Daylight made its way through the curtains lighting Sam and Cassie's room in an early morning glow as the doctor slowly woke from the calm realm of sleep. His wife still cuddled closely to him, her head against his shoulder, from the night before. He looked over and happily saw that she didn't stir as her chest steadily rose and fell from her soft breathing. He was glad that she still slept. Despite her claims that she was fine, concern for her still nagged the back of his mind. He had noted that she seemed more tired of late and if a bit more sleep is what she needed then, he decided, she would get it. Slowly unravelling himself from her limbs to get up, Sam quietly prepared himself for his day at the hospital, kissed Cassie lovingly on the forehead and placed a note on his pillow before heading downstairs to the kitchen to place out the breakfast items that had been prepared the night before.

Abigail had already made her way next door to Grey House when Sam arrived in the kitchen to begin the task organising the continental breakfast for the guests that would soon be seeking morning nourishment.

"Sam, since when do you prep breakfast?" she asked, looking around the room for her cousin. "And, where's Cassie?"

"She's still asleep," he said simply as he continued his work. "She's been a bit tired lately, I figured I'd let her sleep in a bit before the drive to pick up Grace."

"Tired, really?"

"Yeah, and Nick as well as some of our guests brought me some things to my attention," he stopped and looked at Abigail with a look she had never seen before. "I'm worried about her, but she won't talk to me and that's what concerns me the most."

It didn't take any of her Merriwick intuition for her to know that something was up with her cousin. She knew Sam and Cassie shared everything with each other, and as she felt he was only showing a fraction of how worried he was for his wife, then Cassie was certainly keeping something from her husband and Abigail was determined to find out what it was.

"Look," she said suddenly to Sam, "Why don't I go with Cassie to pick up Grace. It's always good to travel long distances with company anyway."

"You'd do that?" he said, surprised.

"Of course, that's what family does. I'll let my staff at flower shop know I won't be in today and tomorrow. You, George and Nick just have to make sure all runs smoothly here."

Sam sighed heavily, "That would take a load off my mind, Abigail. Thank you, and of course, the men can handle Grey House for the weekend. There aren't any new guests coming as far as I know."

Abigail nodded. "No, there aren't."

And with that, Sam smiled, grabbed a scone and headed out the door, waving good-bye and thanking her again.

The first guests had made their way into the dining room and where helping themselves to the fruit, yoghurt and other items that Sam has laid out. "Help yourselves, and let me know if you need anything else," Abigail informed them. Before Cassie came down, she would have to call the shop to arrange coverage for the weekend and then let Donovan know they couldn't get together as they had planned…and that she would miss him.

The comfort and warmth of that stage between fully awake and still asleep was where Cassie found herself as she reached out across the bed looking for her husband, but instead of finding her partner she found an empty, cold space. Instantly her eyes opened. She was well-rested, perhaps more than she had been in a while, but in the place of her husband she found a note in his familiar, almost illegible hand:

Good Morning, my Sleeping Beauty. You look so peaceful and beautiful, sleeping soundly that I can't bear to wake you. I am off to the hospital for the day and you will be on your way to bring your amazing daughter home. Have a good trip. Know that I miss you every moment we're apart.

Forever, Sam

Cassie smiled and brought the note close to her chest. "We are so lucky to have your daddy," she said to the room.

Noticing the time, she suddenly realised that breakfast at Grey House had already begun and she quickly prepared herself for the day and weekend with Grace. She rushed down the back stairs to the kitchen to find guests eating happily and Abigail at orchestrating everything.

"Oh, thank you Abigail," she said almost breathless. "I didn't mean to sleep so long. Sam…"

"Took care of everything before he left for the hospital this morning," Abigail finished. "I'm just holding down the fort until you arrived."

Cassie nodded her thanks to her cousin and sat down with the aim of taking in some breakfast herself before the travel to Wellingsley began. Abigail had poured a cup of tea and handed to Cassie, but she immediately turned her head away. "Oh, no," she said as she winced her eyes, "that's my favourite chamomile, isn't it?"

"Yes. Why?"

Cassie rushed out the nearest door, Abigail right behind her. Taking deep breaths of the crisp December air, Cassie looked at her cousin and watched her put pieces together. "Cassie," she said slowly. "The tea?"

"I can't stand the smell of it," Cassie admitted somewhat sadly.

"You're…" Abigail said wide-eyed.

Cassie nodded and smiled, her hand on her abdomen. "Pregnant, yes."

