The next morning Ronnie woke up and got out of bed.
She let Jack have a little ly in, since he looked so peacefully asleep next to her.
She got out of the bedroom and all seemed quiet in the house.
Then the bathroomdoor opened and Robbie walked out in her sweatpants, a shirt, her hair all wet.
- 'Hey.. morning Ron'Robbie said, a little startled from running into Ronnie.
- 'Morning my sweet, ehm you alright?'Ronnie walked over to Robbie concerned that Robbie was still running a really bad fever and be sweating all over, but getting closer she could smell the scent of her conditioner and some bodylotion, knowing she had been in the shower already.
- 'Yeah i'm fine, feeling much better, i woke up and just felt like taking a shower'Robbie said not really looking up but walking traight over to her room'i ehm, i have been sweating a lot last night, so well you know, i needed to freshen up a little and taking a shower while Rox is still asleep is really a luxury, no miss drama knocking at the door or ordering me out "cause she really needs to take a shower like right now!" Robbie pretended to be Roxy.
- 'Alright'Ronnie said grinning a bit but also getting a little suspicious about Robbie's nervous behaviour, she had seen her acting like this before.
She followed Robbie into her room and immediately noticed the different bedding on her bed, different from the last time she saw Robbie, kissing her goodnight last night.
- 'Ehm i wanna go to school Ron, i really feel much better then yesterday, think the sleeping did it all'Robbie said forcing a little smile.
Ronnie just looked at Robbie trying to keep herself busy by going through her closet and her desk with schoolbooks, looking like she was trying to avoid talking to her mum.
Also, Robbie calling her Ronnie gradually now was also a bit to worry about since she hadn't done that that much anymore, just once in a while.
It appeared to Ronnie that for Robbie, Ronnie was just "mum" and not Ronnie "her eldest sister" anymore.
She had noticed that Robbie started to continually call her "mum" since Glenda had been back.
As if she wanted to let Glenda know that it had been Ronnie that had been her mum all these years.
Ronnie wondered what had happened, overnight?
She closed the bedroomdoor behind her and walked over to Robbie.
Ronnie put her hands on Robbie's cheeks and made Robbie face her.
- 'Are you really alright babes?'she asked again being concerned.
- 'Yeah, i really am fine Ron, stop fussing so much alright, the only thing is, i didn't get any of my homework done so maybe you could write a note that i was sick and all, and didn't expect to be going to school today and...'Robbie was starting to talk faster now.
- 'Robbie, slow down and breathe, come here'Ronnie said as Robbie was starting to go through her closet again.
- 'I gotta get dressed'Robbie said'could you go downstairs and make me some breakfast yeah, please Ron, i'm starving that's a good thing right, that i'm hungry'.
- 'Yeah definitely'Ronnie said then softly taking Robbie by her arm and then making her sit next to her on the bed.
- 'What?'Robbie asked'what's wrong?'
- 'Sweetie i've known you for almost 16 years alright, you're an open book to me, obviously you're upset about something, i can tell, so are you gonna tell me what's going on or am i gonna tell you?'Ronnie said stroking Robbie's damp hair.
Robbie got quiet and starred to the floor.
- 'Ron...i said stop fussing, i...i just wanna go to school alright'Robbie said.
- 'Well that's at first'Ronnie said raising her eyebrow when Robbie said that.
Robbie sighed'well i wanna see my friends'she said.
- 'Did you have another nightmare maybe?'Ronnie asked straight forward.
Robbie sighed again and wanted to avoid Ronnie's eyes, by looking away from her trying to look outside, trying to not let her show what was going on since Ronnie obviously really could read her like an open book.
- 'Sweetie?'Ronnie said knowing she was right.
- 'He was here again, Archie, he was so angry with me, he was chasing me the whole time, screaming at me, it was so dark Ron, i felt so scared, i looked for you and Jack but i couldn't find you anymore, i knocked on the door but you didn't open it, so i ran down to the Vic and...well every door was closed and it was just him and me on the square, he stood there at the park looking angry at me, i wanted to hide from him, but everywhere i hid all i heard was his footsteps coming closer, i was so scared and it was so dark'Robbie said leaning over to Ronnie who pulled her close.
- 'Shsss, it's alright baby'Ronnie said 'it was a bad dream again Robbie, he's not here you know that, he's just still in your head, he'll soon dissapear i promise you, and ehm..don't worry about your sheets, i'll take them to the launderette with everything else, i was gonna go over there anyway, where are they?'.
- 'Outside...i'm almost 16 Ron, this is so embarrassing'Robbie said feeling ashamed, trying to whipe away her tears quickly.
- 'You don't have to be sweetie, you had a very bad dream remember, nothing to be ashamed off alright, do you know how many times i used to change Roxy's sheets from being so wasted she slept through it, i'm glad those days are over, but this is totally different babe, now don't worry alright'Ronnie said giving Robbie a cuddle ' and there's still something else babe, am i right?'
- 'What do you mean?'Robbie asked looking surprised a bit.
- 'Well you keep refering to me as "Ronnie" now, what's that all about?'Ronnie said raising her eyebrow since she didn't really understood what that was all about.
- 'Well it's ehm.., i ehm... i dunno how to explain that to ya'Robbie said standing up again and going through some cd's on her desk, being uncomfortable.
- 'We'll just tell me Robbie, i can take it, and it's not like you were ever afraid about telling me anything before...unless you've got yourself in trouble again?'Ronnie looked at Robbie who kept looking at her from the corners of her eyes.
- 'Trouble, me?'Robbie joked a little.
- 'See that's what i mean, now sit down, cause you sitting up and down gets on my nerves'Ronnie said'come here sit down babe'.
