Hello and welcome back! Due to some life obstacles that have been keeping my hands full, I have not had very much time to edit and write. I apologize for keeping you all waiting but alas here is chapter seven! I can't wait to hear everybody's thoughts on this chapter. Enjoy!

-lovelylavenderlady


Sleep was a precious thing. A precious luxury Madeline had received little of over the past three years. It eluded her like the stars elude a human's sight in the daylight even though they are right there, they are unattainable. In a constant state of fight or flight, she truly did sleep with one eye open. Afraid that it would be that moment of giving in to true deep sleep, her captor would strike and she would pay a price she could not afford and so for the last three years, Madeline McCord had not received one night of valuable sleep. It had weighed on her like stones that you could not move and sent you sinking to the bottom of a river. This weight and the sense of safety had allowed her to sleep in the comfort of her mother's arm as her body nor her brain could fight the tiring fog that consumed her, leaving her almost in a state of comatose. At least for a little while.

Elizabeth was not far from the same. Most nights were spent in nightmares that plagued her or thoughts that would not relent and so she too had received little rest as well. It was not long after Madeline had drifted that Elizabeth did too, lulled by the sound of her daughter's breathing and the feeling of them being so close. At some point, Henry had fallen to sleep as well unable to resist the call of shut-eye, finally at peace as he watched his wife and daughter resting peacefully.

Quiet filled the room, the only sound coming from the heart monitor that shined a dull green light through the room. The bathroom door was open and the light was left on so a warm yellow illuminated the corner and there was just enough light to for the eye to see. Being in a hospital, the air was cold, and without a blanket called you from sleep to seek something to provide warmth. This was the case for Elizabeth. She woke to the feeling of frozen feet and a shiver throughout her body. Her eyes took time to adjust and her brow furrowed as she tried to recall where she was, her brain still hazy and confused. That was when she felt it. Small arms wrapped around her and soft hair against her cheek. Madeline.

In an instant, everything flooded her mind and her body tensed recalling just what led her to this room. Slowly she became fully aware and tried to calm her breathing as she realized it had truly happened. Madeline had been found and she finally after years woke in the nearness of her beautiful baby. She exhaled heavily and her body relaxed as her hands found Madeline and she felt her heartbeat moderate.

Carefully, she tried to reach for the blanket that had slid to the end of the bed but at her movement, Madeline inhaled deeply and groaned clearly disturbed by the action. Elizabeth froze afraid of waking her and watched, praying that she would not wake and remain in the much-needed state of sleep. After a few minutes, she found she could not ignore how cold she was and also saw the hair raised and skin covered in goosebumps on Madeline and knew she had to do something.

"Henry?" she whispered but he did not seem to budge or even stir. '"Henry?!" she tried again as she extended a hand to his leg.

"Hmm?" he mumbled groggily as his eyes opened and looked around trying to gather his bearings.

"She's cold and so am I," Elizabeth voiced as she did her best to keep her tone in that of only a whisper.

"You want me to get the nurse to bring another blanket?" he asked his voice in a whisper as well.

"No," Elizabeth shook her head and pointed to the end of the bed. "Just get the blanket at the end of the bed would you?"

"Yeah," he answered as he stood and began pulling the covers up over them both.

At the change of noise and temperature, Madeline's stirred and her head moved to the opposite side and a muffled whimper exited her mouth.

"Shh, shh, shh," Elizabeth tried to settle her, hoping it was not too late but it was. Someone who had lived through what the young girl had was no longer capable of being settled as her body was in a constant state of defense. She was no longer in rem or a state of deep sleep. She was coming to and not in a way that put one at peace. It was much like a child who began to wake with a fever in the middle of the night. It was pitiful and it was heartbreaking. Elizabeth tried to stroke her forehead and hair but this was a mistake and the touch only seemed to make things worse. Though her eyes had not opened, Madeline was waking up and not in a gentle way. Her head started to move from side to side and a small cry excited her throat as her limbs began to move. Her arms released their hold on her mother and she pushed away from Elizabeth's body as if she was trying to get away. At this feeling though, of her hands meeting a warm body, her eyes snapped open and without even looking at Elizabeth or Henry, she turned away from them, shrinking away. She curled up against the bed railing like a caged animal and noises of fear and alarm fell from her mouth.

The sight left Henry and Elizabeth with fragile hearts and wounded expressions. They were not wounded or hurt by Madeline trying to get away from them but were wounded at imagining how many horrible things had been inflicted upon their daughter to create this version of their child.

