Title: A Parent's Worst Fear
Author: Cynthia (aka. Shadelock)
Note/Warning: This story deals with the death of a minor character from show. 

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Simon looked at the clock over the fireplace once more and sighed. Daryl was 45 minutes late from coming home from the move. Before he had left, he had promised his father that he would be home on time tonight, but Simon knew that wasn't going to happen when the clock had struck 10 p.m. and his son still wasn't home. He knew that he shouldn't worry, but unlike normal parents that could only imagine what could happen to their children, Simon had seen what could happen. 

Taking another look at the clock, to see that only five minutes had passed from the last time he had looked, Simon decided he needed something to do. It wasn't going to help him to sit here and think of how evil the world could actually be. He also knew that at anytime, Daryl was going to walk though that door with some excuse as to why he was late. Probably they had just stopped for something to eat. He was just worrying too much, but that was a parent's job after all.

**Is this how my parents felt when I didn't make it back for curfew?** Simon thought to himself. **I should call them up and apologize from all the worrying that I caused them.** He smiled at that thought. However that smile disappeared when there was a knock on the door. **Calm down Banks, it nothing.**

Simon stood in front of the door with a feeling of dread working its way up his spin. He reached out for the doorknob and started to turn it. Everything was going in slow motion as he did it. Pulling open the door he looked into the sad faces of David Rafe and Joel Taggert. He knew in that instant that all his worries were warranted. 

The two detectives informed Simon that Daryl Banks died at 9:58. A drunk driver had ran a red light and slammed into the kids car on Daryl's side. He was pronounced dead on the scene. Simon felt his legs give out from under him and someone grab him. In the background he heard Joel calling to him, but he didn't care. In one sentence, his world had come crashing down on him and nothing mattered anymore. The most important thing in his life was dead. 

**Parents worry that something might happen, but they never believe it will until they open the door and realize that they have lost everything.** Simon thought to himself as everything went black.