He knew she wasn't feeling well so tried not to push her too hard. They had time to get the ads done so there was no big rush on them. She was better at this stuff than he was though. That was why he was needing her to help him with it.

"You feeling up to it, darling?"

He nodded and kissed her cheek.

"When you start to get tired, we put it away again. I want you healthy more than I want this new campaign."

They worked for a couple hours then put things away. They had managed to get a lot accomplished in those couple hours. They probably would have worked a little longer, but Anna woke up from her nap and was wanting their attention.

Mitch got her a snack and warmed up some soup for Daisy. He smiled as he watched his girls at the table eating.

"This is what I never expected myself to have or want. A daughter and a wife."

He nodded agreeing. The biggest problem at the moment was Nicole being missing for almost a month now. They didn't talk about it around Anna. They kept up the hope that her mom would be home soon.

He looked at his daughter thinking about things.

"I talked to Ariel."

He saw the look Daisy gave him when he said that.

"I had to know, Daisy."

He shook his head letting her know without saying it that Ariel and Jacob didn't take Nicole.

oOc:

oOc:

oOc:

He waited in the lobby hoping that he had found her in time for them to be able to save her. He knew she was pretty bad.

When the cops got there, they wanted to talk to him.

They asked all kinds of questions about where he found her, if he knew how she got there, what he was doing there. By the end of it, he was feeling guilty of something but had no idea what it was he felt guilty for.

oOc:

Mitch was getting Anna tucked in for the night when he got the call about Nicole. Daisy agreed to stay with Anna while he went to the hospital.

He talked to his brother then went into the room and sat with Nicole for a bit. He called Daisy to keep her updated on what was going on with Nicole.

oOc:

Mitch sat beside the bed watching the machines she was hooked up to. He held her hand in his gently rubbing his thumb over the back of it.

"You have to pull through this, Nicole. Our daughter needs you. I need you. You are my best friend. The one person who isn't afraid to kick my ass when I need it. I don't know what Anna and I would do without you."

oOc:

He thought about his wife and daughter at home and nodded.

"I want to know as soon as she's awake."

He leaned over and kissed Nicole's forehead.

"You get better, Nicole. I love you."

oOc:

Once he was told that he could go in and set with her, he did. He sat in the chair beside the bed thinking.

"I don't know who did this to you, but I hope the police find them and they never see the world on this side of bars again."

oOc:

He quickly hit the button for the nurse's station like he had been told to do if she woke up. He waited for her to open her eyes and look around a bit before he said anything.

"Hey. Happy to see you awake."

oOc:

He gave her a small smile. They had never met until now so it was a logical question for her to ask.

"I'm Toby Taylor. I'm the one who found you and brought you here."

oOc:

He shrugged and smiled.

"There was some guy in here with you earlier. Big guy. Stayed for quite awhile. Doctor had to tell him to leave."

oOc:

Mitch was still awake when the call came. Anna had one of her bad dreams and he was trying to rock her back to sleep. She had been having the dreams since Nicole had gone missing. Hopefully now she would stop having the dreams and be able to sleep peacefully again.

He went into the bedroom and gently woke Daisy.

"Darling, Nicole is awake and asking to see Anna. I'm going to take her in. Will you be okay here? Tony and Tempest are still downstairs if you need them."

oOc:

Mitch took Anna downstairs where Tony and Tempest were cleaning up for the night. He let them know what was going on and they agreed to stay with Daisy until he got back.

Once they were at the hospital he held onto Anna's hand. She insisted on walking in to see her mommy.

He let her walk over to the bed and smiled when she tried to climb up herself. He picked her up and gently sat her on the bed beside Nicole.

"Remember what I told you. You have to be very gentle with Mommy right now."

oOc:

Mitch saw the other guy quietly leave the room. He went out to the hall to thank him for saving Nicole.

When he went back to the room, he smiled seeing Anna sleeping at Nicole's side.

"She's been having nightmares and not sleeping well."

oOc:

He nodded and smiled softly.

"This is the most peacefully she's slept since you went missing."

He looked at Nicole thinking about everything she went through.

"I am very glad you are home now.  I don't know who that man is that found you, but I owe him big for bringing you back to us."

oOc:

He didn't know anything about the guy either.

"David said he has been here since he brought you in."

oOc:

He took her hand in his and smiled softly.

"So am I. I was missing you like crazy. Daisy may be my wife, but you will always be my best friend."

oOc:

Toby had gone home and got a shower and some sleep while the other guy was in the room. She probably would prefer him and their daughter there with her anyway.

The next morning he headed for the hospital just to see how she was doing. He knew that even though she was awake, she still had a long way to go before she was able to be released from the hospital.

He lightly tapped on the door and heard her tell him to come in. He opened the door and saw she was alone.

He held up the flowers and books he brought with him for her.

"Good morning. How are you feeling?"

oOc:

He nodded and smiled.

"I wanted to see how you were. I'm surprised your husband and daughter aren't here though."

oOc:

He couldn't help smiling when she said that.

"Must be pretty good friends if you have a daughter. Plus the way he looked at you and the fact that he had to be forced to leave by the doctor. It's no wonder I thought he was your husband."

oOc:

He listened to her and smiled when she finished.

"It's nice that the two of you are such good friends. It makes it easier for your daughter. My parents were divorced while my mother was pregnant for my little brother. All we ever saw growing up was the two of them fighting any time they did see each other."

oOc:

He shook his head.

"Don't be sorry. It made us who we are today. Kenny took up writing to deal with things and is now a best selling author. I'm very proud of my little brother."

oOc:

He nodded.

"He's a good guy despite the things he writes in his books."

oOc:

He nodded thinking about Kenny.

"He is. Will do anything for anybody."

He sat the books on the table beside her bed.

"Kenny's newest book is in the stack. He actually sent all of these for you. You will be the first person to read the new book. It doesn't hit the stores until next month."

oOc:

He sat in the chair beside her bed.

"Have they said yet when you'll get to go home?"

oOc:

"I'm sure your friend and daughter will be here soon to visit, so I should probably go."

He stood up and smiled a little.

"It was nice meeting you, Nicole. I wish it was under better circumstances though."

oOc:

He sat back down.

"Wouldn't want you to be lonely here. Although I'm sure there are plenty of doctors and nurses coming in and out all day."

oOc:

That actually made him blush a bit.

"Thank you. The same can be said about you. You are a very beautiful woman."

oOc:

He thought about that then smiled.

"How about the day you get out of here, I take you to dinner?"

oOc:

He thought about things then looked at her.

"I should probably tell you that I'm not normal."

oOc:

He smiled when she said that.

"I know that. I'm trying to say that I'm not like most around here. I'm one of the good guys. Like my brother."

oOc:

He reached out and took her hand in his.

"I'm still not sure how I found you, but I am very glad that I did."

oOc:

He smiled softly as they sat there talking and getting to know each other more.

"I enjoy talking to you."