I originally wasn't going to upload this for a while, but I have something to celebrate today so here you go! Would you believe I actually cried writing this? Consider that your warning. It's sad. I said in the last chapter that this would mostly be in chronological order, but this chapter comes before the last. Woops. Reviews are, as always, greatly appreciated. Hope you enjoy it!

It was after midnight and they were laying on Beck's bed in the RV in the middle of a Netflix marathon when Jade's pillow started to buzz. Jade usually stuck her phone under there when she plugged it in to charge. Beck looked across at her when Jade made no move to pick it up.

'It's probably just the phone company or some shit,' she said, rolling her eyes.

'I don't think the phone company is in the habit of calling people at this time of night, babe.'

But just as Jade began to huff and puff and sit up, it stopped. He couldn't blame her for not having the energy to care about whoever was calling. They had sat their last exam that morning, and this was the first time they had to relax in what felt like forever. The entire month before they'd been studying and hastening to finish their senior projects, it had taken up their every waking moment, and Beck swore he'd dreamt about it more than once. They'd had a pizza delivered because they couldn't be bothered making food, and they pretty much hadn't moved from the bed since they got back that afternoon. Although their first activity was far more high energy.

Jade groaned when it began buzzing again. She sat up slightly, bending her arm at an awkward angle as she tried to fish her phone out without sitting up the whole way. The bright light of the screen, even on its dullest setting, hurt Beck's eyes. Even so, he glanced at it to see who had disturbed them. On the screen there was a photo of a young man, probably early thirties, with a mop of light brown curly hair, grinning widely. It was Jade's brother, Hunter.

Beck knew he was in Los Angeles on vacation, or at least that's how he'd sold it to his husband and kids, he'd neglected to mention the business meetings he had three out of the five days they were here. He and Jade were meant to be going to lunch with him and his family the next day. Beck couldn't imagine why he'd be calling Jade at this hour. The girls' bedtime was hours ago, and Hunter and Connor weren't exactly night owls.

He wasn't paying much attention to the phone call, until he felt Jade's nails dig in to his arm. He looked up to see all of the blood had drained out of her face. She was ghostly pale, and he watched in horror as her eyes filled with water. It was only then that he noticed that the voice on the other end of the line sounded frantic. He couldn't make out the words, but from the look on his fiancee's face, he feared the worst.

Jade's mouth opened, as though she was trying to say something, but no noise came out. she was nodding her head frantically, seemingly unaware of the futility of the gesture. Finally, she managed to choke out, 'Yeah. Yeah, I'll be right there.'

Beck had insisted on driving, Jade was in no fit state. She still hadn't told him what was going on, merely whispering the word 'hospital' as she climbed into the passenger side of Beck's truck. Jade didn't say a word the whole ride there, just stared blankly straight ahead. When they pulled into the parking lot she didn't respond when Beck cut the engine. He got out of the truck and walked over to open the passenger side door for her. She started when she felt Beck's hand on her arm.

'We're here. Come on,' he said gently. He took her hand as they walked into the hospital. Every memory he had of this place was a bad one. There was the time his dad had been attacked by the dog Jade got him, the blood had soaked through his bandages by the time Beck arrived. Then there was the time he and Jade had had to talk Cat out of a mental ward when they'd brought Rex there to die. The worst time was when Jade's appendix had ruptured. They were broken up at the time, but they'd all slept at Tori's after staying up late to work on a script. They'd woken to the sound of Jade's screams, she explained later she'd had a horrible nightmare brought on by the pain. They'd called an ambulance, but when they got to the hospital nobody would tell them anything because they weren't relatives. Beck had never felt so helpless.

The bright fluorescent lights reflecting off the stark white walls and floor combined with the sterile smell of disinfectant seemed to wake Jade up. She walked briskly to the front desk, pushing aside the woman speaking to the receptionist. 'Connor Pemberton-West.'

The receptionist smiled calmly, though her eyes told a different story. 'I'm sorry, Miss, you'll have to wait until I deal with this lady's query.' The other woman tried to step in front of Jade once more. Jade slammed both her hands down on the desk.

