It may be a little while before I get the next chapter out… sorry. Hope this one keeps y'all interested…

Disclaimer: Don't own the characters…

What…? Who…?

Two voices spoke inside his head. First, someone he knew he recognized but couldn't put a name to it, and then his own.

"Think of your family! Think of… your wife and kids!"

"I… I am… R… … Good-bye, S… Son!"

Everything else was black, and he felt as if he was coming out of a drug-induced sleep. His body was sore, but not too bad. James was also tired. Very tired. It felt as if he had just finished a triathlon. (Which he had actually done once before)

He shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs, and get his eyes to start working again. He was able to sit up, but with much difficulty. Finally, after rolling to one side, he pushed himself up, and swung his legs over the side of the cold metal table.

His eyes started to finally let some light in, and everything was out of focus. Blinking a few times helped to clear his vision, but it wasn't perfect. After a few seconds of catching his breath from just sitting up, James looked around the room he was in.

"Wh… where am I?" His voice croaked.

Then he saw movement just ahead of him by the door. A slightly over-weight man was attempting to stand with the help of the wall behind him. A look of surprise and fear was on his face, and James asked his question again. "Where am I?"

The mortician fainted.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The rest of the day at the Possible household was very somber. Anne called each important family member that she could think of, and each one said they would be at the funeral.

Ron was sleeping on the couch downstairs, and Kim was up in her bedroom. It was about one o'clock in the afternoon, but Anne figured she would just let the kids sleep. They certainly needed it. She was in the kitchen paging through a photo album with the radio on low in the background when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hi… Umm… Mrs. Possible?" It was a voice she didn't recognize, but she could tell it was someone who was very nervous.

"Yes…"

"This is the… Middleton Mortuary, and I think I need your… assistance. With something."

"OK. What is it?"

"I think it would be better if you just come over here."

"Can you give me an hour?"

"Y… yah. That would be fine, but if you can come any earlier, that would be great, too."

"OK. We'll get there as soon as we can. Bye."

"See you soon. Bye."

As soon as she hung up the phone, Kim walked into the kitchen yawning. "Who was that Mom?"

"It was the mortician dear. He said he needed me there for something."

"Did he say why? We already officially… identified Daddy."

"He didn't say much else. Would you and Ron be up to going?" Ron had just stepped up behind Kim rubbing the back of his neck, scratching his side, and yawning, all at the same time.

"Go where Mrs. Dr. P.?"

"The mortuary." Kim answered. "Sounds like they need some help with something. Maybe they need more information."

"I told him we could be there in an hour, so you two go get cleaned up, and well go over right away." Kim went to the upstairs bathroom, and Ron took the one downstairs. In less then 15 minutes, both were freshened up, clean, and had on clean clothes.

After dropping the twins at a friend's house, they drove to the mortuary in silence, each with their own thoughts.

Kim's thoughts: I don't know if I can see him again. I know I'll just breakdown and start crying all over again. But I'm so glad Ron is here with me. I still can't believe I thought he could kill Daddy. I love him so much. She looked behind her seat at Ron as he sat there with a blank look on his face. He seems so out of it. It had to be hard to see my Dad fall from that roof.

Ron's thoughts: MAN I hate mortuaries. The only other time I've been to one was when my great-grandfather died when I was, what? 10 yr.'s old? But I need to be strong. I can't let Kim or her mom see that I'm weak. I feel like it's up to me to be strong for them both. The twins will need an older male figure to look up to. I guess I could be that, too.

Anne's thoughts: I still can't believe he's gone. I can still hear his voice in my head, and I can still smell his scent in the house. Every where I go, I'm reminded of him. Every time I look at Kim or the boys, I see his face in theirs. This is going to be hard, but I need to be strong. For the kids. She breathed out hard, and looked over at Kim. Heck, I need to be strong for myself.

Kim saw that her mom was in deep thought, and she placed a hand on her shoulder. "You OK Mom?"

"Yes dear, I'm fine. Well, here we are." The van pulled in to the parking lot of the mortuary, and Anne parked by the front door. There were no other cars in sight.

Ron opened the door for Kim and her Mom, and fell in step behind them, as they all walked inside. It was eerily quiet. So quiet, it felt like a… mortuary. Just as all three sat down, the mortician walked in through the adjacent door.

"Ah yes. You must be the Possibles? My name is Bartholomew. Charles, Bartholomew"

"Yes, we are." Anne said as she rose and gently shook the man's hand. "This is my daughter Kim, and Ron, Kim's boyfriend."

"Yes, we've met before. So nice to see you again." He said, shaking the hands of Ron and Kim.

"What is it you needed our help with?" Kim asked.

"Well, umm… I think it's best if I just show you. Follow me please."

Charles led them through the door he had just opened, and towards the rear of the building. They passed the door that led to the refrigeration room, which Ron recognized. He was about to say something, but then decided not to, and continued to follow the group.

They finally arrived at a door near the end of the hall. Charles placed his hand on the doorknob, and turned to the three that were behind him. "I must warn you, you all may be in for a bit of a shock."

"What do you…?" Anne said, and stopped short after Charles had opened the door. There sat her husband, looking very much alive, sitting at a desk eating a sandwich!

"James?"

"Daddy?"

"Mr. Dr. P.?"

The shock on all three faces was very evident, and the mortician just walked into the room non-chalantly, and sat down on the couch opposite the desk that James was sitting at.

The three rushed around James. Anne was feverishly kissing her husband all over his face while Kim was hugging him tightly. Ron had placed his hand on the man's shoulder, and was shaking his hand vigorously. They all spoke at one.

"Oh James, in my wildest dreams, I never hoped…"

"Daddy? How did you… what happened?"

"Mr. Dr. P., I don't know how this happened, but am I glad to see you!"

James looked at all three, and then finally stopped when his eyes landed on his wife. He swallowed the bite of sandwich he had just taken, and spoke.

"I… recognize you. Y… you're my w… wife? Anne?"

"Yes James, it's me." She said, taking one of his hands in hers.

"You two," He then said looking at Kim and Ron. "I don't recognize either of you… Who are you?"

To be continued…

Sorry my chapters have gotten a bit shorter. I hope I'm not missing anything important… I like my chapters to be at least over 1000 words…