The Daddy Project

Accidents Happen... Don't be Dead.

The news got to Andres immediately and he just sat behind his desk frozen for what felt like an hour before James came back and told him they had to leave. Andres knew he couldn't work the case. He knew Leon a lot more now to treat the man behind the wheel with the justice he deserved.

His heart sped up more when he thought of Stuart. Did he know? If he did, how was he handling it? He picked up his phone and told James to go without him. He was heading to the hospital instead.

     Dialing Vlad's number, he tried to be as straightforward as possible.

"And he calls. I was about to call you. What do you want for dinner? Gala and Fyo are screaming for spaghetti. Right kids?"

The kids yelled into the phone but for once, their sweet innocent voices didn't calm him. "Vlad, take it off speaker."

"Oh. Be right back guys."

"Is something wrong?" Fyodor, ever the sharpest, asked.

There was no answer and Andres stood up, picking up his coat before Vlad came back on. "What is going on?"

"Leon got into an accident."

"Govno."

Andres was slightly amused he knew what that meant but didn't spend time on it as he continued, "I'm heading to the hospital now. You should get Stuart's kids."

"Why zis happen few days to end of zis project?"

Andres stopped in his spot to think about it. It can't be planned by the admin right? They couldn't have done it to make them stay longer right? Would they? Could they?

"Andres?"

"Let's meet at the hospital. Your hospital."

"Da."

Then he hung up the phone before dashing out of his office.

...

     "How do you feel?"

Stuart stared at Michaela and Bonnie. His vision was disoriented to the point they both blended to one person but Michaela reached for him, splitting herself from Bonnie.

He held her intense gaze mostly because he felt if he didn't, he was going to pass out. He could already feel himself slipping away already.

"Stuart, stay with me."

He didn't know how he should respond to that. His body felt weak and his heart was racing faster than normal. Was it because of Leon bloodied body or this was just one of his diabetic episode?

"I need something sweet. Sugar... but honey preferably." He muttered. His voice came out too low that Michaela had to lean closer to hear him.

She quickly told Bonnie what he needed and she disappeared to get it. Stuart watched her leave to frantically ask the nurses if they had anything sweet. He watched his world tilt and Michaela caught his head and made him stare at her.

"Look at me. Don't you dare faint on me." Her voice sounded a lot deeper than he had ever heard.

A gloved hand cupped his face and he looked at her. She looked as beautiful as always and he managed a smile for her. "I'm going to be fine. But Leon..."

"The doctor isn't out yet. You need to be strong Stuart."

"He wasn't moving. They said he wasn't even breathing." He felt his panic rise again and it suddenly felt like he was back on that road.

    The weather had gone really dark as if it too was sad. Someone had called the ambulance and it snapped him back to reality when he heard the siren. The person that had hit him just stood there, looking speechless at the unmoving body. All that rang in Stuart's head as he numbly walked up to him was that he was dead. But he never got to him. Someone held him back as they took Leon away. He couldn't even yell or react. He just gazed numbly as the ambulance drove speedily down the road.