Soo Ryeon was released from the hospital the next day, and although the doctor had warned her to take it easy for a week or so, she quickly immersed herself in schoolwork, wedding plans, and reunion preparations. Her second surgery was scheduled to take place just over two weeks after her exploratory procedure, on the Monday after Soo Ryeon's spring semester ended. Logan was concerned for her, not just that she was working too hard, but that she was avoiding having to face the news they'd received before leaving the hospital. Dr. Goo had estimated a 75% probability that she could remove the tumors and leave Soo Ryeon's uterus intact. The wild card, however, was the scar tissue left behind. It could prevent an embryo from implanting in the uterus, or enable the growth of more tumors. After the second surgery, Logan and Soo Ryeon would have a limited window in which to try to get pregnant before more tumors had time to form. No one could predict what would happen down the road, and the uncertainty was difficult for the young couple to deal with.

Logan tried for several days after her release from the hospital to get Soo Ryeon to talk about her feelings, but he sensed that she was hanging on by a thread, clinging to the normalcy of her daily routine to keep from falling apart altogether. He trusted that she would talk about it when she was ready, so he simply held her, took care of her, and loved her. Still, his heart ached for her and the questions that filled their future.

One week after her exploratory procedure, Soo Ryeon sat on the couch at home, grading case summaries and lab reports. Logan had called and said he would pick up dinner on his way home so she wouldn't have to worry about cooking. Her stomach growled, and she glanced at the clock to see how much longer it would be until he got home from work. Her incisions from surgery were healing nicely, and the soreness in her abdomen was mostly gone. Her hand rested absently over her stomach, and she allowed herself to imagine for a moment what it would feel like to be pregnant with Logan's child. Just as quickly, she pushed away the thought, unwilling to consider that it may never happen. She blinked rapidly, trying to fight back the tears that were never far away, and bent her head over her papers again.

She managed to lose herself in her work again, and stopped only when the front door opened and Logan bustled in. She steeled herself and turned to greet him pleasantly, but her words died in her throat. He looked haggard and exhausted. His hair was a mess, his eyes were red, and his shoulders slumped. He didn't look at her, but strode over to the dining room table and dumped the carryout bags there. When he returned, he cleared away the papers that Soo Ryeon had spread out on the couch and sat next to her. She started to protest that she had too much to do, but his look silenced her. He took the pen and papers from her hands and laid them on the coffee table, and then took her hands in his, fortifying himself with a deep breath.

"Soo Ryeon, I've been tiptoeing around you, trying to let you do things your own way, in your own time, and if you don't want to talk to me, I have to respect that. But I want to talk about this, and I'm hoping you'll respect that too. You don't have to say anything, just listen."

She nodded, and he took another deep breath before forging ahead. "I spent all afternoon in the ER trying to save a young woman with a ruptured spleen. They taught us in medical school about staying detached from the patient, not getting caught up in emotions, just treating their medical conditions. But it's so much harder to stay detached from the family members you're not treating. This woman's husband was there, and he was absolutely frantic. He was about my age, and all I could think about was how I'd feel if I lost you. Sweetheart, I would lose my mind. I don't want to know what my life would be like without you. I love you, and I need you to be healthy and strong so we can have a good life together. Every day, with all the stress of my job, I get through it because I get to come home to you. You're my home, Soo Ryeon. Please tell me that you understand that."

The tears in her eyes spilled over. "I do, Logan, because you're my home too. That's what scares me."

He touched her arm. "Why does it scare you?"

"Because I can't bear to think what I would do if you decided… that, well… that you don't want to be with me anymore," she stammered, not looking at him. "Because I… might not… be able to… have a baby."

He forced his voice to remain level, though part of him wanted to shout at her. "Soo Ryeon, I don't understand, after everything we've been through, how you could possibly think I would leave you because of that. We're bound together. We're a family. Why on earth would you think I would give that up?"

"Because everyone in my family has left me," she whispered, silent tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Wait, what?" His mind scrambled to understand.

"Daddy died," she answered, so softly he had to lean closer to hear her. "And his parents too. Mom lives the other side of the world, and my grandparents moved France and I never see them…" She looked up at him miserably. "Please don't leave me, Logan," she whispered.

