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Chapter VI: Seasons of the Heart

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Thanks for the review. Sorry for the delay, been working 14 hours a day lately. Sorry cause this is crap.

Thanks to Liv, Charliee, Gemma and Karola for your support. Love you really!

*

Sheridan. Sophie Sheridan. Sheridan. Sophie Sheridan.

The words were still echoing in Rosie´s head as her mouth fell open and she shook her head. It wasn´t possible. It just wasn´t.

"It was a car accident. She came in dead"

"C-can we see her? We are her family, too…"

The young woman was first shocked at the situation, and finally mumbled.

"I´m sorry, we had her registered as a donor, and as she´s not underage we didn´t need the family´s signature so she´s on the surgery room already. We need to start as soon as possible to save your wife…"

Sam and Rosie looked at each other, neither of them saying a word.

"Did she suffer?"

"No, it was almost instant. Her spine was broken"

"Her spine?"

"Yes, she would have been a handicap if she survived"

He nodded and ran his hand through his hair, certainly overwhelmed. There was nothing else to be said.

"I´m sorry. We´ll keep you informed about Mrs. Carmichael condition"

"Please. Thank you"

Tanya rushed into the room when the nurse walked out, and seeing Sam plunging into the coach she knew no words were needed. He had just been stabbed to the very soul. Sitting next to him she gently wrapped an arm around his shaking shoulder. He was fighting hard the tears, but the blow had an earth-moving strength.

"How am I going to tell her this? How am I going to tell her she´s living with Sophie´s heart? Her own daughter´s heart?"

"You don´t…" Rosie started, sitting at the other side of the sofa.

"You don´t have to tell her"

"What?!" he exclaimed, looking confused, the thought of lying to her precious wife never crossing his mind.

"We can tell her we don´t know who the donor is. She will never know"

"She will never know…" he whispered back, burying his head in his hands "She… will… never… know"

And there wasn´t more. Despite the fact they got a new heart for Donna they couldn´t cheer and celebrate it, not knowing how to understand that unbelievably cruel fate´s sense of humour.

An hour later, Rosie offered to take a sleeping Azaria back to the Villa and left, after getting the promise they´ll keep her updated and ensuring them she would sleep with an ear on the phone.

Darkness.

Silence.

As Sam had complained of a headache and asked the light off, the room was barely lit. He buried his body on the sofa as much as his mind was buried in despair. Sophie was gone. Donna wasn´t back. So when the nurse slowly pushed the door open, an otherworldly lightness washed over them. A message from beyond the tomb. Someone unexpectedly coming back to the world.

"She´s doing very well. She´ll be here soon" the short woman announced with a smile and walked away again.

With a deep sigh of relief, he smiled in silence. No word would have done justice to the depth of his feelings. There was none.

After the relief first stole a smile from her face, the brunette fixed her gaze on her friend´s husband and started playing nervously with her necklace. It was agony. She called. But Rosie didn´t pick up her phone, probably soothing a crying Azaria. She left a voice message and put her phone aside.

Biting her lower lip, Tanya walked to sit beside Sam and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. She knew she was going to slap hard across his face, but there was no times for reveries. She was shaken deep inside, but she was also the most cold-minded one, not because she didn´t have feelings, but because she had perspective over them. In moments like this, Rosie was more the non-rational emotional mess. And that is why also, she usually hit the answer first.

"What are you going to tell her, honey?"

Sam groaned and buried his face in his hands. He couldn´t do it. Neither tell Donna the truth or lie to her. Tanya could read this, and she wouldn´t be saying it if it wasn´t because she knew he needed to hear it.

"She´ll be here in a short time. She´ll have questions and she´ll want answers. So you better think of something… and soon"

Shaking his head, he wiped his tears and sighed.

"This will never end, right? It doesn´t mind what I do. She won´t be happy never again, nevertheless I tell her or not. Her daughter, our daughter, is gone…The light is gone"

"Good lord, that´s true… But there are things you have to look forward to. First one, Athos. He´s your baby, he´s worth fighting for. And there´s you, you mean so much to her, you have saved her in so many ways, you can still do so… Finally… I don´t think Donna should know she haves her daughter´s heart beating in her chest… that will kill her inside… and she will have a bloody reason"

"I… don´t… know" he mumbled in a faltering voice "I can´t lie to her, Tanya. I can´t lie about this"

"For the very first time… I think you should"

"You do?" he asked, staring deep into her eyes.

"It´s up to you" she sighed, shaking her head.

After giving it a second thought, Sam opened his mouth to say something but forgot it instantly when they opened the door and took Donna back into the room. And when the doctor walked in too, listening had been more important than breathing.

"So, how is she, Doctor?"

"Everything seems to be going alright… the heartbeats are strong and steady and she should be waking during the next hours. Just try to keep her calm"

Smiling, Sam thanked the Doctor and he stepped out. The man turned to stare at his wife and smiled at her, placing a tender kiss on her lips and stroking her hair. Tanya walked to take her friend´s hand and smiled at her.

