"Would It Help to Say I'm Sorry?"

An original Gargoyles fanfic by Mona

Disclaimer: All characters from Gargoyles are © Disney and Greg Weisman, used without permission but with lots of love and care. Original characters, including; but not limited to Madrigal, Bill, and Mr. Opperknockety, are copyright me.

(Bar Harbor, Maine)

The sun shone brightly on the aquamarine coast. Two fishermen were sitting on a dock, finishing lunch.

"Are you okay?" asked one, named Bill Aviola. "You haven't said much."

"I'm fine," replied the other, Petros Xanatos. "Chest felt a little funny this morning. Nerves, I think."

"Heard from your son?"

"Not really. Why?"

"I got a letter from my little girl at Rice yesterday. She made Dean's List."

"Isn't she on full scholarship?"

"Of course." Bill gave a hearty laugh. "Otherwise I'd be on Skid Row holding a sign that says 'Have to send my daughter to an Ivy League school on a community college budget. Please donate.'" Both men laughed.

"Though," Petros commented. "Rice tuition is pennies compared to Oxford expenses for your firstborn."

"Summa Cum Laude from Oxford." Bill puffed out his chest in fatherly pride. "Youngest appointee to the United States Supreme Court in history. Though David Xanatos is marginally more famous. Every time I hear the name on the news, I want to say 'I knew him when he was in diapers!' So you're a grandpa now. How does it feel?"

"I'm getting old, Bill."

"Fact of life."

"Those pictures of Alex don't do him justice. You should see him in person."

"For two poor fishermen from Maine, we didn't do too bad. A Rice student, a Supreme Court justice, and the world's richest tycoon."

Petros opened his mouth to reply when something in him seized up. His arm went numb. Pain radiated through the center of his chest as he clutched at his. "Bill! Help!"

His friend felt a surge of fright and concern. A gasp of "Oh, Walt!" escaped his lips as he rushed to get help.

(New York, New York)

A couple hours had passed. Xanatos Enterprises employees went about their jobs in the glass and steel Eyrie Building. The CEO in charge controlled everything from his office, high above the clouds.

Owen Burnett set down a stack of stock reports. "Harrison Reznichek's company stock has risen several points in the past few weeks, putting it close to Xanatos Enterprises stock. There are also rumors that Reznichek will relocate from Newark."

"When the time comes, I'll deal with the jerk from Jersey," replied David Xanatos calmly. "Any other news?"

"No, sir."

The phone rang. The businessman picked it up. "Xanatos."

"David?" It was his mother, Madrigal. Her voice sounded shaky.

"Yes, it's me, Mother."

"Something awful has happened...I just got here."

"I can barely hear you. Bad connection. There's this sobbing noise in the background. Wait. That sobbing is you?" This must be serious. Mother never cries. "What's wrong?"

"I...can't tell you. Not now. Not myself."

The tycoon handed his phone to his assistant. "See if you can talk some sense into her."

"Yes, sir." Owen held the phone to his ear. "Mrs. Xanatos? This is your son's personal assistant. What seems to be the problem?" Silence. "I see. I'll tell him." He turned. "She's calling from Bar Harbor. Your father has suffered a severe myocardial infarction."

The tycoon's mouth went dry. Heart attack? The silent killer. A memory from his senior year of high school flooded back. One crispy day in November, gym class had consisted of running laps around a track. Track star Paris Papadakis suddenly stopped, staggered, and collapsed. By the time the instructor got to him, he was dead. Though David hadn't known Paris that well, but watched the scene with fascinated interest. It was the first time he had seen witnessed death itself. Paris had been running one minute and was dead the next. David didn't attend the funeral, but there had been an article in the paper. Paris Papadakis was eighteen years old and in perfect health but his autopsy showed a completely dead myocardium. It was later found out that the young athlete had a flaw: only one coronary artery, and it had burst from an aneurysm. Xanatos knew you could take preventive measures to prevent a heart attack: eating right, monitoring blood pressure, and exercising. Yet perfect candidates for them seemed to stay alive and healthy people dropped dead.

And now it had happened to his father. Xanatos wanted to laugh it off and ask Owen if this was Puck's sick idea of a joke? But Owen's emotionless features looked stonier than usual – and his mother had been crying.

Fox came in, cradling her son. She had overheard Owen. "Heart attack? How? His cholesterol's lower than David's!"

Xanatos finally caught his voice as he picked up the phone. "Don't worry, Mother. I'm coming."

TBC