Okay so I know I am a terrible person who owes each and every one of you lovely, amazing people a huge apology so here goes... I am so SO sorry for the LONG gap between these two chapters but I promise I do have good reasons, well I hope they are good lol.

Basically after I posted the last chapter, like pretty much the same day I started to come down sick with a bad case of the flu and then because apparently that wasn't enough I also came down with an ulcerated throat. Now I know right, surely that's it? No, because I clearly have no working immune system and three times a charm I also contracted a nasty case of conjunctivitis to the point I couldn't see out of my left eye for a week. Yes when I get sick, I get SICK!

Now thankfully I am feeling ALOT better and fingers crossed well on my way to being a hundred percent, I will just say if this chapter sucks I am sorry but I did write a majority of it while still rather drugged up on flu medicine and strong antibiotics so hopefully we can just blame any mistakes or awful writing on that. Well I can try ahey?

Now that is out of the way I just want to say as always, THANK YOU so SO much for the amazing reviews that you lovely guys and girls leave me. I read everyone with the biggest of smiles on my face and they give me such encouragement to carry on and hopefully get better as we go, I will never be able to thank you enough for them. Thank you for taking the time to not only ready my story but also to let me know what you think in such great, amazing detail, you are truly amazing and it means the world to me so THANK YOU!

Now I think I have left you all waiting long enough so enough of me yammering here is the next chapter


Chapter 11

"Motherly Rambles, Dazed & Lost"

It took nearly half an hour before the tears dried on Rachel's cheeks, her breathing returned to normal and her grip on Shelby slowly released, tiredness was quickly winning the battle taking place in the young diva's body to stay awake and somewhat alert for news on her sister.

Shelby lets out a sigh, not fully sure what her next course of action should be. The doctors still hadn't been in to inform them on what was going on with Lexi so everything else almost felt like by default it was on hold. Her green eyes didn't miss the far out look that was washed over Rachel's features though as the mother and daughter sat side by side in the stupidly uncomfortable chairs of the waiting room.

"Rachel?" Shelby ventures forward in her seat with concern; her hand reaching towards both of Rachel's that the young girl was starring at as if they were some kind of puzzle.

"It's her blood." Rachel whispers, giving the reason behind her trance like stare as the very thought she had just spoken makes her stomach turn. "So much blood" Rachel continues, her breathing again starting to become hitched.

"I think that is our cue to go and get cleaned up don't you?" Shelby suggests strongly, instantly jumping to her feet not wanting her young traumatised daughter to think over the fact she had her sister's dried blood on her for a moment longer. 'God, it's on mine too' Shelby silently realises, her eyes for a split second taking in the sight of her own hands but quickly pushes those thoughts away, she needed to stay strong.

Rachel looks up at Shelby, knowing all too well what the teacher was trying to do but not once complaining about it, she wanted the blood off as quickly as possible. She nods her agreement and lets Shelby support her as she stands to her feet. 'I truly hope this hospital has the proper disinfectant and soap for this' Rachel silently questions, her brow turning into a frown at the thought. 'Rachel, it is a fully functioning hospital, cleanliness is kind of a must here' the young diva's rational side reminds her for a second taking off some of the strain.

"What if the doctor comes in with news about Lexi?" Rachel suddenly asks, her knees buckling straight in place suddenly not liking the idea of leaving even if it was to rid her skin of her sister's blood. 'No, I should stay Lexi may need me and I am not about to abandon her' Rachel rants inwardly, still not entirely ready to verbalise all of her thoughts and worries.

"I will tell the nurse where we are going and what we are doing and if anyone has any news on Lexi they are to come and get us right away okay?" Shelby explains, her hand smoothing down Rachel's spine gently trying to be some kind of comfort for the traumatised teen. "Besides, it won't take long." She adds hopefully, trying not to think about the amount of her other daughter's blood that had been soaked up earlier by her skirt. 'Thank god its black' was all Shelby could think again trying to rid the thoughts from her mind.

Rachel again nods her agreement the prospect of being free of the offending blood too much of a positive to pass it up, she needed the blood gone and she needed it gone now, it was as if it was taunting her.

After returning from the bathroom, blood free, Rachel's swollen, red, puffy eyes closed in favour of sleep. Her small body lays across three of the chairs, her head grazing the side of Shelby's thigh as the young diva fought internally from seeking out physical contact and comfort from her mother.

'But she made me feel so safe and secure before' Rachel almost silently pleads with herself, trying to work up the courage to make the move. 'Don't forget who she is Rachel' another side of the diva's brain chirps in to the conversation but Rachel honestly didn't care anymore. 'There are far more important things to worry and churn over than that right now' Rachel mentally snaps, the urge to seek that comfort she normally would from Lexi winning over every other thought, worry or opinion in her mind.

The idea of Rachel resting and sleeping was music to Shelby's over working mind, this young girl needed to rest, they both did but Shelby knew that wasn't going to happen anytime soon so if she couldn't she would be damned if Rachel didn't also.

"Here" Shelby says kindly, patting her thigh and uncrossing her legs to allow Rachel access to her lap. "One of us may as well be comfortable ahey?" She says softly, trying to joke and keep things upbeat although the far-out look she receives from Rachel lets her know it wasn't completely working.

Rachel wanted to be hesitant or even resist but it was useless, she wanted this, she needed this so she was going to take it. Shelby halts her movements just for a second, folding up her jacket a few times before lying it on her lap like a pillow. Rachel waits patiently and shifts up on to her elbow before moving closer to her mother and letting her head drop delicately into Shelby's lap with a strong sense of relief. It was a small gesture but the contact was needed and it was soothing and welcomed by the fourteen year old who had never felt so alone. 'Maybe she can just help me calm down' Rachel silently surmises as her eyes instantly close.

'Who designed these damn chairs?' Shelby rants inwardly, stretching her back some from the discomfort of sitting in one position too long. Rachel had thankfully fallen asleep a good hour before, apparently Shelby's lap was comfortable for both her daughters to drift to sleep in. 'She is so precious' Shelby's motherly voice starts up again as her fingers absentmindedly stroke through Rachel's brown locks that were loosely covering her slumbering features.

