A/N: hey everyone. i know i just updated this story, but so many new ideas have been coming to my head as to where to go with this.

A/N 2: only eight more chapts. to go before this story's over. sad, i know.

A/N 3: I'M STILL ACCEPTING ANONYMOUS REVIEWERS, so don't be afraid to review!

CHAPTER TWENTY
(chapter title - Without You)

A month had flown by and things were discovered - Mark Davis caught a cold two weeks before Halloween and in those two weeks, he was growing weaker and weaker. The cold had taken hold of his immune system. Both Roger and Kaitlin knew that no amount of hope, praying or faith could heal their little boy. Sara and Ally were scared and upset - they didn't know what was going on with their little brother. He would just cry, scream and fuss from his crib in the nursery.

One night, Roger and Kaitlin were at the hospital, taking turns holding Mark, who seemed weaker than normal that night. The doctor said that Mark wouldn't live much longer, so it was important that he was surrounded by people who loved him.

"Kait, he's fussing again." Roger whispered, handing Mark to Kaitlin. She wiped her eyes of tears and sleep as she took her son in her arms.

"Shh. It's okay little one. Mommy's here." Kaitlin soothed her baby boy. He kept screaming. That's when Kaitlin got an idea. Placing Mark in her arms so that he faced her, she started to sing softly.

"Without you, the ground thaws, the rain falls, the grass grows.
Without you, the seeds root, the flowers bloom,
The children play. The stars gleam, the poets dream,
The eagles fly, without you.
The earth turns, the sun burns, but I die without you.
Without you, the breeze warms, the girl smiles,
The cloud moves.
Without you, the tides change, the boys run, the oceans crash.
The crowds roar, the days soar, the babies cry, without you.
The moon glows, the river flows, but I die, without you."

Kaitlin's singing perked Roger's curiosity. Setting his magazine down, he walked over and stood next to Kaitlin.

"The world revives." Roger sang.

"Colors renew." Kaitlin crooned. She felt Mark get lighter and lighter in her arms.

"But I know blue, only blue, lonely blue, within me blue." the two of them crooned.

"Without you. Without you the hand gropes,
The ear hears, the pulse beats." Kaitlin sang, feeling the sting of tears in her eyes.

"Without you, the eyes gaze,
The legs walk, the lungs breathe.
The mind churns." Roger felt tears run down his cheeks.

"The mind churns." Kaitlin sang, choking back tears.

"The heart yearns." Roger choked out, looking at Mark's heart rate monitor.

"The heart yearns." Kaitlin echoed, sobbing. She and Roger knew that Mark didn't have long to live.

"The tears dry, without you.
Life goes on, but I'm gone.
'Cause I die, without you." the parents sang to their dying son.

"Without you." Kaitlin choked out just above a whisper.

"Without you." Roger echoed, kissing the top of Mark's head.

"Without you." the two of them sang. Looking at the straight line on Mark's heart monitor, they knew that he was gone forever. The room was silent except for Roger and Kaitlin's sobs and the constant beep of the heart monitor.

"H-h-he c-c-c-can't b-b-b-b-be g-g-g-gone c-c-c-c-can h-h-h-he?" Kaitlin sobbed into Roger's shirt. Roger nodded his head sadly as he put an arm around Kaitlin's shoulders. He couldn't believe that another person he loved was gone from his life forever and there was nothing he could do to bring Mark or the others back.

A/N 4: don't own the lyrics to Without You. belongs to respected owner. 'nuff said.