A good hour before the surgery was set to start, Peter had gotten Lou checked in and to her room. The surgeon came down to touch base. He walked them through the surgery, explaining that with the reconstruction, it would take about nine to twelve hours.

He took a marker out of his pocket and drew an outline on her skin where they would be cutting into. Peter looked away, tracing the lines of the door frame with his gaze. He didn't think Lou wanted him to see this part.

When the surgeon said he was going to send for the nurse, who would be by shortly for a few housekeeping items, Peter turned back and shook his hand. "Thank you."

The man nodded and headed out.

Once he was gone, Lou turned to Peter. "Are the girls on their way?"

"They haven't texted back yet."

Lou didn't respond for a few seconds. "I feel like I'm forgetting something."

"You're not. We went over everything like a million times yesterday."

"Oh, yes. When you're making eggs for the girls' breakfast, just remember that Katie likes hers sunny side up, and Georgie likes hers scrambled."

"Lou, I know."

"Yeah, but you've mixed it up a few times."

"I think they can go a few days without perfect eggs," he laughed, expecting Lou to join in, but when she didn't, his smile faded. "Lou, everything's going to be fine."

Lou nodded. "Yeah."

Peter tipped his head. "Anything else?" Lou shook her head as Peter sat down on the edge of the mattress. He took both her hands into his and kissed her knuckles. "I love you."

Her eyebrows lowered and pulled closer together, her lips pouting outward. "Peter, don't."

"What? What did I do?" Peter asked despite knowing exactly what he'd done.

"The kids are going to be here soon, and I can't…" Lou inhaled deeply. "Not right now."

Peter gazed at her lovingly. "Well, when, then?"

She didn't say anything for a minute. And then, "I love you, too."

Peter smiled, a hand reaching to cradle her face.

Georgie and Katie made their way to their mother's room just in time to say goodbye.

Katie went in directly for a hug. She found it easier to bury her face in her mother's chest.

Georgie stood back at the entrance of the room while the two embraced, her hand gripping the doorframe. Lou's gaze met hers over Katie's shoulder, and her mother seemed to invite her in, but Georgie remained glued to her spot.

When Katie released Lou, Peter spoke up, addressing Georgie. "Honey, you coming in?"

Once Katie had retreated and made way, Georgie approached and took Lou in the folds of her arms, pressing her cheek to the top of her mother's head. No words were exchanged.

Lou clung to her daughter until it was time to say goodbye, but Georgie purposely made it come across that she was the one who wouldn't let go.

The waiting room soon began filling up with people. First it was just Peter and the girls, and then Tim and Jessica arrived, and then Rick.

He hovered for a couple of minutes before Katie returned from the vending machine and stopped next to him to offer him half of her chocolate bar.

"No thanks," he said, but couldn't help when a gentle smile graced his lips.

Katie shrugged and began unwrapping the chocolate, urging him to sit with her. "I realize I haven't really been by the office lately."

Rick sighed as he put a hand to the arm of the chair and sat down as well. "It has been quiet," was his way of saying that he'd missed all the chaos.

"Well, don't get used to it 'cause I'll be by soon. Parker, too."

When Peter saw that Katie was now occupied, he turned his attention to Georgie, who was staring down the hall, her chin resting in her palm, foot tapping away nervously. He sat beside her and put a calming hand to her wrist. "Sweetheart."

Georgie sat up, releasing her elbow from the arm of her chair.

"Are you okay?" asked Peter, though it was a force of habit.

"No," answered Georgie, bewildered. "How can you ask me that?"

"Can we talk?"

"What about?"

"I don't know. Maybe about Lou and I getting back together. We never did get to that."

Georgie shook her head. "No. No, not when everything is so up in the air."

Peter inhaled sharply. "Well, I hope you know that I'm planning to stick it out."

Georgie scoffed. "I'm not the one you need to convince."

Peter chewed on his bottom lip. "You're still angry."

"I told you, I'm not talking about this with you. Not right now."

Peter nodded. "Okay. I'm going to go grab some coffee. Do you want any?"

"Nope."

When Jade arrived, she and Georgie spoke in hushed voices. That is, until Jade eventually asked if they could step outside for some air.