"She´ve always been strong…"

"I don´t know if anyone is strong enough for what she´ll have to take when she wakes…"

"We are women, Sam. We are strong to depths you cannot imagine" she smiled, then kissing his cheek and walking away "I´m going to see Rosie and leave you alone with her. Give us a call if anything happens"

But she was gone before he could nod and say "Thanks".

Sam turned to stare adoringly at his wife and hold her hand tight, smiling at her for ages until tiredness got the better of him and he positioned to lie by her side, wrapping his arms around her now slim body and leaning her close.

"I love you so much baby, please wake up soon"

Noticing the faint smile drawing on her face he repeated his words softly and kissed her cheek, falling asleep instantly next to her. And the lifeless silence fell over the room again.

*

Hours crawled away and the sun filtered through the windows, hitting Donna´s face fully. She opened her eyes slowly and groaning at how sore and ill she felt, but as soon as she realized her beloved husband´s arms were wrapped around her, everything else fainted and the love she felt filled her new heart. She placed soft kisses down his neck, smiling against his skin, until he stirred slightly.

"I love that smell" she whispered softly on his ear and inhaling his partum deeply.

Smiling, he placed a tender kiss on her lips and watched her, speechless.

"I love you" she smiled back and intertwined her fingers with his.

"I love you too"

Smiling wider, she placed her hand over her belly and, for a breathless moment, she nearly lost consciousness again when she noticed her flat stomach and panicked.

"S-Sam… what happened to our baby?"

"He´s perfect, and gorgeous"

"It´s a boy?" she smiled in relief, just happy to know the baby was alive, and he nodded, making her smile wider "Does he look like you?"

Laughing softly, he looked back lovingly at her.

"I think he will"

"Oh" Donna giggled "He´ll have me totally wrapped around his little finger"

Flooded with happiness, she threw her arms around her husband´s neck and kissed him forcefully.

"I know you wanted a girl honey, but…" she said looking down, as her voice trailed off.

Placing his hand under her chin to meet her gaze, he kissed her softly.

"It´s fine. I wanted… a child with you"

"I do love you! Can I… see him?"

"He´s there" Sam said, signaling the incubator in the corner.

"H-he´s on an incubator? W-why" she mumbled trying to stand and walk to him, tears welling up in her eyes.

"He was too small, baby, but he will be fine. He will" he answered smiling and gently pulling her back to lie on bed again.

"What`s wrong with me?" she softly demanded, wincing in pain.

"You´ve had two surgeries, no wonder you are in such pain"

"Why am I here Sam? What happened?"

"Everything is fine sweetheart, don´t you worry" he said, kissing her forehead gently.

"Is that truth? Will he be fine? Will I be fine?" she asked, fixing her gaze on him and guiding their intertwined hands to rest on her chest as her husband nodded.

"You both will. I promise"

Smiling, she kissed the back of his hand.

"Then, tell me…"

"You…" he sighed "You had a heart attack… And they had to perform a cesarean to save Athos… and you"

"Athos?"

"You like the name?"

Willing for him to carry on, she just nodded in agreement

"He was too small, so they had to put him there… It´s just for a few days, tough. And then, we´ll be free to hold him"

"I can´t wait to hold and feed our baby boy, darling"

"I know"

"And what about… me?" she then frowned, and he laid back by her side again, kissing her gently to stop her from trying to stand again.

"You´ve got… a new heart"

"What?! A heart surgery?" she exclaimed, running her hand down her chest, and he nodded in silence "Who´s the donor?"

And there it was. The question he wished he didn´t have to answer…

"We don´t… know"

Done.

"It must have been very hard to find a heart for me… I got lucky"

With his wife only knowing half of the truth, Sam didn´t know if he could agree with her last statement.

Sighing happily, she cuddled against him and slid her hand into the open buttons of his shirt.

"Thank you… so much. You have no idea how good it felt to wake up wrapped in your arms"

"Oh, God" he exclaimed, nuzzling into her hair "You have no idea how good it was to see you wake"

"I promise baby, with all my heart, or the heart I have, that I´ll never give up on you or our children. All this year you´ve made me so unbelievably happy had convinced me that what we have is and always was worth fighting for"

"And the best thing is… we still have a lot of years ahead to be happy. And I promise to be there every single day"

Smiling, she wrapped her arms around his neck and placed a passionate kiss on his lips, taking in the sweet sensation of their deep love. Breaking the contact for the few necessary seconds, she removed her nightgown, trying not to wince and plunged into his lips again.

"Please… make love to me, baby" she pleaded, unbuttoning his shirt and sliding her hand down his chest to the waistband of his trousers.

"Here? We can´t sweetheart, you…"

"I don´t care where we are. I don´t care about the pain. I want you. I need you. Please…"

He stared at her in silence, and having his heart break at her begging expression, he handed the white piece back at her. Having to deny her what she so desperately wanted was the most hurtful thing he ever had to do.

Taking the nightgown in her hands she blushed, using it to cover her body, and looked away to hide her running tears.

"Y-you don´t want me anymore? Why? What did I do wrong? Please tell me, I´ll do whatever it takes for you to… love me again" she whispered, wiping her tears and looking down, ashamed.

