That night Chelsea insisted that AJ and Nadia go home to sleep.  Even though AJ was a little hesitant in leaving her, he knew the best thing for Nadia was a goodnights sleep in a bed.  So they said their goodbyes and left the hospital.  The two decided to stop for something to eat before they went home.  They talked about Chelsea, they talked about things to come and they talked about Jerald too.  The next day they woke up, got dressed, grabbed breakfast, and they did this day after day as they waited on word for Chelsea to be able to go home.  Sometimes they would take the time and sit at a restaurant, sometimes they went to the Bagel Shop and when they ate there they usually snuck something in for Chelsea.

Each day Chelsea worked through all the set backs of recovering from a coma.  The constant therapy both mental and physical, not being able to walk the first few days because of her weak stiff muscles, her reflexes were slow and it was like she was always a step behind.  Each day AJ and even Nadia were there for her, coaching her and helping her get through the pain and frustration but each day the three of them became closer and closer.  Nadia learned more about AJ, more about Chelsea and they learned more about Nadia.  What her favorite colours were, what type of music she liked, what dreams she had, and what she wanted from the future.  Each day they were becoming more of a family.

“What are you doing?” Nadia asked as she looked bewildered at AJ as he did some type of running man dance in Chelsea’s hospital room.

“It’s called the I’m the father dance.” AJ puffed a little.

“The what?” Nadia asked confused.

“Sometimes I wonder about you Mclean.” Chelsea sighed as she sat in her bed watching him.

“What? I can’t be happy about this?” He asked as he stopped dancing and held up the manila envelope in his hands.

“Isn’t it suppose to be the I’m not the father dance?” Nadia replied.

“Ugh!” AJ scoffed as he threw his hands up in the air. “I give up, both of you have no sense of humor.”

“We do, just not one that travels down the strange road yours does.” Chelsea replied as she skimmed over her magazine.  The top corner of AJ’s mouth curled a little and he shook his head as he sat down.

“Fine” He moaned almost sulking.

“So what happens now?” Nadia asked.

“It says we have to go to court next week and finalize the custody.” AJ told her as he looked down at the paper he had just pulled out from the envelope.

“Are you going to have time?” Chelsea asked.

“I’ll fit it in.” AJ replied.

“I hope I’m out of here by then.” Chelsea sighed.  “It’s been almost three weeks.”

“I know sweetheart and I wanna kick the doctors ass for saying you’d be out in a week but it took a bit for you to get walking.”

“Well excuse me.” Chelsea snapped and AJ and Nadia looked at each other.  It wasn’t the first time she had become snippy like that.  There was her complete freak out on Jerald not that it wasn’t warranted. There would be times she would become frustrated at how slow things were moving but they chalked it up to being stuck in the hospital and still dealing with everything.

When there was a knock at the door the three of them looked up and saw Kevin walk into the room.  “Hello” The tall dashing man said with a smile.

“Hi” Nadia replied as AJ stood up and started his little dance again.  “Awesome.” Nadia sighed as she rolled her eyes and shook her head.

“What are you doing?” Kevin asked as he stared at AJ.

“The I’m the father dance.” AJ replied as he handed him the paper.

“Test came back?” Kevin asked as he looked at Chelsea and then down at the paper.

“Yep.” Chelsea replied and then she looked at AJ.  “See Nadia that is why I want you to never, ever touch drugs.”

“Hey” AJ replied as he stopped dead and looked at his wife.  “That’s not fair.”

“Yeah Chels.” Kevin replied and then looked at Nadia. “He was like that before the drugs.”

“Hey!” AJ replied as his head whipped towards Kevin and Nadia, Chelsea and Kevin started laughing.

“Where’s Anne?” Chelsea asked.

“She went out with the baby and Kristin.”

“Ya know he’s not really a baby anymore.” AJ said as he sat down.

“He will always be a baby to me.” Kevin replied.

“Awesome, well at least you’ll have the money for therapy for him to deal with that.” AJ snorted.

“Shut up Mclean.” Kevin sighed as he shook his head.  “So I hear you guys start recording again next week.” Kevin said as he sat down in an empty chair beside Nadia.

“Yep” AJ nodded.  “Actually pretty psyched to get back into the studio.”

“When do you start the solo stuff up again?” Kevin asked.

“In a couple of weeks, I wanna make sure Chels gets home first.” AJ told him.

“Sounds like you’ll be busy.” Kevin said.

“Very” AJ nodded.  “But I can handle it.”  AJ looked at Kevin and saw the look on his face.  “I can handle it.” He repeated.

“Didn’t say anything.” Kevin replied.

“Didn’t have too.” AJ replied back.

“So does that mean I’ll get to go on tour soon?” Nadia asked.

“Yep” AJ replied

“No” Chelsea replied at the same time he did.

“No?” Both Nadia and AJ replied together.

“By the time the tour actually starts she’ll be in school.” Chelsea said.

“I can do school on the road.” Nadia replied and Chelsea looked at her with raised eyebrows.

“I dunno if I want you to be home schooled.” AJ said.

“You were.” Nadia spoke up.  “And Brian home schools Baylee.”

