Title: Dealing with Death
Author: Cynthia Beckner (Shadelock)
Disclaimer: I don't own any of them. Also don't have any money.
Notes/Warnings: This does have to do with the death a character, but not a main one. This is a companion piece to another story that I wrote a while, if you want a copy just e-mail me and I will try to dig it out. However it can stand-alone at the same time. This is not beta read. Lastly this is my dues that were due on like the 3rd of this month, however my vacation took long then expected so this is a bit late. Tell my what you think I love reviews. 

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I don't remember much after they told me Daryl had died in a car accident. Even though he had been late that night, I tried to convince myself that he had lost track of time, but the moment I opened that door I knew I would never hear his voice or see him smile again. With the thought that a parent shouldn't outlive their child, I remember nothing else. However, during this time I was able to respond to people and make coffee or at least that's what Blair told me later. It would seem that during that point of time that I didn't remember everyone had shown up at my house. However that was hours ago and only Blair and Jim remained. They are out in the front room talking quietly as I sit in my darkened bedroom lying on the bed.

For some reason my mind takes me back to my first year out of the academy. I was on patrol when an accident happened in front of us. There had been two cars involved in a head on collision. The first car held four teenagers coming home from a school dance and the second car held a married couple that was drunk. I remembered cringing at the site of blood and body parts everywhere. The married couple was uninjured and soon trying to drive away from the site, not that their car was going to move. The teenagers were not so lucky. One was declared dead at the scene, one died on the way to the hospital, and the last two had severe injuries. Of the two surviving ones, one was permanently paralyzed and I had learned later on that he had took his life a few months later when he realized he would never be able to play football again and he had lost his chance at a scholarship for college.

My partner who had been on the force for over ten years at that point volunteered us for the duty of informing the parents. I didn't think it would be that hard until we were actually at the door of the first house trying to come the weeping woman. It was one night that I would never forget as a learned that informing someone that someone close to him or her was dead was not easy. When I got home the next morning I sat for nearly an hour trying to determine why my partner was so forceful that we do it since it seemed that he dreaded the entire affair. It was only years later that I realized he wanted to prepare me. After so many years I've had to inform many parents that their children were dead, but I never expected to be on the receiving end.

"Simon" Blair called quietly from the doorway. "Do you need anything or want us to call anyone?" Blair was rubbing his hand along the door in a nervous gesture. 

The anthropologist was pale and Simon could see the tear trails on his cheeks. Simon had forgotten how close his son and Blair had become in the past few years. Slowly standing up he walked over to Blair and pulled him in a hug. It took a few second but Blair soon returned it. "I just need good friends at my side," Simon whispered.