William Shakespeare once wrote; 'Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds. It is an ever fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken. Love alters not with time's brief hours and weeks, but bears it out even to the edge of doom.'

I don't have a way with words, never have and never will. But in times of crisis, similar to this, I borrow good ol' Shakespeare's words for reassurance, for a reminder that it is ok to love someone who hates you, that it is ok for me to still love Ronnie.

My eyes are fixated on her, just like everyone else's are; Peggy, Sam, Roxy, Archie, Phil, me. We are all here to see her, but the tricky thing is trying to figure out who is here to support her and who is here for a laugh. She shifts uneasily on the bed, trying to prop herself up, making as much noise as possible as she tries to penetrate into the awkward silence looming amidst the room. I desperately want to go up to her and give her a hug, I keep lurching forwards, almost out of the chair, but then flashbacks of that day dominate inside of me.

"YOU, YOU'RE JUST ANOTHER NAME ON THE LIST OF PEOPLE I WANT TO KILL!"

It still rings inside my ears. Before I go to sleep at night. When I wake up in the morning. Her piercing scream revolves in my ears. And no matter how hard I try and forget it, it won't cease.

Everyone here has something to say, but no one wants to start off. So I take advantage of the silence to take in her appearance. Her bandaged up leg is the first thing I notice...

25th December 2009

"That woman was Peggy." Archie whispered, almost sobbing.

She let go of him, pushing him back slightly, before slowly backing away herself. He had answered the question, but so much more information had to be obtained. I saw Ronnie's manic eyes dart to Peggy's scared ones. No one spoke in the room – we didn't know what was going on, or where all this had erupted from.

All colour and life drained from Ronnie's face. Her franticness and craziness subdued as she fell to the ground whilst her fragile finger pulled the trigger on her precious gun. It was hard to tell whether she had done it on purpose, but all I knew was that I had to save her.

"CALL 999" I heard myself shout, making my way over to Ronnie, who was now surrounded by a pool of blood...

Then I notice how tired and exhausted she looks; the deep purple bags tattooed underneath her eyes, the way her mouth can't quite smile at any of us, the way her hair is matted in her own sick. And then there is an aura about her, something I can't quite put my finger on. She seems happy. Maybe rehab really is having an effect on her, for the better...

26th December 2009

"She cannot go to that place! If you think she's crazy now, just imagine what that place will do to her!" I shouted, loud enough so that they at least considered my point.

"I can understand what you're saying Jack, but really, we can't handle her!" Archie spat back. Urgh, I have never despised a man so much in my life!

"I agree with dad, Jack" Said Roxy sadly "I'm sorry."

I sighed, pushing my hair back furiously, surely out of anyone I knew what was best for her. "And what about you Peggy, you agree with this?" I asked her, a little too angrily.

"Me? Why would you ask me? I don't know, I mean, it's not as if I'm important or anything!" Peggy rambled, getting flustered.

"You're her aunt. Family. It matters." I reply back...

Ronnie's starting to get anxious and nervous now with us all examining her every move. She bites her lip. "Well?" she asks, on the verge of tears. Again, I nearly leap up off my chair, but then a cough emerges from the person next to me. Guiltily, I stay put.

"Well what sweet?" coos Archie, as if he actually cares. If only I had enough courage to punch him to the floor, right now. I know for sure that Ronnie would welcome me with open arms. Ronnie looks as if she's about to be sick at the sound of his voice. Her eyes widen, showing off the dazzling ocean blueness I had dearly missed gazing into, whilst her bottom lip begins to quiver ever so slightly. I can tell she just wants to burst out crying, and it saddens me even more to know that from now on her 'Ice Queen' routine is back in tact once again.

"I am NOT your sweet!" she hisses at him as her eyes become slits. Sometimes the resemblance between the father and daughter are crystal clear – though I would never mention this to her (she probably would kill me). "Why am I here?" she sighs "Do you all hate me so much?"

I shake my head, I couldn't imagine hating her. Roxy and Phil shake their heads too, but the other three remain still. She sits up a bit higher so that she can just about look down on us. "I bet" she laughs, "I bet you've managed to sweep this under the carpet pretty easily, right?"

This time it's Ronnie who watches our every move as we look around the room guiltily, avoiding eye contact with her. "Gone on holiday have I?" she questions. She has it spot on; this is exactly what we have told everyone, with the exception of Max, Ricky and Al. She laughs once more; exhausted and defeated she slouches back. "I never did get the truth." She squeaks.

Peggy looks up to Archie, who is still starring at Ronnie, cautioning her every move. Peggy's eyes spill everything – she looks terrified and nervous. Why though?

