Helen frowned as she spoke a bit harshly:

"What do you mean I shouldn't be the one who will buy Grace her wedding dress?!"

Carson slightly grimaced at her reaction. Even though he expected it, it was one thing to imagine it and completely another thing to receive it.

"Mrs. Bouchard…", he tried to get a word in, but she interrupted him.

"Helen", straightening up in her chair Helen said "Now, where is this nonsense coming from?"

Carson took a deep breath in.

Here goes nothing.

"Helen, your son is one of the best friends I ever had. He and Grace did so much for me. All I want is that this wedding goes smoothly, without any kind of problems", he tried to explain, but Helen interrupted him once again:

"And me buying a wedding dress for my future daughter-in-law would create problems?! How exactly, doctor Shepherd?"

Carson closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead, feeling his head starting to pound.

Perhaps I shouldn't have said anything.

Bur, the minute that thought entered his mind Lillian's sad, despondent face showed up in his memory.

And it gave him strength to go straight to the heart of the matter.

"Helen…Lillian and Grace were separated as kids and they knew nothing about each other for 12 years. They lost their parents when they were only five and eight years old. They missed out on so much while being separated. And this…this is something they want to do by themselves", he took a deep breath in, slightly encouraged with the silence on the other side of the phone line "Grace's dream is to pick up her wedding dress with her sister. And Lillian was looking so much forward to do it with her. They don't have their Mum's wedding dress, but they feel like their Mum is here with them if they are given a chance to do this together", he paused and then carefully added in a gentle tone of voice "Alone."

Helen leaned her forehead on her palm as she listened to Carson and felt her eyes fill with tears.

Once he finished, she mumbled quietly:

"Why didn't Lillian tell me all that? I would step back for sure", she exhaled a breath "Poor thing. She must have lost quite some sleep over all that", she shook her head, mentally kicking herself for being so overbearing "Now I feel awful".

Carson's facial expression turned sympathetic. He knew that Helen would understand, but he also understood Lillian's fears and worries.

"I'm not going to lie to you. She is pretty upset. And the reason why she didn't tell you is that she didn't want to cause problems for Grace, making her feel torn between the two of you. She also didn't say anything to Lucas worrying that he may get angry at you", said Carson, his fingers taking his fountain pen and he slightly kicked his notebook with it.

Helen nodded, a sad smile on her lips.

"She is right, he would get mad. And I would probably make both her and Grace feel uncomfortable about the whole thing which could grow into a rift between us", groaning quietly in frustration, Helen closed her eyes "I've made such a mess of things!"

Carson smiled softly before he gently said:

"Well, you can still fix it."

Helen nodded, inhaling deeply and leaning back in her chair.

"I will. Thank you for telling me all this, doctor Shepherd", she said quietly and Carson could hear determination in her voice.

He smiled as he got up from his chair.

"You are welcome. Thank you for listening", he glanced outside through the windows of his office and saw a commotion, nurses running before the doors opened and one of them peeked inside.

"Doctor, we need you."

Carson's face turned serious.

"I am coming", he quickly said before addressing Helen "Helen, I have to go. We just got an emergency call at the hospital. I'll talk to you later", and with those words he hung up and rushed outside, joining his colleagues as they ran toward the operation room.

—--

Lillian was setting lunch up with Bertha when the phone rang. Wiping her hands on the kitchen towel she rushed from the dining room to answer it.

"Hello? New Hope orphanage, Lillian speaking", she said.

"Hello, Lillian", Helen's voice was heard.

Lillian rolled her eyes full force.

Not again.

If she starts to talk about laces and design once again, I swear I will…

"Lillian? Are you there?", Helen's voice was heard once again.

Lillian's eyes widened as she snapped out of her thoughts.

"Yes, yes, I'm here,Helen", she said quickly.

Be nice. For Grace's sake.

Taking a deep breath in Lillian prepared herself for the battle.

"What can I do for you, Helen?", she asked politely.

Helen smiled sadly.

"Well, I hope you can forgive me for making such a mess out of what was supposed to be a joyful event for you and your sister", she said gently.

Lillian blinked, feeling like the whole world shattered around her.

"I'm sorry…What?", stammered Lillian.

Helen took a deep breath in.

"I know, Lillian", she said gently "Doctor Shepherd called me and explained to me how much choosing a wedding dress means to both you and your sister. I am so sorry that I overstepped", her eyes filled with tears "I am just so happy and excited about this wedding and I want to thank your dear sister for making my son so happy after everything that's happened to him", her voice drifted off in tears.

Lillian's heart ached as she heard Helen's silent sobs.

"Helen, please…there is no need to apologize", she murmured gently, trying to find the right words to comfort Lucas' Mum.

