Chris sat in the waiting room as they waited to hear from the doctors. All he could think of is how this was someone he knew, someone that he had become close to since his move here. It was like his accident was happening all over again, except Craig was in his position and Emma in Kelsie’s.

He had never witnessed anything so horrible before; he could still hear the sounds of the metal as the two vehicles collided with each other, and the blood the was dripping from Craig’s face, as he glimpsed through his car window. It was sight he wished he hadn’t seen.

“Are you Mr. Manning’s family?” Dr. Sumner asked, as he approached Chris.

“No…” he answered, “but I know him.”

“I’m sorry…but I can’t tell you, we’re only authorized to talk about his medical condition with family.”

 “No, but we share a daughter…and he has no other family here…please,” he begged, pleaded, hoping that the doctor would sympathize with him. He needed to give some information for when the girls arrived; he knew they would be real apprehensive.

He knew it was wrong, but he felt for him; he looked so desperate, “Alright, Mr. Manning has damage to his head, we were able to stop the bleeding in his head, but if he wakes up I don’t know if he will be the same person as you all remember. His pelvis is also broken, so he will need a lot therapy before he will be able to walk again…”

He had to stop him, “Yeah...but is he going to live?” That’s all he wanted to know right now, it was the most important question at the moment.

“I don’t know at this point, we’ve had to put him on a respirator to help him breathe. At this point only time will tell.” This was always the point he hated about his job, to see the anguish in their faces. It never to seem to get easier as the time went by.

“Thank you.” He felt like he had run into a big brick wall. How would he explain this to them? How would they take it? Hadn’t they all been through enough, did life really have to be that cruel? Sometimes he wished he could go back to the days when your parents could protect you, to shield you from anything bad.

“Chris,” Kelsie yelled as she walked in with Ava glued to her side; and Emma not far behind, with a gloomy look in her face. “How is he?”

Those had been the words he had been dreading, he could barely look Emma in the eyes, shaking his head, “Not good, at this point he can’t even breathe on his own. On top of that they believe he may have brain damage. If you haven’t contacted his family yet, I think right now would be the time.”

“I totally forgot; Joey’s going to totally freak. This is the last thing he needs to deal with. He’s going to totally hate me,” Emma cried, frantically. She blamed herself for this, if she hadn’t ran off on him than he wouldn’t have come after her and been struck. Knowing that he could have brain damage only made the guilty eat at her even more.

Kelsie wouldn’t have any of this, she handed Ava over to Chris, and then grabbed a hold of Emma, making her look at her, “Now listen, I’m going to tell you this again; this is not your fault. Nobody is going to hate you, so get that out of your head.” She hated the thought that Emma believed that she was at fault, she knew exactly how it felt to blame herself for circumstances that she couldn’t even help; she had done it herself.

“You just don’t get it,” she yelled, not wanting to hear any of it. She couldn’t let others treat her like this, when she knew deep down that she was the only reason this happened. It was like she wanted others to think that it was her fault.

“Yes I do, I blamed myself for a long time for the death of Satine. I believed it was my fault because I started that fight with my parents. But the truth was it was because my body couldn’t handle the pregnancy. And you saw how I took it when we thought Chris was dead.”

Breaking down, falling back into the seat, “I can’t lose him, he’s all I have left to live for,” feeling that she couldn’t handle losing yet another person she loved.

“I know,” hugging her, “Why don’t we go find a pay phone, and phone Joey.” They couldn’t wait any longer, he needed to be informed, and he needed to be here for his son, even if it was only his son by marriage.

“Alright,” she said putting on a fake smile. She wasn’t looking forward to talking to him, to telling him what she had caused.

Emma’s hands shook, stumbling over the buttons she pushed, as she dialed the number that was forever burnt in her mind. She took a few deep breaths as she waited for someone to pick up, to answer. This would one of the hardest phone calls she ever had to make.

“Hello,” Angie answered, with a joy in her voice. She sounded like she was in a rather good mood, and soon her news would damper that.

“Hey Ang, could you put on your dad?” Emma asked, knowing that this phone call would change this whole family.

Eager to find out, “Emma, how’s Victoria, how’s Craig?” so many questions for a little girl who missed her brother deeply. “How’s my little niece?” Here was a little girl with many questions, which wasn’t unusual for her. She had always been one to ask a million questions.

She hated not to answer her questions, but she thought it would be best for Joey to explain it all to her. “Victoria is great, and so is Ava, but I really need to talk to Joey, so please could you get him?” she pleaded, with the girl that she had known since she was just a little baby, a girl who would forever be dear to her.

