Adam had brought Alicia's bags up to his wife's office.

'Thanks Adam - Alicia an I are heading of home now'

Adam could hear the happiness in Rachel's voice, he also was immensely proud of his wife and how she had accepted her faults and was trying hard to make things right for Alicia

'Come on then lovely girl, it's not a long journey'

The trip home was quiet as Rachel didn't know how roster a conversation, and Alicia was still weary from the vodka.
Rachel unlocked the door and headed straight to the kitchen, but quickly noticed Alicia hadn't followed her, she went back and saw Alicia hesitating to come into the house

'Um miss are you sure you want me here?'

This pulled at Rachel's heart, however she knew Alicia was perfectly within her right to be scared and ask the question

'Alicia, you can call me mum when we're not in Waterloo road ok? And like I said in my office, this is your home too'

With that Alicia followed her mother into the kitchen

'We have coffee, tea, Ribena?'

'Ribena please' Alicia replied quietly, everything had happened so fast. 'Im sorry about being sick on you...'

'Sweetheart it's fine, you used to do it all the time when you were a baby'

A mention of Alicia's childhood was a rare occurrence, it felt odd as Alicia still thought of her mother as a stranger

A few moments passed until Alicia asked a question that Rachel knew she was going to answer

'What made you change your mind about me mum?'

'To be honest with you Alicia I'm not really sure myself, but I decided I can't keep running from my past, an that started with accepting you...'

Alicia started to get angry 'So this is all for your self realisation project, again I raised my hopes in the car that you actually wanted me for WHO I AM? Or do you just feel guilty and you don't want to look bad at school, too ashamed that your daughter doesn't live with you?' Similar to earlier in the day, Alicia had started to cry, but this time she tried to hide her emotions, determined not to let her mum see her upset again. She was not going to be a coward

'Alicia I want you to move in with us, because yes I do feel guilty BUT I want to form a relationship with you, as in the last few weeks you have made me so proud, you are a beatiful young lady and I've realised how much I do care about you'

'But what happens mum if I don't do anything to make you proud, will I be packed off to another set of strangers? I'm not a parcel that you can pick me up and dump me whenever you feel like it' argued Alicia

'I know, don't cut in on what I have to say Alicia' Rachel had seen her daughters mouth about to open as in to speak 'I want to know you Alivia, I want to know what makes you happy, I want to know the small things like your favourite colour. I want to care for you and protect you. And most importantly I want to be a mother to you. Yes I know I'm off to a late start, but Alicia please believe me that I am truly sorry for the way I have treated you and I know I'll never be able to make it up to you but I do want you to live with me, and I want you to know that the other day I realised I had loved you for the last 16 years, and I was an idiot, that sweetheart is why I want you living under this roof'

Alicia was quite shocked at her mother's revelation, and although she still had many questions in her head and arguments I deliver, she was tired. She was also tying to resist the urge to cry and go and hug her mother, as she didn't believe Rachel deserved that just yet

So she just replied simply with 'can I go to my room please? - I'm tired'

Although disappointed, Rachel happily showed her daughter her new room, the one right next to Adam and hers.

The room was very pale and simple, although Rachel was planning on letting Alicia renovate it, as she had heard from Kim that her daughter was very creative, 'something else I should know' Rachel unhappily thought.

Alicia made her way towards the bed, and as she had no pyjamas, she slid into her duvet in her school uniform.

'Good night my lovely girl,, sweet dreams you're safe here'

There was no reply, Rachel went to shut the door, and just before it had completely shut.

Alicia tiredly mumbled 'night mum, by the way, call me Alic, all my friends do'

Rachel shut the door and beamed, a bridge had been crossed with her daughter, and however small it was it had been crossed

sorry if spelling/grammar is awful - I'm absolutely knackerd :) again thanks for reviews and keep reviewing! :D