This story takes place after Todd has returned from Ireland. Blair is pregnant with Brendan and currently living with Dorian. Todd and Blair are separated and going through a custody battle as Blair wants to take Starr away from her father. Marty is siding with Todd because she believes he is a good father, and Patrick has been there for Blair who is carrying his child. Patrick and Marty are dating but are not officially a couple. The situation becomes more complex when suddenly Starr becomes very ill.
~*~o~*~
At the funeral home, they allowed Patrick to help prepare his son's tiny body for burial. It was not something he was required to do, but he had felt it was necessary. He needed to see his little boy and say his good-byes. "Brendan, I'm sorry," he said as he looked at the tiny figure lying within the shiny white casket. "Your mother and I had so many dreams and plans for you. She should be here... and she would be if she could."
Blair was still unconscious after the accident, so Patrick went through the funeral preparations on his own. He didn't include Marty in any of the plans. He felt disconnected from her as he prepared to bury his son. Right now his greatest concern was Blair, but he had to say good-bye to Brendan first.
"I'll see you again one day," he said to his little boy as he closed the tiny casket. He had an armful of beautiful yellow roses he chose to lay over Brendan's grave. Somehow they seemed fitting; yellow roses for a precious boy.
At the cemetary, Brendan's casket was lowered into a tiny grave. Patrick picked up a handful of soil and dropped it on the top of his son's casket. *Daddy loves you, Brendan,* he spoke to his child in his mind. Tears clouded his vision as the funeral directors covered the tiny casket with dirt and filled in the grave. Patrick lay all the roses in front of the tiny marker except for one he chose to keep. He pressed the soft petals of the rose against his lips as his tears continued to fall.
It just wasn't fair. His son was gone, and he didn't even know if Blair would survive the accident that had taken their baby's life. He stared down at Brendan's little marker, reading his blessed name. BRENDAN PATRICK THORNHART, the marker read, followed by the words, "Gone Too Soon." Clutching the single rose against his chest, Patrick left the cemetary. He needed to get back to Blair.
~*~o~*~
At the hospital, Todd and Marty were having a heated argument. It would seem Todd was blaming Marty for the condition of his wife and the loss of his daughter's bone marrow donor. No matter what Marty said or did, Todd wouldn't listen to reason. "Your precious Patrick put all of this into motion, Marty, all because he didn't want you to be upset because he was having a kid with MY wife!" Todd exclaimed.
"Patrick never wanted this to happen, Todd. He loved Brendan with all his heart..." Marty stated, and she almost added, *He loves Blair, too,* but she held her tongue. She didn't need to tell Todd she had heard Patrick's confession of love to Blair at the crash site. Marty knew that bit of news would just add more fuel upon the fire of Todd's explosive anger.
"You did this to hurt me, Marty! To get back at me because I hurt you! You wanted me to suffer!" Todd accused. "Well, IT WORKED! My little girl might die!"
"I hope you and Thornhart are happy," Todd bellowed as he punched a huge hole into the nearest wall.
"Stop it, Todd. Blair's in her hospital room and she needs you right now!" Marty hissed. "I didn't do this and you KNOW it! You're just looking for someone to blame!"
"You're getting back at me for how I hurt you at Spring Fling, aren't you, Marty? Is the revenge sweet?"
Todd picked up a vase and tossed it across the room. Flowers and glass shattered everywhere as Marty jumped. "Stop it!" she yelled at him as she took hold of his arm.
He looked down at her small hand upon his flesh as all the fury slowly fled from his body. The pain in his heart was killing him, and it had all burst forth in the form of anger. She had been the one close at hand, so he had unleashed his pain and fury onto her. They stared into each other's eyes awhile as both were overcome with unshed tears. Suddenly Todd turned on his heel and left with not so much as another word. He was hurting so badly he could not even speak. He couldn't lose Starr. Not his little girl. She was the only thing good in his sorry life. The best part of him. His little girl was the only one who looked at him with unconditional love and did not see a monster.
"Mr. Manning," a voice spoke up as he stood there in the hall.
"Yes," he said quietly as he brushed away his tears.
"Your wife is awake, and she's asking for you," said the nurse.
"Alright," Todd said with a heavy sigh as he didn't know what he'd find when he went in to see Blair. She had been unconscious for nearly 48 hours, and she had almost died. She had gone through countless surgeries, and the doctors weren't even sure if she'd recover. Todd was reeling with Starr's illness along with the repercussions of Blair's accident.
"I'll take you to see her," the nurse said as she lead Todd into the room.
"Todd!" Blair gasped when he reached her side. The nurse quietly stepped out of the room to give Todd and Blair some privacy.
"How's Starr?" Blair asked urgently.
"She's okay... for now," Todd answered.
"Did she get the transplant?"
Todd shook his head. "Wh- why not? I remember the accident. Patrick and I were in the car. We wrecked... and when I woke up, I realized I'm not pregnant anymore. Where's my baby? Where's Brendan?" Blair demanded. "Where's my little boy?"
"Blair," Todd said softly as he didn't know how to tell her. She needed to be told the truth, but it seemed too ugly for words. How could he possibly tell her that her son had died?
"Where's Patrick?" Blair cried hysterically.
"He's fine," Todd said as anger made his voice a growl. He hated Patrick Thornhart. He was the one responsible for this entire nightmare.
"Is he with Brendan?" Blair asked.
Todd shook his head. "Blair, I don't know how to tell you this."
"Tell me what? Todd! Tell me, is it Brendan? Is my son okay?"
With a solemn expression, Todd just shook his head. "The doctors tried to save him, but they... couldn't," Todd said sadly.
"No!" Blair screamed. "NO! NO! NOOOOO!"
Todd tried to console her, but everything he said just made it worse. Blair was hysterically crying and screaming Brendan's name. A nurse had to come in and give her a sedative to calm her. Todd watched Blair's breakdown with huge eyes.
*Thornhart's gonna pay for this! HE WILL PAY!" Todd was thinking.