Bad Day
McRaider
Summary: Zoë Carter is just having a bad day, and just when she thinks the day can't possibly get worse, it does.
Author's Note: It's been a pretty horrendously crappy week at college (three weeks actually) and it's just now starting to get better. This came out of the need to get out my frustrations and tears as always through those characters who can scream and cry all they want. I don't own them, I just own the ideas. Please review :).

Some days were worse than others, that was one thing Zoë had automatically learned in her young life. She knew the day was starting out bad when her father all but had to physically drag her out of bed after she'd slept through her alarm.

"Get dressed, I've got pop tarts on the table and you're going to be late for school," she could just tell from the sound of his voice that her father wasn't in any better of a mood than she was, and it was only seven thirty.

Her day went down from there; she got to school twenty minutes late for her first class, after a serious lecture from her father about learning how to be prompt and on time once in a while.

She received her biology test back only to find out she'd completely bombed it, and then went off to have to take her Chemistry test in the next class, which she was positive she also failed.

"Why so down?" questioned Kyle one of her friends.

"It's been the day from hell," grumbled Zoë as she eyed Kyle, silently thanking her for the support. She'd been amazed how receptive and friendly everyone had been in Eureka.

The day continued to steadily worsen from there, including a pop quiz in two more of her classes, by lunch Zoë was seriously prepared to call her father and tell him she was calling her own damn sick day and heading home.

However, all of that went down the tube when she sat in her sixth period class, the class was twenty minutes in and going reasonably well when Jo Lupo, her father's deputy walked into the class, with a less than happy look on her face.

"Jo?" Zoë spoke up as she hurried to the front of the class room.

"Come with me," Jo placed a supportive hand on Zoë's back as she led her out of the school and to the car just outside.

"What is it? What happened?" Zoë felt the rising panic in her stomach; sure, she and her dad didn't have the greatest relationship. It had been getting so much better since arriving in Eureka.

"There was an accident at Global Dynamics, your dad…" Jo paused and looked over at the teenager, "Its pretty bad Zoë. But try not to worry, we've got the best Doctor's here."

"What happened Jo?"

They were already half way to the hospital when Jo finally met her eyes for a moment, "There was an explosion, and your dad was trying to help people get out."

Zoë felt tears beginning to fill her eyes as she tried to hide her emotions. She looked down at the hands in her lap, could this day possibly get any worse. They stopped at the hospital; Zoë was out of the car before it had even stopped.

"Zoë!" Allison caught the teenager in a warm embrace, as the girl fought to find her father, "Shh, he's alive sweetie, he just got out of surgery," Allison gently caught Zoë's face in her hands, "The Doctors are in there now, but they promised we could see him as soon as we're done."

"What happened?"

Allison smiled sadly as she steered the girl into a chair, "He was caught in the explosion, the injuries looked worse than they were. He's had a rough day, but he's going to be just fine Zoë."

"I know the feeling," Zoë replied weakly as she dropped into the chair, realizing her day was just going down hill; that meant it eventually had to go back up…right? She felt Allison grip her hand.

Zoë was surprised when a few minutes later Dr. Nathan Stark came out, his right arm in a sling, and his shirt cut from the bicep down. "What happened to you?"

"He tried to play hero in the explosion," grumbled Allison as she stood up and looked at her ex-husband, "How is it?"

"Hurts, I'll be fine," he replied as he sat down on the other side of Zoë, "Any word on Jack?" it was rare, if not absolutely unheard of for Nathan to ever call her dad by his first name.

"Not yet," Zoë replied, even further surprised, when Nathan slipped his good hand in her's. She looked up at him, unsure how to react.

"I don't like him, I don't want him to die either." It was a simple enough statement, but suddenly for Zoë it meant the world to her. She nodded as she bit her lip and continued to stare down at the hands now gripping either adult.

A few moments later a doctor came out, Zoë had to stop herself from bombarding the man with questions, "Zoë, your father is awake, and he'd like to see you."

"Is he okay?"

"He's going to be with us for a couple days and he's going to need to get plenty of rest but I'd say he'll be just fine. Come on I'll take you to his room."

Zoë glanced back at Allison, Stark and Jo who had disappeared until a few moments ago, "Go on sweetie, we'll wait here."

Nodding, Zoë turned back and followed the Doctor into the hospital hallway. As the doctor opened the door, Zoë was taken by a wave of fear as she looked at the prone figure in the bed, a blanket covering him from the waist down, his upper body was covered in bandages, he was pale, and his eyes closed. For a moment she was sure he wasn't breathing, but then she noticed the faint sight of the rising and falling of the chest.

"He was awake a few moments ago, feel free to talk to him for a few minutes, but make sure you both get some rests. I'll leave you two alone," with a supportive squeeze to her shoulder the doctor snuck out the door.

Zoë gripping her arms tightly as she moved towards the bed, looking at the bruised and scratched face. She jumped slightly when the beautiful blue eyes fluttered open; eyes she'd directly inherited from him.

"Hey," he groaned as he shifted slightly, he smiled up at her, his eyes obviously heavy by the way he had to try and force them open.

Zoë bit her lip, unable to find a reply as tears filled her identical eyes, "Hi," came the weak mutter.

Jack smiled and weakly reached out, catching her hand with a total lack of coordination, he tried to pull her close, conveying the message at least as she took a seat beside him, "Been a bad day," he whispered.

"Oh yeah," she cried, allowing the tears to finally fall.

"Come here," he groaned as he gently pulled her down. In seconds she was curled up against his side. "Love you kiddo," he murmured as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Don't ever scare me like that again."

"I'll do my best."

She sighed as she did her best not to hurt her father, and cuddled closer as she sighed, even the worst of days seemed to turn out well in Eureka, she thanked God for her luck this time.

The End