"Dr Palmer! Dr Palmer!" Bree called running down the hospital hallway with a nurse in pursuit behind her.

"Ma'am, he's got an appointment. You have to come back some other time." The nurse said but Bree was not paying attention.

She turned and almost bumped into a patient being pushed in a wheelchair. "Oh, sorry, sorry. I'm sorry."

Bree's eyes floated past the plaques on each door until she found Dr Palmer's office. She rushed in and found him talking to an elderly man. 

"Dr Palmer, is my mother okay?" Bree asked with a hand in her hair. She looked like an inflated balloon, pacing to and fro as Dr Palmer excused himself to calm her down.

"I'm sorry doctor. I tried to stop her." The nurse apologized breathlessly behind Bree.

"It's okay nurse. I'll take it from here." Dr Palmer said. The nurse turned and left.

Bree looked out of breath too but she tried to speak through it and it made her choke on her words.

"Take a deep breath miss. Calm down." He cooed. Bree kept moving like a jitterbug, apologizing for not coming to visit her mother amidst tears.

"Dr Palmer, is she okay? Please tell me she's okay. She's still going to wake up, right?" Bree sobbed.

"I was going to call you yesterday. There's something that requires your attention." Dr Palmer said blankly. Bree's heart stopped beating for a whole minute. She inhaled a shaky breath, staring at Dr Palmer's wrinkled eye wicks.

He kept that face - one that Bree had never seen in person but recognized all too well. It was a very grim look that meant something bad had happened. Bree hated the cold feeling that threatened to invade her body.

"If you will kindly follow me." He said and turned to the man in the chair. "Mr Warwick, i will be right back please."

Mr Warwick did not seem offended by Bree's interruption. Instead, he looked relieved as if he had just been rescued from a dentist with chainsaws.

Bree's feet suddenly became heavy as they exited the room and walked down the hall. The lump in her throat grew as big as a tennis ball and her clasped palms were so sweaty she was scared that if she separated them, a tiny rainfall of sweat would escape her hands.

Tears still stung the corner of her eyes as she followed Dr Palmer into the elevator. Her mother's room was on the third floor. The dreaded image of an empty bed filled Bree's mind, the rumple blue sheets, the flattened pillows. Bree sobbed quietly as the elevator dinged. She slowly followed Dr Palmer to the unit her mother was in, he gave her a poker face before opening the door.

Bree's heart thumped in her chest, a flow of tears rushed down her face.

"There's my baby girl." Her mother said with a wide smile and both arms open wide.

Bree thought she was dreaming but she knew she wasn't. This was real. She glanced at Dr Palmer who had a genuine smile across his face. He gestured for her to go on.

"Mom!" She whispered and went over to hug her mother.

"Oh, there's my baby." Melinda said squeezing Bree gently. There was a nurse in the room that was taking her temperature when they had come in. She watched the pair with a smile.

Tears flowed down Bree's face as her wild heartbeat slowly began to return to normal again. She pulled away and stared at her mother's face. Melinda brushed the hair that stuck across Bree's forehead. Her limbs were weak but she could move them a little bit.

"Look at that, you finally got rid of the matching outfits, butterscotch." She commented.

Bree laughed and hugged her again. She walked over to Dr Palmer and hugged him too.

Afterwards, the doctor explained that Melinda could be discharged immediately but she would have to move around in a wheelchair since her body had been dormant for a period of time. Bree would be the one to ensure her mother bounced back to full recovery.

"I'm so happy you're coming back home after so long." Bree stated when Dr Palmer spoke to the nurse.

"I'm happy to see you again, dear. Its been way too dark for me to handle. How have you been holding up going to school?" Melinda inquired.

"I stopped mom. I haven't gone to school ever since you went comatose." Bree revealed.

"What?" Melinda asked in shock. She might've not had any dreams or thoughts while she slept but she expected Bree to have gone halfway through the university.

"I'll explain when we get home, okay?!." Bree said rubbing Melinda's arm.

Dr Palmer came back and gave them the dos and don'ts to guide them through Melinda's recovery. Bree settled the remaining bills and by evening, she was on her way home with her mother by her side.

The cab driver helped Melinda into her wheelchair.

