Locum Tenens

PART ONE: "Mutantur Omnia Nos Et Mutamur In Illis"

~ All things change, and we change with them. ~ 

DISCLAIMER: Pretty Little Liars and all its characters is the intellectual property of others. Some characters used in the writing of this fic belong to PLL. Events that transpire, will transpire and have transpired in this story are entirely of my own creation.

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CHAPTER EIGHT

Nine Years Ago...

Logan – 35

Jai – 8

Logan Hayes sat behind the wooden desk in his study, staring blankly at the framed awards and recognition lining the walls of the room. At thirty and five he prided himself with being one of the most gifted and brilliant of doctors in his field of expertise, able to diagnose and treat illnesses at its early stages. He was at the top of his game and that made him arrogant. Blind to what was staring him right in the face until it was too late. His grip tightened on the glass of scotch he was holding in his hand when his eyes drifted to the framed photograph on his desk. It was taken a few years ago, at a time when he felt he was living the perfect life. He stared at the beaming faces of his daughters before focusing on his wife's and felt a sudden wave of remorse. His wife was smiling but her eyes looked distant. Empty. He should've known something was wrong back then. Maybe this wouldn't have happened if he did. He looked up when he heard a soft knock on the door and realized he was sitting in the dark, the moonlight streaming in from the windows his only source of light.

"Daddy?" Logan sat up straight in his chair when he heard his eldest daughter's voice from the other side of the door. He couldn't afford to let his daughters see him fall apart. They need him to be strong. Especially Jasmine.

"The door's open, kiddo. Come in." Logan called out. He felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth when he saw his eight-year-old daughter enter the room in her Sesame Street pajamas. The ones her mother bought her when she was five. The clothes barely fit his daughter now. Jasmine was growing up so fast that the pajama bottoms barely covered her ankles and the hem of the pajama top barely covered his daughter's stomach. He opened his arms when Jasmine walked over to him and enveloped his daughter in a comforting hug. "What's wrong?" He asked as he moved to let the girl sit on his lap and studied his daughter closely. Jasmine was the spitting image of her mother and he fought the urge to breakdown as his daughter looked at him with innocent, bleary eyes.

Jai rubbed her eyes sleepily. "I dreamt of mommy again." She admitted quietly.

Logan swallowed hard and kissed the side of Jai's head before speaking. "Were you scared?" He asked softly.

Jai shook her head adamantly. "No. Just really sad." She answered, fidgeting with the hem of her top. "I'm sorry I couldn't save mommy." Jai whispered, tears of shame falling from her eyes.

"Oh kiddo what happened wasn't your fault." Logan began, pulling his daughter closer to him. "There was nothing you could've done. Mommy was really sick. It wasn't your fault." He repeated, starting to rock his daughter back and forth as the girl wept in his arms again.

"I won't let it happen again." Jai said when she finally stopped crying. "I promise I won't let anything happen to you or Kayla. I'll take good care of you two." She vowed resolutely. "I won't be helpless again."

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Present Day...

"My daughter Jasmine... Jai as most of you fondly call her, learned of responsibility and maturity at the young age of eight." Logan said as he began his eulogy. "I remember the last time she sat on my lap like it was just yesterday." He continued, smiling forlornly. "Her mother... my wife, just died and Jasmine was so consumed with guilt because she believed that she could've done something to stop the tragedy. The last time she sat on my lap was the last time she acted like a kid. After that night she forced herself to grow up so she could take care of me and Kayla." He said as he fought to maintain his composure. "Jasmine stopped being a kid nine years ago. She stopped playing outside with kids her age and instead threw herself into her studies and to being a good sister and daughter. She became compassionate... doing what she can to help others who weren't as fortunate as her. She didn't want to feel helpless again so she pushed herself to be someone who could do something that could change lives for the better. Jasmine had all these big dreams for her future... none of which could ever come true now that she's gone."