Thanks for the reviews…so glad you liked that last chapter…and here, because of all your fast response times, is the last chapter :( I'm going to miss this one. And please don't hate me!

Passing Away of Time

If I could, then I would
I'll go wherever you will go
Way up high, or down low
I'll go wherever you will go
(Wherever You Will Go, The Calling)

She knew it was coming; she'd been waiting for it for years now.

She wasn't afraid of death. That had been the one thing that had remained constant throughout the different stages of her illness. She only feared what she would be leaving behind. Of course she wished she could stay, but she had long ago accepted that as just a wish, a pure flight of fancy. This was her fate, her destiny, and she was ready to face it, even if it was coming faster than she had thought it would.

She wouldn't change a moment in her life, all the up and downs had made her who she was, and had given her the friends and family that she had. If she hadn't had her illness she probably wouldn't have gone to work for Grace, and then she wouldn't have meet her soul mate in Jack. If Stanley hadn't gone to jail she wouldn't have become better friends with Will, and if Stanley hadn't cheated and then 'died', she would never have seen Rosie lower her barriers. The children wouldn't have grown so close to her if she hadn't told them about her illness, and they wouldn't have all bonded the way they had in the last few weeks. She could have become cold and bitter if she hadn't been surrounded by those people, and so there was nothing she would trade those years for, not even more time.

It was funny how those years seemed like mere seconds ago, it didn't seem real to think of them as happening such a long time past. She remembered them all like they had only just occurred; she knew that was a good thing.

As the best doctors and surgeons in New York worked to keep her tired heart beating, she found herself contemplating the truth of near death stories. As her mind began to slowly shut down, her body following close behind she marvelled in the knowledge that though she saw no bright light, the most important moments in her life had flashed before her eyes. She knew that she was loved by some of the most amazing people in the world, and would always be remembered by them as the person she truly was, not the masks she would no longer have to use.

With her final breath she didn't see the doctors frantically rushing to stabilise her, she saw her friends and family all together in Will and Grace's apartment and herself in the centre of them all. Right where she always belonged.

: flashback :

Jack paced the small waiting room, artfully avoiding the many limbs of the people sitting scattered around on the small sofas and the floor, he looked to be talking to himself, his eyes red and tears still slipping down his cheeks. No sound was escaping him though as he continued his silent marching.

Rosario sat in a small chair up against one wall. Too distraught, she'd abandoned her knitting what seemed like hours ago, and instead stared blankly into space, her own eyes puffy from the tears she'd been unable to stop.

Stan sat on one of the small sofas, his arms around both of his children, as they each leant against one of his legs. It was his wife in that room, his precious wife, and yet he wasn't allowed in to see her, so he was forced to remain motionless, his eyes boring holes in the emergency room door.

Olivia still shook against her Father's leg, not able and not wanting to hide the sobs that overcame her. She was glad for the comfort of her Father's hand, but she wished that it were Karen's, and it was futile wishes such as that, that kept her from calming down.

Mason was watching his sister, his own thoughts mirroring her own. There were no tears in his eyes, only in his heart. As a teenage boy he wouldn't show his emotions, not yet anyway, instead he tore his gaze from Olivia and looked around the room, avoiding looking at anyone. He couldn't handle their grief; he knew he'd break too.

Will held Grace on his lap, her tears soaking his shirt, as he watched Jack pace the room once more. It had only been mere minutes since they had all arrived, and yet it felt like hours already. It was too soon for something like this, far too soon.

Grace continued to cry silent tears into Will. She knew she should be strong, for Stan for the children, for Jack. But even the thought of them, and what they must be feeling tore at her, and caused more tears to spring into her eyes. They didn't know whether Karen was okay of not, no one had spoken to hem since they'd arrived, and though Rosario had come in with Karen, there had been little she could tell.

Grace looked up from Will's neck, turning herself, and finally starting to bring herself back under control. They didn't know anything yet, but perhaps that was a good thing. Surely Karen must be fine if no Doctors had rushed out to them. They needed something to occupy their minds. Something to do to liven their thoughts of Karen. Looking back at Will, he nodded, knowing her thoughts and agreeing that she had the right idea.

Clearing her throat she drew everyone's attentions to herself, all but Jack's but he did at least cease walking, falling to the floor to stare silently ahead.

"I remember the first day Karen became more than an assistant to me. I had been having problems with Danny, and I guess I was ranting in the office, really working myself up, and suddenly I feel these two hands on my arms. Of course I'd forgotten Karen was even in the room, I mean, she rarely makes any noise when she is, and I believe the new Vogue Spring addition had just come out." Grace paused, her eyes flitting quickly around the room. She could already see their moods lightening, as they all paid rapt attention to her tail, even Jack had become engrossed, leaning forward slightly as he was.

