A/N: I hope those who have already read the first few chapters of this fanfic come back to read more as I post, because we still have a ways to go before this journey is over. This chapter was hard for me to write, as I lost my own father to a heart attack back in January. However, I decided it's necessary for the story I want and that it's best just to get this part over with. I've never had to write a story segment like this, so please bear with me.
The next morning, everyone but Rick was seated at the table for breakfast, when Laura commented, "I'll go see what's keeping Uncle Rick."
Will stood from his chair and announced, "I'll go with you."
They walked to the bedroom and, since Laura was a little ahead of Will, she knocked on the ¾-closed door. "Uncle Rick, breakfast is ready."
No answer came. Will decided to just walk in as he said, "C'mon Dad. Time for breakfast."
Not only was there no answer, but his father was still lying motionless on the bed, prompting Will to realize something was wrong. "No. Dad!" he shouted.
Laura immediately put two fingers on Rick Marshall's wrist to check his pulse, and tried again on the side of his neck. When she felt nothing, tears started to fill her eyes. After her father disappeared, and her Uncle Rick showed up again, he and Laura had bonded over their missing family members and grown closer together. Now, he was gone.
After a few seconds, the pair made the long walk back to the kitchen.
"Is Dad awake yet?" Holly asked as she heard them walking up, "I thought he'd be with you."
Turning toward Will and Laura and seeing their faces, Holly immediately understood. "No," she said before standing and racing toward the bedroom.
"Holly, wait!" Will called after her as he followed close behind.
By the time he arrived, Holly was seated at the edge of the bed, sobbing and pleading, "Daddy, wake up! Please! You can't be gone!"
"Holly-" Will began as he slowly approached his sister, who turned and threw her arms around him. After she'd composed herself a little, she asked tearfully, "It wasn't supposed to be like this, Will. We were going to make it back home and be a family again. Why did this have to happen?"
"I don't know, Holly. I don't know," came the reply.
Brother and sister made their way back into the kitchen, where Jack was mourning his brother as well, along with the rest of the family. Medical examination showed the cause of death was a heart attack, as evidenced by the increased tiredness Marshall had been experiencing, in addition to other symptoms.
The next two weeks for rather unpleasant, particularly as Will, Holly, and Jack had to keep their distance from relatives who would recognize them and wonder why they hadn't aged in 40 years. This wasn't the best time to worry about answering questions. They even had to sit some distance away during the funeral.
After everything had settled down somewhat, Will and Holly were outside taking a walk, reminiscing about their father, talking about things they remembered both before and during their expedition that led to their 5 year adventure. It had been scary when their father was knocked through the time doorway on the day of the earthquake, but with everything he had taught them, as well as the arrival of their uncle Jack, they had made it.
"It's not fair," Holly said through tears.
"I know," Will agreed, "but maybe there's something we can do about it."
Holly looked at him curiously, "What?"
"Remember what Dad said? We might be able to go back and try again. If that portal is still halfway down the waterfall, we could get back, find Enik, and get him to help us one more time," Will explained.
"But how would we do it?" his sister asked, "We'd have to get camping equipment and a raft, find a way to get to the Grand Canyon, and then hope we don't get killed going down the falls."
"At least we'd have a chance to get back to our own time. We don't belong here. We've missed out on so much. At least this way, we'd have a shot at making everything right."
Holly paused for a moment, before reluctantly responding, "I know."
The two began to walk back to the house, neither saying much for a few minutes, before Holly thought of something. "Won't we need Uncle Jack? I don't know much about this, but I think we'd all have to go back for it to work."
This was something Will hadn't considered. "I don't know, but I bet you're right. I guess we should go talk to him."
"You want to do what?!" Jack exclaimed upon hearing their plan, "We finally got out of that place and you want to go back?!"
"We shouldn't be here," Holly pleaded, trying to convince her uncle, "We got back 40 years late, we barely had any time with Dad-"
"and we can't be around anybody else that knows us without them thinking we're ghosts or something," Will interrupted.
After considering this for a few seconds, Jack admitted, "I guess it is strange having a daughter who's a few years older than me."
Everybody had almost forgotten about Laura, who'd been quietly listening until now. "No!" she shouted, "You're not leaving again, Dad! You can't leave again!"
Jack didn't care for the thought himself. "I know, Honey. I don't exactly want to leave you again either, but they're right. We don't belong here. Think about it. Would you prefer me staying here now, after missing 42 years, or take the chance that this'll work and we only miss 2?"
Now crying at the thought of her father going away again, Laura replied, "But what if it doesn't work? What if there's no portal halfway down the waterfall this time? We may have lost a lot of time, but at least we have a chance to be a family again for however much we have left."
Jack finally revealed his true feelings. "You don't understand. I didn't get to see my daughter growing up and getting married or watch my grandchildren grow up, I missed the chance to have more time with your mother, and so much else. On top of that, think of Will and Holly and what they've gone through. If I don't go, they have to stay. Even if they did decide to try it themselves and manage to get back to the right time, I don't know what would happen to me."
Laura began to waver a little. Maybe it would be worth the risk to gain back what had been lost. With a calmer, resilient tone in her voice, she finally relented, "I still don't want to lose you again, but I also understand why you want to do this and don't want you resenting me for the rest of our lives. Go."
"I promise I will get back and be there for you this time around," Jack said as he hugged his daughter.
"I guess it's settled then," he said as he stood again, "We're going back to the Land of the Lost."