Plot: This is the third and last story in the trilogy that includes 'Blood Is Thicker Then Water' and 'A Difficult Decision'. A series of events happens to the group, some bad and some good (I've got a lot happening here, so I can't say what happens specifically). Rated R.
Author's Note: I'm not a medical doctor, so if I write any medical stuff that can't happen, don't hold it against me.
Disclaimer: don't own Will and Grace or it's characters. The story title is taken from the song Only Love Remains by Paul McCartney and then tranlated into French.

Part 2: Almost Gone

Karen had always hated hospitals, and this time was no different. She, Jack and Amber were sitting in the waiting room of the Emergency Room of St. Francis Hospital.

"Did they say what happened?" Jack said, leaning towards her slightly.

Sighing, Karen shook her head and said, "They just said she was in the Emergency Room."

"Karen?" a voice called out in front of them.

They looked up to find Will and Grace rushing over to where they were sitting.

"We got your message," Will said, when they had reached the three. "What's going on?"

"We don't know," Jack said, answering for Karen. "Karen got a phone call that Kat was here and to come down."

"Did you talk with a doctor yet?" Grace asked.

Karen shook her head, not saying anything.

Will and Grace glanced at each other and then sat in the two seats next to Amber.

An hour later, a doctor walked into the waiting room and said, "Is the family of Katherine Riley here?"

Karen stood up immediately and walked to the doctor. "I'm her sister," she said. "Is she okay?"

The doctor looked down at the paper in his hands and then said, "Come with me please." He then noticed Will, Grace, Amber and Jack who had come up behind Karen. "I'm afraid immediate family only."

"This is her daughter," Will said, gesturing to Amber.

"I'm sorry, she'll need to wait out here," the doctor said. "Follow me please...?"

"Karen Walker," Karen said quickly.

"Ms. Walker, this way," the doctor said. He then turned and walked down a hallway.

After glancing back at the others, Karen walked hurriedly out of the waiting room, following the doctor through a long hallway before he stopped in front of a room.

"Ms. Walker," the doctor said, sighing. "I'm afraid that you're sister was hit by a car this afternoon."

"She... Is she okay?" Karen whispered, putting a hand to her mouth.

"She sustained cuts and bruises, a very slight concussion and her left wrist is sprained," the doctor said. "And... I'm very sorry Ms. Walker, but Ms. Riley's slipped into a coma, and it doesn't look like she'll be able to pull through."

Karen heard herself gasp, but it sounded like it was coming from the other end of the hallway. Her vision seemed to waver for a moment before it went black.

"Kare?" a familiar voice called out.

"Jackie?" Karen managed to say softly. She then opened her eyes slowly and saw that it was Jack, he was standing above her.

"You okay?" Jack asked.

"I-" Karen began, then she stopped and closed her eyes. "Kath, she... she..." She couldn't say anything else and she began to cry.

Jack sat down on the edge of the stretcher and knelt down, hugging Karen. He had been watching Karen talk with the doctor when she had suddenly fainted. He had then helped the doctor put her on a stretcher where she was now. "I know Kare," Jack said into her ear. "The doctor told me."

"Move Jack," Karen said suddenly. "I need to see her."

"Do you think you can-" Jack started to say.

"I'll be fine, but I want to see my sister," Karen said forcefully.

Jack got off the stretcher and helped Karen down. "The doctor told me where she is before he left," he said, leading her down the hallway. They went into an elevator and then up to the third floor.

"Where are the others?" Karen asked, gripping Jack's hand tightly. They were in the Intensive Care Unit area of the hospital.

"Are you okay Kare?" Grace said, running up to the two.

"I'm fine," Karen answered. She then noticed that Will and Amber were sitting in what looked to be a makeshift waiting room. Will was reading something to the little girl. "Did Jack tell you what happened?" Karen asked, turning back to Grace.

"Yeah, he did," Grace said. "But we're not sure if we should tell Amber or not."

"Let me see Kath first before we tell her anything," Karen said. When Grace had nodded and then gone back to Will and Amber, Karen turned to Jack and said, "Will you come with me to see her?"

Jack looked a little unsure, but he nodded, squeezing Karen's hand. "Let's go."

