I have no idea why the error posted the first time I tried to upload this chapter, but I edited the faulty document and posted from my laptop instead of my phone. I know, I suck. I'm sorry! To apologize for the delay and lapse in updates I'm going to upload Chapters 19 AND 20 tonight. Thank you for following and your patience.

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Piper jumped when the door flung open.

"Jack! Oh my god," Alex gasped seeing her son lying in the hospital bed, asleep with a large white bandage across his forehead.

She rushed to his side and gingerly brushed his hair back with her fingertips. He started to stir when she touched him.

"Mama?" he croaked out, his eyes squinting under the bright hospital lights.

"I'm here, baby boy." She looked back at Piper, her voice cracking. "What happened

"We were coming back from lunch and he asked to go on the jungle gym at the park. I was tired so I sat on a bench to watch him play and I looked away for a second to get my phone to take a picture and I heard him cry out. I guess he was trying to keep up with the older kids using the monkey bars and fell."

Piper could see the worry and fear etched in her wife's stormy green eyes before she shook her head, almost to clear the concern from her face, and turned back to their son.

"How you holding up, babe?" she asked him softly, stroking his cheek.

"Okay. I got itches."

A small smile formed before she corrected him, "Stitches."

He shook his head in agreement, "Six itches."

"Whoa, six? And you're feeling okay? I've got a pretty tough kid, huh?"

He smiled up at her and held her index finger. His face scrunched like he was thinking.

"Where were you, Mama?"

She winced, his words hitting her hard.

Yeah, Alex. Where the fuck were you when your kid needed you?

"Remember I told you mama was working?" Piper asked him.

"I got here as soon as I could," Alex said and stroked the little fingers holding hers with her thumb. Her head hung in shame, gaze dropping to the bed. She nervously adjusted her glasses with her free hand before pulling at the blanket on the hospital bed. "I'm glad you were brave for your mom," she added quietly, looking back up at him with watery eyes.

Piper leaned forward to rest her hand on Alex's knee, "I'm so sorry, Alex. I swear I only looked away for a second."

The brunette shook her head, unable to look away from Jack, "It wasn't your fault, Pipes."

A nurse stuck her head in, "There's a Nicole Nichols here. Is it okay to let her in?"

"Yeah," Alex said quietly, motioning for the nurse to open the door wider.

Nicky practically fell through it and doubled over, her hands bracing her thighs. She was panting and held a single finger up signaling she needed a second before she spoke through heavy breaths.

"I almost... Caught you... But you're... The fastest... Woman... Alive... How the hell... Did you get here... So fast... Running... Is disgusting."

Piper's head whipped around, "You ran all the way here?"

Alex shrugged, "Just out of the store and for a little bit away from traffic."

"A little bit! HA!" Nicky yelled, "I had to drive your car here..." She took a final deep breath before collapsing in the chair next to Piper, "Because somebody bailed on it the first time I caught up to her."

"I'm not letting him out of my sight again," Alex said quietly.

Piper was worried. It was a small accident but she could tell how scared Alex was. She kicked herself for not watching him the entire time but she knew Alex would take the blame somehow.