By this point I was wondering how I allowed my brother to talk me into letting Dally spend the day with her, before he went back to New York. I was sitting at my kitchen table with Amber, as she helped me with some of my homework, for my nursing class. I had my daughters pacifier in one fist, as I wrote with my other hand.

Amber squeezed my hand gently, she was really a nice woman, and honestly loved us like we were her real kids, "I am so proud of you, you are being real grown up in a situation like this."

"I didn't really want too," I pulled my hand away, and smiled at her, "But my brother said that since Dally did come all this way, I should think about letting him see his daughter."

"So what time is she coming back?" Amber asked, as she stood from the table, and went over to the stove, checking on the food she had cooking.

"Soon I hope," I put my books together, and stood from the table, carrying them to my room. "I'm real glad dad met you, even though the circumstances weren't so great,"

"Yo, Christa?!"

I practically flew to the door, when I heard Dally's voice, hitting my shin against a chair, "Shit," I finally opened the door, and took my daughter into my arms. She was warmer then when he had picked her up, "Dally, she's burning up." I glared at my daughters father.

"She is?" He asked dumbly.

"Moma," Dolly asked as she rested her head on my shoulder, "Tummy owie."

"I know baby," I took a breath before turning to Dally, and tried to calm down, before looking back at him, "Take us to the hospital, and open the front seat for me."

Dally just nodded, before hurrying to his car, and doing what I said, "Is she going to be alright?" He shut the door before going to the drivers seat, and starting the engine.

I looked out the window, to where Amber was standing, she had heard our conversation so I knew she would tell the others where I went. I looked down at my baby, "Moma, and your dad are taking you to the doctors baby," I rolled the windows down, to let a little cool air into the car.

"Should you open the window, it's on the verge of freezing, she'll get sicker," Dally asked, as he passed the DX, and was only a couple blocks from the hospital.

"It should help break her fever," I looked at him, and sighed, "Don't tell me, her brother never gets sick."

"He does, just never thought of cracking a window, on the way to the hospital," He answered, as he pulled into the driveway, "Dolly's brother has a name, it's Austin."

I let him take her out of my arms, as we hurried inside the building, "I'll go sign us in, you go find a seat."

He nodded, as he went to sit down, "Come on Dolly."

Two Bit came into the waiting room, just as I finished signing the paper, he hurried to where I was standing, "Where is she?" He pulled me into a tight hug, "Is she alright?"

"I don't know, we're waiting for her to be called," I kissed his cheek, before taking his hand, and leading hm to where Dally, and my daughter were sitting.

"Hey Two Bit," Dally was stroking our daughters hair.

My boyfriend glared at Dally, "How the hell, didn't you realize she was sick?"

"I-" Dally answered, apparently thinking it made since.

"Keith, you know she could be fine one moment, and then not feeling good the next," I took a hold of my boyfriends hand, trying to keep him calmed.

"Doesn't Austin, ever get any fevers?" I asked, as I stared at my sick baby, in her dads arms.

Dally just shrugged his shoulders. "Sometimes."

"So how did you not notice Dolly was sick," I was resting my hand on my boyfriends shoulder.

"I guess I never see her, and didn't want to think she was getting sick," He kissed the top of his daughters head, "She's still warm."

I rested a hand on her forehead, and frowned, "Dolly, mommy's here, the doctor will know what to do, he's a great pediatrician."

An Hour Later

"It's a good thing you brought her when you did, her appendix is about to burst," Doctor Webber, my daughters pediatrician explained, as he instructed the nurse on what to do, "We're taking her to surgery, you could wait in the nurse's lounge Christa, it's probably more comfortable then the waiting room."

"You have to cut her open?" I turned, as my boyfriend wrapped his arms around me, "She's just a baby, is she going to be alright?"

The doctor had already left.

"I'm going to go call my wife, and let her know, I'll be staying a little longer." Dally stared at us, as he rubbed the back of his neck, "I'll come and find you guys."

"Sorry for yelling at you earlier," I whispered, before Dally walked away.

