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Chapter 21:

Wincing a little as she caught herself, Vanille took a deep breath as she looked towards the nurse standing at the ready. Vanille just smiled faintly as she held her hand up, hoping that it would be enough. Stumbling lightly towards the door, Vanille took a deep breath as she braced herself against it.

She just had to admit that she was deeply shocked that she had been able to get used to these procedures so fast, but here she was. Feeling if anything grateful because she had been able to catch onto the feeling of her brain being bombared with radiation.

Gently catching feeling the woman holding onto her, Vanille took a deep breath as she was placed into the wheelchair as she took a deep breath. "So I didn't see your wife out there today." The nurse said calmly as Vanille just smiled faintly as she took a deep breath.

"She is busy at work... my daughter is meant to drive me home." Vanille said as she took a deep breath as she closed her eyes as she took a deep breath and felt something being placed down into her lap. "I just need to wait for a bit." Vanille said as she took a deep breath trying to just stuff the nausea down. At least enough to where she wasn't going to be getting sick over herself causing her to regretfully toss the comfortable clothes out.

Especially given that Lightning wouldn't buy more of these oversized clothes any more. At least that was what she said last time Vanille stole her clothes. "You don't need to wait Mom. Hope said he didn't need me." Lumina said as she stood up and walked towards her mother who had a slightly relieved look on her face. Something that Lumina wasn't sure why, she was just glad that her mother wasn't in unneeded pain and suffering. "What else needs to be done?"

"Just some things for the next few days Sunshine." Vanille said softly as she reached up to gently clasp her daughter's hands. Just glad before she had to pull back knowing that if she continued to do what came natural to her she would be endangering the teen's life and she just couldn't stomach that no matter how sick she got. "Don't worry though... I should be fine." Vanille continued with a small chuckle as she was continued to be rolled down the hallway.

Lumina bit her lip hard as she stared at the ceiling. She could feel the small sanguine drops coating the inside of her mouth with the copper taste, but she had to stand firm. She knew that her mother was counting on her to get them home and hopefully getting them safe. And even if she knew it was something Lightning was counting on her to fail, just seemed to make her want to succeed in the simple feat that much more. Even if the reasoning was as petty as that.

Shaking her head, Lumina was quick to catch up to her mother and the nurse as they came to a stop by the dispensary window. She was just happy that Vanille had seemed to relax and almost take on an air that she was alright as she accepted the small bottles being handed from the nurse.

Quickly taking the bottles from Vanille, Lumina just smiled at the expression on her mother's face as she could see the nurse turning back around to hand two small paper cups. Smiling brighter, Vanille quickly downed the contents from both.

"That is always weird to me." Lumina said softly as Vanille shook her head before she coughed lightly. "Not so much that."

"Better to take them quickly and dry then waiting for water. Especially when you feel like crap." Vanille said as she began to start to stand just smiling as she felt Lumina quickly dive to help support her. A smile that quickly feel at the fact that her daughter was supporting her instead of the other way around.

The only reason she hadn't been fighting the surprisingly strong arms, was because she knew that if the situations were reversed she wasn't sure how she would be able to live with herself. Instead, Vanille just had to accept the feeling of the help.

"Mom, you sure you want to walk to the car?" Lumina asked softly as she gently draped an arm over her shoulder. Just knowing that this had a smile strewn on her face as she couldn't stand the near limp feeling coming from her mother and knew that if she let that feeling show.

"I'll be fine. I can make it..." Vanille said as she pushed herself up off her daughter as she began to walk, loathing the feeling of the hands still holding onto her waist as she walked down the hallway. "I swear, you've inherited all of Claire's worst qualities." Vanille said in a desperate attempt to just get Lumina angry enough to stop what she was doing.

Something that apparently it was clear that Lumina figured out as she shook her head. "I'm worried about you Mom. Even if you say you'll be fine a thousand times over, I'd still like to make sure." Lumina explained her reasoning as she began to panic a little from the feeling of Vanille starting to sway a little from where she was standing. "And making me angry or panicked isn't going to change that fact Mom." Lumina said softly as she quickly slid her head under the arm again to just brace her mother for the fifty feet they had to walk to get to the car.

Even if Lumina knew the journey would be a short one, she couldn't help but feel deep regret for not trying harder to find a space just a little bit closer. But she knew that right now her hands were figuratively tied and she was just going to have to hope Vanille wouldn't be in any more agony then she had to be.

"I know that expression Lumina... relax. I'll be fine." Vanille said with a deep sigh as Lumina slipped the keys from her pocket to unlock the car. "See... we are near enough as is. So just relax. I'll be fine."

