Chapter 21, my friends, in the flesh. Lots of stuff at the end. Now read!
-8x8-
Rachel was as happy as any when they finally rolled her to the elevator in a wheel chair, dressed in normal clothes for the first time in over a week. Kori had brought the outfit from home and helped her dress, and while the baggy pants did nothing for her figure they did accommodate the brace that held her leg in place. The cosmetologist and Melvin would take turns helping out at the house with Rachel's basic toiletry needs. Being unable to dress or bathe on her own was frustrating, but anything was better than staying in the hospital.
Kori's car was waiting for them at the front. Her crutches, medical papers and other things were piled into the back. The patient was carefully helped into the front passenger seat, her face remaining flat though the color drained from it when the injured leg was accidentally jostled. Thankfully, it didn't take long to get her settled or the seat belt secured, and the mother let out a long shuddering sigh as she leaned back in her seat.
"Are you ready, friend Rachel?" Kori asked as she started the car up as gently as she could.
"Yes," her passenger replied quietly. "Please, take me home."
-8x8-
The kids waited excitedly on the front porch, all clean and dressed neatly as Gar fussed over a few more details inside. The house had been well-prepared for Rachel's return: the hallways cleared and rooms rearranged to make it easier to maneuver around on a set of crutches. Her tea things had been set within easy reach on the counter, and a schedule had already been put together of who would visit the house during the day to be sure Rachel was getting along all right.
Kori pulled into the driveway not long after she said they would arrive, and Melvin was immediately at the passenger door helping her mother out. The cosmetologist fetched the crutches and soon the returning mother was hobbling up the front walk with lines of pain creasing her brow and a relieved smile on her lips.
"Welcome home!" the boys chorused when she reached the door, both hugging her 'good' side before allowing her entrance.
Rachel felt a prickling at the back of her eyes as she surveyed her beloved haven, clean and worn and still awaiting her return. Quickly, she banished the feeling aside as Gar peeked out from the kitchen, the usual carefree smile on his face. Yes, she was happy beyond comprehension. No, he did not need to see her cry.
"Welcome home," he said as the rest of the family crowded in beside her. "What would you like first? A cup of tea? Something to eat?"
"A nap," she replied, already feeling the exhaustion weighing her body down once again. Suddenly, a rather disheartening thought came. "I suppose I should sleep on the couch, just in case…"
"No need," Gar said as he reached over and dropped something around her neck. "It's a two way radio, see?" Pulling out a similar contraption from his pocket, he spoke into it. "Test, one two, can you hear me now?" His voice came through the device around Rachel's neck, tinny and a bit fuzzy but still audible. "You go take your nap, in your own bed, and you just let us know when you want to get up, ok?"
Rachel touched the device, and then looked at the teacher with an unreadable expression. "Thank you," she said sincerely, then began to move down the hall with an abrupt nod of her head. Melvin followed her in wake, to help her mother get settled.
Kori was quick to excuse herself after Rachel's things were inside, and Gar couldn't blame her for doing so. Everyone was relieved that the pale young woman was home, there would be no more daily visits to the hospital, everyone could enjoy a good night's rest in their own beds tonight.
The boys went outside to play, secure in the knowledge that their mother was home (a most heart-warming improvement) and would continue to get better. Melvin appeared a short time later, a troubled look on her face as she sat next to Gar at the kitchen table.
"Will she always be this tired?" she asked as she put her head on her crossed arms dejectedly. "I thought when she got home things would be different. Be...better."
"It is better," Gar replied as he set his lacrosse papers aside. "She's home."
The freshman was on the verge of pouting. "But it's not the same…"
"And it won't be, for awhile," the teacher said gently. "You have to face the facts, Melvin, your mother went through a horrible car accident. A person doesn't just bounce back from that sort of thing. Add in multiple surgeries, other complications, she won't be the same for a long time. The important thing to remember is that she will be, someday. You just have to be patient and trust that in the end, it'll be just fine."
"And what if it isn't?" the teenager asked flatly as she surreptitiously wiped something from the corner of her eyes.
Gar politely pretended not to notice and beamed as encouragingly as he could. "Then it's not the end."
-8x8-
Rachel woke feeling more comfortable than she had in a long time, slowly opening her eyes to the familiar surroundings of her bedroom. It was quiet, and she reveled in the lack of beeps or monitors or soft whirrings of machines in the background. There were muted voices from the kitchen, but they were familiar sounds of home.
Her stomach was the first part of her to demand she move. Her bladder was the second. Between the two she did not stand much of a chance saying 'no'.
One hand reached for the radio that still hung about her neck. Internally thankful she hadn't followed her earlier impulse, the night stand would have been much too far away to reach, she brought it up with her good arm and pushed the talk button. "…hello?"
There was a moment's pause, then, "Rachel?" She could tell it was Gar, even through the slight distortion. "Do you need something?"
"Can you send Melvin to my room?" she asked, stretching as she could with the multiple braces in place and laying flat on her back.
The reply was immediate. "Sure, anything else?"
Rachel was about to say no when a thought came to her. "Could you boil some water?" she asked, "I need a cup of tea."
She could hear his smile through the radio. "Absolutely. Melvin's on her way."
"Thank you."
"Anytime."
It was only a moment before Melvin was popping her head in the door inquiringly.
"Could you help me up?" her mother asked with a grimace, propping herself up on her good arm. The daughter was quick to comply, and soon Rachel was levering herself up with her crutches. "Have you eaten?" she asked Melvin when she finished with the bathroom and was ready to head out.
"Not yet," the freshman admitted with a grin. "We wanted to see if you would get up first."
Rachel felt a bloom of warmth in her chest, and her smile grew ever so slightly. "Well, I'm awake, and very hungry. What's for dinner?"
"Tomato soup and grilled cheese," Gar announced from the stove. "Your water is ready for tea, too."
"It smells delicious," Rachel replied as she lowered herself into the seat Tommy had pulled out for her.
"Probably because anything is better than hospital food," Gar laughed as he pulled the last two sandwiches from the griddle. "And it's easy, too."
"Uncle Vic might find a way to mess it up," Timmy snorted as he set the table. "If it's not meat, breakfast, or dessert…sometimes he just shouldn't even try."
"Yeah," Melvin agreed as she poured drinks for everyone. "But his steaks do rock, and no one can make a thanksgiving turkey like he does."
Rachel sat back as they moved around her, putting the food on the table and arranging the seats. It felt wonderful to be home, so much that it didn't bother her in the least when Gar was the one to announce the start of the meal or the way the conversation seemed to swirl around her. The food was good, and after she had eaten her fill the librarian sat back and let her mind drift as the others talked. It was Tommy's voice who brought her back to the present.
"Please, mom?" he asked wistfully. "It's a really fun game."
"Your mom's still pretty tired, guys," Gar intervened when Rachel didn't immediately reply. "Maybe we should save the game for another time."
"I am tired," she admitted when the boys looked back at her pleadingly. "How long is it?"