Two Bit, kissed my forehead, as he started to lead me to a near bench, "We could go to the nurse's lounge, after he returns. As for Dolly, I am sure she's going to be great, lot's of ice cream."

"How did you know we were here?" I asked, after he sat us down.

"Amber, she called my mom, and I just happened to be home," My boyfriend answered, as he stroked my hair, "I'm glad she did call."

I smiled, as he played with my left hand, something he did when he was worried, "I was going to call you, but my first priority was getting her signed into the hospital."

"You're a great mom, and I am lucky enough to have you," He brought my hand to his lips, and kissed my palm.

"I'm the lucky one," I leaned in, and kissed him quickly.

Dally turned the corner, as we stood up, "She understands, and even offered to come out here."

"That would be nice," I smiled, at the two surprised looks, on both of the guys, "What, she is Dolly's step mom, they should be here, just don't leave me alone in a room with her for to long. Dally, you should have someone here for you, but she should be just fine. Just going to be a couple of days, a week the most."

"Glad you said that, because she didn't take no as an answer, she'll be here tomorrow," Dolly's father gave a sigh of relief, as he sat down.

"I'm going to the gift shop, saw a couple of Raggedy Anne Dolls, going to get one for her," Two Bit kissed my cheek, before walking away, "I'll call your house, and explain what's going on."

"Thanks Keith," I smiled as I watched my boyfriend walk away, before sitting next to my ex, "I should had called my house by now, I don't know what I'm doing," I pressed my head against my knees, then felt Dally's hand rubbing my back, "I want to be totally furious with you, but I can't really complain, I believe this was suppose to end up like this."

"Hey, Christa?" Dr. Webber called, as he came through the door.

I jumped out of the seat, and probably would had fallen on my face, if Dally, hadn't had me by the arm, "How is she?"

The doctor smiled, as he rested a hand on my shoulder, "She was very good, and everything went smoothly. She's in room 214, you know where that is, don't you?"

"I only work that floor three days a week," I smiled, as I wrapped my arms around the older man, "Thank you so much, Dr. Webber."

"I informed Ms. Thatcher, that you won't be interning for the next three days, or week so you could be with your daughter," He looked at Dally, then back at me, "Where is her, dad?"

Dally glared at the doctor, "I am her dad."

"Dolly, she calls my dad, dad. Instead of grandpa, that's who Dr. Webber was asking about," I smiled at the doctor, "This is Dally, Dolly's dad."

Dr. Webber, just nodded as he shook Dally's hand, "Good to meet you. I will check on her when she wakes up, bye Christa."

"So why does she call your old man, dad?" Dally asked, as we started towards our daughters room.

"I guess she hears, Steve, and I, call him dad," I smiled as I thought about the first time, "He tried to get her to call him grandpa, but she still calls him dad. He gave up, and just lets her call him dad, and it embarrasses him when she does it in front of out of town folks."

When we entered the room, we saw one of the other interns, who was in my class changing a now awake, Dolly, "Melody?"

"Hey Christa, I came to check on her, when I found out she was here," She tossed the dirty diaper into the waste bin, and then came to wrap her arms around me, "I remember when Alex had his tonsils out, I was so worried."

Melody had her son when she was sixteen, and would help me with my class work if I needed, she would also share stories of when she first became a mother. She patted her expecting stomach, and smiled at me, "At least she's in good hands here, with Dr. Webber."

"Yeah, he's great with the children, on the floor isn't he?" I walked over to the bed, and sat beside my daughter, before remembering Dally, "Dal, this is Melody, she's in my class."

Melody rolled her eyes, as she smiled at me, before looking at my ex, "You don't need a DNA test, for me to figure that much out, Dolly, has his eyes. I don't know anyone with those eyes."

"She does," I agreed, before watching my friend leave, before looking at my daughters father, "Does Austin, look like you?"

"He looks like his mom, except for his eyes," Dally answered, sitting in a chair, beside the window.

"DAD!"

