A/N: Yeah, so I know I said I wanted this done by Nesting Dolls…obviously that didn't happen. Who knew real life could be such a bitch. Anyways, I can fit this story to work post-ND, I hadn't really gotten into the backstory I was going to use. This chapter is short, but I wanted it to end there. I am going right now to start working on Chapter 4, so hopefully I'll have another update later tonight. Enjoy!
Wiping the tears from her eyes, the tears she didn't want her brother to see, Sara walked back into the hall where she had left Angie and Amy. Despite her despair, she involuntarily smiled when she saw that her niece was wide awake and talking quietly with her grandmother. Sara just stood outside her brother's door and watched Amy play with the hem of her skirt nervously, while Angie spoke with her. The reality of the situation hit her at that moment. 'This little girl is my responsibility now.' To say the least, she was scared senseless.
At that moment, however, she heard a high pitched squeal, and within seconds Amy had her arms locked around Sara's legs. All she could do was laugh, "Hey there, Sweetie. How are you doing?"
The little girl smiled as Sara reached down and picked her up, pulling her into a huge bear hug. She mumbled against Sara's neck, "I'm doing good, Aunt Sara. I miss you all the time."
"Oh, I know, honey, I miss you all the time too." She dislodged the arms from around her neck, and pulled Amy back to look at her better. Brushing a piece of hair out of her face, Sara spoke softly, "Daddy wants to talk to you, okay? You ready to see him?"
The little girl nodded her head just the slightest bit, eyes sparkling because she wanted to see her father. It broke Sara's heart to know that Amy never got the chance to say good bye to her mother, and now had no idea this would be the last time she would speak to her father. They made their way quietly into the room, Sara hugging Amy tightly.
Erich heard the footsteps in his room, and he opened his eyes very slowly. He had never been so exhausted or in so much pain in his life, and he had never been so scared either. But he had one last thing he had to do, and it would be all over after that.
Sara sat down in the chair she had just vacated minutes before, situating Amy onto her lap.
"Daddy?" Amy spoke very quietly, "Daddy, are you awake?"
Erich slowly turned his head to face his daughter. "I am, Doo. And I am so happy to see you."
Amy's smile grew when she heard her father use her favorite nickname for her. It was sort for Doodlebug, something he had called her since the first time he held her. "Are you hurt, Daddy?"
He sighed lightly, not wanting to cause anymore pain, and Sara tightened her arms around the little girl in her lap. "I am hurt, very much, honey." He shifted slightly, away from the girls next to the bed. Addressing Sara, he asked, "Can you set her on the bed?"
She didn't trust her voice, so she just nodded, and whispered lightly in Amy's ear. "Be very careful, okay?" When she nodded in return, Sara helped her kneel on the bed next to her father, and once she was sure the child was safe, she leaned back into the chair.
Erich pulled his daughter to her in a light hug, his fingers stroking through her soft brown waves. When she pulled away to look at him, he began to speak quietly. "Doo, I have something to tell you, and you need to listen, okay?"
Amy nodded, and he continued, "What did Grandma tell you about Mommy?"
"That she went up to heaven to be with the angels." She curled up into his side, wiping a tear that fell down her cheek, and he squeezed her tighter.
"That's right, Amy, and in a little while I'm going to go be with Mommy."
"What about me, Daddy? I wanna go and be with you and Mommy."
"You can't. You're going to stay here, with Aunt Sara, and grow up to be a big girl."
Amy sat up and looked to Sara, who was ignoring the tears falling down her face. "I'm going to live with you, Aunt Sara?"
Sara just nodded, and Amy turned back to her father.
"Yes, you are going to go live with Aunt Sara, in Las Vegas with her. She's gong to take good care of you, honey, and you need to help take care of her. Okay?"
Amy nodded, also ignoring the tears falling from her eyes.
Erich pulled her back into a hug, and for a few minutes the only noise in the room was made by the machines he was hooked up to, and the light sobs coming from his side. Sara watched silently, taking deep breaths to prevent herself from breaking down.
The monotony was broken by a small voice, "Daddy, I don't want you to go."
Erich, ignoring the pain that it took to lift Amy up higher so that he could see her, finally broke down and said between sobs, "I don't want to leave either, Doo. But I have too." The two of them sobbed, until Erich took a deep, painful breath. "Remember what I said, okay? I love you, Doo, so much."
Sara tried as she might to muffle her sobs, but it was no use as the next few moments passed.
"I love you too, Daddy."
Erich closed his eyes, and the heart monitor steadied out to a shrill tone.