"So anyway, I spin around and there she is, she's just looking at me, actually at me, with this expression that I don't think I've ever seen since on her face, and she pulls me up against her in a quick hug. Before she saunters back to her desk she whispers something that I will always remember. She says that I'm 'far too special to settle for a guy that can upset' me so much. I think I must have stared at her for ages afterwards, until she looks back at me, all innocent and just asks 'what?' It was so surreal, and yet so Karen." Grace stopped again, a smile playing on her lips, she had so many memories like that, where Karen had surprised her with being more kind and insightful than she let on, but she'd had her go, it was someone else's turn to share now. That's how the game worked.

Mason looked around the room, and seeing no one else make a move to speak, he pulled himself up until he was no longer leaning on his father and swallowed past the lump in his throat.

"I guess there were times when I didn't get on with Karen, I mean, she is Karen, but still she has this amazing side that she hardly ever shows, and always at the right moment. I remember this one time, she had to come and pick me up from school. She was annoyed because it was cutting into her shopping time, and of course she'd moaned about that. But when she pulled up in the limo, I guess she must have seen me. I remember I was standing in the middle of a big group of older kids, they were picking on me because of my size, and suddenly out of no where, this high pitched voice screams out that 'no one treats her son like that, and if they have anything to say they can say it to her instead.' When we saw her, she had such a scary look on her face that the whole group ran away from us really quickly. I think that was the first time I'd ever heard her call me her son." Mason stopped talking, and leant once more on his Father's leg, a soft smile on his face as he thought of that moment, and the woman who'd become his Mother whether she'd meant to or not.

Stan stroked the top of his son's head, proud of him for sharing that memory, and even prouder of his wife. She'd never told him about that incident, but then it was Karen, and she'd never been one to talk about her softer side. He wanted to share something now, something only the children had heard before.

"I remember the first time I ever saw Karen. I know lots of people say that about their Wives, but I actually can remember. She was wearing this faded blue jeans and a tight fitting shirt. I guess looking back that outfit seems weird, but then she was only just out of college and didn't have the money she has now to spend on clothes. Still her shirt was tight, so she wasn't all that different. She had her hair all long and with loose curls at the ends. Kind of like yours Grace. And her face was just the most beautiful sight I had ever seen, those deep eyes and rosy lips, I was completely captivated. And then she opened her mouth to order a drink, and this slightly high pitched drawl comes out of her, and I knew I was completely caught. Her voice has gotten higher over the years, have you noticed? I don't suppose you have, you never heard it in its original form, but it was so beautiful then, and though I of course love her voice now, well I think it was one of the worst casualties of all her pill taking. Anyway, I was still married, and would be for another ten years, and this vision was really so young. Still I knew I had to talk to her, so I go over, and offer to buy her a drink. After she'd chewed me out for assuming she couldn't buy her own, and I'd gotten her the drink as an apology, we spent the whole night talking, just talking, until we both had to leave. I never asked for her number, and she never offered it, and we both lived our separate lives until we met again after my divorce, but that first memory I have of her has always been right there at the front of my mind." Stan finally finished, his story told, and his mind viewing that memory over and over again in his head.

There were several moments of silence as they each pictured the young Karen Stan had described. Jack was the next to become fidgety, his mind having been taken, as had been Grace's attention, off of the bleak thoughts of what was happening to Karen. Now his head was filled with all the memories he had of her.

"I think the one time that really sticks out for me, was the day I spent with Karen when she was sober. I didn't know at the time, but some new medication she was on to fight this…disease, reacted badly with alcohol, so she'd had to stop drinking, just until she could get some new pills. Anyway, I was round at the Manse, I think you kids were in school, you were only young, and Stan you were at work I guess. And I'm sitting there in your bedroom, watching Karen finish getting dressed, and I could not place what was different about her. I mean, this was before she really started drinking heavily, so she wasn't going through any major withdrawals, she just seemed different. Anyway, she carries on getting ready, throwing me kisses through the mirror, and suddenly I notice that she doesn't have a drink anywhere around her. I must have looked crazy, my head spinning around looking for her ever present drink, and she laughs at me and asks what's wrong. When I tell her, her smile sort of drops slightly, and she says that she's not drinking for the day. I don't believe her of course, and in the end, we end up in a tickle fight on the bed. I think after that you, Rosie came in with some food, and a movie, and it was pretty much forgotten for the day, but still. Karen has the most amazing laugh when she's sober."