"It's us, baby," Elizabeth voiced softly, knowing she had to remain calm and fought to not extend her hands to comfort her daughter. It might only make things worse. "It's Daddy and Mommy...you're safe Madeline." The girl risked a peek at them and the expression that captured her face was one of surprise. Like she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her body stilled and her sounds quieted but she did not dare to move. Afraid that they would disappear and Evelyn would appear, she simply stared at them. Elizabeth and Henry both saw the look and could only imagine how frightening and jarring this all seemed. After three years in captivity, one night could not erase the damage. "You're safe baby it's only us," Elizabeth spoke again and this time dared to outstretch her hand but she did not place it on Madeline, she left it in there so that Madeline could take it when she was ready. "You are no longer in that place...we found you."

Madeline looked between her mother and father, her eyes glistening with unshed tears as she thought about believing them. She wanted more than anything to believe them but it felt like such a hard thing to do. If this wasn't real, one wrong move could have a myriad of consequences.

"Your mother is right Madeline," Henry inputted as well and he sat down on the bed afraid that his height would make him appear ominous. "You are safe and we are not going to let anything happen to you."

Her Mother?

These words rang in Madeline's ear.

She looked at Elizabeth intently. Was it truly her mother? So many moments of longing for her and only finding an image of false motherhood in Evelyn's eyes she narrowed her gaze and tilted her head slightly. Evelyn's eyes were brown...these were blue. Evelyn's hair was dark as the winter months and her's was light and warm and like a summer day that warmed you to the bone. Inhaling she picked the familiar scent of Elizabeth's perfume...she could never smell this scent when she tried to imagine her mother but now she did. Maybe she wasn't imagining them before her. Maybe they were legitimately here and she was no longer trapped in that house. Her hand outstretched slowly and stopped right before her fingers touched Elizabeth's face.

"It's me, baby," Elizabeth stated, her voice cracking as her daughter's hand was millimeters away from her face. "It's me..."

At this, Madeline dared to let her fingertips touch her mother's face and when they met solid warm flesh her chin began to quiver and her lips trembled. She was real.

"I'm here now," Elizabeth assured as she reached up slowly, cupping her hand around Madeline's and fully placing the little girl's palm on her cheek. "I'm here and I'm not going anywhere and neither is Daddy." Madeline's eyes closed at this and a gut-wrenching, restrained sob escaped her mouth as she fell forward straight into Elizabeth's chest. She buried her head into Elizabeth and her arms wrapped around her mother's waist clinging to her for dear life. "Oh, baby..." These words fell from Elizabeth's mouth with pity attached to them as she wrapped her arms around her daughter and pulled her closer. "My sweet sweet girl."

Henry looked down and tried to hold his tears back as he processed what he had just witnessed. So much had happened to their daughter and yet they didn't even know, they only knew that whatever it was had been horrible and life-altering. For them but especially for Madeline. He picked the blanket back up and wrapped it around them both as he leaned down to place a kiss on Madeline's head. He was afraid of how she would react but he knew he had to show that he was there and that he loved her. "We love you, baby," he spoke softly as he got behind Elizabeth so she had someone to lean on. Elizabeth leaned on him and Madeline leaned against her. They leaned on each other.

"We've got you," Elizabeth reassured as she began to rock back and forth slightly trying to comfort her in any way that she could.

Madeline did not speak, she only cried. Cried for all the times they had not been there. Cried for the times when this was what she had wanted but it was what she could not have. She cried for all she had endured and all she could not say. She cried and cried and cried, till eventually she had cried herself back to sleep and her parents now too cried. They cried for how much they missed and all they had to fix. They cried for all she had been through and they did not know. They cried for the suffering that dripped off her. They simply cried for her. They wept for their daughter and these tears held pain beyond comprehension.

Madeline McCord did not wake again that night and her parents did not go back to sleep. How could they? Their daughter was found but she was so very far from the girl she had once been.


