Paula opened her eyes to an unfamiliar room, shrouded in darkness. She tried to focus on her surroundings, but the dull ache behind her eyes still made it difficult. Where was she? Deciding to get some answers, she rolled to her side and started to push herself up, groaning as her stiff muscles screamed their disapproval.

She felt a firm grip on her shoulder help her sit up. Startled, she started to ask "Who..."

"Here, drink this," the voice commanded gently, handing her a tall glass of water. "Slowly."

She complied and handed it back. "Thank you."

The soft moonlight filtered through the curtains, allowing her to finally see around the room. The first thing she noticed was Martha as she sat back back in her chair, her legs crossed at the ankle over the ottoman. "Martha, where am I?"

"Katherine's old room. I brought you here when you fainted." She chuckled into the darkness. "Actually Richard carried you up here. You scared them practically to death."

She smiled, watching her silhouette bounce slightly in the chair next to the bed, continuing to laugh at the memory. When she realized what he said, her eyes widened slightly. Someone had removed her dress. She closed her eyes, dismayed. That meant that her bandages were visible.

They had drawn the bone marrow out of her chest and the blood out of the vein in her leg, near the groin. If Kate saw them, she probably knew. "Martha, who undressed me?"

"Katherine and myself did."

Damn. Well, maybe they hadn't figured it out.

"You know, it was not wise to leave the hospital so quickly Paula."

Shit. So much for anonymity. She turned her head and looked at her again. She could not see her eyes in the dim light, but hrt posture shouted her concern. She cleared her throat, afraid to find out.

"Who else knows?"

Martha shook her head. "No one. When the nurse discovered you'd left before properly recuperating, she called me."

"What about the bandages? Didn't Kate figure it out?"

Martha reached up to take her hand. "Actually, she was suspicious of your bandage, but I told her I'd overheard you scheduling an appointment to have a mole removed. I think she bought it. I assume you didn't want anyone to know that you're Mackenzie's donor?"

She nodded her head. "Kate can be so sentimental and gushy when it comes to that kid. I couldn't tell anyone, especially you."

Martha smiled. "Frankly, I'm surprised you put me as your emergency contact."

Without thinking, she blurted out, "Well, they told me to list someone I trusted..." Realizing what she'd just admitted, she drew her hand away. "Besides, I knew how much my death would mean to you..."

An uneasy silence descended; Paula embarrassed and Martha pensive. "Paula, sometimes we simply need someone who will be there for us. Someone who will sit there and listen. You are always welcome to come to me."

Paula nodded with a small smile. "I know. Thank you Martha."

Kate stood and stretched her arms high in an effort to get the blood circulating through her tired body. Releasing her breath and dropping her arms, she checked Mackenzie's vital signs and monitors. No change.

She tried to look on the bright side; no change meant not worse. She dropped her head back and squeezed her eyes shut. Everything that could have gone wrong, had gone wrong. A severe allergic reaction to the chemo drugs, then some of the white blood cells from the donor had stayed in Mackenzie's body, causing her body to attack them.

Five days since her transplant and she lay there, wasting away. It made her want to scream.

She jumped a little as his hands slid around her waist, pulling her into his embrace. He placed tiny kisses on her neck, mumbling as he went, "I'm sorry. Did I startle you?"

"I told you, Rick, never sneak up." She leaned her head to one side, giving him permission to continue. As he became more bold, she sighed appreciatively. "What are you doing up?"

He rested his chin on her shoulder, turning to look into her eyes. "Is that a serious question?"

She continued to look at him expectantly. He raised his eyebrows suggestively. "I reached for my beautiful wife in my sleep and awoke, disappointed, when I realized she was gone."

She turned within his embrace, pulling him in for a lingering kiss. "Mr. Castle, you say the most enchanting things at", she glanced at the clock behind them, "3 in the morning."

He glanced up at the clock on the wall, the hands swimming across the face. Blearily, he rubbed his eyes. "Is it time for Mackenzie's medication?"

She nodded, releasing him. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Why don't you go back to bed?"

He sat on the edge of Mackenzie's bed and took Kate's hand, kissing each delicate finger. "I'd rather wait for you. I'll just sit here with her until you come back."

She nodded, then leaned over her daughter and placed a light kiss on her forehead. "I'll be back in a few minutes, Angel."

She left them and Rick listened to the gentle hum of Mackenzie's monitors as the seconds ticked by. He smiled slightly as he looked at his daughter, remembering her joyous look when his lawyer arrived Monday morning with the adoption papers. They all signed their names before driving to the hospital to begin the procedure. She was his now.

He reached out and brushed his fingers across her cheek. Her eyelids fluttered, and then opened, squinting against the light. She smiled. He smiled back, remembering their first meeting. "Hi. I thought you were going to sleep forever. I'm your Daddy."

She closed her eyes again, her smile widening. "Hi Daddy," she croaked.

Rick picked up her water and offered her a drink, which she accepted gratefully. She scrunched her eyes closed and clenched her jaw a moment as Rick gently took her hand.

"It hurts, Daddy."

"I know, Sweetheart. Mommy just left to get your medicine." Mackenzie opened her eyes again and gave him a piercing gaze. He grasped her hand tighter. "Mackenzie, what is it?"

"She said tomorrow the pain would go away and that I could go play in the park."

