For Steph…my best friend and my inspiration. Honey, I love you and couldn't be more proud of you. I can't tell you that enough…

The Ready, Unsteady

"Mum I'm home!" Georgia yelled as she came in the front door from school. "School was great!" She carried on yelling, thinking Kirsten would be upstairs as she walked into the kitchen. The chair lift was getting installed that morning. "Braden can get me tickets to see Fall Out Boy." She smiled as she dumped her bags against the fridge on the floor. "And ,oh, the funniest thing happened at lunch!" she called as she slid off her shoes and hung her jacket over the back of the couch.

She walked up into the hallway. "Mum! Where are you?" She shouted, heading upstairs.

"In my bedroom." A small voice echoed from across the house. Georgia jumped down the stairs and skipped into Kirsten and Sandy's bedroom.

Georgia swung into the room. "Hey!" Kirsten smiled and said 'hi' shifting about. "You alright?" Georgia asked.

"No. I have the most uncomfortable cramps in my legs." She moaned.

"In your legs!" Georgia said with excitement. "You can feel your legs!"

Kirsten smiled. "Yes but it sure as hell hurts." She said with less enthusiasm.

"Well can u feel this?" Georgia asked then she pinched Kirsten's legs.

"Oww!" Kirsten squealed. "You've got nails!" Georgia laughed. She then tickled her mum's feet. Kirsten screamed. "Ahh! No! Don't tickle me please! I can't take it." Georgia laughed. "Well can you move your legs?" She asked.

Kirsten frowned. "Not really actually. A little bit." She showed Georgia that she could lift them up to a certain height but that was it. "Not enough strength to stand."

Georgia grew a cunning smile. "You know, I think I have an idea that could change that."

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"You ready?" Georgia asked supportively. Kirsten was in her swimming costume, sitting on the pool's edge, her legs dangling in the water. Georgia was already in the water smiling at her hesitant mum. Kirsten was nervous; truthfully she wasn't ready. She was scared and she didn't feel her legs were strong enough yet but the fact was, it meant a lot to Georgia and she would do anything for her little girl. Kirsten sighed and smiled.

"Ok put this around your waist." Georgia said passing her ring float. Kirsten did. "Take my hands and slide in." Kirsten slipped in slowly. "I've got you." Georgia promised her. As Kirsten got fully in the water she was adrift to the surface as the float held her up. Georgia guided her into the centre of the pool. "Can you feel your toes touching the floor?"

Kirsten nodded and smiled. "A little. Yeah."

"Good. I'll pull you out further." Georgia said pulling her into the deeper end of the pool. Kirsten held tightly onto her daughter's arms. Georgia was the deeper of the two of them. When Kirsten's toes were no longer close to the ground, Georgia swung her mum round to the deeper end of the pool.

"Start swaying your legs."

Kirsten did, very slowly though. She used a lot of strength and power for such small results but every motion meant a closer step to success and a full recovery. Georgia slowly let go of Kirsten's hands and let her float by herself. Georgia smiled floating on her back. "Look at you! You're keeping yourself up!"

Kirsten smiled. "I guess I am."

After a minute, Georgia realised Kirsten had really got the hang of that. "Do you want to try treading water without the ring?"

"Uh…" Kirsten hesitated.

"I'll hold onto you. I promise." Kirsten saw the hope in her daughter's eyes again and she smiled. "Ok. You won't let go?"

"I won't let go." Georgia shook her head. "Ok put your arms under the ring and grab onto my right arm." Kirsten did shakily. It was clear she was scared but Georgia was confident she could do it. And Kirsten found it easy to trust Georgia so, despite all her fears; she did as she was told. Georgia threw the ring to the side of the pool.

Kirsten started to panic; she felt as though she was going under. She lashed about frantically. Georgia took Kirsten's hands, placed them on her shoulders and tucked her arms under Kirsten's under-arms, carrying most of her weight. "I can't…I want the float."

"You can't stop now. You're doing great. I won't you let go, I swear." After a moment Kirsten nodded. She looked down through the water at her legs. They swayed slowly through the water, her feet bent inwards. Georgia grinned widely as she watched her mum concentrate. She felt like a proud mum. "Well done. You're getting the hang of this." Kirsten smirked but didn't look up. She held onto Georgia's shoulders tightly at first but started to loosen her grip as she realised Georgia wouldn't let anything happen to her.