"Soo Ryeon, look at me," he instructed firmly, cupping her face in his hands and sweeping away her tears with his thumbs. "I am not going to leave you. Ever. For any reason. I love you." She started to interrupt, but he stopped her with a finger on her lips. "I love you. You're my life. I could never leave you, because if I did, I would never be whole again. You're the other half of me. My better half. I always thought it was corny when my dad said that to my mom, but now I totally understand it. Maybe we'll have a baby, and maybe we won't, but what matters most to me is that I get to spend every day of the rest of my life with you. No matter what happens, we'll get through it together. The vows that I made to you on our wedding day… I meant every word. I'm not going anywhere, baby. I promise. And I keep my promises."

She launched herself into his arms then, and he held her as she cried. Later, after they reheated and ate their dinner, they finally talked—really talked—and a weight seemed to lift from Soo Ryeon's shoulders. As she drifted to sleep that night, nestled against Logan's warm body, she finally allowed herself to dream of her life, her future with the man she loved.

...~«ώ»~...

The following Saturday, Logan had to work, and Soo Ryeon used the day to grade final exams and enter semester grades. Her surgery was two days away, and uncertainty continued to weigh on her mind. When Logan came home, he coaxed her to change out of her sweats, insisting that she needed to get out of the house for awhile. An hour later, he guided her through one of her favorite restaurants, his hand on the small of her back. She brightened when they reached the table where Yoon Cheol and Yoon Hee were waiting for them. Their friends stood to hug her, and Yoon Hee squeezed Logan's arm supportively.

"Logan didn't tell me you guys were going to be here," Soo Ryeon exclaimed. "What a nice surprise!"

Logan beamed at her as he pulled out her chair. "They weren't sure until an hour or so ago whether they'd be able to make it. They've been putting together their gift registry today." He settled next to his wife, draping his arm comfortably across the back of her chair.

Soo Ryeon clapped her hands enthusiastically. "How fun! When we got married, that was one of my favorite things to do."

Yoon Hee tossed an eye roll toward her fiancé. "Yeah, well, I bet Logan didn't try to register for things like surfboards, beer, and video game consoles!"

"Hey, it's supposed to be stuff we can use when we're married," Yoon Cheol argued good-naturedly. "I can totally use that stuff! And it's better than all that frou-frou china, flatware, goblets, and linen. I didn't realize I was marrying a 19th Century English aristocrat!"

"And I didn't realize I was marrying a Neanderthal!" Yoon Hee retorted, though a smile quirked the corners of her mouth. "Pardon me for not wanting to entertain guests with paper plates and old beer mugs."

Soo Ryeon giggled. "Logan didn't try to add anything like that, but I do remember seeing a basketball hoop and some Lakers apparel on our registry list." She smiled sweetly at her husband. "They didn't quite make the final cut."

Logan gasped. "You took that stuff off our registry? No wonder we didn't get any Lakers stuff with our wedding gifts!" He nudged Yoon Cheol across the table. "I did get that hoop, though!"

"Not because of the registry," Soo Ryeon replied drily. "You can chalk that up to your dad and a wedding party full of lunkhead basketball guys."

"Hey," Yoon Cheol feigned hurt. "I was in the wedding party!"

"I rest my case," Soo Ryeon nodded smugly. The foursome laughed as the server appeared, halting their pseudo-argument. After their orders were placed, the couples settled back into their chairs.

"Other than the gift registry, how are the wedding plans coming?" Soo Ryeon asked.

"The invitations are going out this week," Yoon Hee reported. "Boy will I be glad when that's done!"

"Do you need help?" Soo Ryeon asked, suddenly feeling guilty that she hadn't already offered. "I could probably do some tomorrow after I finish grading…"

Yoon Hee shook her head firmly. "Absolutely not. You have enough on your plate right now, and you've helped me so much with everything else. Once you've recovered from surgery, I'll be happy to put you back to work, but no wedding stuff for a couple weeks."

Soo Ryeon's face fell, and she glanced down at her hands, which had begun fidgeting on the table. Yoon Hee reached across the table to cover Soo Ryeon's hands with hers at the same time that Logan's arm dropped around his wife's shoulders and pulled her closer.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry," Yoon Hee added. "We're trying to get your mind off of surgery on Monday, and I had to go and run off my big mouth."

"It's okay," Soo Ryeon responded. "It's pretty hard not to think about it. I'll be glad when it's done."

"We both will," Logan added solemnly.

Yoon Hee squeezed Soo Ryeon's hand. "I know you're worried, but everything's going to turn out okay."

"Yeah," Yoon Cheol chimed in. "Dr. Goo's one of the best. She'll take good care of you."

Soo Ryeon nodded silently, willing herself not to cry as she felt Logan's fingertips caressing her arm. She looked up at him, and he smiled tenderly at her.

