"I will take care of her things" Derek stared out the window. "I will make sure I get them all packed and take them to her house on the mainland myself." "Please don't leave without talking to her first" Alex begged. "I know there is a reasonable explanation, give her a chance to explain." "My mind is made up, this is for the best" Derek walked away.

The deserted halls were quiet in the late hours of night, Derek found himself back at Andrea's room staring in the window. He was hurting, she knew how much he wanted children of his own and the thought of bearing his seemed to repulse her. The overwhelming urge to enter that room overcame him and Derek quietly walked in. A quick goodbye was all he planned and he would be out before he knew it.

"I hope you will be ok" Derek took Andrea's hand and stroked her hair. "I wish you the best." "Derek" Andrea tightened her fingers on his hand. "Are you leaving?" "I have to" Derek found himself looking into those irresistable blue eyes. "Is Nick ok?" Andrea found it hard to talk through the oxygen mask. "As good as can be expected" Derek looked away.

"What's wrong?" Andrea reached up to stroke his cheek. "You don't love me like I thought you did" Derek whispered. "I love you very much" Andrea slapped off the mask and tried to sit up. "You're too weak" Derek made Andrea lay back down. "Derek talk to me" Andrea held his hand, refusing to let go. "You don't love me enough to have my children" Derek informed Andrea he heard what she said.

"Let me explain" Andrea asked for a chance. "If I am sick and/or dying, I don't want to bring a child into this world with there being a chance he or she might be sick as well. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. With the cancer scare and the harsh reactions to the meds...you don't deserve that." "If you are ok?" Derek looked deep into Andrea's eyes. "Try to stop me" Andrea kissed Derek with as much passion as she could muster in her weak state.

"You're not" Derek caught his breath after that kiss. "But it would have been nice to finally have a family." "Once I am out of here, what's there to stop you from trying?" Andrea smiled into Derek's eyes and stroked his cheek. "Nothing baby" Derek kissed Andrea and slid on the bed next to her. "Get some sleep" Derek slipped the oxygen mask back on Andrea's face and held her in his arms. "I'll hold you while you do."

"I love you Derek Rayne" Andrea laughed a weak laugh. "No matter how crazy you get." "I love you too Andrea Archer" Derek kissed Andrea's forehead. "No matter how crazy you make me." "Let's sleep" Andrea was dosing off in Derek secure embrace.

Alex and Rachel had been looking for Derek all over the hospital, the private plane he had been trying to track down was now available. Rachel had taken care of Nick's transfer papers so Derek could leave whenever he wanted to.

"I can't find him" Alex met back up with Rachel. "What now?" Rachel didn't know where else to look. "How about we check on Andrea and give finding Derek one last chance after we get an update" Alex pushed the elevator button. "I would like a look at her chart" Rachel agreed. "I wonder how she is going to take it" Alex watched the elevator change floors. "I wouldn't take it very well" Rachel replied. "A man tells me he loves me and then dumps me and plans on getting rid of any evidence I was in his life." "There has to be a reasonable explanation for why Andrea acted like she did" Alex planned on finding out what it was. "She told Derek she loved him and that is not a set of words she throws around unless she really means them." "I think we will have to wait" Rachel stared into Andrea's room window.

Alex walked over and saw the same sight Rachel did, Derek was sleeping next to Andrea and their arms were wrapped around each other. The close embrace made them smile, all questions could wait till morning, neither one of the sleeping pair was going anywhere too soon.