Georgie hesitated, looking toward her father. "No, no, I can't…"

Peter reassured Georgie it was fine, and that he'd call her with any updates. It wasn't until Katie popped into the conversation and said she would also text her that Georgie took out her phone, turned on the ringer and stood up.

Jade and Georgie were waiting for their order at the hospital's cafe when Jade looked over. "No offense, but you look like hell."

Georgie laughed. "Thanks. Couldn't sleep last night."

"I figured as much."

Georgie sighed tightly. "I'm still waiting on Quinn. His flight got delayed."

"Oh, yeah, I was about to ask."

Georgie nodded. "And you're here, so thank you for that."

"Yeah, it's not a problem," Jade smiled, picking up Georgie's order and handing it to her.

The pair of them headed outside, and when the sun hit her face, Georgie had to put up a hand to shield her eyes.

It was silent as they made their way down the street. They walked until they arrived at a park bench. Georgie grabbed her phone from her pocket and set it on the table in front of her, screen facing up. She carefully peeled off the lid of her cup and set it aside, bringing the cup to her lips.

Jade and Georgie sat there until the warmth from the coffee seeped out of their bodies and the wind began to pick up, violently flapping their hair back and forth.

Quinn arrived at the waiting room a few hours later, coffee and sandwiches in hand, apologizing profusely for being late. Georgie stood up as he set the refreshments down on the table and greeted him, wrapping her arms around him. "Thank you for coming," she whispered against his collarbone.

Quinn mumbled something back and then got to work. With Georgie's help, he tipped the coffee box and began pouring the beverage into paper cups.

The two of them began distribution. When Quinn handed Katie a cup, the twelve-year old hesitated.

"She doesn't really drink coffee," said Peter, prompting Quinn to look back at him.

"Oh, sorry, I thought—I mean, I started when I was about her age," Quinn managed to get out.

Peter's eyebrows traveled up as he nodded in amusement.

"Thanks, Quinn. I'll try it out," said Katie, hoping to ease his mind.

Quinn turned to Katie and gave her a small smile, letting out a breathless "okay." Even after all this time, Peter still scared the daylights out of him.

Once Quinn had turned his attention to Georgie, Katie took one sip of the coffee. She stuck her tongue out in disgust, prompting Rick to chortle. "So how'd you like it?" he asked.

Katie's expression of disdain was stubbornly plastered to her face, but then she took another sip. Contemplating for a second, she decided, "It's not bad, actually."

When Georgie and Quinn sat down, they began talking in hushed voices. "You made it."

"I did. And again, I'm so sorry. There was this layover in Toronto; it's always a nightmare there."

"I know."

Quinn smiled apologetically, gazing into her. "You look really tired."

"That's because I am."

"You should really sleep. There's only a few hours left until Lou gets out, so…"

"But I've got caffeine on my side," said Georgie, tilting the cup back and forth.

Quinn smiled. "You're something, you know that?"

Once the procedure was over, the surgeon came by to brief the family, telling them that it had been a success and that Lou was being shifted to another room.

It wasn't until the early hours of the next morning that Lou fully regained consciousness. Georgie had been supposed to go home with the rest of the family while Peter stayed back, but she fell asleep in the chair beside Lou's bed, and nobody had the heart to wake her.

So when Lou finally awoke, it was to the sound of Georgie's voice. Her daughter was standing by the foot of the bed, her back toward Lou. She was on the phone.

When Georgie heard the sheets rustle, she swung around, quickly saying goodbye to whoever was on the other end of the line. Sliding her phone into her pants pocket, Georgie crossed over to her mother. "I'm so sorry, did I wake you?"

Lou shook her head ever so slightly. "No," she barely got out, realizing how thirsty she was. Clearing her throat, she asked, "Can I get some water?"

"Oh, yeah," said Georgie, spurred into action. She poured a glass of water, and then opened a package of plastic straws, placing one inside the drinking vessel. Georgie knelt down to crank the lever that would adjust the bed. She went the wrong way and was met with resistance. "Just a second," she said, turning the crank the other way until the bed was adjusted so that Lou was sitting mostly upright.

Georgie picked up the glass of water and brought it closer to Lou.

Lou touched her fingertips to the base of the glass and took a couple of sips before gesturing that she was done.

