She woke up to the sun blazing against her skin, the chime of voices blending together and a soft pair of hands jerking her awake. Her long lashes fluttered open, her eyes droopy, heavy and for a moment, thoughts flashed through her mind in circles, never ending, never stopping.

She felt tired, exhausted. Her mind was completely shut down and blank, her body felt like it didn't have the will to function, to go on anymore. She felt defeated, and as her blue eyes wandered around her surroundings, her thoughts turned into panic.

Where was she?

White. White. White. Its all she could see. She could see nothing else, she could hear something else and as much as she reached out to it, as much as she tried to look for answers, none would come to her.

"Miley?" A voice murmured, and she desperately tried to snap out of it, this, whatever this was, but she couldn't.

What was happening to her?

"Miley?" The voice spoke, the honey sweet voice, unfamiliar, more stern, interlaced with urgence and panic and something along the lines of distraught.

"Shane." She cried out in panic. She just wanted to see him, she just wanted to see her family, she just wanted to see aidan, anyone. Could life get any worse? Her son is lying here, in a hospital bed, a thin line from waking up or disappearing from her and life and anything she worked for forever and now this is happening to her.

And then it happened. Suddenly she could see, color flashed through her vision, picture could be placed next to the voice and she melted into puppy dog brown eyes, they were sparked with regret, with worry, with sadness and she thinks she kind of doesn't have the right to feel this way, this stranger, because she's the one dealing with the sadness, she's the one that has to live with that constant reminder that her son might never wake up, she is the one with the family falling apart and yet this stranger, this woman still stood in front of her like, like she knew her.

She had short brown hair that fell to her shoulders, straight and shining against the scorching sun. Her skin was perfect, a mix of pale and tanned and blending with what looked like a Spanish background. Brown puppy dog eyes, full lips, thin frame hiding her curves with that plain white tee and the baggy sweatpants.

She looked familiar.

"Hi." She whispered, and it was hesitant, shy , and she could just sense the nervousness surrounding this woman.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Miley begged. She's tired, she doesn't need this, she just wants her son.

"I'm not here to hurt you." She insisted, and tears are clouding up her eyes. "I just- I'm Alex. I'm sorry. "

"I don't know an Alex, I don't know you so get out before I call security." Miley threatned.

"Im a part of your past. " Alex explained, and the guilt started to creep into her. " I harrased you. I bullied you. I was.. I was a jealous bitch to you and I… I'm sorry."

Her words digested into Miley's brain, settling, swarming. It couldn't be…

Not now. Not today.

All the memories were flooding back.

"Get out." Miley ordered forcefully. Her voice was loud, and full of spite and hatred and venom it rippled through Alex and ate her up. She deserved it. She deserved it all.

"Miley."

"What else could you possibly want, Alex? You've got what you wanted. I'm miserable. My life is falling apart. Your wish has come true so stop throwing it all back in my face!"

"I didn't come here for that!" Alex exploded, her chest rose and fell as she felt her emotions take a toll, bubbling up inside her. Her voice became quieter as she spoke. " I'm- I'm getting married soon, to this guy and I'm happy, I am, but.. I can't, I can't get married knowing I've still got a part of my past still holding on to me. I'm not- I'm not that person anymore, Miles."

"Only my friends call me Miles." Miley spat out bitterly, because really, this woman caused her so much pain, so much heartache in her high school years and even though high school has ended that many years ago, the past could never be forgotten. Her actions could never be forgotten.

"I know we're not friends." Alex spoke softly, it's true, they aren't. "And maybe, maybe we never will be and I'm fine with that. I am, but I'm just, I'm seeking for forgiveness, Miley. I regret that day, I regret those years. I was jealous and bitter and selfish and I was wrong. I never meant to hurt you as much as I did."

"It doesn't matter because end of the story is, you did, Alex, you did and to tell you the truth, you are one of the worst memories I think about whenever I think back about my high school years." Miley admitted, and there was no ounce of guilt in her body as Alex looked down in shame. " But high school was a long time ago, we're two different people now, we're more older, we're more mature and we can make better decisions. I don't think I can ever be your friend, especially right now, not under these circumstances… but I do think I can forgive you."