"I love you Donna, with all my heart and more than you will ever know"

"Then what is it sweetheart?" she asked softly, stroking his cheek "Why don´t you want me anymore? I love you too, so much it hurts…"

"Donna" he whispered, placing his hand over hers "Don´t ever think I don´t love you or I don´t want you never again. That will never happen"

"That´s all I need to know" she replied, shaking her head and smiling relieved, to place another slow alluring kiss on his lips.

Moaning when she reached his belt and unbuckled it, he broke apart before it was too late, taking her hands in his gently.

"Look, baby, there´s nothing I would like more than giving in to your wish…"

"Then why, why are you pushing me away?" she demanded, the hurt evident behind her flooding tears.

Not knowing how to start explaining what just happened the day before, he ran his hands through his hair and sighed, before looking into her eyes. Plain and simple.

"I don´t want to hurt you"

Giggling, she smiled at the sweetness of his comment and placed her hand on his chin, stroking delicately.

"You won´t. You never will. You are the most perfect and caring lover I ever had. The only one I want"

"Believe me, honey, if I could be sure of that, I would be stripping you off myself. You´re so beautiful and you´re wonderfully sexy" he whispered, placing a soft kiss on her neck and then her shoulder, stealing a soft purr from her lips "But I just… can´t forget what happened"

"So you do want me" she giggled, blushing slightly and fixing her eyes on him when he nodded, melting her with that charmful grin whose magical spell she knew so well "What happened?" she inquired, squeezing his hand and piercing his soul with her big green eyes.

"Very much. But first of all, you just had a heart surgery, lovely… So don´t even think about the Hotel, at least for the next month" he replied slowly, gently pushing them to lie on the bed again and holding her close. Happily, she cuddled against him and rested her head on the crease of his neck.

"And what about… the other thing?" she chuckled playfully, nibbling his ear seductively.

"We can give that two weeks" he answered, grinning and looking back at her.

Giggling, she pretended her mouth to drop open.

"So I´m not allowed to work at the Villa, but YOU are allowed to work on me?"

"Nice way to put it darling, I thought that was what you wanted" he whispered laughing and kissed her again.

Donna blushed bright red and reluctantly broke apart from her husband, when her two friends entered the room and shook their heads at her, chuckling in disbelief, Rosie carrying a sleeping Azaria and Tanya a bucket of colorful flowers.

"Why in this world do we worry about you, Donna? You are fucking wonder woman!"

Her jaw dropping open at her friend´s statement, she squealed, pointing the little girl.

"Language Tanya! There are innocent underage girls around"

"You know, I don´t think I am the major threat about the subject for this princes of yours" she replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Shut up" Donna said softly, blushing again as Sam laughed and kissed her cheek, still having her tightly wrapped in his arms.

"You know, the poor girl was so excited about seeing you that she was up ridiculously early and now she´s all tired again" Rosie smiled, trying to change the subject and closing the door behind her.

"Now, if you excuse me Mr., I really want to see my babies" Donna smiled, trying to stand, just to be hold back by her husband.

"Darling, you shouldn´t be trying to walk yet…"

Rolling her eyes, she muttered walking away.

"Sam, don´t. I just had a surgery, I´m not invalid…"

She approached to hug her friends and place a kiss on top of Azaria´s head.

"Thank you for being here girls, I love you"

"We are so happy to see you cheered up like this, Donna" they replied, looking at each other in amazement "And we love you too"

Smiling sweetly at her friends, she then walked to stand next to her new little baby.

"How are you my lovely Athos? This is your mommy"

Pressing her hand against the glass, tears cascaded down her cheeks at the intensity of her feelings and her desire to hold her son.

"I love you so much my gorgeous musketeer. I promise to be an amazing mom"

Closing her eyes, she allowed the tears to fall freely and sat in a chair next to her adored child, knowing she wouldn´t leave that place for the days to come.

"He really looks like you sweetheart" she smiled, looking up at her husband.

"Is that good or bad?" he grinned, walking to sit by her side so she´ll rest her head on his shoulder. Wiping her tears lovingly, he awaited her answer.

"Depends on how much you want him to be spoiled"

Smiling widely at her, he kissed the top of her head.

"And how many girls do you want to have chasing him. I already don´t like the idea…"

"Are you saying…?"

"You are irresistible, and he definitely got the Carmichael charm" she cut him, placing a loving kiss on his lips.

"Charm, huh?" he replied, running his hand down her back to squeeze her rear. She squealed and blushed immediately, as the dynamos burst out laughing.

"See the problems falling for you had gotten me into?" Donna asked her husband, extending her arms for Rosie to hand Azaria to her as Tanya placed the flowers on a vase.

"Thanks for the flowers and for the kid, darlings" Donna exclaimed, admiring the daisies next to her bed and placing a devoted kiss on the girls head, stroking her beautiful black hair, while her friends took a seat on the sofa and she smiled at them.

"So, where´s Sophie? Have you seen her already?"

*

A/N: Reviews, please?