Law & Order does not belong to me, and neither does the song for which this piece is named after. Both belong to Dick Wolf and John Mayer, respectively.
When you're dreaming with a broken heart,
the waking up is the hardest part...
You fall out of bed and down on one knee,
and for a moment you can hardly breathe...
Jack McCoy sprung upright in his bed. He looked over at the perpetrator for his sudden jolt, the alarm clock that he apparently forgot to turn off. It read 6:30 AM, 4/29/97. A Saturday.
Could've sworn I had turned that thing off, Jack mused to himself.
"Oh well," he sighed, getting out of bed and walking to his closet. As he was getting dressed, however, he felt a familiar presence.
"C-C-Claire?" he stuttered, looking behind him.
Wondering, "Was she even here?
Is she standing in my room?"
Seeing no one there, he shook the thought from his head and grabbed his helmet. Obviously, it was going to be one of those days.
No she's not,
'cause she's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone...
When you're dreaming with a broken heart,
the giving up is the hardest part...
It was around lunchtime when thoughts entered his mind. Thoughts he had dared not think ever since that day...
She takes you in with her crying eyes,
then all at once you have to say goodbye...
He thought about the first time he took her for a drink, the happy moments together, and finally the night that took her life away. Tears welled in his eyes; oh, God, how he missed her.
Wondering, "Could you stay, my love?
Will you wake up by my side?"
No she can't,
'cause she's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone...
He paid for his lunch and left for a flower shop. It was time to pay her a visit.
Parking his motorcycle, Jack headed straight for Claire's grave, fistful of roses in his hand.
Now do I have to fall asleep with roses in my hand?
For a minute, he just sat and stared at her grave:
Claire Kincaid
November 25, 1968-May 22, 1996
He stood up; everything below his knees had fallen asleep by now. As he started to set the roses down, he felt that familiar presence behind him.
Do I have to fall asleep with roses in my hand?
He turned around, mainly to let his mind see that no one was there. However, there was someone there, and he stopped cold when he saw who it was.
Do I have to fall asleep with roses in my hand?
"Claire?" he asked, stupefied by her presence as tears gathered in his eyes again. "Is it really-?"
Do I have to fall asleep with roses in my, roses in my hand?
Claire reached out for the roses that were still in Jack's hand. In response, Jack handed them to her.
Would you get them if I did?
Her hand stopped right in front of them, hovering for a second, before she dropped it. With that, she turned and walked away, fading farther away with each step. Jack, realizing that it was all just an illusion, stood there and watched, tears streaming out of his eyes.
No you won't,
'cause you're gone, gone, gone, gone, gone...
Jack McCoy's eyes slid open as his alarm clock blared. He turned to look at it. 6:30 AM, 4/29/97. A Saturday.
He sat at the edge of his bed, buried his face in his hands, and cried.
When you're dreaming with a broken heart,
the waking up is the hardest part...