I nod my head, putting my hand on Kit’s knee, “You’re right. Thank you.”

Kit pulled me into her embrace, “You don’t need to worry. Everything that girl does is for you.”

I smile, squeezing her tightly.

“I’m looking for the family of Dana Fairbanks,” a young man asks.

I am to my feet and in front of him in less that two seconds, with the rest of the gang following close behind. “Yesthat’s uswe’re Dana’s Family.”

The doctor was a bit taken aback by my prompt response, “Ms.Fairbanks is out of surgery and is resting in recovery. Everything went very well. We won’t know immediately if the cancer is totally gone, but things look very positive.”

His words were enough to break down all of my anxiety. The tears came rushing to my face, “Thank youthank you so muchyou have no idea. When can I see her?”

He smiled, “Well we want to monitor her closely for another hour or so, but then we will allow her one visitor for short periods of time. I suggest going to get something to eat with your” he looks around at all our friends glowing faces, “your friends here then coming back.”

I reach across, shaking his hand, “Thank you, again.”

He nods, “You’re welcome.”

I turn around and am immediately pulled into a group hug. Our joy and happiness flows, looking around to find us all in tears.

“Thanks you guys.”

When I am finally allowed to see her, I rush to Dana’s bedside, taking her hand. I press her warm hand against my forehead, “Thank youthank you for fighting for us.”

I feel her start to stir out of her anesthetics, “Al,”

I graze my hand over her had, “Shhh, yes I’m here. I’ll always be here.”

She smiles, “So I made it? You’re not an angel?”

I laugh, “I think you know better than that.”

“You bet I do.”

“If you weren’t all sickly, I’d slap youI really would.”

She turns her head to see my face, “Don’t worryI think we’ll have plenty of time for that later.”

I roll my eyes, laughing, “Well aren’t you just a stud, Fairbanks.”

She tries to grab my hand, “Oh you have no ideathen again, I guess you do”

I squeeze her hand, leaning down to share a kiss with her, “Don’t worry, we have plenty of time to make up forand many, many years to do it in.”

 _______

So I think I have one more chapter in the works for this story. I am so tempted to go some place else with this story in a sequel, I just don’t know if I can bring myself to do it. Time will tell. I hope you have enjoyed this story.