CHAPTER ONE.

Caroline Upchurch had been working at Mitchell's Diner for a little over a year. It was a small place, just off Highway 41. It wasn't exactly what she'd planned to be doing for the rest of her life, but it was a job. She didn't know it, but working there would lead her to the man of her dreams.

Michael Nesmith was lead guitarist and songwriter with an up and coming rock group called The Monkees. He lived with his four bandmates in a beach house on the seafront. He'd somehow managed to get The Monkees a supporting spot on the latest tour of the popular musical group `The Standups'. He hoped that the tour would bring The Monkees money, fame and success. Little did he know that he himself would also find riches of another kind.
--
The Monkeemobile sped along the Highway with Mike behind the wheel. They were on their way to San Diego where they would meet up with The
Standups and begin the three week tour.

"I still can't believe that you managed to get us this gig, Mike," Davy grinned, sitting beside Mike in the passenger seat. Micky and Peter were both asleep in the back seat, snoring quietly. They'd set out early that morning and had to be in San Diego by seven that evening. It was almost lunchtime.

"What can I say, man," Mike replied, returning the smile, "I can be very persuasive when I need to be!"

"Hey, me too!!" Davy laughed.

"Yeah, but with the ladies not with thirty year old businessmen!" Mike said with a chuckle.

Davy grinned. "True, true!" he replied. "Much more fun to be persuasive with beautiful young women!"

Mike smiled wistfully. "I wouldn't know," he said. "I only ever seem to get chances with the thirty year old businessmen!"

"That's cause you're always working for the group, getting us gigs and stuff," Davy explained, reaching down by his feet and locating a bag of potato chips. "You never seem to have time for fun."

Micky grunted quietly in his sleep. Davy and Mike exchanged bemused smiles.

"And lucky for you guys that I do or we'd never have gotten this tour."

Davy nodded in agreement.

"This tour is gonna be the start of something big, I can feel it," Mike continued. "It's gonna change our lives forever."

--

"Thank you, enjoy your meal," Caroline said with a smile, as she laid the plates down onto the table.

The smile was forced. Sometimes she felt like slamming the plates down and wishing the customers a lousy day, but no matter how much she might dislike her job, she needed it.

"Hiya, Carol," Harry the Chef said, as Caroline walked into the kitchen and sat down on a stool by the window. "You okay?"

"I need a new job, Harry!" Caroline sighed.

"You don't like working here?" Harry asked, mixing up a bowl of salad.

"Aw, it's not that exactly," Caroline replied, running her hands through her hair. "It's okay, ya know, but it's just not what I expected to be doing for the rest of my life, that's all."

Harry laughed. "The rest of your life?" he grinned. "You can't be more than 23 it's a little soon to be talking about your life like it's already mapped out in concrete."

Harry was 45, had been working at the Diner for 15 years and liked Caroline a whole lot.

"I guess you're right," Caroline replied. "I just don't see how anything's gonna change, I guess. Not without a miracle."

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe the miracle's just around the
corner," he said with a wink.

CHAPTER TWO.

Peter awoke and rubbed his eyes sleepily.

"What time is it?" he asked.

"12.15, Sleepyhead," Mike replied, glancing at his watch.

A dimpled grin spread across Peter's face and he said, "Are we nearly there yet?"

Davy laughed. "Not quite, Petah, not quite."

"Oh," Peter sighed. "I'm hungry, what food have we got?"

"Uhhhh," Davy mumbled, looking through the bags at his feet. "We have a couple of sandwiches, some potato chips, a couple of chocolate bars and those cookies that Mrs. Nicklehammer baked us."

Peter screwed his face up and announced, "I want a hamburger."

Mike sighed. "You always want the one thing we don't have, Pete."

Then, at the roadside, Davy spotted a large white sign. "Hey, Mike, " he said, pointing at the notice, "Look."

"Mitchell's Diner," Mike read aloud. "Good Food and Friendly Service, Four Miles Ahead."

"We have time to stop don't we?" Davy asked. To tell the truth he could eat some proper lunch himself and he was sure that Micky could too.if they ever managed to wake him up!!

"Sure, I guess so," Mike replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "A couple of hours wouldn't hurt."

Peter grinned and clapped his hands. He elbowed Micky, who grunted and opened his eyes slowly.

