The Canary's Lullaby

Chapter Four

Oliver buried his head in his hands to keep the anxious tears from falling. Sara laid her head onto his broad shoulder. Meanwhile, Dinah kept her vigilant, unblinking eyes on her phone, hoping that Quentin would put his feelings about Oliver aside and answer.

"Mrs Lance, Ms Lance, Mr Queen" Dr Hernandez said as she met them with sorrowful eyes.

The trio rose abruptly from their seats as they grew aware of the doctor's presence.

"How is she, doctor?" Dinah asked.

The doctor looked from left to right, uncertain of how to break the news. Despite fifteen years in this field, reporting unfortunate circumstances never got easier. Her heart jumped at the young father's demanding question. "No sugar coating. Is she okay?"

"It seems Laurel suffered a brain aneurysm" Dr Hernandez explained.

"Oh my goodness" Dinah said, cupping her hands around her mouth.

"Was there any way of finding it early?" Sara asked, panic stricken.

"Unfortunately not. We ran some tests and we believe it was brought on by the stress of pushing. We did everything we could to revive her but to no avail. We're so sorry for your loss" Dr Hernandez concluded as she excused herself to give them time to process the news.

But Oliver was quick to call her back as she was five feet away. The young man's voice was suddenly overcome with the growl of a monster."This isn't over! She can't be gone! Do any more tests that you need to and you put her right!"

"I'm deeply sorry, Mr Queen. But there's nothing more I can do" Dr Hernandez responded calmly as she left to answer a page.

The world stood still as Dinah, Oliver and Sara tried to make sense of the tragedy that had befallen them. Sara refused to take her over tired eyes off of her niece in the hospital's nursery. Oliver sat alone in the hospital parking lot with his head pressed to the steering wheel. Every fibre of his being ached with the desire to have Laurel back and the hope that this was all just one terrible nightmare he'd soon wake from.

As the sun began to set on the worst day of their lives, Dinah's heart skipped a beat as Quentin finally answered her calls.

"Di, I told you. I don't know who Laurel is anymore. If she wants to keep the kid that's fine, but I just can't watch her throw her life away like that when she's got so much left to live for" he said immediately upon picking up the phone.

Dinah nearly broke down at the sound of her husband's stern voice. Detective Lance listened intently to his wife's growing sobs. His palms began to sweat and his heart rate elevated with dread.

"Di, what's going on?" Quentin asked, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up as his head swam with guesses of the worst case scenario.

"Our baby is gone, Quentin" Dinah revealed finally as she wiped a series of tears from the fountain that flooded her face; her mascara staining it in the process.

"I don't understand. Did the kid not make it?" Quentin asked frantically. Deep down, he knew what she meant but he refused to acknowledge the truth. Dinah drew in a deep breath as she prepared to explain, unsure of how much Quentin wanted to hear.

After nearly an hour on the phone, Quentin felt as if he had heard enough. Lacking the energy to curse the Queen family name, the detective hung up on his wife without so much as a single warning. Immediately afterward, he dragged himself to the basement and produced a collection of beers from the mini fridge.

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Elsewhere, Sara found herself strolling through the parking lot in her brown leather jacket looking for Oliver. The distraught young father was startled as he was met with a light knock on the window of his car.

"Mind if I come in?" the blonde asked. Her mouth formed a sad smile while her eyes exuded comfort.

"Of course not" Oliver responded while not taking his eyes off the stars in the sky. He'd been searching for nearly two hours for the brightest one, hoping that it was a sign that Laurel was still with him. It was, after all, one of her favourite things to do on a simple date night.

Silence engulfed the pair of young adults. Both of them at a loss for words. They had known each other for a lifetime and suddenly they struggled to look one another in the eye. A manila envelope containing an adoption application peered over their shoulders from the back seat. After a considerably deafening ten minutes, Sara finally spoke.

"I went to the nursery to visit the baby. She looks just like Laurel" she said in astonishment. The slightest of smiles creeping upon her face.

"Which is exactly why I have to give her up" Oliver returned decisively.

"So you're ready to just give up on her like that?" Sara shot back, her eyes widening.

"Parenthood was Laurel's dream and I can't do this alone" Oliver confessed.

Sara cupped Oliver's pale face with a free hand. Her grip was cold as ice, shot with nerves. Her eyes filled with compassion and hope. She had only ever looked at him like this in a series of dreams; which she had been trying to fight for years. For Laurel's sake.

"What about your promise to Laurel?" she asked.

As Oliver opened his mouth to rebut, Sara was quick to finish her statement. "I think the reason you're afraid to keep the baby is exactly why you should". The baby was all they had left of Laurel, why not hold onto the only part of her they were allowed to keep?

"But I can't do this alone. My parents won't help me and your parents aren't too fond of me either" Oliver stressed.

"You're still staying at Laurel's loft, right?" Sara inquired. Oliver nodded in response.

"Let me be there for you. I'll help you during the day and I'll go home before dinner with my parents. I'm sure my mom will get it, even if my dad doesn't" she finished.

"But what about CCU? You need to go to college, Sara. Don't put your dream on hold for me" Oliver pleaded.

"College is my parents dream for me. Honoring Laurel is my dream" Sara answered, a look of fierce determination evident in her eyes.

"I am terrified and in awe of you, Sara Lance. Where would I be without you?" Oliver sighed in amazement.

"Let's hope you never have to find out" the blonde quipped with a hopeful smile as she traced gentle circles around the surface of his hand with her thumb.