Hi everyone! I just want to say for starters, thank you so much for all of your support on the previous note. I'd also like to thank the reviewer who it concerned, for his apology (No hard feelings)

Sorry for the long update I've been so busy with work and University, I'll try and do them sooner but I did hit a bit of a block with this fic too so that didn't help.

I'm trying to handle this subject as sensitively as I can, and it is a really difficult issue to tackle so if anyone has any concerns regarding anything in the fic then please feel free to drop me a message. I also don't know how quickly they'd be able to tell how bad it was so anything thats wrong medically I do apologise.

Cancer.

The words were still ringing in her ears as she sat silently in the car back to Coronation Street next to her ex-husband. She felt numb as she tried to process it.

I'm sorry, but it's terminal.

There, the pain striking her right in her heart and the tears filled her eyes. She was going to die. She wasn't going to get to see her children grow up.

Her stomach dropped when that thought flitted passed her mind, how could she even possibly tell her children that their Mother was going to die.

Nick: "Do you want to go straight back?" he asked softly, placing his hand on her knee.

Leanne nodded as she blinked back the tears: "I need to tell the kids, this is going to break their hearts, it's breaking mine"

Nick: "Do you want me to come with you?"

Leanne: "Yes please, for Jess, she'll need you there"

6 months to a year

She wasn't even got to make it to see her children as teenagers. And Simon, her mind was full of worry as she thought about what would happen to him. Nick would raise Jessica, she didn't have to worry there, but Simon?

Nick dropped her off at the flat before he went back to his to collect Jessica. Walking into the flat his heart filled with a heavy sadness watching his daughter sitting laughing at the television, so care free.

Jessica: "Hey Dad! What did the hospital say?" she asked worried, unable to read her fathers expression.

Nick: "You're fine it's just a viral infection. Pop your shoes on though your Mum and I need to speak to you and Simon"

Jessica: "Am I in trouble?"

Nick: "No you're not in trouble, just get your shoes on eh" he said softly.

Erica looked to Nick with a look of confusion and he just shook his head.

"Later" he mouthed to her and she nodded to show her understanding.

Leanne was standing in the kitchen leaning over the counter when Jess came back in with Nick right behind her. She immediately went to her mother for a hug, Leanne glad of the comfort but her eyes filled once more as she realised what she was losing. Nick went to Simons room and he came out and sat next to his sister on the Sofa.

Simon: "What's going on?" he asked furrowing his eyebrows, his gut feeling telling him whatever it was, it wasn't good.

Leanne: "I don't know how to tell you's this, but when I was at the hospital they told me that I'm not very well"

Jessica: "What's wrong with you?"

The word caught in Leannes throat before she could even get it out. She cleared it and tried to blink back the tears but it wasn't working anymore.

Leanne: "I have cancer"

Jessica: "You'll be ok though right? They can cure it nowadays? You're going to be ok?" she rambled as her world came crashing down around her and tears started to fill her own eyes.

Leanne: "Mines is too bad now, I've got months, maybe a year. I'm so sorry kids"

Simon got up and put his arms around his mother but Jessica was still sat as the tears poured from her eyes but she made no sound. Nick went to put his arm around her but she jumped back from his embrace so quickly that even he jumped with fright.

Jessica: "This can't be happening. They have to do something surely they can? You can't die Mum"

Nick: "Theres nothing they can do baby, honestly we've asked"

Jessica: "But how am I meant to live without you? I don't want you to die" she cried.

Leanne: "You will get through it cause you're strong baby, and you'll have your Dad ok, you's will both be fine" she said looking between Jess and Simon.

Jessica: "I can't deal with this, I can't...I just can't" she shook her head and turned and ran out of the flat, Nick hot on her heels. As she ran along she was watching her feet pounding on the pavement rather than looking where she was going and she felt herself run right into someone.

Carla: "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

Jessica looked up at the woman with a tear stained face and tried to get the words 'sorry' out but she just kept sobbing. Carla instantly softened her expression and pulled the girl into a tight hug.