"Pretty short, I think," Tommy said as Timmy scratched his head. "Right, Mr. Gar?"
The teacher looked at the boys blankly. "Our last game was over two hours."
Tommy blinked as he tried to process that in his mind. "Yeah, that's pretty short, right?"
Rachel sighed as Gar shook his head. "Is there something else you'd like to do?"
Timmy perked up this time. "Would you read to us?" he asked hopefully. Rachel quickly agreed and each child was given permission to choose one book from the family box. The effect was immediate. The boys hopped up and whooped for joy, scrambling to clean the table as quickly as possible as Melvin got up with only slightly less enthusiasm and began to help. Gar helped as well, Rachel enjoying the last of her tea as the routine was quickly finished.
Melvin then helped her mother up and back to the bedroom, Timmy and Tommy running for the living room as the teacher followed curiously. The boys pulled an old, dusty box from under the couch that the teacher had never seen before and upon opening it revealed a collection of well-loved and well-worn picture books. Both boys seemed to know exactly what they were looking for, and upon finding it immediately left.
Gar lifted a few that were left and read the titles to himself. 'Where's Waldo', 'The Big Hungry Bear', and 'Brown Bear, Brown Bear' met his eyes among many others, some which he recognized from his childhood.
Melvin appeared just then and quickly she shuffled through the stack and grabbed one from the bottom. The cover was no longer visible under the many layers of tape holding it together. Curious, Gar followed her back to Rachel's room where he suddenly paused outside the open door. She had never given him permission to come in, what if he were to find himself unwelcome in that private place?
Tommy was the first to notice the teacher standing there. "You can't see the pictures from there," the boy said very logically as he settled himself on one side of his mother. Rachel sat in the middle of the bed with her back against the wall propped up by pillows and all three youngsters crowded around both sides.
Rachel gave a slight nod, and Gar entered the room respectfully as the mother collected the books. The teacher settled himself backwards on the desk chair, chin resting on his crossed arms as he waited for her to begin.
"Horton Hears a Who," the librarian said as she selected the book on the top. Tommy lit and snuggled in further for his pick. Gar had heard the story before, had even acted in the musical as one of the extras for the show. Horton the elephant, who heard the small voice of the mayor of Whoville when no one else could, and who saved the town through his bravery and steadfastness.
"I meant what I said, and I said what I meant, an elephant's faithful one hundred percent," Tommy chanted with his mother, grinning all the while.
The story was amusing, but what captivated him most was Rachel's voice. It seemed to take on a special animation when she read the story, as though she was losing herself in the characters and plot along with the listener.
The second story was 'The Grouchy Lady Bug', Timmy's pick, in which a grumbling, grouchy ladybug eventually realizes that there is nothing like friends to make you feel better. Timmy seemed satisfied with every page, and was heard to say that Eric Carle was a genius.
The last book was Melvin's, and the teacher still could not see the cover. Rachel, however, recognized it immediately. With a soft smile, she ran a hand down the spine and whispered, "Where the Wild Things Are."
The teacher leaned forwards attentively, for the story had been around for awhile and had been among the favorites of the few children he had known. The story of a boy who ran off to live with the monsters deep in the jungle was appealing even now, especially when he sailed home to supper waiting for him. Melvin beamed the whole way through, especially when the boy danced with the monsters and howled at the moon. The deformed teddy bear on her lap suddenly seemed to resemble characters in the story more than expected. Gar wondered briefly where it had come from before his attention was taken once again by the mother firmly closing the book and setting the stack aside. Her shoulders seemed to slump a bit as she sighed, her body sagging with unspoken fatigue.
Gar was only a moment in getting up; telling the boys it was time for bed. Melvin helped her mother up from her seat to get the bed rearranged, and the teacher followed Timmy and Tommy to be sure they were doing as told.
Melvin emerged sometime later, waving goodnight to the boys before disappearing into her own bedroom. When everyone was settled the young man went back to the kitchen, making sure the backpacks and lunches were in order for the next day. A last sweep of the house was done, doors locked, lights off; and the teacher took himself up to the loft for the night.
He was in the process of laying out his own clothes when the radio unexpectedly crackled to life. "…hello?"
"Right here," he said as he quickly picked it up. "Do you need something, Rachel?"
"Um, just wondering…" Gar could hear the guilt in her voice and frowned. "Did you…is everything ready for tomorrow?"
Her tenant realized what she was trying to ask and smiled. "Lunches are packed, and backpacks ready. Melvin helps them get dressed in the morning."
There was a pause, and then: "Oh, ok…that's good. And the house, is it…closed up?"
"Doors locked, windows shut, lights off and everyone's safely tucked away in their beds," Gar replied with a hint of pride. "Don't worry, I've got it covered."
There was another pause, and then a hesitant, "Ok, that's good. Thank you."
The radio abruptly cut off, and Gar stared at the plastic box for a moment with a knowing smile. Not home one day and she was already worrying about the thousand little details she used to see to herself. She must be feeling better, and for that he was grateful.
-8x8-
Gar was up before the sun, getting showered and dressed in a hurry as he went over the schedule in his head once more. At school he was ordering the specimens, warning the other teachers, and rearranging the room to the set up he liked for dissections. For lunch he was coming back to the house, checking up on Rae, and making sure he had his coach things for lacrosse practice that evening. After school, the boys were getting picked up by Jenny who would take them to the house and spend the evening there until he got home. It was the one night a week the assistant didn't have to work late. Once at home he intended to spend most of the evening grading tests and then cleaning the kitchen if Jenny didn't. He had his planning period to take care of any other work that came up. It was organized to a T, simply nothing could go wrong.
Downstairs Gar found Rachel at the kitchen table, sipping her hot tea and looking more like her old self save a few visible bruises and the crutches that leaned beside her.
"Did Melvin help you up?" Gar asked as he quickly fixed himself a bite to eat.
"Yes, though I feel much stronger today," Rachel admitted as she settled her propped-up leg a bit more comfortably. "I might try and get up myself tomorrow…" when she caught the skeptical look he was giving her, she sighed, "Or I won't."
"I just don't want you to take things too fast," Gar defended himself quickly. "But, if you think you're ready, well, that's your call. Just keep your radio and cell phone handy. Y'know, just in case."
"That I can accept," she sighed. "There's always the chance something may go wrong…better to be safe than sorry."
"Good," the teacher said with a smile as he finished his food. "Are you settled for this morning?"
"I have everything within reach that I might need, so barring any unforeseen circumstances I'll be fine until lunch after Kori visits this morning," Rachel replied. "Phone and radio, as previously mentioned, with all the emergency information programmed in. A stack of books to keep me entertained. Tea and snacks set out for me, extra-strength Tylenol within easy reach…"
"Where's your hydrcodone?" Gar asked as he glanced around for the large bottle that had accompanied Rachel from the hospital.
"I don't need it," the mother replied with a finality that challenged the teacher to question her statement. "Satisfied?"
