A/N: Wow. I'm mean. I just re-read this whole story years after I've written the last chapter and what a horrible way to end! So I will wrap it up in the next two chapters.

Zoey tossed and turned until finally the phone wrang just as dawn showed it's face. "Hello?"

"Zoey, I am so sorry! It's Chase."

She felt a huge weight lifted off of her and cried, "Where are you? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine now. You were right. It was way too slippery out there to drive. I lost control of my car and ended up in a ditch off of route 12 and the impact sent my fragile little phone crashing into the windshield. It broke on impact so I couldn't call you or anyone for help! I was in the car for three hours before someone found me passed out with frostbite. I'm in the hospital-"

"The hospital?!" Zoey imagined the worst possible situation.

"I'm ok. The doctor was just wanting to run some tests to make sure I didn't have any internal injuries. I just woke up and I feel much better. I will have a cab take me back to the house once I'm given the ok."

Zoey heaved a huge sigh of relief. "Don't get a cab. I've already called off work."

"What about your boss? Won't he be angry?"

"I didn't tell you but I've given them my two weeks notice. I just can't do it anymore. I am so unhappy when I'm there. Adam left me a signifigant amount of savings. We should be ok until I find something else. In fact I heard the daycare center was looking for a new director. I've sent them my resume and that way the kids can come with me and I can make sure they are being cared for properly."

"That would be great," Chase said, although he wondered what that would mean for him.

"For now I can see if Mrs. McConnel can watch the kids. I'm sure she will understand. Which room are you in?"

"Um, 223."

"Great, thanks! I will see you soon." Zoey hung up the phone and without warning broke out into unbearable sobs of relief. She lay on her bed clenching her pillow until the sobs subsided.

It was way too early for her to be awake but Carly burst in the room.

"Mommy, what's wrong?" Carly had never seen her mommy so upset before.

"I'm ok, I just have to go call Mrs. McConnel and see if she will come over here for a little bit to keep an eye on you kids."

"Where's Mr. Chase?"

"He's ok. But Mommy has to go pick him up and talk to him for a little bit."

Carly shrugged without further questions, "Oh, ok!"

"Now go back to your bed. It is so not time to be awake!"

Carly ran back to her room. Zoey closed her door and quickly threw some clothes on and called her next door. The elderly woman understood the urgency in Zoey's voice and agreed to come over as soon as she could. Zoey grabbed her purse and her coat and waited for Mrs. McConnel at the front door.

"I'll see to it that the children eat breakfast," The kind neighbor assured Zoey, "Don't you worry about a thing dear. Take all the time you need."

"Thank you so much!" It took Zoey everything in her to not fly out the front door.

The elevator seemed to take way too long to get to the second floor. Zoey thought she heard a nurse yell at her to slow down as she rushed to room 223 but she didn't care. It felt like she was going in slow motion. It was as if she couldn't believe Chase was alive and ok until she saw him with her own two eyes.

He was- and he was eating scrambled eggs while reading the newspaper in his hospital bed when she burst through the room.

"Oh Chase, you have no idea! I was so worried about you!" She threw her arms around him.

"I'm just so sorry I didn't listen to you."

Zoey didn't say anything, just looked into his eyes and studied his face just in case she wouldn't see him again.

They spent the morning talking and laughing while half watching morning talk shows.

"So what happened to your car?" Zoey asked.

"It's banged up pretty bad but it's being fixed. The mechanic called and said it should be ready in a couple of days. Fortunately for me I have full coverage insurance."

"Well that's good news."

"Zoey, I was just. I just. I've had a lot of time to think. You mean so much to me. I thought I was going to die and never see you or Carly, Noah and Mariah again. I don't want to lose you again. I was wondering- would you want to go out? Like, as more than friends. It sounds so juvenile saying it like that but we've just been friends for so long. I want to see what it would be like if we could be more than that."

Zoey was lost for words, "I don't know. I-"

Her head was spinning. Fortunately for her the doctor came in to release Chase. Chase signed some papers and declined the offer of a wheel chair. Zoey pulled her car around to the entrance of the hospital and helped Chase get in the front seat. The two rode in an awkward silence for awhile.

"Are we going to go right home?"

"I think we should talk," Zoey said quietly. She parked her car downtown by the park. The snow was still falling but not as heavily. Christmas lights covered all the buildings. Zoey found herself staring at the graceful moves of the ice skaters at the small pond in the park.

"Have you given my question any thought?" Chase asked.

Zoey ignored his question. "Chase have I told you about the night Adam didn't come home?"

"Not everything but I know he was killed in a car accident."

"Chase it was, the most terrifying night of my life. I spent hours by the telephone waiting for his call. And he didn't. He couldn't- he was just gone. And I will never see him again. It kills me every day. And then last night- I just- I thought I had lost you too. I can't go through another heart break like that."

"I'm so sorry Zoey," Chase said quietly, "I never would have gone out in such terrible weather if I knew how it would affect you. I promise I won't do it again."

"Chase, the kids are getting very attached to you. I don't know...I don't think they can handle getting attached to someone so quickly when they aren't serious about committing to the family. I just think it would be better if you would move out. In two weeks. I will find another job and someone else to watch the kids."

"Zoey I won't leave you again," Chase tried over and over again to assure of this as they drove back to the cabin but she refused to respond to him.