Georgia noticed Kirsten's improvement and slid her hands down to Kirsten's elbow, releasing more of her weight. Kirsten took more control as she had to and she realised she wasn't finding it as hard as she thought it would be. Kirsten smirked. "Oh my god…I didn't believe I could do this."

"I did." Georgia said. Kirsten smiled. "You want to try on your own? Treading water?" Kirsten face filled with terror. "Sorry. No. It's ok. Next time. That's too far. You've done wonderful already today. We can lead up to that."

Kirsten paused. "I want to try."

Georgia raised her eyebrows. "You do?"

"Well what do I get in return?" Kirsten asked with a cunning grin.

Georgia thought schemingly. "A big hug and if you do really well I'll bake us some cookies." Kirsten smiled. "The ones with the chocolate drops?"

"Whatever Lady Fortuna wants." Kirsten smiled and took a deep breath. "Are you ready...?" Georgia slowly stroked her hands down to the tips of Kirsten's fingers then took her hands away. Kirsten looked like she was going to go under for a second but she managed to hold herself up. Georgia screamed. "You're treading water mum! You're treading water! By yourself!" Kirsten's head and neck were just above the water but she was still keeping a steady pace and managing to stay up. Kirsten was using every amount of energy stored in her to keep her legs moving enough to stay afloat. Her arms were in fact doing a lot of the work. Her legs weren't fast or strong yet but this would surely help.

"Paddle to me." Georgia said swimming back a few feet.

"What?" Kirsten asked panting a little.

"Doggy-paddle. Come towards me." Georgia put her arms out.

Kirsten sighed. "Those cookies better be damn good." Georgia giggled. Kirsten screwed up her face as she tried to make her legs push her forward. "Ugh…Ugh…" She puffed out as she strived her way to her daughter. Kirsten thought she was at a lost cause. She certainly wasn't moving very fast and she didn't feel like she was even moving at all. But she was proved wrong when she saw Georgia's hands in front of her face.

She stopped for a moment, treading water as she looked up and smiled at her daughter. "Did I just swim or did you move closer to me?"

"You swam!" Georgia said with a huge grin on her face. Kirsten laughed at herself. "Do you want milkshake with those cookies?" Georgia said so incredibly proud of Kirsten.

"Do you want to stop?" Georgia asked, holding Kirsten up under her arms, sensing that her mum was getting tired. Kirsten panted. "No. It's only a few feet to the end. I can make it."

"Good. Come on then." Georgia swam backwards slowly in front of Kirsten, holding her arms out just in case but she never grabbed hold. She got to the end all by herself. Georgia pulled her in the last 10 centimetres so she sat on the step. "You did it!" She shrieked. "You swam! You were swimming by yourself!" She pulled her into a hug. They both laughed and hugged tightly bobbing about. "Thank you." Kirsten said.

"I didn't do anything. You were the one who achieved something you never thought you would. Trust me after this you'll be running the New York marathon in no time." Kirsten laughed. "I am so so soooo proud of you mum" Georgia said which made Kirsten blush. "Dad would be too." That saddened Kirsten a wee bit but she knew she was right. "You're right! He would have." She said cheerfully although she wished Sandy could have seen her tackle this. Seen mother and daughter tackle it together.

"So you ready for those cookies?" Georgia said and Kirsten nodded. The phone rang. Georgia bounced up. "I'll get it." She got to the door leading into the kitchen. "You ok by yourself?"

"I'm fine." Kirsten assured her and Georgia went inside. "I'm fine." She repeated to herself.

Georgia picked up the phone in the kitchen. "Hello?" She said cheerfully.

"Hey GG."

"Hey, its my bestest brother!" She said grinning down the phone.

"We just won't tell Ryan that." Seth said.

"It's our secret." Georgia laughed. "O M G! Guess what mum just did?"

"Uh…-"

"She swam!" Georgia butt in. "All by herself, she was swimming!"

"That's huge!" Seth grinned. Georgia looked out the kitchen window checking on her mum. She was sliding across the side of the pool, to get to her chair Georgia assumed. She seemed capable. "That's amazing! I thought the doctors said she may never walk again."