Gar considered arguing for a moment, then decided it wasn't worth it right then. "…Yes, thank you."
"Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to see if I can break my three hour record for staying awake."
Reassured that Rachel was well settled, the teacher focused once again on his own schedule. His things were gathered up, and out the door he went feeling every inch prepared for the day.
Arriving at school early and parking in his usual spot, Gar headed in with a smile on his face and a spring in his step. To the office he went first, picking up his mail and waving to the secretary on his way out. The classroom was his next stop, and he quickly put his things away and went down the hall to speak to the other teachers close to him. Mrs. Pauls was the other science teacher on that hall, she taught the advanced and AP classes, and completely understood his warning about the coming stench of formaldehyde. Mr. Collins was next on his list, the woodshop teacher whose classroom took up most of his side of the hallway. He was quick to assure the biology teacher that it was fine, he could hardly smell anything over the varnish and sawdust in his workspace. Gar then girded himself up for the last stop he had to make, trying to appear a lot more confident than he felt.
Knocking on the last open door in the hallway, tucked in the back corner, the visiting teacher called out, "Mrs. Kestern?"
The wrinkled, frowning woman behind the desk looked up at him darkly. She never welcomed other teachers into her domain, considering herself a lone survivor of the days when education was pure and simple. She taught the government, economics and current events classes. The students all agreed that while she was a cantankerous with a sharp tongue and acid wit, if you could put up with it she did an amazing job at teaching her students what they needed to know. Which is probably why she hadn't been fired yet.
"Is this important?" she asked in a tone that suggested if it wasn't there would be pain. Eternal pain.
"I just wanted you to know that the biology classes would be dissecting at the end of this week," Gar replied quickly.
The older teacher stood up slowly, seeming to gird herself for an unforeseen battle ahead. "Wonderful, more bad news."
Gar took a step backwards, wondering how rude it would appear if he walked out right then. "Yes, well, sorry to spoil your day-"
"When I was a young teacher, there was none of this 'formaldehyde' needed in dissections, you caught the animal, brought it in, cut in open, and was done with it!" Mrs. Kestern said as she made a emphatic gesture with one hand.
The young biology teacher valiantly tried to defend the system. "That's hardly hygienic…"
Mrs. Kestern wasn't listening. "The farmers always had a few animals they were willing to donate, they even brought a young cow in one time: it was born lame."
Gar edged back another step. "That's very interesting, but-"
"And now you have to buy each 'specimen', ridiculous, a waste of perfectly good funds. We should be purchasing new equipment, renovating our facilities, not on bloodless creatures that look like they were tortured before being dropped in a barrel of stinking goop."
"It's standard regulation-"
"Why, in my days you didn't even need to know biology! Kids that lived on farms had seen enough animals sliced open to know what they looked like inside, and who else needed to know? Does knowing where the tibia or the pubic arch help a graduated student figure out what to do with their life, Mr. Logan?"
At this point, Gar was struggling to keep up and escape at the same time. "They might…want to become a doctor?"
Mrs. Kestner stared at the man as if he had suddenly grown a second head, and then waved at him dismissively. "I'm a very busy person, Mr. Logan, please leave and stop wasting my time."
"O-…ok."
Class was about to start when Gar finally made it back to his room. He checked his list for the day, he would need to rearrange a few things but as long as his planning period was still free he could order them then…
"Mr. Logan," Mrs. Pierceson, the head of the science teachers, said as she stuck her head in his room. "We're having a meeting during our joint planning. It will just take a minute, alright?"
"Sure," he answered before he remembered he now had things he needed to do during planning. Hoping they would stick to that few-minute promise, he shuffled it to the back of his mind and got down to the business of teaching.
His first few classes were fine, the students as attentive as always with the usual few troublemakers. Coming to his planning period, the teacher quickly gathered his things together and went to the required classroom two halls down.
"Eager, are we?" the head of the department teased as she picked up after the lab her students had just finished.
Gar shrugged with a grin and helped her clean up as he could. Mrs. Pauls was next to arrive, and as the two female teachers began debating the use of animals in product and drug testing Gar found himself drawn into the discussion. The trio moved through a number of topics before Gar glanced up at the clock and realized over fifteen minutes had passed.
"Are we going to start the meeting soon?" he asked when he found a polite place to interject in the current topic of genetic engineering in cattle.
"As soon as Mr. Compton gets here," Mrs. Pierceson replied lightly. "He has a student making up a quiz, it should only be another five minutes or so." Somewhat mollified, the teacher allowed himself to be drawn back into the general discussion once again. It did seem like only five minutes until Mr. Compton arrived, Gar being too polite to constantly check his watch with his boss standing right there. The balding, middle-aged man apologized for his tardiness and they quickly got down to the business of the meeting. That really did only take a minute, the teachers all being entirely attentive and helpful, and while Gar was gathering his things to leave he checked his watch. Seeing he only had ten minutes until the start of his lunch, the teacher started in surprise.
"Sorry," Mr. Compton said as he glanced in Gar's direction. "The student was cheating, I had to take him to the Principal-"
Gar heard nothing more as he was already out the door, mentally retallying his schedule as he burst into his classroom and dove for his desk. The phone number for the company he was ordering from was right on top, and he quickly flipped open his phone. Impatiently waiting for the opening welcome message, he punched in the required code to order for a high school and was immediately rewarded with someone asking what he needed that day. The teacher rattled off his order, and he distractedly agreed when it was repeated back.
Dropping the phone back in his pocket, he checked that he had his keys, wallet and coat. Waving to Mr. McDonel on the way out the front, Gar ran to his car. His mind was still busy rearranging the many small details that had thus far been put out of place by the time he pulled into the driveway. Hopefully, he would have things back on track by the end of the day.
Up the steps he bounded, letting himself in as he called, "Rachel?"
There was no answer, but the teacher was not concerned. Putting his things on the kitchen table, Gar peaked into the living room and found his patient fast asleep on the couch. He smiled, feeling more relaxed already. In the kitchen he heated up some soup, adding crackers, some slices of cheese, and a fresh cup of tea before loading it on the tray and bringing it to the living room.
Rachel was blearily opening her eyes when he popped back in, blinking in confusion. "Lunch already?" she mumbled to herself, slowly working into a sitting position as she checked her watch. The time seemed to annoying her, but her stomach growled and she thankfully accepted the offered tray.
An awkward silence settled over them as Gar sat on the chair placed across from the couch, nibbling his way through his peanut butter sandwich.
"So," the teacher asked when it began to get to him. "Did you break that record?"
Rachel looked at him in puzzlement, and then remembered their earlier conversation. "No. But I usually managed longer periods of time in the afternoon, so we'll see."
"Ah."
The silence this time had a companionable feel to it, and both finished their meals more relaxed than before. Gar checked his watch and was about to leave when Rachel called his name.
"Hm?"
The mother seemed to fidget with the blanket over her lap. "Can you…help me up?"