Abigail immediately hugged her cousin in congratulations. "Cassie, that's wonderful! Sam must be…"and then she stopped. He hadn't mentioned any reason why he thought Cassie had overslept, in fact, he had told her the opposite. He was worried about her. Abigail looked into her cousin's eyes and they said everything. "You haven't told him."

"No, I haven't," she said simply. "I wanted to, I was going to last night, but then he began saying how he enjoyed that it was us, just us."

Abigail laughed. "Well, if it wasn't obvious, he lives in a Bed and Breakfast with guests and a college-aged son who moved back home..."

Cassie gave her cousin a look. "You know that's not what I mean."

"Ok, what did you mean…what did he mean?"

"Grace and Nick are grown and in university. We both thought we were empty-nesters, and now we're not." Cassie was suddenly lost in her thoughts, yet still speaking. "He's not ready for this yet."

Abigail was slightly sceptical of her cousin's positive outlook and patience to let things play out, however, over the years she had also learned that it was usually the right thing to do. "Well, he needs to be ready…soon," she said putting her arm around Cassie. "He does love you and he is worried about you."

"I know." They both glanced at each other in understanding that enough had been said, for the time being.

"Well, I promised your husband I would accompany you to Wellingsley and that is exactly what I plan to do."

"Thank you, Abigail."

"Where else would I be. Merriwicks stick together," she smiled. "And, soon we'll have another one to welcome to our family."

The countryside flew by on the way to Wellingsley. Cassie concentrated on the road ahead and Abigail sat silently in the passenger seat.

"Well, I'm glad I came along," Abigail said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Are you going to tell me why you decided not to tell Sam about his impending fatherhood?"

"He's not ready," she repeated. "I wasn't ready, really… until I was." Her cousin gave her a look and Cassie smiled. "I had a feeling that maybe I could be pregnant, but after what happened before, with Jake, I began to doubt myself and then I wasn't sure I was ready to be a mother again…" Her attention turning back to the road.

"And, now you are?" Abigail probed and Cassie nodded.

"Things happen," she said matter-of-factly. "Despite our ages, our jobs, our empty-nester status, Sam and I are going to be parents again. We hadn't planned it, we haven't even really discussed it, but it's happening." She paused a moment, then continued. "Yesterday, I was looking at baby photos of Grace and Nick, of Sam as a little boy and I realised that…I want this. I am happy about this. Some of me, some of Sam. A unique person."

"And another mini Merriwick adding to our long line," Abigail smirked.

Cassie smiled. "Yes, that too."

Sam had made his Saturday rounds and had dropped into the ER, lending a hand where he could. Hillcrest's emergency ward, though busy, was not New York and he soon realised he would be able to continue with the rest of his duties in the afternoon—maybe even head home a little earlier than planned.

Sitting in his office, Sam kept busy with hospital administration. As much as he loved being chief of staff, he always managed to put administrative work until later…it was later. He was happy that his co-chief, Dr. Stow, would be in soon and they would check in with each other to discuss hospital issues. Going through files he had brought from home, he noted a few small pieces of paper float out of one of his files. He bent down to pick it and a small smile slowly came across his face as he looked through the photos of Nick as a baby.

"Now how did these get mixed up in here?" he questioned the empty office.

He flipped through the few photos: a baby Nick sitting in front of a Christmas tree amazed by the lights glowing on the tree, his son as a toddler on a playground swing, and finally a six year old who had just proudly learned to ride a bike. Sam looked at the photos, a touch of disappointment suddenly coming over his being. He had barely remembered when those photos were taken, he could only guess that he was probably working, as he did so often before, and sometimes even after, his divorce. Before he knew it, he had decided to take a walk before his meeting, one that had brought him back to where he had just been a couple days before.

Dr. Sandra Stow had come in to Hillcrest and was headed up to meet her co-Chief of Staff. Dr. Radford's reputation had proceeded him and, at first, she wasn't sure how it would be working with a doctor and surgeon of his status. Hillcrest Hospital was not New York and the fact that he had taken up a position there said a lot to her in the early days, but now she had come to rely on the good doctor as a trusted colleague and friend. She had seen his wife visit the hospital on several occasions and could clearly see the deep love and friendship between the couple. Yes, she thought, she had made the right choice four years ago in coming to Hillcrest.

She rounded the corner into the maternity ward and, surprisingly, found the subject of her reflections deep in thought himself. "Dr. Radford," she said in surprise, "I didn't expect to see you here, I was just coming up to meet you. Am I running late?"