A text pops up on to Shelby's phone screen as the mother gets lost watching her fourteen year old rest in a clearly uneasy slumber but at least it was some kind of a slumber.

"Don't worry about a thing Shelby; I am working now on getting you an emergency guardianship order. It won't come through much earlier than tomorrow though due to the time but I promise you the second I can get your case in front of a judge I will.

You are still their birth mother and with these new facts it sends both contracts into the void category but it still has to be done legally. The emergency guardianship order is just temporary but you are a blood relation so things should run a lot smoother and faster because of that. We can deal with everything else once the girls are both healthy and home with you.

Just make sure you keep Rachel in the hospital with Lexi tonight, it will only be a problem if she tries to leave because legally you don't have any custody of her and the state has an obligation to keep her safe because of her age so they will try to get her in some emergency care and you do not want that, either of you. If anyone starts talking about emergency care for Rachel or Lexi, foster homes, over night emergency accommodation or anything like that you just hand them my card and I will deal with it.

I truly hope your daughter is okay, ring or text whenever you need okay? This will all work out, I promise you. Try and get some rest if you can.
Scott Sykes."

Shelby lets out a sigh of relief, the second Rachel had fallen asleep she had texted her lawyer and told him everything that was going on and everything she had learned about Leroy and the truth about his whereabouts. The worry of the authorities and losing her girls again in any form had slowly seeped in to the young teachers brain in the silence of the waiting room but with that one text the worrying noise's had somewhat subsided.

"No... No... Wake up... Lex... Lexi please" Rachel rather incoherently mutters out as her body and head starts to toss from side to side within the confines of Shelby's lap, alerting the half asleep woman to her daughter's disorientation and obvious discomfort.

"Rachel?" Shelby says softly, using her hands to stroke back a few stray strands of hair from Rachel's pain stricken looking features. "Honey, it's okay. Wake up Rachel." Shelby instructs quickly realising Rachel's actions were coming from some form of a nightmare.

"Lexi" Rachel cries out still in the confines of her nightmare, her movements only becoming more erratic as Shelby gives her shoulders a gentle yet still forceful shake.

'No wonder she is having a nightmare' Shelby's inner voice fires off silently as the teacher's grip on Rachel's rocking body tightens to keep her from falling off the chairs. 'Seeing Lexi in that state was hard enough for me, I can only imagine what it's doing to Rachel' she continues to silently surmise as ways to wake her daughter flash across her mind.

"Rachel, it's just a bad dream sweetie. You need to open your eyes for me and wake up." Shelby more or less orders, she had never dealt with someone having a nightmare before let alone her own daughter. 'Do I slap her?' the newly found mother questions hesitantly, suddenly getting flashes of TV shows and films where someone would slap the frantic or panicking person to shock them back to reality. The thought of striking her daughter under any circumstance was just making her stomach and heart drop though. "Rachel, it's Shelby and you need to wake up" Shelby tries again, this time with a bit more bite to her words, 'Coach Corcoran' again coming in handy.

Rachel's still puffy, red eyes suddenly pop open as a confused huff escapes from the frantic teen's lips suddenly she was awake and confused as to what was going . 'Where am I?' The young diva instantly asks all be it silently, her eyes trying to focus on the nearest thing possible, which happened to be Shelby's concerned looking face.

As if reading her mind Shelby gives her daughter a comforting and tender smile, her left hand stroking along Rachel's cheekbone to calm her and gather her full attention.
"Its okay honey, you were just having a bit of a bad dream." Shelby explains, carefully choosing her words but having no clue what ones to actually use.

Rachel frowns, her eyes finally connecting with Shelby's properly as the older brunette's words sink in to her brain and they make sense of her heightened heartbeat.
"A bad dream, I was having a bad dream?" Rachel partly asks and mostly concludes realising it made sense but suddenly felt embarrassed, she was supposed to be fourteen not four.

"Yes but its okay now, don't you worry about it." Shelby says kindly, seeing the look of embarrassment wash across her child's features making her heart tug in pain. "You have been through a lot tonight, it is to be expected but everything is okay I assure you." Shelby continues, again not sure of just what to say but so far it didn't seem she was doing too bad of a job.

Rachel just nods in silently agreement, the thought of going in to anymore detail not favourable to the still slightly disorientated teen. 'I'm still laid on her, surely I should move, she must be uncomfortable all though she doesn't look it' Rachel inwardly rambles out with worry, her eyes trying to gauge what Shelby's expression was telling her.

"Do you want some water?" Shelby asks, breaking Rachel's thoughts for a few seconds. The mother leans over slightly towards the table in front of them and picks up the plastic cup with water inside and brings it up towards Rachel whose body was still stretched out and head sat against her lap, on her jacket.

Even with her concerns, something was stopping Rachel actually moving and breaking away from what felt like a comforting and natural position.
"Please" She replies softly, her voice much calmer than her heartbeat that was still rather rapid from the remnants of her nightmare.

Shelby smiles holding her right hand under the cup encase anything spilt as Rachel adjusts herself and sits up properly as her mind and eyes adjust to being awake again, all though she knew she hadn't been asleep overly long.

"Here" Shelby says offering the cup once she was sure Rachel was awake enough to handle it.

"Thank you" Rachel blushes slightly taking an eager sip from the cup, her brown eyes watching Shelby closely from over the plastic rim of the cup. "How long was I asleep for?" Rachel asks, her voice somewhat muffled as she spoke in to the water she was still sipping.

"Not long, about an hour, hour and a half at the most." Shelby explains, unable to stop her left hand from tucking a few of Rachel's stray hairs behind her flushed ear from where it had been pressed down against Shelby's lap while she slept.

Rachel just nods deciding to focus on drinking a bit more of the water, suddenly feeling embarrassed and vulnerable very aware that Lexi wasn't there with her like she always was. Lexi was Rachel's confidence and psychological crutch especially since Hiram had died and without her for Rachel it was like losing a limb.

