Hi Everyone,

I am sorry if anyone gets excited believing this is a chapter update, so very sorry.

I just wanted to write to you and let you know the situation. You have all been so kind in your reviews and messages and the support and interest for this fic has really touched me. I'm so glad that so many of you have enjoyed exploring a different side of Stephanie in the same way I have and I hope we can continue our journey together.

That's the first thing I need to say; this story WILL be finished. Hopefully sooner rather than later due to how long you guys have been waiting! But that's the thing that I need to tell you.

I spent hours and hours and hours working on this fic in 2018. Editing everything I had written and trying my damndest to plug all the plot holes. These hours were spent at the bedside of my mother whilst she slept and I sat watching over her until either she woke up or someone else took over so that I could take a break. On the 4th of July my mother went into hospital unexpectedly, but it didn't seem serious and she had been in several times for minor issues over the past few years. We were concerned but we would never have imagined what came next.

On the morning of the 8th July I received the phone call to say that my mother was dying and I needed to grab my brother and come to bring her home where she wanted to be. They told us she had weeks. I was still wrapping my head round this when she went into a coma and died in the early hours of the 1st of August.

Weeks before I had been excited about my new promotion (only a little one), thrilled by the release of Avengers Infinity War (my other passion) and I had just started to come to terms with the death of my cat earlier in the year. My mum knew all about these things. I spoke to her every single day telling her my plans and asking what she thought.

The day she died my whole world shattered. And I struggle every single day to go on living without her. It has been dark and difficult, and we have also had to fight several other life changing battles along the way. A lot of my life at this point is like a time capsule. I haven't touched many things since the day my mother died. The thought of it makes me feel physically ill.

One of those things is all the documents I have for this fic. I worked on them in between caring for her and spending time with her during her last few weeks. It was something good and productive I could do in the midst of everything that was happening.

I am currently working on being able to come back to this and continue with the thousands and thousands of words I have written. I want to do it in a way where I can make the updates regular rather than stop start for you guys. But I have to heal somewhat first. I cannot continue until I do so.

I am not seeking your sympathy, but I do beg for your understanding for a little while longer. For those of you who have moved on or have lost interest, I completely understand and I am sorry that you never got to see the best of this fic. Just know I am grateful for everything you have given me.

I understand that upon reading this several of you may wish to comment or ask questions which is absolutely fine. But I would very much appreciate it if you could do so by messaging me and not by leaving a review. I will answer all messages as promptly as possible. This is just because I don't want my review count to go up without it being a true reflection of the fic itself. I would hate for it to look better / more popular than it is simply because of the circumstances rather than standing on its merit or lack of it.

I hope you will not be too disappointed in me and I will shower you with everything I've got left in me to give as soon as I can.

Wishing you a Happy New Year

Love,

Maddie