Hi guys! Well, that is near on a month. Still busy, and travelling. But I wanted to get an update happening, especially with all the Jake/Rachel on the last episode.

As for me, in my time away, I ended up in Melbourne for the AFL Grand Final. When that didn't work out, I travelled up and down the coast; Sydney, Brisbane etc. whilst waiting for the replay. Now I'm back in Perth, however leaving tomorrow to head back to NSW for the Bathurst 1000. Excited!

"Do we tell them?"

"Tell who?" asked Nathan, although he knew exactly who Ben was talking about.

"You know damned well who."

"She's only going to put it off longer," concluded Nathan.

"So tell them?"

Ben and Nathan stood literally in the same position they had been five minutes earlier when Rachel left them.

"No, we can't tell them." Ben looked at his younger brother as Nathan said the words. "It's not our place to tell."

"But they have to know!" argued Ben.

"I know, but it's not for us to tell. Rachel will, just give her time," Nathan concluded, leaving Ben's side to head for the kitchen. Ben began following to argue his case.

"You think that's likely? They're not exactly on speaking terms," reasoned Ben as he leant on the bench top. Nathan looked over at Ben as he filled a glass with water.

"If Rachel and Mum have ever fought, they make up later," said Nathan. "You know that." Ben was silent, putting his head down. A moment later, he re-lifted it to find Nathan still watching him.

"I hope you're right," were Ben's final words before he headed for the staircase. Nathan watched him go, before finishing his water and shaking his head.

Rafter House
Evening

Rachel pulled up in at her family home later that afternoon, just as it was beginning to get dark. She noted the electrical van in the driveway, and Jake's car parked on the curb side, meaning both her parents were to be home.

Rachel locked her Beetle, heading first to the shed where she assumed her father would be. And her assumption was correct; upon bending underneath the garage door, Rachel saw Jake sitting closest at the desk, and Dave standing near the bench a metre or so away.

"Hi Rachel," said Dave with a smile at seeing his daughter step under the door.

"Hey baby," Jake said, having turned around at Dave's greeting.

"Busy day?" asked Rachel, bending to give Jake a quick kiss before stepping over to her Dad to give him a hug. Jake watched them as they hugged. After several moments of general 'chit chat', Rachel spoke up.

"Dad, I need to talk to you. And Mum." Dave eyed her, a half confused look on his face as he tried to gage what she was meaning.

"Ah, I might head home, if you don't need me," Jake took his chance to leave, eyeing Rachel who nodded. With that, Jake went to move out and under the door, before Rachel glanced at the desk to see Jake's keys still on the desk.

"Oh, I'll be back," Rachel apologised to her dad, picking up the keys as he nodded.

"I'll see you inside?" Dave half questioned as she disappeared underneath the door. Having not responded, Dave left the shed to find his wife and warn her of Rachel's impending talk.

Outside, Rachel caught Jake on the driveway just as he had turned around to retrieve his keys, having noticed he was missing something.

"Ah, lifesaver," he smiled, kissing her quickly. "I can stay if you need me to."

"No, it's okay," Rachel replied, shaking her head. "This is something I..."

"Need to do alone," finished Jake, flashing her a smile. "No worries. Are you staying over tonight?"

"Depends how this goes," Rachel replied with a laugh. "I'll call you." Jake nodded, before Rachel left to head inside.

Inside Rafter House

"I don't know, she just said she wanted to talk," Dave said quietly to Julie, who was standing at the small kitchen counter. Ben was making goo goo noises at Ruby, whilst Nathan had picked up on his parents hushed conversation. Nathan bent down and elbowed Ben, who looked up.

"Hey! What wa..."

"She's going to tell them," Nathan interrupted, whispering, nodding towards their parents. Ben turned slightly and got the hint.

"Gotcha."

Rachel came in through the front door, knowing that it would be tense talking to her mother again. She'd have a word with her afterwards. But for now, she spied her parents standing by the island bench. She also spotted Nathan and Ben next to Ruby. All eyes were on Rachel.

"You told them, didn't you?" Rachel immediately said when she saw her brother's, and the eyes on her.

"We didn't!" spluttered Ben.

"Honest, we haven't said anything," backed up Nathan.

"They haven't told us anything," Dave spoke up. Rachel seemed uncertain, before going to stand in the kitchen, leaning against the bench near the wall where the phone was.

"I'm a compatible match for Chel. And I'm undergoing surgery in a fortnight."

Rachel was blunt and simple; she deemed it the best way to get it over with, especially as all eyes were on her. Like a bandaid, quick and simple.

"Already?" asked Julie in shock. "When did all this happen?"

"Day before yesterday." Rachel tone was a mixture of everything; fear, daring, sadness, tense.

And to Julie, it was the moment when everything made so much sense.

