Each day had slipped into a steady routine with little fanfare and before she really knew it the weekend had arrived and then almost completely passed her by. Lane had continued to visit each day, and even that followed the same format as his first; they'd go for breakfast and then to the garden where they'd sit for undetermined amount of time while he tried to guide Jade through her thoughts. Jade wasn't convinced she was making much progress, she felt no more comfortable now after five sessions than she had during the first one. After Lane was finished with her it was back to the room for lunch and at some point, Beck would return and sit with her; that was part of the new agreement between Lane, Beck and Beck's mother, Beck had to go home for proper rest at least once a day. His mother would have preferred it if he would go home in the evenings but Beck had flat out refused, a fact for which Jade was immeasurably grateful.

Jade had started waking up several times a night, sometimes in a panic, sometimes not, but always unable to get back to sleep easily. Beck would always try to stay up with her, to calm her and get her out of her head. He'd help her through one of the exercises Lane had taught her and be there to hold her as her breathing evened out, but her mind refused to let her go. She'd only had one more PTSD episode since the first, although she had managed to avoid sedation this time by pure force of will as she fought for control over her mind. It had been exhausting and she'd spent much of the Friday afternoon falling in and out of a broken sleep, irritable at whoever walked into the room. Beck had taken it all in his stride simply keeping quiet and doing his schoolwork, providing a presence without an annoyance, a no strings attached form of company. After he'd fallen asleep that evening with Jade wrapped in his arms, she'd spent almost a full hour studying him. She'd mapped the way his hair fell across his face and committed the random twitches of his face as he'd slept to memory; she wasn't certain why she was doing it, but it felt like a way of convincing herself that he was actually there.

Now however, the two sat bathed in the last of the daylight streaming through the window as the sun set on what had been a very sunny day. Beck had been channel surfing for most of the afternoon, the free channels on the in-room television making for some pretty awful viewing but it was just another attempt at distraction for Jade. Beck was certain she'd spent more of the afternoon zoned out than she had with her mind present in the room. He was trying not to worry too much about it, reminding himself it was still early days in her PTSD diagnosis but there was still something deeply unsettling about seeing someone who was usually so full of life go so blank. He had tuned out the bland sitcom in favour of watching Jade as she stared at the wall just beneath the television; he knew the inane chatting of the characters was little more than white noise to her at this point. The only indication that she hadn't faded out again was the infrequent glances at her blank phone screen and Beck knew only too well why she couldn't simply ignore it.

"You know you're supposed to be watching the television?"

Jade's dry tone caught Beck by surprise, but he didn't bother to try and feign interest in the television, keeping his eyes fixed on Jade instead.

"You could just text him you know."

Beck could practically feel the temperature of the room drop as Jade tensed at his suggestion.

"Who?"

"You know who, the only person who can get under your skin like this."

Jade thought that was unfair but stopped herself from snapping back that her father was actually the second person who could get under her skin, Beck being the first. She should have known Beck would notice; he'd spent more time watching her that afternoon than he had the awful 80's sitcom that was being broadcast. She didn't want to fight with him, she just wanted sleep and proper sleep at that.

"What's the point? He obviously doesn't care."

Lane had causally mentioned that morning that he had been keeping her father updated daily, at his request. Since his failed attempt at a phone call on the Wednesday, he hadn't tried to contact Jade again; not even a message to pass on through Lane. Jade thought she was okay with it, that it was easier this way but, if that were true, why couldn't she let it go?

"Maybe he just doesn't know what to say?" Beck couldn't believe what he was saying as he had no love for Mr West, particularly after his last encounter with the man, but watching Jade watch her phone had shifted his perspective somewhat.

"Oh, and that's my responsibility is it?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying. It just could be a reason." Beck kept his voice calm but backed off, recognising the warning signs that Jade was perilously close to losing her temper. Jade scoffed but didn't say anything further.

"This show really is awful; I can't believe people used to find this entertaining."

It was a weak attempt at changing the topic by all standards. Jade directed a sideways glare at him only to relent as Beck offered a somewhat guilty smile. She rolled her eyes and tried to re-settle herself against her pillows. Her bed went through phases throughout the day of being either really comfy or really uncomfortable and right now, it was uncomfortable. At Beck's suggestion earlier she'd tried sitting his chair but that was even worse with her sling. As it was, Beck noticed her shuffling again and frowned.

