Prologue

New York City

Jack McCoy still considered it one of the worse days of his life, and as he ran down the hall towards the hospital room where his beloved was. Running into the room, his heart dropped at the sight before him. "Oh God." Jack mumbled as he leaned against the wall and slid down it, his head winding up in his hands. It was his fault that Abbie Carmichael, his wonderful ADA and also his new bride, was here. As tears threatened in his eyes, his friends Lennie Brisco and partner Rey Curtis appeared, and Brisco sat down next to him.

"Jack, there was nothing you could do. It was a freak accident. You couldn't have stopped it." Brisco said, as Jack looked over at him. "She's strong. Hell, she has to be to be married to you." He added, as Jack smiled slightly. It was true he supposed. He could be a pain to deal with.

"She has to be Lennie. I don't know what I'd ever do without her" McCoy said as he watched several doctors walk towards him. Standing up first, Brisco offered McCoy his hand and pulled him to his feet as the doctors stopped in front of him.

"Mr. McCoy?"

"That's me. Abbie…will she be okay?" Jack asked, trying to keep his best lawyer voice but failing with every word.

"Your wife was in a very serious accident Mr. McCoy but it looks like she'll pull through just fine. We'll keep her for a few days under observation." The doctor said as Jack shook his hand.

"When can I see her?" McCoy asked softly, as the doctor smiled.

"You're welcomed to go see her right now Mr. McCoy. I was just about to look in on her myself. I'll show you." The doctor said, as he escorted them into Abbie's room. Walking over to the side of her bed, Jack ran his hand softly down her check, as he placed a kiss on her forehead, as she stirred.

"McCoy?" she questioned, as he kissed her again before taking her hand into his.

"Yeah sweetheart, it's me." He said, as his voice hitched. "I thought I lost you." Jack whispered as he sat on the edge of her bed.

"I thought I lost you." Abbie whispered before she tried to reach for the glass on the table across her. Picking up the cup, McCoy guided the straw to her mouth and allowed her a chance to sip. After a few moments, she pushed it away. "Thank you." She said softly, as she leaned back against the pillows and her hand gently on her womb.

"Miss. Carmichael, how are you feeling?" The doctor asked as he walked over to her and began checking her over. Waving a flashlight across her eyes, she blinked and then sighed.

"Sore. I feel like I went 10 rounds with McCoy on a bad day." She said softly, her voice horse as she looked over at McCoy and smiled. With a grin on his face, McCoy laughed as he placed his hand on top of hers resting on her womb. They both wanted to ask, but each knew the other was afraid of the answer. After a few silent and tense moments, the doctor turned back to them. "What about the baby?"

"Mr. McCoy, Miss. Carmichael I'm sorry." The doctor said as Abbie took a deep breathe and let it out in a cry. "We did everything we could, but you had too much internal bleeding. I really am sorry." He added, as Jack nodded his head.

"Thank you doctor." Jack said gently, as he watched the doctor walked out. Turning to look at Abbie, he forced a gently smile. "Abbie?" He questioned as she sniffled. Wiping her nose, she looked at him.

"I'm fine McCoy. Really." She whispered again, as he watched her struggle with not showing her feelings. Within seconds, he lower the railing on the side of the bed and watched as she crumpled into his safe, strong arms. "Oh Jack." She cried, as he held her tight. "It's all my fault. Our baby is gone and it's all my fault." Abbie cried into his shirt as McCoy shook his head and began rubbing her back.

"No Abbie. Oh sweetheart it was an accident. You didn't lose the baby." McCoy whispered as Brisco stuck his head into the room, catching McCoy's eye. Without saying a word, McCoy shook his head no and watched as Brisco nodded his head and mouthed I'll be back. Turning his face into Abbie's hair, which earlier that morning had smelled of his shampoo from their joint shower but now smelt of cheep hospital shampoo from when they had washed her hair when she first came in to figure out where the bleeding was coming from, he mumbled into her hair. After a few minutes, when Abbie's cries were no longer audible and he felt her slip back into sleep, he laid her back against the hospital pillow and pulled the covers up around her, as Adam Schiff walked into the room.

"Will she make it?" He questioned, as Jack turned around and looked at him, Abbie's hand in his. "You both look like hell."

"Yeah. Physically she'll make it. I don't know about mentally though. She…no, we, we lost the baby in the accident. Doctors said their was too much internal bleeding to try and save the baby. It came down to Abbie or the baby." Jack said softly, not wanting to wake her up.