Gar quickly complied, gently supporting her weight as she slowly moved to an upright position. "Are you going to lay down?" he asked when she was able to steady herself on her crutches. "Your bed is probably more comfortable than the couch."
"No," she replied carefully, not meeting his gaze as a faint line of pink topped her cheeks. "Would you mind waiting just a minute? I…might need your help again."
"Wha-Oh! Yeah, sure." The teacher fought his own blush as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Um…I'll wait out here, ok?"
Rachel gave a short nod before disappearing into her bedroom. A moment later he heard a door close, and then a long period of silence. Gar was about to call and ask if she needed any help when the toilet flushed and the door opened again soon after that. Rachel emerged, looking tired but steady as she made her way back to the couch.
"Is there anything else you want before I go?" Gar asked, taking her crutches and setting them in easy reach as she sat down.
"No thank you," Rachel replied as she settled herself as comfortably as possible. "Thank you for lunch, you'd better go before you are late."
Gar checked his watch and realized how right she was. "Oh! Ok, see you tonight! Call if you need anything!" He barely caught Rachel's promise to do so as he rushed out the door and into the car. The teacher made it to class with less than a minute to spare. The afternoon itself ran smoothly enough, Gar going over his dissection review and putting the students into the groups they would work with later that week.
Practice was next, and the teacher threw his coach clothes on before jogging out to the field and awaiting the arrival of the girls. Everyone made it on time, and soon Mara was leading them through the stretches and the drills to warm-up while Gar reviewed the notes he'd made last week.
"Ok," he said when the girls were seated in front of him on the grass. "We're gonna keep running the same drill we did last week. Mara will split you into teams, and we'll go from there."
The Captain looked like she wanted to say something but abruptly let it go and began to divide them up as instructed. Gar watched with a sense of extreme satisfaction as the drill was run again and again. Eventually, it was time to quit and he had them run a final lap around the field to cool down.
"We meet for practice tomorrow," he reminded them as they slowly filed out. "And a game the day after. Do your stretches tonight!"
"Coach?" Mara asked as the last of the team walked away. "Are you sure that drill is what we need to run on Wednesday?"
"I don't see why not," Gar replied sincerely. "It worked last time, didn't it?"
Mara nodded hesitantly. "Well, yes, it did."
The coach beamed as though she'd handed him the keys to the city. "Exactly! Go home and get your rest, Mara, we'll talk more tomorrow."
The captain nodded, somewhat reassured with his answer. "Yes, sir."
"We're all packed up," Melvin called with a wave from the parking lot. Gar waved back, and after giving the field one more satisfied look he turned and walked away with a smile.
-8x8-
Rachel knew that, at some point, it would happen again. It was easy, for the most part, to not think about all the thoughts that had been running through her mind at the hospital. How she had been bereft of anything to read (the drugs had made it too difficult to focus her eyes for that long) and when sleep wasn't an option and those staying with her had nodded off in the recliner her mind had taken to picking apart her many mistakes the night of the accident.
Thus far, since her return home, she had managed to stave off such unpleasant meditations. The pain medication from the hospital wouldn't last long in her system, she knew that, and she had no intention of taking any more. Tylenol or something equally benign would have to suffice until she was healed. Thus far, it had worked. Any and all painful occurrences had occurred while the old drugs were still present in her system, and therefore were muted enough to be bearable. Since the wearing off, she had managed not to inflict any such pain on herself and kept the general aches at manageable levels with less effective medications. Until now.
The mystery thriller was not Rachel's usual genre, but she had been desperate for something new and Jenny had left a stack of fresh arrivals for her to plow through upon returning home. The plot itself had turned out to be surprisingly good, the characters multi-faceted and believable. So it was no surprise that the librarian forgot her physical surroundings and when her side began to complain from being in the same position for so long shifted without thinking…
The young woman was never actually sure if she screamed, but the hot white flash of pain she never forgot. Gasping, she grasped for anything…and came up with the cell phone that she held in trembling hands. She almost called, but what could they do? There was no changing her mind when it came to the hydrocodone. She was alone in this, and whatever she could do would have to suffice.
You used to be stronger than this a voice in the back of her mind mocked. We never relied on pain medications before, not after we knew…
"I can do this," she grunted aloud, shifting, though it made her want to scream again, until her body was as settled as it would be and let herself be still.
The simple relaxation of her muscles helped. It was almost bearable now, the sweat cooled on her brow and her hands stopped twitching from the desire to seize up again. Now, however, came the time she had been avoiding the most, the time in which her mind brought forth all those things she needed to do, to rectify, that she hadn't yet.
Desperately, she reached for the book and found it impossible to hold it with one arm in a brace at the angle she was laying. The remote was close, the mother almost turned on the TV, then remembered there was nothing in the DVD player for her to watch and there was no way she was going to move to try and put something in at this point.
Which left her to face the thoughts she had managed to escape up until now.
With a sigh, the young woman gave in and allowed her mind and emotions to bombard her with the many things she had been keeping bottled up inside. The cruel words she had spoken to Gar before the accident, the apology she needed to give to make things right. The way the teacher had done more for her small family than she could possibly imagine, and how she knew it was important to let him know he was appreciated or…or he might leave. And for some reason, it was now very important that he never leave.
So, Rachel set herself a goal. She would speak to him tonight. A planned speech, something that would let him know…whatever it was she was trying to say, without it getting too…personal. After all she didn't want to give him the wrong idea, whatever that wrong idea might be. And so, with her knee and hip keeping her immobilized for the moment, she got to work. Sleep stole over her about an hour later, but the mother was confident as her eyes closed that she had it planned to a T. Nothing could go wrong.
-8x8-
Dinner was mac'n'cheese that night, with fruit and veggies on the side. Rachel was asleep again when they all trooped in, Timmy and Tommy appearing a few minutes later with a tired Vic who just poked his head in to make sure they were doing alright before heading home with a wave. Jenny had lost an employee that day to an illness, and as a result would be working late every night until that person could be replaced.
The meal was quiet; everyone pretty worn out and trying to disturb the slumbering mother one room over as little as possible. Eventually she did wake, calling for Melvin who helped her shamble into the kitchen with the rest of the family. Gar reheated the plate he'd saved for her, the kids already pulling out their homework and spreading it over the rest of the table. Gar saw to the dishes while the mom helped with the homework where she could. There was still much to be finished when he was done, and the young man gamely plunged in as they studied for spelling tests, memorized facts about the first five presidents and edited a paper debating whether or not biological warfare was humane.
Eventually that too was finished, and the teacher and mother were persuaded to come and watch a movie with the kids. Shrek, on lone from Uncle Vic, was chosen and everyone piled on or around the couch as it began. Rachel was asleep again before they were halfway through, but Gar didn't have the heart to wake her up until it was over. Shooing her charges off to get ready for bed when the credits rolled, he gently shook the mother awake.