"Do you want to get ready for bed a little earlier?" Dinner had already been served and cleared, but Emma had yet to come around for the usual nightly change of clothes and bathroom trip.

"I want this bed to be fucking comfortable."

"I know."

"I don't want to stay in this stupid room anymore."

Beck tensed. This had become a recurring theme in the last few days, ever since she'd had the second PTSD episode. He quietly thought that Jade might have a point, that the very environment she was in wasn't helping her recovery anymore but then it threw up the issue of where she would stay, and that was more complicated.

"I don't think it will be much longer." Beck offered "Come on, I can help a little." He moved towards the bed, but Jade moved her hands out of his way.

"I don't need any help."

"Okay, okay" Beck backed up again, refusing to rise to the bait as he knew Jade was just trying to vent her frustration. She awkwardly shuffled her way off of the bed and hardly waited before dropping onto her feet. She was much more stable now than she had been and could cover small distances unaided; trips outside still required a bit of help. Her shoulder was now the biggest restriction to her movement which Jade hated with a passion.

Beck watched her as she clumsily sorted through her bag to pick out some different clothes to sleep in. Jade had argued that there was no point in changing her clothes as she wore slouchy, comfortable pieces all day, but Emma had been insistent that she'd feel better if she carried on getting 'dressed' as usual.

"Do you want-"

"No."

Beck bit his tongue as he watched her shuffle awkwardly out the door, struggling not to drop her clothes or washbag as she opened it. He sighed audibly although there was now no one in the room to hear it. He couldn't find it in himself to rise to her temper, he didn't let everything slide but he'd come to realise there was just no point in some battles.

He frowned at the mess of sheets left on the bed; it didn't look remotely inviting. He set about shaking out the various sheets, trying to fluff the rather lumpy pillows as he went in an attempt to make it look a bit more comfortable. However, he was quickly waylaid as he realised her phone notification light was flashing.

It couldn't be him? Could it?

His morals tugged at him for a moment before he pushed them aside, reaching for her phone to investigate. He wasn't sure whether he was frustrated or relieved when he saw the message from Cat. He put the phone back on the side, turning his attention back to the sheets.

'How can he keep doing this to her? She's got no one and he still can't get over himself for long enough to have a fucking conversation.'

Beck punctuated his thought by launching the remaining pillow back onto the bed. It did look better than before. He settled into his chair, content to flick through The Slap until Jade returned from the bathroom. It was only after he passed Sinjin's fourth post on what he could tell about President's diets from their teeth that he realised Jade should have been back already. He checked his watch which was showing just over thirty minutes since she'd left. He was sure she wasn't showering; she wasn't allowed without a Nurse nearby and even if Jade hated rules, that one she obeyed. Besides, she'd showered that very morning. He toyed with the idea of calling the nurse, the familiar anxious prickle running down his spine but ultimately decided against it, for now at least. If Jade was simply just taking longer than usual, in her current mood she wouldn't thank him for creating a fuss. He pocketed his phone and headed for the patient bathroom.

Jade was fuming. She was certain had she been a cartoon character like those that had been on the television earlier, she would have had steam coming out of her ears. As it was, she was laying sprawled on the floor of the bathroom with a long sleeve top caught over her head. She couldn't see anything but the floor and her one good arm was trapped with her hurt shoulder out of the sling and completely unable to move. The kicker was that the only other item of clothing she had on was a pair of panties; and she really fucking hated that word. All she wanted was to do something for herself for once, to not have to go through ritual humiliation as another grown woman helped her dress. Apparently the trying to get the top on was just a stretch too far and now she was lying on the floor, ready to kill someone.

Jade tried to roll over but with her broken shoulder, even the attempt made her eyes water. Her current position wasn't comfortable either but there wasn't anything she could do about it. She fought off the frustration as tears sprung to her eyes. She tried to roll one more time before giving up completely; someone would be along soon looking for her anyway. No sooner had she resigned herself to waiting on the cold floor, she heard a quiet tap on the door.

"Jade? Jade are you still in there?"