"What?" he said sleepily, audibly irritated at being woken up.

"We're stopping for lunch," Peter told him.

Micky's eyes sprung open wide and he grinned. "Sounds good to me!"

Mike shook his head with a smile. Typical Micky.

--

"Well, my break's over," Caroline sighed and slipped down off her stool. "I'll see ya later, Harry."

"Yeah. Chin up, Kid," he said with a tender smile. "You never know what today's gonna bring."

Caroline just smiled in return. She didn't really think that anything amazing was going to happen today or any other day of her life.

She tightened the apron strings around her waist and walked back out into the diner. Just as she walked behind the counter, four boys walked in through the front doors of the diner. There was a tall guy with curly hair, who was standing next to another guy with sandy hair and a wide smile on his face. Just infront of them walked two other people a short, dark haired guy and a fourth guy, tall and lanky, wearing a bright green woolhat on his head. It was this guy who
caught Caroline's attention. He had warm, friendly eyes and he approached the counter while the other three sat down in a booth by the window.

"Hey," he said casually.

Caroline felt her heart skip a beat when she heard him speak. He had the cutest Southern accent. Totally unexpectedly, she blushed slightly and couldn't help but feel a little tongue tied.

<Why am I feeling like this> she thought to herself. <I'm acting like a sixteen year old>

"Hi there," she managed to reply, "What can I get for you?"

The man across the counter smiled warmly at her. He instantly felt some kind of deep connection with the girl standing opposite him. He couldn't explain it, but it was something he'd never felt before.

"Two hamburgers and fries," he said, which were for Peter and Micky. "One chicken salad," (for Davy) "And just a cup of coffee and a sandwich for me."

Caroline nodded and looked into Mike's eyes. She felt a strange sensation of warmth start in her toes and work it's way upwards. <What is this feeling> she thought. <It can't be.>

"Okay," she said, with a sweet voice that made Mike sigh inside. "I'll bring it over to you."

Then to his own surprise, Mike heard himself say, "Mind if I eat mine here at the counter?"

<What am I saying> Mike thought. <This is the kind of thing that Davy would do, not me. I don't talk to girls>

"Not at all," Caroline replied, her heart soaring. She grinned. "Not at all," she repeated.

Maybe there was such a thing as a miracle after all.

CHAPTER THREE.

Peter, Davy and Micky watched in amazement as Mike sat at the counter, his head close together with the pretty girl sitting opposite him. They'd never seen Mike with a girl before. They'd never even heard him talk about girls before. Could Mike finally have fallen in love??

Mike couldn't believe how easy it was to talk to Caroline. They sat for an hour, talking about everything and nothing. She told him all about her childhood in Milwaukee and he spoke about growing up in Texas and how he'd moved to California and met his best friends. Before they knew it, the hours had passed like minutes and it was almost time for him to go.

Mike felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and found that all three Monkees were standing beside him, grinning.

"Oh, hi, fellas," he said. He'd almost forgotten that they were here at all. He'd thought of nothing but the beautiful Caroline for the past three hours. Looking at his watch, he couldn't believe that such a long time had passed.

"This is Caroline," he introduced them. "And, Carol, you know who these guys are."

Caroline smiled warmly at them. "Micky, Peter, Davy, it's good to meet you," she said, "I've heard an awful lot about you all."

They all smiled back at her she seemed like a lovely girl.

"Can we just borrow Michael for a minute?" Micky asked and they all grabbed Mike's elbows and led him away from the counter. Mike gazed over his shoulder, seeming reluctant to tear his gaze away from Caroline for even a second. Like if he looked away, the dream would fade away and he'd be alone again.

"Hey, Mike," Davy said, "Earth to Nesmith!"

"What the matter?" Mike said, shaking himself out of his thoughts.

"What's the matter?" Micky repeated, shaking his head. "What's the deal, Mike?"

Mike grinned. "I have no idea what you're talking about" he lied.

Peter smiled. "How does it feel, Michael?" he asked.

Mike shook his head and couldn't stop grinning. "Incredible, Peter," was all he could think of to say. He knew it was crazy, but he was in love with Caroline. He'd never believed that people could fall in love that fast, but he couldn't deny what he was feeling Caroline was the girl that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

"Ok, Romeo," Davy said. "But what about San Diego, man?"