"Time for bed," he said when she blinked up at him sleepily. "Let's go." She let him help her up, and continued to use his support as she made her way to her room. Gar was fully prepared to excuse himself at the door and track Melvin down, but Rachel's hand clung to his arm with a dogged determination.
Inside , he helped Rachel sit on the bed and set her crutches where they always went. The cell phone went on the night stand, but the radio remained around her neck as always. The boys trotted in then, both dressed in pajamas and with their teeth brushed. Rachel got a hug from both of them and a quiet goodnight before Gar took them back to their rooms.
The teacher was just shutting Timmy's door when Melvin found him.
"Mom wants you," she said before waving goodnight, disappearing into her room.
Gar retraced his steps to the matriarch's room, hesitating in the doorway when he saw by the light of the lamp that her eyes were closed. About to shut her door and head for the loft, he stopped when she spoke.
"Gar…?"
He watched as her eyes slowly opened, lips curling into a smile when she spotted him. "Hey."
The teacher wanted to melt where he stood. "Hey."
His landlady motioned for him to come closer with her good hand. Gar complied, sitting gingerly on the edge of the bed when she inched over to make room for him.
"Did you need something?" he asked as he tried to remain calm despite the way his heart was hammering in his chest. His voice still cracked at the end, and Gar hastily cleared his throat as he fought the blush that threatened to engulf his face.
"No," she said, chuckling softly as she hesitantly laid her hand over his that was closest to her. "I just wanted to thank you, for everything you've done. I honestly don't know how we would have managed without you this last week and a half."
"Oh, well…" Gar could do nothing against the blood rush to his face this time; he only hoped it wasn't too noticeable in the dim light. "You know I'd do anything for you guys. You're like family."
"You are part of our family, Gar," she replied steadily as she met his gaze firmly. "And before the accident, when I said all those horrible, wrong things-"
"I already said it didn't matter," Gar cut in as he gave her a bright smile. "Everything is fine…"
It was her flash of anger and his attempt to bury his own pain behind smiles that was her undoing.
"No, it's not! What I said was wrong, and if I could I would take it all back again," she replied hotly, her current mood taking control as the planned speech went out the window. "Do you even realize everything you've done for this family, just by being here? There's a lacrosse team because you agreed to coach it with me, Timmy's been able to join the travel choir because you talked me into accepting rent, and the everyone has had new experiences and opportunities opened up to them because you provided the means for them to go." The mother barely paused as she took a moment to wipe at the moisture gathering in her eyes. "You shoulder burdens that have never been your responsibility, and yet because of your willingness to do so Vic and Kori have lives of their own for the first time in years. Yes, it's been hard letting them go, but because of you they feel like they can go and start families of their own. They know that we'll be alright, because you're here. I know that when you first came I said we had a routine, a way of life that worked for us, but the truth is it's been flawed for a very long time. I've been trying to fix it, to make it work, to do whatever it is I had to do to keep my family together…and then you came along and just like that everything was fine. Saying you should never have come was the furthest thing from the truth. If anything, I should be thanking you for coming, for making our lives better even when I tried to reject your help…!"
Gar couldn't take it anymore when the tears began to slide freely down her pale cheeks. Opening his arms, he gathered her to his chest and to hell with the consequences. Much to the teacher's surprise (and pleasure) his companion hugged him back with a fierceness that belied her weakened condition. Thin arms snaked around his neck, and distantly he could feel the Velcro of her wrist brace rubbing against his ear. His heart was telling him to kiss her, to just lean down and plant one on her parted lips that were driving him to distraction just below his adam's apple. Thankfully, his will to give the young woman in his arms no reason to toss him out of her home remained strong.
In time the tears came to end, and Rachel sighed into her comforter's neck in a way that almost broke Gar's self control. He shifted unconsciously, desperately trying to direct his thoughts somewhere else. Salvation came when he shifted again, unknowingly moving his companion who hissed sharply.
"Rae?" he asked when her fingers reflexively dug into his arms. Seeing the blood drain from her face as she tried to keep her breathing steady, concern quickly swamped his mind. "Rae, what's wrong? Did I…oh, gees Rae, I'm sorry, I didn't realize…"
"Help me…lay down," she gasped as she closed her eyes, the teacher obeying immediately. A few moments later her breathing slowed, and though still pale her body began to relax.
"I'm getting the hydrocodone," Gar said when she tried to shift her leg and the resulting spasm of pain left her gasping for air once more.
A surprisingly strong hand gripped his wrist before he could rise. "No," she hissed through clenched teeth. "I…don't want it."
"But you need it! Look at you…" Gar trailed off when she gave him a look that almost begged him to stay. "Please," he sighed as he cupped both hands over the one that held his wrist. "I don't like seeing you suffer…"
Rachel shook her head slightly, smiling in a way that was probably meant to be reassuring. In reality, it was a bearing of her teeth in a pained grimace. "I'm alright, it's starting to go away already." A yawn interrupted her, and when the librarian was able to speak she added, "Besides, I'll fall asleep soon, and then I won't feel it at all."
"May I stay until you fall asleep, then?" Gar asked, as though he hoped his presence might some how alleviate some of the suffering. He didn't know how right he was. Just him sitting there made it easier to relax. Rachel nodded, her mind willing to submit to the tugs of sleep now that she had relieved herself of her burden.
"Thank you," she whispered as her eyes drifted shut.
"For you," he replied just as quietly. "I would do anything."
-8x8-
Gar went to school the next day knowing he hadn't had enough sleep and yet was entirely unable to regret the hours spent watching Rachel sleep as her brow slowly smoothed over and all the cares and worries dropped away. It was only then that he'd dropped a gently brush of a kiss on that pale, smooth brow. He did feel a bit guilty, stealing a kiss without her knowledge or consent, but considering the restraint he had showed it seemed only right that he have some reward.
Some of Gar's students shamelessly took advantage of his distracted state to such a degree that by lunch the euphoria of the night before was completely gone. Mr. McDonal met him in the courtyard for lunch, an excited look on his face. Kori had offered to visit the house that day at lunch to help Rachel for a bit, and so Gar had reverted to his previous routine.
"Ready for the game on Wednesday?" the history teacher asked as he set his food on the table.
"I think," the science teacher replied as he tired to remember practice the night before through the haze of too little sleep, frustration, and the memory of Rachel's breath on his neck. "Uh…yeah, we should be good to go."
The older gentleman seemed oblivious to his companion's state of distracted exhaustion. "Excellent! I look forward to the game!"
Gar smiled despite himself. "That's good to hear!"
He excused himself a few moments later, spending the rest of his lunch trying to get his thoughts in order. The result of the afternoon went much smoother, the teacher feeling like he had accomplished what he set out to teach.
Lacrosse practice was a middle ground. The teacher coached the girls to the best of his ability, but it was obvious when one of the girls asked how her form was shooting goals and the best he could come up with was 'uh…fine, I think' that no matter how hard he tried he couldn't become Coach Roth overnight.