Carla: "Jess what's going on to have you so upset?" she asked sadly.

Nick: "There you are! Jesus you keep me fit" he said panting from running.

Jessica: "Leave me alone Dad I can't be around you's right now, please" she said sadly looking round at him but returning her face to where it was, cooried into Carla.

Nick: "Your Mum is really upset Jessica you need to come home, every minute you have with her now is precious"

Jessica: "Don't play the guilt card with me Dad, I need time away from you's to process this, our whole lives are never going to be the same again"

Carla: "Why don't I take Jess back to mine, and I'll bring her over once she's calmed down?"

Nick looked from Carla to Jessica then nodded his head allowing them to walk off together, Carla with arm around the girls shoulder. Once in the flat Jessica dropped herself onto the couch and put her head into her hands as she sobbed loudly. Carla bent down in front of the girl and took her hands cause her to look up at the woman.

Carla: "What's going on Jessica?" she asked gently.

Jessica: "My Mum has cancer, she's got a year at most. And I don't know how I'm meant to live without her" she let out a cry and the woman moved quickly to the young girls side and enveloped her into a hug, allowing her to let it all out. The two sat there for what felt like forever, as Jessicas cries slowed and soon she lay there against the woman in silence.

Carla: "Are you ok?" she asked as she ran a hand over the eleven years olds head smoothing her hair. She felt Jess nod her head but she didn't speak.

Carla: "Do you want to go home?"

Again she felt Jess nod her head and the two set off back to Leannes flat.

The brunette knocked on the door and the blonde opened it with a look of relief at seeing her daughter had returned. Jess silently walked into her mother as she started to sob again, putting her arms around her waist tightly.

Leanne: "Thank you for bringing her home, and sitting with her" she said looking at her gratefully.

Carla: "No problem. Jess you know where I am if you need me, day or night. And Leanne if theres anything I can do"

Leanne nodded: "Thanks"

She managed to get Jess over to the couch where the girl cuddled in tightly to her mother, feeling safe cocooned in her arms. Every so often her sobs would subside but they'd return shortly after. Leanne tried to soothe her as much as she could but nothing she could say would make it better and she knew it.
Simon was in his room having already had his moment with his Mum, he could hear his sister crying from the other room but he felt it was best to leave the two alone. Jessica fell asleep that night wrapped in her Mothers arms.

It didn't take long before Leanne started her chemotherapy, although she knew she wouldn't be cured, they said it might slow it down slightly but more so they wanted to relieve her symptoms. It totally drained her though and she was quite sick with it, so Simon had went away to stay with his Dad for a while and Jessica was staying with Nick.

Nick and Erica had split up much to Jessicas delight, and he had gotten together with Carla which made her even happier. She was struggling slightly getting used to staying with her Dad full time, she missed her Mum even though she seen her most days but it wasn't the same. Their whole routine was different, they found they were clashing a lot more than they used to because of spending so much time around each other. Nicks only saving grace was Carla, who'd stepped right up and was giving them both so much support.

It was just after 7pm when the flat door opened and Jessica walked in. Nick and Carla were sat on the sofa with the TV on.

Nick: "How was your Mum tonight?" he asked as his daughter took a seat on the other couch.

Jessica sighed: "Not good, she looks awful. We just lay and watch TV, I made her a cup of tea but she couldn't even keep that down"

Nick: "Did you manage to get something to eat?" he asked changing the topic slighty, he found it difficult to speak to her about his ex-wife, cause there is nothing he could say to comfort his daughter.

Jessica: "Yeah I ate" she lied, and she wasn't fooling anyone.

Carla: "What did you have?" she asked with raised eyebrows being able to see right throught the 11 year old, able to read her like a book almost as if she was her own.

Jessica: "Food" she replied with attitude.

Nick got up off the couch and moved towards the kitchen area: "I'll make you something, what do you want?"

Jessica: "Nothing" she answered him shaking her head and turning her nose up at the prospect.

