After seeing the spoilers for Point of Origin, I decided I wanted
to expand and change my Going Fourth story.  I will be
changing what I wrote dramatically but incorporating the basic
concept of the story which aligns with the spoiler.    

Spoiler warning: This has very serious spoilers for the 5th
Season right through to Point of Origin, so anyone not wanting
to be spoiled, you have been warned. <g> While I know the
spoiler pointed at the fact that Kerry was unsure that she had
found her birth mother, I decided to take a different approach.


CHANCES OF THE HEART (Part 1/2)
(missy@ipax.com.au)


Kerry paused, lipstick in hand, and surveyed her reflection.  She
shook her head, frowning.  It looked wrong.  It wasn't her.  She
never wore make-up like this.  The blusher emphasised her high
cheekbones and the gold-brown eyeshadow gave a softness to
her blue eyes, the same blue eyes that held a sparkle of
anticipation.  For a moment, she contemplated starting again,
but a quick glance at her watch negated the thought.

Standing up, she quickly blotted her lips, tossing the tissue into
the waste basket beside the dresser.  Taking a step back from
the mirror, Kerry eyed herself critically.  She straightened her
rust coloured long sleeved top and smoothed the absent creases
from her three-quarter length black skirt.  A gold twist chain
and matching earrings completed her ensemble.  Slipping her
lipstick into her slim black bag and placed it over her shoulder. 
Putting on her low heeled shoes, Kerry picked up her crutch
from the bed and went into the lounge to double check the
address she had written down.  

The house was quiet.  Carter had been called in to work the
evening shift and she was not sure whether she was glad of this
or not.  While she did not want him to see her apprehension
about the meeting with her mother, it would have been nice to
have had his reassurance.   Ever since he had begun living in
her basement, Kerry had become used to his presence.  The
initial uncertainty between them had settled down into a
comfortable companionship, one that had allowed her to share
the fact that she was adopted.   This time, though, she had not
known how to broach the subject of her discovery of her mother
with Carter.  Each time she thought she was able to mention it
casually, something held her back.   

Now after all the searching, in half an hour, she would come
face to face with a mother she couldn't remember.   Gathering
up her keys and easing into her overcoat, she finally collected
her courage to make the trip downtown.   The agency she had
employed to trace her birth parents had assisted them in making
the arrangements for their meeting.  Her mother did not live in
Chicago but in a small country town and had booked into a
hotel.   Having made arrangements to meet at a local Italian
restaurant, Kerry had offered to collect her mother from the
hotel.  

                  - 0 0 0 -

Pulling her car up in front of the hotel, Kerry searched through
the passing pedestrian traffic for her mother.  Rain had begun
to fall, gently at first but gradually increasing to a steady and
constant shower.  Noting the time, she realised that she was
early, fifteen minutes early.  Chewing her bottom lip for a
moment, she pondered her choices.  Parking her car properly,
she locked it before quickly moving into the hotel foyer and
across to the reception area.  

"Would you let Margaret O'Neill know that Kerry Weaver is
waiting in the foyer?" Kerry requested the desk clerk.

Before he had a chance to answer, a soft lilting Irish voice
interrupted.  "Kerry?"

Turning slowly, she found a petite lady with soft rounded
features and gentle blue eyes.  Her silvery hair glowed under the
foyer lights, their soft curls adding to the delicateness of her
face.  She was small, standing just over five feet tall, but her
stature held a steely strength.  

Kerry couldn't find her voice as she looked at her.  Her throat
constricted as emotions filled her.  She didn't know what to call
this lady who was her mother.  'Mom' sounded right and wrong
at the same time.  It had been a term she had always associated
with her adopted mother yet it also felt wrong to call her
'Margaret' as well.  All she could do was nod.

The lady came towards her, her knee-length mauve pleated skirt
swishing around her slim legs. Comfortable shoes, designed for
practicality, encased her small feet.  Kerry didn't realise how
much she was avoiding eye contact with her until Margaret
caught hold of her left hand and gave it a small squeeze.  The
warmth that radiated through that small contact shocked Kerry. 
She looked up and their eyes locked and a familiar smile tugged
at Margaret's lips. Kerry felt the same smile capture her own
lips and lightly squeezed her mother's hand in return.

"My car is outside."   Kerry struggled to get the words out.  She
had imagined their meeting many times but the elderly fragile
lady in front of her had not figured into her thoughts.  

"Let's go, then."  Margaret's voice had a fortitude to it, one that
belied her size.  

Kerry raised her eyebrows in surprise and moved towards the
entrance.  Margaret continued to hold onto her left hand as they
moved.  

"I don't need any help."

"I know you can.  You were always independent.  But maybe I
can do with the help."

Kerry looked down at Margaret, wanting to ensure that she was
not denigrating her but all she found was a genuine warmth and
happiness shining back at her.  Margaret gripped her hand more
tightly and locked arms with each other as they moved out of
the hotel to Kerry's car.

                  - 0 0 0 -

The sound of the wipers sweeping the rain rhythmically from
the windshield echoed through the car.  Simple questions about
the city had been asked and answered, questions that held no
personal attachment for them.  There were so many questions
that Kerry wanted to ask.  They were on the tip of her tongue
yet she did not know how to ask.  

"Kerry?"

"Hmm." Kerry looked across at Margaret.  Something in her
tone told Kerry that she was going to tell her about her past. 
They were at an intersection, the lights red.

"The lights are green."  Margaret found she couldn't broach the
subject in this surrounding, when Kerry's concentration was
divided between them and her driving.  

Kerry was disappointed.  The expectancy deflated and
accelerated the car.  In that moment, there was a resounding
crash and she felt herself being thrown sideways towards the
driver's side door as her car was hit directly on the passenger
side by a car coming through the red light.  The impact sent her
car spinning one hundred and eighty degrees.

Taking a deep breath and wincing at the pain radiating from her
head, she automatically brought her hand up and fingered the
area.  Pulling her fingers away, she absently noted the blood. 
Then she looked sideways at Margaret.  Blood seeped from a
deep laceration to her forehead extending down the right side
of her head.  She was unconscious.

Fear shot through Kerry.  This could not possibly be happening. 
Not now.  Releasing her seatbelt, she twisted towards Margaret
and touched her face gently.  

"Margaret?"  There was no response.  "Mom?  Come on, Mom. 
You can't die now."

End Part 1