"I can't relax when it is you Mom. Not like this. And certainly because you seem to be the only person that cares deeply about me and Sice and Carter as well... pretty sure Light is still pissed. Might have even just gone so angry that she had gone full circle. Like that time I got into her old car and went onto a joy ride." Lumina said softly as she moved one arm free to just open the passenger door.

Feeling deeply glad at the fact Vanille had seemingly taken some of the help Lumina had offered her to get into the car. Lumina knew her joy was ever present as Vanille just lightly patted her cheek.

"Claire loves you and cares about you. Despite what you might think. Like how I know you love and care about her." Vanille said as Lumina just rolled her eyes gently at her mother's comment.

"If that came from anyone else, I would have punched you in the throat for saying something like that." Lumina said shaking her head as she stood up as she took a deep breath. "I'm going to close the door though Mom. Okay? You think you can buckle up?" Lumina asked calmly as Vanille gently smacked her cheek.

"I'm not dead." Vanille said as she moved to click the seat belt as Lumina just smiled gently at her mother's gesture. Sighing softly as she closed the door, Lumina started to walk calmly around the car. As she opened the door, she just looked towards her mother as she slipped the key into the ignition and giving it a turn. "I swear you really are so much like Claire that it is a little scary at points. And put your seatbelt on unless you want to give me and Claire a heart attack."

Taking a deep breath Lumina just looked towards her Mom with an exhausted look. "Mom, I haven't even pulled out of the parking space. Calm down. And seriously can you not compare me to that train wreck?" Lumina said softly just pleading with her mother knowing that it wasn't really a possibility given the expression on Vanille's face. "Fine, Light isn't a train wreck." Lumina mumbled as she quickly clicked the belt into place as she just took a deep breath to just get through what remained of the journey home.

"If you feel like you are going to get sick just let me know though Mom. I'll pull over, if not slow down enough." Lumina said softly as Vanille just smiled faintly as she pressed the window button.

"Don't worry about that Sunshine... I'm feeling a lot better compared to the first time. You just focus on driving and getting us home safely. Okay?"

"Okay Mom."

Gently placing the bucket down by her mother, Lumina smiled at the euphoric look on Vanille's face as she closed her eyes. Tucking the edges carefully, Lumina just smiled at the faint hum of approval coming from her mother. "Your bathroom door is open, the bucket is by your bed and I'm going to make dinner tonight... I'll come and check up on you soon." Lumina in a maternal tone as Vanille just took a deep breath as she gently opened her eyes. Just wondering softly when it was her daughter had gotten that mature, but all that seemed to do was irk her further.

"I'm going to be fine Sunshine. Just go enjoy your youth." Vanille scolded gently as Lumina just shook her head gently. A gesture that Vanille recognised as one that she would frequently give her own father whenever he would work himself into exhaustion that caused Vanille to drag him back towards a bed so he could sleep and take some better care of himself.

"I'll be fine Mom. All my friends are busy anyways. So it is just the two of us before Light gets off at nine. When she gets back I'll go and enjoy my youth as you so tactfully put it." Lumina said with a cheeky smile as she stood up right, ignoring the cracks and pops coming from her various joints. "Let me know if you need anything Mom... I don't care what it is... I just want to help you."

"I'll be fine. Your aunt is here. Now go Sunshine." Vanille demanded as she could see Lumina gently nodding her head in defeat to her mother's wishes. Just letting her walk out of the room as she couldn't bring herself to fighting with her over something like this at this point in time. Maybe in the future when Vanille was in the clear like Lumina just knew that she would be. She had to believe that her mother was going to be fine like how Vanille had kept telling her.

The alternative was just unthinkable to her.

She didn't care who she would need to argue with on the topic. She didn't even care if it was Vanille if she ever started to think like Lightning. Lumina knew that she was going to be fine. She had to be.

Walking down the stairs, Lumina just smiled as she could hear the sound of the kettle finishing as she rounded the corner to see Serah standing there with a relaxed expression on her features. One that Lumina was actually thankful for, if just because it meant that she wouldn't be driven crazy by the negativity from Lightning and Vanille trying to push her away from caring about her.

"How is she doing Lumina?" Serah asked softly holding a cup out towards her as Lumina accepted the item as she took a deep breath.

"She is doing fine according to her. And she does look fine. I'm just mad Light chose work over being here."

