the chances
just as likely that one of them role on top of her?  Carter shook off the
thought.  It wasn't something he wanted to think about.  He would bring it
up with Lucy tomorrow.

~~~~~~

It was eleven at night when Lucy woke up for the first time that night. 
Like a reflex, Lucy immediately took her screaming daughter into her embrace
and got out of bed.  The feel of Katherine's heavy bottom told Lucy just why
she had started howling at a later hour.  Trying vigorously to quiet her
down on her way to the nursery, she had no luck.  It wasn't until after she
had removed the wet diaper and replaced it with a dry one that she finally
calmed down.  Drying the tears off her daughters face with the bottom of her
pyjama top, Lucy went into the living room and sang a lullaby to Katherine.
It took another half hour for Katherine to fall asleep and fifteen minutes
after that for Lucy to doze back off.

~~~~~~

Around one in the morning, Lucy was startled awake again by a high pitch
screaming.  Although this time, it was not directly in her ear, she still
flew out of her restful sleep.  Sitting up in bed, Lucy found that she was
the only occupant in the room.  Shaking off her drowsy eyes, she flung her
heavy legs over the side of the bed, grabbing her house coat on the way out
and wrapping it around her body.  Following the bellowing, she traced it to
the other side of the apartment, in the kitchen.

Pacing back and forth across the linoleum was John, rocking Katherine back
and forth in his arms, "Sorry we woke you.  I've been trying to get her to
go back to sleep but I think she might be hungry."

Eyes half shut, Lucy waddled over and took her into her arms, cradling her
against her chest, "I got her.  Go back to sleep," Lucy let out a long yawn.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just tired," going back to the sofa, Lucy sat down, opened up her
housecoat, lifted up her top and started nursing.

"Do you want some company?"

"No, that's fine.  At least one of us should get some sleep."

Carter nodded.  He gave her a kiss and went back to bed, closing the door.

Sighing, Lucy dropped her head against the back of the couch as Katherine
started crying once again.  It was going to be a long night.

~~~~~~

Finally, at four fifteen in the morning, Katherine dozed back off by crying
herself to sleep.  Seeing the advantage to get some rest, Lucy gathered
Katherine and her blanket in her arms.  Standing up slowly, Lucy yawned,
"Please don't wake up," she pleaded as she walked to her room.  Dropping her
robe onto the ground, Lucy crawled under the covers, setting her daughter up
between her and the pillow.  Almost as soon as she closed her eyes, she fell
back asleep as well.

~~~~~~April 5 2001, 6:15 AM

Looking at himself in the mirror, Carter contemplating over shaving or not.
  He knew that Lucy hated him with facial hair, but he didn't agree with
their infant daughter sleeping in the bed with them.  Plus, he felt that his
appearance needed something different.  He was tired of looking at the same
thing everyday.  Not that he was willing to go back to the beard.  That was
him getting carried away.  Anyway, there was nothing but fighting and
complaining between him and Lucy until he shaved it off.  Maybe it was bad
luck.  Uh, stupid superstitions.  No such thing as good luck or bad luck. 
She just hated it.

Looking at the clock, he realised the time.  Because of the rain, he would
have to leave early to arrive at work on time.  Deciding to take the day and
think about it, John wiped away the unused shaving cream, splashed water on
his chin and dried his face with a hand towel.

Leaving the bathroom in his dress pants to retrieve a white shirt to wear
underneath his scrub top, Carter got dressed quickly, considering there was
barely any light to go by.  Just as he was ready to leave, he went over to
the side of the bed, and gave Lucy a light kiss.  Turning her body from one
direction to the other, she looked up at him behind groggy eyes, "You going
to work?"

"Yeah, I have a seven o'clock shift," he whispered.

"When will you be home?"

"I'll try and get off by five.  If sooner or later, I'll call," Lucy smiled
at him, her eyes barely open a sliver, "When did you get to sleep?"

