Still powering through this story as much as I can between working and working and sleeping! Hope you guys will like this chapter! I promise that things will get better soon! Don't give up on me yet!

Thanks for reading- J

Chapter 9

By the time they had returned home Alex had woken up, mumbling rather incoherently as Emily and Garcia practically carried her into the house, with Olivia following close behind. Though she had been warned about what was coming, JJ had been shocked to see the state Alex was in, worried as she volunteered to get Olivia set up in the guest room. Garcia had helped Emily get Alex upstairs and into her bathroom before deciding to call it a night since her friends obviously had their hands full. Knowing Alex was about 10 minutes from throwing up all over the place Emily had left the teen on the bathroom floor, going into her daughter's room and grabbing a pair of pajamas to help her change into.

It had been a long night, as Alex had spent nearly an hour throwing up while Emily held her hair back; JJ poking her head in to check how they were doing before quickly having to leave, unable to watch the teen getting sick as it made her feel queasy herself. By the time Emily had gotten Alex into bed it was late, and the older brunette was reluctant to leave her daughter alone; spending over an hour more sitting on the edge of the teen's bed just watching her sleep. Emily still wasn't sure how things had gotten so bad with her daughter, but she knew she needed to fix it soon before Alex did something even worse and got herself hurt.

Filled with thoughts of what could have happened if Logan hadn't found Alex and called her, Emily struggled to fall asleep when she finally returned to her own room; lying behind JJ and stroking the blonde's hair while she lay awake. Morning came quickly and before she knew it Emily was sitting on her bed the next morning, dreading the conversation she knew she had to have.

"Did you sleep at all?" JJ asked, coming out of the bathroom to find the brunette staring off into space, looking exhausted.

"Honestly I'm not even sure," Emily admitted, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "God it's such a mess. I just keep thinking about all the things that could have happened and it scares the crap out of me. I just don't know what she was thinking," she said. "I mean I am so angry with her, but I'm still so worried, I just don't even know what to do."

"I know babe," JJ said, sitting down next to her girlfriend and placing a hand on her knee. "Trust me I'm right there with you," she continued. "I was so sure that we could trust her, I just can't believe she lied to us again," she said shaking her head. "But she's lost Em. She's scared and obviously emotional. We have to get to the bottom of all of this."

"Yes we do," Emily agreed, taking JJ's hand in hers. "And we need to do it soon. I'm going to wake them both and get Olivia home so we can sit Alex down and talk about all this. We'll have to figure out an appropriate punishment, and try to push her to open up, but I don't think it's going to be pretty."

"Probably not," JJ said, leaning over and kissing the side of the brunette's head. "But we'll get through it. We always do."

"You got that right," Emily said, giving the blonde another kiss before standing up with a sigh. "Why don't you get a shower. I should be back in about half an hour from Olivia's. I'll get Alex some Advil, and tell her to wait for us downstairs."

"Sounds good," JJ nodded. "Now get moving gorgeous, we will be waiting for you when you get home."

Giving JJ one last kiss Emily quickly ran downstairs grabbing 2 bottles of water and the Advil before returning upstairs, stopping first at her guest bedroom, waking Olivia and giving her some pain pills before telling her they were leaving in 10 minutes. Leaving the young blonde to get herself ready to go, Emily made her way to Alex's room, finding the brunette sprawled out across her bed, obviously in a deep sleep. For a moment Emily had forgotten her anger and disappointment, smiling slightly at the sight in front of her before she remembered just why her daughter was in such a deep sleep; remembering the hour they spent on the bathroom floor the night before.

"Alex, wake up," Emily called loudly, walking over to the teen's bed and giving her a shake. "Come on time to get up," she said, reminding herself that Alex deserved the suffering she was going to be experiencing since she had chosen to drink.

"Oh God," Alex groaned, having been startled by her mother's wake-up call; obviously sitting up too fast as she grabbed her head as dizziness and pain overwhelmed her. "What? What's going on?"

"You need to get up," Emily said unemotionally. "I'm taking Olivia home and then we're going to talk. I expect you to be waiting for me downstairs when I get back."

"Can't it wait till later?" The teen asked, not realizing how angry this would make her mother, as she flopped back down onto her pillow with a groan. "God I feel awful."

"Well you have no one to blame but yourself for that," Emily replied harshly. "Maybe you'll remember this next time you decide to drink until you can barely stand," she said. "Now I will be back in an hour and you better be dressed and downstairs with JJ," said finished, placing the water and Advil on the bedside table. "Get moving," she called as she left the room, leaving no room for argument and feeling pretty confident that her daughter would listen. Making her way into the hallway the older brunette found Olivia waiting for her, standing near the stairs with her head down, looking properly ashamed. "Let's go," Emily said as she walked past the teen, hearing the blonde follow her down the stairs and out the front door towards her car.

