A/N: Hey guys! I completely forgot to do the author's note for the last chapter. I'm so sorry! I wanted to thank everyone for the reviews, especially my Guest reviewer (you know who you are ;). I think I've read those reviews at least ten times. Thank you so, so much for your kind words, it really helps and encourages me to write more, to be honest with you. I'm so glad you love this story, and I hope this chapter won't disappoint! :D Jack and Lou will be face to face very soon (in the next chapter) and I can't wait to post that. Thanks again, you are the best!
When Jack and Ty entered the house, Amy was in the kitchen doing the dishes.
When she saw them, Amy smiled, relieved, to say the least. "Hey…you guys missed dinner. I kept dinner heated for you in the oven, though."
Jack nodded, beginning to take off his jacket.
"Sounds great, Amy. I'm starving," added Ty.
Amy noticed Jack's tired face. "Grandpa, you look exhausted…you look like you could use some sleep."
Jack chuckled. "Sleep would be nice."
As Jack and Ty finished taking off their coats and boots, Amy asked, "Where were you two, anyway?"
Ty looked up at his wife, giving her a slight shake of his head.
Instead of answering, Jack simply asked, "Is Lou asleep?"
"Yeah, she has been for hours."
"Hours?"
"Yeah…" Amy said hesitantly, glancing over at Ty. "Look, I need to tell you something. Just…don't freak out, please."
Jack was immediately worried. "What is it?"
"Well, something happened today…"
"Amy, what happened?" Ty asked, moving forward.
"She's fine, just so you know. Absolutely fine. She just…" Amy checked to see if the coast was clear. She didn't want Georgie coming in and hearing everything, not after the effort Peter and her had put in to make sure the girls didn't find out about Lou. "Lou had a panic attack today."
"What...?" Jack said, flustered.
"Yeah, but it's nothing to worry about."
"Nothing to worry about? Panic attacks…people think they're dying, they can't even breathe," Jack said, upset.
"Think they can't breathe. But she was completely fine, alright? It's just…the reason I told you is because we all need to know that we can't stress her out anymore."
"What was she stressed about today?"
Amy swallowed. "Well, the police are being of no help. They're being absolutely useless. And then Katie came home from school and she reacted badly to Lou's injuries, and she just ran away…"
"And what else?"
"That's it," Amy lied.
"Amy," Jack urged her.
Amy sighed. "Grandpa, she kept asking for you, all day. I think eventually she realized you were avoiding her, and she couldn't take it."
Jack went silent again, immersed in his guilt all over again.
"How long has she been asleep for?" Ty asked.
"Well, we had to call Dr. Virani in, and-"
Jack was startled again. "It was that bad?"
"No, it's just that the first time someone has one of these panic attacks, you're supposed to get them medical attention. It's just recommended, according to Peter. And so, Tricia came and she gave Lou some sort of sedative. She was exhausted, grandpa, and I don't think staying awake would've done her any good, not physically, not mentally…"
"I see."
"Grandpa, she's fine. It's just that…now, we need to make sure we don't stress her out, not until she's stronger."
"Right," said Jack, sitting down at the roundtable, unable to stand anymore.
Georgie had hoped she would have a peaceful sleep that night. The last couple of days and nights had been crazy. Tonight, she thought, would be different. But she was wrong. She tossed and turned all night.
In her room, Georgie had been scrolling through her feed when she heard a loud crash come from downstairs. She immediately jolted, her stomach muscles tightening, her heart beginning to pound in her rib cage. Georgie breathed in, and stood from her bed, making her way downstairs.
Lou and Peter were standing in the kitchen when she got there, and they seemed to be in a heated argument. Peter seemed angry, almost threatening and intimidating. Lou was trying to stay calm and controlled, and she was trying to get Peter to calm down.
Peter suddenly shoved Lou, striking her on her shoulder. Lou cried out, stumbling back. "Peter, stop it. Just stop!"
Peter wouldn't listen. He moved forward and grabbed Lou by her arm, jolting her.
Georgie ran ahead and got in between her parents. She moved Lou back, trying to create distance between her and Peter. "Dad, stop it!" Peter tried moving forward, but Georgie stood in the way, putting a hand to Peter's arm. "Dad, stop!"
Peter suddenly backed up. He said something that Georgie couldn't quite make out.
"What? What did you say?"
Peter pointed behind Georgie. "Your mother…"
Georgie turned, and just as she did, she saw Lou close the bathroom door behind her. Georgie heard the lock switch.
