I'm going to start off with saying how sorry I am. It's been almost two months since I updated! But what can I say? Things are busy. I've been working from 5am until about 10pm everyday, I'm doing events, my boyfriend had a car accident two days before we were due to fly to Italy. And I got back from Italy/Bali this morning, narrowly avoiding a car accident before we stopped and got the driver out.

But I'm going to try and update when I can! Promise. And apologies for any mistakes; this was written at about 2am on the plane.

*****

"Are you sure neither of you need anything? Why don't I try and make something to eat or..."

"Rachel, would you just stop and relax for a minute? Please?" prompted Jake. He had been sitting on the lounge chair at his house for the past fifteen minutes, watching Rachel run around like a mad woman. Rachel, along with Alex's assistance, had helped Jake into the house where he had sat down on the couch. The weather in Sydney had spiked to a high with the summer heat waves.

"Hey Alex! Do you know where the remote for the air conditioner is?" called out Rachel, having obviously ignored Jake's pleas. Jake sighed, dropping his head. Rachel was flipping through things on the kitchen bench, looking for the air conditioning remote.

"Rachel!" Deciding she wasn't listening, Jake stood up slowly, finding his feet, before walking cautiously over to where Rachel was. Only when she noticed Jake had stood up, did Rachel pay any attention.

"You're supposed to be sitting down!" she exclaimed. Jake just smirked.

"Rachel, the remote's in the clip next to the air conditioner," he laughed, taking a further step over and reaching up to remove the remote from its holder. "Just relax, would you?"

"I kinda forgot to look there," admittedly Rachel sheepishly, looking back at Jake. Jake laughed and shook his head, before grabbing her shoulders and pushing her towards the lounge room.

"Just sit for a minute. You're trying to do so many things at once that you actually don't know what you're doing."

"You can stop babying me; I'm supposed to be the one looking after you," grumbled Rachel as she plonked herself down on the couch. Jake turned to sit down next to her and Rachel held her arm up to steady him, although he seemed alright on his own.

"I'm fine, Rachel," Jake told her once he was sitting. Rachel raised her eyebrows at this, which Jake saw. "Okay, I might be a bit bashed up. But I am okay. Okay enough that you don't have to run yourself into the ground looking after me and Alex." Neither of them said anything for a while, both staring straight in front, out to the sliding door which lead to the backyard.

Rachel was the first one to speak again, turning back to face Jake.

"You have no idea what it was like seeing you like that." At her words, Jake turned back to face her. He shook his head slowly.

"You shouldn't have had to go through that. Neither should Mum or Alex."

"No one should ever have to go through anything like that. No one," replied Rachel, in some sort of attempt to comfort him. Rachel continued watching Jake for a minute, as he sat thinking.

"I remember... after... the accident," he started. "Mum wasn't moving. And I couldn't see Alex." Rachel wasn't sure what to say to this, but decided that it was probably better to just let him get off his chest whatever he wanted to say.

"I tried... I tried to move... but I couldn't." Jake looks towards Rachel briefly before continuing. "I don't remember anything after that." Rachel wasn't sure what more to say after that. But she spoke gently.

"They said that when they arrived, you and your mum were both unconscious. Alex was awake. When the police rang me, you'd just been taken to hospital."

"See, that's what frustrates me! I don't remember. And the only part I do, I didn't do anything to help."

"Jake! How could you have helped? You were trapped; they had to use the jaws-of-life just to get you out of the car."

"I've always promised to look out for Mum and Alex, after Dad left. I became the man of the house. Just feels like I failed that," said Jake, resting his head back against the chair, before turning to Rachel. "Does that make any sense?"

"Yeah, it does," said Rachel slowly. "But it's not our fault. It never was and it never will be." They continued to look at each other, with Jake reaching over to grip Rachel's hand, as a comfort.

2.00pm, Barton House

With her daughter staying there for the time being, a very pregnant Julie Rafter decided to go by and see how her daughter was coping.

Rachel had barely left Jake's side, only leaving the house for fifteen minutes to take Alex to work.

Climbing the few small steps up to the front door, Julie pressed the bell next to the door and took a step back to wait for someone to come and answer it. Just a few moments later, she saw a figure approach.

"Hi Jules."

"Jake, I didn't think you'd be up and about already," said Julie, clearly surprised at seeing Jake approach the door. "Last time we saw you, you were stuck in a hospital bed." Jake laughed a little before opening the door to let her in.

"Relishing the chance to move around again. Rachel hasn't spotted me yet," he told her as he closed stepped back to let her go through. He was met with a tea towel to the head.

"Rachel did spot you," she told him, coming up to join him near the door. "Hi Mum." Julie smiled at seeing their interaction.

"Hi darling. Just thought I'd come by and see how you're all doing," she smiled, before remembering something. "Oh, I felt like baking." She held out the container in her hand, which Rachel accepted. She opened the lid to reveal her mother's delicious chocolate cake. Jake looked over her shoulder.

"I feel better already. Thanks Jules."

"So how are you feeling?" asked Julie, glancing over her shoulder at Jake as she was ushered into the living room.

"Like I'm in prison," was Jake's response, with a glance toward Rachel, which earned him a glare in return. "I'm feeling good."

"He's being stubborn," added Rachel. "He doesn't get that he's injured."

"You shouldn't be in advertising; you should be working as one of those ward nurses; you sound just as bossy."

"Oh, you can hardly talk Mr..."

"I understand now," interrupted Julie, while laughing at their bickering. Jake and Rachel looked at each other, before both looking at Julie, obviously thinking back to exactly what they had just been on about.

"Anyway Mum, how's my little sister doing?"

"Ben's got something to say about that; he wants a brother," laughed Julie.

"I don't care what he wants; I think it's a girl," was Rachel's indignant reply. Julie could only laugh.

"So, when is Grace being released from hospital?" At the mention of his mother, Jake looked over at Rachel, before he answered.

"Day after tomorrow."

****

It's so short! But it's a wrap. For now. I don't think this will be one of those really long stories. Definitely not like my Sea Patrol fiction 'Underlying Facts' which was 41 chapters or something.

Thank you to those who have reviewed on previous chapters. I can only hope you are still interested considering it took me so long to update. Reviews are appreciated. Thanks for reading!