AN: Brought to you tonight by my three canceled classes this past week. Cheers.

Elizabeth slowly sat up and found the energy within her to stand. "I need to go talk to him. I'll be back," she muttered softly. She made her exit slowly, carrying herself almost in a daze. She knew full well of her surroundings, the situation; but her energy was beginning to drain.

"Jase?" She sighed as she noticed her son—red-faced and tucked against the outside wall. His cries became audible at the sound of her voice. They were loud and heavy cries—choppy and spontaneous.

"Talk to me Jase," She whispered, with barely enough energy herself.

He looked over at his mother, leaning against the doorway, and choked on his tears once more. "It was just a joke," he cried, throwing his head back against the wall, "It-it was just a jok-ke."

"I know, baby," Elizabeth whispered, taking a few steps closer.

"I don't want him… they stopped the bleeding," He wept, "When they stopped the bleeding… he… ev-everything...was ok-ay. And then… I don't want him to die, Mom. I saw him... this morning, and… and—"

"Shhh," She soothed as she knelt in front of him, "None of us want him to die."

".. But what if he does?" Jason took a breath and looked up at his mother.

Elizabeth desperately tried to keep her composure. She looked away and then turned back to him, "I can't think about that, Jase."

Jason threw his head against the wall. He shut his eyes and threw it back once more. "Please, Jase… Stop," Elizabeth softly requested.

There was a shift. She saw it in his eyes. The focused, frozen glare, averted across the hall.

"He'll die—he's going to die! Can't you get it? Can't you see? He's going to die, Mom." Jason looked directly at her, a look of fear washed over his face. He could tell she was trying to hold back the tears. He paused, and his voice became fragile, "That surgery was supposed…"

Elizabeth took hold of her son's hand and began to cry herself, "I know, I know, buddy."

"I…" He gasped for air, "don't want…"

They both wept. As uncomfortable as it was, Elizabeth could not find the Energy to move. She held onto her son's hand and let the tears flow. It was the first time that day she did away with any concern of vulnerability—she didn't have the energy. When all had calmed, Jason looked up.

"Um, Ma'am?" a voice called from behind. Elizabeth turned her head to find Blake lingering to the side. "Ma'am," He looked over at Jason and back to Elizabeth, "I'm sorry for doing this to you right now but, The President is here… He wanted to check—"

"Yeah," Elizabeth said as she let go of Jason's hand, and wiped her eyes. She looked at Jason for confirmation and he silently nodded in response. "Blake?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, Ma'am?"

"Could you give me a hand?"

"Ah, yes, Ma'am," he said as he offered her his hand, stabilizing her as she got up.

"Thank you, Blake," She said with a weak smile. Looking down the hall, she turned to him, "Is he here—"

President Dalton and the Secret Service rounded the corner and made their way down the hall to meet Elizabeth."

"Mr. President," Was all she could manage.

"Bess," He smiled, "How's Henry?"

She paused, and fiddled with her ring, "We're-ah—we're still waiting."

"We're all pulling for him, Bess."

"Thank you Mr. President." She then looked over at Jason and motioned for him to stand. As he did, Conrad pointed at him, "And son, you have an honorable father, the man has so much integrity." At that moment, Jason's lip began to tremble.

"Come here," Conrad motioned to Jason, and Jason gradually walk over, not exactly sure what to make of the request. Conrad took him in for a hug and then looked him in the eye, "You've got to have faith, Jason," His head shook with resolve, "For those you love, you've got to have faith. Got it?

Jason nodded his head in affirmation with a certain air of humorous dismissal on his face.

"I'm sorry, Bess, I should get out of your way. Please, let me know if anything changes," He smiled and pulled her in for a hug.

Elizabeth sighed as she held on to him, she could relax for a moment—feel comforted for a moment. Conrad was there for her—like he always had been. He wasn't just The President or CIA director, they were as close to family as they could.

"Thank you, Mr. President," Her eyes gleamed with a slight smile as she pulled away. He waved goodbye as he walked back down the hall. She simply mouthed 'Thank You' in return.

"Mom?" Jason asked.

"Yeah… baby," She reluctantly to turned around, not wanting to deal with the complexity of questions nor the distressing dialogue.

"... I'm gonna go back in…"

"Yeah, okay, baby," she smiled, "I'll be in shortly."

Elizabeth needed a moment to herself, time to collect her thoughts, and solitude to process. She began to pace gently, down and back the hospital hallway. She had been here many times before with Henry, but her faith was running out on this one. They were simply out of chances. Her mind was stuck. There was something about the future that she traveled back to, as she paced. She tried—She tried to get paced it, though something kept telling her to prepare. The problem was she couldn't—she didn't know how. She didn't know how to guide her children, she didn't know how to say goodbye to him: the man who had protected her—loved her—and had shared with her three beautiful gifts. She couldn't, she wasn't ready—and she never would be.

Her thoughts lost their focus, and more then she ever had that day, she sobbed. She slid down the wall, her cries heavy and painful

She took a breath when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up.

"I thought you might want some water," Stevie offered.

"No-n-no... I'm-I… I'm fine,"

"Mom… You need to drink something," Stevie insisted, "Drink."

"W-when, when did you beco-me the b-b-oss?" She cried.

"Drink," Stevie repeated and she gave her mother the paper cup. When she was done, Elizabeth gave the cup back to her daughter.

"Thank you," She smiled. Stevie wiped her mother's cheeks, stained with tears, and lined with mascara. She hugged her mother, rocking her as her cries calmed.

"Do you want us to stay here? It's getting late." Stevie whispered as she stroked her mother's hair.

"No," Elizabeth said, straightening up to look at her daughter, "No, I want you to go home and get some rest… Bring some of Dad's things, and get some rest."

"You sure?" Elizabeth nodded.

"Mom, we can totally stay here to be with you… Ali and Jason want to st—"

"Please, Stevie, can you please just do this for me?" She started to cry again, "I-I might lose him. And that scares the hell out of me… so please, please…"

"Yeah alright" Stevie hugged her once more, "I'll go get them."

Stevie called Alison and Jason out in the hall.

"Thank you, you guys. I'll call you if anything happens… get some rest, and-ah… pray for him.

One by one they hugged their mother Goodbye, each holding on a little too tight.

As they left, she collected the blankets and settled in for a long night