Sweet Child Of Mine

My heart was beating faster then I thought was ever possible, as I entered the room.

Once inside the first thing I saw was Dad with his back to me, facing the hospital bed.

Brian put his hand on the back of Dad's shoulder causing him to look up. When he did, he smiled slightly.

Dad then fully turned around and looked at me. At first I couldn't read his facial expression...which scared me.

But then...He smiled.

He smiled a genuine smile.

Looking beyond my Dad, and to the hospital bed. I could see an alive, but very weak looking Val.

She looked up at me and a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

I was instantly consumed by a feeling of guilt. All over again. I had been cold and an utter bitch towards Val, and still, she smiles at me. Like we're friends. Like it wasn't my fault that she's in a hospital bed.

My gaze dropped to the clean white linoleum floor. In a way, I felt as though I was hanging my head in shame. I was ashamed of my actions and if I was Val, I wouldn't forgive myself. But she has.

That simple smile she gave me spoke a thousand words to me. She had forgiven me.

By now everyone was seated around Val's bedside. "Are you gonna stand in the doorway all day or are you gonna sit down?" Val asked me, smiling.

I smiled back slightly, before taking a seat next to Johnny.

The next hour consisted of everyone filling Val in what had been happening over the past week. Which was surprisingly not alot.

Slowly, the number of people in the room began to thin out. They may have though I was stupid, but I knew what the guys were up to. They were trying to get me, Dad and Val to have some time to ourselves. I don't know why, as I've barely spoken at all.

Michelle leaned down and kissed her sister's forehead. "Call us if you need anything." She stated, before leaving with Brian.

Val began to sit up and Dad helped her, by propping up a pillow behind her back.

"Matt could you go and get me a coffee or something please?" She asked, looking at Dad.

"Sure," he smiled back. "I'll go get one from the machine."

Val groaned slightly. "Can you get one from the starbucks down the street. Hospital coffee sucks."

Dad nodded. "No problem." He stood up and kissed Val's cheek, before exiting the room and shutting the door behind himself.

Val then turned to me.

"You and I need to talk."

./\.Valary's POV./\.

I must admit. The look on Alex's face seemed as though she'd just been told that she was about to be shot.

"Don't worry," I smiled. "I'm not going to argue or anything with you."

"Oh." Alex relaxed slightly. "What do you want to talk to me about?" She asked sheepishly.

"About this." I reached across into the bedside drawer and pulled out a white envelope with the words Valary DiBenedetto written clearly across it.

Alex's eyes widened in shock. "Shit! I was wondering where that went!" She quickly slapped her hand over her mouth and looked up at me.

I placed the letter to the side. "It's what you said in this letter true?" I asked her. At first she avoided my gaze, looking everywhere but at me. "Alex. Please answer me."

Alex let out a breath she had been holding, before solemnly nodding. "Yes. It's true." She looked up and I could see tears filling in her eyes. "I'm so sorry Val. I never meant for anything to turn out the way they did. I-I mean, I just got back home and then I found out that you and Dad were together. I felt...I felt jealous. I just... God, I felt that you were taking him away from me, when he's just come back onto my life. T-That you got to spend so much time with him, when I couldn't. I just..I-I'm just so sorry." She cried.

Leaning forward, I placed my hand on her shoulder. I looked at her for a moment before pulling her into a hug, and surprisingly to me, she hugged back.

"Alex I want you to understand that I would never do that to you. He's your father and he's always going to be there for you.. And I'll make sure off that." I said the last part in a joking tone.

Alex chuckled slightly. "I'm never going to take him away from you." I pulled back from the hug and moved some of her red hair out of her tear streaked face. "And I'm always gonna be here for you. Ever since your father first told me he'd managed to track you down, I couldn't wait to meet you. After all, I need another gal to help me and the other girls keep their guys in line."

Alex laughed, wiping under her eyes.

"So what do you say. Forgive and forget." I offered, smiling at her.

She nodded. "Yeah. Forgive and forget." We smiled at each other, before being interrupted by the door opening.

Matt walked in the room with a smile on his face. He looked at me and smirked. "I'm not stupid. I know there's not a Starbucks down the street."

I smiled back at Matt, he must have been waiting outside the door.

He looked at Alex and smiled at her.

"Not stupid?" Alex questioned. "Could've fooled me." She smirked back at him.

./\.End Of Valary's POV./\.