"What?" Mike replied, confused. "San Diego?"

"The tour," Micky and Peter said in unison.

"We're meant to be there in two hours, Mike," Davy told him.

Suddenly, it all came back to him. He'd been having such a fantastic time talking to Caroline, that the reason he was there in the first place had totally escaped his thoughts They were going to San Diego, they were going to be leaving on a tour tonight. It wasn't exactly the best time to be falling in love.

The other three Monkees watched Mike's face fall. "Right," he said in a small voice, not much above a whisper.

"If we're gonna do this tour, man, we've gotta leave now," Davy said with a sympathetic smile.

Mike nodded. "Give me five minutes, fellas?" he asked.

"Sure, Mike," Micky said.

"We'll wait for you in the car," Peter continued.

Then, Davy, Peter and Micky smiled at Caroline and left the Diner. Mike sighed and walked back over to the counter. He couldn't believe that he had to say goodbye so soon. He'd only just met her, and now he was going to have to leave her again.

"Is everything okay?" Caroline asked him, sensing that something was wrong. "What is it?" she asked, noticing his downcast expression.

Mike and Caroline had talked about practically everything except the tour. As a matter of fact, the subject had completely slipped Mike's mind. Was it because deep down, he didn't want to go on the stupid tour anymore?? He wanted to tell Micky, Peter and Davy to forget the tour and to go back to the beach house. with Caroline.. But he knew that he couldn't they'd worked so hard for so long to get a chance like this how could Mike tear that away from his friends?? They deserved it.

With a heavy heart, Mike spoke.

"I have to go."

A look of heartbreaking confusion spread across Caroline's face. It hurt Mike to see it and know that he was the cause of her pain.

"Oh," was the only thing she managed to whisper.

<Don't be silly> she told herself. <It's not like he's the love of your life or anything. He's just a guy who happened to be passing, who you just hit it off with. Nothing more> But her heart didn't agree.

"Oh, okay," she murmured.

Mike took her hands in his and looked into her eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said. "We have to be in San Diego in less than two hours. There's this tour" he trailed off feebly, finding each word harder to say than the last, because he knew that each word took him closer to the moment he'd have to walk out of the door.

"No, I understand," Caroline said quietly. "We both knew that you'd have to leave sometime, right?" she said.

That was the thing from the moment he'd first seen Caroline, he'd assumed that she was going to be a part of his life forever. He couldn't explain it but Caroline was his soulmate, he just knew it.

"I'll call you," he promised as he started to turn away from her. "When I get back from the tour."

Caroline couldn't find the strength to speak anymore, so she just nodded her head and tried to make herself let go of Mike's hand, which was still holding tightly to hers.

"Goodbye," he whispered and quickly turned and left her standing alone in the lonely room. It was bustling with people, but it might as well have been empty she felt so alone now that he'd gone.

<So much for miracles> Caroline thought bitterly, as she watched the Monkeemobile drive off towards the highway. <And I was just an idiot to think there was any such thing>

--
Davy and Micky were sitting in the back seat of the car playing a half-hearted game of eye-spy. It was about twenty minutes since they'd left the diner. Peter was sitting upfront next to Mike, and was singing softly under his breath.

A thousand different thoughts were rushing through Mike's mind (and heart) as he looked blankly ahead at the road stretching out for miles ahead. The cruel road that was taking him away from the one place in all the world he wanted to be.

<So what, it's only for three weeks you can call her at the diner when you get back> <This is one of those one in a million things, you can't let her slip away like that> <What if she's not there when we get back from the tour> <Am I an idiot for thinking I'm in love with her after one afternoon> <You can't just turn the car around and forget about the tour you made a commitment>

He sighed and rubbed his temples, he didn't know what to do.

Peter frowned, seeing the hurt in Mike's eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but realised that nothing he could say would help. He bit his lip and suddenly felt very uncomfortable with the cold silence in the car. He reached over and switched on the radio.

A clear voice soared into the air, filling the car with music. It was a woman singing

"Go Back, you've got somebody waiting.
Go Back, that's where you need to be right now.
There's nothing in this world more important than that,
So Go Back."

Suddenly, Mike slammed his foot down on the brakes. If that song wasn't a sign from God, then Mike didn't know what was.