Shelby smiles not sure what else she could offer up as a response to her daughter's new found silence all though she completely understood it. The situation they were in was hardly one that Shelby as an adult knew how to handle let alone a fourteen year old girl who had only hours before found her older sister in a beaten and bloody state would.

The brunette teacher looks down to her jacket that just moments before Rachel had been using as a pillow and unfolds it from her skirt clad lap having to seriously resist the urge to bring it close and take in the scent of her youngest daughter's hair. 'Is that odd? Is that an odd thing for me to want to do?' Shelby's mind quickly questions as her delicate long fingers move across the material of her jacket in somewhat of a daze. 'I just want to hold her close, keep her safe, both of them, they are my babies and that is my job.' Shelby's motherly voice answers as a familiar ache hits the older woman's chest.

"You should put this on, you look freezing." Shelby explains, again unfolding her jacket and draping it around Rachel's shuddering shoulders as the young teen fiddles with the ridges in the plastic cup she was holding as some kind of welcome distraction.

Rachel offers a nod in agreement, not wanting to shrug it away; she wanted the jacket and the comfort it would bring. 'It smells like her' Rachel silently reminds herself as for a brief second the idea of rejecting the jacket runs across her brain. Her plump lips upturn in to a smile as Shelby's strong hands place the jacket around her neck and shoulders and it was like receiving a hug.

"I guess it's just the shock or something, either that or they don't adequately heat their waiting rooms." Rachel quips, happily letting the jacket melt around herself as Shelby can't help but chuckle at her daughter's words.

"I will remember to bring it up with them when we are checking out shall I?" Shelby jokes with two raised eyebrows to show her sarcasm and Rachel just bites her lip to, try to fight the laugh that's building up in her throat.

"Or I could write a strongly worded letter listing all of my problems with their dissatisfactory standards and conditions." Rachel sasses, her cheeks blushing slightly as her chocolate brown eyes avert back down to her lap. As comfortable as she feels with Shelby there is still this tinge to it that wasn't entirely settled and just kept both mother and daughter somewhat on edge and very aware of the underlining circumstances surrounding the situation they were now in.

Shelby laughs strongly and nods in agreement as a wonderful realisation crosses her mind.
"You are so much like me at your age it's crazy" The mother reveals rather off hand not realising the impact her words would have on her youngest daughter.

"I am?" Rachel asks, her head snapping up as the tone to the moment takes an instant shift from off hand and joking to serious. Rachel's eyes watch Shelby with great pleading behind the brown orbs, yearning to know more about any connection she may share with this amazing woman who was her mother.

Shelby looks up as she wipes away the watering of her eyes that had been caused from laughing and her features quickly wash over with the same seriousness that Rachel's were wearing. She nods in affirmation of her previous statement as for a second a smile crosses her lips in amazement at just how true it was.

"Very much so, you are so strong willed and talented, confident and forthright and yet still not entirely sure who you are but you don't let it stop you. You know what you want and I am certain you will achieve it." Shelby explains, reaching her hand up and brushing her thumb across Rachel's cheek as her green eyes take in everything about her with such pride it was enough to make the young diva's heart burst.

"You were like that at my age?" Rachel questions, unable to find more words than the ones that were absolutely necessary. 'I'm like my mother when she was my age? I take after someone; I have someone else's characteristics that I have inherited. That is amazing.' Rachel's inner voice rambles out in pure amazement, before with her fathers' she had never seen much of a resemblance in her personality other than some of her flair or a few likes and dislikes.

All anger from before with her mother was long forgotten at the moment, the desperate need and want to have a mother and to share qualities in both personality and appearance and feel like she belonged and had a history and a family again was too much for her to fight off.

"I was exactly the same; nothing was going to stop me achieving my dreams. I knew what I wanted from a young age but I didn't always know who I was, especially not at your age." The mother explains further, a sense of remembering over taking the brunette teacher as the words continue and Rachel listens with great intrigue. "Fourteen is hard, you're growing up from being a child and having things and decisions made for you and going in to being an adult and making up your own mind. Hell you have to basically find your own mind, your likes and dislikes, wants and goals and how and when and where you plan on making them happen. Not to mention you have a boat load of hormones and emotions thrown on you out of NOWHERE that you all of a sudden have to deal with as well, ugh I do not miss being a teenager." Shelby grimaces slightly at the memory of temper tantrums, cramps, spots and arguments with anyone that decided to breathe through their nose instead of mouth.

"Yeah, sometimes I feel like I understand exactly what I want, need and everything but then there are these times where I just feel lost. Lexi says I'm in a rush to grow up and I shouldn't be I guess she's right but I just have so much I want to do and it's like I feel as if I wait any longer it's all going to just burst out of my chest without any control." Rachel reveals, leaning back in to the uncomfortable hospital waiting room chair as her fingers still fiddle with the plastic cup she was holding but her eyes manage to sustain a strong connection with Shelby's as she speaks.

"I know, you just want to get out there and do it all before it disappears or you forget about it or move on to the next thing, right?" Shelby pries softly, getting a soft nod of recognition from Rachel who was eager to receive some kind of motherly wisdom from the woman that for years she would make up motherly lectures and pretend she had received.

"Its normal honey, I was the same but eventually you learn that for now, you should just try and focus on being fourteen and dealing with high school and boys and spots and proms and all that other stuff. It's not easy, by any means but it has some of the most amazing times you will ever have in your life just waiting for you. Enjoy it, enjoy being able to be free and childish still and carefree and have other people look after you like parents and teachers and older siblings." She giggles remembering some of her own teenage antics.

"Don't wish away your childhood honey, enjoy it and savour it because once you get to my age it will be those memories that will help your through on a rough, rainy day when an audition has gone terribly or your long term lover has broken your heart." Shelby explains making Rachel smile brightly at her words starting to partly understand.

"There is enough pressure being a teenager, don't add on wanting to be an adult on top, there is time for that, believe me." Shelby advises kindly as Rachel hangs on to every word that comes from the older brunette's mouth thankful for each sentence and storing every titbit of information from them away in her head.

