"Hey," I say softly.

"Hey," Michael replies. His voice is like old times. Distant, with a same little touch of emotion.

"What's wrong?" I ask. He looks down.

"I came back in here, and I thought you went back into the coma," he replies. He won't look me in the eye. He was worried about me.

"Nah, I'm here to stay, so you're stuck with me. Did you ask the nurses about me seeing Emily?" I'm eager to see my daughter. I haven't laid eyes on her since she was born.

"Yeah. They're bringing her in soon. You're going home, tomorrow, you know," he tells me. Thank God. I had already been here ten days, only three of which I remember.

"I know," I reply. I don't voice my worries. When I go home, will I go to his apartment or return to my own house? I don't think Michael knows, either.

My thoughts are interrupted as the nurse enters. It's the same nurse that was here not long after I woke up. Her name's Jessica, and she's been really nice to me.

"Hey, there, Momma. You've got a little girl eager to see you," Jessica says. She waits for Michael to help me sit up before placing the pink-swathed bundle in my arms.

At the sight of my daughter, I'm instantly captivated. She's got her eyes closed, but she's got my blonde hair. Michael's nose. She's so perfect.

"Her hands are so small," I whisper. I look at Michael.

"She looks just like you," he says. I blush. Jessica clears her throat, interrupting the tender moment.

"I'll leave Emily with you. When you want to return her to the nursery, just let me know," she says. She exits the room.

"I'm glad Mom made the decision to have her last name Guerin," I say. "I was going to, but I obviously couldn't. It was nice of her to do it for me."

"I'm little astounded that she did. She never really appreciated the situation much," Michael replies. I know he's thrilled Emily has his name. Even his face didn't show it.

"I know. She's trying though," I defend my mother.

We wouldn't find out until tomorrow how much my mother didn't appreciate this situation.

---

"I'm so glad to be getting out of here," I tell Liz and Isabel. They're visiting me this morning. Michael finally went home to the apartment to sleep last night.

"Maria, are you going to your house or Michael's?" Liz asks. I shrug.

"I assume Michael's," I reply. My mother is suddenly in the doorway.

"Hey girls," she says.

"Hey Mom." She looks uncomfortably at Liz and Isabel. They notice it and assume Mom wants to be alone with me. They make excuse to go check on Emily at the nursery and hastily leave.

"Maria, you almost ready?" she asks. I look at her confused. I thought Michael was taking me home in Max's Jeep.

"Yeah. I'm just waiting for Michael," I reply.

"He didn't tell you?" Mom asks. I shake my head. "You and Emily are going home with me. Permanently."

"What? But--what about Michael?"

"We talked about this, and we both agreed you'd be better off staying living at home. Living with him was temporary situation and you knew it."

Michael didn't want me living with him anymore?

"Besides, you'd better get used to him not being around now. It's only a matter of time," my mother lectures. She's looking at her watch like we're late. "So, let's get Emily and get out of here. I hate hospitals."

"You were going to leave without waiting for me?" Michael asks from the doorway. My mother spins around, and groans. I'm beginning to feel confused. Why would he come to pick me up?

"Mom just told me you agreed Emily and I'd be better off at her house," I tell him. I'm a bit angry at him. How could he avoid this?

"I never said anything like that." The words reassure me, but confuse me even further. "Why would I agree for my daughter to live at another house away from me?"

"Mom?" I ask. "I thought you said-"

"Never mind. Let's just go. I still have to open the shop." Mom makes a move to go past him.

"I have rights, too, you know," Michael says, stopping her. "Emily's not going anywhere except back to my apartment."

"Fine. She can live with you. But my daughter comes home with me," my mother replies, facing him. She crosses her arms. I don't think she's expecting a fight. I don't either. Not from Michael anyway.

"No," Michael and I say together. We look at each other surprised.

"Where Emily goes, I go," I say.

"Then Emily comes home with us," Mom says.

"Wrong again," Michael says. "Emily comes with me, and so does Maria. You had your choice at the beginning of this pregnancy, and you made it. You sent her to live with me. And, she stays with me."

My mouth drops. I'm in an alternate universe.

"That was a temporary situation, and you both knew it," Mom replies.

"It was not. Families stick together. You know that, Mrs. DeLuca," Michael retorts. Mom's eyes flare. Uh, oh.

"Don't lecture me on families. You don't know the first thing about them!"

"Mom, that's enough. There's no room for discussion. I'm going home with Emily, and home is with Michael now," I tell her. Maybe I can reason with her.

"Maria, don't make the same mistake I did," Mom says. What? Get married too young to the wrong guy? I'm not getting married, and even if I were, Michael's not the wrong guy.

"What mistake would that be?" I ask.

"Throw away your family for a guy. He's not worth it." She shoots a scathing glance at Michael.

"I'm not throwing my family away for a guy. You're doing that, not me. And don't say things like that about Michael. You don't know him," I reply vehemently. I can't believe she'd assume Michael'd leave me. Granted, she doesn't know all the details. But she's got to have noticed the past months. The past few days!

"Maria belongs in stable home," my mother says, looking again at Michael.

"Maria belongs with her family," Michael says. I'm out of this argument again.

"So, we finally agree on something," Mom replies. "Maria, get your things." He's not going to let her do this, is he?

"And, right now, her family is me and Emily. She belongs with me," he says. "I know you think I'm going to hurt her. That I'm going to leave her. You're wrong. You're right to try and protect her, but you don't have to protect her from me. I've spent most of the past nine months doing that. I'm not going to hurt her, okay, Mrs. DeLuca? I love her."

Oh, yeah. Definite alternate universe. No, wait, this is a dream. It has to be. He's only said things like that to me in my wildest dreams. Well, then again there is that whole dreamwalking type-thing...but that's beyond the point.

"Fine, you win. I swear to God, if you do leave her or hurt her, I will hunt you down so help me God, I will," Mom says. She turns her back and stalks out of the room.

"I need to sit down," I say. I collapse into the first chair I see. "Did that just happen?"

"Yeah," Michael replies, sitting in the chair next to me. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just fine," I reply.

"You ready to go?" he asks, standing up again. He holds a hand out to me.

"Yeah, "I reply, accepting the help. He pulls me up. "Thanks," I say.

"No problem. Let's go get Emily and get out of here," he replies, grabbing my bag.