Georgia walked around the kitchen island to get a tablecloth to dry her feet because she was sliding about. "I know but she got some feeling in her legs this afternoon."

"Well that's great. Tell her Ryan and I are very proud of her."

"I will." Georgia said moving back around the island.

"Any news on Dad?"

Georgia paused. "No. Nothing new. No change." He lowered his head; defeated again. "But its only 5. If mum's up for it later we'll go down to the hospital."

Georgia started to walk back outside. "Can I speak to her?"

"Yeah…" Georgia said as she looked up but she trailed off when she couldn't see her Kirsten. She looked around her. "Mum?"

"Georgia?" Seth said over the phone.

"Mum!" Georgia screamed as she saw her floating in the pool. She dropped the phone on a panicking Seth.

Georgia dived into the pool. She opened her eyes immediately underwater to see her mum. Kirsten was floating at the bottom of the pool trying to use her arms to pull her up. Her legs had clearly failed on her completely because they were dangling below her lifelessly. Georgia wrapped her arm around Kirsten's stomach and pushed them up to the surface with her feet, off the bottom of the pool. As they got to the surface Kirsten gasped for air she had been starved of for almost too long. She hung her head over Georgia's body too exhausted to hold herself up.

Georgia swam to the side of the pool. She held onto Kirsten as she got out the pool then pulled her mum out; Kirsten sat almost upright. "Are you ok? I am so sorry! I am so sorry!" Georgia said bursting into tears. Kirsten was still trying to catch her breath and was coughing up a little water. Georgia put her hands on Kirsten's arms to hold her up and rubbed her back. Georgia sniffled. "Maybe too much for one day." Kirsten said still breathless. Georgia pulled her into a hug. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I know." Kirsten said comfortingly. Georgia sobbed. "I pushed you too hard. I shoulda known you weren't ready."

Kirsten brought her weak arms around her daughter, embracing the hug. "I'm fine." Georgia sighed relieved. "It was me. I slipped. I just need to lie down." Kirsten said reassuringly.

20 minutes later….

Kirsten lay on the couch in her gym trousers and Sandy's Berkeley jumper and Georgia brought down a duvet to put over her. Georgia came in from the kitchen and pulled the coffee table up beside the couch. "Here's your coffee, the remote, this weeks Cosmo and I will just get on those cookies, do you need another pillow?"

Kirsten laughed. "I'm perfectly comfy thank you sweetie."

"Good. Oh and here's the phone. You should call back Seth. He's probably completely freaked."

Georgia left to bake cookies and Kirsten dialled Seth's dorm room number.

"Mum?" Seth answered the phone in a second.

"Hi Seth."

Seth sighed, "Oh thank god. What happened? Are you ok? I just heard Georgia screaming."

"I'm fine. Had a slippery incident with the side of the pool but don't worry; no bones broken, no limbs fallen off. I'm fine."

"Well you should tell the girl she really knows how to scare." Kirsten laughed. "So how are you? I mean really? With dad not around."

Kirsten nodded as she sighed "It's hard. I wish you and Ryan were here."

"Yeah we do too. We're coming back as soon as we can."

"Well that's the reality of being stuck in college." Kirsten smirked.

"Well I hope reality doesn't last too long." They both paused.

"Seth don't worry about us. I want you and Ryan to both do well at college. You only have one go at this. If there was something wrong you know I would call you in a second."

"I know but I can't help it, you know, it's you and it's my sister, and its dad…" Kirsten felt a shiver of sorrow run through her body when she heard Seth say 'dad'. "I just wish there was something we could do."

"Do something that will make your dad proud when he wakes up." She told him.

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For those of you who are observant and read 'Something Unpredictable', you might notice that Georgia coming home from school is the same sequence as when she comes home from school in Scotland when she is about to meet Sandy and Kirsten for the first time. She yells to her mum, goes into the kitchen dumps her bags and takes off her jacket and shoes while rambling on.

Just thought that should be something I'd point out.

Also the thing about 'reality' I tagged from Kirsten and Sandy's conversation at Suriak when Sandy says 'I hope reality doesn't last too long' or something along those lines.

Kay well thanks for reviews. This is a fast update. Don't know how soon it will be to the next. I've started but have to go through it in my head first. Lol

Kiki xoxo