Sam had been pacing back and forth in the same spot for three hours. There was still no word on Tabitha's condition.
"Sam, you need to get some sleep." His sister, Paige, begged him.
"Ah can't. Not until Ah know if Ah'm gonna lose her…a second time." Sam whispered, his voice hoarse.
Paige walked up behind her older brother and wrapped her arms around him. She rested her cheek against his muscled back and sniffed softly as she felt his thudding heart and shaking body.
"Ah love her Paige. Ah love her so much it hurts." Sam confessed to his sister.
"Ah know you do. An' she loves you too. Ah know she does." Paige whispered to him.
"How do you know?" Sam asked, turning in his sister's embrace, so that he was face to face with her. He wrapped his arms around her, and rested his cheek against her hair.
"Because she looks at you the same way Momma use to look at Daddy." Paige told him.
"Ah hadn't noticed." Sam confessed, his voice holding no joy.
Paige snorted softly. "You think Daddy did? Ask Sami. Ah bet you she's seen it."
"How is she?" Sam asked, switching topics.
"Ah'm not sure. Kit said she was still asleep, when Ah asked." Paige reported.
Sam nodded. "You know, her birthday's tomorrow." He whispered.
Paige looked at him in surprise. "How do you know that?"
"She told me, day before yesterday." Sam said.
"Did she tell you what she wanted?" Paige asked.
"No. Ah don't think she really knew." Sam whispered.
"Sam?" A voice called from around a corner. Kit Rasputin soon waddled into view with Sami tagging along behind her. "She insisted on seeing you."
"Come her, honey." Sam whispered, reaching out for his young daughter.
"Daddy, is Mommy okay yet?" Sami asked, as soon as she was situated in her father's arms.
"Ah'm not sure." Sam answered after a long moment of internal debating.
"Daddy, Mommy IS going to be okay, right?" Sami asked, surprising her father.
Sam couldn't say anything as he stared into his daughter's bottomless blue eyes. Her small face was the closest replica of Tabitha's that he had ever seen. Sami's bright blue eyes gazed at him from under a mop of red hair, beautiful and strong. Her mother was reflected back at Sam through his daughter, just as he had seen Sami in Tabitha's face, only yesterday morning.
"Ah don't know, sweetie. Ah really don't know." Sam finally answered, tears of pain slipping down his face. Sami looked at him for a long time, before putting her head on his shoulder.
Sam held his daughter for a long time, just breathing in the scent of her red hair, and listening to her breathing. Sami cried softly on her father's shoulder. Unbeknownst to her father, Sami made a wish, just like her aunt Demi had taught her.
(Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight. Please let Mommy get better.)
****
It was noon when Hank called Sam and his daughter over the intercom. Sami was eating lunch slowly, perched on Sam's knee. Sam was staring down at the top of her head, tears slowly slipping down his cheeks, even though he tried to hide them from Sami.
"Sam! Get down here!" Hank's voice rang out over the intercom.
Sam jumped to his feet, clutching Sami to keep her from falling, and took off down to the infirmary. The doors slide open as soon as he and Sami got there and he found himself face to face with what had happen to Tabitha.
The woman he loved, the light of his life, and the mother of his child…was sitting up in bed, idly talking to Cecilia about something.
"Tabitha!"
"Mommy!"
"Sam! Sami!"
Then Sam and Sami bounded over to Tabitha's bed, where she had her arms out stretched to them. Sami crawled into her mother's arms, hugging her as tightly as the bandages would allow, as Sam been his head down to kiss Tabitha softly on the lips. Tabitha kissed him back hard, and hugged her daughter to her like she was afraid Sami would disappear if she didn't.
Hank and Cecilia stood and watched the happy family for a moment longer, smiling happily. It was the first time in nearly five years that they had seen Sam smile like that. However they being doctors, they realized that they could not allow their patient to hurt herself, even if she was happy to see her family.
"Sam. Tabitha is still recovering from a gunshot wound. It would perhaps be better if you didn't cling to her in such a manner." Hank suggested mildly.
"What Hank?" Sam asked, pulling away from Tabitha's kiss for a second.
"Hank want's you to get your hands off our patient." Cecilia replied, stepping up beside the furry scientist.
"Well, that is not exactly what I meant, but, I believe it would perhaps be a good idea." Hank agreed reluctantly.
Sam sighed softly to himself and separated from Tabitha. Sami continued to hug her mother tightly for a minute, then climbed into her father's lap when he sat down in the chair Cecilia had previously occupied.
"Thank you so much Hank, Cecilia." Sam whispered to his friends as they filed out of the room.
"Don't mention it, Kentucky." Cecilia whispered back as she left.
"Just try not to lose her a third time, Sam." Hank joked.
Sam looked over at the Tabitha's pale face. (No fear of that. Ah'm never gonna lose you again girl. Never.)