Somewhere in the early morning, Elizabeth had been unable to keep her eyes open and they began to flutter and soon close altogether. Henry was thankful for this. It was easier for him to ignore his tiredness than turn a blind eye to his wife's needs. While he knew he played a vital role in helping Madeline be reintroduced to this world, he would not deny that Elizabeth was going to be the one carrying it without putting it down. Madeline needed him but she needed her mother more. In their short time together, while Madeline was wary of them both she had less hesitation with Elizabeth. Maybe this is because Elizabeth had carried her from the first moment of her conception. Elizabeth had been the one who went through pain and hours of labor to bring her into this world. Elizabeth had fed her until she could feed herself and he had a feeling Madeline's body would never forget any of these things or the safety Elizabeth provided. Elizabeth was like a blanket to Madeline, shielding her and warming her when Madeline needed it the most. So yes, he had been thankful when she had finally fallen to sleep next to Madeline even if she would only get a few hours at most.

Eventually, the sun had begun to creep up in the horizon, eating the dark of the night and changing the sky to a paler version of the midnight blue. He had taken this opportunity to quietly slip from the room and go find the cafeteria for a much-needed cup of joe. His eyes were dark and lined with heaviness of lack of sleep but he could not think about this.

Grabbing a cup of coffee, he sighed heavily as leaned against the wall and pulled out his phone.

He dialed Will.

Of course he wanted to call his family as well, most of all he wanted to call his kids but that call needed to be him and Elizabeth both.

Ring, ring.

Ring, ring.

Ring, ring.

Just as Henry was about to close his phone thinking Will would not answer the line connected.

"Hello?"

"Hey Will," Henry cleared his throat. "It's Henry..."

"You do know there's a thing called caller ID? Also, I do recognize your voice," Will said hazily as he had just woken up. Most times Henry would have laughed at this but right now he did not feel like laughing. He did not feel like guarding his feelings or emotions. Will sensed this and at no response from his brother-in-law, he spoke again. "Please tell me it was her..."

"It was her," Henry said the words coming out choked and heavy. "We found her Will. We found our daughter." Henry heard a sigh of relief come from the other side of the line and his eyes glossed over as he thought about how long he had waited to say these words.

"All these years man..." Will's voice sounded strained as well as he tried to control his emotions. "When I think back to that conversation Lizzie and I had, man it feels like a lifetime ago. I prayed that day...prayed she'd be found but to hear it Henry... to hear it that she has been well, words could not begin to describe what I feel. How is she?"

"Um-," Henry sniffled as he tried to find the words. "It's rough Will...it's real rough. She uh-she is a completely different girl. Whatever she went through left more damage than we can even seem to wrap our minds around. Tough doesn't even begin to describe what this feels like."

"I can't imagine," Will said, hanging his head low and crossing his feat as he leaned against the counter behind him. "How's Lizzie taking it?"

"She's being strong for Madeline but I-I can see the toll it's taking on her...it's uh-really hard to see her like this. Hard for us both," Henry wiped his nose as he tried to gain control of his emotions before they spiraled.

"Any there any news on who took her or where she has been?" Will inquired not wanting to stay on Madeline's state for the sake of Henry.

"No," Henry shook his head even though Will could not see it. "Not yet anyway. FBI is working with local law enforcement to try and find something but um-Madeline doesn't talk much, really at all, so it's difficult to find answers when you don't have anything to go off of."

"I'm not sure how much this means, but know I am here for you Henry and Elizabeth and the kids," Will tried to offer his support. "If there is anything I can do, don't hesitate to reach out."

"Thanks, Will, it means a lot," Henry replied thankful he had a friend in his wife's brother. "There um actually is something you could do for me..."

"Name it," Will shot back wanting to help in any way he could.

"Do you think you could check in on the kids for me?" Henry asked his mind unable to stop thinking about his other children. "It would bring peace of mind to Elizabeth and I both to know someone in the family has looked in on them till we can talk to them ourselves."

"You got it," Will assured. "I can do that."

"Thanks that helps a lot," Henry stood straighter as he looked around at his surroundings. "Listen I got to get back upstairs before the girls wake but I'll stay in touch."

"Alright Henry," Will responded. "Give Elizabeth and Madeline my love. Talk to you soon."

"I will," Henry confirmed. "Bye, Will."

Henry closed his phone and took a deep breath as he tried to steady himself. This was going to be so much harder than he had ever realized. He walked back over to the coffee machine and refiled his cup, along with grabbing one for Elizabeth. She was going to need with day that laid before them. He made his way back to the room and quietly slipped in case they were both still asleep. He prayed they were. After closing the door he walked over to the bed and found his wife and daughter in the same position and smiled as the sun began to seep through the windows and highlight their faces in soft yellow light. They looked so much alike it was uncanny. Madeline had always been Elizabeth's lookalike out of their children.