He turned to the guys and said two words, "I can't". Then he turned the car around and drove as fast as he could back towards Caroline.

CHAPTER FOUR.

Mike and Caroline were married just two months later. It was a small ceremony. After all, The Monkees had lost the paycheck from the tour, but Mike had realised that money wasn't the only thing that made you rich you could be rich in lots of other ways too, and every time he looked into his wife's eyes, he realised he was a millionaire.

Not having much money, Caroline moved into the beach house and she and Mike spent six happy months as newly weds. She got a job as a waitress in a nearby café and The Monkees managed to get steady work at a local club called The Paradise Pool.
______________________________________________

One night, Caroline met The Monkees after their set at the club.

"Hey, Honey," Mike said, putting his arm around Caroline and kissing her softly on the cheek. "I wasn't expecting you to be here tonight."

Caroline smiled. "There's something that I need to talk to you about, Mike," she replied.

Mike looked at his three friends.

"You guys take the car," he said, "We'll take a walk back it's a warm night out".

"Okay, Mike," Davy said, snatching the keys away from Peter, who had taken them from Mike and was looking at Davy and Micky with pleading eyes they never let him drive the Monkeemobile. "I'LL drive us back."

"Yeah, see you later, Babe. See you at home, Carol," Micky smiled, and then they left Mike and Caroline alone.

They left the club with their arms around each other. Mike looked at his wife and felt the same love that he'd felt the first time he met her. He was always amazed when he thought back about their meeting and falling in love it was like a real life fairy tale, happy ending and all.

As they walked in silence along the deserted sidewalk back to the beach house, Mike said, "Hey, for somebody who wanted to talk to me, you're sure not saying much."

Caroline looked at him and smiled. "I'm sorry, Mike," she
said. "It's just.well, I don't really know how to start."

"What's the matter?" Mike asked, his voice laced with concern. "You know you can talk to me about anything, Carol."

"I know, it's just" she paused. "It's just that I'm not sure how you're gonna feel about what I've got to say."

Mike stopped and turned to face Caroline. He reached out his hand and brushed her hair back from her eyes.

"Come on, Sweetheart, what is it?" he asked gently.

Caroline took a deep breath. "We're gonna have a baby."

Whatever Mike had been expecting to hear, that certainly wasn't it. He stood silent in shock for a few moments, staring at Caroline, who fidgeted nervously, awaiting a reply from Mike.

"Say something, Michael," she whispered finally, reaching out her hand and placing it in Mike's.

After a few tense moments, a huge smile spread across Mike's face. He grinned from ear to ear and put his arms around Caroline.

"I love you so much," he whispered softly in her ear. "This baby is gonna be loved so much" he said.

Caroline breathed a sigh of relief it was exactly the reaction she'd hoped for. True, she and Mike didn't have a lot of money, but she knew that they'd manage. Mike had regular money coming in from the club gig and she'd keep working at the café as long as she could.

"Thank you, Mike," she said as they began to walk again. Mike put his arm around her and they walked home in silence the happiest people in the world.

CHAPTER FIVE.

Over the next eight months Mike and Caroline worked hard, saving all they could for when the baby came. Micky, Peter and Davy helped out as much as they could they were all looking forward to being Uncles to the baby. The Monkees kept their regular gig at The Paradise Pool, but money was still tight and there were always bills to be paid. With just two weeks to go before the baby was due, Caroline finally stopped working it had been hard to work so long, but they had needed the money.

----------------------------------------

That night, The Monkees were in the Pad rehearsing some new songs that Mike had written. Caroline had gone to bed early, so they were trying not to make too much noise though she said that she was used to it by now anyway. Suddenly, the telephone rang.

Peter looked at Micky. Micky shook his head and looked at Davy. Davy screwed his face up and fluttered his eyelids at Mike. Mike rolled his eyes and walked over to answer the telephone.

"Hello? Yeah, yeah it is. Really? Uh, when? Um What? Sure, that would be great. We'll be there. Yeah, thanks. Bye."

He hung up the phone. Peter called over to him,

"Who was that Mike?"

Mike walked back over to the guys. "We've got a job," he
said. "Starts tomorrow. It's two nights, playing a club about forty miles from here. It's $200."

Davy's mouth dropped open. "Two hundred?" he repeated.

"Two hundred!" Micky and Peter said in unison.

