Disclaimer: I don't own The Nanny


Maggie was twelve. Brighton was eight. Gracie was four. The accident was unexpected. It had been a drunk driver. The driver had rammed Sarah's car and pushed her over the guardrail.

"We're not going to give up," Maggie said firmly.

Brighten agreed. Gracie just sucked her lower lip. Max pulled her into his arms.

"It's going to be alright," he told his daughter.

"It's my fault mommy gotted hurt," Gracie said.

"Gracie," Max said gently stroking her tight curls, "Why would you think that?"

"Acause," Gracie said, "I gotted mad at her the day of the 'cident. I hitted her wif the pillow."

Max sat down placing Gracie in his lap.

"Darling," Max said, "None of this is your fault. Do you think you're the only one who's ever gotten mad at someone who they love?"

"Course not," Gracie said.

She paused.

"Daddy?"

He kissed her forehead.

"What is it darling?"

"Did you ever get mad at mommy?"

"Of course, he has," Brighton said, putting an arm around his baby sister, "People get mad at each other. It doesn't mean they don't love each other."

"But I hurted her wif the pillow," Gracie pointed out.

Max shook his head. He bit the inside of his mouth to keep from laughing.

"Pillows don't hurt," he said, "She didn't feel anything."

"No," Gracie said, "I hurted her feelings!"

The doctor came into the waiting room.

"How is mommy," Gracie asked.

Maggie recognized the doctor wanted to talk to Max alone. She put her arm around Gracie and Brighton and led them to the other side of the room.

Thank you, Max mouthed to her

"She's awake," the doctor told Max, "I should warn you though. She's going to be in a lot of pain for awhile."

"Is there anything you can give her for the pain," Max asked concerned.

"She's on morphine now," the doctor said, "We'll switch her to pills when we get her out of the hospital."

"Thank you," Max said gratefully.

He paused.

"Is she out of the woods yet," he asked.

"She'll need to be cared for, for awhile," the doctor explained, "She'll need to stay here overnight. We have to watch her for any damage, but you can take her home tomorrow barring any complications."

"Can we see her?"

The doctor considered for a moment. Gracie and Brighton were too young to visit. He shrugged.

"Sure," he said.

Max went over to Maggie, Brighton and Gracie.

"Mommy's awake," he told them.

The kids cheered.

"Can we see her," Gracie asked, "I need to pologize for getting mad at her and tell her I love her."

Max ruffled her hair.

"Of course," he said, "She's coming home tomorrow."

"YAY!"

"But she's going to be in a lot of pain for awhile," Max told them gently.

"Can't they help her with that," Maggie asked.

"They're going to give her some strong medicine," Max said, "But it's going to make her act kind of silly."

Gracie giggled.

"Silly is fun," she said.

"Come on," Max said.

He led them into Sarah's room.

"Mommy," Gracie said, hugging her gently, "I'm so sorry I gotted mad at you the day of the cident."

Sarah pulled Gracie up on the bed and into her arms.

"Sweetheart," she said, "It's okay. Just like kids make mistakes, mommies and daddies make mistakes too. I love you baby."

"But you never get mad at me when I make mistakes," Gracie said, "Daddy doesn't either."

"It takes time for people to learn and grow, sweetheart," Max said.

"It's just," Gracie said, "If I hadn'ta gotten mad at you you wouldn'ta gotten hurted."

"Gracie," Max said, "That's not true– what you did had nothing to do with the accident."