"Kate." Mike reaches out and touches a hand to Kate's paper-white cheek, and even though he's expecting it, he's still not prepared for the way her skin still feels warm - not quite alive warm, but not cold either. As though there's still some residual heat left over, warming her, and strengthening her. If it were a book, or a TV show, or a movie, now would be the time when she'd wake up, would see him there and they'd laugh about him watching her sleep once more and geez, you must kind of like me then, hey?
In all the scenarios he's run through his head after the kids were born, he's never allowed himself to consider this. That Kate would be the one to leave first.
"Kate." He repeats, more desperately, and it's all he can do not to seize her shoulders and shake her roughly, to scream or shout or something because just wake up, dammit!
"Dad." A hand on his arms. Green eyes. Kate's, but not. Sasha. "Dad, she's... she's not coming back." Sasha's voice cracks, and still Mike can't believe it.
"No." He shakes his head, refusing to believe it. This is not the end. Kate is... Kate is strong and fierce and loyal and couragious and this is not the way she goes out. "No. Kate!"
The twenty-year-old turns to her older brother for support, eyes wide and fearful. "Ben?" She pleads. For a full ten seconds, Ben stares forwards too. Then, just as Mike has concluded that he will never move, Ben turns to face him.
"Dad." Ben's voice is deeper as he steps forward. He lifts Mike's arm over his shoulder and leads the way out of the morgue, half supporting his father's weight. "Dad, she's gone. She can't hear you."