They walked down the hallway over to the room that Katherine was now in. Jack let go of Karen's hand and let her go into the room first.

Karen stepped inside slowly, a little frightened by all the machines in the room. She let her eyes rest on her sister in the bed and she let out a strangled cry. She turned around and buried her face in Jack's chest.

Holding Karen, Jack looked over at Katherine and then felt himself go pale.

Katherine had tubes running out of her nose and mouth and an IV in her left arm. Her extremely pale face was covered with bruises turning various shades of blue and purple, and there was a long gash across her forehead that had been stitched up. She looked almost like she was dead, except for the fact that her chest would move up and down awkwardly with the help of the breathing machine she was attached to.

After a few minutes, Karen stepped back from Jack and then walked over to Katherine. Very carefully, she took her sister's right hand and held it as tightly as she dared. "Kath?" she then whispered softly. "Come back to us soon, okay?"

Jack watched as Karen kissed Katherine's cheek and then let go of her hand. He walked up to Karen, putting his arm around her waist and led her out of the room.

Will was waiting for them when they came out. "Should we let Amber see her?" he asked softly.

"No, it's... she's... no," Karen managed to say. "We need to tell her what happened. I'll talk to her."

Jack let go of her and then asked, "Do you want me to go with you?"

Karen nodded and said to Will, "You and Grace can go see Kath while we talk with Amber." With that, she turned and walked to the waiting room, Jack following her.

Grace, who was coloring on a piece of paper with Amber, looked up as Karen and Jack approached them. "I'll be back in a little bit okay Amb?" she said.

Amber nodded without looking up from her coloring.

"Amber, come here Jack and I want to talk with you," Karen said softly. She sat down in a chair and Jack sat next to her.

"Come here Amb," Jack said, picking up the little girl and putting her on his lap.

"Is my Mummy going to be okay?" Amber whispered, looking up at Karen.

Karen reached out and took Amber's hand. "Your mom... she was hit by a car earlier," she said. "And sh-she's in a coma."

"What's a coma?" Amber asked innocently.

"Ms. Walker?" a voice suddenly said before Karen or Jack could answer.

"Yes?" Karen asked, looking up.

"I'm Doctor Stiles," the man said. "I'll be attending your sister. I was wondering if I might talk with you for a moment about Katherine's condition."

"Go ahead," Karen said.

"Are you sure you want the child to hear?" Doctor Stiles asked, glancing at Amber.

"Please sir," Amber said softly. "Tell me what's happened to my Mummy."

The doctor nodded and sat down in the chairs across from Karen, Jack and Amber. "Well I know that the doctor in the ER told you of the injuries she sustained from the accident," he began. "The doctors also discovered that Katherine was suffering from acute pneumonia and her lungs are very weak at this point."

Karen closed her eyes tightly and felt tears fall from them.

"It's believed that because of the pneumonia combined with the trauma from the accident, Katherine's body slipped into a coma," Doctor Stiles said.

"What is a coma sir?" Amber asked.

"Well... um," the doctor began and he looked over at Karen.

"Tell her," Karen said, opening her eyes.

"It's when the body goes into something like a deep, deep sleep," Doctor Stiles said.

"Will my Mummy wake up?" Amber asked.

"It depends on your mother," the doctor answered. "I believe that if her lungs are able to become strong again, then there is a chance she can live. Ms. Walker, I need to ask you if your sister had any history of suffering from asthma or tuberculosis or anything of that nature."

"I don't know," Karen answered listlessly. "She grew up in England, we didn't know about each other until a year ago."

"Where exactly in England did she grow up?" Doctor Stiles asked.

"York," Will said from behind the doctor.

"Thank you sir. I need to look at Katherine's medical history that way I can sufficiently treat her pneumonia," Doctor Stiles said. He got up from his chair and left the waiting room.

"Someone has to let her brother in England know what's going on," Jack said suddenly.

"I'll call him," Will said. "I have his number, and I am her lawyer."

The five of them were quiet for a long time before Grace spoke up. "Do you want Will and I to take Amber tonight?" she asked.

"No, she'll come with us," Karen said. She stood up took Amber from Jack. "Let's go home so you can get some rest Amber."

Jack stood up from his chair and followed Karen and Amber to the elevators, waving goodbye to Grace and Will.

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