"There's not much change here either." Melinda said looking up at Oakwood. The building was exactly the same way she'd seen it the last time which was a long couple of months ago.

"There's a lot of change on the inside." Bree said pushing her into the front gate.

They entered the lobby and Tony smiled at them and approached. "Good day ma'am."

"Hi, Tony." Bree greeted with a grin. "Meet my mom. Mom, this is Tony. He's the new doorman."

Tony bowed slightly. "A pleasure, madam."

"Nice to meet you, Tony. Er, what happened to Habib?" Melinda said looking up at Bree.

"Habib was four doormans ago." Bree replied.

"what? What happened to him?" Melinda asked sadly. Habib was the one that had helped her settle in when they first arrived in Maine. She had grown to like him and when Bree left for the university, the two had developed quite the bond. She remembered calling him when she had heart attack symptoms for the first time. That was the last time she'd seen Habib because right after, she went into coma.

"Nothing happened. He was only replaced. It's kinda like a thing now - getting a new doorman every now and then. I hope Tony stays longer." Bree said.

"I'll escort you two to the elevator, if that's okay. Welcome back home madam." Tony said and took the wheelchair handles from Bree.

"Melinda!" Someone called from beside Bree. She turned and found Norman walking towards them. His eyes lit up with excitement as came over to give Melinda a hug.

"It's that boy. How are you?" Melinda said. Bree was sure her mother had forgotten his name.

"I'm fine. I'm so happy you're back home and in good health i'm sure." Norman said. It was almost like he had brought a loudspeaker with him because people started flooding over to welcome Melinda home, even people who had never said a word to her before.

Bree felt genuinely happy as the cheerful neighbors took turns in giving her mother a hug. Someone took her arm and pulled her to the corner. It was Norman.

"Why didn't you inform us that your mother was coming home today?" He inquired. He looked less sulkier than the last time she'd seen him. He wore a black coat over brown pants and a black shirt. Bree had to admit he looked dashing.

"I uh, i just forgot." She said with a short laugh.

"You just forgot? Why am i not surprised?!" He said looking away.

"Cut it out already." Bree spat.

"Cut what out?" He asked with a shrug.

Bree almost thumped his forehead but restricted herself. "Ever since i broke up with you, you've been going around the corners making me look bad."

"How?" Norman asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You're seriously asking me that? You're still not over our break up but i told you the truth about how i really felt so please, can we just go on living our normal lives?"

"I don't care what you said Bree, my feelings for you haven't changed and i don't know what compelled you to break us up but i'm going to find out and. . ."

"And nothing, Norman. We're done. I broke up with you because you tried to control me and i don't love you, alright. So understand that, please."

"Bree?" Melinda called from behind. Bree had already forgotten she now had her mother back. "Is everything okay between you two?"

The crowd was gone but Tony still held on the wheelchair handles looking at the pair like he had no idea what was going on.

"It's okay mom, we're fine. Tony, let's go." Bree said walking toward her mother. Norman scoffed and she turned to look at him.

"Tony, huhn?" He asked glaring daggers at the doorman. Bree gaped at him, deciphering what his expression meant.

"You can't possibly be thinking that!" Bree stated but Norman kept glaring at Tony like he would scratch a thousand lines across his face the next minute. Tony, on the other hand, stood fixed to a spot.

"Oh i get it. I totally get it." Norman said.

"Come on, Tony, bring my mom." Bree said. Tony finally snapped out of his trance and wheeled Melinda toward the elevator then left the two to go on from there.

When the doors closed, Melinda turned to look up at her daughter. "Were you dating that boy?"

Bree sighed in defeat. "Yes i was." She half expected her mother to yell at her for dating instead of going back to school but Melinda only gave a confused frown.

"I thought you didn't like him. If i remember correctly, you told me he stalked you." She said.

"He kinda still does but not like before. We only dated for a short while."

"Then why'd you break up?" Melinda asked. Her brown hair fell across her shoulders neatly and she wore cashmere and jeans. The only thing unusual was the wheelchair she was sitting on. Other than that, Melinda looked an average mother.

"He's crazy. I mean, i knew he was crazy before, i just got to see it up close." Bree said.

Melinda laughed heartily placing a hand on her forehead. Bree smiled at her. She had missed hearing her laugh and it was satisfying to hear it again.

