Thanks so much for all the great reviews! And yes, I know what you all want to happen. But as Brianna stated in her review, it's not possible. I hope you don't hate me, but that's just the way the story pulled me. I'm letting it write itself.
And as always, I don't own anything, not even the computer I'm using to write these fantastic stories…
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Sara awoke to the sound of a phone ringing. It was Nick's cell phone. It was playing the Maple Leaf Drag. She raised her head off of chest and reached over to the bedside table where his phone was still ringing.
"Hello?" she answered softly, quietly climbing out of bed, and walking out of the room and down the hall so she wouldn't wake Nick.
"Sara? It's Brass. I'm at the hospital. Is Nick with you?"
"Yeah, he's sleeping" Sara said quietly as she sat down at the kitchen table.
"I can call back later-"
"No" Sara said quickly. "No, just tell me. Please."
There was a long pause on the other end of the phone, and Sara already knew what he was going to tell her.
"I'm sorry." Another pause. "Just tell Nick that I'm sorry."
Sara let the phone fall from her hands and land with a clatter on the tile floor. She brought her hands to her face, and allowed the tears to spill from her eyes.
"Sara?"
Nick's voice silenced her. He was standing a few feet away from her, holding his cell phone. He wore a concerned look on his face.
"What?" He asked again.
Sara stood up and walked over to him. She couldn't keep her chin from quivering as she spoke. "It was Brass. He was at the hospital." She choked back another sob. "I'm so sorry."
~~$~@~$~~
I'll always remember
It was late afternoon
It lasted forever
And ended so soon
You were all by yourself
Staring up at a dark grey sky
I was changed
~~$~@~$~~
They stood there in the kitchen holding each other for what seemed like forever. They took turns crying and yelling. Soon they found their way back to bed, and laid there, holding each other some more, hoping it would all just go away; the pain, suffering, hurt, sadness, anger, and the emptiness.
~~$~@~$~~
In places no one will
find
All your feelings so deep inside
Was there that I realized
That forever was in your eyes
The moment I saw you cry
The moment i saw you cry
~~$~@~$~~
Nearly two hours later the couple had pulled themselves out of bed, cleaned up, and were headed into Desert Palm Hospital to meet up with Brass, and the doctor who delivered the baby. They sat, waiting, in two hard plastic chairs, watching the world pass them by. Mothers with newborn babies, fathers rejoicing after hearing the news that their child will be okay, families huddled together in chairs similar to their own. They saw everything, but didn't really notice any of it.
~~$~@~$~~
It was late in September
And I've seen you before(and you were)
You were always the cold one
But I was never that sure
You were all by yourself
Staring up at a dark grey sky
I was changed
~~$~@~$~~
"Nick. Sara." Brass said their names quietly as he walked up to them with a doctor trailing behind.
They both stood, Nick still clinging to Sara's hand. Sara not minding at all.
"This is Doctor Andrew Meyer. He delivered your baby." Brass informed them. "I'll let him fill you in on everything"
"Thanks Jim." Sara said, giving him a small smile.
Brass offered up a comforting smile to the couple then turned and headed back down the hallway.
"I take it you are Nick Stokes? The father of Monica Gruber's child?" Doctor Meyer asked.
Nick nodded.
"I'm sorry about your loss."
~~$~@~$~~
In places no one will
find
All your feelings so deep inside (deep inside)
It was there that I realized
That forever was in your eyes
The moment I saw you cry
~~$~@~$~~
"We delivered the child through C-Section, but the child was already dead. I'm sorry but there was nothing we could do. Ms. Gruber had been dead for far too long for the baby to survive. I'm sorry, but we did all that was possible." Dr. Meyer explained.
"I understand" Nick said sadly. "Can we... uh… Can we see her?"
"The baby?" Dr. Meyer asked, shocked.
"Yes."
"Are you sure? I mean-"
"We're sure, Doctor." Sara spoke up.
"All right. Follow me."
~~$~@~$~~
I wanted to hold you
I wanted to make it go away
I wanted to know you
I wanted to make your everything...all right
I'll always remember
It was late afternoon
In places no one will find
~~$~@~$~~
Nick and Sara followed Dr. Meyer hand in hand down a hallway, up a flight of stairs, and then down another hallway until they came to a small operating room. There were two beds. One bed carried the lifeless body of Monica, which was covered up with a sheet. And the other had a smaller sheet, under which laid the lifeless body of Nick's baby girl.
