Title: A Chance at happiness 66/?
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 oh people I have been reading the reviews and the very least I can see if first OMG! I am so shocked I have gotten so many reviews. If you have any other questions then email me at purplehaysc@netscape.net Oh and after finding out about the cancellation of the show I've found it harder to write some reason because when I watch the show inspiration comes so if you have any suggestions email me purplehaysc@netscape.net or im me at purplehays10 (ok I'm going to use the kiss that happened on the last eps with Karen and Henry as if it did already happen but that's the only thing I'm actually keeping) (oh and I'm keeping Miriam and Aaron together)
"How about you mom, do you get along?" Faith asked Grace.
"My Mom doesn't really get me. She tries but she just doesn't get me."
"Do you think she cares?"
"Oh I know she does when she has time she does."
"Does she normally not have time?"
"No, yes I mean she's just busy a lot. I mean don't get me wrong, she's a good mother she just well… She's my mother and that's all I can say."
"Grace, can I talk to you?" Lily asked as she came into Eli's apartment.
"I'll be back." Eli said as he left.
"What happened at school?" Lily asked as she sat down on the bed.
Grace put the guitar away. "Some girls just tried to make me feel bad but I'm use to it."
"Use to it? Do they do this a lot?" Lily asked concerned.
"Mom, don't worry I cant take it, it's just since the rape they've gotten worse."
"Worse, how?"
"Nothing really just spreading rumors, no big deal."
"Do the teachers do anything?"
"What can they do?"
"Like stopping it. Grace, you should not have to come home because of those people. I think I will say something to the principal." Lily said getting up.
"Mom, don't." Grace begged.
"Don't worry, it'll help." She said leaving.
"Oh did I mention that my mother loves to ignore me for a long time and when she notices me, she overreacts over nothing." Grace said sighing heavily.
"So how would you describe Grace and your relationship?" Faith asked Lily.
"We're close well as close as a mother and daughter can be any way." Lily said.
"So you're not really close?"
"It's not that I don't want us to be. It's just sometimes I don't understand her."
"But she knows that right?"
"I'd hope so. I think so."
"Do you consider your self to be overprotective of her?"
"No not really, I just I don't want her to be hurt… Not that she's not already hurt."
"Do you blame yourself?"
"How can I not? She's my little girl, she's hurt, and I couldn't stop it or protect her."
"How about your step father, Rick, do you like him?" Faith asked Grace.
"Do I like him? Sure I do as my mother's husband, I do. I'm not so sure I like him as a father."
"Do you think he wants to be your father?"
"I think he wants me to act like he's my father, I've tried. But he's just not."
"So do you consider him a part of your family?"
"A member of my extended family."
"Do you get along with him?'
"Sure, when he doesn't try to be a parent to me."
"He tries that a lot?"
"Some times but not a lot. I think he's scared of how I'll react."
"You'll react?"
"Well last time I… I lost it and screamed at him. He hasn't tired since."
"Hey Grace." Rick said as he came into the apartment. "Where's Eli?"
"He's getting something to eat. Is something wrong?"
"Not really, just wanted to talk to him." He sat down. "So are you ok?"
"I'm fine, how about you?"
"Me?"
"Well you know with me and Eli…."
"Oh right, well I'll be ok with it. I just was shocked. That's all."
"You sure you ok with it?"
"Grace, you need to understand something. Most of Eli girlfriend I could stand. I never really liked them but I stood them. Now you, I like." He said smiling.
"I'm glad to hear that. It means a lot really." She said smiling.
"Over all I like him, he's really nice." Grace said smiling.
"So do you and Grace get a long?" Faith asked Rick.
"Sometimes."
"Do you consider you and Grace to be close?"
"I guess not, it's hard. She loves her father so much and I think she thinks if she's loves me that's like saying she doesn't love him."
"Are you ok with her and Eli?"
"Not at first but they're good for each other and that's what matters. I just don't want either of them hurt."
"So you care about Grace?"
"Like she's my own daughter."
"Does she know that?"
"I told her but I'm not sure she really believes me. I hope she does but I'm just not sure."
"So how close are you and your father?" Faith asked Grace.
"My father, I love him but I just don't see him that much."
"You wish you saw him more?"
"I don't know, he's got another daughter to raise and he has Tiffany, I don't think he really needs me."
"You want him to need you?"
"Not really, yes. I mean I don't know. He has his life and I have mine."
"That's ok with you?"
"It has to be. I don't really have a choice in the matter."
"Ok, so you never really answered me are you two close?"
"I think we are, in a way that he's like a big kid when he's not mad that it is."
"Does he get mad a lot?"
"No but when he does it is scary. I don't like him like that."