Neither, mother or daughter was entirely sure how their conversation had taken such a shift but it was wonderful all the same and much to both of their surprise it felt natural.

'Where did that come from?' Shelby's inner voice questions as the realisation hits her at how much of a motherly ramble she had just spieled out without so much as a second thought and with such great ease. 'Surely, I am going to be a much cooler mother than that' the brunette teacher almost pleads with herself, a strong smile breaking across her lips at the realisation she was going to 'hopefully' get the chance to finally be a mother, cool or not.

"Uh, you two are waiting for news on..." The doctor who had just appeared from the doorway starts to ask before having to refer back to the clipboard in his hand for his patience name. "Alexis Berry?"

Rachel's head snaps around fast enough to break bones at the sound of her sister's name being spoken, her heart tightens in her chest to the point breathing actually seemed like it would have to be forced to happen.

'Gold stars, he has news on Lexi. Why did he have to look at his clipboard? Is that good, is she not so badly hurt that she isn't sticking out in his mind or is he just incompetent and doesn't think enough of my sister to even remember her name?' Rachel's mind quickly wonders, her anger building the more she silently surmises irrational reasons for the slightest of actions from the doctor.

Shelby's hand instinctively reaches for Rachel's, it was a sign of support but also a connection Shelby needed to make to calm her own nerves and worries. 'Why isn't he making eye contact with me? That doesn't mean he is about to tell me terrible news is it?' Shelby mentally worries, not realising she was doing the exact same irrational thing as her youngest daughter.

"Yes... yes we are." The worrying mother finally manages to coax out of her mouth, fighting to keep her emotions in check. "Is she okay?" Shelby adds instantly even though just seconds before she had been warning herself not to come out with that but she couldn't help it.

"Alexis..."

"Lexi" Both Shelby and Rachel interrupt at the same time, knowing how much Lexi despised being called Alexis and so correcting the doctor just came out naturally.

"Sorry, Lexi" The doctor corrects, trying to fight back an amused smirk from forming on his lips apparently all three of these brunette's were feisty. "Well Lexi is stable and resting well now in a side room. I'm sorry it's taken so long but we had to do a lot of x-rays and a few scans before we could be sure just what injuries Lexi has suffered." He apologises giving a sympathetic smile to the clearly anxious relatives in front of him.

"Now Lexi has suffered a substantial attack and of course has collected some pretty serious injuries but all in all she has been very lucky." He continues, knowing the two females in front of him are going out of the mind with worry and he just wanted to ease their minds as quickly as possible.

"She is going to be okay though isn't she?" Rachel asks urgently, her brown eyes as wide as possible now up on her feet, shifting uncomfortably as a lot of pent up anxiety courses through her body. Shelby reaches up to try and calm Rachel but the teenager just shrugs any contact off, she just needed answers right now.

"Lexi has a compound skull fracture" The doctor starts to answer, his words sending the coldest of chills straight down both Shelby and Rachel's spines. "Which was the main cause of the blood, we have stitched up the wound and Lexi is going to be on a strong course of antibiotics for seven to ten days to fight off any infection. The fracture will heal naturally but any strenuous activities will have to stop for at least a month or two and we will remove the stitches in about three maybe four days, it depends on how quickly the wound heals." He continues making Shelby's heart sink in her chest, she knew Lexi was hurt but actually hearing this out loud was almost too much to handle.

"But is she going to be okay?" Rachel repeats, she honestly didn't have any need or want to hear about her sister's injuries the only thing she was even slightly concerned about was if Lexi was going to be okay. 'Surely this man who is intelligent enough to go through medical school and be a physician can formulate a straight answer?' Rachel's mind angrily rants, wanting to say it out loud but an unspoken threat of 'Coach Corcoran' returning soon stopped that want becoming a reality.

"Lexi has a lot of healing to do for all of her injuries." The doctor explains giving Shelby a pointed look for a second so she knew that the skull fracture was just the start of her daughter's medical issues. "But I don't see any reason why with time she shouldn't make a full recovery." He adds noticing how Rachel's eyes were starting to flare with an impatience he had seen many times before in his career.

That was all it took, Rachel bolts from the waiting room taking Shelby's jacket with her.
"I'm going to sit with her" Rachel shouts back over her shoulder to her stunned mother and knowing doctor, he was surprised she had held out as long as she had if he was honest.

"But you don't know where she is?" Shelby calls out in reminder to her youngest daughter but Rachel's hand was already up and waving anything the older woman said off.

"I'll find her" Rachel replies quickly before disappearing out of the waiting room's door at great speed and sense of purpose, she needed to get to her sister.

Shelby gulps hard, wanting to call Rachel back and take control but she just didn't have it in her. 'It is probably for the best actually, clearly the doctor has a lot to tell me about Lexi and it is only going to upset Rachel. At least if she sees Lexi, hopefully it will help ease her mind some.' Shelby silently concludes giving the doctor an almost apologetic glance as a Rachel shaped dust cloud lingers in the air from her quick exit.

"I'm guessing they are close?" The doctor asks softly, with a knowing smile tugging at his lips that makes Shelby's entire face light up at the thought.

"I've never seen two sister's closer" the mother admits, smiling a little brighter truly beyond happy that despite everything her girls had a bond that was clearly unmatched for either of them in their lives. 'They may not have always had me but they've had each other' Shelby's motherly voice whispers into the tired woman's consciousness.

"That's lovely to see" The doctor replies, checking some of his paperwork again before looking back up to Shelby to gauge if the mother was fully back with him or not having noticed her lose focus for a few seconds. Upon seeing she was he flashes Shelby a gentle smile and without really knowing it Shelby nods her okay for him to continue.

"Now, I want to keep Lexi in for tonight at the very least. Also with her head injury she can't be alone for forty eight hours and she is going to need to keep a regular dose of pain killers to ease her pain. With this type of head injury the patient's pain normally eases up within five to ten days." The doctor explains, his fingers working through his paper work to make sure he didn't miss anything.