"I'm sorry. I know how much you two were looking forward to the baby. Take as much time as the two of you need." Adam said, as Jack nodded his head. "I'll handle rescheduling your cases."

"Actually Adam, I'll handle it. It'll give me a distraction." Jack answered, as he heard heels on the tiles outside of the room and his mother-in-law's voice arguing with a doctor.

"God damn it McCoy. She's married to you less than six months and she's almost killed. I warned her that you were no good." Abbie's mother Natasha Carmichael cried as she stormed into her daughter's dimly light hospital room. Pushing past Adam, she stormed over to the side of the bed McCoy wasn't on and let out a horrible cry. "Oh Abigail."

"Mrs. Carmichael please. Abbie just fell back asleep." McCoy said as he turned to look at his mother-in-law.

"Shut up McCoy. She's here because of you. Oh my darling…" She continued to cry as Jack felt Abbie's hand tense as she stirred. "Open your eyes my darling." Natasha begged her, as Abbie opened her eyes and tried to focus. "Oh Abigail!"

"Jack." Abbie called as he leaned over and, after running his hand down her check again, kissed her gently on the forehead.

"Abigail its mother. I was so worried. You look terrible." Natasha said as Abbie looked over at her.

"Hello to you too mother. Why are you yelling?" Abbie whispered as she scanned the room and noticed Adam standing near the door. "Adam."

"Counselor." Adam said, as he nodded his head as his phone rang. Pulling it out he sighed. "Duty calls. Please excuse me. Counselors. Mrs. Carmichael."

"Who was that man?" Mrs. Carmichael demanded as Jack rolled his eyes. "It doesn't matter. Oh my darling."

"Mother, please stop yelling and get off me. You're hurting me." Abbie whispered as she squeezed Jack's hand. "And he's our boss, DA Adam Schiff." Abbie continued as she shifted a little closer towards her mother before she looked over at Jack and patted the side of the bed. Realizing what she wanted him to do, he shook his head no, but she continued patting the bed. Taking a deep breathe, he let it out in a sigh before he slipped off his shoes and his spots-coat.

"And what are you doing?" Abbie's mother demanded, as Jack's shoulders sighed in defeat. He loved his wife and normally his mother-in-law, but today was too much for him.

"Mrs. Carmichael, I'm going to climb into this hospital bed with my wife and comfort her because she wants me to. And I'm going to insist that you stop yelling or I will ask you to leave. Abbie needs her rest, and quiet frankly, so I do." Jack snapped as Abbie slowly pulled the blankets out of the way and watched as he slipped in next to her. Pulling the covers up around them, he sighed as Abbie cuddled up in his arms, and rested her head against his chest.

"Mr. McCoy might I remind you that the only reason my daughter is in this bed is because you put her here. And I certainly don't see how she'll get any rest if you're in bed next to her. Knowing you, you'll probably be feeling her up and being a dirty old man."

"Mrs. Carmichael, please." Jack started as Abbie cut him off.

"Mother that's quite enough. Jack didn't cause the accident. It just happened. And I assure you that I'll get plenty of rest with Jack in this bed next to me, then if he wasn't. Now please, I have a headache and I just want to sleep for a few hours. So if you're going to stay, then please, just sit in the chair and watch TV or read a book or do something, but please, just shut up." Abbie pleaded as she took a deep breathe and sighed. Placing her hand on her womb, she sighed again as she felt Jack place his hand on top of hers.

"Well, I never." Natasha cried as she stood up and stormed out of the room. As soon as she was out of the sight, they both sighed.

"I'm sorry you had to do that kitten." Jack whispered into her hair as he pulled her closer and placed a few quick peppered kisses on her temple. After a few moments, he sniffled, as he tried to fight back tears.

"Jack? Sweetheart?" Abbie said softly, as she realized that he was trying to hold back tears. "Oh no Jack, please. I'm okay, really. I'm just really sore." She tried to explain, as he nodded his head.

"I know, but we lost the baby, and I came so close to loosing you. I just couldn't…I don't know how I'd survive without you. I lost you once Abbie. I couldn't loose you a second time." McCoy whispered, almost shamed that he had broken down when she needed him the most.

"Oh Jack, I'm not going anywhere anytime soon." Abbie whispered, as Jack pulled her closer to him and kissed her again on the head before he felt her drift off to sleep once more, before he followed her into a uneasy sleep.