Helen wiped her cheeks as she mumbled through tears:

"Lillian, what your sister did is a miracle. My Lucas was so broken by that pathetic excuse of a woman who toyed with him in such horrible, selfish way", she slightly hiccuped from crying "When I met your sister, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the change she made in my darling boy. She healed him with her love, with her kind, good heart and warmth. I didn't hear him laugh the way he did with her that evening when we met for months. And that sweet girl saved his life two times", her tears made her voice break down "I'd give anything to thank your

dear sister for what she had done. And what have I done?! I nearly took away something she was excited to do with her sister! I am so sorry, Lillian."

Lillian's eyes softened, her facial expression turned sympathetic.

"Helen, please… It's alright. Really", she said warmly "You don't have to apologize. I know that you only wanted to make Gracie happy and surprise her."

Helen nodded.

"I did, Lillian. I did", she mumbled quietly.

Lillian smiled sadly.

"It's alright, Helen. Really", she couldn't hold back a smile "Thank you so much for changing your mind! It really means a lot."

Helen smiled, exhaling in relief before she quipped:

"Well, your Dr. Shepherd is a very persuasive man."

Lillian's smile widened.

Carson Shepherd, you are unbelievable. Amazing.

Helen exhaled.

"From now on, we will talk about everything, alright?", she asked.

Lillian smiled.

"Alright",she replied before adding with a smile "But I am still counting on you to find a photographer."

Helen nodded, picking up the list.

"I am on it", she said before looking up and adding with a soft smile "Thank you, Lillian."

—--

Carson stepped out from the car, his face blank, his body aching, his mind numb.

Six and half hours. That's how long they tried to save a Mother and a baby. But, no matter how hard they worked, it was to no avail.

Both Mother and a baby passed away.

Carson was trying to save the baby with three of his colleagues, but nothing helped. He ran to help his collegaues to at least save the young woman, but it was too late.

His eyes burned as he slowly pushed the gates of the mansion open and slowly dragged his tired body through the garden and up the stairs toward the doors.

He could still hear the man's sobs as they told him as gently as they could that his wife and a newborn baby didn't make it. Carson was there when the nurse brought the poor man in and let him hold his baby boy. The man's desperate sobs brought so many painful memories back…

Amber's face glowed in his memory and he swallowed hard, closing his eyes.

He could still remember the sound of her voice, how her lips curled up in a smile and how happy they were…

He exhaled as he pushed the doors of the mansion open. He slowly started to climb up the grand staircase, just wanting to lay down in his bed and sleep…

And stay asleep as long as possible. To shut the world off.

He heard footsteps and looking up saw Grace and Lucas walking through the long corridor, talking quietly as they stayed close to each other.

Grace heard footsteps and looked up.

"Carson", she greeted him with a smile, only to crease her eyebrows, her smile faltering as she took in his disheveled appearance, fallen face and bloodied shirt. She rushed to him, Lucas quickly following her "Carson, are you okay?"

Lucas put a palm on his friend's shoulder.

"Carson, what happened?", he asked.

Carson swallowed hard as he looked down, worrying Grace and Lucas even more.

They waited patiently until their friend quietly spoke:

"We lost a young woman today…and her newborn baby", he whispered, his forehead creased "I'm sorry, I just need to lay down", he moved away from his friends and went to his room without another single word uttered.

Grace and Lucas watched him go before they looked back at each other.

"Do you think there's more to it?", Grace asked quietly as they continued to walk through the corridor.

Lucas was silent for a few moments before he replied quietly:

"It could be. I don't remember ever seeing him this shaken because of his job and I am sure that this is not the first time they lost a patient", he looked at Grace, his eyes sad and concerned.

Grace pressed her lips together.

"What can we do?", she asked as they slowly went down the grand staircase.

Lucas took a deep breath in.

"Let him sleep, rest for a while", he said, his face serious "I will check on him later on and see if I can get him to talk."

Grace nodded as Lucas took her coat off the peg by the doors and held it up for her. She placed her hands in the sleeves and as she started to button it up, she turned to look at Lucas.

"Let me know how is he, okay?", she asked.

He nodded and they shared a short, sweet kiss, both worried sick for their good friend.

"I will", he replied quietly as he opened the doors for her "Are you sure you don't need me to take you home?"

Grace shook her head.

"I'm sure. I have to go to the bridal shop to check on something", her lips curled up as she placed her palm on the left side if his chest "And YOU are not allowed to see any of it until our wedding day."

Lucas smiled gently as he placed his palms on her waist and leaned down, meeting her halfway for a gentle kiss before she pulled away from him and went down the stairs.

Lucas watched as she left the mansion garden and only when she was out of sight, he went back inside.

Looking up in the direction of Carson's room Lucas rubbed his beard and slowly went in the direction of his office. He will wait until his friend gets some rest…and then try to talk to him and help him.