Mike nodded. "Ya know, it's only two weeks til Caroline's due, but $200 is a lot of money we could sure use it."

Micky put his hand on Mike's shoulder. "I'm sure Carol will be fine, Babe," he said with a smile. "It's only two days, right? She's not due for two weeks yet."

Davy nodded. "Micky's right but you know it's your decision, Mike."

"Yeah, if you don't wanna leave Carol, we totally understand," Peter continued.

"Your call," Micky finished.

They all looked over at Mike, waiting for his decision. They all wanted the $200, but if Mike didn't want to leave his wife, then it was okay with them.

"Aw, I don't know," Mike sighed, walking over to the kitchen and pulling a can of soda out of the refrigerator. "I mean, it's $200, ya know? We could really use some of that money."

"Money's not the only thing that's important, Mike," Micky said, walking over to join him at the kitchen table. "You've got to be happy about doing this."

Mike nodded and said, "I don't know how Caroline will feel about me going."

"She'll be fine about it," a female voice spoke up.

Caroline was standing at the top of the stairs, listening to them talking. She walked slowly down the curving staircase and met Mike at the bottom.

"Go, Honey," she said. "I'm gonna be fine. Me and Michael Jr here will be waiting for you when you come back."

Mike smiled tenderly at Caroline. "Are you sure?" he said. "I'll stay if you want me to."

"I know," she nodded. "But nothing's gonna happen for two weeks yet and we could really use that money, Michael."

"If you're sure." Mike said.

"I am," she told him with a smile.

"Aw, you know I hate to leave you," he said, hugging her as tight as he could with her huge bump in the way. "I'll be back by Saturday."

CHAPTER SIX.

The Monkees were a huge success at The PalmTree Club. The crowd was crazy for them. All the time they were playing, however, Mike's mind was back home with Caroline. He hoped that everything was going to be okay. He knew that he was probably worrying unnecessarily, but he couldn't wait to get back home.

They were staying in a small room above the nightclub. It was a pretty dingy place just a living room and a kitchen, with a table, a telephone and a small gas stove.

After their first night's gig, The Monkees trudged up the long stairs towards their room. As they got to the door, they could hear the sound of a telephone ringing.

"Who'd be calling us now?" Micky said aloud to himself. "Who even has this number?"

Mike shrugged. "Maybe it's not somebody for us," he suggested. "I mean, the only person I gave this number to was Caroline... Caroline!" he shouted, his face full of panic.

He grabbed the key from Peter and jammed it into the lock and flung open the door. He grabbed the telephone.

"Yeah?" he said breathlessly.

Micky, Davy and Peter filed into the room after him and stood behind him, trying to hear what was being said on the other end of the line.

Mike didn't say much. He nodded and murmured, `yeah' in the appropriate places, but he was giving nothing away to the other three.

"Okay. Thank you for letting me know," he said quietly. "G'Bye."

He replaced the receiver and looked at his friends.

"I'm a father," he said with a dumbstruck look on his face.

Micky and Davy grinned, while Peter flung his arms around Mike wildly.

Then Mike began to laugh happily. "Geez!" he cried, "I'm a father! I have a daughter!"

"That's wonderful, Mike!" Davy grinned.

"Yeah, congratulations, Buddy!" Micky said, clapping Mike on the shoulder.

Mike prised Peter off and said, "I've got to go, fellas."

They all nodded. "Go, Mike," they said, knowing how important this was to him.

"We'll work around you tomorrow night and then catch the bus back the next day," Davy told him. "It'll be fine. Go back!"

And grabbing the car keys, Mike bounded out of the door.

-----------------------------------------------

He sped along the highway, with his foot almost to the floor. He couldn't believe that he'd missed it!! But he was going to get there now as fast as he do could and be with his wife and brand new daughter. He was thinking about his family, thinking about how happy they were all going to be, and he didn't notice the big truck coming towards him, swerving dangerously close to Mike's side of the road. A split second later Mike saw it. There was a blinding flash of light as Mike slammed his foot down on the brake, madly spinning the
steering wheel to get out of the way of the out-of-control truck. But it was too late. Mike felt a massive pain in his head, then he felt no more, and the last thing he thought was that he would never see his daughter's face.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

"We're losing him, get that blood up here now!"

Mike could hear the voices, but they seemed far off and distant. Like he was hearing them through water.

