(Note: The words in italics are Karen's thoughts)

Pain. All she knew was pain. Oh God, she was in so much pain. She had no idea where she was, or barely who she was, but she knew pain. It was the only thing she could focus on. How her skin felt like it was being peeled away, and how her head throbbed like the hooves of a thousand galloping horses. It flooded her mind and filled every crack. She would do anything to stop the pain.

I want to be numb. Please let me go numb. I'm sick of this pain. The pain of an abusive marriage, the pain of the pills and alcohol, the pain of my past. I want it gone. Gone!

"Mrs. Walker? Mrs. Walker, can you hear me?" The voice came from somewhere under water. Was she under water?

"Mrs. Walker," said another voice, "do you know where you are? What day is it, can you tell me?"

Days? Yes, there were days! How many days has she felt such pain? It seemed like forever; forever in the fire pit of pain, and it was weighing on her consciousness, on her will to live. The blanket slowly started covering her mind, and she felt her strength lessen, as well as the pain. Her mind smiled. There. The pain is going away.

"We're losing her!" said the underwater voices, their voices panicked.

Don't panic everyone! The pain is going away. I won't have to feel the pain anymore. Please, don't be afraid. I've never felt so peaceful.

The blanket almost covered her whole mind, blocking out more and more of the pain, and she welcomed it. Why did she ever put up with all the shit she got from Stan, and, better yet, the whole world? Why did she force herself through all the pain, when she could have welcomed death, as she was now, to take all her pain away? Why did she do it?

"Get out of my way!!" screamed a new voice. "Don't touch her!! Karen!!"

This voice was somehow clearer, as if closer to the surface of the water. It was so familiar, but she was too focused on her newfound peace to care.

"Karen! Oh my God, Karen! Please, please come back to me! Come back!" The voice was sobbing.

Inside, Karen was still smiling.

Death, death.. come to me. With your kiss, you'll set me free. No more pain and no more sadness. Let me be cast into the waters of eternal happiness, and bask in the glory of eternal life, the scars of pain forever gone!

"Sir, you have to leave! This is no place for visitors; we have a lot of work to do."

"No! I will never leave her! She needs me! Karen! Karen, I love you. I love you so much. More than life, more than air, more than hot gay nerds!! Please, Karebear, wake up. I can't live without you! I won't live if you're not here, by my side… where you belong." The voice was still sobbing, and still very familiar, and the blanket stopped moving.

Who is that crying? Please, don't cry for me. I'm fine! I'm happy; I'm free from my pain! But, oh, you're still sobbing; still calling out my name and telling me you love me. You love me?

Just then, it dawned on her. It was Jack! The love of her life, the reason for her being. He was here, begging her to come back to him, to live. But did she want to live? She was on the doorstep to eternal peace, one step away from happiness. Did she want to go back into the darkness and uncertainty of life? Where she could be hurt at any time, and her past could rear its ugly head at her?

"Karen. Karen Karen Karen.. I love you. I love you." Jack was whispering in her ear, softly blowing at the edges of her mind.

Yes. Yes she did want to live. Because of Jack. There was no doubt in her mind that she'd face a million burning fires of pain if only she could be with him. He was her everything.

Jack.. I'm coming!!

She had to use all her strength to push the blanket off her mind, to swim to the surface to the bright blue sky. Could she do it? Was she strong enough?

"Wait, we've got a pulse!" cried one of the voices. "She's.. she's coming back!"

Her chest started to heave up and down, and her heart started pumping blood, refueling her body with the liquid of life. Her eyes opened, seeing nothing but shadows. Everything was fuzzy, everything out of focus.

"Kare?" said Jack, leaning close to her bruised and bloody face.

Karen mumbled something, her voice too hoarse to be audible. Jack brushed his thumb against her cheek ever so softly, tears of joy running down his face.

"What did you say, my love?"

Karen opened her eyes as wide as she could get them and stared at those powerful baby blues, the bright blue sky of her life. She smiled.

"You're worth it, Jack. You are so, so worth it." She pushed herself up from the bed, her body protesting with searing shots of pain, and kissed her soul mate, the only man who could keep her pain at bay.

FIN

A/N: It's been a very long time, I know, but please forgive me. I'm so happy (yet sad) to have this story done, and who knows? Maybe there'll be a sequel. Thank you all so very much for reading! Please review.