It wasn't until they were both in the vehicle that Olivia finally turned towards her friend's mother. "Emily I really am sorry about last night," she said, her eyes glossy with tears. "This is all my fault. I never should have brought Alex with me and I never should have let her wander off on her own. I am so incredibly sorry and I'll understand if you don't want Alex hanging out with me anymore," she said as a tear slipped down her cheek.

"Olivia what's going on at home?" Emily asked, not yet starting the car as she turned towards the blonde with concern written all over her face.

"My mom she…she's been drinking," Olivia admitted sadly. "Ever since my dad left. At first it was just a couple drinks after work, but it's gotten to be more and more," she explained. "It's the worst on the weekends."

"So you've been going out with your older friends so you don't have to be home?" Emily asked.

"Friday night's are great because I'm always at one of the girls' houses, and when our sleepover is at my house my mom will go out," Olivia explained. "But Lex, Spencer and Zoey always have things going on Saturday nights. I haven't told any of them what's been going on and I hate being home when my mom's drunk…she's always so sad," she said, wiping away another tear. "So I started hanging out with Kaley and she started taking me to a bunch of parties. I don't drink a lot just…enough."

"I'm sorry sweetheart," Emily said reaching out and taking the blonde's hand in hers, understanding how difficult things must have been for the teen. "I know that's got to be a lot to deal with. I know it's not easy," she said. "But honey drinking and partying…it's really not the answer."

"I know," Olivia nodded sadly. "I really didn't mean to get Alex wrapped up in all this mess you know."

"I know Liv," Emily replied, squeezing her hand. "And it's really not your fault. Alex is…going through some things and she was going to find a way to get herself into trouble with or without you," she said. "I don't blame you at all Liv, but I think you really need to find a better way to spend your Saturday nights," she continued. "Alex is going to be grounded for a while, so she won't be allowed out and she won't be allowed visitors, but how about we make an exception when you need somewhere to go?" She suggested. "If you need out of the house, you call me and I'll come get you. You can stay with us whenever you want. Okay?"

"Yeah, okay," Olivia nodded tearfully, grateful for the hug that Emily immediately pulled her into. "Are you still going to tell my mom?"

"I'm afraid I have to," Emily said, pulling away and giving the blonde a small smile. "I think she needs to know, and who knows, maybe it will help things."

"Yeah," Olivia shrugged. "Maybe."

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Knowing Emily was serious when she said she needed to be downstairs by the time the older brunette returned home, Alex dragged herself out of bed a half hour after her mother left the room. Taking two aspirins, the teen pulled on a sweatshirt and ran her fingers through her hair before slowly making her way out of her bedroom and down the stairs, barely able to lift her feet from exhaustion. Since she really wasn't in the mood for talking the teen hoped that JJ was still upstairs getting ready, immediately disappointed when she turned into the family room to find the blonde sitting on the couch flipping through a magazine. Holding in her groan, Alex flopped down onto the opposite couch, desperately trying to avoid JJ's eyes.

"There's muffins in the kitchen," JJ said, not looking up from her magazine. "It would probably be a good idea to eat something."

"I don't think I can," Alex replied, her stomach feeling like it would likely revolt if she tried to eat anything. "Maybe later."

"Okay," JJ nodded, flicking the page of the magazine rather harshly, watching out of the corner of her eye as Alex rubbed her forehead with a grimace. "Headache?"

"Yes," Alex groaned. "Worse than I've ever had before," she said, dropping her head in her hands, missing the way JJ was shaking her head disappointedly at her.

"Yeah well that will happen," JJ said her voice sharp enough that Alex looked up in surprise. "What were you thinking Alex?" She asked, knowing she should probably wait for Emily to talk to the teen, but unable to hold back as she shut her magazine and looked at the young brunette expectantly.

"I…well…" Alex stuttered, thrown off by the blonde's clear anger, having not expected it.

"I'm just so disappointed in you," JJ said, shaking her head. "I just can't even believe it. I trusted you. I stuck up for you when your mom was worried," she continued. "Your mom was so freaked out about you being out and I just kept telling her that you would be fine; that you wouldn't do anything like this again. That you wouldn't lie to us again, but apparently I couldn't have been more wrong."

"I was just trying to have some fun," Alex replied, feeling suddenly defensive, sitting up straight and trying to control her breathing.

"You want to have fun? Go to the movies, go shopping, play a board game or something," JJ said. "You're 14 years old. You're too young to be drinking."

"I don't have to listen to this," Alex replied, shaking her head, knowing that the blonde was right, but not wanting to hear it.

"Yes you do!"

"No I don't," Alex shouted, standing up angrily, not hearing the front door open behind her. "You're not my mom!"

"Excuse me?" Emily called from the entryway, slamming the front door behind her, immediately registering the hurt look on JJ's face; looking like she had just been slapped. "Sit down right now," the brunette ordered firmly, coming around and sitting next to her girlfriend as Alex sat back down, looking stubborn as she refused to look up at JJ. "I've had just about enough Alexandra. This has been going on for way too long and it's completely out of control," she said. "I want to know what is going on with you, and I want to know right now."