Again a gentle silence fell, but only for a moment before the rough sound of Rosario's voice filled the ears of the others, and they all turned to her as she spoke.

"I remember Miss Karen before the years of drink and pills, and as Mr Stan says, before her voice changed. I remember, this one Christmas, I'd been upset because my Sister had died just before Thanksgiving, and I hadn't been able to see my family, as busy as I was. So I was about to take up her traditional Christmas morning beverage; a hot Irish Coffee, without the coffee, when she comes bouncing down the stairs, all dressed and ready, something she rarely is before eleven, and she holds out this envelope to me, a huge grin on her face. She hadn't mastered her expressions so well then. I look at the note inside the card, and even now I can't believe it. It says 'Christmas is a time for family, you make mine, so I'm giving you yours.' And the next thing I know, my brother-in-law, my other sisters, my nieces and nephews, even my Mother, come pouring through the front door. She refuses to even acknowledge that it happened now. But I still have that card, and a photograph of Miss Karen and my family in your Lounge." In fact she carried the photograph with her in her pocket, it showed all of her family, captured in a single moment in time, never to age, nor leave her, even as their physical forms did.

Olivia smiled as she listened to that tale; she'd heard it before from the Maid, when she'd stumbled across that photograph one day. She'd tried confronting Karen about it, but had been laughed off, and sent running with the threat of being tickled until she made up no more stories. Her Step-Mother had had times when that loving side shone through.

"I guess on of my favourite memories of Karen, when she was actually being nice to me, was when I was seven. I had a ballet recital, and Dad and my other Mom, were all busy with work, so I begged and nagged and annoyed Karen until she eventually agreed to take me and stay and watch. Anyway, I was on stage and I could see her in the audience, a small video camera in her hand, I guess she was filming it for Dad, and everything was going well, until right in the middle of a spin, my ankle gives out, and I fall over. I got up and carried on, like we'd been taught, but I think I was really close to crying I mean it was an important day for me, and I'd made a mistake like that." Even the memory of that moment made Olivia shiver. It still embarrassed her now.

"I passed anyway, and I remember sitting on the edge of the stage watching all the other kids getting congratulated by their Mother's and Father's and I just know that they're all laughing at me, so I drop my head and stare at my feet, hating my weak ankle, when this shadow falls over me. I look up and there's Karen, with this sweet smile and such a look of pride in her eyes, I think I started crying properly. She kneels down in front of me, totally ignoring that her French custom made skirt is getting crumpled and she Hugs me and whispers that she's so proud of me, and that she knows that you would be too Dad. When I disagreed with her; saying that I'd fallen over and messed it all up, she just smiled again and said loudly so everyone could hear, that her daughter didn't mess anything up, that I'd stood tall even when something unexpected had happened, and I'd carried on going, not fallen to pieces, just like any Walker woman should." Olivia stopped, tears of happiness in her eyes, as she remembered that moment in her life. It had been a milestone for her, an important point in her childhood, and she'd loved to remember it on nights when she'd missed her true Mother, after her Father had 'died' and she'd been moved out of her home.

Everyone turned to look at Will, he was, after all the only one who hadn't spoken, but Will couldn't think of anything to say. He didn't know Karen the way the others did, though they were closer now, he'd not had any moments like those currently being shared. He regretted that, but then there was still time, and perhaps just knowing that Karen had this side to her, and that she did share it with those she was close to, was enough for him to fully accept her into his own family of friends.

Knowing he should say something, Will opened his mouth, but was cut off as the doors of Karen's room were opened, and the small army of Doctors exited. They couldn't tell by looking what had happened, and they each stood up, once again anxious to hear the news, waiting for the Doctor in charge to come over to them.

The Head doctor left the room last, shutting the door softly behind him. He looked across the corridor, to the waiting area, and took in a deep breath as he faced seven pairs of questioning eyes. He could feel the love coming from the close group, and he hated what he was about to do. Unfortunately being a Doctor wasn't just about saving lives. Sometimes it was about watching them end too.

: end flashback :

The End

I know now, just quite how
My life and love might still go on
In your heart, in your mind
I'll stay with you for all of time.
If I could, then I would
I'll go wherever you will go
(
Wherever You Will Go, The Calling)


Unfortunately, I'm not really sure about this one…what do you all think? Maybe its because I don't want it to be finished…Anyway, the epilogue is to come after those lovely reviews! Once you've all calmed down of course.