Life Lost and Love Gained Ch. 07

"Good-bye for now beautiful," Ben murmured before standing back up. He looked at Shawn for a moment before focusing his attention on Sara. "I really am sorry for being a fool. Take care of yourself and call me if you need anything," Ben said softly. Sara gave a tense smile and allowed Ben to give her a gentle hug. Before Ben walked out the door, he turned back to Shawn and said, "Take care of her."

~~~~~~~~~~~

"How's the head?" Shawn asked, setting a mug of hot chocolate on the night stand.

"Better," Sara murmured. "Is Livvy asleep?"

"Out cold," Shawn confirmed. He sat down on the bed next to her and brushed back a strand of hair. "Do you want to tell me what you didn't want to say in front of your father?" Shawn asked.

"There's nothing else to say. I stood up too fast and got dizzy, it happens," Sara protested.

"You're holding something back," Shawn accused.

"No, I'm not!" Sara denied. Shawn gave her a pointed look. "What makes you think I'm hiding anything?" Sara wanted to know.

"When's the last time you got dizzy enough to pass out just from standing up?" Shawn challenged. Sara thought for a moment and her eyes widened. "I see we're finally on the same wave length," Shawn joked.

"I don't think it's very likely," Sara said finally.

"Why not?" Shawn asked. Sara held up the packet of birth control pills. "Did you miss any?" Shawn wanted to know. Sara resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Just the sugar pills," Sara answered before reaching for her mug of hot chocolate.

"When will you know for sure?" Shawn wanted to know.

"Two weeks," Sara said. Shawn nodded and squeezed her hand.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey," Shawn said, knocking on and opening the bathroom door.

"Hi," Sara murmured, looking up at him.

"What's the verdict?" Shawn asked nervously.

"Just a dizzy spell, it was negative," Sara told him.

"You're sure?" Shawn asked. Sara sighed.

"I took six tests Shawn and all of them came back negative," Sara murmured. Shawn breathed a sigh of relief. "What's the matter Shawn? Don't want any more kids with me?" Sara asked.

"What? No! I would love to have more children with you, but not now. We just graduated and I just got that job offer in Phoenix. Now would just be a really bad time Sare," Shawn murmured, reaching for her hand.

"So if it had been positive, you would have been happy?" Sara asked with a sniffle.

"Very," Shawn answered, pulling her into a hug. "When I said that I love you, I meant every word," he murmured. Sara gave a small smile and threw the tests in the trash.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

-6 months later-

"Come in," Sara called in response to the knock on the door. "Hi dad," she murmured when Ben walked into the room.

"Are you ready? Shawn is practically having a nervous breakdown out there," Ben murmured.

"She's ready," Joyce answered for Sara. Sara took a shaky breath and took one more look in the mirror before turning back to her father.

"I'm ready," Sara confirmed.

"You look amazing," Shawn murmured in Sara's ear as they danced.

"You don't look too bad yourself," Sara countered.

"I wanted to fuck you then and there on the damn bheema," Shawn growled. Sara blushed and Shawn chuckled. "How much longer before we can leave?" Shawn wanted to know.

"They haven't even served food yet!" Sara reminded him.

"They'd better hurry because otherwise we'll be visiting the coat room," Shawn warned. Sara blushed again and looked up as Kelsey made her way over to them.

"What's wrong?" Sara asked, seeing the look on Kelsey's face.

"I hate to steal the limelight but I think I'm in labor," Kelsey whispered. Sara and Shawn glanced at each other.

"You think?" Sara asked.

"Okay, I know I am," Kelsey corrected.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Kels?" Sara asked, sticking her head in the door of the hospital room.

"Hey. Come on in," Kelsey said with a tired smile. Sara and Shawn walked quietly into the hospital room.

"Boy or girl?" Sara wanted to know.

"Girl. I was thinking about Samantha," Kelsey murmured.

"Perfect," Sara told her friend with a smile.

EPILOGUE

"Kelsey!" Sara squealed as she exited the baggage claim area of Detroit Metro Airport.

"Look at you!" Kelsey exclaimed with a laugh.

"I know, a beached whale," Sara said with a laugh.

"Are you insane lady, getting on an airplane and flying two thousand miles when you're this far along?" Kelsey scolded.

"I missed you and Junior," Sara said defensively.

"I tried to talk her into waiting but she was like a bull dog," Shawn added from behind her. Kelsey laughed and turned her attention to Olivia who was standing next to her father with a bored expression on her face.

"Hey Livvie," Kelsey said with a smile.

"Hi." Kelsey looked at Sara in surprise.

"Livvie was going to be spending the summer with some friends at camp until I decided to come back to Michigan," Sara murmured.

"I'm sorry you're disappointed but David's excited to see you," Kelsey told the young woman. Olivia's face lit up.

"He's still your cousin Liv," Shawn reminded her gently.

"But he's cooler than you guys," Olivia retorted. Shawn sighed and Sara gave him a look telling him to back off.