"There's noth…" Alex began before getting cut off.

"Don't even try to tell me that it's nothing," Emily interrupted, her voice eerily calm. "You're lying, you hardly speak to either one of us, you don't even tell us that you broke up with your boyfriend, and now you're drinking," she said, looking quickly to JJ who still looked rather sad, obviously choosing to stay out of the rest of the conversation. "Alex what happened?" She asked, her voice softening slightly. "What's going on with you?"

"I…I don't want to talk about this," Alex said, her eyes watering despite her best efforts to control her emotions. "It doesn't even matter, it's not even going to make any difference."

"Yes honey it will," Emily sighed. "The nightmares aren't going to stop until you face them," she said watching the teen look away, her walls still up. "This anger you're feeling isn't going to go away until you let it go Lex. You need to talk."

"Why do you care?" Alex demanded angrily, determined to keep pushing her mother away.

"Alex…"

"No, you're never even here anyways," the teen interrupted. "I don't get why you're trying to push this. I told you before I don't want to talk," she said, shouting now as several tears slipped down her cheeks. "Why can't you just leave it alone? Just give me my punishment and let me go upstairs because I'm not going to talk to you."

"One month," Emily sighed, frustrated, but knowing she wasn't going to get through to the teen until she had some time to cool down. "Same rules as last time."

"Great," Alex replied sarcastically, wiping away the tears that refused to stop falling. "Can I go upstairs now?" She asked, looking at the floor.

"Yes, go," Emily relented, understanding that if Alex refused to talk there was no arguing with her, as the teen was just as stubborn as her.

Having the permission she needed Alex stood from her seat, slowly leaving the room and going up there stairs, not looking back at the disappointed looks on Emily and JJ's faces.

"Jen," Emily said, turning towards the blonde who still looked heartbroken. "She's just mad. She didn't mean it."

"I know, it's fine," JJ replied quietly, obviously bothered. "I'm just…I think I'm going to lie down for a bit," she said getting up from the couch.

"Jen," Emily said, grabbing her girlfriend's hand.

"It's fine," JJ repeated, attempting a smile that didn't even come close to reaching her eyes. "I just need to lie down."

"Okay," Emily nodded, letting go of the blonde's hand and watching as she headed for the stairs; waiting until she was out of view before dropping her head into her hands, suddenly feeling completely defeated.

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The rest of Emily's Sunday had been a quiet one; her house filled with a rather tense silence as both Alex and JJ remained holed up in their rooms, one out of anger and stubbornness, and the other trying to hide her sadness and hurt. Emily knew they all needed a chance to cool down; a chance to let their anger ebb a little, but the silence began to drive her crazy as she sat, searching for a way to make things better; to put everything back together and return it to the way it was.

When the older brunette went to bed that night, it was with the knowledge that she would get very little sleep, simply lying in bed with her thoughts while JJ feigned sleep beside her until the blonde's exhaustion took over and she fell asleep. Emily waited until 5am before she finally just decided to get out of bed, going to shower and get herself ready for work so she could have a chance to talk to Alex before everyone had to leave the house.

It was nearly an hour later when the brunette walked out of her en-suite, her attempts to remain quiet pointless as she found JJ sitting on the edge of the bed, rubbing her stomach. "I didn't mean to wake you," Emily said as she dropped her pajamas and towels into the laundry hamper.

"You didn't," JJ replied with a small smile. "It was the little guy kicking at my bladder that woke me," she explained. "Practically had to run down the hall before I had an accident," she said with a small laugh; Emily chuckling as she sat down beside the blonde, placing a light kiss against her temple. "What are you doing up so early?"

"Thought I'd try to talk to Alex before school," Emily explained. "Figured we've all had enough time to cool down by now and maybe we could actually talk now that there's a little less anger. I can wait till you've finished getting ready."

"I think maybe you should take this one on your own," JJ suggested quietly, her eyes downcast. "Might be better if it's just the two of you."

"Jen," Emily said, reaching out for the blonde's hand. "She didn't mean what she said yesterday. She's angry and defensive and she just wanted to hurt you," she continued. "She loves you so much."

"I know, I'm fine," JJ replied. "Really I am, I just think it'll be easier to get her to open up if we're not both there," she said, Emily easily able to detect her lie, seeing the hurt from yesterday still present in her eyes.

"Okay," Emily nodded. "I'll take this one, but we all do need to talk at some point," she said, JJ nodding her agreement. "Wish me luck."

"Good luck," JJ smiled, watching as the brunette left the room, once again rubbing her stomach before standing up; on her way to the master-bath when she heard Emily coming back down the hall.

"She's gone," Emily said in panic, standing in the bedroom doorway.

"What?"

"She's not here," Emily repeated, her eyes wide and worried. "She's gone."

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PLEASE DON'T HATE ME! I PROMISE THINGS WILL TURN AROUND!