Sam turned around in surprise, himself, to find his colleague behind him. "Oh, no, no," he said somewhat taken aback. "I just…decided to come in your direction today, that's all. Then I got a bit…side-tracked." He turned his head back to the window. This was not the Dr. Radford Sandra had come to know, something was clearly on his mind. She put a hand on his shoulder.

"Sam," she addressed him personally, "I know we haven't known each other that long, but I have worked with you for a few years now, and today, you don't seem like yourself. Is something wrong?"

He sighed deeply. "I've just had a few things on my mind. That's all," he said quietly. "Shall we head to your office today?"

She nodded as they turned to head back to her office. The next couple hours passed as any of their normal meetings did when it came to the discussion of running Hillcrest Hospital. Finances, staffing, residency programs, new hires, and all that needed to be looked at for the moment. Immediate items taken care of and marked with action points, Dr. Stow looked, once again, at her colleague who seemed to be not 100 per cent in the room.

"Ok, enough is enough, Sam," she insisted and crossed her arms, "What's on your mind? Maybe I can help?"

Hesitantly, Sam answered, "Well, something's up with Cassie, and she won't tell me. And, I couldn't help, but wonder why until, looking back over the past couple days topped with something really usual that happened today, I can't help but consider a most…unexpected prospect."

Sandra nodded at his statement and choice of words. "Something usual today and an unexpected prospect?" she repeated. "That sounds a bit ominous."

"Sorry, that's all I've got at the moment," he smiled and shrugged to his colleague.

"Ok, well, does this 'unexpected prospect' have to do with your visits to our maternity ward," she said directly. Dr. Sandra Stow was nothing if not direct when she felt she had to be. Sam admired that about her and couldn't help but smile and nod his head. "Well, if I have come to know anything about you and Cassie is that you two always find a way to work out whatever comes your way. You know her, trust that and her. Trust what you two have built together."

"Thanks, Sandy," he said sincerely and smiled. "Duly noted."

And, giving their final good-byes, Sam left her office being sure not to forget a few things that he had left in his and wanted to bring home.

Cassie and Abigail walked about the cloisters of her alma mater waiting for Grace to meet them in the main yard. As her young daughter came around the corner, Cassie pulled herself out of her thoughts.

"Mom!" Grace shouted running up to her mother and wrapping her arms tightly around her. "You are finally here."

Somewhat surprised, but pleasantly, Grace hugged her cousin. "Abigail. I wasn't expecting you to come along."

"Yeah, well, I thought it was time for another Merriwick Road Trip," she answered.

"Great!" Grace said excitedly, "I'm eager to get back home. I know I was just there for Thanksgiving, but Middleton and Grey House at Christmas, there isn't much that is better."

"No, there isn't," her mother agreed. "Nick will be happy to see you. He misses you when you're gone, you know."

She looked at her mom and smiled. Cassie was happy to see that the step-siblings had become so close since her and Sam's marriage. Their friendship always seemed a bit rocky, but with their new found brother-sister relationship, they had both blossomed in a way neither parent could have imagined. Cassie wondered what another sibling, particularly one so much younger, would bring to this family dynamic.

The next day after an evening of the elder Merriwicks getting a feel of college life for the younger, the three ate breakfast at a local café. It was one of the few places that had survived an ever-changing college town and was almost the same as Cassie remembered it.

A waiter came to their table, ready to take their order and supply them with a hot drink.

"Tea, please," Grace and Abigail said almost simultaneously. Cassie stayed silent, her eyes averting her daughter and cousin.

"Mom?" Grace queried, wondering why her mother hadn't joined them in the request.

"Um, actually, I am tempted to try your coffee, decaf please," she said eyes fixing on the waiter and Abigail rather than her daughter. "I have always heard you have the best on campus."

The waiter smiled. "That we do! One decaf and two herbal teas, coming up." He left the table and Grace with a stunned look on her face.

"I guess your husband has rubbed off on you," said Abigail, breaking an awkward silence.

Cassie laughed and shook her head, "Yeah, I have him drinking tea, and now he's got me drinking coffee."

"Mom, does he know this?" Grace asked laughing, taking Abigail's explanation for its worth. "I bet he really let you hear it."

"No, he doesn't," Cassie said giving Grace a mischievous look, "And, you my darling daughter, will not tell him."

"Oh no," Abigail agreed. "I can't wait to see the look on his face when your Mom tells him."

Grace laughed, looking between the two adults. "Ok, whatever you want," she said and returned to her menu.

The Merriwick cousins continued their unspoken conversation with only looks. Abigail simply smiled, guessing what might have really caused a sudden temptation for coffee.