The Deaths Come Marching One By One

Disclaimer: I don't own anything here :)

Summary: A misinterpretation of the phrase "lost the baby". This is the moment that changes Mort's life...This is why he writes horror. This is why Amy left him. Too many deaths...Who's fault is it really? Rating will most likely change.

A/N: More story. Thanks for the reviews guys! ---Jamie

Chapter Five: The Truth

"Come on, Karsch. It was just a kiss. An innocent kiss."

He laughed. "Your tongue in her mouth was innocent?"

Mort sighed in annoyance. "It doesn't matter. It only matters that I won't have the next chapter in by the end of the week. I'm way too busy."

"Busy? With what?"

"Well...let's see...taking care of Carolyn, avoiding Olivia, taking care of Amy-"

"What's wrong with Amy?"

Another annoyed groan. "Nothing, nothing. Just...can you talk to the publishers for me?"

"I'll try. I don't know if they'll listen...but I can try."

"Thanks. I'll call you when I can." Mort hung up and ran his fingers through his hair, looking around, convinced there was something else to do before Amy got home from work. He really was busy...Then he realized he needed to go see Carolyn.

He drove to the hospital hastily, cursing at several red lights. He hurried to Carolyn's room to find her asleep. He pulled a chair next to her bed and ran his fingers through her soft auburn hair. He debated whether to tell her that Amy was pregnant or not. Carolyn looked so tired and absent that Mort regretted waking her up. "Daddy?"

"Hey, baby...How are you doing?"

"Fine...Where's Mommy?"

"She's at work right now."

"Oh...Can she come back later?"

"Sure."

The doctor that Mort had instantly taken an disliking to coughed behind him and his head spun around.

"Sorry to interrupt but I need to speak with you, Mr. Rainey."

Mort got up reluctantly, gave Carolyn a kiss on her forehead, and followed the doctor out of the room. He faced the doctor impatiently. "I'm sorry, Mr. Rainey, but Carolyn seems to only be getting more sick with each day. I'm afraid we'll have to keep her for another week or so and see how she does."

"Do you know what's wrong with her exactly? Or are you just guessing?"

"Well-"

"Cause I'm putting my daughter's life in your hands-"

"No, no, Mr. Rainey. It's not that serious....."

"Yet." Mort went back to Carolyn's room and sat back down heavily. "So...how are you, baby?"

"I'm fine. I said that," she said, smiling weakly.

"Oh. Right."

Carolyn looked at her dad sadly and gave him a hug. Mort held her close, and before resting her head back on the pillows, he had unintentionally pulled her sleeve up to reveal a large bruise on her left arm. Mort stared at it as Carolyn stared down at her covers, knowing he had seen it. "Carolyn...what happened?"

"...It's nothing. I ran around a corner too fast and hit it...."

"Sweetie...are you lying?"

She didn't respond. She looked down at her hands she was fiddling with. She took a sharp breath before her eyes drifted off, apparently trying to remember...or simply, not wanting to. "...I'm sure they were just having fun. They didn't mean to."

Mort looked at her anxiously. "What? Who?"

"Them...the-the kids."

"What kids?"

"The kids at school."

"What did they do?" Mort could see tears coming into his daughter's eyes.

"Nothing...nothing, they just...hit me."

"W-Why?"

"I-I don't know..." She looked back into her dad's eyes again, painfully. "They just do."

Mort couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Why didn't you ever tell us?" Carolyn didn't respond. She just sat there crying quietly until Mort gave her another hug, letting her tears soak his shirt. "Sweetie...you'll be fine. I promise...You can stay here...We can keep you home...You can switch schools...It'll be okay."

"I love you, Daddy...."

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Mort and Amy sat across from eachother eating dinner that night. Mort now had to tell Amy about the kids at Carolyn's school...and he still had to tell Carolyn about her new sibling. He figured both things would have to wait until later.

"How was work today, hun?" Mort asked, avoiding the subject of Carolyn's sickness or Amy's pregnancy at all costs.

Amy shrugged. "Okay, I guess. What did you do?"

"Well...I didn't wake up until about 10...I went to go see Carolyn."

"How is she?"

"Uhm, the bastard doctor said she's gonna have to stay in for another week."

"Oh no, really? I think maybe I'll go see her tomorrow. I'll take a day off...."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'll be taking lots of days off anyway, right?" she said, smiling.

Mort couldn't manage a smile back. He lay awake that night, for the first time wondering what it was going to be like having another baby....He remembered what an unorganized dad he was when Carolyn was a little baby. He didn't want to be like that again....He wanted things to be perfect from now on. Mort thought about it...and realized it was possible for everything to work out, but it was unlikely.

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A/N: Aw I got pretty sad writing this one.... :( ---Jamie