Disclaimer: The usual things apply...

A/N: This chapter (and the next one) isthe reason it's taken me months to finish this fic, which is odd, because it's the chapter I saw most clearly from the beginning. And to Mimi, Alyssa & CKS24 - thank you for taking the time to review and letting me know there is someone out there reading this - You're fab!

14...

There's so much I remember about that day, and so much that has blurred to the edges of my mind. I remember the pound of my feet on the hot pavement as I wound myself through the streets of Brooklyn on my morning run. I remember the trickle of sweat that ran down the back of my neck and pooled in between my shoulder blades. I remember glancing up at the spring flowers decorating the stand outside the market, filling the street with their heady scent. I remember wanting to pick up a bouquet for Marie just so I could see her face light up, and I remember the smile that I threw at the shopkeeper as I passed by. Mostly, I remember the heat and the way it felt to be so alive on the first truly warm day of the summer.

I jogged into the apartment and smiled at the sounds of my wife and daughter chatting away over breakfast. Sam was in the middle of telling a story about how she wasn't allowed to join the boys' baseball team at school. One of the nuns had told her that it wasn't appropriate for little girls to play on sports teams with boys. She shook her head and scrunched up that tiny face in indignation and I immediately wanted to step in and fix things for her. But Marie, always the optimist, was already pointing out the bright side of things. She was telling Sam that things weren't so bad, that at least she'd still be able to play with the boys in the neighborhood, and that it was likely she'd be one of the best players on the girls' team. That's when I snuck up from behind, pulling Samantha up into my arms, and adding my proud assurance that she was the best, girls and boy's teams together. She shrieked and giggled, Marie looked up at me with the quiet smile of hers, and for a moment, everything felt perfect.

A little while later, Sam trundled off school, and Marie and I fell into our usual morning routine. I hopped in the shower while she cleared away the morning dishes. I could hear her laughing away over the rush of water as I did my best Gene Kelly impression of "Singing in the Rain." Then, freshly cleaned and steamed, I walked into the kitchen to watch as she put the last of the dishes away. We wasted the rest of the morning talking about Sam and the things going on in our lives. We talked about our parents, my work, and her frustrations with the street fair committee. We debated over whether we should try to take summer vacation and I agreed to put in for some time off. That being settled, I pulled her towards me and drew her into a kiss, which led to...well, other things, but only after she playfully swatted me away with her tea towel. Finally, when the morning wore into afternoon, I pulled on my work clothes and left, casually dropping a kiss her cheek as I headed out the door.

What can I say? It was just another typical day in our lives. We followed the routine we'd built since I'd started working the swing shift at the plant. It was a typical day. Typical, at least until my supervisor came up to me on the floor and told me I had a call. That it sounded important, that I could take it in his office. I stared at him in confusion, surprised by this serious breach of the rules. The one thing all new workers learned was that you didn't get calls while you on the floor. There were no excuses, no exceptions; it was the number one rule. That's why there was always at crush of people at the phone during our coffee breaks. That's why almost everyone around me stopped and stared as he delivered the news.

In my memory, the room that the nurse led me to was silent, still, and dimly lit. Thinking back, I know that it couldn't have been any of those things because it was the emergency room of a large city hospital. The lights were likely bright and harsh, everything loud and chaotic. It must've been that way, but I don't remember any of that. I only remember the nurse's steps as she crossed the room toward that small frame lying in that equally small bed. I remember her urging me forward as I lingered near the door, unsure of what to do. I was so eager to disprove the lie that I was sure the hospital was telling me, but I was hesitant too, because there was a nagging voice inside my head asking 'what if?'. I'd been told what happened but I didn't want to believe it. The person on the other end of the phone had explained it. An accident. Marie had been walking past an alley, a car had pulled out, and the sun had blinded the driver. He didn't see her and his reactions were slow because he'd had a couple of drinks after work. He wasn't legally drunk, and he probably wouldn't have seen her anyway, but.... There had been an accident and I should get to the hospital as soon as possible.

The nurse lifted the sheet, and all my thoughts stilled. There were no prayers after that, no denials, only me moving quickly towards the bed and dropping to my knees at Marie's side. Only me desperately grabbing her hand and searching her face for a glimpse of the woman I loved. There were no tears, no words, nothing I could say or do to make it not real.

Time passed. I don't know how much. Her hands felt too cold, the veins standing out blue against the paleness her skin. Her face seemed the same; only of it lacked the rosy blush that was so familiar. There was no cute dimple gracing her cheek, no smile to light up the room.

Then against the silence, I heard a throat being cleared. The same nurse as before stood at the door, gently suggesting it was time to go. I looked up at her and wanted to scream that I couldn't leave, but the words stuck in my throat. I had to leave. There were things I needed to do, people who needed to be told. Marie's parents. Sam. My God, not Sam... I squeezed Marie's hand one last time, willing strength from her silent form.

It was time to go.