It's very easy to trace a person's cell signal. It's easy for Nolan Ross, at least. And it comes in handy when Emily won't pick up her phone and it's been hours since her father's name has been cleared and he hasn't yet personally celebrated with her. The trace tells him she's at home. Probably already celebrating with Aiden. He should leave them be, call her in the morning.

…. But he can't just sit at home alone on the most important day of their lives.

It's a time to celebrate.

That's what Nolan tells himself as he makes his way to her house. And it'll make a fine apology if he really does barge in on Emily and Aiden celebrating in their own way. But the door's open when he gets there, and he sees them on the couch when he walks in. A sigh of relief to see they're fully dressed and merely embracing each other.

But something is wrong. Emily lifts her head from where it's nestled in the crook of Aiden's neck. She looks at Nolan as he enters the living room and something is definitely wrong because her face is wet and strained. "Nolan?"

Something is definitely wrong and it stops Nolan in his tracks.

"He won't wake up."

\\\\\\

These days, Emily keeps her door closed and locked. Good thing Nolan made himself a key a long time ago.

He doesn't bother to tip toe as he makes his way to the kitchen with two bags full of things. Actually, he makes more noise than he probably needs to. She should be up by now anyway.

He empties out the grocery bags first and then goes through her refrigerator, emptying that out of things that have gone bad without even being touched.

"You don't have to do that."

He spins at her voice, spotting her on the landing of her stairs. She comes down, wrapping her robe around herself, hugging it to herself. She wears an oversized black t-shirt beneath it that he knows doesn't belong to her. She wears it all the time.

"Yes, I do," Nolan says. "How'd you sleep?"

"Fine." But she won't let him change the subject. "You think I won't eat unless you buy my groceries yourself?"

That's exactly what he thinks. "It seems it doesn't matter whether or not I buy your food." He turns from the refrigerator holding up a bottle of milk, unopened. When he shakes it the curdled contents swill like yogurt. "Ems. Come on."

She bypasses him, ignoring the spoiled milk display, and goes straight for one of the cabinets, retrieving a coffee can. She starts to get the pot ready but Nolan takes the coffee and dumps it into the trash.

"Nolan."

"You know you shouldn't be having coffee."

He goes to the island in the middle of the kitchen where he left a big clear cup full of green juice which doesn't even look appetizing to him but he puts on a smile anyway to really sell the thing. "Picked this up for you on my way here. You've gotta start taking better care of yourself, Ems. Which reminds me."

From one of the bags on the island he takes out a small vitamin bottle and holds it out for her to take.

She obliges. "Folic acid?" she asks with a cocked eyebrow. Her expression is all cynical but at least it's better than blank, which is what she's been giving him for the last few months. Well, a combination of blank and angry. Cynical is a step up. He'll take it.

"You're supposed to be taking that," he says. "I've been reading up on it."

She studies the bottle in her hand and he wishes he knew what she was thinking. He can't be the only one that cares about this.

Nolan knows that she'll smile again. Maybe it'll take a while. Maybe they just have to stick it out for another five months. Because he's sure that in five months time she'll smile. When she's holding her baby in her arms she has to smile. Right?

Emily closes her eyes and sighs and Nolan isn't even sure why he's holding his breath. All he knows is that if she falls apart again he'll be there to catch her.

"Thank you," she says.

He breathes, nods. He wouldn't be anywhere else.