Shaking her head softly, Serah just sighed as she looked towards her niece with a small bit of sorrow. She knew exactly how Lumina was feeling, but she just couldn't explain to her how it was something unavoidable. Even if she knew that it would help. She had after all been in a similar position countless times in the past and knew that that wasn't going to make any sense to the teen.

"What?" Lumina asked in a slightly harsh manner but just the expression on Serah's face was making her question some things. Namely what was going on in her aunt's mind to give her that expression.

"Nothing. Just some sense of deja vu. Don't worry about it."

Groaning softly Lightning began to rub her eyes tightly as she winced a little at the a knock coming from her door. Looking up, Lightning gasped at the sight of the red suited, grey haired man causing Lightning to jump up at the sight.

"Relax Light. I'm not here as the mayor." Amodar said as Lightning took a deep breath as she looked down as she took a deep breath. "What are you still doing here? Isn't today one of Vanille's treatment days?" The man spoke as he walked over to one of the chairs that he quickly sat in. Just glad that Lightning had seemed to have her thoughts catch up with her as she took a seat herself.

"It is, but Lumina is with her. I can't not do the paperwork Amodar. If anything it is probably the easiest thing about my life at this moment." Lightning said calmly as she began to rub her eyes out of irritation as she leaned back in her chair. "Between Vanille's diagnosis, Lumina knocking up two of her friends, my sister acting like a child again, my sister in law is busy trying to get me to not look at my daughter as a daughter but a friend because I'm supposed to be able to not think of her as wasting her potential. Not to mention now with all the shit going on in the press I'm meant to dodge that shit and still do my job." Lightning hissed softly towards no one.

"I told you before you took over that this wasn't an easy job especially because of the press. But you are still able to handle it easily. But nothing of work should matter to you. Your focus should be with your wife and daughter. Despite how close I know you are with your sister, and I'm assuming you are equally as close with Fang, but they and this job can take a back foot. I mean in reality most of the work you do is nothing but minor paperwork. Everything else can be done by the force. You don't even really need to handle the press unless it is something big in which case I'll be breathing down your neck as well." Amodar stated calmly as he took a deep breath before looking at the woman.

Taking a deep breath Lightning just let out a long sigh. "I wish it was that easy Sir. I really do. But right now, the paperwork and dealing with the press at least makes me feel useful. I can't help Vanille despite how much I'd love to. I can't help Lumina because she constantly is locking horns with everything I ask and do with her. I'd compare me asking her to pick up Vanille after treatment to pulling teeth but even then I feel like I'm underselling it." Lightning said softly as she could see the man just standing up a little, fixing his suit jacket. Causing some confusion with the pink haired woman.

"I may not have been lucky enough to have children, but the cause is simple and has happened to many a good parent in any job." Amodar said calmly as Lightning looked at him with a bit of shock trying to figure out what was going on. "Doesn't matter either way, I told you weeks ago Farron. You need to be with your family. Not with me or anyone else here. You are here by on a two week paid suspension."

"What Sir!?" Lightning demanded as the man just shrugged her off calmly.

"It is final. Contact your union if you want to fight it. But let's be honest this hasn't been the first time I've had to do this to you. And it wouldn't be your union's first call for you trying to fight the fact you are working yourself into the ground at the cost of your family life." Amodar spoke calmly as Lightning just felt angry at the statement. "The force have already been informed."

Taking a deep breath, Lightning began to stand up, debating if she should snap at the mayor. She didn't care how it could sink her career but it just felt like he wasn't even close to being reasonable with her.

"It is for the best Lightning. Trust me like you've trusted me in the past. Even if it doesn't make sense to you." Amodar continued his point as Lightning could feel her hands tense at the statement. It was enough to make her furious but she couldn't bring herself to snap at him. "I'm telling you Lightning. That is what your daughter is lacking because all you've done since you've gotten this job is work. So two weeks of just being there for the both of them with no real choice but to be there will help you both. Don't worry if something comes up that does require you. But I doubt that it will."

Gripping the wheel tightly, Lightning took a deep breath as she began to count down mentally so she wouldn't scream at Lumina who she knew would have some snide comment. There always was one no matter what as soon as Lightning walked into the house when it looked like she was about to kill someone like she had been feeling.

Gently smacking the wheel once Lightning knew it didn't matter either way. No matter how much Lumina would have gotten under her skin. As far as Lightning was concerned her job still remained the same, she just had to put up with her daughter for a lot more than she normally would need to.

Slamming the door shut, Lightning pressed the lock button as she started to walk towards the front door. She just hoped that Lumina would at least sense that this wasn't something that she would not be very accepting any of her normally snide remarks about anything. As well as just give Lightning some time to talk to Vanille if Vanille was even awake and feeling up to talking.

