A/N: To LexieLou-yes, I'm planning on having a chapter where little Sammie gets into an argument with her Papa over something (I have an idea what it will be, but it's not very solid in my mind yet). That won't be for a few chapters though.

Warning-The story takes another ugly turn in this chapter. It will affect the direction of the rest of the story, probably even more so than in the early chapters where Kayla's relationship with her parents changed after Art. Not to say that that won't pop up again-it will. I don't want to give too much away, so read on…

If Kayla heard one more cough, sneeze, or sniffle, she swore to anyone who would listen, she was going to snap like a twig.

It had started two weeks earlier with Jesse waking up with what Kayla thought was just a cold. He was coughing just enough that it was keeping him awake. She'd given him some infant Tylenol, cuddled him a little, then ended up falling asleep in the rocking chair with him. Three hours later, Samantha had woken up screaming.

This time, after placing a sleeping Jesse back down in his crib, Todd had been the first to respond. He was getting ready to leave for work, and was holding a distressed Samantha in his lap. She was red in the face, though whether that was from screaming or from illness Kayla couldn't tell. Samantha had been sniffling all week, but clearly the sniffles had turned into something worse. Todd diagnosed her with an ear infection, took her temperature, and gave Samantha strict instructions to stay in bed and let Mommy take care of her for the day.

Then, an hour after Todd had left, Jesse woke up screaming the same way. So the tone of Kayla's week was set. Two crying, sick kids and hoping and praying that she didn't get sick too.

The third day of both kids being sick was Saturday. The two kids were getting better, but Kayla was feeling rundown and irritable. Samantha had been awake until four in the morning, Jesse until five. Todd had a rare Saturday off and had stayed up to help with the sick kids.

Kayla had no idea it was ten in the morning when she felt herself shaken awake. She was on the couch, having been too tired to make what felt like the hike back to her bedroom after putting Jesse down to sleep. She jumped a little, then relaxed when she saw it was just her mother and father.

"Hey, sweetie. Sorry, we didn't mean to scare you." Jess said. "We were knocking and no one was answering, but your cars are both out there. Are you guys okay?"

"Yeah." Kayla said, sitting up. "We were up late with the kids."

"Are they still sick?"

"Yeah. They're getting better, but not fast enough." Kayla grumbled. "What time is it?"

"It's about ten in the morning." Jess said. "How long have you been asleep?"

"Since about six."

"We came to see if you wanted to go with us to get Mary." Jess said.

"Get Mary?" Kayla asked, until she remembered. Mary was coming home for the summer after her first year of college. "Ugh, that's probably not a good idea."

Jess whispered something in Sam's ear, who nodded in agreement. "Honey, do you want me to stay today? Help you take care of the kids so you and Todd can get some rest? You look exhausted."

"What about Mary?"

"She's a big girl. She'll understand." Jess said.

"No, Mom. Go get her. She's probably real excited to be coming home to tell you about school. I know I was." Kayla prodded. "I'll be okay. Todd's off today so he'll be here for backup. Tell Mary I'll see her later tonight."

"Okay, honey. I will. You lay down and take a nap."

"A what?"

"You heard what I said. A nap." Jess took a blanket and held it open to wrap over Kayla. "Come on, now. I mean it. Lay down."

"Mom…"

"Just because you're an adult doesn't mean I can't treat you like my kid. Lay down."

"Yes, ma'am." Kayla gave in and laid back down. "Oh, wow, that feels amazing."

"Get some sleep."

"Mom? Dad?" Kayla said. "Can I ask for something that might seem, maybe, a little weird?"

"What, honey?" Sam asked.

"Are you in a big hurry to go get Mary?"

"What do you need?" Jess pressed.

"Will you stay till I go to sleep?" Kayla asked. "Like you used to when I was little?"

Kayla had no idea where the request had come from. She was in her mid twenties and had not been tucked in since she was thirteen. Her parents were just as surprised. They looked at each other and shrugged, then smiled and both sat down on the edge of the couch next to Kayla. Jess stroked Kayla's hair as Sam held her hand.

"Go to sleep, Kay. We love you."

"Love you too, Mommy."

"Kay. Wake up, honey."

"Wha…?" Kayla sleepily stirred awake. "No. Five more minutes, Dad."

Normally Todd would've found Kayla mistaking him for her father funny, but not this time. Todd was barely swallowing back panic at the mere thought of his phone call with Dean, and he could only imagine what would be going through Kayla's head once he told her.

"Kay, come on. You need to wake up."

"Todd?" Kayla asked. "What's wrong? Are the kids okay?"

"The kids are fine. Listen, sit up and drink this."

Kayla sat up and took the cup out of Todd's hands. "What is it?"

"Coffee."

Kayla finally noticed that Todd wasn't waking her up just to wake her up. He looked panicked. "What's wrong?"

"Dean just called me. You and I have to get to the hospital. Now."

"Why? Dean's in remission." Kayla said, panicked. "Why's he at the hospital?"

"It's not Dean, baby." Todd said. "Mary and your parents were in a bad wreck."

"What? Are they okay?"

Kayla nodded. "Okay. Yeah. Um, let's call your parents and take the kids there…"

"Already taken care of. They'll be here in twenty minutes. My mom said they're ready to stay here for three days, and if it's any longer than that, they'll take the kids to their house."

"Okay. Okay."

"Hey. Come here." Todd pulled Kayla into a tight hug and could feel her shaking underneath him. "You can't panic yet. We don't know anything. Just try to stay calm until we get there and find out what's going on."

Kayla nodded. "Yeah. I know you're right. I'm just scared."

"I know, babe. I know. I promise you, though, I'll be right there the whole time."

