Ok, the dialogue at the beginning is the dialogue from the actual episode "The Unsinkable Mommy Adler". But once Jack hugs Karen and leaves, it's mine from then on. This is my alternate version of what happened to Karen in that episode and goes on from there. This isn't a Jack/Karen btw, just to clear that up. The relationships here are exactly those on the show.

Chapter 1

Ding

"Oh!"

"Oh, that's 15 minutes"

Karen Walker and Jack McFarland walked up to the big desk, centred in the middle of the empty office. Karen in particular had a look of hesitation and fear about her. It was very rare that she'd show any signs of emotion. Grace used to joke about her not feeling anything but Karen felt, oh yes, she felt all right. It was only when you grew close to Karen that you realised just how much she did feel. Jack saw this sometimes but not enough to realise how heavy this situation was playing on her mind and heart. Karen's high voice spoke, wavering slightly.

"Yeah. So, uh, if the stick is blue... we're pregnant."

They both bent down to pick up their test. Jack had done one too of course; he'd do anything to help Karen. The situation would have been almost comical to an audience, but not to Karen. Finally Jack spoke.

"Well, nothing doing on mine. Karen?"

She took one look and stuffed the test in the bin with Jack's and the boxes.

"Oh, nothing here either." She said a little too quickly. "Well, thank god for that. Oh..."

Jack sensed uneasiness about her, but he knew not to interfere with Karen. Little did he know, Karen was begging for him to interfere.

"You ok?" he settled on saying, not to pushy, not too cold.

Karen quickly threw back on her ice-queen façade; the mask that was on the verge of slipping off was pulled back up.

"Ok? Oh, honey, I'm relieved. I can't have a kid right now. We just re-carpeted!" She joked. Jack bared a smile.

"Well, you know, I knew there'd be nothing on mine. I mean, I'm not insane. It's just... Still, I'm a little... Sad." Karen couldn't help feeling sorry for Jack. What would cheer him up?

"Oh, honey. Well, here. Take my platinum. Charge yourself a little happy."

That usually worked. Giving Jack her platinum was like telling a kid they could live in a toyshop.

"No, thanks. I think I'm just gonna hit the gym and work out some of these feelings...in my delts." Karen smiled and turned back to her desk, trying to forget what had and would happen. Jack started to leave but turned around back into the room.

"Uh, don't hate me for doing this, but…" before Karen knew it, Jack had wrapped her in a hug. This little act of comfort was nearly too much for her as she sat on her chair. "I love you." Jack said before letting go an exiting.

She sat there, still for a moment, his words echoing in her ears. Stan would say anything to her to get her into bed but those three words meant more to her then than anything Stan could ever say to her. She loved Stan, of course she did, but what she had with Jack was special. He was her 'poodle'. Karen slowly rose from the upholstered seat and picked up the bin once more. She pulled out the two tests she had dropped in moments before and compared them to each other. A forbidden tear made it's way down Karen's cheek as she suddenly threw the two tests against the wall and let out a cry that was a mixture of frustration, sadness and anger. They hit the wall and bounced back into the middle of Grace's desk, lying on top of some designs. Karen straightened her blouse, wiped her face and took a couple of breaths to regain her composure. She took up her fur coat and handbag and walked out of the door, not looking back.

A few minutes later, back from her disastrous lunch with her mother and Will, Grace walked into the office.

"Karen?" She called, scanning the room. When Karen's high voice could not be heard and her curvaceous figure could not be seen, Grace sighed. Typical, she's gone already! Probably out buying a new island or something she thought. She walked over to her desk, determined to finish Mr Gruber's bathroom design before Wednesday. Scanned her desk for the sheets she needed and gasped as she saw herself staring at the two sticks. One was white. But one was blue.