"I would strongly advice not uncovering the child. She was very underdeveloped for being nearly eight months old. We're pretty sure that Ms. Gruber wasn't staying healthy for her baby, and that's one of the reasons. The baby was also cut pretty bad by Ms. Gruber's attacker." Dr. Meyer said sadly.
"Oh my God!" Sara gasped, burying her face in Nick's chest as he wrapped his arms around her.
"Thank you" Nick whispered.
"One more thing, Mr. Stokes."
"Yeah?"
"Would you like to name your daughter?"
~~$~@~$~~
In places no one will
find
All your feelings so deep inside
(forever was in your eyes)
It was there that I realized
That forever was in your eyes
The moment I saw you cry
~~$~@~$~~
"What?" Nick asked.
"Your daughter. Would you like to name her?" Dr. Meyer repeated.
Nick looked down at Sara, and then back to the doctor. "Yes."
"Do you have a name, or do you need a few minutes to discuss it?"
Nick looked back down at Sara as if asking for help. "We have one." Nick said.
"Well, I can write it down now on her chart" Dr. Meyer said, reaching for the clipboard that was hooked onto the end of the bed that the child was laying on.
"Brianna" Sara said, spelling it for the doctor. "Brianna Elizabeth Stokes."
~~$~@~$~~
Baby. cry
The moment that i saw you cry
Oh no no
I think I saw you cry
The moment I saw you cry
(fade out)
I wanted to know you
I wanted to know you
I wanted to know you
~~$~@~$~~
"Rest in peace, Brianna Elizabeth" Doctor Meyer said, laying a hand on the bed next to her body. "I will give you two a moment alone with her. When you're done, just come out to the nurses' station and sign these papers so we can release the body for burial. Again, I'm so sorry about your loss."
"Thank you, Dr. Meyer." Nick said, shaking his hand.
After Dr. Meyer left, Nick pulled a chair up to the bed, and sat down, pulling Sara onto his lap. He laced his fingers through hers and laid their joined hands in her lap. Nick laid his other hand on Brianna's bed.
"Hey kiddo" Nick said softly.
Sara choked back a sob, causing Nick to squeeze her hand slightly.
"I know you haven't heard much from me, but I'm your daddy." Nick voice seemed calm to the naked ear, but Sara knew he was dying inside.
"And this wonderful lady sitting with me is your mommy."
Sara lost it when she heard Nick's words. She covered her face with her hands and began sobbing. Nick rubbed her back gently and soothingly.
"Sara-"
"I can't do this Nick. She's not my baby. I'm not her mother."
"You were going to be" he said in a comforting voice.
"Nick-" Sara leaned down and laid her head on Nick's shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"I'm really gonna miss you kiddo." Nick said to Brianna. "But some day I'll see you again up in heaven. Save a spot for us, okay?"
Sara stood up, pulling Nick with her. They joined hands once more, and glanced down at the sheet-covered infant. "We love you" she whispered. She brought two fingers to her lips, kissed them, then reached down and placed them on the part of the sheet that covered the baby's head.
Nick repeated her action then the two walked hand in hand out to the nurse's station. Nick signed the papers and filled out all the information about where the funeral would be, telling the nurse that he would make the plans later.
This time it was Nick who drove home, and led Sara inside. The immediately went into their bedroom and cuddled up together on the bed, holding each other and whispering comforting and soothing words.
Sara cried herself to sleep less than an hour after they arrived home. Nick watched her for a few minutes, realizing how much he loved her, and needed her in his life. He wanted to stay awake for her, but soon sleep consumed him as well. They slept for nearly eight hours, wrapped in the warmth of each others arms.
~~$~@~$~~
TBC
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The song from the last chapter was "Only Hope" by Mandy Moore, and in this chapter I used "Cry", which was also by Mandy Moore. Both songs were used in the movie, A Walk to Remember.
Sorry this chapter was short, but it was one of those loaded ones. Sorry for making everyone cry so much! I hope you still like it! Please hit that little button and let me know what you think!