I jumped at my daughters high pitch, than looked in the doorway, to where my dad was standing with Steve, and Amber. I smiled at my dad, who was holding a pink teddy bear, "You didn't happen to see my boyfriend, down in the gift shop, did you?"

"He was browsing the gift shop," Answered my dad, as he walked over to his granddaughter, and took the seat I had just vacated. He smiled as my daughter crawled onto his lap, and instantly passed out, "It looks like I am stuck here for a while, why don't you go get some coffee from the cafeteria, and check on your boyfriend." He looked over at Dally, who had passed out in the chair, and than smiled at me, "Get him a cup too, he looks exhausted."

"He spent the day alone with Dolly, and than we immediately came straight here, I don't blame him for being tired." I kissed Amber's cheek, before leaving the room, in search of my boyfriend.

It didn't take long for me to find my boyfriend, because he was turning the corner, as I was turning. I smiled as he wrapped his arms around my waist, with the doll in his hand, "Fancy meeting you here, Stranger. What took you so long?"

He looked over his shoulders, before leading me back in the direction he came, until he pulled me into a janitor closet. He wrapped his arms around me again, and leaned in to kiss my forehead, "I had planned to take you, and Dolly, to dinner later on tonight, but then all this happened. So I spent all this time in the gift shop thinking, and decided that I might as well just go on as planned." He glanced around the janitor closet, and reached behind some bedding, pulling out a bouquet of wild flowers (my favorite), and setting them in my right arm.

I was too busy staring at the flowers, and didn't realize my boyfriend had knelt down, until he tugged at my left hand a little. I stared at him in shock, as I fought the tears trying to fall, "Keith-"

"Before you say anything, let me say what I have to say, alright Christa?" He looked more nervous, than I have ever seen him, since I knew him.

I realized he was waiting for me to do something, so I just nodded no trusting myself.

"We have known each other since we were kids. I have loved you since the first time we started dating, but I don't regret breaking up with you, because than you never would had had Dolly. Not a day goes by when I am not thankful, for being allowed a second chance in your life, and being allowed to help you raise that incredible little girl. I know Dally is her real father, but I will do anything in my own power, to ensure that you two are taken care of till I die." He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a golden band, before looking back up at me, "I know this ain't anything great, but I promise to get you a diamond, when I have the money too. My mom offered to help get you a ring, but I wanted to do this on my own, to show you-" He looked away, once he noticed my tears, "Baby, please don't cry. I didn't mean-"

I let out a choked laugh, as I wiped my tears away, "Keith Mathews, if you apologize to me for saying such a beautiful confession, and don't finish I will make the rest of your life hell." I ran a hand through his hair, as I knelt to my own knees, "Please continue."

Now he had tears in his eyes, as he cupped my face in his hands, and kissed me with so much love. He pulled away a little, and smiled, "Please marry me, Baby."

"Of course I will," I smiled as he slipped the ring on my finger, "and I love this ring."

"I love you," He stood back to his feet, and wrapped me in his arms, before leaning in for a kiss.

We were interrupted by one of the janitors, who only had a big grin on his face, as he looked at me, "Hope your not on the clock, Miss Christa."

"No Jackson," I lead my boyfriend away from the closet, before turning back to the older man, "This is my boyfriend, Kieth Matthew."

"Eugene Jackson, good to meet you Mr. Matthews," The older man greeted, before bending down to retrieve the bouquet, and held it out towards me, "Real pretty flowers, Miss Christa."

"Thanks, Jackson," I took the flowers, and lead my boyfriend towards the cafeteria.

"So when should we tell everyone?" My boyfriend asked, as we sat at one of the tables in the cafeteria, and I drank my coffee.

"They'll probably notice the ring, because I don't plan on taking it off," I answered, as I looked down at my hand, "But if you want to wait-"

"Are you kidding, I been waiting for a few months, to ask you to marry me. I wanted to wait till the ring was paid off, before I finally asked you to marry me," He stood to his feet, and took the coffee, we had picked up for Dally.