Of course, it was Beck. He was apparently always there to scoop her back up when something went wrong. Jade almost immediately chastised herself for thinking that, it wasn't Beck's fault and he wasn't the source of her anger, he just kept ending up on the receiving end. Still, she'd deal with that guilt later.

"I'm here." She didn't even know why she was being difficult at this point; she was hardly going to keep this from him now.

"Everything okay?" God, he even sounded timid; Had she really snapped at him that badly before?

"No."

"Can I come in?"

"It's locked"

"I have a key?"

"Fine."

She heard an odd scraping followed by the sound of the handle releasing; Beck's entrance was defined by a gasp as her current angle meant she was unable to look at anything but the floor a few inches from her face.

"Shit, Jade? Why didn't you say something?" Beck was crouched next to her in a flash, carefully twisting her so she could sit up again.

"Like what? I fell while I was putting my top on, I knew someone would be along soon."

"You weren't even going to let me in!"

"I didn't say that, I said it was locked – it's not like I could unlock it." Her matter of fact tone was confusing Beck, she was a little pale but apart from that she looked relatively unscathed. It was only then Beck realised how little she was wearing. He averted his eyes to the ceiling, trying to play it cool but missing it completely. Jade rolled her own eyes.

"You've got to be kidding me, Beck it's nothing you haven't seen before."

"I know it's just-"

"Just what?" Jade challenged.

"It's been a while and I don't want to presume just because we're, you know, that this is okay."

Jade fought the urge to roll her eyes a second time, but she couldn't ignore the small rush of affection as his explanation.

"Well right now I'd rather just be dressed and warm." She said pointedly, her shirt was now half on, half off and she was feeling the chill.

"Right, can you guide me?"

Jade nodded and helped him rearrange her shirt with the delicate process of getting her broken shoulder into the long sleeve with minimal disruption. She had started to regain a small amount of movement just one week on, but it was still very painful. Beck helped her balance as she stood to pull on her pyjama bottoms, careful not to let his eyes linger on the faint bruising around her still slightly too prominent ribs.

Jade gritted her teeth as her shoulder was jostled but she was grateful he had found her over the nurse. Beck had already seen her at rock bottom, multiple times, so while it wasn't how she wanted it, Beck was somewhat easier to accept help from without the worry of judgement. She did glare at him when he handed her the toothbrush pre-loaded with toothpaste, but he just smiled obnoxiously at her, knowing he was poking a little bit of fun at her.

It was a little over twenty minutes later they returned to the room and Jade paused when she saw the remade bed. Beck carried on as if nothing was amiss but Jade felt the same rush of affection tinged with a little sadness this time. The realisation that he really would do anything to help her feel better was a poignant one. She crossed the room quietly and buried herself into his chest as he turned, her good arm wrapping around his waist as he responded almost immediately. She pushed her face tighter against him, breathing in the familiar, comforting smell of his detergent mixed with body wash.

"Thanks." It was whispered against his shirt, but Beck squeezed her tighter.

"Any time."

It was really something to hear someone say those words and be able to believe them without any trace of a doubt.

Mr West stood awkwardly in the foyer of his own house as the last of the workmen departed through the front door. The smell of fresh paint wafted down the stairs, but it took the man a moment before he was ready to venture up there. He wasn't used to feeling so uncomfortable, particularly in a domain that was his own. He had a reputation for being in command of the room he was in, always in control, the man with all the answers. Now he stood like a stranger in his own home, the changes he'd decided on now complete but bringing with them a disquiet he couldn't quite shake.

Trying to act nonchalant, he walked up the staircase to the mezzanine floor which had previously been a bland, second reception area leading onto a balcony that overlooked the backyard. It was still a reception area, but the furniture was all different, the beige two-seater had been replaced with a dark grey sectional adorned with black and red cushions. His assistant had nearly fallen out of her chair in shock when Mr West had asked for her opinion on couch choice. At her suggestion he'd included floor lamps which would apparently create a warm glow in the evenings. Mr West had simply accepted her opinion, unwilling to admit the majority of his evenings at home were spent in his study with a desk lamp. He had to admit, it did look somewhat more inviting than before. He crossed the space slowly, pausing only to adjust the corner of the large plush rug from being a few mm off centre.

