Author's Note: Sorry it took me that long to update, but school is keeping me pretty busy at the moment. Anyway, have fun reading and pls don't forget to hit the review button! )

Chapter 8 - How Can Something Hurt When You're With Me

"Why do you live alone in this big house? Joanne asks curiously munching her cereal.

"Because I have no one to live with," I say getting some coffee.

"Ah, I see!" She puts more milk in the basin and is silent again.

It was hard to calm her down this morning since she didn't realize where she was and why she wasn't at Susan's or at home. We still haven't talked about Abby yet. I'm just glad I managed to get her into the kitchen to have some breakfast.

"When will Susan come here?" Her eyes are wandering through the kitchen and then look at me.

"I don't know honey, maybe in an hour," I take a look at my watch. Ten until 11. We both fall back to silence again. I don't know what to say.

"Why didn't Mom live with you here?" She suddenly comes back to the house topic and leaves me puzzled.

"Because she didn't want to live here, I guess," I answer and hope that she won't ask anymore.

No such luck, she continues, "Why didn't she want to live here?"

"Honey, please. I don't know, okay?" I shout a little bit louder than I wanted to and she shuts up pouting. "I'm sorry sweetie, I didn't mean to shout at you - I'm a little bit tense at the moment, okay?"

She nods, still pouting, "Okay."

"See, it's not easy for me either right now. I love your Mom too and I really hate to see her this way.", I start and she stares at me. "And everyday when I go and see her I hope that she woke up, but when I enter the room she's still asleep!" I find myself almost crying, trying to hide it. I don't want Joanne to see it.

"But she's not sleeping anymore!" Joanne says shaking her head, "She had her eyes open! She looked at me!"

"I know, it's hard to understand, but she's kind of sleeping with her eyes open," I try to explain slowly but Joanne is still shaking her head.

"No, you can't sleep with your eyes open!"

She doesn't get it – It is way too much for a seven year old to understand. I put my head into my hands, "Your Mom is really sick, you know? When you two had the accident she hit her head very hard and hurt it. And when something is hurt it doesn't really work..."

Suddenly she's silent again watching me carefully as I continue, "And your Mother's head doesn't really work at the moment. And she is sleeping so she doesn't have to feel any pain. But you can't keep your eyes shut all the time, they want to see light sometimes. So Mom's head keeps her asleep, but allows the eyes to see some light, or allows her arms to move a little bit."

"And she doesn't feel any pain? She doesn't suffer?" Joanne asks shy with big eyes.

"No honey, she doesn't."

"That's good," tears start to roll over her cheeks.

"What's wrong?" I bend a little bit down gently touching her shoulder.

"It makes me sad. I want her back. But when she wakes up it will hurt," she sobs and I get to her and pull my arms around her.

"When she wakes up her head will be better. It won't hurt anymore, because she will be so happy to see you," I stroke over her back carefully, letting her cry.

"So, what are we going to do tonight?" Abby asks me while we're laying on the couch together.

"I don't know, whatever you want," I just take another spoon of ice cream letting her cuddle herself even closer so I can feed her a little bit, "But take some ice cream first."

She turns her head trying to get some, but as soon as she gets near the spoon I take it away, "Oooops!" I laugh, "Come and get it!"

"Oh, you really want me to?" She giggles and starts to tickle me.

I can't help but defend myself, "That's not fair!" I laugh and scream and she even tries harder and harder.

I let go of the spoon, put both my arms on her waist, squeezing her softly and she shrieks and laughs, "Ahhh, nooo!! Stop it!" She's too funny and I can't get enough of it.

We start to tickle each other, fighting on the couch both laughing and screaming. She is sitting on me and I try to get her off, pushing her arms away from me. Then she stops fighting against me. But I still push her and suddenly she falls down way too fast hitting her head on the ground, "Ouch!" I get onto the floor quickly.

"Aw, my head!", she whispers breathing heavily holding her hand onto her head.

"Are you ok? Did you get hurt?", I help her to get up hoping that it's not that big.

"Only hurts a bit, it's okay.", she say still holding her head looking at me smiling, "Don't worry. Nothing happened!"

I'm still worried, "You're sure? Should I take a look at it?"

"John please, it's okay," she tries to assure me, "How can something hurt when you're with me?"

I get closer to her and hug her,

"I love you, Abby. I love you so much."

Joanne rests in my arms for a while when I hear the doorbell ring. That must be Susan.

I carefully put Joanne back on her seat telling her to finish her flakes and go to answer the door

"Hi Susan, we just had some breakfast." I say letting her into the house, she looks different, "What's wrong?"

"We have a problem," she begins. "Amy got the chicken pox. And if Joanne hasn't had them yet she could get them from Amy."

"Damn." I mumble, "She can't get sick right now, because she won't be able to see Abby then. It would be too dangerous."

Susan just nods, "Yeah, that's the problem. So, I thought..." She pauses.

I look at her, "What?"

"Maybe you could take her."