His baby brother, whom he loved more than anything, was now in the hospital, hurt again, because of him. Involuntarily, his mind flashed back to the scene with Joe, the horrible fight they had gotten into, and the look of horror in his brother’s eyes as he struggled to process what Frank had been saying to him. Why couldn’t I see that he didn’t remember? How could I have doubted him—ever? Who CARES about "evidence" when your family’s involved? Frank closed his eyes and prayed to God that Joe would be okay. He didn’t even care if Joe never spoke to him again, or couldn’t forgive him. If he were all right, that would be all that mattered.

He didn’t know how he knew, but he did… he KNEW what he should have realized all along; that Joe and Callie had been loyal to him, always had been. Oh, God. Callie.

Frank had to back up as he felt a wave of weakness and nausea pass over him. Seeing a chair in the nearby waiting area, he found himself falling back into it. Falling was a good word for it, as Frank found himself descending into a state so dark he didn’t know if he had the strength to lift himself out of it.

What was he going to say to Callie? Because of him…she had lost their child. He rubbed his forehead to try and clear his vision, but it wasn’t working. Why hadn’t he believed her? He felt ill thinking of how he had treated her, refusing to allow her to tell anyone she was pregnant and trying to go through it alone. He had ignored her so many times, had fought his urges to hold her and tell her he loved her more than anything. And when he HAD told her, finally, what she meant to him…it had been on false pretenses, thinking she was sleeping with his own brother. Frank made a gagging noise as he tried not to throw up. And it was because of him…that she had run out, stung…devastated… and until now, he hadn’t really known why. If only he had listened to her. If only he had trusted her, their child would still be alive. If only, if only….

Finally, Frank tried to pull himself together, blinking back his tears. Now was NOT the time for all of this to hit him. Joe needed him, and Callie needed him. He had to be strong for them, help them to pull through this nightmare. He could deal with the consequences later.

As he slowly and shakily made his way back to Callie’s room, he saw the door open, and Vanessa stepped out, almost bumping into him. She looked tired and upset, and her own eyes were red from crying. Of course, Frank thought, numbly. She’s worried about Joe, too, and Callie. Did the list of people whom he’d hurt ever stop? To his surprise, Vanessa caught his arm as he was about to enter Callie’s room.

"Frank," she said, meeting his eyes, "Don’t go in there. Not now."

"Wh…what?" he stuttered. "Vanessa, I HAVE to see her. Please, let me through." As he tried to move, Vanessa positioned herself between him and the door, making entrance impossible.

"Frank," she said again, her blue-gray eyes penetrating into his heart, "Really. Now is NOT a good time. She needs to be alone."

"Vanessa," he said at last, struggling for control, "Why?" It was the only thing he could mutter.

Finally, Vanessa’s eyes reflected the sympathy that she had been trying to suppress for so long. She was trying to warn him, but when she saw the agony in his eyes, she couldn’t deny the fact that although he had done a lot of things wrong, Frank Hardy was a good person, and he loved Callie very much. Taking his hand, she said, gently, "I knew."

"You knew what?" he whispered.

"I knew that Callie was pregnant."

"Oh," Frank found himself saying. He didn’t ask how, or when, or why she knew. Suddenly, it wasn’t important.

"The doctor tried to find you earlier, but I guess you were with your dad," she continued, and Frank nodded, vaguely wondering why the doctor was trying to locate him.

Vanessa squeezed his hand. "Frank, they’re watching Callie very closely. When she lost the baby, she started hemorrhaging, and she lost a lost of blood. Even now, she’s running a high fever, and the doctors don’t seem to know why." Vanessa paused, letting her words sink in. "Frank, a normal fall usually wouldn’t bring about such blood loss, or infection…IF that’s what causing the fever. So…they want Callie watched carefully, avoiding stress…if that’s possible."

Avoiding stress. She means me, Frank realized. Then it hit him. Callie’s sick! No…

"I," he managed, before words failed him.

"I know," Vanessa said, letting a lone tear slip down her cheek. "She’ll be okay, though. It was just a fall, right? I mean, I’m sure she’ll physically get through this."

"And emotionally?" Frank asked her, heart breaking. "Mentally, will she get through this? Does she hate me?" he whispered. "How could she not?"

Vanessa felt horrible seeing Frank in so much despair, and she reached out to him, holding him tightly, as he had done for her so many times in the past when things had gone wrong. She let him cling to her for support, and he did, holding to her as if his life depended on not letting go.

"Oh, Frank," she said, softly. "She doesn’t hate you… I mean, she LOVES you…but she’s in pain right now, and I don’t think going in there will help her right now. She…she told me, briefly…what happened…"

Frank pulled away from her at once, shocked. "She did?!" He started trembling, worse than he had before. "It’s my fault. I’m so sorry," he said.

"Frank, no," Vanessa countered, trying to be strong. "Honey, it was an ACCIDENT. I’m sure what happened with Joe was, too," she finished, and she was proud of herself. She knew what Frank had told her, but somehow she also knew that Joe would forgive his big brother, and try to make things right. In his absence, she would take his place. Just don’t let his absence be too long, she pleaded, mentally.

"I have to see her," Frank finally replied to Vanessa. "Vanessa, I need to know she’s okay. I need her to know I’m there for her, even if she doesn’t want me to be. She’s my…everything," he finished, his voice trailing off.