"Are your parents going to try to make it out to see you while you're in the hospital?" Yoon Cheol asked.

Logan glanced meaningfully at his wife. "We haven't told them."

"They don't know?" Yoon Hee asked incredulously. "About any of this?"

Soo Ryeon's chin lifted stubbornly. She and Logan had disagreed about whether to tell them, but she was adamantly against it. "I don't want them hovering around here like vultures, waiting to find out whether they'll ever be able to have grandchildren."

"Come on, sweetheart, they care about you," Logan argued. "You're not being fair."

"Fair?" she retorted. "There is nothing fair about any part of this situation."

Yoon Cheol cleared his throat. "Soo Ryeon, you're right, this whole thing totally sucks, but your mom and Logan's parents love you and want what's best for you."

"Yeah, when you're going through something tough like this, why wouldn't you want to surround yourself with as much support as possible?" Yoon Hee mused.

The fire drained from Soo Ryeon's eyes, and she sagged in her seat. Logan had made the same points in their earlier discussion, but somehow hearing it from their friends drove the point home. She waved her hand noncommittally toward Logan. "Call your parents if you want to, but I'm still leaving my mom out of it. I don't want to hear another round of excuses about how busy she is. I don't think I can take any more."

The tears she'd been fighting back finally spilled over, and Logan pulled her close, stroking her hair gently as she cried against his shirt. Self-conscious about making a scene in such a public setting, she excused herself to go to the restroom, and Yoon Hee stood to accompany her. Left alone, the two men sighed heavily.

"Wow, she's really having a hard time with all this," Yoon Cheol observed. "Sorry, man… I had no idea."

Logan ran his hand through his hair. "She's so… fragile right now. The uncertainty is tearing her apart. There's a 75% chance her uterus will remain intact, but it's that other 25% that's keeping her up at night. It's a lot to deal with."

"What about you? How are you dealing with it?" Yoon Cheol asked.

"It's hard… I want to have a baby with her. It's something we've planned for and talked about for years, even before we were married." Logan answered carefully. "But right now, my number one priority is Soo Ryeon. Once she's healthy and back to normal after surgery, then we'll try for a baby, or, if necessary, explore other options."

"Good for you," Yoon Cheol nodded. "Sounds like you're keeping everything in perspective."

Logan shrugged. "That's the logical, meet-the-problem-head-on part of my brain. Then there's the part, the larger part that adores my wife and hates to see her suffer." His hand sliced through his hair again. "Damn it, I hate that I'm a doctor and I can't fix this!"

Yoon Cheol quirked an eyebrow. "Guess you picked the wrong area of concentration, dude. I would never have pegged you for a gyno type, but there are worse things than looking at ladies' plumbing all day long."

His ribbing had the effect he'd hoped for—Logan smiled. "'Ladies' plumbing?' On behalf of the women of Seoul, I'm glad you didn't choose that area of concentration either."

They both laughed, a welcome relief from the tension. Logan stood when Yoon Hee and Soo Ryeon returned from the bathroom, face washed and tears banished. She gave a Logan a brave smile as they took their seats, and he leaned in to kiss her forehead. Then he pulled her hand into his lap, lacing their fingers together, and gave it an encouraging squeeze.

The men glanced at one another, not sure whether to keep talking about the surgery or change the subject. Soo Ryeon decided for them when she leveled her gaze across the table. "So, Yoon Cheol, I'm supposed to ask you about your golf outing last weekend with Yoon Hee's dad and brother."

"Yoon Hee!" Yoon Cheol moaned. "You promised you wouldn't tell anyone about that!"

"Extenuating circumstances," Yoon Hee defended, winking at Soo Ryeon. "I needed something really good to cheer Soo Ryeon up."

"In that case, I'm feeling a little depressed myself," Logan announced with a grin. "I definitely need to hear this story!"

"I'll get you for this," Yoon Cheol muttered to Yoon Hee under his breath. She beamed in return, unconcerned by his threat. "It's not that big of a deal," he told his friends. "Yoon Hee's dad decided to take me golfing, some kind of 'welcome to the family' ritual or something. Yoon Hee's brother Yoon Soo went too. Her dad hit his ball into a water trap on the ninth hole, and I was trying to score some brownie points with my soon-to-be father-in-law, so I went to retrieve it."

"And?" Yoon Hee prompted giddily.

He glowered at her. "I fell in."

