Title: A Chance at happiness 4/?

Author: Christen (purplehaysc@netscape.net)

Disclaimer: these characters belong to once and again except any characters you don't recognize

Distribution: Take it, but let me know. If you have any of my other fics, go ahead.

Comments: email me all you comments and suggestions. This is my first once and again fan fic so any ideas or comments you have would be great. So please email me with them. J

Eli came down from his apartment, into the kitchen. He sat down at the table. He knew he was not going to get any sleep. It was pointless to even try. Too many thoughts were going through his head, thoughts about his mother, about his life and Grace. He knew his mother had ever reason to be mad at him. He knew he could of and he should of done better but he would never tell her that. He loved her just as he loved Jessie and his father. He could never seriously tell them that though. They would not believe him any way. How could someone who had disappointed them so much love them? How could someone who was always hurting people possible love anyone? Eli was broken out of his thoughts to the sound of a scream.

Jessie was trying to sleep. She was doing a good job. How she was sleeping, she did not know.   After everything that had gone on, she must have exhausted herself.  In her dreams, her mother was fine and her father, Eli, her mother and her were a family again. Her mother was not unhappy. Eli was not in trouble and her father did not even know who Lily was. She never wanted to wake up again. She liked the world she was in. Nevertheless, she was woken up by a scream.

Zoe had finally gone to sleep. She heard Grace and Eli come in. She had heard the fighting. She was getting use to it. Eli was a screw-up and he always got in fights with Rick and Karen about it. However, she had thought he might change after hearing about Karen. Almost losing his mother must have killed him, despite what he wanted to say. She could see Jessie hurting too. She could not imagine what that was like almost losing your mother. The thought of almost losing Lily sacred her. However, she did not have the chance to even dream about it because she heard the scream.

Grace looked around the room. She had just screamed. Why had she just screamed? She knew why that dream had scared her.  She let a tear slide down her face. She was alone not only in life but now in her dreams too. She started shaking and let more tears slide down her face. Her scream had even sacred her and she hoped that no one heard her. She could not face anyone. She was supposed to be strong. She just could not be weak at least not around anyone else. Nevertheless, she was weak and that was the truth. She had to accept it she was alone and weak. She heard a sound and was shocked to see Eli standing in her doorway. She started to wipe away her tears. "Eli, what are you doing in here?"

"Coming to make sure you are ok."

She tried to smile. "I'm fine. Really."

He walked over to her. "You're shaking and you've been crying. Grace, you're not fine." He put his arms around her. "Now, tell me what's wrong."

Grace did not have the energy any more to fight him. She just looked into his eyes and started crying again.

He held her tightly and let her cry.

Jessie and Zoe watched from the doorway in shock.