Rachel had wanted to tell her something just before they had fought. She had wanted to confide in her and she had been too busy. It all made so much sense now.

"That's it then?" asked Dave, not knowing what more to say. Ben moved himself to move from a crouched position to a crossed leg position, whilst Nathan was leaning on the back of his chair, watching their parents.

"Yes. I'm not going to make too much of it, okay? I'm just going to keep working, and then sort it all out. Okay?" Rachel's tone dared anyone to disagree with her.

"Yeah, absolutely," Dave was the one to finally speak up, moving away from Julie to go and hug his eldest daughter.

"Thanks Dad," Rachel whispered as he kissed the top of her head. As they pulled apart, Julie looked directly at her mother.

"Can I talk to you Mum?" Julie smiled slightly and nodded, following as Rachel walked towards the backyard.

Nathan, Ben and Dave each watched the ladies leave, before they turned to each other.

"You think they'll sort it out?" asked Ben.

"Yeah," replied Dave, although his voice had that slight tinge of hesitance. "They'll be fine."

"We should go," Nathan said, motioning toward Ben and himself. Ben nodded and the two left, leaving Dave to sit down next to his youngest daughter.

"What do you reckon Rubes?"

Rafter Backyard

"Mum..." Rachel was the first to speak up, but not before Julie interrupted and hugged her.

"No I'm sorry Rachel," said Julie as she patted her daughter's hair. "You wanted to talk and I was distracted." Rachel nodded.

"I was being a child about it anyway." Rachel paused and neither knew what to say. Much to Rachel's relief, it was Julie that spoke up.

"We're going to support you in this." Rachel watched her mum. "It's big and it's scary, but it's important. And we'll support you all the way."

Friday before transplant
Rachel's work, Midday

Rachel saved the file she was working on, before she pushed her chair back slightly from the desk. She opened up the file nearest to her right, when she heard a knock at the door. Looking up, she saw Paul Morgan himself at the doorway.

"Paul, hi," Rachel immediately said, standing up.

"I assumed you'd be heading home about now," Paul told her. Rachel looked slightly confused, at which point Paul motioned to the file open on her desk.

"I'm getting there. I just finished the account and sent it to you..."

"Good. Then go home," said Paul. "We'll see you here in a few weeks."

"Ah yeah. If you're sure you're not..."

"Rachel, we'll survive." Rachel bit her lip and nodded; of course they'd do without her.

"Thank you." Rachel switched off her computer and moved to collect her belongings, when Paul paused in the doorway.

"And Rachel?" Rachel looked back up at hearing her name.

"Good luck."

Rafter House

Rachel was sitting in the living room, spread out on the lounge chair when Julie walked in, placing the washing basket in her hands on the kitchen table.

"I thought being a lady of leisure entailed exciting and relaxing opportunities, not vegging out on the sofa," Julie said with a laugh at the sight of Rachel, whilst she folded the clothes.

"I'm only a temporary lady of leisure; one getting herself used to the daytime telly. Speaking of which, how could you be a mum that sits around watching trashy marathons all day?"

"With serious practice darling," Julie laughed, turning back to the basket, when movement caught her eye. "Oh, hi Jake." Rachel poked her head up from the couch. Jake approached, with Julie having pointed the way to Rachel.

"Why did you finish work so early?" asked Rachel, rubbing her eyes as she sat up. Jake laughed, sitting down on the edge of the coffee table.

"It's not early, it's heading for five," Jake replied.

"Oh, right," replied Rachel sheepishly with a glance to the lounge room wall clock.

"Good last day?" asked Jake.

"Wasn't bad. Got sent home and lunchtime and had a trash marathon."

"Mmm... sounds great," Jake replied, his tone sarcastic. "Well, we're done for the day, so I'm going to head home. Do you want to come or are you going to stay here?" Rachel sleepily nodded, holding her hands out for Jake to pull her up. He stood, taking her with him, before she moved off towards her bedroom.

Julie watched her go, before she turned back to the last items of washing.

"Is she okay, Jules?" Julie looked up at Jake, giving him a small smile.

"She's like any of us would be," Julie said. Jake raised his eyebrows. "Scared, nervous," Julie elaborated, to which Jake nodded.

"Yeah, I suppose." Jake wasn't sure what more to say.

"The most you can do for her is just, be there," Julie told him. "That's what she needs to know the most." Jake again nodded.

"Thanks Jules."

We're edging closer to 'the' day. The day of the surgery. Will Rachel have a last minute change of heart?

I'm not the greatest fan of that chapter. But I felt I had to make up Julie and Rachel again, after I busted them apart before. I'm twisted, what can I say?

Thank you for those who reviewed my last chapters... Would love to hear from you again =)

In the meantime, I'm not sure as to when an update will be. We shall just see, yes? I'll try very soon.