Talon followed Gabriella down the stairs. She held Aubrey in her arms.

She could hear Troy telling his parents about Apex.

"Troy, what do you want me to feed her?"

He turned around from his chair in the living room. "Make her a piece of toast and whatever she wants to drink. Did you have any trouble with her?"

"No, she was a good girl." Gabriella sat her down at the kitchen counter.

Gabriella pulled some bread off the counter and pulled a piece out. "Talon, do you want a piece?"

He nodded.

She pulled another piece out and dropped them into the stainless steel toaster. She turned the knob to 2 minutes and pushed the lever down.

Aubrey coughed into her hand and yawned. "Mommy?"

Gabriella turned around. Troy must have taught her within a matter of two days who mommy was.

"What Aubrey?"

"Love you."

Gabriella moved Aubrey's hair out of her face and kissed her forehead. "I love you too."

Talon got a little jealous. "I love you mommy. I love you more than Brie does."

"I love you too Talon."

"Nuh-uh, love me more!" Aubrey smacked Talon's arm.

"Okay, quit you two." She looked around for the butter in the fridge. "Aubrey, what do you want to drink?"

"Juice." She looked in the fridge. "Apple juice, please."

Gabriella pulled the apple juice out, found the butter, and got a cup out of the cupboard. She poured Aubrey a cup. "Daddy taught you guys manners, didn't he?"

"Thank you." She smiled at Gabriella.

"Your very welcome." She handed Aubrey the cup.

"I want some too." Talon watched Aubrey drink. "Please."

She poured Talon a cup and handed it to him.

"Thanks." He grabbed the cup and gulped it down.

Gabriella buttered their toast and set it in front of them. She overheard Troy talking to his parents about her appearance.

"She came down here once before, when Talon was around a year old. I was here and she appeared in this old house... "

"Why didn't you tell us?" His mom asked.

"She didn't have enough time. She only had a certain amount of time before she was brought back to Apex."

"So all this time, she's been dead, but she switches back and forth between the two worlds, like a poltergeist or a ghost?" Jack said.

"Sort of, only she is completely real. She is 100% see-able, touch-able, and she can feel and talk and interact also. I don't know how... "

"God lets certain people come back." Gabriella stepped into the conversation. "People who weren't supposed to die. People who are young and deserve to live the rest of their lives. That is why he lets me come back. But I have been here for over 24 hours now, and usually, that is the limit. I don't know how and I don't know why, all I know is that it happens every day."

Troy sighed. "And now, Talon is scared to let her go. I let him see her because I thought it would be a matter of hours before she left but it isn't. She's still here."

Talon jumped off the kitchen stool and took Gabriella's hand. "Can we go play football outside? Please?"

"Mommy doesn't play football. That's what daddy does."

"Talon, it's snowing outside. When we get back to Baton Rouge, we will."

"Is mommy coming with us back to Baton Rouge?"

Troy looked at his parents. "See what I mean? What do I do?"

Julie came down the stairs. She yawned and stretched her arms out. "Oh, hi. Who are you?"

Gabriella looked desperately over at Troy. "I'm... "

"My wife?" Troy's eyes got wide. "She just arrived this morning."

Talon smiled. "She is my mommy."

Julie gave Gabriella a smile. "Nice to meet the woman my asshole brother married. I didn't even think he would ever get married."

Gabriella laughed. "He's no asshole."

"Oh yes he is." Julie looked over at him. "Did you hear what he taught him son?"

Lyle jumped out of Jack's arms and ran over to Julie, smacking her leg. "Daddy Troy is daddy, you are asshole-bitch. Asshole!"

Gabriella picked Lyle up. "Troy, tell him to quit!"

"We tried getting him to say aunt Julie but he just calls her asshole-bitch." Troy chuckled.

"I know, you told me earlier." She looked over at Aubrey, who was finishing up her plate. "I'm taking Aubrey upstairs... "

"Okay, you do that... Honey." He grinned.

"Okay, husband." She giggled behind Julie's back and set Lyle down.

"I'm going to help her."Julie said. "Get to know my sister in law."

Gabriella picked Aubrey up and went upstairs, Julie following close behind.

She went into Troy's bedroom. Julie followed.

"So, why did you marry my brother? Did he pay you? Did he rape you? Did he force you into marriage- "

Gabriella turned around. "I married him because I love him."

"How could you love him? He's an ass."

"He isn't an ass, he's a great guy. He loves me and our kids, and I'm happy with him."

She sat in the chair. "So how old are you? 25, 26, 23- "

"Nineteen, thank you." She set Aubrey on the bed. "Baby, do you want some water or something?"

"No water." Aubrey rested her head on the pillow.

"Nineteen? So that means you had Talon when you were- "

"Fifteen. Aubrey and Lyle, seventeen. Got pregnant at fourteen."

"They are twins, am I right?"

"Yeah... Lyle is older than Aubrey." She pulled the blankets over Aubrey. "Goodnight Aubrey." Gabriella kissed Aubrey's head. "Get better, okay?"

"There's something going on, I can tell... " She glanced over at Gabriella. "And I'm going to find out."