"What happened to him?"

"Drunk driver three times over the limit the police were saying. Not a scratch on him, and look at this poor kid."

Mike couldn't understand why he didn't feel any pain. He wanted to scream out to the voices that he was fine, but no sound would come.

"BP's dropping, where's that blood?"

Suddenly, a white light appeared. Mike noticed that it seemed to start at his feet and gradually get bigger and brighter until it surrounded him. He felt warm and safe and to his own surprise he wasn't frightened. He could feel himself slipping away.

"We're losing him," the voices repeated, and Mike was aware of dim alarm bells, but he couldn't draw himself away from the beautiful light.

Suddenly, Mike found himself standing in a long white corridor but it wasn't harsh and empty like the corridors of the hospital, it was soft and comforting. There were large open windows on either side of him, and a cool breeze was flowing in, disturbing the light, lace curtains.

He began to walk along the corridor and noticed a number of doors leading off of it. Mike passed them by until he stopped in front of one particular door. Somehow, he knew it was the right one. He put his hand on the doorhandle, but then he heard a voice. Not a distant, urgent voice, like the doctors he had been hearing before, but a soothing voice, like the sound of bells ringing.

"Robert Michael Nesmith," the voice spoke.

"Yes," Mike replied, looking all around him for the owner of the voice. There was nobody there and the voice seemed to be coming from all around him.

"I'm sorry, Michael," the voice said, "Now is not your time."

"But..." Mike began to object. He felt so safe and secure there, he didn't want to be turned away.

"Now is not your time," the voice repeated. It was full of
authority, and yet it wasn't an angry voice and it wasn't shouting.  It was a gentle authority that Mike knew he had to listen to and obey.

"Caroline," he whispered. "Caroline and..." He felt tears begin to sting his eyes.

"Yes," the voice said sweetly. "Caroline and Lucille."

"Lucille?" Mike repeated.

"Your daughter," the voice explained. "Go Back, Michael. Go Back..."

Mike realised he was falling. He could feel himself falling, back through time and space, back through memories and suddenly he heard the voices again, the voices of the doctors, but they were no longer echoing and distant.

"I've got a heartbeat!" a voice exclaimed with audible joy. "He's back!"

Mike opened his eyes and tried to speak.

The doctor carefully lifted the oxygen mask off his face.

Mike said two words, "Go Back," and then he closed his eyes and slept.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

Mike slowly opened his eyes and looked around the sparse hospital room. He was alone. He tried to sit up, but got shocking pains shooting up his legs and back. He groaned and ran his hand across his face.

He'd come back.

He closed his eyes again and thought about everything that had happened. He was a father. He had a daughter. Lucille. Mike opened his eyes again. How did he know what her name was?? He hadn't seen her yet. He and Caroline had been through hundreds of names over the past eight months and never settled on one, but Mike didn't remember the name Lucille ever being mentioned. Where had he got Lucille from??

He heard the door open gently but he didn't open his eyes.

"Ssssh," he heard a voice say. He smiled slightly as he recognised the voice as Davy's.

"Shush, Davy," Peter's voice said in reply, "You're making more noise with your shushing than anybody!"

"Look, you guys are gonna wake him up!" Micky argued in a loud voice, followed by two loud sssssh's from Davy and Peter.

Mike opened his eyes and smiled. "Hey, I'm already awake, fellas."

Peter, Davy and Micky beamed and rushed over to Mike's side. Peter took his hand and grinned from ear to ear.

"Oh, Mike," he said. "We thought we'd lost you."

"Yeah," Micky agreed, sitting carefully on the edge of Mike's bed, "It was pretty scary for a while there."

Mike closed his eyes again everything hurt, his legs, his back, and his head.

"Are you okay?" Davy asked. "Should we call a doctor?"

"No, I'm okay," Mike said, keeping his eyes closed. "I'm just a little sore and a little tired."

Then, he heard the door open again, followed by the sound of quick footsteps across the linoleum floor. Mike opened his eyes and saw that a doctor with a kind face was standing over him.

"So you're awake at last, Robert," the doctor said.

"It's Mike," Peter quickly corrected him he knew how much Mike hated being called by his first name.

"Well...Mike," the doctor continued, "You had us all a little
worried there."

