Characters: Mack, Tatum, Hunter, Kate Peterson, Kia Dubinsky, Alex and Roger Peterson
Setting: St. Dymphna's, Late Friday night
Content: Probably SFW, maybe a little NSFW. Swearing, sad stuff, maybe a fist fight.
Summary: Mackenzie and Tatum go to the hospital to meet deal with Craig's death. One big happy family reunion, right?




Mackenzie’s hands were shaking as she shifted the car into park and turned the Rover off. They had left as soon as she had met Tatum at the Rover, stopping at the local drive through coffee place before heading for St. Dymphna’s. There hadn’t been much talking on the way over, just the newest CD Tatum had made playing softly throughout the car track after track. There was a tight pain in her chest that only worsened the closer they go to the hospital. Although now that they were here, she felt numb. Was this really happening?

She wasn’t sure if she could do this, she had never had to deal with death before. Especially not the death of someone who was like a father, even if she had refused to acknowledge him as such. She felt god awful for the way she had treated Craig in the past, all he had ever tried to do was be a guy. Now he was really gone, forever. No amount of magic could bring him back. She bit her lip, swallowing roughly as a wave of sadness washed over her, her mother must be devastated. Poor Kate, she was so upset after her father had left her and then Craig had come along and put back the light in her eyes. Even if she didn’t get along well with her mother, Kate still deserved to be happy.

She took a deep breath, resting her head again the steering wheel, she had to hold it together for now. If she walked into the hospital crying there would be now way to gain back control. She had to be strong for Kate, because she knew her mother would be a blubbering mess when she saw her. Wiping her nose quickly she brushed her hair out of her face and turned her head to look at Tatum. She hugged herself, feeling cold in the Louisiana summer heat. Maybe she was getting a fever or something, she certainly felt like she was going to be sick, her stomach had been doing this awful spin cycle dry thing since she had gotten the call.

“Thanks for coming with me, I know this isn’t like…your cup of tea,” She said quietly, frowning a little. She knew that being the strong one wasn’t very easy for Tatum, especially in a situation like this. But she appreciated the effort the girl was making, she knew that she was probably a nervous wreck inside. Hell, she was a nervous wreck inside. She hoped that Kia was already here, that would mean that her mother would at least be docile. It also meant that she wouldn’t have to be responsible for anything, Kia would take care of everything.

She shivered slightly, hugging herself tighter. They had to get out of the car eventually, it wasn’t something that could be avoided. What would be waiting for them in the hospital? Would Roger and Alex be there? She kind of hoped they would, she hadn’t seen either of them in months. Like Kia, they would help buffer Kate and she was rather fond of her step-brothers.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” she said finally, her voice cracking. She chewed on her lip and brought her knees up to her chest, resting her shins against the steering wheel. She sat there, hunched over in the driver’s seat, trying to stop wave of nausea that had washed over her with her confession. She was glad they hadn’t eaten much today, she was sure it would have been hitting the pavement right about now.