Nick: "You need to eat, Jessica" he spoke firmly, his patience wearing thin slightly with her, they were constantly having to convince her to eat.

Jessica: "Yeah well I don't want to" she spoke back as firmly as he did to her.

Nick: "Jessica this is getting ridiculous you need to start eating" he snapped at her.

Jessica: "I'm not hungry!" she shouted back, her temper flaring quickly.

Nick: "Well why not? Are you feeling sick again or what?" he questioned but you could still hear the annoyance in his voice.

Jessica: "Maybe because my Mum is dying so believe it or not sometimes I don't feel like eating! All I can think about is how soon I'm going to be here and the only place I'll be able to visit her is in a cemetary and I just can't cope with that. Life will never be the same when she goes and I can't bear it"

She was still shouting. But she was crying too. Tears streamed from her eyes as her body shook as the sobs took over and she could do nothing but cry her heart out. Nicks face softened and he moved forward to hug her but she stepped back.

Jessica: "Just leave me alone" she said putting her hand up in front of her to block him getting any closer and she walked off to her room.

Nick sighed and sat down on the sofa: "What am I going to do?" he asked Carla.

Carla: "You just keep doing all you can to be there for her, you're doing your best. It's not you she's angry at, she's angry at cancer. She's angry her Mum is dying. But your the only other person on Earth that she loves as much as Leanne so she's lashing out at you. She will get through all this, but it's going to be so hard and she needs you"

Nick nodded: "You're right, thank you. I don't know what either of us would have done without you"

Carla: "You'd have managed" she said softly, meaning what she said.

Nick: "Will you go talk to her? Right now I'm just pissing her off, I think she finds having you here quite comforting"

Carla nodded: "Of course I will"

She knocked gently on the girls door but no reply came, she pushed the door open nethertheless and let herself in. The room was dark apart from a lamp that sat on the bedside table. Jessica was lying curled up on top of the duvet facing the window, little sniffles coming from her. Carla noted how small she looked on the double bed, considering she was 11 she was still pretty small for her age. Carla walked slowly over and without saying a word climbed onto the bed laying down right next to the child putting an arm over her and pulling her in against her. She felt Jessicas hand clasp around the arm she'd just placed over her as the girl started to sob again.

Carla: "Shhh, it's ok" she soothed.

Jessica turned over so they were lying facing each other, Jess' face now just mere centimetres from Carlas. The girl felt a thumb rub over her cheek as Carla wiped away her tears.

Jessica: "Carla I'm so scared" she choked out as she started to cry again.

Carla pulled her in tightly: "That's ok, it's ok to be scared. Everyone is scared baby girl, but you'll get through it. You're strong ok, and you're going to have everyone here to help you through it. Your Dad loves you to pieces and he'll be right here by your side and so will I. Right now you need to focus on your Mum and looking after yourself, she needs you strong right now and you won't be if you don't eat"

Jessica pulled her face away from the woman: "Ok, you're right. I'll eat"

Carla let out a sigh of relief: "Good girl, come on back through and I'll make you something"

She sat up and held out her hand, she felt the young girls interwine with her own and the two walked back through to the living room. Jessica let go off her hand and went over to Nick, dropping herself on the next to him and cuddling in, feeling his arm around her. She took in a deep breath and the smell of his familiar aftershave was comforting to her.

Jessica: "I'm sorry Dad" she said sincerely, lifting her head to look at him.

Nick: "It's ok, don't you worry about it" he said softly as he ran a hand down the back of her head.

Carla: "Super noodles?" she asked holding the packet up to Jess, knowing it's something she never normally turns down.

Jess nodded her head: "Yeah, thanks Carla"

Nick mouthed over thanfully as he looked at the woman with gratitude and love.

Once she had eaten she cuddle back into her father, falling asleep quickly, tired from the emotional rollercoaster she'd been on that day.

It was going to be a long time before she'd step off that rollercoaster, but for now she was happy as she slept, in the safety of her dreams once again.

Please please update guys!

Thanks,

CharmedSuperGirl

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