A few days after the miscarriage, Chris flew his mother-in-law out to Boston so Denise could have her own mother with her as she continued to reel from the tragedy. Lisa, too, spent a lot of time at the house, helping where she could with house chores and Jack. Together with Tina, they helped Chris tell people about Denise's miscarriage so the grieving mother wouldn't have to repeat what Dr. Carson had told her. It was one thing to hear her baby didn't have a heartbeat, it was another to tell everyone they loved that her baby didn't have a heartbeat.

Every one they'd called or texted on the 15th of February was called and texted again with the unfortunate update. All that joy they'd celebrated with, all the excitement they'd felt upon hearing Chris and Denise were expecting their second child- it all turned to heartache and grief. Like anyone else who'd seen a loved one, or a friend, or a co-worker experience one- they didn't know what to do, or say. And the small handful who'd experience one themselves knew that time was the only remedy. They simply sent their love and deepest regrets, promising that they were but a call away if the couple needed anything.

It didn't seem like Denise needed anything, but space. She didn't eat, or drink unless she was forced to. The only person she spoke to without displaying signs of her depression was her son, but even then- it was fairly obvious how broken she was. She spent most of her time cooped up in the master bedroom, or on the couch wrapped in a blanket with Dodger her only welcomed company. Since she returned from the clinic, Dodger had been glued to her side, growing even more protective of her after she had her procedure. He growled at any one who came close, even Chris. At nights, he struggled to even get in the same bed as his wife because Dodger was there, so he'd camp out in his son's room or sleep on the couch.

As bad as Denise felt for shutting Chris out, she felt worst whenever she had to look at him because all she could think about was how she'd failed him and their baby. She wanted nothing more than to have his comforting arms around her, but every time she came close to touching him- she'd remember the pain she'd caused him with her carelessness and retreat to mourn alone. It was absurd that she thought it was her fault she miscarried, it hurt Chris to hear that she blamed herself. He did everything he could to prove to her otherwise, collecting pamphlets and printing out articles that addressed how some miscarriages were unexplainable and unavoidable. Still, he felt like he needed to do more.

He emailed back and forth with Dr. McCullough back in Los Angeles, asking about plans for mental recovery, as well as the statistical possibility of getting pregnant again. Though he'd rather not, afraid they'd repeat history, dragging Denise through another tragedy. He spoke to Charlie and asked for her professional advice as a nurse who'd helped other mothers through miscarriages before. He FaceTimed with Sebastian and Luca, and Donovan and Erica, hoping they could offer their six pence as well as some moral support. It seemed that was something he severely needed with his main pillar so far away from him. He even called Aunt Teresa, Denise's mother's younger sister, who'd gone through something similar years ago to see if she could give him a sense of what he could do for her niece. In the end, they all said the same thing: "give her time, Chris. Be there for her, but just give her time." It was sound advice, but by the end of the fourth week- he just wanted his wife back, for his son to have his mother back.

What made things even harder for everyone involved in the tragedy was that tomorrow was Mother's Day- Denise's first Mother's Day in Boston; a place known for their 'Duckling Day' parade. Denise had been so excited when she first heard about it. She thought it was an adorable way to spend Mother's Day with Chris and Jack, parading around the streets of Boston with the rest of the parents and children. Lisa had purchased Jack a costume just before Denise miscarried, one that was no longer going to see the light of day- at least, not this year. This year, with the baby they'd lost, Denise would not be capable of getting through that parade without completing breaking down. And if Chris was being honest, he knew he'd struggle too. The one thing he was grateful for was his son and how understanding he'd been when he had to explain why they weren't going to the Duckling Day Parade after all.

"Daddy?"

Chris heard Jack's voice through the darkness as he walked down the dimly lit hallway, pass the child's bedroom to his own. He stopped and turned, quietly pushing the ajar door wide open. Inside the room with walls painted a sky blue, where Jack's nightlight was the only thing lit- he could see the three year old still wide awake at 10:23PM. He walked in as his son sat up, clutching his stuffed 'Winnie the Pooh' bear in his arm.

"Can't sleep?" He quizzed as he sat down on the edge of Jack's bed.

"No," Jack answered with a shake of his head, tightening his hold on Pooh Bear.

"Let me keep you company then." He gestured for the boy to make space for him as he got comfortable, wrapping a comforting arm around his son. A quiet sigh was released as Jack snuggled close to him. He knew exactly why the child couldn't sleep, he just wished he had the ability to fix things. "Comfy?" He quizzed and felt a nod against his chest. "Good," he mumbled into Jack's hair as he kissed the top of his head.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, buddy?"

"Is Mama still sad?"

Chris' eyes welled with tears, silently stewing for an answer. He quickly forced a smile on his face when he saw Jack looking up at him, then sighed and answered, "yeah, Mama's still sad." There was no point in lying to the child, he wasn't blind to his mother's expressions. Even if she tried for him, it was obvious she was devastated by the miscarriage. If Jack had been mature enough to grasp the concept of what happened to his baby brother or sister, he was mature enough to have this conversation. At some point in his life, he was going to have experience death- now seemed a good a time as any.