"Okay" Shelby replies, her head nodding in understanding all though if she was honest how much she was taking in she wasn't entirely sure.

"Tonight I am going to suggest half hour observations, she's suffered a lot of trauma and I really want to keep a close eye on her just to be safe." He explains his pen ticking off boxes as he speaks. "Now Lexi also has a fractured cheekbone, luckily the fracture isn't too bad and again it will heal on it's on but it will take three to six weeks to heal fully. Ice and painkillers will help with the discomfort and swelling with that one." He adds knowing this was a lot to take in. "Don't worry, I promise we will have everything written down for you by the time you leave so you don't feel like you have to remember every small detail" The doctor promises with a kind smile.

"Facially Lexi has a lot of bruising and swelling, she has a split eyebrow and lip which we have also stitched, the eyebrow only needed the strips though just to help it knit back together. Again the stitches in her lip will come out within three to five days and we'll sort that out so you don't have to worry too much about that." The doctor continues, running down the rather long list of Lexi's injuries.

"Thank you" Shelby replies softly, not able to find any real volume to her voice as the information was still all a bit too overwhelming for her.

"Now her right eye is swollen shut but that will come down with rest and some ice packs, I have a feeling ice packs are going to be your best friend for the next couple of weeks." He jokes softly trying to ease the tension of the situation some if possible. "The rest of her body is all bruises and swelling, she's taken a nasty beating so much so the boot marks can be seen around her stomach and back. Lexi does have two broken ribs but considering how intense this beating seems to have been she's gotten away very lightly." He concludes offering a smile to indicate he was finished and Shelby could again breathe or try to.

"Thank you, thank you so much doctor." Shelby manages to squeeze out through tight breaths, her baby was hurt and hurt badly but thankfully it was nothing that some time, rest and love wouldn't heal. 'Thank you god' Shelby's mind mutters, beyond thankful that things hadn't come back so much worse like they easily could have.

"I will be by in the morning to see how Lexi is doing and to run a few tests to check her head injury and we will talk again then about pain medication and any course of treatment you need to know about when she is discharged." The doctor explains signing off on a piece of paperwork that of course had to be finished before anything else could be done.

"Thank you, I appreciate it and so does Lexi." Shelby replies whole heartedly, trying to fight off the building emotions of relief that were bubbling under her surface.

"It's my job but you are both more than welcome, I will walk you through to her room and then leave you all to get some rest. Believe me you are all going to need it not just Lexi, all though I have noticed she is suffering from exhaustion on top of everything else. The more rest she gets the better okay?" The doctor suggests kindly earning another thankful nod from the clearly relieved and slightly overwhelmed mother.

'Why do hospitals have to be so darn big? And who would design them to be decorated exactly the same throughout? I mean really, ugh' Rachel mentally rants, each step she takes getting more and more like a petulant child's foot stomp as her arm cross tightly over her chest, Shelby's jacket still wrapped securely around her shoulders.

Rachel knew she had absolutely no idea where in the world her sister's room would be located but she wasn't about to let it stop her. She needed to see Lexi, sit with her, hold her hand and speak with her, know that she was truly going to be okay and she could only do that once she saw her in person.

It takes a good ten minutes but finally Rachel's heart tugs and something the young diva would never be able to describe leads her to make a turn down one of the identical corridors and stop outside one of the doorways where sure enough on the whiteboard it had 'Alexis Berry' written on it.

"Lexi" Rachel whispers, her body going cold seeing her strong, confident, defiant sister lying so helplessly in the hospital bed that almost seemed too big. 'Maybe I should have stayed with Shelby' Rachel silently ponders, the thought of some moral support right now not escaping Rachel's mind.

Rachel forces her legs to move closer though and takes the empty seat next to her sister's bed, not surprised that her feet wouldn't reach the floor. 'Darn my short stature' She steals a glance to Lexi who for once didn't look at all intimidating or like her big sister, it was like a different person.

"You'd be laughing so hard you would do that snorting thing you do, if you could see me now." Rachel announces to the silent hospital room, the only noise the machines working in the background. "Could you possibly wake up and maybe do that? I won't even complain that you are laughing at me if you wake up, I promise" Rachel practically begs, a strong ache crossing her chest at seeing her sister in such a state.

The blood was gone and cleaned up but Rachel wasn't sure if what was left was better or worse. Lexi's face was swollen, bruising quickly and clearly sore with multiple scratches and marks. Her head was wrapped up neatly, a few stray hairs poking out from underneath the bandage as it wrapped around her head. Her right side was worse than the left but mainly because her right eye was swollen shut and still slightly bloody and discoloured from the bruising that was forming and had spread down her cheek that looked somewhat collapsed. Lexi's left eyebrow had the strips over it to help it heal and her bottom lip was stitched, bruising forming around both as well as some swelling from the trauma.

Rachel reaches over to her sister's hand that was lying motionless on top of the blankets that were tucked up under the hurt teen's armpits as she rested. Even her hands were grazed and scuffed from the attack; it was the small details like that which truly made Rachel's stomach turn. 'How did they hurt her hands?' Rachel silently questions, running her thumb softly across the back of her sister's larger hand her breath catching at the fact it felt almost cold to touch.

"I really need you to wake up now Lexi, in fact I am kind of demanding that you wake up because..." Rachel's voice catches as tears she thought she had under control push at the brims of her eyes. Her voice was trying to be harsh and demanding but it was no use it breaks. "I'm scared Lex." Rachel whispers, gripping her sister's hand tightly being careful of the IV line that was connected.

"This isn't how it's supposed to be Lexi, you're the strong one not me. You..." Rachel bows her head finding that trying to keep her eyes on her sister as she spoke was too much to handle. "You make everything okay even when it's not. I don't know how I would have gotten through losing daddy and dad leaving if you hadn't of been there. I know I don't always say it or show it but..." The young diva takes in a sharp breath to try and calm down her heartbeat. "You, you're ... I don't know how to be me without you. You see me when I'm scared and nervous, you hold me when I cry and you give me confidence when I really don't have any. Sure I act all fine at school and like nothing can ever get to me because I'm Rachel Barbra Berry, destined to be a star but the truth is I... I wouldn't dare to believe that if it wasn't for you." Rachel reveals the tears now freely falling down her face as she scoots closer to her sister's bed.

