A man

Bret has been sleeping quietly all day. The nurses and doctors have been in and out. Friends have come to visit. Even Landon has come in and out a time or two while he still had to stay there another day.

At one in the afternoon, Bret starts to move, writhing slightly and shifting his head, seeming to be in pain. The medication is increased and he quiets again until an hour later when he groans, his head twisting until finally his eyes open. He blinks in the soft light, everything foggy and blurry. He tries to move but stops as pain shoots through his body. He groans and sinks his head further into his pillow until trying to open his eyes again. "Ch... Charlotte? ...Charlotte?"


Dani pauses her chewing and looks up to Dalton again, as if confused. Then her eyes widen. "Ohhh... no..." She giggles, clearly embarrassed. "No, I didn't mean that, goodness, no." She shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "It was the car, not the guy see...." She scrunches up her nose, not used to talking about it, but she didn't seem to mind with Dalton.

"See... I'm a bit claustrophobic. Not with every small space but... sometimes I get these panic attacks. And... so I went out with this guy once and he had a little car and the windows didn't work so I couldn't roll them down so I sorta freaked out on him." Dani squints a little, still feeling the embarrassment. "When I told him to stop and let me out he thought I was scared of him, so he tried to talk me down, but that just made it worse and I started screaming at him. He finally pulled over and let me out but then he told other people that I was the freak because I was petrified of him and it well... yeah. I was totally embarrassed and I vowed never to let it happen again." She shrugs lamely. "I... I'm okay like, in my own car and stuff 'cause I can put the windows down whenever I need to or stop for a breather, but usually if I'm familiar with the small space it doesn't bother me. So...." She tosses Dalton a grin. "I guess if you want to drive me somewhere, I'll just have to get used to your car."


Carson leans back close, touching Misty's nose with his own. "Always extra whipped cream for you."

As a crash is heard in the kitchen, he doesn't flinch, but keeps the smile on his face, though the twinkle fads. "Okay. That was a pan that I placed on the edge of the counter. I have to go clean up. I'll also get your food."

Swinging back around, he slips back into the kitchen to quickly clean up the mess.


Clint paces up and down and up and down. He looks at Wes, talks to Mick, plays with BJ, then paces some more. Why didn't he know anything? Why didn't Angel want him in the room? He didn't understand. He just wanted to see Wendy. Everything would be fine... everything would be fine.

"Hey."

He jumps, feeling his father's hand on his arm. "Huh?"

"Sit down." Jim grins at him. "Come on. She's not the only woman who's gone through this. You might as well just take a deep breath and wait it out."

Clint smirks at him. "Is that what you did when I was born?"

"Are you kidding?" Jim scoffs. "I was a mess."

Clint can't help his laugh and he shakes his head. "Some help you are."

"It'll be fine." Jim pats his son's shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah." Clint obeys and sits for a while, looking out the window. His mother came by, joining the other women, then leaving again to fix lunch, then coming back again. She gave Clint reassurance.

For the first time, Clint wished his sister was around. But she was away, visiting a friend at a college...

His thoughts snap to attention as suddenly there's a cry of a baby. Clint's heart leaps into his throat, and for a moment, he stops breathing. He steps towards the room, waiting for the door to open. Waiting to hear a second set of cries. Could he go in? Did he have to wait? Why weren't they coming for him? He fidgets nervously. That was his child crying.... his child... He turns around, catching his father's eye. He was a dad. He was scared, excited, confused, thrilled. He turns back to the door, unable to voice anything he was feeling.

The others around him leave him be, even though hearts leaped with joy and they wanted to embrace him. He needed his space until he was ready for the congratulations.

But the quiet grows on. Clint's excitement is taken over with a new worry. What was happening?

Then Angel appears. As soon as he sees her face, his gut twists to the point that he almost doubles over. The little blanket was pink... but it did not move. Clint could hear the soft cries still in the room... but none came from the bundle in Angel's arms. He knew before she even apologized.

His breath catches in his throat as his eyes glaze, feeling as though hot coals were being pressed to them. He doesn't dare look over his shoulder to the others.

Instead, he steps forward, looking down into Angel's arms. Finally, a tear runs down the side of his face as his lower lip trembles. He felt sick to his stomach, but swallows the urge to turn and retch.

In awe and sorrow, he reaches down to touch the soft hair, running his finger over the tender babe's head... his daughter's head. His heart had just been ripped in two like never before. He had been so scared of being a father... so hesitant... so reluctant even at times. There had been days when all he wanted was to go back in time and not do what he'd done so that he and Wendy wouldn't have to face a family so young. But all of those feelings had vanished.

In a matter of seconds, a boy is transformed into a man... and he would never return.

Gritting his teeth to control his emotions, Clint holds out his arms, wanting to hold her, just once. Another tear slips out to join the first in the trail down his face. Holding the babe to his chest, he touches her head again... her little nose... her tiny fingers. But all was still... the living warmth was absent.

An arm slips around his shoulders. It was his mom. "Oh Clint..." Her voice wavers as silent tears stream down her cheeks. "I am so sorry."

Clint slowly turns around, seeing the others. BJ was gone from the room - someone had ushered him out. Clint's eyes catch his father's for a moment but no words were exchanged. Finally he turns back to Angel, almost reluctant to hand the little bundle back to her, but he does. "Wendy?" His voice cracks and he swallows hard. "The other baby?"