What I saw next was something that would stick with me for the rest of my life. At first I wasn't even sure it was daddy that they were showing me, but when I got closer it was unmistakably Hiram. As soon as that realization hit tears sprung up in my eyes and fell like rain. I turned into Finn's outstretched arms and squeezed my eyes tightly shut.

"I can't believe he's really gone." I choked out. Finn rubbed my back soothingly in gentle circles.

"Rachel babe, you need to calm down." Finn reminded me. I shook my head as the tears kept falling.

"How am I supposed to ever calm down again?" I sobbed. My breathing quickly became rapid and shallow. My chest went tight and I choked on my sobs.

"Rachel? Are you okay?" Finn asked. I pulled away from him and leaned against the wall in an attempt to get my breathing even again.

"Rachel baby what's wrong?" Shelby asked.

"I can't, I can't breathe." I choked out. Shelby wrapped me in a tight hug.

"Listen to my breathing okay, and try to match it." Shelby encouraged. I nodded and tried to do as she asked. It only took a few minutes, but eventually my breathing slowed down and became normal again. Even after my breathing regulated I continued to let Shelby hold me. We were back in Leroy's room at this point. Dr. Arwell had one of the floor nurses bring in a cot for us and Shelby and I were sitting on it. I had my head in Shelby's lap and she was playing with my hair.

"Shelby?" I asked. Shelby bit her lip, I knew she wished that I would call her mom. Honestly I just couldn't call her mom to her face comfortably yet. After she took a few seconds to compose herself she cleared her throat.

"Yes Rachel?" She asked.

"Can you help me prepare daddy's funeral arrangements?" I asked softly. Shelby nodded slowly.

"Sure honey, if you want me too." Shelby agreed. I nodded slowly.

"I don't know what I'm doing and I want daddy to have the best service he possibly can." I explained. Shelby nodded and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. Finn smiled at me encouragingly from across the room.

"Do you want to try and eat something Rach?" Mom asked after several moments of silence. I shook my head.

"I'm really not hungry." I promised. Finn sighed.

"Babe, you need to eat." Finn tried gently. Mom nodded.

"You really do need to try sweetie. At least drink some water. You will dehydrate if you don't replenish all the water you lost crying." Mom tried. I sighed and caved in.

"Okay, but something small. My stomach is such a mess, I don't want to get sick." I caved. Finn smiled and nodded.

"I'll go get you a salad from the cafeteria. Do you want anything Miss. Corcoran?" Finn asked Shelby. Shelby nodded.

"I'll have a salad as well." She told him politely. Finn nodded and ran out of the room. "He's such a great kid." Shelby remarked once Finn was gone. I nodded.

"I love him." I whispered. Shelby smiled.

"Well I approve, not that it matters." Shelby added. I smiled.

"It matters. We may not be close now, but I want us to be some day. So it matters to me if you like him or not." I told her. Shelby smiled and started to braid my hair.

"I want us to be close too." Mom whispered. I smiled slightly.

"Have you heard anything else about Beth?" I asked. Mom shook her head.

"I figure no news is good news. Her fever was pretty low when mom called me. She was just throwing up a lot." Mom answered. Mom I laid with my head in mom's lap for a while before Finn came back into the room carrying a bag of food and a cup carrier. He sat down next to us on the cot and started rummaging through the bag. I sat up slowly and took my salad from him. He smiled and passed Shelby her salad. I took a deep breath and started in on my salad. For hospital food it actually was a pretty good salad.

"Finn this is actually really good. You got this from the cafeteria?" I asked. Finn smiled.

"No I walked down to the deli around the corner. The cafeteria looked like it didn't taste very good." Finn explained. I smiled and took another forkful of salad.

"This is really good isn't it Shelby?" I asked and turned to look over at mom. She was frozen with her fork posed in midair. Her face was screwed up in a look of extreme discomfort. "Mom are you okay?" I asked. She slowly put her fork back in the salad and nodded.

"Oh yeah, sure." She answered. I didn't know her that well, but I knew she was lying. Especially since she didn't even notice that I had just called her mom for the first time.

"Mom. You are not okay." I tried again.

"I think I'm going to be sick." She exclaimed and handed me her salad before rushing into the bathroom attached to dad's room. I sat my salad and mom's down on the cot before running to the bathroom after her. Mom was on her knees in front of the toilet. She had thrown up at least twice. I got down on my knees next to her and pulled her hair back.

"Mom, I think Beth gave you the stomach flu." I told her gently. She leaned back against me.

"I think you're right." She groaned. I smiled gently and reached up to feel her forehead with the back of my hand. She definitely had a fever.

"Mom, you need to go back to the hotel and get some rest." I told her. She nodded and moaned softly. "I'll have Finn drive you over. I'll stay here with dad." I suggested. Mom nodded again.

"Thanks for calling me mom." Shelby told me softly. I smiled and nodded.