Jessica was now 23 weeks pregnant and having a lazy day. She was lying on the couch at home, watching old episodes of America's Next Top Model, while eating popcorn. Sophia was at kindergarten, Kyle in school and Horatio at work. After a while Jessica sighed and changed the channel. She started watching a show about dogs on Animal Planet instead and the instant the saw one of the puppies her heart melted.
"I want a puppy." She said to herself.
However, she knew Horatio would never agree to get a dog. Not while they still had young children and worked full-time. Horatio had always said that a dog would be perfect when the kids had moved out of the house. A cat was out of the question since Henry was allergic and Jessica and Horatio didn't want a cat to stop him from visiting. Jessica knew she missed having an animal to keep her company during the days. As soon as her family came home she was in the mood to have a cat or a dog anymore. When Jessica got tired of watching TV, she sat out in the sun for a while and then played Monopoly with herself. She won of course. It was at lunch that she was surprised to see Horatio come home. They did have lunch quite a few times a month, but it was almost always at a diner or café. There was something different about Horatio when he came home though, Jessica could see it in her eyes.
"Why do you look so shocked honey? Did the boss force you to take the rest of the day off?" Jessica teased and she hugged her husband.
Horatio smiled and kissed her cheek and then touched her belly gently. He could feel their baby kick. Kyle was convinced it was twins though. Horatio took Jessica's hand in his and led her to the couch.
"Sweetheart, I got a very bad phone call twenty minutes ago." Horatio said, "I only got the call because Irene felt it was safer if I told you what had happened, considering that you're pregnant."
"Irene? Mom called you?" Jessica asked, becoming very worried.
"Yes. Now baby, take a deep breath for me okay." Horatio said.
Jessica took a deep breath and tried to stay as calm as possible. Horatio was still holding her hands.
"Your mom and dad were in a car accident." Horatio said.
Jessica gasped and tears instantly fell from her eyes. Horatio wiped them away and hugged her as tight as the belly would allow him. Jessica sobbed and got his shirt wet. When they parted Horatio caressed her cheek.
"How bad is it?" She asked.
"Irene has a concussion and a broken rib. Your father was taken to surgery. He's not doing very well." Horatio said, "Irene said that he turned the wheel to prevent a collision with a moose. They crashed in to a tree but weren't diving very fast."
"Oh my god." Jessica said.
"And as usual your father wasn't wearing his seat belt." Horatio sighed, "He crashed into the wheel."
Jessica started sobbing again and Horatio hugged her.
"We have to go to Orlando." Jessica said.
"I know. Let's pack some clothes and then we'll go. I'll all Kyle and ask him to take care of Sophia while we're gone."
"Maybe he wants to go with us." Jessica said.
"He probably does. But I think it's better if he stays at home with Sophia. It'll give him something to focus on other than the accident." Horatio said, "Go pack a bag while I call him."
Jessica nodded and stood up.
Less than ten minutes later they were on the road to Orlando. Kyle was shocked to hear that his adopted grandfather was in surgery and that the risk of him dying was big. Kyle agreed with his father that it was probably best for him to stay in Miami with Sophia. Kyle wasn't sure how well he would be able to handle the situation in Orlando and Sophia didn't need to see her family so upset.
"Why didn't he wear his seatbelt?" Jessica asked agitated, "Mom has told him to do it for years. She always warned him that if accidents happened he could die because of it."
"I should have worn it, but what's done is done." Horatio sighed, "After this he will have learned his lesson."
Jessica gave Horatio a small smile. They both knew that Clark might not get a second chance at life. Jessica hated to think about but she wasn't about to deny the fact that her father could die. However, she was more worried about her mother if that happened than herself. Clark was Irene's whole life besides the kids. She would be all alone in their house if he passed away. They were soul mates.
-I-
Irene had never been in an accident before. Never been at the hospital except for when he gave birth to her children or visited Jessica and Horatio after Sophia's birth. Irene feared for the baby inside Jessica. Everybody knew that too much stress could cause a pregnant woman to miscarry. Irene and Clark hadn't seen their daughter since she was 19 weeks pregnant. Henry had been down to see her two week later. The whole family had already planned to have dinner in a week, but it would have to be postponed.
"Mom!" Jessica called as she stepped out of the elevator and saw her mother sitting in a chair.
Irene smiled as she saw her daughter, son-in-law and saw how much bigger Jessica's belly had become.
"Mom, how are you feeling? Do you need anything?" Jessica asked.
"No, no. I'm fine. Sit down sweetheart, you shouldn't be running around serving me." Irene said.