"Everything is so confusing right now Lexi, we just found our mom and... and I'm scared because that means everything is going to change yet again. I don't cope well with stress as you well know and I don't know what's going to happen next. Is Shelby going to take us in, look after us, be our mother? Are we going to go back to being one our own, with you struggling to make ends meet and me making your life even harder by sneaking in cute boys whilst you're out?" Rachel asks knowing all too well she wasn't about to get an answer but maybe that was a good thing. "I am sorry about that Lexi, truly I am." Rachel quickly adds in remembering the look that her sister had sent her when she returned home from work to find Rachel and Jesse cuddled up on the sofa the night before. "I promise I won't ever do anything so disobedient again." The brunette teen promises sniffling back the tears that now had no chance of stopping.

"I know I'm rambling and you're probably telling me to shut up because you are trying to rest and sleep, which I know you need to but I can't help it Lexi. Seeing you like this, so... so weak and hurt and vulnerable it's terrifying because you're Lexi and you're like this whirlwind who keeps everything together and now you're hurt." Rachel wipes away a few tears with a swipe of her hand as she leans in and rests her forehead against her sister's forearm seeking that comfort that her sister would normally so readily provide.

"I need you; I need you because you'll know what to do and how to fix everything. I need my big sister because I have no idea how to function without you." Rachel reveals closing her eyes tightly trying to block the tears from falling any faster. "But most of all I need you because I love you Lex, I love you and I need to see you awake and laughing and joking and being you to know you are truly going to be okay."

The tears could no longer be tamed or controlled and Rachel's shoulders start to shudder as the sobs racket through her chest and throat, her hand still desperately clinging to her sister's. With her head buried it felt safe, even with everything Lexi's presence was comforting for the young diva and in a way it was what she needed to truly let her emotions free.

Shelby's heart breaks for her daughter having been stood in the doorway long enough to hear her youngest pretty much bare her soul to her eldest as the stress and emotion of the situation all got understandably too much. 'I need to reassure her that I am going to take care of them now, that they won't ever be left on their own again' Shelby's mind instantly instructs the still adjusting mother.

"Rachel" Shelby calls out gently as she makes her way in to the hospital room fully, her green eyes taking a quick scan of Lexi in the bed and trying not to get distracted by it. 'She looks so young' Shelby's mind points out noticing that without her normal full blown make up and perfect hair that her sixteen year old shared a strong resemblance to a little girl, lying so helplessly and hurt in the large hospital bed she was now occupying.

Rachel's head snaps up instantly at the noise of someone else entering the room her mind taking a few seconds to process the voice and realise it was Shelby. The young diva grips onto the jacket that was still draped over her shoulders and pulls it around herself a little tighter, sniffling to try and keep the tears at bay and return her breathing to normal.

"It's okay, it's just me" Shelby explains softly, walking around to where Rachel was sitting and crouching down in front of her girl with a sympathetic smile tugging at her plump lips. "You must be starving sweetheart" Shelby realises aloud it suddenly hitting her that it was nearing ten and neither of them had eaten since lunch time. 'Way to win mother of the year here Shelby, starving your child, well done' Shelby's mother voice lectures only making the young teacher's guilt rise up quicker in her chest.

"Why don't you go and see what you can lay your hands on to eat might make you feel a bit better." The brunette teacher suggests, her own tears baying for release seeing the pure worry on her youngest daughter's beautiful face.

Rachel takes in a deep breath; the idea of food pricking her interest instantly, her stomach was beginning to think her throat had been cut. Her brown eyes quickly dart down to her sister's hand that she was still grasping with an urgency yet to ease up.

"The doctor said it will be a while in till Lexi comes round so you have plenty of time and I promise you if she does I will come and get you right away." Shelby quickly adds seeing and reading her daughter's worries instantly.

Shelby reaches into her purse and pulls out a twenty before handing it to Rachel, giving her arm a strong rub in the process, anything to try and help put her at ease.
"Go on, I heart here is a canteen in here somewhere. Go and try it out and warm up a little ahey?" She suggests softly, seeing the want behind Rachel's brown orbs starting to outweigh her reservations. "I'll stay with Lexi" Shelby assures her at this point just wanting to make sure her daughter got something to eat.

"You promise if she wakes up you'll come and get me? I'm talking her eye blinks for a second and you're out the door?" Rachel asks indignantly, she wasn't about to risk a misunderstanding where this was concerned.

"I promise you Rachel, now go on go and get something to eat and drink." Shelby pushes slightly, again reaching in to her bag and pulling out a tissue handing it to the teenager for the remaining tears and remnants of her sobs still tracing her face.

Rachel nods in agreement, the rumbling in her stomach having only started at the mention of food but now it was too loud to ignore.
"Thank you" The girl whispers referring to both the tissue now clasped in her hand and everything in general as well, all though that reasoning was much more hidden.

Shelby smiles softly all be it slightly sadly as she helps Rachel to her feet and makes sure she has the money before seeing her out of the room to hopefully some warm food and a chance to calm down slightly.

Finally alone Shelby lets a heavy sigh escape from her lungs, her eyes closing for a second as she tries to pull her ever trying emotions back in and locked p so she could focus on the most important thing right now, her girls. 'Let her get something to eat and calm down and when she comes back you can explain how you are going to take them in and everything is going to change and you are going to look after them now' Shelby's mind quickly explains the list having been formed the second the mother saw the distress on her youngest daughters face only moments before.

'Lexi' Shelby's inner voice almost whispers waking the tired mother to the realisation she was stood beside her injured daughter's bedside.

"My poor baby" Shelby whispers, as her eyes meet the same sight Rachel's had before and the older woman's heart sinks some in her chest. Shelby had only seen Lexi together and defiant or punching Lara in the face and now here she was lying in a hospital bed, recovering from a vicious beating with stitches and swelling hiding what was a beautiful face from the world.