The two settled into their apartment. Bree cleaned up her mother's room and made sure everything was as comfortable as possible. She had been saving up for Lake Donna but feeding a 1600lbs animal twice a week threatened to empty her savings account.

"So tell me, what have you been doing?" Melinda said when she had settled into her bed. Bree sat in front of her with both legs crossed, her face down staring at her phone

"What do you mean?" Bree asked.

"Put me up to speed with everything that's happened to you while i was away." Melinda said. "Dr Palmer told me you took care of the hospital bills. I want to know how you did it."

Bree lifted her head, put down her phone and fisted both hands under her cheek. A gleeful look spread across her face. "I robbed the bank."

All the color drained out from Melinda's face making her look like she was about to get a second heart attack.

Bree cautiously spread both arms as if doing so could regulate her mother's blood flow. "I'm kidding, i'm kidding. I'm kidding mom, i'm kidding."

Melinda sighed in relief and laughed. "I come home and the first thing you do is hit me with scary sarcasm."

"I'm sorry. I've worked a lot of jobs to make ends meet. I worked at the library. Oh and uh, the Mayor helped me a lot. He gave me a huge sum that cleared off the bills for the first four months and then i had to work two jobs."

"You worked at the library? I thought you hated books and didn't want to be anywhere near them. That's ironic. Anyway, i'm glad you're uh, taking all these new steps and being a whole new you. Look at my butterscotch!" Melinda said.

"I quit, mom." Bree announced. "I quit a long time ago."

Melinda's voice lowered into a sad tone. "Oh, but why?"

"Ed's an asshole." Bree stated in disgust then suddenly glued her lips together.

"You cuss now too? I guess i did miss out on a lot of things." Melinda said with a chuckle.

Bree managed a smile. It was nice to have her mother back but it felt different because usually, she would come home and fall asleep or make sketches but now she had someone to talk to. It made her feel at ease.

"Amy gave me a job at her diner too."

"Amy? Who's Amy?" Melinda asked, her brows knotting closely together. If those brows had grown an inch longer, they would've been a unibrow.

"Don't tell me you don't remember Amy." Bree managed to put on her best commercial voice. "Best muffins in Maine, get one blueberry and get a free munchkin."

"Ohhh, that Amy. How nice of her!" Melinda laughed. When they'd first arrived in Maine, Amy had been amongst the first few people that helped Melinda settle in.

She complained to them that she had a number of cats she didn't want and was giving out a free one whenever customers bought blueberry muffins. She'd said the same pharse over and over until it turned into a jingle.

"Yeah i made a couple of cha-chings from that and i worked for Herb too." Bree said.

"Whoa, whoa! Herb? The guy that owns a pet store three blocks from Amy's diner?" Melinda asked with a hint of disapproval.

"Glad you remembered that one." Bree replied.

"I don't like that man. He looks dangerous." Melinda confessed.

"I know but i was only trying to take care of you. I'm sure you'd do the same for me."

Melinda sighed calmly. "You're right. My baby girl's picked up a thing or two. I'm a great mom."

"Yes, you are." Bree said and went over to hug her. "You rest a little bit. I have to go to the grocery store. I haven't shopped in weeks."

"Let me guess, you've been surviving on pizza deliveries." Melinda said rolling her eyes.

Bree made a face. "How'd you know?"

Melinda smiled. "I'm your mother. I know everything about you."

Bree put on a denim jacket and took her credit card. "Be back soon."

It was already evening and she hadn't even realized it. In the cab, she made a mental grocery list.

"Normal people would just make an actual grocery list." Bree muttered. "Okay, milk, eggs, ketchup, pasta, chicken, sardines, peanut butter. . ."

The doors to the store slid open and Bree walked in, chanting her list repeatedly as she grabbed a trolley. "milk, eggs, ketchup, pasta, sardines, peanut butter, canned beans, bread. . ."

She stuffed the trolley as she passed section after section until she had two trolleys full.

The cashier checked the items one after the other while Bree tapped the credit card against her palm.

"Ma'am, you're paying with a card right?" The cashier lady asked.

"Oh yes." Bree said handing over the card.

She walked out the store with three bags and boarded a cab home.

