Title: The Accident

Summary: Set during 1x13. While Sarah and Adam are out looking for Amber, Sarah gets a call—it's not from her daughter, it's from the hospital. Retake on the last quarter of the episode. Drama, comfort, hurt, and all that good stuff.

Rating: T, just to be safe.

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing in regard to this show.

A/N: Yet another take on Amber's situation during the season finale. I'm sure more to come in the future. Anyway, enjoy.

Amber stared out the window of the semi-truck she had hitched a ride in and mentally shivered. The rain had started an hour ago, thunder and lightening quickly followed in its wake. She leaned against the door, her forehead pressing up against the cold glass window. She blinked rapidly, her tears finding a way down her face, to which she quickly wiped aside with a sniffle. She would not cry in the presence of a stranger. She was tougher than that.

"I'll be stopin' up ahead," announced the driver, Jake, as he pointed to a gas station and rest area.

Amber pushed herself into a sitting position, taking in her surroundings. "Where are we exactly?"

"Gilroy, ma'am." Jake responded, straightening his baseball cap on top of his graying hair. He was old, probably in his late forties. He didn't talk much. In fact, the only words he'd spoken the entire time was in response to her standing on the side of the road, thumbs-up, when he offered her a ride.

Gilroy. Amber wasn't sure how far she was from home, nor did she care. She jumped out of the semi once he pulled to a stop; the rain instantly attacked her short frame. "Thank you!" She hollered above the howling wind. "I don't have any money…"

He waved her off. "Don't worry 'bout it, kid." He gave her a slight, uncomfortable smile. "Now there's a, uh, café place down the road a bit… you be safe now, ya hear?"

"I will," Amber promised with a nod. "Thanks, again."

Without another word, the man turned and walked away.

Amber pulled her already soaked jacket closer to her body and shivered. It was raining hard now, too hard. She sighed and began her walk in the direction Jake had pointed towards. It had been a long day, a long bad day. Her mother's words, her angry, shouting words still stung as they replayed in her head. The lump in her throat hadn't gone away either. She wanted this to be over. She wanted to go home.

She saw lights in the distance and thought it was the café, but the lights were moving towards her. Amber pushed her hair from her eyes, and stepping onto the road, she held up her thumb. The vehicle, a mini-van, began to slow down as its headlights beamed across her shivering frame. She smiled. Maybe she wouldn't have to call her mom. Maybe she could just go home and tell her she needed to cool off and not mention the whole hitchhiking bit.

The van stopped a few feet away. Without thinking, Amber crossed the road, completely oblivious to the fast approaching car coming from the other direction…

"God, where could she be?"

Adam took his eyes off the road to glance over at his frantic sister. "I'm sure she's fine," he tried to assure for the hundredth time that night. "She's probably with a friend or something."

"Amber doesn't have any friends." Sarah muttered, more to herself than anyone.

"Try calling home again, maybe she—"

"I did, okay? I've called home a dozen times, she's not there." Sarah snapped, then sighed and buried her hands into her face. "I'm sorry, I don't know why—… I'm sorry, you're driving me around, helping me look for her and all I'm doing is yelling at you. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Adam said. "I understand. You're worried. Any parent would be."

Sarah nodded, sniffling back her tears. "I know, it's just… what I said to her… even if we find her I don't—"

"She'll forgive you. She knows you didn't mean it."

"I'm not so sure," Sarah's voice was grim. "Ever since we moved here it seems like that's all we ever do is fight. I yell, she yells, we get over it… but this time she didn't yell back. She looked hurt, Adam. I hurt my daughter."

Adam hesitated, searching for the right words.

"You would never do that." Sarah said solemnly. "You're a great dad, a perfect dad, you would never speak to your child that way."

Adam didn't have time to say anything before Sarah's phone started ringing.

"Amber?" Sarah nearly screamed without checking the caller ID.

"Is that her?"

"Yes, I'm Sarah Braverman." Sarah responded to the voice as she wiped away more tears. "Whom am I speaking to?"

Adam pulled over, parking his car on the side of the road. He glanced at his sister as a horrified expression crossed her face. "Sarah? What is it? What's wrong? Who is that?"

"What happened? Is she okay? Is she hurt?" Sarah ignored his questions, obviously having some of her own. There was a pause. "Yes, okay, yeah, I understand. Which hospital? We're uh… we'll be there as soon as we can. Please, please call me when you know anything. Okay, thank you. Bye."

"Sarah, what's wrong?"

Sarah bit her bottom lip as she turned to her brother, her tears falling freely now. "That was a nurse. She uh, she said Amber's been in—" her voice cracked. "Amber's been in an accident. She's in a hospital, in Gilroy."

"Is she okay? What happened?"

"I don't know," Sarah cried, trying her best to pull herself together and failing miserably. "I don't know, she couldn't tell me. Oh God, Adam!"

Adam quickly leaned over, pulling her into his embrace. "Hey, hey, shh, it's alright. Everything's going to be okay."

"Come on," Sarah said as she pulled away from him a moment later. "We've got to go. I need to see Amber."

"Okay," he used his turn signal before pulling back onto the highway. "I need to call Kristina and let her know what's going on…"

"She's in a hospital?" Kristina's voice rose with concern as she spoke to her husband. "Oh my God, honey, do you know what happened?"

"We don't know yet. We're on our way to Gilroy now."

"Oh my God," she repeated, already searching for her keys and purse. "How's Sarah doing?"

"Not good." Adam responded, sounding like he wasn't doing so well himself. "So, listen, I won't be home tonight. I'll let you know what's going on as soon as we know anything."

Kristina was dumbfounded. "Um, Gilroy, right? I'll meet you there. I'm closer."

"Kristina, you don't have to do that. The kids—"

"Yes, sweetie, I do. She's my niece." Kristina spoke firmly. "The kids will be fine, Haddie can watch Max."

"Thank you, Kristina. I'll see you soon. I love you."

"I love you too," she said then quickly hung up.

"What's going on?" Haddie asked from behind her.

Kristina jumped slightly, surprised by her daughter's voice. "Hey, I didn't hear you. Um, that was your dad. Um, apparently there was an accident… Amber's in the hospital."

"Oh my God," Haddie's eyes widened with concern. Any previous hurt feelings or grudges she held against her cousin were lost in that second. "What happened?"

"We don't know." Kristina said as she located her car keys and grabbed her purse. "You're in charge until I get back. Um, Max's routine is on the fridge. I probably won't be back in time for breakfast so you'll have to—"

Haddie interrupted her mom. "I'm going with you."

"Sweetie," Kristina began, slightly taken back. "You need to stay here with Max."

"No. She's my cousin. This mess is partly my fault too." She crossed her arms. "I'm going with you."

Kristina sighed, knowing her daughter was as stubborn as she was. "Okay, go get Max. I'll take him to Grandma's house."

Hope you liked it. I promise, the more reviews I get the faster I post chapters. So, please review! :)