"Have you told him?"
"It doesn't matter what I tell him, he's just keeps doing it."
"Hey anyone home?" Jake asked as he came into the house.
"In here." Grace said from living room.
Jake went in. "How are feeling?" He asked kissing her head.
"Good, how about you? How's my youngest sister doing?" She asked smiling.
"She's doing really well. She's worried about you though. I heard you didn't stay at school today."
"Mom, told you. Well I'm fine now so forget it."
Jake sat down on the couch. "What are you doing?"
"Watching TV, actually surfing there's nothing on."
"Well there never is."
"I know. It's rather annoying." She turned off the TV. "Ok, entertain me." She said smiling
"Oh, I think I can do that." He said as he grabbed her started to tickle her.
Grace laughed. "He's really the most fun person I know. And it's hard to believe he's my dad."
"Do you think that you and Grace are close?" Faith asked Jake.
"I think we're close when we need to be, but I wish we were closer." He said sadly.
"You think there's anything you could do?" She asked.
"I do a lot already, I don't know what else to do."
"Ok, that's fair. Do you think Grace's could be a little scared of you?"
"What? Why would she be scared of me?"
"Well you do have quite a temper. You do not think that bothers her?"
"I guess but I don't think I'd go so far as to say it scares her. At least I hope not."
"So you're open to the possibility?"
"I just hope it's not true. It can't be."
"So what do you think of Tiffany?" Faith asked Grace.
"Tiffany? Well she's Tiffany."
"You don't think she plays a role in your life?"
"Yeah sure every one does but Tiffany well she's just Maddie's mother, that's all."
"So you like her?"
"No, I stand her. She's nice and all but I just don't see why she's here. She's just different that's all."
"And different is bad?"
"Not always but in Tiffany's case, it is just want Tiffany is."
"Jake, we need to go." Tiffany said as she came in.
"He's talking to Zoe." Grace said for the living room.
"Oh hey Grace." She said smiling.
"Hey Tiffany." She said as Tiffany came carrying Maddie and sat down on the couch.
"So how you doing?"
"I'm doing ok, though I don't think anyone believes me." She said laughing.
"I know what that's like."
"I bet you do. So how are you feeling?"
"Good, actually something about this house is so warm and I don't know nice."
"That's what everyone says." Grace said sarcastically.
"Tiffany is like one of those people who you will never understand but you wish you could be as happy as she is."
"So what do you think you and Grace are like?"
"Well I guess I'd say we're kind of I don't know people who know each other. I don't think she really likes me. She never has."
"Why do you think that is?"
"Because I was her father's girlfriend and she just didn't want her father to date at all especially not before they were divorced."
"She knows this?"
"She found out some time ago. She didn't take it well but I think she's ok with the idea now."
"Well do you think that Grace has opened up to the idea of you?"
"I think she prefers to not have to think of me as being in her life but I think she's starting to like me a little better. At least I hope."
"So do you like Eli's mother, Karen?" Faith asked Grace.
"She can pretty nice, when she wants to be."
"She isn't normally?"
"Well at first she wasn't but she really nice now."
"Do you consider her someone you can trust?"
"I think I'd go to her before I went to my own mother yeah but that's only because I know she won't tell my mother."
Faith smiled. "But you talk to her?"
"I'd like to get to know her better but no I haven't really talked her that much."
"Why would you like to get to know her better?"
"Because she's Eli's mother and right there that makes her someone important in his life and that's makes her someone important in my life."
"Ok Karen, I'm sorry but I must tell your son packs like a girl." Grace said as she came in carrying another box of Eli's.
Karen laughed. "You noticed that too. Yeah, he seems to have a whole lot of things, that he can't live with out."
Grace smiled and sat down at the table. "So how is your therapy going?"
"It's going well, I should be walking with out the stupid thing soon." She said pointing at the cane.
"That's great."
Eli came up the stairs. "Are you two going to help me are just sit there?"
"Just sit here and talk about you." Grace said smiling.
"Karen a very nice person, to me but I'm not so sure that Eli has set to really bond with her. I wish he would."
"So what do you think you and Grace are in each other lives?" Faith asked Karen.
"What we are… hum I guess I say we are becoming friends in a way."
"Is that what you want?"
"I want to get to know her and I'd like her to trust me but I think I'm just a little to old to be one of her friends."
"You think age matters?"
"I think that it will and it always does."
"Why do you think Grace trusts you so much?"
"Because I'm not her mother and she can pretty much tell me anything because I don't know her very well."
"Are you ok with that?"
"I'm ok with Grace talking to me because I think she needs someone to talk other than Eli."
"You mean you think she needs a women to talk to?"
"I think that's a good idea."