"I stopped keeping track after awhile.  Around four I think."

"She's a trouble maker already," he claimed.

"Nah, she's a night owl though," Lucy rested her body, while waiting for
Carter to say something else.

"Are you okay?  Or did you want me to see if Kerry or Cleo or someone can
watch her.  You can catch up on your sleep..."

"John, I'm her mother and I can do this by myself.  Being a doctor, I can
function on little sleep.  I don't need other's to babysit my daughter on
her third day home.  Stop worrying about me and go to work," she waved him
off at the limp flick of her wrist.

Pecking her on the forehead, he stood up, "I'll call you later."

"Okay," Lucy got more drowsy with every word.

"Love you."

"Bye, love you too."

Walking over to the door, John looked behind him as Lucy turned back
towards Katherine, snuggling her towards her so she didn't sneak away.  He
grinned at the thought of him having a daughter with Lucy, and he didn't
even blink as he watched over them.  Slowly, he closed the door behind him,
ceasing all light to escape from the hallway into the dark bedroom.

~~~~~~April 5 2001, 2:00 PM

Walking down the corridor off the trauma rooms, Carter carried a chart with
Abby at his side.  Chatting, John thanked her for taking care of one of the
patients issues.

Reaching the front desk, Carter dropped the chart on the desk for Randi to
take care of and walked over to the board to erase the guys name.  Beside
the clear board, he saw a firmiliar stroller with a wet coat hanging off the
back and an umbrella on the rack under the seat.  Beside it, a blonde had
her back to him, chatting with Chunni.  It only took a short second before
he noticed it was Lucy.  With her back to him, she didn't realise he had
appeared.  Quickly taking away the guys name and diagnosis with the brush,
he tiptoed behind Lucy and wrapped his arms around her, "Hey you."

Squealing, Lucy soon obtained that it was John and twirled around in his
embrace to face him, "You scared me," she giggled.

"I know, that was the point," hearing a gurgling coming from the stroller,
Carter kneeled down and lifted up the young child who was starring wide-eyed
at him, "Look who's up."

"Yeah.  She slept until ten this morning and then we both slept for another
hour at noon, so I'm all caught up."

"Good, good.  And what brought you here?  Come to visit?"

"Actually, I came to see Ramono."

"Uh," Carter sounded disappointed and disgusted, "You're actually going
through with this then?"

"I think it is my choice.  Anyway, he doesn't have any kids, so I thought
that he might look at this as his only chance to have the experience," the
three of them walked to the lounge together, Lucy pushing the vacant
stroller.  Finding the room empty, Carter found it an appropriate time to
ask her a question he had been holding in, "But don't you ever wish that
your biological father could walk you down the ail?  Don't you think it
would have more meaning?"

"I used to think so, but not anymore.  He bailed on my mom and me before I
was born.  He had twenty-eight years to show up or make up for lost time.  I
could easily call him up and ask, but it wouldn't mean anything unless he
approached me..."

"You could call him.  You have his number?!" Carter asked, shocked that she
hadn't told him something like this.

She sighed, "I have his name and a phone number back from 1990, but I doubt
that it is still the same.  My mom gave it to me a month or two ago.  She
said that I should have it in case I ever wanted to find out or if anything
ever happened to her, I would have something."

"Then it is right to assume that he isn't the father of Corrine."

"My mom never had any luck with men," Lucy concluded, "And my 'father' was
part of that cycle of bad relationships.  He bailed when he heard
commitment.  He didn't want me, I don't want him.  I moved on.  I survived
growing up without a father.  My mom is very strong and she did a great job,
raising two girls on her own, getting a law degree, working long hours and
still finding time to be two parents.  And there will never be a moment that
I don't think of how lucky I am to have you, and not have to go through
everything she had to go threw to become the person she is," shaking off the
emotion taking over, Lucy took her rain gear off the stroller and put it in