The drill was run repeatedly, and even if a few of the girls had begun to doubt the wisdom in using this strategy again, well…no one was speaking up, and surely Mara would go and speak to the Coach in private if there was a real concern about it. In truth, the Captain had considered raising the issue a second time, but then assumed their esteemed Coach had the foresight to discuss any and all tactics with their previous Coach. Ms. Roth, of course, would steer the teacher towards the best choices to make, and all would work as it should.
Practice ended, everything was packed up, and Gar hurried home with Melvin. Dinner was a frozen lasagna (vegetarian friendly) that was found in the back of the freezer, with a can of green beans and some bread and butter on the side. Rachel was asleep when they arrived, like the day before, but was up before the meal was served this time.
The boys set the table, Melvin heated up the food, and Gar got as much of a head start on the pile of papers from the boy's backpacks as he could. Rachel offered to help, but the teacher was quick to assure her that he had everything under control and she should just relax and enjoy her cup of tea. It was a strong testament to Rachel's trust when she did just that.
Dinner was noisy as usual, Gar doing his best to manage the boys as they argued about who's day was better as Melvin chattered to Rae non-stop about the other 14 sweet things Brian had done for her that day. The food disappeared, as usual, the mother finding herself with a surprising amount of appetite as her strength slowly returned.
Gar headed the clean up when it was time, Melvin at the sink with the dishes and the boys ferrying them from the table while the teacher put away what little food was left. It was then that he noticed how bare the pantry and refrigerator were getting. Making a mental note to ask Melvin (as he didn't want to bother Rachel during her recovery) about it later, Gar quickly switched gears and went into homework mode.
Tonight there was a long division quiz to study for, historical events surrounding the civil war to review, and a logical argument developed on whether the student supported socialism and why or why not. Rachel helped where she could and Gar quickly took care of the rest. Soon, everything was finished and packed away.
Timmy and Tommy were the ones to initiate the race tournament. It was a Monster truck game Uncle Vic had lent them, and even Melvin found the fact that she could ram her brothers off the track enjoyable. Gar politely refused their offer to play, but brought the tests he had to grade to the living room so he was still with the family. Rachel agreed to play after Tommy pulled out the puppy dog eyes, and proved to be quite a challenge on the pixilated courses.
The teacher watched in amazement as Rachel barely nudged the back of one of her son's vehicles and sent him spinning off the track. As a result, not many tests had actually been graded, but Gar maintained the illusion of productivity none the less.
Eventually, the clock struck 9 and the game was put to rest. Rachel commented that she couldn't believe she was still awake as Gar helped her up and steered her towards the bedroom. The teacher laughed and replied she would probably make up for it tomorrow. She agreed dryly before bidding the boys goodnight and sending them off towards their rooms.
Gar followed and made sure both were settled before going in search of Melvin. He caught the freshman in the kitchen, getting a drink of water before bed.
"Hey," he said with a tired grin. "I have a question."
"I might have an answer," she replied in a fair imitation of him in class.
"Smart-mouth," he snorted as he stuck out his tongue at her. "But really, how often does your mom go grocery shopping?"
"Once a week," Melvin replied automatically. Her eyes widened immediately. "Oh crap…"
"What?" Gar said as he followed her gaze to a list of food on the refrigerator. "What's that?"
The freshman pulled the paper free and handed it over almost guiltily. "Grocery list, for last week."
The teacher looked at the paper, then back up at the girl. "…what's that?"
The look Melvin gave him was just short of disbelief. "Please tell me that was one of your really bad jokes."
Gar shrugged. "Um…nope, sorry."
His student spoke as though to a young child, and the teacher had to admit afterwards that he did probably deserve it. It was pretty self-explanatory, even if he didn't use such things. "It's a list of food you plan on buying at the grocery store."
"Really? Why? I just go and get what I think I'll eat," he said lightly, examining the neat script as he did.
"Mom is slightly more organized than that," Melvin reminded the teacher flatly.
"True, true," he sighed, scrubbing a hand over his stubble from the day. "So, if we're a week behind I just need to take the list and double it, right?"
Melvin rolled her eyes. "Not quite. Mom has the budget worked out so she buys certain items on certain weeks during the month so she can get the best prices for everything. And while some stuff she buys every week, like bread, things like peanut butter or her tea bags or sugar only need to be bought every other week, every month, or even longer than that."
Gar blinked several times then sighed. "Ok, then…we can do this. I know we can. Alright. Melvin, help me go through everything and figure out what we do and do not have."
The freshman blinked, then shook her head. "Or you could just go ask Mom what this week's shopping list would be and save a bunch of time."
Her teacher hesitated, looking almost guilty as he scrambled for an excuse. "She's almost asleep, I really don't want bother her right now. Especially not with something as silly as this."
Now his companion was getting frustrated. "That's just ridiculous, Mr. Gar. Mom might be physically tired, but mentally she's there as much as she ever was. You're the adult in charge here, you go ask her."
Gar did his best not to frown as Melvin gave him a very pointed look before leaving the kitchen. Heaving himself to his feet with a sigh, the teacher grabbed the previous week's list of food and headed for Rachel's room.
The door was cracked, as it usually was since her return, and the soft spill of light from within meant she was not quite yet asleep. Peeking in, he noticed the young woman in bed was bent over a book and quickly moved to leave.
"Gar?" she called, as though she had sensed his presence somehow.
"Uh…" Gar slowly eased open the door. "Hi."
"Did you need something?" Rachel asked as she set the well-worn novel aside.
"Oh, uh, I…" Seeing her in bed, the way her body was limply sunk into the mattress, Gar's protective side quickly reasserted itself. "I just wanted to check on you, before I go to bed," he finally said with the air of one giving an admission of sorts. "Do you need anything?"
"No," she said with a shake of her head. "I'm well-settled, thank you."
"Good, that's…good." The teacher groped for something else to say as an awkward silence began to settle itself on them. "What are you reading?" he blurted out suddenly, coming a few steps closer to peer at the tape-covered paperback wit feigned curiosity.
"The Princess Bride," Rachel admitted, running a finger down the spine of the book as she glanced away with a slight flush.
"I love that story!" Gar exclaimed as he plopped himself down on the edge of the bed and eagerly picked up the slim volume. "Well, I guess I should say movie. I don't think I knew there was a book." Mimicking Peter Falk's voice, the teacher quoted one of his favorite lines. "Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles... Man, I used to watch it all the time."
It was his hostess's turn to look curious. "Why?"
"It was the perfect movie for any occasion," her companion explained, delight lightening his weary features. "Kind of like Monty Python's Quest for the Holy Grail, only more family friendly. And there's nothing like quoting the lines together, it really makes the lines that much more enjoyable."
"Really?" Rachel replied in mild fascination. "Perhaps we will watch it some time."
"You've never seen it?" The teacher gaped comically.
"No," she replied with a faint smile.
"Well, that can be easily fixed, and soon," Gar decided firmly. "I have an old VHS version in my boxes somewhere, and at the first available opportunity we'll make some popcorn and watch it together, you, me and the kids. And everyone else can come over too, if they want."