'It beats all that blood though' Shelby's mind silently reminds her, the flashes of what she had walked in on in the bathroom earlier making her entire body shudder with disgust. No mother should ever have to see their child in that state, ever.

Shelby eventually finds her place in the seat Rachel had been sat in before, watching over Lexi as her clearly exhausted and hurt body rests and starts to heal, all though it was going to be a long road to recovery at least it was a start.

"You and your sister are going to give me a fair few grey hairs aren't you ahey?" Shelby asks her sleeping child, unable to stop the words from coming from her mouth; it was just a natural reaction. "Not that I'm complaining because really I'm not. If anything I'm excited about the grey hairs, well okay maybe not the grey hairs but the chance to worry about you properly, to be your mother, it's all I've ever wanted." She continues her body leaning off of the chair and towards the bed as her long arm wraps loosely over the top of Lexi's head and her left hand brushes gently over the bandage covering Lexi's forehead.

"I'm scared though, I feel like I shouldn't be and I'm being ridiculous for feeling scared but I can't help it. I mean this is all I have ever wished for, for fourteen years but now you're here and you need me, you really need me." Shelby chokes out, not sure why everything seems to spill out when you get the chance to talk to someone who can't answer you.

"I'm scared because I see you and Rachel and you take my breath clean away from me, you are both so... perfect and precious and god, I'm not. I have made so many mistakes in my life and the fear of ever making one with you two it, it chokes me." Shelby reveals honestly, the tears now starting to flow down her blushing cheeks.

"I must sound pathetic right now, I'm sorry. You see I have been Coach Corcoran for so long, tough, mean, together I've almost forgotten what it's like to just be Shelby but that is who I need to be to be your mother." Shelby realises out loud 'Well maybe a little Coach Corcoran at times will come in handy' she silently adds on with a smile, her tears starting to ease up again.

"But I promise you, you and Rachel I will do it. I will be your mother and I will do everything in my power to be the best one I can for you, the one you deserve and you need." Shelby says with conviction as she sits up straighter and gently places Lexi's hand in between the both of hers after shifting her position. "So..." Shelby clears her throat a little trying to sound firmer. "You young lady, you just need to worry about getting better now okay? Let me worry about everything else, let someone take care of you for once and I will, I promise." Shelby affirms bringing Lexi's hand up to her lips and giving it a gentle kiss as the rhythmic beeps of the machines again fills the room.

'Ow... wow everything hurts' Lexi's mind instantly informs the teenager of the obvious as the heavy fog starts to shift slightly from her consciousness, her eyes straining to blink open. Only the left one opens and she frowns. 'Why is everything so bright?' She silently wonders, her breathing straining because of the pain in her ribs.

"Lexi, Lexi can you hear me? It's Shelby, you're safe honey but you're in the hospital okay. Take it easy and just take your time." Shelby coaches instantly, the slight change in Lexi's breathing and movement in her body alerting the waiting mother of the teens growing consciousness.

"Huh?" Lexi manages to groan out, her head turning slightly trying to bring into focus where the voice was coming from. 'Shelby?' The teenager asks silently, not sure it would come out as such if she attempted to speak it.

"It's okay, you're going to feel groggy for a little while you have been through a lot, just try and take it nice and slow." Shelby coaches further, her hand holding Lexi's lightly as the teenager's body starts to shift a little more in the bed as does her head.

Lexi feels the warmth of Shelby's hand and instantly clamps down for security and assurance that she wasn't alone everything a little bit too disorientating for her to comprehend. 'Don't let go' Lexi pleads silently as the haze continues to slowly lift but not fully, the drugs she was on apparently rather strong.

"R...Rachel?" Lexi mutters out, it had been ten minutes since she'd started to wake up and the doctor and nurse had been in to check everything before leaving them too it again once they were sure Lexi was okay. Rachel was of course Lexi's first worry now it was clear what had happened and where she was and roughly what was going.

Lexi's grip on Shelby's hand was still firm and hadn't wavered once, the thought alone made Shelby's heart fit to burst. 'She won't let go of my hand, not that I want her to, that must mean I am being some kind of a comfort to her' the mother silently surmises as Lexi's mutter enters her mind.

"Rachel? Rachel is getting something to eat sweetheart, she will be back in a minute." Shelby starts to explain, rising to her feet as another thought flashes across her mind. "I can go and get her for you if you like; she will be so over the moon to know you are awake." Shelby suggests, ready to take off and find Rachel that instant.

"No!" Lexi half shouts, half groans forcefully gripping Shelby's hand tighter and trying to pull her back towards her. "Ow" The young teen moans, the pain of the movement ripping through her body but even with that not letting go of her mother's hand.

Shelby instantly jumps back in to the seat and uses her other hand to stroke over the top of Lexi's being careful of the IV line as she did.
"Shush, it's okay I'm not going anywhere." Shelby assures her daughter seeing the panic in her eyes as well as the pain. "Try and stay still sweetheart, you are going to be feeling every movement you make for a few days at the least honey." Shelby explains relieved when Lexi starts to calm down again and just nods in agreement.

"Do you want something to drink, water?" The new found mother asks softly, reaching to a cup the nurse had left before and brings it towards Lexi slowly. The bed was slightly risen up and Lexi had plenty of pillows keeping her semi upright even though everything was still rather fuzzy.

"Yes... please" Lexi slurs somewhat, the idea of some water too nice to pass up. The doctor and nurse had informed Lexi of her injuries and the fact that she was on some heavy pain meds to numb the pain as much as possible.

"Here you go honey." Shelby says softly, standing up next to the bed and working the straw gently to Lexi's mouth being careful of her stitched lip. "Just take small sips to start with." Shelby again coaches half expecting Lexi to resist but to her shock Lexi is readily compliant and ready to listen to whatever Shelby says.