the locker she and John shared.

"Lucy...." Carter rubbed his palms together, "If you want Ramono to walk
you down the ail, I will support you."

Grinning at him, she walked over and gave him a kiss, having to lean over
Katherine, "You need to shave."  That settled it.  No facial hair.

Lucy took a step back, changing the subject, "When was the last time you
had a break?"

"Lunch at eleven, why?"

"Can you take another and stay with her while I go and talk to Ramono? 
I'll be quick, I promise."

"Sure.  If I get dragged away, I'll get Randi to watch her."

"Great!" Lucy turned her attention to her daughter, "Bu bye Katy," she
cooed.

"Katy?"

"You can call her 'Renee'.  I get a nickname to.  Plus, I think it suits
her," responds Lucy.

Exiting the doctors lounge and going to the elevators, she had to wait a
few minutes, giving the first free elevator to a trauma patient.  When Lucy
did get an elevator, she went up to the fourth floor, the home to Dr.
Ramono's office.  Finding it at the end of a long hallway of sterile,
operating rooms.

Confirming the appointment with his assistant, she was escorted inside
immediately.  Taking a seat infront of his desk, Lucy rested her hands on
her lap.  She wound her fingers around the end of her baggy blue sweater,
which she wore to hide the pregnancy pounds she had to loose.

"Dr. Knight.  Is it just me or are you on maternity leave?  You just can't
stay away from this *spectacularly* run hospital, can you?!" he complimented
his skills as Chief of Staff.

"Actually this is not about work.  This is about something a bit
personal..."

"Psych is on the third floor.  They have people to complain about your sad
life to there."

'It's just his attitude, it's just his attitude, it's just his attitude,'
Lucy repeated to herself, 'keep smiling,' she told her face muscles,
"Actually I came to ask you to do me a favour."

"You aren't begging me at my door step, so I'll take it that it isn't
anything too big.  What is it Ms. Knight?"

Lucy started to get nervous, and looked down, "I don't know if you've
heard, but I am getting married this summer."

"I hadn't.  Congratulations," he said, using a fake grin, thinking that she
had just wanted a pat on the back.

Lucy continued, acting oblivious to him pressuring her out the door, "Thank
you.  I'm getting married this summer to Dr. Carter whom I work with in the
ER."

"I know who he is."

"Anyway, we were doing some wedding planning the other day when we realised
we had the bridesmaids and the grooms men and that stuff but... well you
see... my father was never a part of my life..."

"Get to the point.  I don't have all day to hear your life story"

Lucy sighed, cutting to the chase, "I have no one to give me away and I was
wandering if you could please do it for me.  It would mean a lot to both
John and I."

"And other people from the hospital would be there?"

"Of coarse."

"You know I have a reputation  to keep..."

"I understand," Lucy stood up, heading for the door, "Thank you for your
time Dr. Ramono.  It was just an idea anyway."

"I didn't say 'no' Ms. Knight!" he said as she turned the knob.

"Is that a 'yes'?" she asked excitedly.

"I'll think about it and get back to you."

Lucy nodded, grinning with satisfaction.  At least he is considering it. 
Standing in silence for a moment, Lucy wanted to wait in case he had
anything else to say.  Waiting for awhile, she decided he wasn't and turned
to grab the door knob again when he spook.

"You know what doctor, I appreciate your offer and I would like to take you
up on it," he lowered his voice, "But I do still have a reputation, so if
anyone asks, I was forced at gunpoint."

'Hey, it was a start,' Lucy brushed her hair back with her fingers, letting
out a sigh of relief.  He had been her first and last resort, aside of her
grandfather, but he was a worse option then Ramono, "This is great!  Thank
you *so* much!  You have no idea how much this means to me!" giggling, Lucy
left the room with a huge smile on her face.

~~~~~~April 4 2001, 5:30 PM

Standing over the stove, Lucy stirred some soup in a pot, talking to John
as she cooked, "So if anyone asks, he says that I tell them that he was
forced at gunpoint.  But you know, that's the Ramono we all know and love!"

