A/N: This is the night of the day that Lucas leaves. Dan never had his heart attack!!
Karen paced Lucas's empty room, barren of his spirit. Wrapping her arms tighter around herself, she struggled not to cry.
A soft knock alerted her to someone else's presence. Her dark brown eyes stared at him, wondering why he was here.
"I needed someone to talk to tonight. I just didn't want to be alone," Dan moved into the room.
"Why are you here? Now? After so many years, you're getting divorced. Lucas is gone." Karen collapsed on the bed, burying her face in her hands.
"I don't what I'll do without him……I'm so lost. He was my anchor in the storm that was my life and now he's gone." Karen went into the arms that were open to her.
Through her tear-misted hair, she saw Dan's dark eyes full of…………compassion. "Karen, I know I've never been there for you before. But I need to tell you something."
Pushing back her hair, she looked at him. Her eyes completely focused on him.
"When I was at college, after my foot injury I was going to leave the college and come back to be with you and Lucas. That same night, Deb told me she was pregnant with Nathan." Silence lay between them.
Karen's eyes widened in shock.
"I stayed with Deb, because I felt that I should do right by her. I couldn't make the same mistake twice. I-" was silenced by Karen's fingers.
"What's done is done." Karen said. Leaning back against his chest, she savored the feeling of his strength supporting her.
She let the pain of the last seventeen years wash away, as she released caution and embraced freedom.
"I signed the divorce papers today," was whispered in her hair softly.
"Just for tonight, can you hold me?" Karen looked up at him.
"Sure." Dan followed her into her room. They got underneath the covers and she went into his arms.
"It's almost like it was in high school." Karen whispered as she fell asleep.
Dan stared out the window, at the stars at midnight came and went. Throughout the night, he might have dozed. He held her the whole night, reliving their high school memories. If only he could go back in time and relive it, when he used to be a different person……
My take on the night after Karen and Dan are alone. Minus his heart attack!! Plz R&R. I could be inspired to update.