As he climbed the second, shorter set of stairs to the left, the smell of paint became almost overwhelming. As he entered the bedroom, it struck him for the first time that no one had ever actually stayed here; certainly not Jade. He had bought a simple double bed when he first moved and never touched it since. Even his housekeeper had stopped changing the sheets on it. The room looked completely different now, the addition of a plain black feature wall a far cry from the previous sterile white. The white remained on the other two walls and around the window that took up most of the fourth wall. Despite the dark shade, it somehow complimented the hardwood floor and the still-white bed linen. However, Mr West couldn't bring himself to appreciate the change. He didn't like the boldness of the wall, the way it changed the whole feel of the room; it was too much, in his opinion.

He lowered himself onto the edge of the black velvet tub chair, another new addition, as he surveyed the room. His thoughts were awash with uncertainty; had he done the right thing? Was this even worth it? It was all a gamble to begin with, an impulsive action that was incredibly out of character for him. After his run-in with Beck earlier that week he had stormed out of Amanda's house intent on burying himself back in his work, but the younger man's words had stuck with him more than he cared to admit.

He'd always rationalised his relationship with Jade much how she apparently had, that it was better when they were apart but something about hearing that was how she felt had shifted his perception of their relationship, if you could even call it that. From their own talk in the hospital, he knew that Jade was angry at him but actively preferring life when he wasn't around seemed like an invisible line had been crossed. He'd returned to Amanda's house once since the altercation with Beck, spending his time almost exclusively in Jade's room, desperately trying to get an understanding as to who his daughter was.

He spent an evening continuing Beck's clean-up efforts and, although the room was far from finished, he felt no closer to understanding Jade at all. He knew she was creative; he knew she had a penchant for the dark and macabre but there were no revelations that occurred, no special information he could glean. He left after almost 4 hours, somewhat disappointed, more than a little frustrated and extremely confused. It was only when her counsellor had called him on Friday with an update that the issue of Jade's release from hospital was raised. The hospital was hoping to discharge her by mid-week if no further complications arose and needed confirmation on where she would be staying, as she was still a minor. Mr West had been caught almost unaware, having blocked it out of his mind since his last conversation with Jade where she hadn't responded to either of his suggestions. For a moment, he almost found himself hoping the counsellor bought it up because she had made a decision, but in his next sentence the counsellor had admitted he hadn't discussed it with her yet.

Mr West had been scrolling through his morning emails when he'd found himself browsing furniture and paint almost by accident. The image of Jade's smashed up room had become ingrained into his memory and that had given him a starting point. He was consulting his assistant and entering his credit card details before the implications of his actions even caught up with him. Even after that, he'd delayed dealing with it until now it was staring him in the face. He ran a hand through his receding hair line, bringing mess to the usually slick style. He told the counsellor that she would stay with him, that her mother's house wasn't liveable, and the counsellor had agreed. It didn't make Mr West feel any better, he didn't trust counsellors and therapists, convinced half the industry was a scam as it was but he sounded decent enough over the phone.

He didn't know how it would work, his daughter living with him. They were complete strangers and he was usually out the house more than he was in it. Would that suit her? Or would she be requiring more from him? Maybe he could hire a nurse to help her, yes, that would make things less disruptive. He tapped a note into his calendar, a reminder to ask about expectations and extra requirements she might have. He still had the feeling he was missing something but he ignored it as he walked back down the staircase, determined to get some more work in before the new week started.

As per his agreement with Principal Eikner, Beck had to spend two days a week in school and Monday seemed as good a day as any. However, as he woke up that morning, he felt nothing but reluctance towards the school. Jade hadn't had such a good night and by extension, neither had Beck. She'd been restless, spending long periods awake and unable to relax enough to even doze. They'd ended up sticking on retro cartoons that were showing on the overnight channel programming, but even two hours of Tom and Jerry hadn't been enough to send Jade to sleep.

As his alarm buzzed on the cabinet, Beck toyed with re-arranging his plans as he watched Jade sleep in his arms. After their big talk the previous week, they'd spent every night since cuddled up on the small hospital bed. Beck couldn't hide the fact he much preferred it the chair. Having Jade curled up with him had been a big equalizer for him, providing him with a constant reminder that she was there and she was safe. Jade had noticed a difference too as while she still woke throughout the night, she was less likely to be in a full-on panic than before; it was also somewhat easier to calm her when she was.