Georgie placed the glass back on the table.

"You didn't go home," said Lou.

"No," answered Georgie simply. She busied herself in sealing the straw package with an elastic band.

"Honey," said Lou, lacing her fingers around Georgie's wrist, the pulse oximeter on her index finger still hanging in the air. When Georgie finally paused, Lou brought her hand up to cradle her daughter's face.

Georgie automatically lifted her hand to squeeze Lou's. She turned her face into Lou's palm.

Lou smiled a little, tilting her head to the side. "You know, you're allowed to sit down."

Georgie nodded. As her unshed tears quickly welled up her eyes, she blinked, letting the water droplets rim her eyelids. She sniffled quietly, kissing her mother's palm.

Lou's recovery seemed to be underway, but a few days after her discharge from the hospital, she came down with a fever. Once Georgie had been informed, she volunteered to keep watch over a sleeping Lou while Peter caught up with work.

Quinn walked in carrying a bowl of water and strips of cloth. Setting it on the nightstand beside Georgie, he shrugged. "I thought this might help."

"This isn't a big deal, right? This sort of thing happens all the time," said Georgie, thinking out loud.

"Of course it's not a big deal," Quinn tried to reassure her.

Georgie's gaze fell on the strips of cloth. "Yeah." Picking one up, she soaked it in the water and then pressed it to Lou's forehead. "It happens all the time," she repeated. "It's just the body fighting off whatever it needs to fight off," Georgie muttered mostly to herself as she smoothed over the cloth.

Quinn wasn't sure how to make himself useful so he just sat down in the chair by the window. "Yeah, and it'll be gone in no time if we have anything to do with it."

Georgie stared at the floor for a few moments before sucking in her breath and turning the cloth over to the cool side. "I had this weird dream the other day, right before we brought her home."

"Oh, yeah?"

Georgie shut her eyes in regret. "It got me thinking. I mean, there's no use in thinking such things because it's not like my birth mother is alive, just waiting for the right moment to swoop in and come get me."

"Georgie…" said Quinn hesitantly, warning her from going any further. "C'mon, Lou's right here."

"It's fine, she's sleeping," said Georgie, reaching out to push a lock of hair behind Lou's ear. "I've just missed so much around here, and when—when everything happened, it was days before I even got a hint of it. And it's not like we weren't keeping in touch, we have a good relationship, right? I mean, can you imagine? Being so far away and—and being told that this huge thing happened to the person you love most in this world…" Georgie trailed off, and suddenly she was somewhere far off. "But in my mind, my birth mother is still out there somewhere."

"Georgie, come on. What's the use in talking about all this?" Quinn tried his very best to stop her, partly because she was working herself up and partly because Lou was right there, and even talking about Georgie's other mother felt like a betrayal.

"And I know she's not really out there. I've been to her gravesite. But if by some miracle she came here and said that she wanted me, I don't know, I think that…I might go with her."

Quinn stole his glance down to the floor. He sighed.

Georgie scoffed, immediately regretting what she'd said. She leaned over, peeling the washcloth from her mother's forehead. Dipping a fresh cloth in the water and wringing it out, she put it in place of the previous one.

Quinn put a hand to his knee and stood up. "I'm going to grab some coffee, do you want any?"

Georgie shook her head. She watched as he walked out the door, and then opted to follow.

"Hey," she said as she caught up to him in the hall. "What's the matter?"

In a hushed voice, Quinn offered up an explanation. "You're being unfair."

"What?"

"You can't let yourself go down that rabbit hole, alright? And I know why you said it, okay, but right now, with everything that's going on, do you really want to open yourself up to those thoughts? Alienate yourself when things are finally okay between you and your mom?"

Georgie stared at him for a second too long. "Why did I say it?"

Quinn couldn't tell if she was joking or not. "Well, I mean—"

"Hey, is everything okay?"

That was Peter. Georgie and Quinn both turned their attention to him. He'd stood up from his makeshift workstation at the dining table.

"Uh, yeah. Lou's asleep," said Georgie, nodding. "We just wanted to grab a cup of coffee."

His daughter's reassuring tone allowed Peter to return to his computer.

Quinn and Georgie stayed in the kitchen for a few minutes before the latter of the two returned to Lou's bedroom.