Elizabeth must have sensed his presence and her eyes fluttered open as she inhaled deeply. She knew as she grasped consciousness, her mind remembered what had taken place and she looked down Madeline in worry.

"It's alright babe," Henry whispered as he put a gentle hand on her arm. "She is still sleeping."

"I didn't mean to fall asleep," Elizabeth mumbled groggily. "I wanted to be awake in case she woke up again."

"You needed the sleep and besides, I think you being asleep next to her helps her sleep," he tried to ease her guilt. "I got you coffee." He spoke this as he extended his other hand and held the cup out to her.

"Mmm," Elizabeth hummed as the smell hit her nose as the drink came closer. Taking it, she wrapped her hands around the cup and took a sip as she savored the warmth. "Thank you, Henry."

"Not a problem. I figured it would be easier for you to wake yourself up if you had it," he smiled at her warmly. His wife had always depended on the drink heavily.

"You were right," she smiled back as her body relaxed and she leaned her head back against the pillows.

"I uh spoke to Will," he risked telling her.

She froze and looked up at him. "What did you say?" she asked, openly nervous at the statement.

"The truth..." Henry answered plainly. "And I asked him to look in on the kids but I still think we should call them together by the end of the day."

"I agree," Elizabeth stated as she nodded her head softly. "What did he say?"

"He said he would and to give you both his love," Henry informed as he took his previous position of sitting in the chair. Elizabeth looked down at Madeline's sleeping face, her mind sucked into a thought. "What is it?"

"I wonder if she'll remember Will..." Elizabeth voiced as softly pushed the hair out of Madeline's face and tucked it behind her ear. "I wonder if she'll remember her siblings for that matter."

Henry nodded softly as he looked down at the cup in his hands. He had wondered the same. Madeline was much younger then and he was curious if her brain had permanently stored her life beforehand or if it faded away with the years, but one thing gave him hope. "She remembered us didn't she?" he asked softly, now looking at his wife in hope.

"I know but we are her parents Henry..." Elizabeth said as her voice cracked with emotion. "The kids have changed so much since she last saw them. I mean Jace looks like a completely different kid."

"That may be but something in me says she won't forget the bond she shared with them," Henry tried to encourage her as he reached out taking her hand in his own. "Time does not erase love..."

It was at this moment the door of the room opened and two nurses walked in. One Henry and Elizabeth recognized from the night before and the other they had only seen in passing as she had been speaking to Dr. Randal.

"Good morning," the one who they recognized spoke kindly and greeted them with a bright smile.

"Good morning," Henry replied as he smiled and gently squeezed Elizabeth's hand as he felt her tense at the added persons in the room.

"Don't mind us, Rachel is just taking me through Madeline's night before shift change," The blonde woman smiled as she pointed to the dark-headed woman standing at the board that held Madeline's information.

"And your name is?" Henry asked wanting to know who she was as the memory of her standing close to Madeline popped into his mind.

"I'm Nurse Joe," she answered brightly as she quickly walked towards him and extended her hand. "I'm her daytime nurse and Rachel is the one who cares for her at night."

Henry took her hand and shook it gently. "It's nice to meet you Joe...are you the nurse Dr. Randal told us about?"

"That depends on what she told you about..." she chuckled softly as she brought her hands to fold in front of herself.

"Yeah I could've been more specific," Henry chuckled as he stood and put his hands in his pockets. "She said that there was a nurse Madeline had taken a liking to..."

"Well in that case," she tilted her head with a smile as her eyes found the little girl sleeping in the bed next to her mother. "I guess I am..."

"Madeline seems to be quite fond of her compared to the rest of us," Rachel stated as she walked around Henry and Joe to the other side of Madeline's bed with a bag of fluid in her hands.

Elizabeth tried to smile at her but her brain was somewhere else as she felt Madeline begin to stir and her breathing begin to change patterns. "I think she is waking," Elizabeth spoke nervously as she turned to look at Henry.

Sure enough, she was.

Madeline's eyes opened and at first, they reflected a calm, almost nothing at all but then they found Rachel standing to the side of her and she inhaled sharply as tried to scoot further back on the bed.

