Author's Note: Ever since the season finale I've been wondering what could be the bad news that Lou and Detective Michaels could be bringing. Part of me was afraid that maybe Sarah had been killed in an accident on her way to Florida to vacation with her parents or that Mary had been in an accident on her way to meet the rest of the Camden family for Ruthie's "non- celebration" dinner. However, I'm now leaning toward other theories that I'm exploring here.

Death and Life By: SparksJSH

Lucy stared at the pregnancy test in her shaking hand. It couldn't be a plus sign. How could she and Kevin be pregnant so soon after getting married? She had promised Kevin that she would finish school but could she do that and be a mother at the same time? A tear ran down her cheek. She brushed it away impatiently. She was supposed to meet her family at the pool hall in just a few minutes. She needed time to let the news sink in for herself before she could even think about letting Kevin and the rest of her family know.

She quickly hid all evidence of the pregnancy test and checked her appearance in the mirror. Funny, she didn't look pregnant, but then she had ignorantly thought that you couldn't get pregnant when you were on the Pill. "Stop thinking about it, Luce." She warned herself.

Leaving the garage apartment, Lucy went first to the minivan, expecting her father to be already there. She frowned when she saw that he wasn't. What could be keeping him? Entering the house, she heard the low voices coming from the living room. Sliding open the door, she was surprised to see Lou from the church and Detective Michaels sitting on once couch. The surprise turned to fear when she saw her father sitting in the chair with his head buried in his hands. The way his body was shaking, he had to be crying.

"Dad?"

Eric stiffened at his daughter's voice. He was still reeling in shock from the news he'd received from Lou and Det. Michaels. How could he tell Lucy? Leaning over, Det. Michaels touched his knee and then stood. "Lucy, come in and have a seat."

She shook her head. If Eric couldn't tell her, the news couldn't be good at all. She took a step backward and looked around. For a moment, her concerns about being pregnant were forgotten and she wanted nothing more than to have Kevin's strong arms around her. "I, um, I have to meet Kevin at the pool hall. He's waiting for me. The whole family is waiting there for both Dad and I. Daddy?"

Eric didn't even look up. Her heart pounding wildly, she took another step backward and then another. When she reached the bottom step, she sat down heavily. The tears she'd brushed aside earlier came back in full force as Detective Michaels sat beside her.

"Lucy."

"No, you are about to tell me someone I loved died. There was an accident, wasn't there? Was it Mom? Kevin? One of my brothers or sisters? No, don't tell me; I don't think I can handle it."

"Lucy." Eric knelt in front of her and took his daughter's hands in his own. There was an accident earlier this evening. A lone driver collided head-on with an eighteen-wheeler. The driver of the truck wasn't hurt but the other driver, someone we know and love, was killed instantly."

Lucy rose. Annie, Ruthie, Simon, and the twins had ridden together in the electric minivan to the pool hall. Matt had ridden with Kevin. The only person that could be riding alone was Mary.

"No, it can't be true. No!" Without waiting for her father to confirm her worst fears, Lucy turned and fled up the stairs. A moment later they heard a door, probably the bathroom, slam shut.

Lou came out of the living room. "I called the pool hall and talked to Kevin. I didn't tell him what had happened but I told him that he needed to bring the family home right away. How did Lucy take the news?"

"She ran off before I could finish telling her. I didn't handle that well at all; how can I tell Annie that her..." He started crying again.

Detective Michaels shook his head. "I'm sorry about this, Reverend. If you want, I can stay and tell her. Maybe it would be easier coming from me."

"It's not going to be easy for her to hear no matter who tells her. I'm her husband; I should be the one to tell her."

Lou nodded. "I know what a hard time this is going to be for your family. If there is anything that I or anyone in the church can do, please don't hesitate to ask."

Eric nodded. His family should be home soon, wondering what would have put an end to the family dinner. He had to pull himself together before they came in. "There is one thing, Chandler should be back from New York some time tonight. I know he was anxious to get home to see Roxanne after visiting with his dad. Could you tell him about this and ask him to take on Sunday's sermon for me? I hate to ask but."

Lou held up his hand to stop the preacher. "Stop Eric. I'll call him and I'm sure he'll be glad to help. Right now you're place is with your family. Everyone at the church will understand."

Detective Michaels shook Eric's hand. "We'll both leave now unless you need us to stay. I'm really sorry to have to be the one to tell you but I didn't want it to come from a stranger."

"I appreciate it, both of you."

"Tell Kevin I'll arrange for someone to take his shift tomorrow. I'm sure he'll want and need to be here with Lucy."

As soon as the two men left, Eric looked heavenward. "God? How am I ever going to be able to tell her? Help me."

"ERIC????" Annie came running in the door. Her fear was evident. Matt and Kevin were right behind her, each carrying one of the twins. Simon and Ruthie were next, also looking worried.

Eric pulled Annie into his embrace and for a moment just held her. Then he looked over his shoulder. "Lucy is upstairs in the bathroom. Kevin, you should go check on her. Matt, can you take the kids into the kitchen for a moment and find something for them to eat. I'll be in a moment."

The kids wanted to protest. They knew that something much be very wrong for Eric to have someone pull them away from the pool hall. But they could tell by the look on their father's face that now was not the time to question him. As soon as it was just Annie and Eric, Annie pulled away.

"Kevin said he didn't know what was going on but that Lou from church called and said we should come right home. I was so scared. Is it your heart? Is it Lucy? What's wrong?"

Kissing her forehead, Eric took a deep steadying breath. "Annie, I have some bad news."

********

Kevin knocked lightly on the bathroom door. He could hear Lucy inside sobbing hysterically. "Luce, it's me, Sweetheart. Open the door. Whatever it is, let me help."

The door opened and Lucy threw herself in his arms. Not sure what she needed from him, Kevin simply held her tightly against his body and rubbed her back. She started mumbling incoherently but the only word that Kevin caught was Mary.

"Honey, you have to calm down a little. What about Mary; did you two have a fight?"

Lucy looked up at him but held tight to his shirt. "Lou and Detective Michaels came by; there was a wreck. Mary is dead and its all my fault."

Kevin was shocked. He knew without Lou saying what was wrong that something serious had happened but he never suspected this. "How?"

"I'm the one who convinced her she had to tell Mom and Dad about getting married. She hit an 18-wheeler on the way to the pool hall. She's dead."

"Mary got married?" Kevin couldn't believe what all he was hearing. He knew he was saying the wrong thing but he didn't know what else to say. He knew that Mary and Lucy were as close and he and Ben and he knew how hard it would be to hear that something had happened to his brother. "Honey, you can't blame yourself. It was an accident."

"I should go downstairs." Lucy allowed her husband to lead her down the stairs. Halfway down, she could hear Annie sobbing, almost screaming. Lucy stopped on the landing and buried her head in Kevin's chest once more and cried.

Just then the front door opened and a familiar figure stepped in. "I thought we were meeting at the pool hall."

"Mary?" Lucy looked from her very much alive sister to her distraught parents then to Kevin. All of the turmoil of the day caught up with her and she swayed slightly before passing out. Kevin caught her before she could hit the floor as he also stared at Mary in surprise.

Mary looked from her parents to her sister with a frown. "What's going on?"