'My brother-in-law is dying. I need to know where he is. Connor Pemberton-West.' Her voice was practically a growl by the end.

The receptionist relented, and then they were running toward the elevator. Once inside, Beck finally plucked up the courage to ask what had happened. Jade said nothing, tapping her foot on the floor and drumming her fingernails on the rail.

'Jade, I don't want to have to ask in front of Hunter.'

Jade sniffed. The tears had yet to spill over, but he could see they weren't far off. 'Drunk driver. Connor was hit. Hunter says it doesn't look good.' Her voice was no more than a breath. The doors dinged open, and Jade seemed to steel herself.

Hunter was sitting on a blue bench with his head in his hands. Beck had never seen him look anything less than immaculate. He was a high power defence attorney and he looked the part. Beck had only ever seen him with his hair neatly styled, in a three piece suit, more often than not carrying a briefcase. Now, he sat, his hair dishevelled, wearing blue striped pyjama pants and a white t-shirt. He wore what looked like hotel-issue slippers on his feet.

He looked up when he heard Jade call out his name. His face was sallow and his eyes were red and bloodshot. He didn't say anything, just dropped his head back into his hands, elbows braced on his knees. Jade sat down in the seat next to him and hesitantly placed her hand on his back. Beck sat next to her, unsure of what to do. He'd only met Hunter a handful of times, and his husband only once. He felt like he was intruding. At one point, he made to get up, thinking he might fetch them coffee or something, but Jade put her hand on his knee to stop him.

They'd been there an hour or so when the doctor came out of the operating room. Connor was dead. The tears spilled over.

The funeral was a large occasion. Everything with Jade's family tended to be. Her father's stony expression betrayed no emotion, but Beck thought perhaps the set of his jaw was tighter than usual. Her stepmom was crying, dabbing prettily at her eyes with the handkerchief from Mr West's suit pocket, and Beck heard her talking later about what a beautiful ceremony it was. Hunter looked like he could just as well be the corpse in the coffin.

It was a closed casket, Connor's body was too messed up from the accident. He wouldn't have wanted to be seen like that. But it meant that at the hotel after, where everyone met for a drink and a meal to reminisce, Beck and Jade were met with some awkward questions.

Jade had been kind of out of it since the phone call. She'd been close to Connor, and Hunter and the kids. She visited them every weekend. Every Friday after school Beck dropped her off at her dad's house, where she picked up her car and made the six hour drive to her brother's house in Sacramento. She spent the weekend with them and on Sunday nights she drove back. He'd gone with her once or twice, so Hunter's daughter knew him.

Aria waddled up to Jade's chair, nobody was paying particular attention to her, her dad was far too wrapped up in his own head, and Ryan, Jade's sister, was cradling the baby in her arms. 'Aunt Jay-Jay?' piped up the little voice, as her chubby fists tugged on Jade's skirt. Jade looked down, her face softening, her eyes filling with tears once more.

'What is it, baby girl?' she asked, pulling her niece up to sit on her lap.

'Who was in the box?' Beck and Jade both sucked in a breath. 'They kept saying Daddy's name, but I saw Daddy the other day, he's not sick or old.' She looked up at them both so earnestly, as though she had to convince them that this was all some mistake, her daddy was young and healthy, so he couldn't be dead. Beck felt a lump form in his throat.

'I'm sorry.' Jade stifled a sob. Watching the tears fall down her aunt's face, Aria finally seemed to realise it was real. She lifted a hand up to wipe the salt water from Jade's cheeks.

Aria was only four years old. She'd been with Connor and Hunter since she was barely a month old. They'd adopted another little girl only two months ago. Caly lay oblivious, in Ryan's arms, probably asleep. She would never know Connor. Maybe one day Aria would forget him, too. The details first, then the bedtime stories he told her, until one day she couldn't remember what he looked like.

Beck pulled Jade into his chest, Aria still in her arms, and the two girls began to sob.