Alex felt relief spread all over her body, her insides were screaming with joy and her heart was flooding with affection for this woman. After everything.. After all the hurt…

She didn't deserve the things happening to her.

"Thank you." She whispered.

Miley shrugged, carelessly. " Everyone deserves a shot at their happy ending."

Alex looked over at that little boy, laying on that hospital bed, unaware, unconscious. "Some happy endings never end. I don't see yours ending for a long time."

Those words flashed around Miley's head for the remainder of the day, it stayed centered in her mind when the woman left, never to be heard from again, never to be seen again, never to be contacted again. It was there, when the nurse came to check up on her after and it was there when she watched the nurse check up on her son.

She knew what that meant.

He's gonna wake up.

She's thinking, if things worked out differentely, they could've been friends.

She's thinking, they missed their chance.

She's thinking, she's not letting this chance screw up.

Her little boy will wake up.

000000

Shane ran a hand through his frazzled brunette curls, using a fist to rub the sleep out of his eyes before he swung his legs off the little bed and worked the kinks out of his muscles. He'd noticed the missing the person not in his arms and he'd woken up after.

He knows she's safe, she's home, in a safe environment, in a place surrounded with security and protection ( there was no taking risks) but a parent is never sure, a parent never stops worrying and so his brown eyes, curious and inquisitive search around the household, looking for his baby girl.

He's already got one child to worry about. He doesn't need another one.

All his worries drown away, into the unknown as he steps into the kitchen. He's instantly hit with the sweet aroma of something baking, sweet and draped with goodness and the sound of laughter escaping the kitchen. He rests against the kitchen door, arms crossed, heavy heart and an actual smile on his face, despite the odds.

"Pretty sure food is made to be put on a plate, not a person." He says smoothly, watching as both the dark-haired woman looking younger than her actual years and his beautiful, mess-covered daughter whip around to face him.

"Dad!" Yana squeaks, and her eyes are shining with happiness and mirth, as she saunters into his arms.

He makes a face, making a show of pushing her a bit away from him. " You're getting food down my shirt." He chides jokingly. " Why are you getting food down my shirt?"

She looks caught and he wants to laugh, really he does, but he can't find it in him. "I made pancakes."

"Tried making pancakes." Denise corrects, placing a stack of perfectly made pancakes on a plate as she brings it on to the table. " She's not exactly one for the kitchen."

"Just like her mom."

Yana shakes her head and her eyes are wide and she's asking if he just did the worst mistake known to mankind. In her eyes he did. " Mommy would kill ya if she heard that."

"Mom's not here." Shane whispers, and he regrets it the minute he says it because really, this big force, this large force swarms around the whole of them and sucks them in and their mood just goes down the toilet. His words gained a lot of impact. His words says it all. We all know why she's not home.

Yana's face deflates, and her cheek is flushed with pink. She looks like she's about to cry. " I miss her. I miss Aid."

Shane feels his heart breaking, he could hear the crack as it tears into a million pieces and could hear the whoosh of the wind as it goes downhill, further and further until it splatters onto the ground. He misses them too. He misses the cute little way his son would smile, all bright and beautiful and enough to cure the world if he wanted to, just like his mother. He misses the way he would wake up to see his wife'smiling face, his wife's blissful face all peaceful and serene with the sun blazing down her perfect skin and the twinkle of her eyes as she kissed him good morning.

He misses his family.

Thankfully, Denise decides to decrease the palpable tension in the air. "Shh, eat your dinner, dear."

"I don't wanna eat without Aid." Yana stubbornly argues. "When are he and Mommy coming home?"

He doesn't know, they both don't know because honestly, there is a good chance, a possibility that Aidan might… and he won't allow himself to go through that road, because that road hurts, it kills him, it would be the end of him and this family and everything that they worked for. His son will survive.

"Soon." Shane instructs. " I promised baby girl, they'll be here."

She doesn't ask anymore questions. He knows there's more questions in her mind, he knows there's more she needs to ask, but she won't ask them. She's smart like that, she knows her limits and he's a little grateful that he's given such an understanding daughter, one that doesn't pry too much for answers. All he could do is kiss her little forehead and tap her little nose and hope that's good enough to keep her curiosity up to a minimum.