"Archie, please not yet, not like this!" she pleads to her husband, who remains solid. Peggy tugs on his suede jacket, forcing him to look at her.

"I'm sorry darling; it's not fair on poor Vee. We have to tell her." Archie whispers. Since when did he care about Ronnie? I stand up furiously, ready to give him an earful, but I slowly sit back down, feeling quite embarrassed as Ronnie raises an eyebrow at me. Timing has never been a strong point of mine...

"Archie!" Peggy begs once again. He slowly shakes his head and signals for her to stop. "Veronica, you must know that back then society was everything, one mistake and everyone hated you. There was no going back." Archie explains to the room, though I'm still confused.

Ronnie pushes back her fringe and sighs. "Right okay then. Except I don't care about that!" she shouts, making me jump.

"It is crucial you remember that though." Archie assures her calmly. He pauses for a while, gathering thoughts. Then his mouth opens and he speaks again. "Peggy and I" he smiles and takes hold of her hand "we've always been in love, ever since we set eyes on each other. Unfortunately I was with Glenda and Peg was with Eric."

"I had just given birth to Sam." Peggy breathes, slightly nervous. "I was all over the place; Eric was hitting me, Phil and Grant. Archie was so nice to me, he helped me so much." She continues.

I think I know where this is going, I'm praying to god I'm wrong. I gaze upon Ronnie, she's so beautiful. Her mouth opens slightly and her hands are brought to her face. She's catching on now.

"No...No" she cries, without the tears, shaking her head. Should I go over there and comfort her?

"Yes Ronnie. I'm your mother." Peggy sobs.

Ronnie's just sat there, in complete shock, just like I am. Then a scream comes from next to me as Sam falls to the floor, crying.

"NO! I'm your only daughter! Please mum, this can't be true! I'm your only princess!" Sam screeches. Peggy comforts her.

What. A. Drama queen.

Finally, I decide to go over to Ronnie. As she draws closer my heart begins beating a million times faster and my throat becomes as dry as the Sahara desert. Her head tilts up to look at me; her eyes are swimming in floods of tears and rejection. Nervously, I take her hand and lightly kiss it. She doesn't back off, she doesn't hate me! Inevitably, tears spill onto her cheeks. She slips her hand from mine and tightly wraps her arms around my waist, clinging on to the back of my shirt. Butterflies swarm in my stomach, twisting and turning it. In spite of things, I feel happy she still needs me and hopefully still loves me. I wrap my arms around her and kiss the top of her head. "Everything will be ok Ron" I whisper to her "I love you."

Waiting for her to say those three words back is torturous, she can't quite sat them back. "I'm going to get you out of here as soon as possible." I reassure her.

She pulls back and looks into my eyes. She smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "Really?" she questions hopefully.

"Really."

I wonder what's going on in her head right now. Finding out her auntie is infact her mother, and has never bothered to tell her. If I was Ronnie, I'd be shouting at Peggy right now. I guess that's what Ronnie wants to do, but everyone, par me, are all fussing over a broken down, spoilt Sam.

I wonder how Roxy is feeling, knowing that Ronnie is only her half sister.

"I think, Peggy, you've got some explaining to do." I call out to her, above the hysterical crying from Sam.

Ronnie looks at me gratefully whilst Phil adds "Yeah mum. We want answers."

Peggy looks up from her precious Sam and gives Phil and I equally vicious looks. She's just as poisonous as Archie, I reckon.

***

It all makes sense now. It's the reason why me and Grant got beaten up by dad. It's the reason mum went off for months, missing the football games I had trained for hours on end, just to impress her.

Ronnie as a sister...Doesn't really change much; we've always been there for each other anyway. Its mum I have the problem with.

"Actually, I've got to go." I inform them as I leave. "And grow up Sam!"

Not everyone knows the truth.

Yet.

***

"Right" I gulp, looking nervously towards my newly found mother "tell me everything...mum."

Peggy's eyes shoot a disgusted snare in my direction making me grip on tighter to Jack's strong hand.

"First thing, don't ever call me that." She spits warily.

A/N: Where's Philip off to I wonder...?

Sorry if this seems rushed, but I want to get as much posted as I can cause when I go back to school on Monday, the next few weeks will be chaos and, literally, I will have no spare time :(

So, Peggy is Ronnie's mother...all will be explained next chapter :)

Hope it was ok from mostly Jack's POV btw, and did anyone notice the tense change? Lol

Thank you for reading & sticking with this story, it's good to know that some people appreciate what I write, so I'm sorry if sometimes the chapters aren't up to a good standard. (As you can probably tell I am so self conscious about my writing lol)

Sorry for rambling lol I could go on for a page! Please review, love Scarlett x

(now you can all breathe!)