Logan and Soo Ryeon laughed until Yoon Hee held up her hand. "Yoon Cheol, darling, you left out part of the story."

"Yoon Hee, darling, I think that's all they need to hear," he said through gritted teeth.

"Come on, Yoon Cheol dah-ling," Logan put in, exaggerating the syllables with a dreadful accent. "We simply must hear the rest of this delicious tale!"

Yoon Cheol crossed his arms like a pouting child and kicked his friend under the table, which only caused Logan to laugh harder. Yoon Hee leaned forward to share the rest of the story. "What Yoon Cheol failed to mention is that there were a pair of geese nesting on the bank of the pond, and when he fell in, they thought he was threatening their nests."

Soo Ryeon's eyes grew wide. "Oh, no! The geese attacked you?"

"Chased him all the way to the next fairway," Yoon Hee supplied gleefully. "According to Yoon Soo, he screamed like a little girl!"

"I did not scream like a little girl!" Yoon Cheol protested indignantly. "Those little monsters were hissing and trying to bite me! They're a menace to society!"

The women laughed so hard that tears streaked down their cheeks, and Logan guffawed heartily at his friend. Yoon Cheol finally broke down and laughed along with them, pleased to see his friends happy and carefree, at least temporarily. Their food arrived, and they laughed their way through the rest of the evening.

...~«ώ»~...

On Monday morning, Soo Ryeon was prepped for surgery, and Logan waited with her in the pre-op area. The procedure would be laparoscopic, using several smaller incisions rather than one large one, but because it would be more invasive and complicated, Soo Ryeon would have to stay in the hospital for several days. She was noticeably nervous and fidgety as they waited, but she held herself together bravely. Her most difficult moment came when the nurse brought consent forms for her to sign, including on that authorized Dr. Goo to remove her uterus if she determined that there were no other options. Soo Ryeon's hand shook as she held the form and read it carefully, and tears once again burned her eyes. Logan leaned forward to take her hand.

"Sweetheart, you know she won't take it out unless she absolutely has to," he reminded her gently. "We've talked about this. No matter what happens, we're going to get through it together."

She nodded and hastily signed the forms before her resolve faltered. The nurse took the papers and told Soo Ryeon that she'd be taken to the operating room in a few minutes. When she pulled the privacy curtain shut and left them alone, Soo Ryeon's eyes immediately turned to Logan. He smiled down at her, shifting to sit on the edge of her bed next to her hip. His left hand settled next to her other hip, caging her securely, and his right hand lifted her fidgeting hands from her lap. He brought each one to his lips and kissed them gently.

"I guess I'll see you in a few hours," he told her with a wink. "Don't fall for any hot young doctors on your way to the O.R."

She smiled. "My surgeon is a woman, and besides, I already fell for a hot young doctor years ago."

"Anybody I know?" he teased.

She giggled and poked him in the stomach. "No, I've been very careful to make sure you and he never cross paths." She pretended to look chagrined. "Ooh, and now my secret's out."

"Hmm," he mused with a grin. "I can't speak for anyone else, but this doctor fell hard for a beautiful, sexy lawyer. I'm pretty sure you know her." He heard movement outside the curtain and knew the nurse was back to take her to the operating room. His gaze grew intense. "I love you, Soo Ryeon. I'll be here when you wake up. I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart. Ever. I promise."

"Thank you," she told him softly. "I couldn't do this without you. I love you, Logan."

He leaned down and kissed her tenderly, first her forehead, then her cheeks, then the tip of her nose, and finally, her mouth. She kissed him back eagerly despite the nurse's presence behind him. He broke the kiss reluctantly and stepped back as the nurse released the bed's brakes and raised the railings on each side. He walked alongside her until they reached the elevator, and then bent to kiss her once more.

"See you soon," he whispered against her cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too," she replied.

The giant door slid open, and the nurse wheeled Soo Ryeon into the elevator. Logan watched until the doors closed, feeling his heart tug as the elevator ascended. He sighed heavily and wandered toward the doctors' lounge. Once there, he pulled out his phone and called his mom, allowing her soothing reassurances to calm his nerves. He promised to let Stella know as soon as the surgery was over, and when he ended the call, he hesitated only a moment before bringing up Kim Yeo Hee's number on his screen. Soo Ryeon might be upset at him for calling her, but he believed that hiss mother-in-law had a right to know what was going on. He dialed and listened to her voice mail message before briefly explaining the situation and asking her to return his call. Finally, he sunk onto one of the couches and stared up at the clock by the door.

There was nothing left for him to do but wait.