Drowning

She Was Supposed to Come Back

April busied herself in the kitchen, it was nearly three in the morning when Kevin finally arrived home. He was inconsolable and she was thankful that the girls had been asleep when he got in.

KJ happily played in the living room at just two years old he was the center of her and Kevin's world and she knew without a shadow of a doubt that she would have done exactly what Kim had done for Marcus.

She would happily trade her life so her son could live, she just hated that Kim had actually done it. She knew the girls would never be the same and she could only hope for their sake and Adam's that Marcus would pull through.

He was such a sweet little boy, he was absolutely gorgeous a carbon copy of Adam but he was an old soul, he seemed to worry about everyone and everything. He loved KJ and Kevin both, she wiped at her eyes.

Marcus would survive, he had too. There wasn't any other option.

Adam ran his hands across his face and stared at his son, while his color had improved somewhat that was it, he had yet to wake up and his vitals remained on the low side, Will wasn't overly concerned but he could tell the doctor wasn't pleased.

He had slept briefly, and he hated waking up. In his dreams all was right with his world, his kids were all healthy and his wife was in his arms. Once he woke and his new reality hit him, he lost it again and cried. His head hurt from crying and his eyes burned, he knew he needed to tell the girls and he had no fucking clue how he was going to do that.

He contemplated waiting until Kim's mother Joan and her sister Susannah arrived, he didn't know how soon that would be, last he heard they were still on standby at the airport in Portland. He knew it could be hours if not days and he couldn't be away from his girls for that long, he knew once he saw them they'd know.

"Claire!" KJ smiled and toddled over to her, he reached his chubby arms out for her to pick him up.

She attempted a smile for his benefit, "Where's my dad?" She asked, April couldn't help but notice how tired the girl looked.

She had dark circles under her eyes, and it was apparent she had been crying for awhile, "April? My dad...where is he?"

April crossed her arms across her chest, "Emily still asleep?" She really wished Kevin was awake.

"Yes. Will you please answer my question...I'm scared" she whimpered, "I want my mom"

April felt as if she'd been stabbed in the heart, "I know you do sweetie" she hugged the girl who had become a niece to her, she wanted to protect her to keep her safe from the news she knew would destroy her.

Jay pushed the door to Marcus' room open, "Hey Adam.." He whispered as Adam looked over his shoulder as him. "How's he doing?"

Adam took a deep breath and wiped his face with his hands, "About the same..."

"You?" Jay leaned down to hug him, he couldn't imagine the pain Adam was feeling and he didn't ever want to experience it, it was bad enough that Kim had died, Marcus clinging to life only amplified it.

Adam stared at his feet, "I feel like I'm drowning Jay. I can't breathe, my whole body hurts and I'm terrified I'm gonna lose my son..I can't lose Marc..I can't" he plopped down in the chair and took his son's hand in his.

"The girls?" Jay leaned against the counter, "who is bringing them up here?"

Adam fixed the blankets around Marc, "My dad went to go pick them up...this is going to crush them...they need their mom...I need her.."