"It's alright Madeline," Elizabeth spoke softly as she extended her hand towards Madeline. In her peripheral, all Madeline saw was a hand moving towards her and she flinched as her attention snapped towards her mother. Then blue eyes met blue eyes and after a moment Madeline exhaled and her body seemed to fall slightly as she recognized it was her mother. "Good morning baby..." Elizabeth smiled tenderly as she saw the change and now risked placing her hands on Madeline's as she rubbed her thumb back and forth over the girl's knuckles. "That wasn't a very nice way to wake up huh?" Madeline only shook her head and scooted closer to Elizabeth.

"Madeline, may I change your fluid bag?" Rachel asked calmly with a smile not wanting her to feel cornered. Madeline did not respond but looked around and her eyes spotted Joe standing behind her father. Her only response was to look at Joe expectantly. "You want Joe to do it huh?" Rachel chuckled as she looked at Joe.

"Well we have become quite good friends haven't we?" Joe smiled warmly as she stepped forward and took Rachel's place beside the bed. Madeline did respond this time, with a small nod of her head. "I'll take it from here Rachel, would you mind just writing down the last time you administered meds on the board for me?"

"Sure thing," Rachel smiled, clearly not taking offense to Madeline's behavior. "I'll see you later tonight Madeline..." With this, she walked over to the board and jotted a few things down before she took her leave from the room.

Henry and Elizabeth were observant and immediately noticed the change in Madeline when only Joe was present in the room. "You like Joe don't you?" Elizabeth asked with a smile as she looked between her daughter and Joe.

"Listen I'm nothing special," Joe put her hands up. "We just found a few common interests between ourselves didn't we?" she asked smiling with a smirk. Madeline nodded and extended her arm to Joe so she could switch the lines to her IV.

"Can I ask what it was?" Elizabeth asked intrigued as to what they shared between them.

"Horses..." Joe smiled as she was intent on the task at hand. "There you go, darling." Joe stood after she finished changing the bag and looked at the parents who were sharing a look between themselves with a smile on their faces.

Their eyes reflected hope as they thought what Madeline's life used to be like. She and Elizabeth had always shared the love of horses it was a part of their daily routine. It was encouraging to know Madeline had not forgotten the connection.

"Madeline is quite the horse whisperer herself..." Elizabeth chuckled as she now looked down at her little girl and beamed in pride as she recalled the hours she had spent with her riding and teaching her how to handle the gentle giants.

"Well that makes quite a lot of sense," Joe smiled as she pulled out her notebook and briefly scribbled a few things in it. "Who does she get it from?"

"That would be her mother," Henry chuckled as he looked at his wife.

"I take it you aren't a fan yourself?" Joe laughed as she saw the expression on his face.

"Don't get me wrong, I think they are magnificent creatures I just prefer to admire them from the ground," he explained as he recalled the first time he had ever gone riding with his wife. "It is their area of expertise." He now pointed at his wife and daughter.

Elizabeth chuckled now as her mind went to the same place Henry's was. "The first time I took him riding, I made him saddle up the horse himself. I showed him how to do it, he just wasn't paying attention," she laughed.

"Hey!" Henry grinned. "Give me some credit. I was paying attention I was just too nervous around you and didn't know how to handle myself!"

"Uhuh," Elizabeth smirked. "Whatever helps you sleep at night professor!"

"What happened?" Joe asked as she took a seat intrigued by the story and the dynamic between the two. Their obvious love for each other was rare and refreshing to witness. She also noticed that Madeline was completely enthralled as she listened to her parents speaking. She was starting to see a different side to the girl.

"Well we hadn't even been out for more than a few minutes when I picked up into a canter and your dad was trying to impress me," she now glanced at Madeline. "Thought he could do the same and tried to pick up the pace as well. The only thing was, he had not tightened the girth properly and before I knew it, I turned to see the saddle slowly slipping to one side and he went right along with it! He came crashing down and the horse just stopped and looked at him like "That was alllll you buddy".

Joe laughed now and was surprised to see that Madeline had the first genuine smile she had seen on her face. This was most definitely what the girl had needed. She needed a glimpse into what her world had once been and it was clear she was getting it now as she watched her parents.

"You have never let me live that down," Henry shook his head as he grinned.

"How could I?!" Elizabeth laughed. "You were trying so hard to impress me that you never even realized I was already hopelessly in love and you didn't need to try and impress me. But I did love you all the more for trying."

"I thought you were gonna think I was a total idiot and never want to see me again," Henry stated. "But no, you got off your horse, and as soon as you had made sure I was okay, this woman right here busts out laughing!"

"To be frank," Joe chuckled. "I'm not sure I would've been able to refrain from laughing myself."