Lexi greedily sips on the water after a few tentative sucks through the straw, her throat was sore and she was sure the water would help with that and waking her up some. Her good eye watches Shelby over the cup and her heart warms at the almost foreign sensation of having someone look after her.

When she was sure the hurt girl had enough Shelby returns the cup to the side and sits back down with a soft smile, now not entirely sure where she should place her hands, wanting nothing more than to go back to holding Lexi's.

"Do... do I look like Frankenstein?" Lexi croaks out, leaning back in to the pillows of her bed thankful for the medication that was keeping the pain somewhat bearable.

"What do you mean, Frankenstein?" Shelby questions confused as to what her eldest daughter meant. 'These drugs must be good' her mind quickly quips fighting the urge to laugh at the obscurity of the question.

"My face, I'm... I'm all stitched up right?" Lexi explains, raising her eyebrows but winces at the pain and just relaxes her face again.

"Oh, no honey you don't look like Frankenstein at all. Maybe a little Chucky from child's play though." The teacher kids, letting a small mischievous chuckle escape her lungs as Lexi watches her with growing curiosity.

"You know Child's Play?" Lexi questions in shock. 'Apparently Shelby had hidden coolness, who would have known.' The teenagers mind quips making her chest shake slightly from a giggle at her own silent joke.

"It's one of my favourite horror films actually, let me guess because I'm older than twenty I can't possibly know anything cool like that now can I?" Shelby asks knowingly, with a good nature roll of her eyes. 'Teenagers, anyone over twenty are resigned to a life of knitted cardigans and shouting over the news.'

"I didn't say that but I am a little shocked, you have earned some cool points so you know." Lexi jokes a smile breaking over her face thankful for the distraction from her surroundings and the pain starting to take its toll on her body.

"Rachel, she is okay isn't she? Has she... has she seen me? Maybe you should go and find her, if she's upset and worrying she's going to need someone to be there for her. If you could just maybe uh help me out of this bed I could go and find her." Lexi rambles out not truly realising she was saying it all out loud as most of it was a thought process of her own. The hurt teen presses her hands down in to the mattress of the bed in an attempt to adjust her body before trying to get out and search for her sister.

Shelby thankfully though was faster and catches Lexi's shoulders lightly with both of her hands and just connects her green eyes with Lexi's brown one sternly. 'Crap, she's using that 'Corcoran' glare again. Why in the world does that affect me so easily?' Lexi silently ponders instantly retreating any of her movements, her body rewarding her by stopping the growing pain that was building in her ribs and back.

"You young lady are going nowhere, you have a compound skull fracture, broken ribs not to mention you are suffering from exhaustion. Yes, the doctor explained that to me and Rachel gave me a pretty good heads up on just why that may be as well." Shelby points out; gently easing Lexi's beaten and bruised body back into the soft pillows and mattress.

Lexi's eye narrows, the pain in her eyebrow not enough to stop the movement. 'Just what has Rachel been saying?' The young teen worries silently, shifting herself some in the bed to get comfortable trying to fight off the urge to sleep that was quickly washing over her.

"Yes, well I think we can discuss that all in the morning once you have had some proper rest and sleep." Shelby quickly explains seeing the cogs turning in her eldest daughter's mind and not wanting to get her worked up when what she should be doing is resting. "Don't worry though okay? All you need to know is, from now on you don't have to worry. Whether you like it or not I'm around now and I will be doing the worrying for the both of us okay? You just need to focus on healing and getting out of here" the mother continues once again finding the motherly rant rolling off of her tongue with an uncanny easiness.

'She knows' Lexi surmises silently, for a second panic hitting her heart but if she was honest it was a relief at least now she wasn't have to deal with it completely alone like she had been for the past six months and even before that.

"Speaking of getting out of here, just when will that be?" Lexi asks with a yawn, her head rolling to the side to watch as Shelby sits back down into the chair by the bed and her IV attached hand subconsciously reaches out for Shelby's hand that was located by the young girl's hip on the mattress, not quite brave enough to make the contact it's self.

Shelby's green eyes watch in astonishment as Lexi's weak hand flexes out and grips for Shelby's hand blindly and clearly out of want for comfort. The mother instantly obliges and gently curls her slightly larger hand around Lexi's fingers, giving them a tender squeeze and rub with her thumb. 'She asked you a question Shelby.' The older woman's mind reminds the distracted mother after a few tense seconds of silence.

"Well you will be getting out once the doctor okay's it and not a second before." Shelby replies firmly, sensing that this was something Lexi was most likely going to fight her on once her strength was back. 'How I look forward to it little girl' Shelby's motherly voice chirps, the thought in an odd way comforting for the still adjusting mother.

Lexi doesn't offer any kind of protest or reply because the painkillers and overall toll on her young body takes over and her once open eye shuts closed as her still strained breathing evens out and she again slips in to a restful sleep that both her body and mind needed.

There was still a lot to talk about, what actually had happened to Lexi, if she remembered anything. What her view was on Leroy upping and leaving, her working so hard, how she at sixteen has managed to keep her and Rachel living alone, unsupervised for six months a secret, what was going to happen in the future with living arrangements and legal matters. For right now though Shelby was just relieved Lexi was resting, everything else for once could wait. All that was important in this moment was that Lexi was safe and healing and Shelby knew the truth and could finally do something about it.


As always thank you so much for reading my story, I know my chapters are long and must take up a lot of time so thank you for taking that time to read my story when you could be... I don't know doing something else. (I'm still not a hundred percent with it as I think that has just proved lol)

To those of you who also take the time to review (If you do) a double thank you to you, you are amazing and I appreciate each and every one I get especially the ones that are so detailed and give me such great feedback and encouragement, I take everything you all say on board truly.

Now I hope this chapter didn't disappoint and if it did, I'm going to half heartedly blame the medication lol! No seriously if it does I'm sorry and I'll try to do better next time, speaking of which will hopefully be up much faster than this one was. As long as my immune system decides to work and life gives me a break for a few days lol, I make no promises other than I promise to try my best to get it up as quickly as possible.

Until next time, stay safe, happy and well ;;'x