Never Wake
by: Liv-x-Case-Benson & dcmasters
Ch. 2: Gifts and Pain
The following morning there was a loud knock in the front door and the young girl rose from bed to answer it, signing for a package then shutting the door.
Sara was up a few minutes later, yawning. "Who was it?"
"Package delivery for you," Lindsay shrugged.
Sara took it cautioudly. It was light. No ticking, but she didn't remember ordering anything. "Hmm." She sat on the couch with it, opening it.
Lindsay sat beside her, watching curiously. Inside was a smaller box and a card.
Sara opened the card, setting the small box in her lap, the larger on the coffee table.
The card was handwritten in her wife's writing. A pre-planned surprise intended to precede an evening dedicated to both of them that sadly they wouldn't share. Inside it read: Wow, ten years, huh? You will always be my one true love. Thank you for being an amazing wife and mother to our children. I love you so much! Forever and always, Cath xxx.
Sara sat staring at the card, tears running down her face. "I...it...she...she pre-planned... Oh my god..."
"What?" Lindsay asked moving closer to look at the card before wrapping her arms tightly around Sara. "It's ok..."
Sara leaned into her, showing her the card.
"You should open your gift," Lindsay whispered.
Sara nodded, wiping her eyes as she opened the box.
The box contained a simple, channel set platinum eternity ring. The ring was set with three quarter carat diamonds, but between each was each of their birthstones, the twins either side, the other three spread between them. A simple inscription in the band read: Forever and Always xxx.
Sara smiled, slipping it on ahead of her wedding band. "Wow, I can't believe she did this," she whispered.
"That was Mom. Full of surprises, prepared but usually late," Lindsay said with a soft laugh.
She nodded. "Yeah, well, how about breakfast?" Sara asked.
"I'll get it," Lindsay said, handing Sara a photo of Catherine, as she stood, "You spend some time with Mom."
Sara nodded, tracing the side of Catherine's face on the photo. It never felt real until a special occassion, like a birthday or holiday. Yes, pictures of Catherine were on the walls, but some days...it didn't feel real. But then, others, it felt like she was ripping in two.
They'd been at a 419 on the side of the road, bullet through the back of the driver's skull, exiting through the windshield.
"Hmm, just the one," Sara had said. "He has his wallet, a nice Rollex and wedding ring, so it wasn't a robbery..."
"Mob hit?" Catherine asked with an inquisitive look from the other side of the vehicle.
"Okay, but wouldn't they leave some sort of marker?"
"Maybe," Catherine replied, then smiled, "Oh, I forgot to tell you..."
Sara looked up. "What?"
"Mason read me most of our favorite story before work when I was putting him to bed."
"Awww! Really?" she smiled. "He's getting really good with his words."
"I know, I was so proud. At the end he even said night Mama, you smell like flowers, love you lots. "
"Aww!"
Catherine grinned, going to process the boot. Half an hour later, she looked up. "Hey Sara.. "
"Yeah?"
"Love you," she said softly, moving over to the brunette.
Sara smiled, hugging her tightly. "Love you too."
Unsually, given that they were at a crime scene, Catherine pulled back to kiss Sara deeply for a couple of seconds.
"Mmm, you ok? You're not usually this affetionate on scene."
"I'm fine," Catherine smiled, caressing Sara's cheek, "I'm just going to go over to the car and get some more adhesive tape for some fibers in the back."
Sara sighed. Now, she wished she hadn't let go of Catherine. The car sped past. Sara managed to pull Catherine out of it's direct path, but a front wheel and back wheel still ran over her head from the sheer speed. It was like the driver hadn't even seen them. She called for a bus. The shock hadn't set in until she was waking up Lindsay.
"Lindsay!" she said, banging on her bedroom door. "Open up! It's an emergency!"
"Where's the fire?" Lindsay asked, sleepily opening the door.
Sara pulled her tightly to her. "You've got to get dressed and come with me right now... There-there was an accident and, uh, your mom's in a coma, honey," she whispered, ignoring the searing pain in every part of her body. She'd been advised to stay for her own injuries, but had insisted that she needed to go get Lindsay as Catherine wasn't looking well.
"W-What sort of accident?" Lindsay asked, quickly going to dress, leaving Sara in the doorway.
"Head-on collision. I...tried to pull her out of the way but..."
"But she'll be ok, right?" the young girl asked as she finished dressing, quickly pulling her hair up.
Sara sighed. "Th-they don't know."
Lindsay's face paled a little as she took Sara's hand. "Let's go then."
Sara nodded, letting the neighbor in to watch the twins as Lily would meet them. "I'm pretty banged up too, but I said I needed to come get you," she said, getting in the driver's seat.
"So you'll have to go a while when we get there?"
"No. They made sure nothing was broken or bleeding profusely. I'll stay with you."
"Good," Lindsay replied, her voice shaky.
Sara held her hand tightly.
Lindsay's grip tightened as they walked into the hospital, leaning into Sara a little.
The brunette wrapped an arm around her as they made their way to the elevator, ignoring the stares at her bloodied, beaten appearance.
A nurse greeted them as soon as they walked into ICU, showing them to Catherine's room.
