Lost Love [On Hold]

"Mikey, carry me to the car!" Teddy smiled. He was five, only a year younger than Stephanie, but he had the spirit and joy of a two-year-old. It always made Kara smile, the little boy asking his brother to be carried, but not today. She watched silently as Michael picked up the little boy and started walking out of the house.

"Come on, girlies! Let's get to that hospital, and see if we can beat the ambulances!" Kara said with a fake smile plastered to her face. She refused to let these beautiful lives Michael had left behind see her upset, fearing that her own despair might inspire theirs.

"Alright, Kara, we're coming already!" Dana groaned, rolling her eyes at her stepmother's way positive attitude. She walked out the door, Alison close behind.

Kara took a deep breath to steady herself, and followed the children out the door.

Dana raced Alison to the car, forgetting momentarily that she had a cold. "Hurry, we have to beat the boys! But first, I'm going to beat you," the young girl shouted at her twin sister.

"Yeah, right. And I'm going to turn purple and grow a tail!" Alison shouted after her, smiling and getting to the car at just the same time. They both swore under their breath, and then glanced at Kara. She hadn't heard them, thank God.

Kara buckled Kara and Teddy in her minivan, leaving the rest of the children to do it for themselves as she climbed into the front seat. She was sure to be extra careful, so this car ride wouldn't end up like... Kara couldn't say it, not even in her mind. She tried not to look at the wreck as she drove past the accident, but that didn't stop Dana.

"Hey, Kara, is that Dad's car?" Dana asked, looking at it curiously. The middle schooler looked closer, and her eyes widened. "Is that... it can't be..." Tears formed in her eyes. "Dad? Is he..." She began to silently cry as Alison followed her eyes, and soon both of them were quietly leaning into each other, tears streaming down their face.

"Now, girls," Kara said in a low voice. "You don't want to upset the little kids, please... I know how this feels, remember how you only have one grandpa."

The twins nodded, wiping their faces and breathing hard. Kara was strong, and they looked up to her. If she had toughed through this, so could they... no matter how badly it hurt. And it did hurt, more than anything they'd felt in their whole lives. Even when Aunt Claire had been killed, it hadn't been this bad, even though they really loved Aunt Claire. Seeing their father, limp and lifeless, blood pouring from his throat as he was removed from the car by some guys in weird clothes... it was impossible. It was too much for any girls to handle, even if they were already twelve years old.

Kara pulled into the hospital parking lot, telling the kids to get out of the car. She went around back for Abigail, who couldn't get out on her own. She carried the baby inside, the children close behind. Michael looked at her, showing nothing on his face.

"Is my dad in there? Or..." he said, trailing off to let the silence say what he couldn't- that his father could be dead.

"He's... well..." Kara said quietly, not wanting to say it in front of Teddy."

"Oh." Michael swallowed, took a deep breath, and stared straight ahead silently as he walked into the building.

"Mrs. MacIntosh?" said a young nurse who couldn't be more than twenty-five. "Right this way, please." The nurse led her to the section her children were in, the dividers pulled apart so they could all be together- they needed each other.

"Mom..." Mary said, fear in her voice. "The doctor said... he said..." she gulped, not wanting to say it. "And Alex is..."

"I know," Kara said. She had already assumed the worst, and know she feared she was right. Mary and Alex had lost a lot, more than anything. Not just a father, stepfather, or a husband... they had lost some things that just couldn't ever be replaced. Not that Michael could ever be replaced, of course. He was special, a one-of-a-kind man, amazing in every way. He has stolen her heart... and now, he couldn't give it back. He couldn't return it because...

A doctor walked into the area. "Mrs. MacIntosh, could you please step out here for a moment?"

Kara inhaled deeply, held her breath for a moment, then let it out. She could handle it, because she was strong. She had to be, for her children, for her husband's children... for herself.

The doctor cleared his throat. "As you might have assumed... your daughter, Meredith, was blinded, and her spine was broken very near her kidneys- so near, in fact, that one was ruptured. Please, don't worry, she is scheduled for surgery tomorrow," the doctor added, seeing Kara's wide eyes. "Your son Alexander has gone deaf due to nerve damage from being hit with... our ambulance. That, I am deeply and personally sorry for. We shouldn't have let our new employees drive the ambulances for such an important task. He also broke his legs and his left arm. Your daughter Stephanie is fine except for a grazed knee, by some miracle, and Daniel has a cut on top of his head that will require stitches. Other than that, they're okay."

Kara let out a sigh of relief. At least nobody else was...

"Mommy?" Stephanie said at the same time that Teddy said "Kare-bear?" The children giggled, making Kara almost want to smile, but of course, she couldn't smile- not with Michael being...

No. He couldn't be. Michael was so full of life, so energetic, so free- not a care in the world outside of his family. Nothing could touch him- especially not that piece of glass in his... in his throat. She has hallucinated, that's all. Michael was in a serparate part of the hospital for some surgery, nothing more. He couldn't, there was no way that Michael of all people would just go and...

"Mrs. MacIntosh, I believe there are some children calling for you," the doctor said, a smile playing on his lips. "You'd best go see what they need- you know children." Yes, she did know children- she's raised three of them past the age of the two young kids giggling on the other side of the door. She sighed. This was impossible, her children being hurt... at least Abigail and the stepkids were alright, they hadn't even been in the car that... that nothing. It hurt her children, and hurt her husband. It wasn't as if anyone had ever... as if anyone could ever...

"Oh, Mrs. MacIntosh, one more thing, if you would, before you go back inside," the doctor said quietly, as signs of amusement gone from his face. "Your husband, Michael MacIntosh..."

Kara braced for herself. She knew what he was going to say- what she had been trying to lie to herself about since she'd arrived. She looked down and took a breath to steady herself and then looked back up, nerves steeled.

"Your husband, Michael MacIntosh, is dead. I'm sorry."