A/N: That story has been written quite a while ago, but I wanted to write something more. I didn't after all and when I found it today and edited a bit, I decided that this sad story is worth publishing.
Enjoy!

'He's waking up.' The nurse said to the doctor.

'Mommy? Mommy...' quiet whisper was hardly hearable.

'I'm here, darling.' Evelyn sat up at the edge of the hospital bed, where her son was lying, and started stroking his head comfortingly. He looked so vulnerable spread on the huge bed: so little, so pale and injured. It was breaking her heart to see him like that. Adrian was standing beside and since they arrived to hospital, he hasn't said a word to her. He had to be hurting as much as she did, nothing yet was betraying his emotions. Doctor came closer to them and leaned over the boy.

'Hey buddy. How do you feel? Can you remember anything, like your name?' He asked nicely.

'Barrett.' Quiet voice answered him. Evelyn looked at son with tears in her eyes and smiled. While ago she thought, she'd lose him...

'Great.' Doctor said and turned to the parents. 'For now everything seems to be good. I mean 'good' like for that kind of accident. He has broken five ribs, an arm and his thighbone is mauled, but he should get out of it. We hope there's no inside injuries, but we need to do few more tests.'

'Oh, right. We understand.' said Adrian. From the aside it might have looked like he had no heart, just staring coldly at everyone and everything around. But Evelyn knew he was hurting. He was blaming himself that the accident happened, because he hasn't been there. And also blaming Evelyn that she hadn't watched Barrett wisely.

'Mommy, I can't see you...' Barrett touched Evelyn's hand. He seemed really scared.

'What do you mean?' Evelyn got nervous. Something bad was happening, she knew it. The boy hasn't answered her and his breath started getting rapid. All monitors started beeping like crazy. 'What's going on?!' she asked her voice high-pitched.

'It has to be a shock.' Said the doctor, rushing the nurses, who were already looking for the equipment they needed. 'You need to leave the room. Now!'

Evelyn didn't understand. A shock? She felt Adrian's firm hands on her shoulders, while he took her out of the room. They were forced to wait outside, allowed only to look through the big window at people, who were trying to save their son's life. They didn't exactly know what was happening, nobody kept them informed. Everything was going on so fast. Several minutes later they saw the nurse switching off the monitors and the doctor, who was coming to them. Evelyn felt she was losing the ground underneath her feet. It just couldn't be happening...

'I'm so sorry. We did everything to save him...' Said the doctor with his voice full of compassion.

She couldn't believe what she just heard. She stormed the entrance to the room and reached the bed.

'It's not true! Maybe he lost consciousness again...' She said with her voice trembling. 'Barrett, honey?' She touched son's cheek gently. It was still warm, he couldn't be dead. 'Sweetheart, wake up! Please! Do you hear me?!'

'I'm so very sorry Ma'am...' The nurse came to her, trying to drag her aside.

'Don't touch me!' Evelyn screamed. 'He's not dead, do you understand?! He's not!' Tears were streaming down her cheeks, while she was holding son's hand. 'He's not dead...' She was whispering the words like a mantra. He couldn't be, right? They had to be wrong. She clenched her hands on weak son's arms and leaned over him.

'Barrett,' her trembling, teary whisper was barely hearable. 'I'm begging you for the last time...' She heard no response. Her cries increased as she laid her head on son's chest. She was like in another universe. No sense of time, no people around, only her and her son. The seconds were dragging like hours, but at the same time everything was happening really fast. She felt overwhelmed by all of this. She couldn't accept the truth and stop crying. Few minutes later, or maybe hours she didn't know, she felt a firm grip on her shoulders.

'We need to go.' Adrian's voice was unnaturally calm and washed of all emotions. After no reaction from her, he lifted her up and dragged to the exit. Her mind was misted, she was dazed by emotions thick like a fog. Her cries were spasmodic and she was losing her breath. Adrian pressed her to the cold hospital wall, holding her wrists firmly. 'Try to calm down.' He said. His sight was dull, but somewhere deep inside him he was holding his tears. He didn't want to fall apart in front of Evelyn, cause he had to be the tower of strength at this time. There was always one parent who had to remain strong and steady, that the other could fall apart. And it was father's bitter responsibility.

'H-how...' She wanted to say a lot more, but she just wasn't able. Glint of disorientation and scare misted Adrian's eyes, when she suddenly slid down the wall. She pulled up her knees to the chest and buried her face in hands crying even more. Adrian sat down beside her, took her in his arms and held her tight when irregular outbursts were tossing her body. Single tears escaped his eyes even though he was trying with all his will to stop them. He pulled Evelyn closer and buried his face in her hair, trying not to think what they would have to go through in the nearest future.