Lou was awake when Georgie returned. Lou had removed the cloth from her forehead and propped it on the nightstand. "You're up!" said Georgie, upbeat, trying to push away her negative feelings from earlier. When she came closer, her heart dropped into her stomach. Lou's face was stained with tears.

"What's the matter?" Georgie asked, and when she didn't get an answer, she crouched down to get on Lou's level. "Mom, is something the matter?" she asked in a stronger voice. Maybe Lou hadn't heard her the first time.

Georgie scoffed. "Are you even listening? Mom, are—" she broke off, realizing there was no point in continuing to badger her. Georgie walked out the door to summon Peter.

Peter strode in moments later. "What's the matter?" he asked Georgie as they both approached Lou. He sunk into the mattress space beside Lou.

Georgie remained standing. "I don't know. She won't answer."

"Lou, honey?" Peter called out to her. "Is something the matter?" He placed a hand on her head, gently stroking her hair. "Is something wrong?" he asked again after a few moments.

Lou shook her head.

"Okay, alright," said Peter.

Georgie stood there and watched as Peter wiped away Lou's tears.

Peter turned to his daughter. "She's alright. Look, I'll stay here for a bit. Could you bring my laptop inside?"

Georgie nodded and soundlessly made her way out of the room.

A few hours later, Georgie put a dinner tray together for both her parents and headed in the direction of their room. But when she got closer, she stopped in her tracks. She put her ear close to the slightly open door.

"Aside from the usual, everything is fine, right?"

That was Peter.

Lou took in a sharp breath. "Yeah, just the usual pain, but that was to be expected."

"You do realize we have something for that."

"It's everywhere, though. Like a thousand little spikes. The painkillers won't do anything."

Outside, Georgie was beginning to feel like her chest walls were closing in on her. She returned to the kitchen where her sister and Quinn were cleaning up.

Approaching Katie at the roundtable, Georgie pushed the tray out in front of her. "Hey, could you actually…"

"Yeah, sure," obliged Katie, taking the tray from Georgie and sauntered inside.

When Georgie turned back, she saw Quinn's worried gaze on her.

"What is it?" he asked.

She swallowed, pressing a couple fingers to her collarbone. "It just…it feels like the walls are closing in on me."

Quinn started toward her.

Georgie put up a hand. "Don't. She'll be back any second."

"You should get some air," he said, nodding toward the porch. "I'll join you in a few."

But even after Katie returned, Georgie just stood there.

The next morning after breakfast, Peter was helping Lou across the house.

"Peter, what're we doing? I feel ridiculous," said Lou as she readjusted her grip on him.

"It'll help you get your strength back, you know that. Doctor's orders."

They'd barely made it to the couch when Peter's phone started ringing. He fished it out of his pocket and signaled to his daughters, who were seated at the table. "Hey, could one of you help your mom across the hall? I need to take this."

Georgie stood up as Peter stepped away. She reached out in an attempt to take Peter's place, but instead of taking her daughter's hand, Lou half-turned from her and gripped the back of the sofa.

Georgie stood there, dumbfounded. "Mom?" When she got nothing in response, she swung around to look at her sister, a wild look in her eye.

Katie slid her chair back as she stood. "Mom?" she echoed Georgie hesitantly, coming around the table to stand in front of Lou.

Georgie watched on as Lou allowed Katie to take her hand and begin to lead her to the end of the hall. As she tore her eyes away from the scene, it finally hit her.

Lou must have heard what she said.

Days passed, and Lou hadn't said much of anything to Georgie. It was killing her to do this, and she knew how worried Georgie was, but she just didn't have the energy to reciprocate.

And it was killing Georgie, too. She stood over the sink, a tablet of pain medicine resting on her palm. With her free hand, she poured herself a glass of water. She'd already taken three of these tablets in the last seventy-two hours, and they hadn't done anything to alleviate the pain in her chest. But she was stubborn, and decided to give it another go.

When she was in the middle of downing the painkiller, Georgie heard familiar footsteps approach. Though they were slower, quieter, she still knew it was Lou.

"Honey, are you okay?"

Georgie set the half-filled glass of water down on the counter and stared straight ahead of her for a few seconds. "Are we talking again?" she asked.