Her voice drifted in from a far distance, like she was reliving some distant memory. Rick leaned down to hear her better. "What do you mean, Mackenzie? Who is she?"

"She said I could have some ice cream and play with her little dog, Scotts."

Rick felt the blood drain from his face, as he comprehended what she was saying. Kyra had had a little, black terrier, named Scotts, when he'd met her. She'd received him as a birthday present before they started college. Scotts had been Kyra's baby for 5 years. She was devastated when a car struck Scotts the year after they married.

He shook his head. "No, sweetheart, it was just a dream. You need your rest if you're going to get better."

Mackenzie's hand tightened on his as she closed her eyes in pain. Rick heard the monitors at her side start to race, slowly coming back to normal. He watched her face relax again, relieved that whatever pain she felt had vanished. He reached up to wipe a tear from her cheek.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Mackenzie?"

"Will you sing me the song? The one you used to sing to Aiden when he was scared?"

Rick closed his eyes and nodded. He hadn't sung it since Aiden was two and doubted anyone but Kyra would remember. He dredged up the words from his memory, humming the tune a little as he modified the words to fit the child in front of him.

"Mackenzie, Mackenzie, put away your tears.

I'm here with you; there's no need for fear.

Mackenzie, Mackenzie, it's getting late, now.

Time to close your eyes and dream; dream of things you like to see.

Dreams of Central Park in the spring,

Butterflies and playground swings.

Dream of Ladybugs and chocolate, too.

Dream of me, here, loving you.

Mackenzie, Mackenzie, it's time for sleep now.

Close your eyes and start to dream."

Mackenzie smiled at Rick, relaxing as she listened to the words of his song. When he finished, her forehead wrinkled with worry. "Daddy, Kyra said you would take care of mommy. I don't want her to be sad. Will you?"

Rick closed his eyes, the reality of her words washing over him. Tears came to his eyes as he realized that his first wife and his new daughter would soon be together. The tear slipped down his cheek as he nodded.

"Of course, Sweetheart. I can't promise that she won't be sad, but I will take care of her. We're going to miss you dreadfully."

Mackenzie reached up to touch her locket. "Will you give this to Mommy? That way, she can always have me in her heart."

He smiled at her statement. He removed the necklace and opened it up. Kate had added a picture of himself with his two kids in the opposite side of the locket, completing their little family.

He heard a noise behind him and turned to see Kate standing in the doorway. The look on her face told him she'd heard enough to understand their conversation. He stood and rushed to her side, taking the medication from her and wrapping his arms around her tightly as her knees gave out.

She dropped her head into his chest, her whole body trembling. She kept shaking her head and murmuring no over and over as he hugged her tightly to him. He placed his hand under her chin and gently encouraged her to look into his eyes. "Kate, you can do this. She's afraid. You need to stay with her tonight and show her that everything is going to be all right."

She pinched her eyes closed against the tears. Shaking her head slightly again, she whispered, "Rick, I'm not ready to say goodbye."

"I know, but I'm here; I'll help you." He gave her a lingering kiss, then walked her over to Mackenzie's bedside.

The next morning found both Rick and Kate on Mackenzie's little hospital bed, snuggling her between them. Rick opened his eyes to stare at his new daughter, her rasping breath faint and labored. He looked at the monitor and realized that her heart rate had dropped.

He raised his head to look at Kate. Her eyes were closed, but he could tell she wasn't sleeping by the way she tightly clutched Mackenzie to her. He reached over and stroked her arm. Her eyes opened, red-rimmed from tears. She looked down at her daughter, kissing the top of her head.

Rick placed his hand on her cheek. "Kate. It's time to let her go."

He leaned down and whispered in Mackenzie's ear. "I love you, Mackenzie. I'm so glad that I got to be your Daddy. Have fun with Kyra and Scotts and don't worry about Mommy. I'll take good care of her. We'll meet again someday soon. Goodbye, Sweetheart."

He looked up at Kate. She met his gaze, nodding. "Give me a minute?"

He leaned over and kissed her gently before getting off the bed and retreating to the door. He stood there, arms wrapped tightly around himself, weeping as he listened to his wife say goodbye to her daughter.

"Mackenzie, my little angel, I don't know what I'll do without you. We've been together so long, that everywhere I go and everything I do will remind me of you. Come to think of it, that's a good thing; I'll never forget you."

She squeezed her a little tighter against her as the tears began sliding down her cheek again. "I'll miss you so much, Baby. You will be in my heart, always."

She closed her eyes and kissed her on the cheek. "I love you, Angel."

Mackenzie struggled to open her eyes a little. "Love you more, Mama."

Kate smiled through her tears. Choking a little on the words, she whispered to her, giving her the permission to leave. "Go on, Baby. Go and play. I'll see you soon."

Mackenzie smiled one more time, relaxing completely. A minute later, her monitors went flat, bringing the nurses and doctors running to find her still smiling in her mother's arms.

A/N: I want to apologize for the tears I have caused. Even I was not immune to them. Almost everyone requested that Rick use his money to find a cure for Mackenzie and while I agree that that idea was good, it was never my intention. In this story, it was always in Mackenzie's fate to perish.

Please don't take this as I hate children because I let the cancer win. In truth, I love this child whom I fictionally called Mackenzie, but much too often cancer does actually win. We are working on finding a cure, and you can help by visiting alexslemonade dot org backslash contribute to make a donation.