“We’ll think about it.” AJ replied and he quickly looked over to Chelsea who looked like she was about to object.  “Hey look at that.” He said as he looked down at his watch.  “It’s time for a walk.”

“Are we going to the courtyard out back?” Nadia asked as she stood up.

“You up for that?” AJ asked as he walked over to Chelsea’s bedside.

“Sure” Chelsea replied as she slowly got out of the bed. 

AJ helped her put her slippers on and helped her stand up as she steady herself on the cane she had to use which was a switch from the walker she had been using the last couple of weeks.  Kevin held the door opened as they made their way out into the hallway.  AJ walked beside Kevin as the two of them walked behind Nadia and Chelsea.  The two girls chatted as the boys walked quietly down the hall.  They all gathered in the elevator and took it downstairs.  When they reached the first floor everyone headed towards the back doors to the court yard.

“Mom wants you and Nadia to come over to my place for dinner tonight.” Kevin said as they walked outside.

“Cool” AJ nodded as he let the door close over behind him.

“She was wondering if Chelsea would be up to going to Kentucky.” Kevin said and AJ could tell by the tone in his voice he was unsure about the topic.

“I think Chelsea already answered your Brother on that topic.” AJ replied.

“I know, I know but she’s not coming at you guys like that, she just knows you’re going to be busy, and she’s worried about Chelsea being home alone.”  Kevin told him.

“She won’t be alone, Nadia will be there and most of the recording will be done in LA anyways so it’s not like I’ll be far.” AJ replied.

“But don’t you think it would be relaxing for her?” Kevin asked.

“Not when Jerald can show up any minute.” AJ replied.

“He does it now anyways.” Kevin said as AJ looked at him.

“I dunno dude, she’s been very testy, I think it’s just being stuck in the hospital and everything but I really don’t want to bring it up, I think she just wants to get home and relax there.” AJ replied with a small sigh.

“So, any word on Helen?” Kevin asked.

“She goes to court in a month.” AJ replied with a shrug.

“Has Nadia asked about her at all?” Kevin asked.

“Last week when we got the court notice on when her trial was, she asked questions about if she’s found guilty how long would she go away for.” AJ told him.  “She said she didn’t want to see her go to jail because Helen did help, god knows what would have happened to Nadia if she hadn’t ya know.”

“Yeah” Kevin nodded. 

“But she could have spoken up, she could have gone to someone and told them what was going on.” AJ replied.  “But she didn’t, she left Chelsea there.”

“Hey AJ?” Nadia spoke and both men looked over as she walked up to them.

“What’s up hun?” AJ asked.

“Chelsea’s crying.” Nadia said as she nodded over to Chelsea who was sitting on a bench.

AJ lightly smiled. “I’ll be right back.” He said as he stood up.

He walked down the path and walked up to his wife, sitting down beside her.  She looked over at him, her eyes soaked and red and then looked away again.  “What’s wrong sweetheart?” He asked in a calm, worried tone, even though he kind of already knew; she wanted to go home.

“Nothing” She replied but made no effort to wipe her tears away or calm her crying.

“Chels” AJ said as he lowered his head a little and looked over his sun glasses at her.

“What does it matter anyways?” She replied.

“You’re upset, it matters a lot to me.” AJ said as he put his hand gently on her back.

“It’s just everything.” Chelsea replied after a minute of silence. 

“Everything?” AJ replied.

Chelsea nodded.  “I just went for a shower, I went to close the door and that was it, my whole life gets flipped upside down.  I’m stuck in a hospital, I can barely walk, I don’t remember what my wedding dress looked like, I don’t remember things about us that kept me going when I was with my Dad, and it’s just not fair.  I want my life back.”

“You worked so hard to get the life you wanted after Mexico, you didn’t let anyone tell you what was best for you and you knew what you wanted.  I’m telling you right now, you haven’t lost that life, it’s still right here hoping to make you smile cause it hates seeing you cry.” AJ said as he brushed her bangs behind her ear.  A small smile broke from the corner of her lip and then the sound of a girl laughing made them both look behind AJ.

They saw Kevin bobbing his head to the left, he was singing something, they couldn’t make out what he was saying but what ever it was had Nadia cracking up laughing.  AJ looked back at Chelsea and she was still softly smiling.  When her eyes made contact with his he smiled.  “She’s pretty amazing.”

“Yeah” Chelsea replied with a nod.  “That’s one thing I’m thankful for.” Chelsea said and AJ looked at her a little confused.  “That I still remember the night she was born.  I remember what she looked like when Helen gave her to me.”

“I’m glad.” AJ replied as he took her hand but he felt himself getting a little saddened by the thought that he wasn’t there to share in that moment, to see his daughter being born.  “Well…” AJ said pushing it away.  “If you ask me, your life is better after you woke up.”

Chelsea looked at him for a minute and then smiled again.  “Because we have her.”  He kissed the back of her hand and then nodded.

“Come on, we should get back inside. They’ll be bringing you your dinner soon.”He said as he helped her stand up.

“Yay” Chelsea replied in a very non excited tone.

“Anne wants Nadia and me to go over to Kevin’s for dinner, we’ll sneak you something.” AJ told her as she steady herself on the cane.

“You better.” She replied as she wrapped her arm through his and they started walking towards Kevin and Nadia.