#sheisfury

Peter didn't reply. Claire's head turned as if looking to him to see if she should respond for him, but she didn't say anything either. He cast his eyes down, and she watched his hair move in a tiny way as he exhaled. Her stomach did a twist inside of her. She was gripping the flowers so hard her knuckles were probably white.

'Peter, what happened?' Her voice had turned strained, hoarse. He looked back up, and he took a deep breath in, his chest rose and fell, the breath came back out. It was so quiet she could hear it, and for some reason the silence seemed off, strange. He glanced over at the bed and then back at Barbara.

'It was about five minutes before you got here. The doctors said it was painless.' Claire made a sound, one Barbara faintly recognized as trying to choke back a sob. The silence was piercing. It was the missing steady beep of the monitor, the missing hum. There was nothing anymore.

The last traces of her confused smile vanished, and the flowers felt heavy in her hand. There was no rising and falling of the bedclothes where Tracy's chest should have been. There was no soft sound of her breath.

'Shes gone.' It was half a question, half a disbelieving statement. Peter nodded. She figured he knew a lot about loss. All the people he'd known. Claire got up and pushed past her, and she heard feet hitting the hallway floor in the direction of the restroom.

Peter nodded, pursing his lips, running his tongue along the bottom one. She figured it was dry. He'd done all that sighing. 'I'm sorry, Barbara. They said something happened and her heart stopped. They can't figure out why. They're taking her down to the morgue soon.'

He paused for a moment, as if thinking whether or not he should say anything. Then he went on, hesitantly. 'She said something.' He said slowly. She waited for him to go on. He glanced back at the bed. 'It sounded like she was begging you not to hurt her.' He paused again, just long enough for her heart to make the descent to her stomach. He looked up and met her eyes for the first time since she'd walked in.