Mike managed a small smile, but even that made his head hurt. "Where am I?" he asked.

"You're in the hospital, Mike," Micky spoke up, "And Caroline's here too."

Mike's face lit up. "Carol's here too?" he asked happily. "And Lucille?"

"Who?" Davy and Peter both asked.

"Uh, nobody," Mike replied, "I think it was something I was dreaming about. I meant, my daughter, is my daughter here too?"

The doctor smiled at Mike.

"Yes," he replied. "Little Baby Nesmith is here too, but I should tell you something, Mike. She's a little weak because she was born two weeks early,"

"What?" Mike interrupted, panic across his face. "But she's okay, right?"

"Yes, Mike, she's fine. She just needs to be kept in an incubator for a couple of weeks, but she'll be absolutely fine."

Mike breathed a sigh of relief. "Can I go and see her?" he asked hopefully.

The doctor shook his head. "Not right now," he replied. "Remember, you've had a nasty accident and you're lucky to be here at all. Maybe in a day or two."

Mike's face fell. "But.." he started to argue, but lost the strength to put up a fight. "Okay," he said quietly, and closed his eyes again.

He listened as the doctor said a few quiet words to Micky and then he left the friends alone. Mike opened his eyes and said,

"Is she really alright? Is my daughter really okay?"

They all smiled at him. "She's wonderful," Peter replied with a grin. "She's so beautiful, Mike."

Mike sighed and closed his eyes again with a smile. Then the door opened again and Mike opened his eyes to see an angel standing in the doorway.

"Caroline!" he exclaimed.

CHATPER NINE.

Mike spent the next three days confined to his bed. Micky, Peter and Davy visited as often as the doctor would allow, and Caroline hardly left his side. Finally, after three long days, Mike was allowed up to go and see his daughter.

Caroline put her arm around his shoulders to support him, and slowly they made their way to the Maternity Unit.

After what seemed like miles to Mike's tired legs, they arrived at a small hospital room. Caroline pushed open the door, and there in the centre of the room, in a tiny incubator was their baby.

There were two nurses in the room, but when they saw Mike and Caroline come in, they smiled and left them alone with the baby.

Mike and Caroline slowly approached the incubator. Mike sighed when he saw for the very first time, his baby daughter. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. He pressed his fingers gently on the side of the incubator and said,

"Oh, Carol, she's incredible."

Caroline smiled. "I know," she said. "The most precious thing in the world. You know, I was so terrified of losing you, Mike, and having to do this by myself."

Caroline began to cry. "I couldn't bear the thought of her not knowing what a wonderful man her Daddy was."

Mike wiped his wife's tears away. "Sssh, it's okay, baby, I'm here. I came back."

They both turned in silence and gazed at their daughter. Then Mike noticed a small piece of card, stuck to the outside of the incubator.

"It just says Baby Nesmith," he read.

Caroline nodded. "I couldn't name her without you, Mike."

Mike smiled. "Any ideas?" he asked.

"Well," Caroline said, smiling as the baby yawned in her
sleep, "There was a nurse here who was absolutely brilliant, Mike. I'd like to name her after her. It's not a name that we've discussed, but I think it suits her perfectly."

Mike felt his heart skip a beat. He knew what Caroline was going to say.

"What's the name?" he asked her, knowing the answer.

"Lucille".

Mike felt tears in his eyes and just nodded in reply. It was a
perfect name.

-------------------------------------------

Mike, Caroline and Lucille left hospital together three weeks later. They all piled into the Monkeemobile and drove back, one happy family to the beach house.

When Mike pulled open the front door, holding his baby daughter tightly in his arms, a wonderful sight greeted him the Pad was full of ribbons and banners and balloons. There was a huge pile of presents on the kitchen table and a gigantic teddy bear sitting on Mr. Schneider's lap.

Micky, Peter and Davy grinned and walked over to the presents.

"Even Mr. Babbit sent one!" Micky said with a laugh, picking up a small, white stuffed rabbit. "Who'd have guessed it, huh??"

Mike smiled at his friends and couldn't help but feel that he was the luckiest man alive. He thought back to that day when they'd been driving up the Highway and had stopped in at Mitchell's Diner. He thought about leaving Caroline behind and driving away. And then he thought about the words he'd heard on the radio, the most important words he would ever hear Go Back.