Jade stirred, her eyes fluttering open to peer up at Beck who was still staring down at her.

"Morning"

"Hi" her voice was filled with sleep and Beck pressed a kiss to her forehead to hide his frown.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready?"

"I'm not sure I want to go now."

"But you have to?"

"Well, I could swap my days around." Beck wasn't certain how much flexibility there was now he had told the school his plans, but he imagined there must be some room for change.

"Wait, you're not thinking of staying because of me, are you?"

When Beck didn't say anything, Jade groaned.

"Beck I thought we talked about this?"

"I know we did but-"

"But what?" Jade demanded, now twisting to look him directly in the eyes. "But, nothing, I'll be fine and so will you." Jade was insistent but Beck still looked like he wanted to argue. Jade took his hand in her good one, forcing him to look at her.

"You can always text me if you get worried, remember?" her voice was deliberately soft as she reiterated a conversation they'd had back on Friday.

She wanted Beck to get on with his life but his anxiety over leaving her on her own for any stretch of time wasn't looking that much better. She'd been the one to suggest that he just text her and she'd do her best to reply. It didn't have to be anything complicated, just a quick message and then he would be satisfied that she was doing okay. Beck had been resistant at first, concerned that if he ended up texting too frequently Jade would just ignore him, but she had promised. What Beck didn't know is that Jade was planning on watching the frequency and forcing him to talk to someone if it became too much, something he had flat out refused when Jade suggested it. She had argued, pointing out the hypocrisy but Beck had insisted his problems were situational and already improving. Jade had left it go, for now.

"Yeah, I know." Beck's resignation bothered Jade more than she wanted to admit but she pushed it down. In an action that caught Beck unaware, she dropped a kiss on his cheek; an action that was usually Beck's. He couldn't stop the soft, slightly dopey smile the action brought and was rewarded with a small smile of Jade's own.

"Go on, go get ready."

He sighed but didn't argue further, gently disentangling himself from both Jade and the sheets. Jade laid back, content to watch him potter about with the clumsy daze he only ever had first thing in the morning. Things were far from 'back to normal' for them but Jade was hoping that was a good thing. They needed a new normal, and a fresh start. The fresh start was unrealistic what with him finding her bleeding out on the floor but a new normal was possible and Jade was clinging to the hope that they would actually make it.

All too soon for Beck, he was packed and ready to go. He lingered for a few minutes, trying to entice Jade into a conversation but she was not only wise to his ways but also still tired.

"Alright, I'll go but I'll be back after."

"You've said that three times now."

"Want me to say it one more?"

"Go!"

Jade shut her eyes, letting the tiredness overwhelm her for a moment. It was still early enough that the hospital was relatively quiet but she knew it was unlikely she'd sleep again. For one, there was now a presence missing from the bed and, as much as she hated it, she had a feeling it would be much harder to sleep for any length of time without it. There was something about Beck's warm body next to hers, his comforting smell and the reassuring beat of his heart under her that made sleeping a little easier. It was hardly new for her as it had been the same before the split up and after they had split, sleeping did seem to get harder.

'For more than one reason' Her brain reminded her slyly. As much as Jade tried, her mother never seemed to be far from her mind. Deciding that she was too exhausted to deal with it, Jade reached for her phone, resolute that a distraction would be enough to keep the thoughts at bay.

When Lane showed up for their usual appointment, he was immediately struck by how much more tired Jade looked than the day before. He'd kept up their appointments over the weekend as a precaution, he wasn't convinced leaving it two days when they'd only started recently would be in Jade's best interest. Jade didn't even protest at the wheelchair, beyond throwing it a disgusted look that is. They arrived in the still quiet cafeteria with no more than a few words exchanged, and Jade seemed reluctant to even attempt the toast in-front of her.

"You're quiet this morning."

"I didn't sleep well last night."

"Anything in particular?"

"I don't know." Jade was being honest, there was nothing new that had happened but the last few nights had been increasingly disturbed. She wasn't even managing to make it up during the day, it was as though someone kept pressing a button that stopped her from relaxing properly.