"I can't believe she's nearly ten years old," Kelsey commented as she helped Shawn load their suitcases in the trunk of her van.

"Tell me about it," Shawn agreed.

"How's Sara really doing?" Kelsey wanted to know.

"She's doing great. She has missed living around family but she's doing great," Shawn answered. Kelsey smiled and slammed the hatchback closed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"David, Luke, Sam, I'm back!" Kelsey called, opening the back door.

"Hi mom," David said, looking up from his comic book. "Aunt Sara!" he exclaimed.

"Hey kiddo! God you look like your dad!" Sara said with a smile as she gave her nephew a hug.

"Wait until you see Luke," Kelsey said with a small smile. David stood up and pulled the chair he had been sitting in out.

"Sit down aunt Sara," David suggested. Sara smiled and sat down in the chair, looked up as Lucas walked into the room.

"So the court let you stay hm?" Sara murmured.

"Yeah. I threatened to run away if they moved me," Lucas answered. Sara smiled.

"Mom, I can't find my purse!" Olivia exclaimed, walking into the kitchen.

"It's still in the van," Sara told her. "Liv?" Sara asked, glancing at her daughter when she didn't answer. She gave Kelsey an bemused glance when Sara noticed that Olivia's eyes were locked on Lucas' eyes and vice versa. "How's school going Luke?" Sara asked.

"I have a 4.0," Lucas answered.

"That's good," Sara said with a smile. "Where's Sam?" Sara wanted to know.

"Napping," Lucas answered.

"Still?" Kelsey asked in concern.

"She went down a half hour ago," Lucas said. Kelsey nodded and looked up as Shawn walked into the kitchen.

"Let us buy you dinner," Shawn told Kelsey.

"Okay," Kelsey agreed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Sara? You okay?" Shawn asked walking onto the balcony of the hotel room where she could see Olivia, David, Sam and Lucas playing in the pool under Kelsey's watchful eye.

"Sore back, I'll live," Sara answered.

"You sure it's just a sore back?" Shawn asked.

"I'm sure," Sara murmured. Shawn rubbed her back and pressed a kiss to her neck.

"God, can't you guys get a room?" Olivia groaned when she returned to the hotel room ten minutes later. Sara heard Kelsey laugh and the other kids looked away.

"Liv, why don't you take Sam into your room next door and change. Boys, you can take turns in the bathroom then we'll go out for dinner," Shawn said, a no-nonsense tone in his voice.

Kelsey followed Sara into the bathroom. "You okay?" Kelsey asked.

Sara nodded but asked, "Do you think you can keep Liv tonight?" Kelsey studied her friend carefully and grinned.

"No problem. Call me as soon as you know anything," Kelsey agreed. She followed Sara out of the bathroom as Shawn was paying the bill. "Luke, Shawn and Sara are going to borrow your car for the night and Liv's coming to our house for the night," Kelsey told him.

"What? Why? Don't you think you could have asked my permission first?" Lucas asked.

"What's going on?" Shawn asked.

"It's time," Sara said with a grimace. Shawn stood up instantly, took the check to the bar and spoke with the bartender who closed out their bill.

"Please be careful with my car," Lucas said to Shawn as he reluctantly handed over the keys.

"I will," Shawn promised before turning and guiding Sara to the car.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Kels," Shawn said softly, shaking his friend gently.

"What time is it?" Kelsey asked groggily.

"Nearly four am. Another girl, this time, she's full term," Shawn answered. Kelsey smiled and shuddered when she remembered what had happened nearly a decade earlier.

"How's Sara?" Kelsey wanted to know.

"She's doing great. She just wants to get out of the hospital and come home," Shawn answered. Kelsey smiled.

-Three days later-

"Oh my God Sara, look at her!" Kelsey squealed. Sara laughed. "She's beautiful," Kelsey murmured. "What have you guys named her?" Kelsey wanted to know.

"Mackenzie Rose," Sara answered.

"She's beautiful," Kelsey said again. Sara nodded.

"All that's left now is to go visit David and Sam," Sara murmured.

"Hi David. I miss you so much. I wish you could have meet Olivia, she's such a beautiful young lady and she reminds me so much of you. She and Junior are so close that sometimes they remind me of you and I. I don't know what you and Sam have been talking about up there but I know you're both watching over us and keeping us safe. I love you David," Sara said softly, placing some smooth, round and oval stones on the grave marker. She pressed a kiss to the headstone before standing up and walking to where Shawn stood waiting.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"I miss you too kid," David called after his sister before fading into the foggy mist.

Sara turned back towards David's grave when a cool wind frolicked at her back. She smiled and said, "Goodbye David."

For those who are going to ask what is up with putting rocks on the grave, here's the answer:

Symbolically in Judaism, it suggests the continuing presence of love and memory which are as strong and enduring as a rock. And we know that one name for G-d is "The Rock of Israel." So the rock is a reminder of the presence of the Rock, Whose love truly is stronger than death.