Rachel laughed, but agreed to his plan immediately. "Would you like to borrow the book?" she offered, hiding a yawn behind one hand as it snuck up on her. "Mm…they're usually better than the movie."
"No thanks," Gar replied quickly. "I'm not really much of a reader, even on my best days."
"If you really liked the story, it might help," she pressed lightly.
"Maybe…we'll see," the teacher still had a doubtful frown in place, and quickly came up with a good excuse. "At any rate, I don't want to take it while you're enjoying it." Rachel was about to respond when she was overtaken by another yawn. "And now I'm keeping you up. Goodnight, Rae, sweet dreams."
"Goodnight, Gar," she sighed without protest, switching off her light as soon as he was out the door.
The teacher glanced at the clock and realized it was almost ten with a groan. Still, what must be done must be done, and so he began the task of going through every shelf and cupboard and writing down what he thought they might need. The list looked a good bit longer than he thought it should, but there was no way of knowing for sure without asking, and by now he was sure the mother was asleep and bothering Melvin would be admitting to not following her advice. So, he concluded that he should operate on the assumption that he had it right, or close enough that it didn't matter, and go from there.
Yes, he knew he was grasping at straws at this point, he was simply too tired to care.
It was into the wee hours of the morning when the tests were done and the teacher collapsed onto his futon without even changing his clothes. The alarm clock went off as soon as he closed it eyes, it seemed, and through the haze that surrounded his mind Gar began his day.
The cold shower did almost nothing to alleviate the situation, nor did the cup of strong, scalding-hot coffee he gulped down on the way out the door. The drive to work was a dream, as were most of his first two classes. Melvin gave him an odd look at the end of first period, but the teacher gave her a grin that he hoped was reassuring. At the very least, she left without comment and he didn't see her for the rest of the day.
It was his planning period when his cell phone rang, the young man answering it absently as he tried to pt some papers in order. "Hello?"
"Mr. Logan? This is School Labs Foundation, calling about your order."
"Order?" Gar replied, his mind a few seconds behind. "What- oh! The dissection. Right. Will it be on time?"
"Yes, sir, we just wanted to confirm…" The teacher zoned back out as the company rep rattled off the specifics of his order. Snapping back only when the voice on the other end asked for confirmation, it was quickly given and the teacher snapped his phone shut impatiently.
The rest of the day was a blur, Gar ranging between spare moments of heightened focus and long periods of lethargy where he was easily distracted. The students took less advantage of it than they had the day before, but there was some discussion on what had put the teacher so far out of sorts. Theories ranged from the sordid to the bizarre, but no one knew the truth and those who might certainly weren't talking.
School ended and Mr. McDonal once again met them out on the field to escort the team to the game Gar had run to a store on his way from the house at lunch, picking up a six-pack of energy drinks that he now chugged as quickly as possible.
It didn't take long for those around him to notice the change. Gar immediately perked up, his eyes becoming brighter and his whole body more alert as he was slowly overcome by an enormous amount of false energy. By the end of the drive the teacher was bouncing one foot without every breaking the beat, his hands moved without end, and the rest of his person seemed to give the impression of being completely incapable of sitting still.
Mr. McDonel wisely stayed out of the way as Coach Logan began to get the girls ready, visibly forcing himself to slow down as he led them through stretches an other warm-up routines. Eventually the Captains met in the middle of the field and the coin was tossed, the ball going first to the opponents as the girls took the field.
Gar watched most avidly as the game began, cheering when one of his girls made a steal early on, then slowly realizing something wasn't right as Mara ran the ball in the drill they had been perfecting and encountered much greater difficulty than expected. It wasn't that the girls under Gar's command were performing poorly; it was that those who opposed them proved to be vastly capable in defending against that type of offensive maneuver.
A score was eventually managed, but it was a near thing. The other team got the ball and ran it back to Melvin's goal where she stopped the shot easily and sent it flying back towards the other end. Unfortunately, that's how the rest of the game went. The two teams found themselves at an absolute deadlock. Nothing the opposing team threw could get past Melvin or the other defenders, and likewise no matter how many times Mara or another one of the offensive players led the drill down the field it seemed like they simply could not break through.
Mara finally took matters into her own hands and ran the ball alone to score a spectacular single-handed goal in the last ten seconds of the game. At that point, everyone was so frustrated with the previous deadlocked state that no one cared. And even if the victory was theirs, it seemed tainted by the air of helplessness that had pervaded most of the game.
Gar tried to cheer them up the best he could, but it was clear his heart wasn't in it. They forwent the usual meal together afterwards, and for that Mr. McDonal was glad as he watched the teacher practically wilt in his seat on the drive back.
There were no joyous shouts of victory when they exited the van, the girls quietly gathering their things together and leaving in small groups of two or three. Gar waved goodbye to the history teacher and loaded into his own car with Melvin, the freshman unusually silent the whole way home.
Once there they ate the leftover pizza Vic had left out for them and jumped right into helping with homework. The mechanic took his leave, and Gar found himself in charge once more. Rachel seemed more than content to lean back in her seat and let him handle the majority of the responsibility. The teacher was greatly heartened by this newest development, but it also left a feeling of unsettling weight across his already over-burdened shoulders.
It was much later when Gar remembered the shopping list, just closing Timmy's door as the boy bid him goodnight. A glance at the clock reminded him of the time, but Melvin had mentioned earlier that there was nothing left for lunches, and almost nothing for breakfast or dinner. So, deciding a man must do what a man must do, the teacher set out to grocery shop for the family.
Halfway down the first isle, feeling a bit out of place, Gar realized he had forgotten both the original list and the one he had made the night before on the counter at home. Deciding it didn't matter because his memory was more than sufficient to get through it all, the teacher plunged on and randomly pulled things from the shelves as he went. He knew he had gotten a few things at the wrong time, surely Rachel didn't pay this much to feed her family every week, but he paid it none the less and left with a trunk full of food.
Satisfied that that task had been suitably taken care of when it was all put away, the teacher went upstairs and finished some last-minute preparations for the dissections and studied the game from the few notes he had made while. A plan was made for practice the next day, and Gar went to sleep earlier than the past two nights feeling like things were really getting back on track.
-8x8-
Thursday flew by. It was better than the two days before, but not quite as good as usual. Gar was more mentally present in his classes, Rachel managed to stay awake most of the day, and when it came time for practice the team was very pleased to hear Gar's reworked plan for the drill. Practice flew by, everyone felt more confident than ever and ready to face the game that lay ahead.
And then came Friday.
-8x8-
Chapter 21. That's not really a cliff-hanger, its more like if I go on from here it'll be another ten pages. Which is almost half a chapter. So, you're just gonna have to wait for the rest. How long? Not as long as this last wait was, I hope. As for where I've been, well, sick, sick, sick and sick would be a good way to put it. And then I was tired, and then sick again. And then I was at the hospital with someone else who was also sick. I hate the winter. It's too bloody cold. My husband tried to talk me into moving to Ohio. Heck no. Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter, thanks for all your wonderful reviews as always, replies are below. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and don't forget to review!