Closing the front door, with the heel of her boot, Lightning tossed the ring of keys into the basket as she walked calmly into the heart of the home. Stopping as she could see Lumina coming to the kitchen doorway with a slight peeved but curious look on her face.

"What are you doing home so early? You aren't normally off two hours before the time you quoted to Mom. And are never close to being on time to the time you quoted me." Lumina said calmly as she could see Lightning taking a relaxing breath. One she had seen countless times before and knew that it meant for some reason Lightning's fuse was cut short during the day.

"Lumina. Not now. Is your mother asleep?" Lightning asked as she gently took some deep breaths as she began to look around the open room. Just wondering what was the major issue with her daughter was that caused the attitude as soon as Lightning walked in the door.

"Yeah she was going back to sleep. I just asked her not too long ago if she was feeling up to dinner." Lumina said crossing her arms as Lightning took a deep breath that for one reason or another was confusing Lumina. "What? Am I not good enough company to be with Police Chief?"

"That has nothing to do with it Lumina, and seriously trust me when I tell you don't start a fight with me right now. You aren't the reason I'm angry." Lightning deadpanned as she glared towards her daughter who just rolled her eyes.

"First time for everything I suppose" Lumina mumbled softly as she lightly patted the wall she had been bracing herself against.

"Young lady drop the attitude now!" Lightning hissed as Lumina rolled her eyes once more at the comment.

To Lumina this had been nothing but a joke of Lightning's parental style. She knew that it was far from what anyone would consider a healthy one. But to her it didn't really matter. As far as Lumina was concerned all that did in fact matter was her mother who she knew was going to be fast asleep. Or at least that was what she was hopping given how hard it was to rouse her awake and how tired she seemed.

"I don't care Light. If you are pissed because you thought I couldn't look after Mom and the house which is why you sent Serah here, you can kindly go shove it. I care too much about Mom to do something stupid like endanger her or myself." Lumina hissed back at her father who had taken a few steps closer with a clear look of anger in her eyes. She wasn't sure how this was meant to intimidate her from the topic, but it wasn't going to work. "The intimidation isn't going to work on me. You've used it too many times and I know you don't have the courage to actually smack me because you know I'd fight back." Lumina continued as Lightning quickly reached behind Lumina and quickly grabbed the scruff of her neck.

Bearing down to force Lumina staring towards the ground Lightning took a deep breath as she could see Lumina quickly trying to fight it as Lightning used her spare hand to quickly catch the fist Lumina had tossed towards her. Taking a step behind Lumina with the confined hand wrapping around her body limiting her movement further, Lightning just let out a sigh.

"You need to learn not to instantly throw a punch." Lightning said in a voice just below a shout as she pushed Lumina further down as she easily fought and won one bout of her daughter's fighting the hold. It was something that kind of irked how people always tried to fight the hold.

"LET GO OF ME!" Lumina yelled as she tried to twist once more to try and break her father's hold as Lightning just carefully lead the way towards the stairs, just ignoring the protesting that was coming from her child. She knew that it was just going to be a desperate plea.

Neither could hear the storming footsteps towards the stairs as Lightning gently tossed Lumina away from her. She wasn't sure what was wrong with her daughter but just the sight of tears in her eyes was enough to cause Lightning to want to apologise but she also was just blinded by her own emotions. She knew that she could apologise later if it came to it.

Hearing a loud scream, both quickly looked at the stairs seeing as Vanille began to fall down the last four steps. Quickly rushing towards her, Lightning and Lumina seemed to be ignoring what had happened before as they quickly started to look over her.

Accepting the hands helping her up, Vanille took a deep breath as she wrapped her hands around the base of her wife and daughter's heads as she quickly brought them together before quickly letting go as she could see the look of shock on their faces as they recoiled from the shock of what Vanille had just done to them.

"I don't care what happened. And I certainly don't care who started it. This ends now." Vanille said coldly as she could muster towards the two. Opening her mouth to continue, Vanille quickly closed her mouth and ran towards the downstairs bathroom.

Hearing the vomiting sound, Lightning closed her eyes as she took a calm breath. "I'm sorry for snapping at you Lumina like I did." Lightning said as she could hear some stomping up the stairs causing her to just sigh once more. 'I hate to break it Amodar but clearly there is something seriously wrong with Lumina and my relationship.'

Author's Note:

And another chapter is down. Hope you enjoyed it.