He doesn't wanna let her down.

"Shane." His mom starts softly, snapping him out of his thoughts and he turns away from her.

" I don't wanna talk about it, mom."

Denise sighs. "I'm just worried."

Shane freezes, he feels something spike up in his chest and he feels something like stone hardening up his heart. "There's nothing to be worried about."

He'll be alright. He'll be alright. He'll be alright. It circles through his mind, it centers his thoughts, it stays placed in the back of his head at all times as a constant reminder.

That's the only thing keeping him sane.

That's the only thing holding this family together.

0000000000

"How is she?" Miley has the guts to ask. She's in his arms, her husbands arms, and one hand is running through her baby boy's brunette locks and she can't help it. She might be centered on her unconscious son for the moment but she is a mom and a mom worries about all her kids, she cares about all her kids. She loves both her kids. She knows it must be hard for her to deal with.

"She's confused." Shane admits, referring to this morning. " She doesn't get it."

"She's just a kid." Miley croaks, feeling the tears gather in her eyes. Its not fair.

"Miley…"

"I know." She sniffs, because this can't keep happening. She can't keep getting swept up in these emotions, in these feelings. She has to be strong. "I know. "

Shane eyes his son. He's gotten paler, his skin zombie-like, indifferent, something tottaly different than the tan perfect complexion of his son that he was so familiar with. He won't let the negative get to him. He doesn't have the chance to. Miley starts speaking again.

"Alex came over today." Miley murmurs and Shane creases his forehead in confusion. " Bitchy Alex." She clarifies. "From high school."

Shane feels anger strike up in his chest immediately. "What does she want?" She has no right to be here. How did she even get past security?

"I don't know." She whispers and he's guessing he voiced his opinions. "She's, she's different now. I didn't even recognize her."

"Did she…?"

Miley shook her head. " She came to apologize. I didn't even see that coming, you know? All of a sudden.. Out of the blue. Anything really can happen, huh?"

"Nothing bad is going to happen to our son, Miley. He's going to be okay."

"I know. I believe that." She really does. "I'm not letting our happy ending just disappear without a fight."

"We won't even have to fight, because he."He says, referring to Aidan. " He's already fighting enough for the both of us. He's a warrior. Just like his mom."

"I don't wanna leave him." She chokes up. She's free to go home today, she has to leave him. Part of her, part of her just isn't ready to leave him yet. She'll never be able to leave him.

"He's still gonna be there, Mi."

"I know. I just… I wanna be the first person he sees when he wakes up. I don't want him to be surrounded by strangers when he does. I just… I can't leave my baby boy Shane."

"You can't leave your baby girl either, Mi. She needs you. She needs her mom. She might.. she might already lose her brother."

His words hit her, spit her up, breathe her in because its so realistic, so close to home and she wants to cry, she can feel the words burning up through her body and lighting her on fire. Just the possibility of losing him… It scares her.

"I'm burning that soccer ball."

"Believe me, I think you'll have a helpful of hands helping you."

"I mean it, Shane. He can't ever play again."

"I know." Shane concludes. "Let's just focus on getting our son back."

She notices how he doesn't say if, or might, but a precise answer, a definite answer. They will get their son back, he will return to them.

Its just a matter of time.

All they have to do now is wait.

And even though she has to. She'll wait for the rest of her life if it measures up to seeing her beautiful boy wake up and alive, and breathing again.

And when they get that phone call, from the hospital…

They're really not sure if its good news or bad news, but as soon as the first words are said, they're up and aiming for the hospital in a second.

Their son is awake.

Their world is starting to spin back to normal.

----

An- So, so, so sorry about the wait. I lost faith, I still don't think this chapter was written properly but I think you guys all deserved a chapter out there. Please review. I made sure to add in that Aidan is awake because I can't handle sadness for too long. I know you all are happy. Any suggestions or ideas for next chapter, feel free to voice them.

I hope you all had a nice march break.

Love, Aundrea.