"Thank you!" Elizabeth chuckled as she looked at Joe with a sense of camaraderie.

"Yeah, Madeline has always taken after Elizabeth with the horses. A complete natural! I actually have a picture of the two of them with the horses if you'd like to see it?" Henry suggested thinking not only would it be good for Madeline to see but hopefully it develop the relationship between them and Joe.

"I'd love to!" Joe smiled at him before taking a quick peek at Madeline. She couldn't quite tell what emotions were being displayed across her face.

Henry pulled out his wallet, in which he kept pictures of all his kids, and took out a photo and handed it to Joe. "There you go," he smiled as he handed over the picture.

"Oh wow! Would you look at that," she smiled a big smile that reached her eyes. "So that's you Madeline?" she turned the picture around and pointed to the little girl in the photo who was leaning against her mother as they both held to their reigns standing between the two horses.

Madeline looked at it and dug through the files in her brain as she tried to recall the moment in the picture. Soon her expressionless features turned into a small smile as she remembered it. It was the day her mother had given her, her first horse. Buttercup. Madeline nodded slightly in response to her question, taking the photo from her hands and looking at it fondly.

They watched her silently feeling this was a moment of importance for the girl. A moment of remembering.

After a minute or two, Madeline turned the photo around, looking at Nurse Joe, and pointed to the horse she was holding in the photo. "Buttercup..." it was said softly and accompanied by nothing else but Madeline had spoken. She remembered.

While all three parties got glossy-eyed, feeling how significant the moment truly was, nobody gave into their tears knowing it was crucial that Madeline did not think something was wrong.

"That's a good name..." Joe smiled warmly at Madeline and dared to hold her eye contact. "Is he yours?" Madeline nodded proudly and pulled the picture back into herself as she took to looking at it once again. The moment felt very full circle to Joe. She had been able to share a picture of her horse with Madeline and now Madeline had been able to share a picture of her's. "You know I bet Buttercup and Walter would be quite good friends don't you think?" Madeline nodded again but she did not not take her eyes off the photo.

"Is Walter your horse?" Elizabeth asked as she tried to hold back her tears and swallow the lump in her throat.

"Yes, he is...I was able to to show Madeline a picture of him a few days after we met and it seemed to be the start of a very lovely friendship," Joe nodded as she looked at the mother in kindness as she could tell how much Madeline's word had meant to her, for it had meant a lot to Joe and she could only imagine how much more heightened that feeling was for Elizabeth as Madeline's mother.

"I would say so," Elizabeth looked down momentarily as she tried to stop the tears that wanted to flow freely. It was simple and such a small thing, at least to the naked eye but to Elizabeth and Henry it felt as huge and unending as the ocean and it washed over them like waves. Madeline remembered. They didn't know how much but she did remember and it gave them both hope that was more tangible than it had ever been.

Henry grabbed hold of Elizabeth's hand and squeezed it tightly as he too tried to steady himself. "Thank you," Henry looked at Joe giving her a watery smile.

"No thanks needed," Joe returned the smile. "Madeline is a lovely girl and I'm just thankful she chose me to be her friend. It makes me feel quite special..." She turned now meeting Madeline's eyes and she giggled slightly as they shared a look earning a smile back from the girl.

It was heartwarming to see and Henry and Elizabeth could not be more grateful for the woman that sat before them, who seemed much more like an angel and less like a human as each minute passed. There was a feeling of relief as they realized they were not alone in this and indeed there was someone else who had found a way through Madeline's obscured perception of the world.

"Madeline is very lucky to have you as her friend," Elizabeth smiled as she saw Madeline's response and could clearly see the difference Joe was making in her world. "Wouldn't you say so, Madeline?"

Madeline nodded but didn't seem intent on dwelling in the moment too much longer and they all sensed it. While they noticed this, they also observed Madeline's hands were still hanging tightly onto the photo of her and Elizabeth.

"Would you like to keep it Madeline?" Henry smiled as he pointed to the picture sensing his daughter's reluctance to let it go. Madeline did not nod or say anything, she only pulled it closer to herself as she looked at him. "I'll take that as a yes," he chuckled.