In the background, you could hear her hollering for him to pick up the phone, and than Joey telling her he was coming. A few seconds later, “Hello,” Joey answered.

“Hi…Joey,” not sure the right words to say. How are you supposed to tell your boyfriend’s father that he may die? In fact how is the right way to tell anyone?

“Oh Emma, what can I do for you?” not sure why she would be calling him, especially when she was in Victoria. No one could prepare him for what he was about to hear, well maybe he would be prepared more than other since he had been through this with Craig’s mother.

Emma’s heart was beginning to beat faster than usual; Kelsie squeezed her hand to let her know she was there to support her. Finally after a few seconds of silence, she blurted it out, “It’s Craig…”

“What about him?” not realizing the sound of her voice, the hint of sadness to it; or maybe it was because he didn’t want to hear it.

“There’s been an accident.”

Joey’s stomach dropped, he plopped into the chair behind him, “What? I talked to him yesterday.” Not understanding how something so bad could happen to him, he had already lost Julia. The thought of losing another loved one through death was unbearable. A parent isn’t supposed to watch their child die; it’s supposed to be the other way around. If he died, would Julia disappointed in him because he hadn’t taken well enough care of him, he thought, even though none of this was his fault.

“According to what the doctors told Chris it’s real bad, they’re not sure if he’s going to make it, let alone make it through the night,” she could barely keep in the tears that longed to fall, but she promised herself that she would get through this phone call, and be strong for Joey’s sake.

“How did this happen?” he wanted to know what got him into this mess. Had he been drinking and driving or something? He needed some type of explanation, thinking that it might make him feel better, making it less hard.

“I don’t want to get into this over the phone; I just really think you need to get over here,” she didn’t feel it was right to tell him all of that over the phone. How could she really tell him that she was at fault? Would he tell her to leave then, to stay away?

What was Emma not wanting to tell him, he wondered. Ever since she was little, she wasn’t one to keep secrets from people. He hated to be kept in the dark. “I’ll catch the next flight, what hospital is he at?”

“Royal Jubilee, in Saanich.”

“I’ll be there as soon as possible,” he replied, before rushing upstairs to grab stuff for him and Angie to leave.

Emma felt for Joey, he had already lost his wife, then Caitlyn left him for her career, now this. He didn’t deserve this, nobody does. She just knew that he would hate her once he found out the full truth, she be lucky if he talked to her after that.

******

Joey came running through the doors of the waiting room in a huff. Angie was having a hard time keeping up with her dad. You could tell that she had been crying prior to this, you could see the redness in her eyes.

Emma could see the anguish written all over Joey’s face. She could barely look at his face without tears rushing down her face. She wish she could trade places with Craig; cause that really where she belonged, not him.

“Emma,” he said, embracing her. He could feel something was wrong, because she would barely embrace him; she was stiff in his arms. This tragic accident really had down a number on her, he thought.

“I’m so...sorry,” Emma repented, wanting him to know she felt responsible, hoping that he would realize that he would know that she never meant for this to happen.

He didn’t pick up on it, or at least he chose to ignore it, “How is he?”

“There’s been no change in his condition. The doctor’s don’t think his body is strong enough to get through this. This is like a big nightmare that I can’t seem to wake-up from.”

Angie didn’t like the thought if that, he meant so much to her, she all of a sudden burst out into tears, “No…” She had already lost her a mother, a mother she never got to know; she couldn’t lose her brother, her only connection she had left to her mother.

Emma knelt down beside Angela, “It’s going to be okay, Craig’s a fighter.” She wanted to reassure this wonderful little girl. More tears ran down her face, “I know he is.” She knew that from her own experiences, he was so unwilling to let her go, even after she had gave up on them and said that he wanted to be with Kelsie.

The little girl looked at Emma with a faint smile, she embraced her, "I pray that you’re right.”

Emma prayed that she was right too; she could see how much this whole family would hurt from this, but especially his daughter, Ava. If he didn’t make it, then she would miss out on a chance with her father, and then she would never know what kind of guy he was, or even how much he loved and cared for her; something that no child should have to go through.

“Emma maybe you should phone Spin and Jimmy since they’re close by,” Joey suggested. He knew that Craig needed all the support he could get at a time like this. He needed to know that they were there for him, that they loved him.