Robbie looked serious at Ronnie, she could see that her strongminded, always seem to be so sure of herself, mum, now seemed a little insecure of herself and getting nervous.
Robbie sat down next to Ronnie and looked at her and then to the floor again.
- 'Babe, you can tell me, don't be afraid, what's wrong?'Ronnie said seeing that something was holding Robbie back to tell her what was going on.
- 'Well those dreams..'Robbie started'Dad...Archie, well last night, when he was looking for me.. he ehm...he kept talking on and on through it, repeating himself the whole time, ...he was still on about Jack and me becoming a Branning, and becoming his daughter'Robbie said.
- 'It's just a dream sweetie, we told you he can't stop it or do anything about it, he's dead, and i wish he would leave you alone'Ronnie said.
- 'I wasn't done yet'Robbie said.
- 'Sorry'Ronnie apologised for interupting Robbie.
- 'He also was talking about you'Robbie said'that...well that eventhough you adopted me, you would never be my real mum...that i could never really have you as my mum'
Ronnie saw how Robbie did not like saying this to her, as if it was true.
- 'He better...'Ronnie said but got interupted by Robbie.
- 'He mend something different...he sai...he said that eventhough getting adopted, that as soon as you both get married and a baby would come along...that...that that would be the real Branning, and become your real child..eventhough i know it's still a dream, it really feels as if he's there telling me,...i can feel his breath in my face when he's talking'Robbie put her head in her hands, then stood up and ran out of her room to the bathroom.
Ronnie who also had got up, to ran after Robbie, heard her throwing up again.
Ronnie walked into the bathroom and sat next to her by the toilet and wiped her mouth with a towel.
Robbie's face was covered in tears and looked a little lost.
Ronnie pulled Robbie close and Robbie dissapeared in her mums arms.
- 'That...that will never happen baby, if...'Ronnie said as Jack walked into the bathroom.
He had woken up and had walked over to the bathroom to wash his face first.
- 'Hey'Jack startled a little not expecting someone in there.
He looked at Ronnie sitting on the floor leaning against the closet under the sink, holding Robbie, soothing her.
- 'What's going on?'Jack asked as he kneeled down to them.
- 'Apparantely dad still keeps giving her bad messages in her sleep, telling her that eventhough you and i have adopted her she would never be a real Branning, that if we would ever have another baby, that that would be the real Branning, our real child, he's talking crap sweetie, i can't tell you how much i hate him for doing this to her still Jack'Ronnie said.
Jack sat down next to Ronnie and also tried to sooth Robbie by rubbing her back softly.
- 'Although it's not finalised, for me it's already clear darling, you're my eldest child now Robbie, there's no doubt about that alright, and i never want you to have to worry about that, and your mum, well that always has been Ron, so that's also never gonna change, and this man in your dreams, well he still has got a hold on you, he still tries to rule your life by trying to put this in your head, and he does his best, but he never will sweetheart, he can't stand the fact that i'm your dad, that you love me as much as i love you, something he never could get from you as much as he wanted to, just try to move on alright, he can never get a hold of you anymore'Jack said while Robbie looked up.
- 'Move on...don't you think i've been trying to do that, i wanna move on, i moved on Jack, i know he's dead, and i'm glad for it,but he keeps coming to haunt me in my dreams, as if i'm off-guard or something'Robbie stood up and walked out of the bathroom running into Glenda.
- 'Morning darling you're up early, for once'Glenda said.
Robbie looked irritated at Glenda's remark 'it's all your fault, marrying this evil man and having me, i just wished you never got me!'Robbie said walking into her room and grabbing her hoodysweatshirt and trainers and got out again.
Glenda was still there when also Ronnie and Jack came out of the bathroom.
- 'Oi little missy, i wanna have a worth with you'Glenda said with her hands on her hips following Robbie running down the stairs'Robin!".
- 'Mum not now!'Ronnie said following Robbie downstairs, who was putting on her shoe's.
While Ronnie came down, Robbie grabbed her keys of the sidetable in the hall, looked up and then walked out the door.
- 'Robbie!'Ronnie called.
- 'Ron, maybe you should give her some breathing space'Jack said, also coming down.
- 'She's upset Jack, i don't wanna let her run out there in that state'Ronnie said walking to the door, opening it and looking outside to see where Robbie went.
- 'What is going on, oh my head, what's all the racket about?'Roxy asked carrying Amy on her hip, holding a bottle of water in her other hand sipping on it while coming down the stairs.
- 'Your little sister mouthing me off again'Glenda said following Roxy downstairs.
- 'Mum, she's upset, she had another bad dream about dad alright'Ronnie said looking annoyed at Glenda.
- 'So where's she now?'Roxy asked.
- 'She ran out of the house'Ronnie said scratching her forehead.
- 'What was the nightmare about then, i mean dad obviously but what?'Roxy asked.
- 'He just won't leave her alone Rox, she really was upset, i could tell with her whole behaviour again'Ronnie winked at Roxy.
Roxy knew immediately how far Robbie's bad dreams could go.
- 'You're father was a nightmare himself', you know what he used to call me..'Glenda said.
- 'Maybe some other time ey mum, when we're reminiscing old times yeah'Roxy said handing Amy to Jack and getting her shoes on.
- 'Where you going?'Ronnie asked.
- 'Well to look for her ofcourse, you coming or what?'Roxy said.
Ronnie looked at Jack'she's really upset Jack'.
- 'Go on and find her, give us a call when you do yeah, and if she comes back before you i'll let you know' Jack said giving Ronnie a kiss as the sisters both walked out of the house.
- 'You want coffee Glenda?'Jack asked walking to the kitchen.
- 'Ehm yes please Jack'Glenda said following Jack and looking back to the frontdoor again.