No response from Lou.

Georgie blew out her breath, exasperated. She turned to face her mother. "You won't even look at me. How are we supposed to exist under one roof?" When again, she got no response from her mother, she added, "I can't do this anymore. I'm gonna go."

Lou visibly flinched. "Go—go where?"

Georgie bit down on her lip. "Back to Florida. I'll be gone by Friday," she said with no emotion in her voice. She was well aware of the pain that had settled in Lou's eyes, but she fought through it and headed past her and up to the attic.

The following afternoon, Georgie was in the attic, attempting to pack a bag for her flight the next day. She stood over the empty suitcase, hands planted on her hips. What am I doing?

Katie came running up the steps, out of breath and wide-eyed. "Georgie!"

She turned.

"Mom, she—" Katie said with more air than words. "She fell."

Georgie darted past her sister without asking for any more details. Arriving at the bottom of the steps, Georgie headed in the direction of Lou's room, but she stopped in her tracks right outside the first door that she passed.

Entering the bathroom, Georgie dropped to her knees in front of Lou, a hand resting flat on her mother's knee. Lou had just gotten herself up and was now leaning back against the bathtub, her chest heaving in and out.

Though it was clear from the towel hanging on the rack and the partly-opened shampoo bottle on the floor that Lou had been attempting to take a shower, Georgie asked, "What did you do?" She ran a hand down Lou's leg to check for any broken bones. She asked Lou to wiggle her toes and fingers before switching to the other leg.

Lou stared on as her daughter threw a slew of questions her way. It was almost like she'd trained herself for this.

"Mom! Does it hurt anywhere? Did you break anything?"

When she got nothing from Lou, Georgie hesitantly reached to cradle her mother's face, to which Lou finally looked up. "Are you alright?" she asked, but in response Lou's face scrunched up in pain and she leaned her forehead against Georgie's shoulder, tipping her back ever so slightly.

Georgie cradled Lou's fragile form and leaned her face into her mother's hair. She was about to muster up something encouraging, but before she could say anything, Lou let out a pained whimper.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry," said Lou, trying to hold back the next sob.

"Mom, stop, okay, I don't care about that."

Lou withdrew herself from Georgie's embrace, her back coming into contact with the cold ceramic of the bathtub. She sniffled, wiping away a stray tear. "It's so horrible to say, but I just…I can't share you with anyone."

Georgie clicked her tongue sympathetically.

"Don't go," Lou choked out between shuddering breaths.

The lump in Georgie's throat was quick to form. "I'm not."

Lou stared at her, wide-eyed. "But you said—"

"Yeah, well, I was being a bit—"

Lou shot her a look.

Georgie's mouth formed an o as she contemplated her next string of words. "A little bit unreasonable," she finally decided, laughing. When Lou joined in, she was relieved.

Georgie pulled a lock of Lou's hair behind her ear, and held it there for a moment. "You don't have to share me with anybody."

"No, I shouldn't have gotten so—"

"And I never should've said it. As soon as it came out of my mouth, I wished I could take it back."

"No, look, you're allowed your feelings. You're allowed to miss her and love her. I mean, she's the very reason you're here today."

Georgie nodded. "She is. And so are you. If you hadn't taken me in? Who knows where I'd be today—probably dead or in jail."

"No, don't say that," said Lou, trying to sound as stern as possible, but her voice failed her.

Georgie shrugged. "It's the truth. And you might not have brought me into this world, but you were the first person to ever fight for me, to love me. I'll never forget that."

She continued. "I mean, did you think that none of this was affecting me? Seeing you like this, hearing all this talk about surgeries and chemotherapy. It doesn't mess with my head, you think?"

Lou closed her eyes for a moment. "I don't know. With everything that's going on, it's easier to think that maybe it doesn't."

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but it does. And as far as loving you goes…" said Georgie, her hand stretching out to comb the hair at Lou's temple, her gaze fixed there. "You need to know that…I love you the way a daughter is supposed to love her mother."

Lou looked up.

"More than anyone in the entire world."

Georgie cupped Lou's face with both her hands and planted a kiss on her mother's forehead.

A/N: Hi frens, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please take a second to leave a review, I'll be forever grateful :))