"Where was the accident?"

Todd swallowed. "They were almost home. It happened on Glen Road."

"That's only five miles away."

"I know. Apparently, Mary wanted to see you so your Dad took a detour and was on his way here. He lost control of his car and slid off the bridge onto the highway below."

"Oh…"

"Mommy?"

Kayla looked in the hallway, where a sleepy Samantha was standing and holding her teddy bear in her arms. As Samantha wiped sleep from her eyes, Kayla tried to replace the worried look in her eyes with her best 'everything's okay' look.

"Hey, baby. You feeling any better?"

"Yeah. My ear not hurt no more." Samantha said. "But I still feels yucky."

"You'll be better in a few days. As long as your ear doesn't hurt anymore it means you're getting better." Todd explained. "Come here, baby girl."

"Mommy, why you crying?" Samantha asked after crawling into Kayla's lap. "You sick too?"

"No, honey, I'm not sick." Kayla said. She kissed the top of Samantha's head and smoothed her hair, as much to soothe herself as to soothe Samantha. "I'm not sick."

"Why you crying?" Samantha repeated. She reached over and wiped some of the tears off her mother's face, making Kayla cry want to cry even more. "You sad?"

"I guess I am a little sad. But I'm more scared. Nana and Papa and Mamie got hurt a little while ago, sweetie."

"Hurt? Is they okay?"

"I don't know. Daddy and I are going to check on them in a few minutes."

"I go too?"

"No. We need you to stay here with Grammy and Pop-pop."

"I wanna go see Papa." Samantha pouted. "Pease, Mommy?"

"Sammie, now is not the time for this." Todd reprimanded gently.

"Sammie, listen to me. Okay? Can you put your listening ears on?"

Samantha grabbed the lobes of her ears and promised, "Listenin', Mommy."

Kayla could swear she'd felt something pinch her heart. Jess had taught that gesture to Kayla, who passed it down to Mary, who had passed it down to Samantha. The thought crossed Kayla's mind that she may never see it from Mary again, and she had to shut it down. She couldn't think that way and still function like she needed to.

"The best way you can help Mommy right now is to stay with Grammy and Pop-pop and be really good for them. Can you do that for me? Please?"

"I can do that."

"Thank you, my sweet girl. And help Grammy with Jesse, okay?"

"I got it, Mommy." Samantha promised. "You want huggies?"

"I think I need them."

"If I give you a bunches, will you give them to Nana and Papa and Mamie?"

"That sounds like a great idea." Kayla said. "Let's see how many you can give me before Grammy gets here."

The answer was twenty. Samantha would open up her arms as wide as they would go, wrap them around her mom's neck, and squeeze. By the time Steve and Tara pulled up, Kayla found herself actually laughing. The feeling was strange. She was laughing, even with the deep pit she felt forming in her heart. One she hoped wouldn't be there by the time they got to the hospital.

Everything's okay. It has to be.

"Gwammy!"

Samantha jumped off her mother's lap and ran to her grandmother, her worries about Jess and Sam and Mary behind her for the moment. Jesse woke up in his room crying, and Steve volunteered to go get him. Samantha followed him, and a shaky Kayla finally turned to Tara.

"Thanks for watching them. We'll be back soon…"

"No you won't." Tara said. She took Kayla's hand and said forcefully, but with all the compassion she could give, "I've got the children."

"I know, but…"

"No buts. You go take care of your parents and your sister. I. Have got. The children. As long as it takes, no matter how long it might take. You can't focus on them and on your folks and sister right now. That's too much for anyone. I will take care of them. Understand?"

A relieved Kayla nodded. "Yes. Thank you, Tara."

"You don't to thank me for this, sweetheart. But you're welcome." Tara said. "And if you need to talk, call me. Okay? Day or night."

"I will."

"You guys go on." Tara said. "Kiss the kids and go on."

Kayla said goodbye to both kids and got into the car. Todd insisted that he drive, and Kayla didn't argue. The journey to the hospital seemed to take hours. Todd tried to distract Kayla by taking her hand and talking to her, but Kayla was simply too afraid to be distracted. Various memories flowed through her head. Bringing Mary home from the hospital. Sitting with Sam in the hospital after she'd broken her arm. Sitting in Jess's lap as a little girl as Jess brushed her hair. Finally, the hospital came into view, and Kayla barely waited for Todd to turn the car off before running into the emergency room.

Dean was sitting there, his knee bouncing up and down anxiously. He'd been waiting for Kayla but dreading when she would actually arrive. The doctor had come out fifteen minutes earlier and given Dean the worst news he'd ever had. And that was a lot for him. The doctor had offered to break the news to Kayla, but Dean declined. As much as he hated the duty, it was his duty, and he would have to do it.

"Uncle Dean."

Dean stood up and saw Kayla racing towards him. It was only after he stood that he realized he'd been crying, and he wiped his face to try and stop Kayla from seeing it.

It didn't work.

"What's wrong?"

"Sit down, kiddo."

"I don't want to sit. What's wrong?" Kayla insisted. "Where is everyone?"

"Your dad's being checked out. He's got a nasty concussion and a broken leg, some cuts and bruises."

"Mom? Mary?"

Dean swallowed hard, and shared a look with Todd, who immediately seemed to sense what was coming and wrapped an arm around Kayla's shoulder.

"Uncle Dean, where are they?"

"The car flew off the bridge onto the highway, kiddo. Your dad was going almost seventy."

"Just tell me!" Kayla said impatiently, though she was fairly certain now that she didn't want to know.

"They're gone, Kayla." Dean said, and another tear slipped out. "Your mom and Mary were dead when the paramedics got there."