Lane regarded Jade for a moment, fairly certain she was telling him the truth. PTSD was a complicated condition; at times the symptoms could be so conflicting it wasn't uncommon for the sufferer to feel as though they were losing their mind.

"Did you try using the breathing techniques I taught you?"

"Sometimes."

"And?"

"Didn't always work."

"You need to practice them Jade; consistency is key here."

Jade nodded, too tired to argue or even offer a derisive comment. They finished up their breakfast in relative silence, Jade only finishing one of her slices of toast, before they headed to the hospital garden.

"Before we start with the usual, we need to talk about something."

Jade turned her head towards him, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach; nothing good ever started with an ominous statement.

"The hospital staff are looking keen to release you this week, possibly as soon as Wednesday and we need to discuss your living arrangements."

If Jade's spirits had been lifted by the thought of being let out the hospital, they were rapidly smashed as the reality of her situation sunk back in. She had nowhere to go.

"Your father has suggested that the best option is for you to move in with him." Lane watched Jade carefully, trying to gauge her reaction.

"That being said, I want to know what your thoughts are, where you would prefer to live."

"I don't really have a choice though, do I?" Jade spoke through gritted teeth as waves of anxiousness started to rise within her. She jammed her hand into her hoody pocket, squeezing the life out of the little foam ball as she fought for control.

"You can go back to your mother's house if you'd prefer."

Jade shook her head violently, the reaction instinctive. She couldn't live there again, of that Jade was certain. The memories were bad enough but having to walk into the kitchen each day, past the stairs, having to salvage her room; it was too much to even bear. However, the thought of living with her father was no more enticing. Her stomach twisted unpleasantly as she realised how much further her father's house was from Beck's, it was on the other side of the hills to her mother's.

"I don't want to live with him either."

"Would you feel better staying in the hospital for longer?" It wasn't really an option, but Lane was trying to understand just what Jade's motivation was for rejecting both choices.

"No, I hate it here." Just like that, the weight of everything going on felt impossible again. There was no right option, no good option, there wasn't even a slightly less objectionable option.

"Why do you not want to stay with your father?"

An incredulous expression took over Jade's face as she looked at Lane,

"He's a complete fucking stranger who doesn't appear to give a damn about me, never has and never will – why would I want to go and live with that?" The words burst out before she could stop them, not that she wanted to.

"He does care Jade, not that he hasn't made mistakes, but you are his daughter."

"Made mistakes? Is that what we're calling my childhood now?" Jade lashed out "If he cares so much how come I haven't heard off of him apart from one measly attempt at a phone call? I've not even had a message through you!"

In their few sessions they had focused more on her mother than her father, but Lane had managed to pull some inferences from what she'd told him along the way. It was a complicated relationship and he wasn't certain it would ever be fixed, but he needed to get Jade to a point where she was at least accepting of the situation, or else he would be seriously concerned about her mental state when she was discharged.

"Would it help if he talked to you about it?" Jade's eyes flashed.

"You shouldn't have to force him to talk to me."

"That's not what I meant."

"Isn't it?" Just like that, the shutters had come down and Lane knew he was standing on the other side.

"We'll revisit this later." He concluded, only to get stony silence from Jade. The only sign of a reaction from her was an increase in the furious squeezing of the ball in her pocket.

"I'm going to grab a water; I'll be back in a minute."

Again, Jade ignored him, too focused on the emotions coursing through her. Lane wanted to give her space for a few minutes, to lessen the pressure albeit in a controlled manner as he watched from the water cooler just inside the door.

Jade struggled to breathe evenly; now aware she was practically ripping the foam about of the ball with her fingernails. She was so distracted that the sudden buzz of her phone made her jump. She pulled it out angrily, only calming slightly when she saw it was a message from Beck.

Hey, I just got to school – everything okay?

Jade stared at the message, how was she meant to answer that now?

It's all too much.

No, she couldn't say that.

Everything's fine.

She couldn't put this in a text, she couldn't ruin his day like that. She'd tell him when he got back.

Well I hope you liked it - I'm just happy I managed to update on the Saturday for once! As always, all spelling/grammar issues are my own.

Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed so far, it really brightens my day to read them.

Next chapter Cat will return along with Mr West as Jade (and Beck) continue to try and find the way forward.