The next day:

No one left the hospital. It was almost twenty four hours since the accident. No one wanted to leave and then something happen while they're gone. Especially Sam.

Danny arrived in Minnesota. No one wanted to see him, but it was only right to tell him that the mother of his children was so close to death. He needed to be here for the kids.

He planned to go to Sarah's to get the babies, spend some time with them, then take the three of them to his parents house so he could go to the hospital.

Danny knew it was no longer his space to be in, but he still loved Jessica and this was just as hard for him as it as been for everyone else. He didn't want to admit it, but he just hoped that everyone would be kind to him. Dorthy and Albert really disliked him and Jessica's siblings hated him. For Sam, he was intimidated by Sam.

Sarah's:

"Danny, hey, come in." Evan says answering the door.

Danny comes in and Evan gives Danny a big long hug. Evan and Danny were best friends since college. Evan was Danny's sponsor and helped him get out of a really dark place in his life and still is today. Evan understood Danny's pain like no one else. Danny didn't have to admit that he was scared as hell for losing Jessica, he knew.

"Thank you guys so much for taking in the kids. I got here as soon as possible." Danny says

"It was our pleasure. We love them like they are our own. Sarah is actually changing the twins, Jack is actually napping. He's been tough. I think he needs a parent." Evan says as Danny walks over to the play pin where his son was peacefully sleeping.

"Or his mother. You know Danny, you should know that the twins saw the fire... ever since they've been asking where Jessica is. If she's okay. It was a scary scene to see from what I've heard." Evan sighs

Danny nods and picks up jack and holds him tightly as he rests on his shoulder.

"I overnighted a lot of their things from my place... everything at Jessica's place is gone... it's all dust." Danny tries to hold back the tears, but he couldn't.

"Evan, how do I explain to the kids what's going on? How do I tell Scarlett and Wyatt that their mommy is gone?" Danny cries

"She's not gone yet. George said that the doctors are hopeful. You can't give up on her yet." Evan says

"Evan, I've been trying to find a way to make things right with her. I bought her a new ring and everything. What if I never get the chance to tell her how much I love her." Danny panics

"Danny, don't say anything to Sarah... I hate to say this but she's pro Sam... Jessica and Sam are really serious now. I'm sorry, man."

Before Danny could say another word, the twins come racing towards Danny.

"Daddy!" Scarlett smiles

"Hi princess and prince." He says hugging them both

"We see'in mama?" Wyatt asks

Danny sighs "No, we are actually going to pizza world then nana and papas house!" Danny says with a big fake smile.

"Oooo, pizza!"

"I bet they'll be happy to have pizza. I've been feeding them all greens. I know that Jessica always wants them to have their veggies and greens." Sarah chokes up

"Sarah, thank you..." Danny says. He gives her a hug and she starts to cry.

"I'm sorry. I need to hold it together. It's just hard. She's my best friend." Sarah cries

"I know, you've always been her favorite person."

"Daddy, what's wrong?" Scarlett says with puppy eyes

Sarah wipes her eyes and kneels down to Scarlett. "Nothing honey! I'm just so sad that my bff is leaving me!"

"I be back." She giggles

//-//

At the hospital:

Sarah arrived not long after Danny left the house. She brought food for everyone and hoped that they would all eat something. At a time like this it was important for everyone to stay strong and healthy.

"Thank you for brining us food, clothes, and blankets. These chairs suck." Ann says to Sarah

"Of course... Sam, I brought you a turkey sub. I remember Jessica always talking about your turkey subs." Sarah giggles

"Thanks. I'm sorry, but I'm not hungry."

"You need to eat, Sam. You can't get sick. Not how." Dorthy insists

Sam stands up and goes to the table and sits down.

"Yummy, right?" Sarah says handing it to him.

Sarah came to relax everyone and take their mind off things for a while. It was refreshing.

"Sarah, did Danny come for the kids?" Dorthy asks

"Yes... he's taking them for lunch then dropping them off at zoe's." She answers

"Why is he dropping them off?" George says

Sarah clears her throat and sighs. "Because he's coming here."

Sam's jaw dropped. The last person he wanted to see was Danny. Danny hurt Jessica and didn't deserve to see her or get pity.

"He should stay with the kids." Sam says bluntly

The table goes quite.