"Is there anything we can do for her?"

"I don't know, Jack," Chris answered honestly.

"What if we have another baby, will that make her happy?"

"I don't think so, buddy," Chris chuckled lightly at his childlike innocence. "Plus, another baby- that is easier said than done." The fact that she'd barely hugged him, let alone kiss him since the 15th of April made it difficult for them to have another baby. It was much too soon anyway, her reproductive system was probably still healing. "I think Mama just needs more time, she's going through a lot."

"What about you, Daddy?"

"Hm?" Chris' brows furrowed slightly.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Chris seemed slightly taken back by the maturity of Jack's question. Everyone had been so preoccupied with how Denise was doing that no one had really asked how he was doing. Which was completely understandable as she'd been the one who was carrying the baby- the one who had to have the procedure to remove the fetus. And while it was nice to be asked, he wasn't sure he had an actual answer to the question. He was the part of the majority that had been preoccupied with how Denise was doing, he had no time to think about himself. That was, until Jack asked "are you okay?"

"I miss Mama," he replied and tears filled his eyes again. Oddly, he didn't feel the need to explain himself. He could tell from the way Jack climbed onto him to hug him, that the child understood and had a similar longing. Chris wrapped his arms tight around Jack, running his hand in circles on Jack's small back. "And you, Jack. Are you okay?"

"I miss Mama too," was all he said before succumbing to his fatigue.

Outside, Denise had heard everything. She pressed her back against the wall and sunk to the floor, hugging Dodger as she cried into his fur. Hearing her husband and her son admit that they missed her despite her living in the same house as them- it was heartbreaking. She hated herself for how much she'd distanced herself from them. She especially hated herself for how she was making Chris suffer alone. So what if she had been the one who was carrying the baby, so what if she had been the one who had to have the procedure to remove the fetus. The baby was theirs, he had lost their child too. She needed to snap out of it if she didn't want to lose the love of her life because from the sound of things, she was going to if she didn't start changing.

Chris held Jack in his arms, gently tapping his back as he drifted off to sleep. "Things are going to get better, I promise." He whispered then sat up, lifting the child with him before carefully tucking him back under his covers. He rose to his feet, grabbing Pooh Bear to gently set him under Jack's arm. He knelt on the floor beside Jack's bed, quietly watching his son sleep. With a sigh, he leaned forward and kissed his little forehead before taking his leave. Quietly, he started to pull the door close, stopping to leave a slight gap. It was only when he turned that he noticed his wife sitting on the floor and jumped, cussing under his breath.

"What are you-" Chris panted, hand clutching where his heart was pounding. "What are you doing here?" He asked as he knelt in front of her, gently pushing Dodger out of the way. For the first time in a month, the dog didn't growl at him. He simply stepped out of the way and watched as Chris took Denise's hands in his. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

"I'm sorry..."

"For what?" His brows furrowed as his eyes welled with tears. "You have nothing to apologize for, Denise," he assured her, squeezing her hands tightly. "Just- get up, let's get you into bed." He tried to help her to her feet, but she resisted, keeping him on the floor with her. "Baby, c'mon. Let's get you to bed."

"I'm sorry, Chris." She began to apologize again and he sighed, sitting back on his heels as he listened to what she had to say. It was clear she wasn't going to let either of them go anywhere until he did, until she got what it was she wanted to say off her chest. "I know I'm still a mom, I know the baby was yours too. I'm sorry, Chris," she repeated as she started to cry. "I am so, so sorry."

"Denise-"

"You were going through the same thing I was, Chris." She interrupted before he could defend her from herself. "The baby wasn't just mine, you lost your child too. I'm sorry I shut you out when I should've been mourning with you. I love you," she said as she squeezed his hands back. "What happened- it hasn't changed the way I feel about you, nor will it ever change the way I feel about you. I am sorry, and I love you, and I still need you. I need you, Chris," she practically pleaded, tightening her grip on his hands.

Chris pulled her into his arms as he began to cry. Her arms wrapped tight around him, her face buried in his shoulder. "I need you, Denise. And I love you too, I'm always going to love you." He whispered into her hair when he kissed her head. "And I've missed you," he admitted. "I've really, really missed you."

"I've missed you too." She admitted, sniveling. "And I'm going to try," she told him and he pulled away from her to gaze curiously into her eyes. "I'm going to try to get past this because..." Her voice broke. "As painful as it is losing our baby, I am not going to let it define us. I read all the pamphlets and articles you've left for me, and one in four women go through a miscarriage so..." She trailed off, feeling her heart ache at the word. "We can try again. We will try again," she assured him and he smiled ruefully, unsure if he wanted to given everything they'd been through. "I just- I need time, but I am going to give you a daughter."

"Right now, Denise," he cupped her face in his hands, thumbs brushing her tears away. "You are the only girl I need in my life." He told her and she smiled as she started to cry again. "C'mere," he chuckled lightly as he pulled her into another tight hug. "I love you."

"I love you too."