Disclaimer: I don't own em
Leland sighed as he rubbed his sore temples. He hated to fight with Karen and to see her all depressed. She hadn't gotten out of bed throughout the weekend. He knew that she wanted to continue the search for Jennifer, the child that was taken from them but he wasn't as strong as she was. He was too afraid of the end result.
He knocked softly on the door to their room.
"Karen," he said coming in, "come on. You need to get up. We have two kids who need you"
The glare she gave him was frightening.
"We have three children Leland," she told him, "and you may give up but I am not giving up"
He raised an eyebrow.
"That's interesting," he said, "because I'm curious… how is lying in bed like this falling apart not giving up"
"How is giving up right," she countered.
"How is this not giving up," he recountered, "you haven't even gotten out of bed in 2 days"
Karen couldn't argue with that.
"Now I want you to get up, get into a shower, get dressed and come downstairs for breakfast"
"Fine," Karen said, "and I want you to not give up"
"I won't give up," Leland said, "if you don't and that means getting up, taking a shower, getting dressed and looking like someone Jennifer would recognize as her mother"
Leland knew that he sounded cruel in saying those words but he wasn't going to let his family fall by the wayside no matter how tired, frustrated or stressed out he was.
In falling apart Karen had actually given him a gift. There was a song called LOST IN LOVE and that song reminded him of the relationship that he and Karen shared. She got out of bed, took a shower, got dressed, brushed her hair and teeth and came down to a home cooked breakfast.
"What's that," she asked him
"Its breakfast," he told her, "I made you a cheese omelet because I know how much you like them"
"You're not giving up," she told him
"I couldn't even if I wanted to," he said, "which I don't. You gave me the best gift you could ever possibly give me. You taught me that when I keep going I will either succeed or fail but when I give up I fail."
"Why would you-"
The doorbell rang.
"Hold on," Leland said, "we'll continue this conversation when I get back"
But they wouldn't. It was Monk at the door with a little girl about 12 years old.
"I think," he said, "that she belongs to you"
"Leland who's at the door," Karen asked
Kneeling down to take his daughter in his arms with one arm and wiping away a tear with another Leland answered, "The greatest gift possible. Bring the boys and come see"