Required Disclaimers: I do not own any books, musicals, products and/or movies that were mentioned in this chapter outside of the Teen Titans universe. While I wish I could claim some of them were mine, I can't. However, I do highly recommend the books to anyone looking for a good read, even the children's books. Thank you.
Author Replies:
Bluegreeneyedkitten: Welcome friend! Thank you very much for sharing your story with me, it always brings an author much pleasure when they know something they have created has reached out and touched another person around them. I hope you continue to feel better, and know that if you continue to work at your writing skills someday you may reach out to someone as I have you. I hope you enjoy this new chapter, hope to hear from you again soon!
WannabeKurt: Welcome aboard! Glad you liked it, and I'm rather fond of Mento's description myself, even if I can't stand him as a character. Thanks for the review!
Reader: If you're questions weren't answered in this chapter, they definitely will be in the next. Sorry for the long wait, thanks for the review!
Tarot160: Welcome, Tarot! Always glad to get a new reader. Your compliments are most generous, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story as we go. As for updates, well, it was once a week, but life has made that supremely difficult these last six months. I'm shooting for at least once a month right now, but even that doesn't always happen. Still, quality takes time, and I'm not going to throw up an update just to make a deadline if I don't think it's post-worthy. I hope you stick around to see what happens next, thanks for the review!
Z1: Thank you very much! I have worked very hard on this fic, it's nice to see others appreciating my hard work. As for the Melvin BF question, yes, I know. I've always meant to go back and fix it, but that would take time which I don't have much of right now. Still, you're one of the few to even notice that point, so it's not very high up on the list. Anyways, I'm glad you're enjoying the story, and I hope the new chapter was just as awesome!
Blue-eyed-blonde12: Aww, thanks! Don't worry about the reviews, I'm really bad about that too. I'm glad you're enjoying the story, thanks for the review!
Purplerave: Yes, it takes quite a bit to kill me! I hope Rachel makes a full recovery, too. Thanks for the review!
Raven'sWinterRaine: Sorry for the wait! Thanks for the awesome review, hope to hear from you again!
Animeistight36: I hope this chapter was just as awesome as the last one. :) Thanks for the review!
TheSilverWarrior: It's a good thing you're so forgiving, because this wait was even longer than the last! I'm glad you're still enjoying the story, and while I agree going back and rereading the last chapter that there are some rough spots in it, I can honestly say I didn't notice them when I was writing the story. The medication from the doctor might have had something to do with it. At any rate, thanks for the awesome review, I hope this chapter lives up to the rest!
Raven of Alaska: You honestly didn't think I'd kill her off, did you? That would kinda defeat the purpose of the story. I think most of us were cheering when Gar did what he did to Steve. I hope your blessing for Rachel is working! Until next time :)
Nos482reborn: Well, I hope this update took long enough that you're now settled and with a computer of your own once again. Thanks for the review!
Handerra: Thank you.
Bookworm007: I didn't slam a car into her, the story did. Trust me, I know better than to race vehicles illegally. So far she seems to be doing fairly well in the aftermath. As for your job, well, you've got plenty of time to develop a work ethic for when it really matters. We used to have water wars in the dish room at a restaurant I worked at. Probably couldn't get away with something like that now. Anyways, thanks for the review!
SaiyanLover: Only two sittings? That's pretty impressive, I usually have to do it in three or four if I'm rereading the whole thing. Of course, I already know what happens, so that probably makes a pretty big difference. I'm glad you're enjoying the story thus far, and I apologize for the abominably long wait. Thanks for the review!
Crowofdawn: Thank you very much! Sorry for the wait, I hope the new chapter is more than worth it!
Hiya: Ok!
Timkhj: Yeah, they are both kinda passive-aggressive like that. Neither one likes to be confronted about certain things. Not that Rachel has a problem being aggressive, its more like she uses it as a shield for her true feelings. Thanks for the awesome review, hope to hear from you again!
Zenia: When I am able, I always take the time to update. Thanks for the review!
MondoTR: Thank you! I have actually stayed in the hospital with someone who went through major surgery for three days. Slept in the chair beside the bed and everything. Thanks for your very high praise. Except for the Terra thing, I still have to disagree with you there. But that's ok. Thanks for the review, hope to hear from you again!
BoxofChocolates: It will be finished! Even if it takes me five years (and I certainly hope it doesn't!) the story will comet o its end! Thanks for the review!
EternallyWilled: Hope the wait wasn't too long, thanks for the review as always, and I hope you enjoyed the new chapter!
Shepheard and Wolf Ruler: Cool new name! Thanks for the review, hope you liked the new chapter!
Reader: Hit and runs are very sad things, my Uncle was in one and his back hasn't been the same since. As for your other questions, well, I guess you'll have to wait and see. Thanks for the review!
Somewhere In Time: Please, anything less than a happy ending is somewhat depressing. Thank you thank you for your many words of praise, and don't worry about Gar. He's got it all covered, right? :P Hope to hear from you soon!
Turtleflies: Yeah, it does drag at times, but if you think its long now you should see the five to ten pages of extra scenes I cut out. There's just so many possibilities sighs. Anyways, I have now learned that when life is about to run you over, it doesn't honk, but the ground tends to shake a bit. That's almost enough warning to get out of the way. Almost. Thanks for the review, hope to hear from you again!
Ms. Peter Petrelli: Exactly, he's much more level-headed than that. Don't worry, it will get done! Just…not very quickly, it seems. Thanks for the review!
IGAF-kun: Than you very much. Gar's troubles aren't quite at an end, but I think this was a good start. Thanks for the awesome review, as always, hope to hear from you again!
Stubbs101: The trick is not relying on holidays to find time to write, but to dedicate time every day to getting at least a little work done. No, I don't always adhere to that rule, but I'm getting back into the swing of it currently and it works wonders. Thanks for the review, and Calvin and Hobbes Rock!
Gun toten Girly: If there was a counter on how many words total had been put in reviews per person you would win, easy. And I love it. I do hope you're still alive, that this even longer wait did not push you over the edge, it would be quite depressing. And yes, my holidays were wonderful. Your many words of praise threaten to over-inflate my ego as always, but I'm certainly not asking you to stop! Yes, I have been in a hospital before, but as the person taking care of the patient. I slept in the chair beside the bed for two days and everything. And left the room while they received their sponge bath. It was a bit embarrassing. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter so much, I hope this one was just as good, and I hope your mom isn't harping at you to get in the shower this time because this chapter is quite long. Thanks for your wonderful works of encouragement, as always, and I hope to hear from you soon. :)
Well my friends that is it for now. Have an awesome however long it is until you hear from you again, and please review! Really. It helped me sit down and write even when my head was so full of mucus I thought it would explode.
~CB~
I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.
-Christopher Reeve