“I don’t know their new numbers, Craig keeps that kind of thing,” Emma said, feeling a little helpless. She didn’t even know how they were going to take this all. She didn’t know if she could phone anymore people, she didn’t know if she had the energy. She had already talked with her mother who kept on asking how she was and if she should come, and then there was her call to Manny, before the conversation really started she burst into tears, barely able to get the news out of her mouth. How would she do it again?

“I’ve got them in my phone,” Kelsie spoke up. She still talked to them since she had left town. They had been real great friends to her.

“Well then can you write them down, so then we all can phone them,” Joey said, he felt he needed to be doing something to keep himself busy.

Shaking her head, “No, Chris and I’ll go do it; you and Emma need to stay here in case there’s any new news.”

“Alright,” he said as he sat down on the couch, next to his daughter. He felt almost helpless, a feeling that he didn’t like. He grabbed the magazine that was on the coffee table, and began to read it or at least glance at it.

“Would you mind watching Ava while I’m gone?” She knew that it had been a long time since the last time he had seen her.

“Sure,” he couldn’t believe that this was Craig’s daughter right in front of him. She had grown so much, and looking more and more like her father every day.

Chris handed her to Joey, “Ava, this is your grandpa.”

Smiling for the first time since he found out, “She’s definitely gotten bigger since the last photos Craig sent me. It’s amazing how fast they grow, don’t you think?” His granddaughter was so beautiful; it felt nice to finally see her after all this time.

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” she smiled.

“I have to thank you for letting Craig to be a part of her life. She means the world to him; she has really brought life to him,” he glanced over at Emma. He didn’t exactly mean it how it had sounded. He hated to think she might have taken it the wrong way, thinking that Craig didn’t seem that happy with her. He just meant that fatherhood brought a different side out of him, a side only the joy a child can only bring out.

“Yeah I know, she adores him just the same,” knowing how her eyes light up every time he walks into the room. She hated the thought that she would never see that again in her daughter, if he were to die.

******

“Hello,” Ashley answered. She had picked up Jimmy’s phone, since he was unable to get it right now. She was staying with Jimmy for the time being, well until school started.

“Hey Ash,” Kelsie said, not surprised that she had answered it.

“How’s it going Kels?” a little curious to why she would be phoning Jimmy personally. She knew that they weren’t that close that she would do something like that. Maybe she knew that was where she could find her.

“Not…good, um…”

Noticing the sad tone in her voice, “What’s wrong, is it Ava…Chris?”

Kelsie took a deep breath, it took all she had not to cry, something inside her wanted so badly though.

The wait was killing her, she needed to know what was up, “Okay the silence is killing me, just spill it.”

“Craig was in a horrible accident yesterday, and they’re not sure if he’ll make it.”

“What…no; this can’t be happening,” she was beginning to get angry. News like this hit people all in different ways. Yeah they hadn’t been the best of friends since the whole Manny thing, but they had been really trying to repair that friendship that they once had, especially since him and Jimmy were great friends. After hearing this, she felt like throwing something. This wasn’t suppose to happen to people she knew.

“You and Jimmy should really be here.”

“Alright, where exactly though?” knowing that they would get lost otherwise. How was she going to break the news to Jimmy?

“Royal Jubilee Hospital in Saanich.”

“We’ll be there as soon as possible,” putting down the phone before Kelsie had a chance to say good-bye. She ran to the bedroom, to the bathroom to tell Jimmy.

******

“So how did Spin take it?” Kelsie asked, as she put down the phone.

“No good, he said he would drive right down.”

Leaning against the wall, tears finally fell from her eyes, yet again. She was surprised that her eye ducts weren’t all dried up. “Why is this happening again?”

Standing right in front of her, “I don’t know sweetheart.”

“It just breaks my heart watching Ava, knowing that she doesn’t understand what’s happening around her. Than there’s Emma, who’s there blaming herself for it all and I just feel like nothing I can do or say helps.”

“Maybe what she needs is her mother here,” Chris suggested.

“She already talked to her, and she said she doesn’t want her to come all the way.”

“We both know she’s just being stubborn, a girl always needs their mother when they’re going through a rough time, especially something like this. So just call her.”

“But I don’t have her number?”

“I’ll go get it from Joey, and then I’ll be right back.”

“Okay, and thanks for being so great to me,” she smiled, slightly.

******

It wasn’t until the next day that they had finally allowed Craig to have visitors, but only one at a time was allowed. Everyone agreed to allow Emma to go first, at first she insisted that Joey go first, but he wouldn’t hear of it. Therefore, she gave in, and slowly walked into his room.

