AJ followed the highway through LA, taking almost the same route he took when he left for Vegas.  Instead of taking the highway that took him to his house he turned off onto another one and headed right to the hospital.  He made sure he didn’t drive to fast not with Nadia in the car.  They had both been pretty quiet for the whole trip home and even as they sat in the car they said nothing.  AJ pulled into the hospital parking lot and found a spot.  He parked the car and shut it off but he didn’t get out right away, he sat there staring out the front window.

“Are you ok?” Nadia asked and he turned his head and looked at her.  He wasn’t sure what she knew about him, yeah she had heard of him and the group but did she know everything he had been through.  What happened to him when he lost Chelsea, the way his Dad treated him, the fame and the fall and what everything had lead too.  Did she know about the drinking and the drugs and how right now he wanted to make reality go away?

“I’m just scared I guess.” He said as he looked back out the window. 

“Yeah” Nadia replied with a light nod. 

AJ looked over at her; she was picking at her nails and biting her lip.  Sure he was scared, the unknown always scared him and it’s usually what lead him to start drinking but here was this fourteen year old girl.  She had just found out the woman she had known all her life was not her Mother and the woman that was her Mother was in a Coma.  At least if AJ had questions there were doctors who could answer but for Nadia the only one who could answer her questions, couldn’t.

“This is a whole knew ballgame Mclean.” He thought to himself.  “You need to hold it together and you need to be strong for her, for your daughter.”

“If you want to go just let me know we can go when ever you’re ready.” He told her.

“What about Chelsea?” She asked.

“You’ve always been her first priority.” AJ replied and he felt the urge to take her hand but he didn’t.  “She would want me to take care of you, I want to take care of you and make sure you’re ok.  So if it gets to be too much with my Mom, Anne or Kevin there just let me know ok?”

Nadia nodded. “Ok”

AJ pulled the keys out of the ignition and opened his door.  When he closed his door he walked to the back of the car and waited for Nadia to come around the other side.  They met up behind the car and walked into the hospital together.  AJ noticed Nadia stayed right with him as they walked to the elevators.

“Your Mom is probably going to freak out a little huh?” Nadia said.

AJ looked at her and lightly smiled.  “Probably and she might get a little over protective.”

“Is she like that with you?” Nadia asked. “Cause you’re an only child?”

“Yeah” AJ nodded.

“Wish I had that at least you know she cares.” Nadia replied and it made him frown for a quick second.

“Oh, give me time.” AJ replied and she smirked and then laughed.

They walked off the elevators and down the hallway.  When they reached Chelsea’s room they stopped outside of the door.  It was more for AJ than Nadia at this moment, wondering what he would walk into, would she go into convulsions again when he was there. How would he even handle seeing her like that?  What about Nadia, how would she handle it?  With a deep breath he grabbed the knob, turned it and pushed on the door.  When he poked his head in he saw the three of them looking at him.  He could see the nervousness and anticipation in their eyes. 

“Hi” AJ said as he started to walk in further.

“Hi” The three replied.

His eyes darted to Chelsea and his heart ached.  Her hair was flat, her arms laid right beside her, her face looked paler than when he saw her last, her eyes had dark rings around them, her lips were dry and she even looked a little thinner than usual. His whole body ached wanting to take her into his arms and hold her.

“Anything new?” He asked.

“We just got word back from the CAT she had this morning, they said her activity hasn’t stopped it’s not going down anymore, and her Doctor said that’s a good thing.” Kevin told him as his eyes would dart beside AJ and he knew Kevin was looking at Nadia.

“Ok” He replied with a nod and then he turned to Nadia.  “So this is Nadia.”

“Hi” Denise, Anne and Kevin said with smiles as they looked at her. Nadia lightly smiled and gave a small light wave.

            “Mind if we have a few minutes alone with Chelsea?” AJ asked.

“No, I could go for a coffee anyways.” Kevin said as he stood up.

“Yes, me too, and I need to call Tim.” Anne said as she stood up.

“Are you coming with us?” Kevin asked as he looked at AJ’s Mom.

“Yeah” Denise replied as she reached for her purse and then stood up.  She walked up to AJ and hugged him.  “Chelsea was right.” His Mom whispered to him.  AJ smiled and nodded lightly.

When the door closed AJ walked over to Chelsea’s bedside and took her hand.  He sat down on the chair that was there and pulled it closer.  Folding his hand around her, he brought it to his lips and gently kissed the back of her hand.  Reaching up he touched her face as he brushed a few strands of hair from her face.

“Hey sweetheart” He spoke his voice cracking a little.  “I’m sorry I haven’t been around but I had a promise to keep.” AJ took a deep breath and quickly sorted out in his head what he was going to say.  Not letting the fact Nadia was in the room with him hold him back AJ let it out.  “They found her Chels, they found our little girl and she is beautiful.  That’s why I was gone, I had to go get her and bring her here to you.”  He smiled.  “You were right, she has my eyes, and I’m sorry babe but she has my attitude too.” He laughed.  “But she has your smile, your laugh and she is so strong just like you.  That’s how I know you’ll be ok, you survived your Dad, you pushed through the headaches, the pain, the unknowing and you’ve put up with me.” AJ stopped and took a breath.

“You gotta wake up sweetheart, everything you’ve been searching and fighting for is right here, so you just gotta wake up now.” He told her and closed his eyes as a tear dripped from the corner of his eye.