Vanessa nodded. She still didn’t know if it was a good idea. Callie had sobbed in her arms before succumbing to the fever and the pain, and Vanessa was worried about what she might say or do. Even under a doctor’s care, Callie’s position was precarious, since no one seemed to know why she had lost so much blood and why she was in constant pain or running a fever. Vanessa was a lot more worried than she let on, but she knew that Frank had common sense, and would care for her and let her rest. She could only hope that Callie would see Frank after everything. Although she hadn’t said too much, she had said enough…and she knew that Callie was conflicted at best about Frank at the moment.

Giving Vanessa’s hand a final squeeze, he watched as she left for Joe’s room, or to keep his parents company. Then, vowing to hold it together, he walked into Callie’s room, and was grateful that she appeared to be sleeping soundly. Pulling up a chair next to her bed, Frank leaned over and gave Callie a quick kiss on her forehead, looking at her, concerned, when he felt how hot to the touch she was… and pale. Frank swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked at Callie’s whitened, waxy complexion. How much blood had she lost?! Vaguely, he recalled the doctor’s words about transfusions after the baby was lost…but he had been so shocked that Callie was in the hospital, much less suffering a miscarriage, that he hadn’t processed anything fully.

"Oh, baby," he whispered. Taking her hand, he continued to watch over her for several hours, occasionally hearing back from his mom or dad or Vanessa about Joe. Watching her beautiful face as she took soft breaths made him think of her only, and nothing else. And that was good. Finally, he drifted off to sleep, still holding her hand.

Some time later, Frank had no idea how long it had been, he woke up. Stretching his arms behind his head, he realized that close to three hours had passed when he glanced at his watch. Deciding to refocus, he stifled a yawn, and was shocked to see that Callie was awake, staring straight ahead. Almost at once, he felt his heart start to pound in his chest.

"Callie?" he said softly, but she didn’t respond.

Confused, he stood up, and walked in front of her bed. "Cal?" he asked again, seeing that she was awake, her eyes open.

Finally, she moved her eyes to him, meeting his gaze. At once, he felt the lump in his throat return. Although her eyes were glassy with fever, that wasn’t what scared him. She was looking at him not with anger, or sadness or hatred… her eyes were DEAD. Never having seen her that lifeless before, Frank didn’t know what to do. Slowly, he went around and sat on the edge of the bed. "Hey," he said gently.

"What do you want?’ Callie asked, her voice low, slightly slurred.

"Callie," Frank said, reaching for her hand, "I…I’m sorry…" It was all he could say.

She pulled her hand away from him, weakly, and he was shocked. I shouldn’t be, he said to himself. I have to try again.

"Oh, Callie," he choked out. "I…I know you…and Joe... that nothing happened." It was so unbearably hard to even say as he was consumed with guilt.

"Shoulda known that anyway," she replied, looking weak and dizzy. Still, there wasn’t the faintest trace of emotion in her voice. There were no tears, no yelling, no drama…no replay of their horrendous fight.

"I know," he mouthed, unable to make his voice return.

She didn’t move.

"God, Callie... the baby." Now Frank felt all his emotions return at once with a vengeance, and he started to cry, silently, feeling his body shaking with sobs.

She offered no comfort, and he didn’t expect any. When he looked up at last, he saw her lower lip trembling and she was visibly shaken and trembling, hard, at the mention of their lost child. Still, she was staring straight ahead. When Frank saw her, his instinct kicked in, and he put his own pain aside and moved next to her, unable to resist taking her in his arms to comfort her.

When Callie felt him hold her, she let him. She needed him and yet, was repulsed by him. As he rocked her in his arms, rubbing her neck, she closed her eyes. She was so hot…and so cold… her body ached, and she felt so weak. But, above all, she felt empty. She couldn’t even begin to think about her loss, or the fact that her fight with Frank had precipitated it. Had Frank killed her baby? Had she? Had God taken from her any hope of happiness? Why?!

If she didn’t hurt…so badly…she’d think about it. But she didn’t want to think. She couldn’t fathom that her child was gone. She couldn’t comprehend that the man whom she had loved for nearly all her life, whom she had given herself to, totally, and agreed to be his wife…would betray her to her very core. In one instant, she lost her fiancée, best friend, husband, and future. It was all too overwhelming. She felt dizzy.

Frank’s arms around her calmed her somewhat as she numbly nestled into him. She just…couldn’t cry. She knew her soul would shatter like her heart if she began to think. She did know she had to do one thing, though.

Frank was talking… what was he saying? It was hard...so hard…to understand, to will herself to care- and not to care. Something about sorry…the baby…love… devastation…Joe… Joe? Had she heard that right? Everything was so mumbled.

After a long time, Callie looked up at him, seeing him through eyes blurry with fever, blurry with tears that she couldn’t shed. Blurry like my feelings.

"Frank?" she said numbly.

"Yeah?" he choked out.

With trembling hands, she reached down to her left hand and removed the beautiful diamond engagement ring that, at one time, symbolized everything good in her life. Shaking, she placed it in Frank’s shirt pocket and then looked down, burying her face in his chest for one last time.

"It’s over."

It took Frank a moment, but he pulled her tightly to him, and she could feel his tears in her hair and the ragged movement of his breathing as he tried to choke back sobs.

"I know."

And with that, Frank Hardy and Callie Shaw made their final choice together.