Emma sat at his bedside, with his hand in hers; she kissed his finger tips. Her face was all blotchy from all the crying she had done the past few days. With her other hand she placed it against his scratched up cheek, “Craig, you got to wake up, please…I need you,” she pleaded. "I know I shouldn’t have left, I was just scared. I haven’t told you something that could change things, so I wanted to leave before you could leave me instead.”

Emma laid her head right next to him on the bed. She felt worse than she did when Snake’s cancer had come back. Was it because there was no one to comfort her, or that the one that usually comforted her was the one lying here

“You know when you wake up I’m going to have a party to celebrate your birthday since it’s only 2 weeks away, and I won’t be here then. Plus if you’re improved enough I can give you an extra special present.” She smiled, as she thought of their first time, and how gentle he had been with her, and how slow he took it, making sure she was okay, “I love you.”

She had so many bad relationships before, and each time the guy hadn’t treated her with the respect she deserved, but once he came around that all changed. No one had made her feel loved as he had. She hated the thought that he may not be around to make her feel that way again. She didn’t think that anyone else would be able to do that for her again.

“I’m just sorry that I put you here. I really don’t deserve you; I’ve been less than honest with a few things.”

******

Joey sat, gazing at his son. It may have not been his real son, but to him he was in all the ways that count. In some many ways, Craig reminded him of Julia everyday. They were so much a like; both had that determination to do anything once they set their mind to it.

Tears gushed down his face, as he watched his son look so helpless hooked up to all those machines. “Craig, you can’t leave us, you have a beautiful daughter that needs her father to be there. To see her first steps, take her to her first day of school, watch her graduate, and then walk her down the aisle at her wedding. Please I begging you don’t go.”

Memories of his last days with Julia came rushing through his head; they were so overwhelming. No this couldn’t be happening! “I’ve watched Emma these past few days, she’s barely able to keep it altogether. She wants to be strong but she’s losing the battle. I’ve never see her like this before. If you were to go, I don’t know how she will handle it. She’s had so much heartache in her lifetime. I don’t know what happened before the accident, but all I know is that she blames herself for it all. I don’t think she ever realized how much you really love her. Please come back, so that you can show her, so that you can have the kind of life that you both very much deserve.”

******

Jimmy walked in; it was finally his turn. He never thought he would have to see a friend in this position, let alone say his good-byes, just incase the worse happens. He sat down on the chair on the side, and dragged it closer over to the bed.

“Man, Craig you’ve always been a great friend. I’ll never admit this, and I know it will sound bad, but I’m somewhat glad that you cheated on Ash, not the fact that you hurt her, but the fact that if you didn’t we would have never rekindled our love. And I wanted you to be the first to know that I’m going to ask Ash to marry me. Isn’t that weird, I’m just out of high school and I’m already ready to make that big step, it’s a little scary but I know its right.”

He hated to see a dear friend lying here like this. You always hear about stuff like this on the news, but you never really think that this could happen to someone that you know. “Don’t let go, Em needs you. Even though she won’t admit it, she’s not as strong as everyone thinks. Just looking at her now, I can see it, but I guess you already knew that, seeing as you two know each other like a book. If you were to leave there would be many that would miss you. Life just wouldn’t be the same without you.”

******

Spinner was the last to come in; he didn’t even know what to say. He had a hard time looking at him, he was hooked up to so many machines, and there were cuts all over his face, it was hard to recognize him. “Dude, this is so unkewl. You’ve never given up in all the time I’ve know you, so why start now.” He looked as fragile as he had when he had first met him, when he was still at home living with his abusive father.

Thinking about all he knew about Craig’s life, he began thinking a little different, thinking maybe they were being a little selfish. “Maybe you’re tired after all you’ve been through in your life. I can’t say you’ve had much of an easy one. I don’t know how you’ve lasted this….”

Spinner wasn’t even finished speaking before he heard the machine’s start to beep. What was wrong? What had happened, he began to panic.

A doctor and a bunch of nurses rushed into the room, pushing him out of the door.

“Spin, what happened???” Emma asked worried what it could be.

“I don’t know, I was talking to him, and then all of a sudden the machines began to go off,” running his hand through his hair.

Emma saw this, and knew this couldn’t be a good thing, “NO…” she cried out, feeling her legs growing weak underneath her. She now knew how her mother felt when she went through when Snake was sick; when he died.

Spin felt for her, it couldn’t be easy being in her shoes, watching the love of your life die right before you. He just put his arms around her, holding her up; it was the only thing he could think of doing to console her. He only wished there was something more he could do. All they could do now was wait until the doctor’s came out with news, and pray that it was good.