After a tense minute of standing by the sink, Lou moved to the cabinet and took out her sleeping pills. Her hands were shaking and she was having a hard time opening the bottle. Her fingers were attempting to open it when there was suddenly a knock on the bathroom door.
Startled, Lou dropped the pills and they splattered all over the floor. She sighed heavily, knowing perfectly well the person on the other side of the door had heard them fall as well.
"Mom…? Are you alright?" It was Georgie.
"Yeah, I'm fine!" Lou called out.
"Okay, but I need you to open the door."
"Honey, in a minute." Lou requested.
"No. Now." Georgie wasn't having it. What was going on in there?
Georgie scrambled to find a key. It was hidden under the doormat of the bathroom. She seized it and swung the door open. There was Lou, on the ground, gathering the pills. She had the bottle in her hand, clutched tightly. Georgie knelt down beside Lou and went to grab the bottle.
Lou pulled it away. "I'll be just fine. You go."
"Mom!" Georgie grabbed the bottle from her mother and it went flying, the pills all splattering across the floor.
Georgie gasped awake. Realizing it was a dream, she sighed heavily. She sat up in bed, and she rubbed her temples. "Damn it…"
Georgie reached over and grabbed her phone to look at the time. It was early, almost three a.m.
Georgie got out of bed and headed downstairs. Just like the last time, she went to the bathroom and washed her face. She was about to head into the kitchen when she stopped in the hall. She went to Lou's room, and opened the door.
Lou was fast asleep in her bed. Georgie sighed, content. She moved ahead and climbed into bed beside her mother.
She thought to herself, she'd never been able to do this as a young girl…after having a nightmare, she never climbed into her parents' bed. Ever. She was now, though. Except now she was older, much too old to be climbing in with her mom after having a bad dream.
Soon after, Georgie fell asleep beside Lou. This time, she had a restful sleep.
A few hours later, when the sun was up, Lou's eyes flitted open. Without even having to look, she felt somebody asleep beside her. Maybe it was Amy.
Lou looked over to find Georgie asleep beside her. She was laying on her side, facing Lou's direction. The mother smiled to herself. Asleep, Georgie looked so innocent, as if she didn't carry all that baggage with her from her past. Lou's heart was overwhelmed by Georgie beside her. She chuckled to herself. Using her elbow, she lifted herself up, and moved over to plant a kiss on Georgie's temple.
Moving back to her spot, she sighed. The headache was back, and she was suddenly aware of how sore she was. Lou hoped she'd heal fast. She didn't like being around Georgie and Katie looking the way she did. And of course, she knew they didn't like it either. Georgie was good at hiding it for her sake, but Katie certainly wasn't…Lou tried not to think about it. She didn't want yesterday's fiasco to happen again.
A while later, Georgie awoke.
Lou immediately looked over to speak to her. "Honey. Georgie, sweetheart…is everything okay?"
Georgie nodded. "Yeah. I just had a bad dream, and then I came in here. That's all. Sorry, I probably freaked you out."
"No, no…you didn't. You've just never done this before," Lou smiled. "I was surprised," she said, laughing gently. Lou reached over and put a loving hand to Georgie's face.
Georgie looked up. Looking at her mother, she was suddenly reminded of the dream she had. Her throat went dry. She sucked in her breath.
"Honey, what was the bad dream you had?"
Georgie stopped. What would she say now? She wasn't about to tell Lou what she'd really dreamt of. She wasn't about to make that mistake. "You and dad were fighting, that's all."
"Oh…well, it was just a dream. We're not really fighting. You know that, right?"
Georgie nodded. "Yep."
"Hey, I think I'm going to head to the bathroom."
Georgie looked over. "Do you need help walking over?"
Lou nodded, laughing a little. "Yeah."
"Okay." Georgie stood and walked over to the other side of the bed. She first helped Lou sit up carefully, and then when she was ready, Georgie helped her stand up. Georgie held out her arm for her mother to grab onto. When Lou latched on, Georgie moved her other hand to Lou's side. "Yeah, just go slowly."
When Lou stood, she suddenly felt a stabbing pain go through her abdomen. "Honey, wait," she said, stopping in her tracks. She put a hand to Georgie's shoulder to steady herself.
"What is it? Something wrong?"
Lou grimaced. She tried to compose herself.
Georgie waited. She could feel her heart beginning to race in her ribcage.
A moment later, Lou breathed out. "It's gone."
"What was it?"
"Just some internal pain."