"Hmm, I'm just surprised he said yes at all."

"Yeah, it isn't exactly his style, but I guess he makes exceptions for whom
to act human for."

"I guess."

"John, could you take the bread out of the oven?"

"Sure," putting on oven mitts, Carter removed the bread.

Lucy froze, "Did you just hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"I think I heard Katy cry."

"I'll go check," he put the bread on a burner opposing the one Lucy was
using.  Going into the room, he sat down on the bed and looked down on his
daughter.  Seeing her closed eyes, he returned to the kitchen.  Taking out a
knife, he started slicing the loaf into pieces, "She's still asleep."

"Oh, I must be hearing things."

"You know Luce, I wanted to talk to you."

"About?"

"Our sleeping arrangement."

"Oh."

"I know that you find it comforting to have her beside you all night, but I
can think of more frightening things that can happen to her in our room then
to her in her crib."

"Yeah, like what?  Have you ever read one article in the newspaper, or seen
one patient that had an injury from sleeping on their parents bed?"

"No, but that doesn't mean we should sit and wait for it to happen, acting
like the risk isn't there."

"What risk?"

"That she falls off the bed, or turns her head face down onto a pillow or
one of us accidentally hitting her in our sleep," debated Carter after
putting the sliced bread on a plate and the pan in the sink.

"All of those are *very* unlikely.  And even if the situation arises, one
of us would be there to stop it before it happens," shot back Lucy.

"Can we compromise?"

Taking a moment to think, Lucy moved the soup from one burner to another,
"What do you have in mind?"

"We meet half way.  She stays in our room, but in her crib."

Letting him get his way, Lucy agreed, then turned to get dishes out of the
cupboard.

~~~~~~April 4 2001, 11:00 PM

Turning her head to her left, Lucy watched the numbers on her digital alarm
clock change from ten fifty-nine, to eleven o'clock.  She had been laying
there for an hour and a half without moving and it was killing her.  She had
to clutch onto the sheets to keep herself from getting out of bed and
walking over to Katherine's crib.  Looking past her nightstand and before
her closet, in a corner of the room, Lucy didn't want to move her glance. 
Seeing her sleeping infant through the bars wasn't enough.

Hearing John mumble in his sleep to her right , made her remember what he
said earlier.  But this wasn't about him being comfortable.  This was about
her daughter being safe in her mothers arms.  Although she knew John
wouldn't be glad to wake up to Katy in their bed, she was unable to hold
back any longer.

Lucy pushed the heavy covers away from body and flung her legs over the
side of the bed.  Approaching the crib, she reached inside and pulled her
daughter out, cradling her to her chest.  Taking Katy with her, Lucy went
back to bed and crawled under the covers.  Observing her slow, steady
breathes through her nose as her chest would rise and fall, Lucy felt
relief.  Tossing back the little patches of blonde hair Katherine had
scattered across her head, Lucy moved her fingers down to lightly brush her
small nose and chubby cheeks.  The little girls face had a mix of both her
parents.  She shared her eyes with her father and her nose with her mother,
a combination that made the face of *their* little daughter.

As Katherine started squirming and throwing her arms in the air, Lucy
pulled her closer to her body.  At the soft touch of her mother, she calmed
down immediately, without even starting to cry.  Taking one more look, just
to make sure she was still there, Lucy too closed her eyes to fall into a a
deep sleep.

~~~~~~Saturday, September 15 2001

Here is the eleventh part in my series.  It took me a bit longer then
expected because of the recent events in the United States.  Although I am
living in Canada, I believe that the world has felt the impact of the
attacks.  Lets all hope the worst is over and my heart goes out to the
victims, their families and their friends.
Feedback is still welcomed and appreciated.
Lizzy Knight, lizzyknightlight@hotmail.com