Lindsay stopped, taking a deep breath outside the door.
Sara kissed her head. "You don't have to go in with me if you don't want to."
"I want to," Lindsay replied, straightening up a little. "Ok. I'm ready now."
She nodded, leading her inside. Luckliy, most of Catherine's face was covered in bandages so she didn't look physically traumatizing. Sara sighed sitting in the chair by the bed. Phyically, Catherine was breathing on her own, but it was more of an automatic response. The doctors had already told her that Catherine's brain didn't show enough activity to wake up.
Lindsay stood touching Catherine's arm cautiously, then took her hand. "Mom... it's ok. Sara and I are going to stay until you're better."
Sara sighed. She hated bursting the bubble, but... "Linds..."
"Yeah?" Lindsay asked softly, turning her head.
"Her breathing is triggered by her brain, but, the doctor said that no other signs say she'll wake up. I'm sorry. I know you want to be positive, but there isn't one."
Lindsay took a moment to process the information as tears surfaced in her eyes. "But... s-she has to... she can't..."
Sara nodded, standing up and hugging her. "I know, I know. And I do like the positive side, but I didn't want to lie to you. I'm so sorry."
"Don't," Lindsay said, shrugging her off.
Sara nodded, pulling away. "I didn't do this," she whispered, sitting back beside her.
"I never said you did. I just don't need you to hug me. I'm not a kid."
"Ok."
Lily knocked on the door seconds later. "I got here as soon as I could."
Sara looked over, unable to say anything.
Lily walked in, wrapping an arm around her. "I spoke to the doctors, you don't have to say anything," she whispered.
Sara nodded, leaning into her. "I-I tried..."
"I know you'd have done everything you could. I'll be here for all of you always ok?"
"Ok."
"Sara, did she say anything?" Lindsay asked quietly.
"J-just that she loved us. Wanted me to take care of you guys."
Lindsay nodded, walking outside to sit down, head in her hands.
"I would go after her, but she needs a little time," Sara said.
"I know it's hard on all of you but... it must be hard to lose both your parents. Yes, you'll always be her parent too, but biologically..."
"I know. I get it, And I think it's smart to expect her going off the handle now. She is almost thirteen."
Lily nodded. "She looks peaceful."
Sara nodded. "She does. No pain and, right now, that's probably a saving grace."
"I can leave you two a minute and check on Lindsay if you'd like?"
"Sure. Cath's not going anywhere."
Lily walked out, standing beside her.
Lindsay sobbed quietly. "Not Mom, Grandma... she can't leave me. She promised..."
Lily sat beside her. "Every parent promises that. But not everyone can make good on them. The pain is unbearable, but you still have people who love you and need you. And you won't make it through this without them. Honey, car accidents happen every day and some people have no one to hug and cry to if they need it. And while it doesn't feel like much now," she said, wrapping her arms around her, "we all love you." On the inside, she was a complete mess, but she would show that a little later.
Lindsay curled into her Grandma's side, crying softly. "H-how long?"
"H-how long what?"
"Do we have until they turn off the machine?"
She shook her head. "Sara has the okay on that."
Lindsay swallowed hard, taking a deep breath. "Have you got any money?"
Lily nodded. "Yes, why?"
"I want to go to the shop downstairs. I won't be long."
Lily nodded, handing her a couple 20s. "This enough?"
Lindsay nodded. "Thanks," she said, going to the elevator.
Lily stood, walking back into the room.
"How is she?" Sara asked.
"Asked for some money to go the shop. She cried a bit. We talked."
"That's good. She needed to."
"How are you holding up?"
The brunette siighed. "I don't know."
"I saw Nick on the way. He said they'd processed her whilst you were gone. They're coming back a little later."
Sara nodded.
"Can I do or get you anything?"
"Will you sit by me?"
"Of course," Lily nodded, pulling a chair beside Sara's, sitting down, "I can move in with you guys for as long as you need."
Sara leaned against her. "Yeah, that would be nice. I think I'll have trouble at first. They look so much like her."
"Yeah, they do," she smiled. "At least you'll always have part of her with you."
"And Lindsay."
"She thought the world of you."
Sara smiled. "She must've."
Lindsay walked in slowly with a bag from the shop, placing it on the table, handing Sara a hair brush. "Come on. Her hair's a mess and you know she wouldn't like that."
Sara nodded, standing up to fix Catherine's hair.
Lindsay took out a bottle of Catherine's favorite shade of nail polish, pulling back the sheets, beginning to paint her toes, taking her time.
Sara smiled. "Looks good."
"Thanks. I got you a sandwich. Mom would want you to eat something."
Sara nodded, taking a bite as she sat down.
Lindsay moved to paint the redheads fingernails. "She still smells of flowers."
"Yeah she does."
Lindsay had decided in the shop she needed to be strong for Sara no matter how much it hurt her. "I... I'm ready, whenever you want to... say goodbye."
"Okay..."
Lindsay recapped the nail polish, then moved to hug Sara.
Sara nodded, moving to slip Catherine's wedding ring from her finger and putting it beside her own on her chain before hugging Lindsay again.
"I can help with the twins. We'll be ok," Lindsay whispered.
She sighed. "Yeah..."
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