"What…?" Georgie's voice faltered.
Lou brought her hand up to Georgie's face. "It's alright. I just need a minute."
"Okay," said Georgie quietly.
Lou breathed out suddenly. "Okay…let's go."
Georgie led her mother into the hall and toward the bathroom. "Are you sure you don't want me to call Amy?"
"Oh, I can handle this. It's fine."
"Okay, I'll be out here if you need something."
Lou nodded and headed into the bathroom.
A while later, Georgie heard Lou open the tap. A couple minutes after, she heard a clang on the other side of the door. Georgie moved ahead, and knocked on the door. "Mom…? Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'll just be a minute," Lou called out.
"Okay…" Suddenly the dream came back to her. Georgie sighed tightly, trying to forget it.
Jack had come into the living room just as Georgie had gone to knock on Lou's door. He now moved ahead and asked, "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, she's fine."
Jack nodded, and headed into the kitchen. Georgie heard him walk out the front door. What was going on with him?
About a minute later, Lou emerged. She held onto the door frame. "Was that grandpa? I need to talk to him."
Georgie moved ahead and grabbed onto Lou just as she had before. "Yeah, that was him. But he left."
Lou brought her arm around Georgie, and just as she did, she heard Jack's truck start up. "Honey, wait."
"Lou, I need to get you inside."
"No, I need to talk to grandpa."
"Okay, you will. But not now, you need to be in bed."
"Georgie, I'll be fine. I need to talk to grandpa."
"He just left, but he'll be back."
Lou shook her head stubbornly. "No, he's probably still there warming up his truck. If you won't call him for me, I'll go myself," she said, moving ahead, releasing herself from Georgie's grasp.
Lou suddenly doubled over, yelling out in pain. Her hand went to her stomach and she reached out the other for Georgie.
Georgie immediately came ahead and held onto Lou. "Mom—" She moved forward and guided a hand to her back and held onto her arm to keep her steady. "What's wrong?" Georgie's breathing began to come out jaggedly, her heart was beginning to race.
After what seemed like an eternity, Lou let out a tired sigh. She seemed alright.
"What was it?"
"Same as before."
Georgie knew that was Lou's cover, but she didn't say anything. "Alright, let's get you inside."
After getting Lou back inside, Georgie rushed into the kitchen.
She quickly found a few things to make a light breakfast for Lou, and about fifteen minutes later, she returned.
"I brought you something. You need to take your medicines, but not on an empty stomach."
"Sweetheart, I don't need my meds right now."
"Oh yeah? Then what was that in the hall just now?"
Lou relented. "Alright, fine. I'll take it."
Georgie walked over and handed the tray to Lou. She then grabbed the medicine bottles she knew Lou needed from the drawer and put them on the table. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of them.
"Sweetheart, I'm sorry," Lou said suddenly.
Georgie laughed. "It's fine. I'm over it."
"Doesn't sound like it."
Georgie stopped what she was doing. She breathed in. She looked at Lou. She had half a mind to stay angry with her mother, but after a moment, the anger melted away.
"No, I worried you and frustrated you. There was no need for that."
Georgie stopped. "It's fine. Can we just stop talking about it?"
"I'm really sorry."
Georgie smiled. "It's okay. You just scared me. I thought we'd have to rush you to the hospital or something."
"Right…I know, that's what I thought too."
"Look, just…promise me you won't put yourself in any sort of danger."
"What?"
"Whether it's by accident or—" Georgie broke off, sighing, "or on purpose."
"On purpose?"
Pursing her lips, she said, "Yeah." When Lou gave her a look, she answered. "Like…you know, on purpose."
"Georgie…! I—" Lou broke off, parting her lips. She was unsure of what to say. She sighed, and said, "Honey, look at me. I would never. I could never even dream about leaving you and your sister behind, not in a million years. The only way I'd ever…leave this world…is when it's from something I can't control. Okay?"
Georgie looked down, her lip was trembling. Lou saw her eyes were glistening. She looked like she was in literal, physical pain.
Georgie bit her lip, blinking her eyes fast and hard.
Lou was about to ask her something, it seemed, when there was a knock at the door. It was Amy.
Georgie sighed, relieved. The cat was out of the bag now, and Lou would surely bring this up again, but at least not now.
"Look who's here bright and early to check up on you," said Amy, a smile at her lips.
"I'm going to get ready for school…" Georgie said as she retreated quietly, out of the room. "See you, Amy. Bye Lou," Georgie called out over her shoulder.