"Bree, don't tell me you robbed the store too!" Melinda said in alarm when she saw the items.

"No i didn't. I've got some cash left so why not?" Bree said looking pleased with herself despite the shock on her mother's face.

"How much do you make?" Melinda asked still in disbelief. They usually never had enough food to last three days and Melinda always worked hard to make sure they ate well but now, seeing her daughter casually place three bags full of grocery on the kitchen counter not only scared her, it made her concerned.

"A hundred and fifty dollars a day." Bree replied proudly.

"WHAT?" Melinda nearly screamed.

"I actually got paid all at once so it's seven hundred dollars in total."

Melinda placed a hand on her cheek, staring wide eyed at Bree. "You're not pushing drugs for that man, are you?"

Bree took her mother's hands and squeezed them reassuringly. "No mom, i take care of pigs. It's quite a dirty job but it pays good money."

"Pigs? Pigs in a pet store?" Melinda asked with a frown.

"No, pigs in a pen. They're really cute. . .well, sometimes." Bree stated and began to offload the bags.

"Well, as long as it's legal and not dangerous. I don't want you getting involved with the authorities. Good thing you're working with pigs then because i can remember Herb having snakes in that store."

"Oh, he still has snakes. Cobras and whatnot." Bree said.

"Dangerous things those are. Make sure to keep off. I can't risk you getting a snake bite, nasty venoms and swelling. . ."

"Mom, i get it. Nothing dangerous or illegal, just pigs. I promise." Bree said and folded the first empty bag.

Nothing dangerous, huhn? Her mind began to judge. What about our friend in the forest? We'll just tell mom he's an oversized teddy bear so she doesn't freak out.

Bree gritted her teeth. Her mind was, strange to say, getting a mind of its own. She hated when her sanity taunted her.

And nothing illegal? What about the pigs? Nobody knows where they come from and where they go, not even us.

Bree tried to think of other things but her mind refused to comply.

Imagine her horror when the police comes knocking saying they found out we are a part of Herb's dirty business. Sawyer warned us to keep our noses off but we didn't listen. We needed money to buy party favors for the oversized teddy bear that can walk into Paraguay from our backyard.

Bree let out a scream. It had gotten too loud in her head.

"Honey, are you alright?" Her mother called from her room.

"I'm okay. It's just a spider." Bree shouted back.

"Spider? Where?" Gaius yelped from his apartment.

"They weren't talking to you, stupid civet." Kate said.

Bree fixed dinner and brought it to her mother.

"Nice to see we still have Gaius and Kate to wake us up early." Melinda commented and Bree laughed.

"They almost drove me crazy." She said.

"You don't say!" Melinda stated.

"I don't have to go to work until five o'clock tomorrow. We'll have time to hang, you and me." Bree said nudging Melinda's arm.

"awwn, i'd like that very much. I missed you a lot." Melinda said drawing Bree close.

"I missed you too, mum." Bree said wrapping her arms around her mother. She smelled like the lotion she used - peaches. Bree loved it but had never tried it herself.

She cleared away the plates and opted to spend the night in her mother's room. They talked at length about different things. Bree stated that she did not wish to continue school as it was very depressing and lonely. She had secretly criticized the likes of Tatum and Pepper for not wanting to learn but now she realized that she understood their reasons.

"Education is meant for everyone, mom but i don't think everyone is supposed to get it from school."

Melinda laughed causing her chest to vibrate under Bree's ear. "Where did you get that one from?"

"That's my philosophy." Bree said with a goofy smile.

"Mmm, i guess you're right, butterscotch. I want you to be happy. I want for you to live a happy and content life and that's really all that matters. Nobody said getting educated is a guarantee for a happy life, matter of fact it just makes you frustrated sometimes. Live and be happy, education or no education."

"Thanks for the support mom." Bree stated.

"You're welcome honey. The war your father and i faced trying to get you through elementary school is one i do not wish to experience again. I just want to have eggs and bacon for breakfast with my little girl that's not so little anymore."

"It's okay mom, i'll get us all the eggs and bacon we can eat." Bree chuckled. She could feel her mother's lips on her hair. It was an incredible feeling, one she'd missed a lot.

She didn't even realize she was falling asleep until she began to dream.

She opened her eyes and found herself in a burning stable.