"Now, since Madeline has been here, she has proven herself to be quite an independent little thing," Joe stated with a chuckle as she stood and eyed the girl. "I have tried to help her with her hair a few times, even showed her all the cool hairdos I know, but she has insisted against it." She explained as she put her hands up with a smile and now turned to Elizabeth. "Maybe you could help her with that? I could bring some things by the next time I'm doing my rounds." Joe wanted to keep things light-hearted even though the reason Madeline did not want her to touch her hair was not a light hearted issue. She believed it was important for Madeline to feel in control and safe so she had not pushed the subject but maybe her mother could do what she had been unable to do.

"That would be helpful," Elizabeth nodded having taken notice of Madeline's unruly hair herself. She immediately became determined to see what she could do about this. "Thank you, Joe..."

"Not a problem at all," Joe smiled as she crossed her arms gracefully in front of herself. "Madeline has also been very fond of art and has been drawing some really lovely pictures. So you will find art supplies in the cabinet right over there, above the sink, if she asks for them."

"Well I'm excited to see these drawings," Henry smiled as he looked at his daughter who had a hint of a smile poking out by the corners of her mouth.

"She's a wonderful artist so don't let her fool you," Joe chuckled stepping past them before taking one last look at the family. "Well I better get going and attend to some of my other patients but I will be back soon though. If you need anything at all though don't hesitate to push the button above her bed which signals me alright?"

"We will," Elizabeth nodded at her with a smile feeling very relieved that they had been blessed with such a wonderful woman as her. Madeline needed a good nurse and Joe was certainly living up to the title. "Thank you again, Joe!"

"It's my pleasure," she answered before taking her leave from the room.


Henry had gone down to the cafeteria to grab them both so much needed sustenance and caffeine and Elizabeth had decided that this would be her opportunity most likely to have Madeline be receptive to the idea of letting her do her hair. Joe had brought the supplies around that Elizabeth would need but Elizabeth had an idea of her own and she prayed it would work.

Madeline had been occupied for the last thirty minutes drawing and finally grown tired of it and Elizabeth had suggested they watch a cartoon together, which Madeline used to love. She used to always turn a cartoon or Disney on in the morning when she would get the kids dressed and hair done for school. It was much easier to accomplish the task of doing their hair when they were distracted by the show they were watching. More than anything though she simply hoped this would spark how things used to be between them. Slow mornings and time spent together.

Once they had picked the show and Madeline was settled, this is when her tactic began.

"Oooo," Elizabeth said excitedly as she reached for her bag that was sitting in the chair next to the bed acting like there was something she had forgotten to do. Madeline pulled her gaze away from the television and looked at her mother curiously. "I forgot to brush my hair this morning!" She said this as she reached into the bag and pulled out her brush and special hair serum which was great at detangling knots but also smelled wonderful. Elizabeth had used the product for as long as she could remember and she hoped Madeline would as well. "Would you mind spraying this in my hair for me?" she asked softly.

Madeline slowly took the bottle from her and looked intently. By her facial expression, Elizabeth had a feeling it had brought memories to the surface. Madeline closed her eyes, carefully bringing the bottle up to her nose, and inhaled gently. The scent enveloped her, a small smile seemed to pull at the corners of her mouth. She did remember. More than the bottle or specific memories, she remembered the smell and how it had always wafted behind her mother when she had walked past her.

"I have always loved the smell of it too," Elizabeth spoke softly as Madeline's eyes opened. "It's why I have never used anything else." Madeline simply looked at her and when she didn't hand the bottle back, Elizabeth took this as her sign that Madeline was willing. So she gently scooted in front of her on the bed, sitting cross-legged in front of her, and gently rested her arms on her knees. She waited for a moment and then heard Madeline begin to push the top of the bottle and she felt the spray misting over her head. The smell quickly moved through the room and it was all that could be smelled. No sanitizer. No strange, unfamiliar smell. Just a smell of home, or at least a piece of it. Madeline paused after a few sprays and Elizabeth heard her inhale deeply. She was taking it in. "Would you mind brushing it for me?" Elizabeth asked with a smile as she turned and looked at her daughter as she extended the brush that was in her hands. Madeline looked between her and the brush momentarily before she hesitantly took it from her mother's hand. "Thank you, baby."

Then with all the delicacy Elizabeth thought one could use, she felt Madeline begin to brush her hair in soft, gentle strokes. It was a crucial moment for them both. Elizabeth knew that for Madeline to trust her with this task, she must first trust Madeline and she did trust her. She trusted her little girl more than she knew how to describe or put into words. This felt groundbreaking and it was a moment that was truly special and Elizabeth would never forget it. She would never forget the feeling of her daughter's hands running through her hair and the care that it was done with.