Jessica sat down next to her mother and grabbed her hand. Horatio sat down next to Jessica after giving Irene a hug. It didn't take long before Henry showed up. Henry was quiet and stared at the wall in front of him. Horatio was the one who remained most calm. The surgery took hours and everybody besides the men fell asleep at some point. Jessica was forced to eat by her husband and mother. After six hours a doctor finally showed up. He didn't smile though and that worried everyone.
"How is he?" Jessica asked.
"Well, he's critical and the danger is not over yet. He's stable for now, but we couldn't finish the surgery and repair everything because his body can't that much right now." The doctor sighed, "He's on a respirator right now in room 45."
Jessica and Horatio thanked the doctor as Irene and Henry hurried off to room 45. They stopped in the doorway to take in the sight. Clark was covered in bandages and unconscious. His face was cut up from the glass from the car. Irene sat down next to her husband and grabbed his hand very gently. Everybody else decided to leave to give Irene and Clark some time alone.
-I-
Three hours after the surgery Clark went in to cardiac arrest and then his brain stopped working. Irene was now crying by her husband's bedside. The doctor had told her that the best thing for Clark was to turn the respirator off. He would never wake up. However, the choice wasn't easy. As long as Clark was on the respirator he would be somewhat "alive". His heart would beat and Irene could be with him. If she turned the machines off then he would die. She would have to bury him and never see him again. Never touch his skin.
Henry had reacted agitated to the news of his father's condition. He had taken his anger out on a wall until Horatio had taken him outside for some fresh air. In the end Henry started crying and let go. Jessica cried too. She knew what a difficult decision her mother was facing. If it was Horatio lying in the bed with only a respirator keeping him alive then Jessica would have just as much difficulty deciding what to do. After a while Jessica couldn't handle her mother's tears anymore without being with her, so she opened the door to the room and went inside.
"Mom." Jessica whispered and sat down next to her mother.
"Oh Jessica, what do I do now? The house will be so empty without him." Irene sobbed, "I've been with him for so many years. I can't kill him."
"You're not killing him mom. It was an accident." Jessica said.
"If I turn off the machines then I kill him."
"No, mom. He's already dead. It's only a machine that keeps his lungs filled with air and his heart beating."
"Without the air he will die. His brain may not work but his heart does." Irene said.
"I remember when Horatio told me about a mouse he once had." Jessica said, "He had named it Robin and he loved it. He was only 10 when he had it. Well, after six month Robin was attacked by a cat. He survived but was fatally injured. Horatio didn't take him to a vet because he didn't know where to find one and his parents weren't very fond of the mouse. Anyway, Robin passed away and Horatio sat there and watched him. As he got a little older, Horatio realized that he hadn't even tried to save Robin. But his little brother told him something he will never forget. He said; you didn't save him but you also didn't you put him in more misery."
"He didn't try to save him and by that cause Robin more pain by trying to repair his wounds." Irene said.
"Exactly. Robin was in pain and it was probably for the best that he went to the other side so to speak. He's not in pain anymore. So Horatio may not have saved him, but he sat with him as he passed away and he buried him in the backyard."
"This is a little different." Irene said.
"How? Robin's brain was still working. Dad's isn't. Dad doesn't function anymore. You can't save him mom." Jessica sighed.
"Oh Jessica."
"I'm not trying to convince you to turn off the machines. But I think that the best thing for dad is to let him move on." Jessica said and gave her mother a hug.
Irene nodded and then asked for a moment alone with her husband again. Jessica went outside and told Horatio and Henry that Irene had made up her mind. Irene then went to find a doctor. It was with a heavy heart that she watched her husband flat line. But it made her feel better to know that Clark was no longer in pain and that he could watch over her from now on.
"How are you feeling sweetheart?" Horatio asked as he and Jessica were leaving the hospital to spend the night at Irene and Clark's house.
"I'm okay I guess. It hasn't really sunk in yet." Jessica said, "I guess I haven't realized how difficult it'll be to not have dad around. I'm used to him always being a phone call away."
"I know the feeling sweetheart." Horatio said, remembering his little brother Raymond.
"Does it get any easier Horatio?" Jessica asked.
"Yes and no. Every day that pass makes it easier to get used to not having your loved one around, but it also makes it harder. It's hard because every day is yet another day that you can't share with the one who has died." Horatio sighed sadly.
"If our baby is a boy, we should name him after dad and Raymond." Jessica smiled.
"I would like that very much." Horatio said and gave his wife a kiss.
Please review! R.I.P. Clark Stanley
