"Lost Beginnings"

Disclaimer/Explanation

This series takes place in 2004, five years after the show ended.
Everything that took place on the show has taken place, with the exception
of one major detail. In this series, Lucas and Felicia's youngest daughter,
Marisa, is introduced. She would have been born in 1992, shortly before
Lucas' death, so I'm taking a bit of artistic license. She would be twelve
in real life, but since it's a soap, she's been aged:-). Also, this
involves the loss of one of Bay City's most popular characters, but just so
you know, there ARE storyline purposes for it. Thanks!

PART ONE

Lorna glanced around her surroundings, surprised that so little had changed
in her absence. Not even the sofa was different. Still, she figured this
was more of Amanda's doing than anyone else's, wanting to keep the house the
way it was when her father was alive. Not that she blamed her...

"Mommy, I'm hungry!" A small hand pulled on her, and she glanced down,
where she'd almost forgotten about the little girl trailing behind her.

"I know you're hungry, kiddo, but Mom wants to see Carl, okay? When I've
said hello to him, we'll go get some dinner." She picked up her seven year
old daughter. "You've gotten heavy, kiddo."

"Lorna?" Rachel walked into the room, a smile on her face. "How lovely to
see you."

Lorna put her daughter down and went into Rachel's welcoming arms. She was
almost hit by a flood of tears, but managed to control them.

"And who's this?" Rachel knelt down.

"Hanna, you remember Aunt Rachel, don't you?"

Hanna nodded shyly. "I think so. Are you married to Uncle Carl?"

"That's right. And your Uncle Carl has been waiting for you all day. He's
so excited that you and your mom have come home again." Rachel smiled at
Hanna, then stood, facing Lorna. "I know this isn't a pleasure move. You
are more than welcome to leave Hanna with us if you need to be with your
mother."

"Thank you, Rachel." The tears fell freely down Lorna's face. "I'm glad
to know that you and Carl have been here for her while Jenna and I haven't
been."

"Sweetie...you and your mother are family. We love you very much."

"And you are like a daughter to me."

They turned at the sound of Carl's voice. He held out his arms to Lorna.
"Dear one."

That was all she needed. She flew into his arms and sobbed into his chest.
He held her tightly.

"Why's Mommy crying?" Hanna whispered to Rachel.

"Mommy's sad about your grandma, sweetheart." Rachel told her, softly.
"You know what? I have some wonderful toys upstairs that my little boy and
girl play with. Would you like to go look at them?"

Hanna nodded, and Rachel led her up the stairs, giving Carl and Lorna some
time with one another. Lorna stepped back, looking up at Carl.

"I don't like it when she sees me like this."

"She knows that you're hurting, Lorna." Carl reached up and wiped the
tears from her eyes. "We can all see that."

"I sat with Felicia this morning. She's so fragile, Carl. She doesn't
look like the mother I know."

"She's still your mother. She still loves you very, very much."

Lorna walked towards the sofa, sitting on it gently. "I'm about to become
what I've feared the most. I'm about to become what I once was and what I
prayed I'd never be again."

"What's that, dear one?"

"I'm about to become a motherless child, Carl." She dissolved into tears
once again, but pulled herself back quickly. "I can't stand the thought of
becoming that again, Carl."

"She'll always be with you, Lorna. She will never really leave you." Carl
put an arm around her, helplessly. "I know that's difficult to believe
right now, but you'll grieve and you'll always miss her, but you'll always
have her in your heart."

"Somehow, that's not comforting right now." Lorna sighed. "And what makes
it even more difficult is the thought that Marisa is going to lose her
mother before she's even eighteen. She never knew Lucas, he died when she
was such a tiny little baby. It's not fair that she should lose Felicia,
too." Lorna's heart broke at the thought of her sixteen-year-old sister.
"I guess I should head back over to the hospital. Morgan is there now, with
Cass. He's just as devastated as we are. After all, it was Mom who helped
Morgan find me after Gabe died, and she's the one responsible for Morgan and
I being married right now."

"Do you want to leave Hanna with us?" Carl suggested. "She'll be fine in
the nursery with Cory and Beth."

Lorna shook her head. "I feel better when she's with me. Morgan will take
care of her when we arrive."

"We'll be by later this evening to visit. When does Jenna come into
town?"

"She's here. She was going straight to the hospital from the airport."
Lorna smiled, wryly. "I never thought I'd be so happy to have my sister
near me."

"Embrace her, Lorna, her and Marisa. They'll be your link." Carl put his
hand on Lorna's cheek, and smiled. "We are all here for you."

"Thank you, Carl." She stood up. "I should go retrieve Hanna and go to
the hospital."

Carl took her upstairs to get her daughter.