Elizabeth stopped feeling the stiffness of the brush getting stuck on knots and began to only feel gentle strokes through the now smooth strands but she did not turn or stop Madeline from continuing. She let Madeline brush for as long as she wanted to and eventually Elizabeth felt the movements cease. She sniffled slightly as she could feel her nose beginning to run and her eyes blurred with unshed tears. She could not even think of words that could match how healing it had felt but now the true healing would come with Madeline letting her return the favor. She turned with a warm smile on her face and looked at her daughter with more love than most humans thought possible. "My hair feels so nice,' she beamed as she ran her hands through and felt the silkiness beneath her fingertips. "You did such a good job." Madeline smiled at this but it fell as she looked down at her own hair and saw the unruliness of the strands. They did not look the same and Elizabeth saw the emotions capture her daughter's features. "Would you like me to do the same to yours?"

Elizabeth held her breath as she saw cogs inside her daughter's brain turn in thought. She held her breath to see if the trust that held them together once, still existed. She held her breath in fear that her daughter would reject the offer and she would fail at trying to complete something that was very important. She held her breath in hopes she had not lost her place as Madeline's mother.

Though Elizabeth's fears were valid and were only a given after how much time had passed and the wounds had been inflicted, they were not true. She would need to reestablish her place as Madeline's mother but nothing would ever change the fact that she was and there was no denying it. It would take time for their relationship to be nurtured and flourish once more but the bond that lived between a mother and her child would never cease to exist. Yes, it would be slow and there would be many things they struggled to face but, it takes time for all beautiful things to grow.

Madeline now looked from her hair and then to Elizabeth's and reached her hand out to touch the sleek strands and looked at that in want. She did want her mother to do the same but she needed to find the courage to let her.

"I won't hurt you, not ever baby..." Elizabeth encouraged her child as saw struggle play out across her face. "I love you so much, my precious girl."

Madeline risked looking at her. She only meant to do this for a moment, but as she met her mother's eyes, she found herself unable to look away. In them, resided something she had long given up; the hope of ever feeling again. In them, resided love and that love was for her. Evelyn's words ran through her mind like a blaring siren.

"They will never love you"

But as she looked into blue eyes that were almost identical to hers, these words had never seemed so false. Had never felt more like a lie.

"They have probably forgotten you"

Yet, what shined at her now, through her mother's eyes, made that statement feel like an empty threat. Like something that was used to keep her broken and too afraid to ever chase the feeling she had always felt and that feeling was love. Love for her mother and her family that she had always felt. No matter how long she had been without it, it was always returned and was always still out there somewhere, waiting for her. Like she was waiting for it. In her mother's eyes, she saw this was true. She saw a pain similar to the one she felt. A longing to be loved and a longing to be wanted and she did want the woman sitting before her. She loved her even though it felt scary to do so.

So Madeline McCord stepped out in faith and faced that fear, giving the brush to her mother before she turned and scooted around, crossing her legs just as her mother had done. She inhaled deeply as she closed her eyes and tried to keep her heart calm. It was a frightening and daunting thing- trust, but something in her heart told her that her mother was deserving of it and that she was deserving of love.

Elizabeth heaved a huge sigh of relief as she took the brush from her daughter's hand and saw her response. It was as if the world had fallen away and all she could see was her daughter and all the times she had wished for one more morning with her and the opportunity to do such a simple thing as brushing her hair. That wish had been granted and she felt like a gift so great she did not feel worthy of had been given to her. She felt a tear slide her face as she sprayed the serum now and tenderly began to brush her daughter's hair. "You know we used to do this every morning," Elizabeth paused as she fondly recalled the memories. "I have missed it. I have missed you...so very much."

Elizabeth recalled to her daughter the memories she had been holding on to for the past three years and cherished that she was able to share them. She was able to share the small things she had taken for granted but now never would for she had been given a second chance with her daughter and she was not going to squander it. Yes, it would take time but Elizabeth had all the time in the world where her daughter was concerned and she was going to take it. How could she not? This moment was like a dream and she did not want to wake.


There it is! Chapter seven! I can't believe we are already here and have made it to this point in the story. This chapter was a joy to write but also hard at times. None the less, I am so thankful to see Madeline back with her parents. Please review and let me know what you thought. You guys inspire me to keep pumping these chapters out. Chapter Eight is not far behind!

-lovelylavenderlady