" I agree." Jane says

"The asshole needs to go back to New York." George says with anger

"Guys... as much as we hate him, that is Scarlett, Wyatt, and Jack's father. He needs to be here." Albert pleas

"Don't worry Sam, we'll make sure he doesn't bother you. But if he pulls one stunt, I swear, he's out!"Dorthy says harshly

"Mom... if.... If Jessica... does that mean Danny will take them away from us and bring them to New York?" Ann says

Then, everyone stopped. They never thought that far ahead, but maybe it was time to.

"Yes." Dorthy whispers

"I hate this! You know! I really hate this! Jessie is such a selfless, loving, kind human! She doesn't deserve this shit. She's only twenty seven! She hasn't even lived long enough to die now." Jane shouts

"Janey..." Ann cries

"We can't keep thinking that she's going to die. Maybe she will get a lung transplant." Albert says

"People only survive a year or two to three years if they are lucky after a lung transplant." George says sternly

"We need to stop talking about Jessica dying!"

"I should have went in there before the fire department came. I should have saved her." Sam says with no emotion.

"Sam, you couldn't have. You could have died."

"Well I'd rather it be me than here. She has kids! Like George said, she hasn't even been alive long enough to see the world. Jessica's life has so much more value than mine... I wish it was me. I wish I was lazy that night and asked her to go get more pepper." Sam starts to cry and couldn't stop

"Don't blame yourself for any of this, Sam. You can't."

//-//

A few hours later Danny finally arrived. Everyone greeted him and gave him updates. Jessica was still the same and hasn't woken up yet. In a way it was good, she can't feel any pain, but it was also not a good thing.

Danny couldn't calm down. None of this seemed real.

Sam kept to himself and distanced himself from the Lange's to avoid Danny and they all knew why. It was uncomfortable.

A while later the doctors came out to talk to the family. That is when Sam joined them. He didn't even give a second thought about Danny. He was here for Jessica and Jessica only.

"How is she? Is she awake?" Sam asks

"Jessica is not awake. But that's a good thing for now. Her body has been under a lot of stress and her lungs and body need the rest. And it's best that she doesn't feel any pain."

Dorthy shakes her head, worried for Jessica.

"Right now I can let two people see her for today. So I am guessing mom and dad would like to go in?" The doctor asks

"Yes, of course!" Dorthy says

Sam was so disappointed. He yearned so badly for Jessica and just wanted to see her, but he let Dorthy and Albert go without a fuss from himself.

After Albert accepts the offer, he pauses for a moment.

"You know, Sam, you should go in." He says

"Mr. Lange, please, go see your daughter."

"No, Sam. Go see her. Go see the love of your life."
He says taking Sam's hand and squeezing it.

Sam was beyond grateful. He hugged Albert and thanked him a million times.

See that really broke Danny's heart. It should have been him going in he thought to himself. He wanted to see Jessica so badly, but he lost that right.

//-//

Before they went to see Jessica Sam and Dorthy had to put on yellow gowns, scrub caps, face masks, and gloves. It was like they were preparing to go to space with how many layers they had to wear.

It was scary and nerve wracking. Dorthy was nervous to see Jessica in her condition. The doctor warned the two that she may not even be recognizable from the burns.

The burn unit was very strict. The doctors had to make sure that Sam and Dorthy put everything on right and had to go over the rules. No touching, kissing, or hugging. They had to stay a few feet away from her and no closer.

"Are you ready?" The nurse asks

"Yes." They answer nervously

Sam takes Dorthy's hands and they walk into Jessica's room. The doctors were right, a clear canopy type cover surrounded her bed. No one was aloud to go in expect for doctors. Sam and Dorthy were instructed to stand outside of the bubble.

The two of them approached the bed slowly. Jessica was covered in Bandages. You couldn't see on piece of her pale skin.

She was connected to tubes helping her breathe. Her head and face were covered in bandages. No one could recognize who she was. Her face was puffy and red. It was too swollen to make out a profile.

"Oh my god, Sam." Dorthy cries

Sam gives her a hug and looks at Jessica with tears in his eyes. "My Jessie..." he whispers

"We can't even be close to her because of this stupid bubble! I want to hold my baby and hug her." Dorthy sobs

//-//