When he heard the door open he looked up and saw Nadia walking out of the room, quickly he looked back at Chelsea and then put her hand down gently beside her.  Hastily he got up from the chair and almost flew out of the room.  His head turned left and right as he looked down the hall. 

“Nadia?” He said when he saw she was standing to his right just outside the door.

“T-That’s my mom.” Nadia said and her statement caught AJ off guard a little.

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“Like with Helen I always had this feeling like we didn’t click, I just thought it was one of those Mother Daughter things but when I saw Chelsea…I dunno it’s stupid.” Nadia said as she started too walked away.  Without giving it another thought AJ grabbed her hand and she quickly turned around.  AJ walked over to some chairs sitting in the hallway and sat them both down.

“Tell me.” He replied not flinching.

Nadia stared at him for a moment and then took a deep breath.  “When I saw Chelsea it hit me like bam, I don’t even know her, I’ve never seen her before, ever but I know just by seeing her she is my Mom. It’s like this feeling just came over me, like, I dunno I can’t explain it.”

“I think I understand.” AJ replied.  

“You do?” Nadia replied and when she looked at AJ he saw the tears in her eyes.

AJ nodded. “Parents have a special bond with their kids.” He paused.  “Well most of them do and that’s probably what you felt.”

“I have so many questions and she can’t answer them.” Nadia said as she wiped her eyes with the cuff of her sweater.

“Well I can try to answer them if you want and the ones I can’t I’m sure Chelsea will when she wakes up.”

“Did she have a name picked out for me?” Nadia asked.

AJ smiled.  “She picked the name Nadia.”

“She did?” Nadia replied with some shock to her voice.

He nodded.  “She picked it because she used to be a very good gymnast, her favorite gymnast was Nadia Komenich, and in Russian the name means Hope because that’s what you were to her, hope.”

“How good was she?” Nadia asked.

“She was on her way to the Olympic trials.” AJ told her.

“You think she’ll wake up?” Nadia asked.

“I know she will, she’s a fighter.” AJ told her.

“So you didn’t know Chelsea was pregnant?” Nadia asked.

“No, she didn’t even know when her Dad took her.” AJ told her.

“That must have been hard.” Nadia said as she began to pick her nails.

“From what she told me it was but it was harder after you were gone.” AJ said as Nadia looked at him.  “Having you taken away hurt her so much she blocked it out and it took her a long time to remember.”

“What about you?” Nadia asked.

“Me?” AJ replied a little confused on what she meant.

“Like when she finally remembered and told you?” Nadia replied.

“Well at first I was really shocked but then I was really happy, I’ve wanted kids for a long time.” AJ told her.

“How many grandparents do I have?” She asked.  “Where’s Chelsea’s Mom, how come she’s not here?”

AJ took a deep breath not really sure how to tell a fourteen year old what had happened to Chelsea’s Mom.  “Well, when Chelsea disappeared her Mom blamed herself for not showing up on time to pick her up and the bus drop off.” AJ told her.  “She became really depressed and basically couldn’t live with the guilt anymore.”

“She killed herself?” Nadia said as her jaw dropped a little and AJ just nodded.  “Well what about your Dad?”

“My Dad, well my Dad and I don’t have a very good relationship, he left my Mom when I was three and has been in and out of it ever since.” AJ told her.  “Last time I saw him was in Paris for one of my solo shows and that was about six months ago.”

“Bummer” Nadia said with a frown.

“But I have lots of family, my Mom, the fella’s and Chelsea, and like I said Kevin and his family are like Chelsea’s family.” AJ told her.

“Cool, I never really had a big family it was just me and Mo…me and Helen.” Nadia said and he stutter made him smile inside.  “Should I talk to her?” Nadia asked.

“Chelsea?” AJ asked not sure if she meant Helen or Chelsea.

“Yeah, like do you think she can hear me?” Nadia replied.

“I think she can.” AJ told her.

“What should I say?” She asked.

“Well I know the one thing she wants to hear is that you’re ok.” AJ said as Nadia took a deep breath.  “She was scared her Dad had done something to you and she was really worried finding you would flip your world upside down.”

“Well it did.” Nadia sighed.  “But I don’t think it was a bad thing.”

AJ smiled.  “We can go back in there if you want too or we can stay out here.” AJ told her.

Nadia nodded.  “I want to go back now.”  AJ lightly smiled and still holding his daughters he walked them back into Chelsea’s room.

When they reached Chelsea’s bed Nadia let go of his hand and walked over to the side of her bed.  AJ stood there staring at his wife and his daughter.  Usually it was hate or jealousy filling him with emotion but as he stood there looking at the two of them happiness, hope and a calming warmth filled his entire body.  He wasn’t sure but maybe at this moment, he felt complete, something he thought he would never feel.

“Hi” Nadia spoke her voice was soft and quiet.  “Umm, I’m really not sure what to say but I want you to know that I’m ok, that I’m here and I want you to wake up. I guess I need you to wake up because I have so many questions and I want to tell you I’m not mad about what happened like I’m not mad you and AJ found me…” She paused and bit her lip.  “I don’t need a test to tell me you’re my Mom I know you are, I hope you’ll wake up soon so we can get past all this getting to know you crap and just be a family because I really want that.”