Author's Note: Hey everyone I'm really sorry on the long wait for this chapter. I hadn't realized how long it had been since I last updated this one and a lot of my others as well. I promise that I will be making sure to update all of them more often again including this one, my new ones, and my older ones as well. Anyway I hope you enjoy and please let me know what you thought as I always enjoy hearing what people thought and votes and comments are always appreciated and helpful. 💜💜

"Ava!" Lola cried out as she quickly ran over and hugged her older sister relieved to see that she was awake. "Ow okay, not so rough please," Ava quickly replied while wincing a little. She knew that Lola was just relieved and happy to see that she was okay but her body was still weak and the hugging was hurting her still.

    "Oh right sorry," Lola told Ava as she quickly released herself and backed up a little. "Ava I'm so glad you're okay," Caitlin exclaimed once Lola had backed away a little bit. "Yeah we were worried sick," Dylan added on. Ava was practically their family at this point. It had been absolutely terrifying for the two young college students when they had been given a call about Ava being hospitalized.

    "I'm fine how's Mal," Ava responded back not caring about her own health. Ava knew that she probably should focus on herself but she couldn't. She needed to know where Mal was and how the young toddler was doing. Mal was her baby and she needed her right now.

   "Okay dude calm down. You literally just woke up from like a mini coma," Lola told her sister who just rolled her eyes as she looked over. "I said I'm fine, how's Mal!" Ava practically screamed out. She was getting anxious and more worried. She didn't care about herself, she only cared about Mal right now and she needed to know she was okay.

   It was honestly freaking her out that Lola wasn't answering her questions. Lola sighed looking over at Ava knowing that it was best to just answer her. It was obvious that the only thing Ava cared about right now was Mal and it was probably going to get worse if she didn't just answer her.

   "Well she was fine when I last saw her," Lola responded back hoping this would be enough to keep Ava calm. This didn't seem to be the case though as Ava just slowly nodded and started to get up. "What are you doing!" Dylan cried out when he saw what Ava was doing. "Yeah Ava you just basically overdosed on alcohol and came out of a mini coma," Caitlin replied back, joining in with Dylan.

   The two of them honestly couldn't believe that Ava was trying to leave right now. "They're right, you need to be resting," Lola told Ava who rolled her eyes again. She didn't want to be away from Mal any longer and she honestly felt fine.

   "I'm fine! I'm going to see Mal," Ava exclaimed while still trying to leave. She was sick of them all treating her like she was some fragile person. Mal needed her right now. "Okay dude bad idea," Lola said to Ava as she got up and tried to guard Ava from leaving.

   "Will you move?" Ava responded back with an attitude not liking that they seemed to be keeping her away from her baby that needed her. "I can't do that," Lola quickly told her big sister who rolled her eyes again and pushed past Lola.

   "Okay for someone who just came out of a mini coma she sure is strong," Lola said out loud as she was honestly shocked by how easily Ava seemed to push past her despite being weak from alcohol poisoning.

    Once Ava made it out the door she quickly started to head towards Mal's room. Ava tried her best to ignore the pounding feeling in her head and the weakness of her body. She knew that the others were probably right about her resting but she needed to see that Mal was okay.

    Mal was worth some dizziness and fatigue. Just as Ava was about to enter Mal's room she lost her balance as she fell into someone. "Oh my gosh I'm so sorry," Ava quickly cried out not realizing who she had run into.

    "Ava?" The person questioned, causing Ava to look over in shock when she saw who it was she had just run into. "Alison?" Ava asked in shock. The younger girl definitely wasn't expecting to see the older girl there.

     "Aren't you supposed to be in bed?" Alison asked Ava in concern as she watched her struggle to get back up. Ava just ignored Alison though as she looked over at her. "What are you doing here?" Ava asked the TA. She still wasn't expecting to see Alison here in the hospital.

    "I came to see you. Now again what are you doing up out of bed," Alison responded back looking over at the younger girl. It was worrying her to see the state that Ava was in right now. It looked like Ava was about to pass out at any moment.

   "I just I... I want to see my baby. I want to see Mal," Ava cried out as tears began to fall down her face. Ava was tired and in pain. She just wanted to lay down but she needed to stay strong. Mal needed her right now and she was determined not to let this stand in her way.

   Alison sighed and looked over at Ava. She understood where Ava was coming from. She was a mother herself and she would do anything for her babies too but she also could tell that Ava wasn't in the right mindset right now and really needed to be resting in her hospital bed. "I get that Ava but it's dangerous for you to be out and walking around right now," Alison told Ava who shook her head.

    "I'm fine," Ava began but didn't get to finish as she felt the dizziness start to get worse. Ava just closed her eyes and tried to ignore the dizzy feeling. This didn't seem to help though as she ended up grabbing onto Alison trying to steady herself. Alison, noticing the state that Ava was in, quickly caught her before she could fall.

    "Ava you're weak right now. You need to go back to your room," Alison tried to reason with Ava hoping to convince her to go back before she got worse. This still didn't seem to work though as Ava continued to try and make her way towards Mal's room.

    "No! I am going to see Mal! She needs me and I'm fine," Ava exclaimed, still not wanting to accept defeat. "Ava, please listen to me. I know you're worried about her but it's not going to help if you neglect your own health. Mal needs you but you're no good to her when you're like this," Alison told Ava again in her gentle but firm voice.

    She needed Ava to understand that her own health mattered too. Alison smiled a little when she saw Ava stop fighting as she slowly nodded finally starting to understand. "I'm such a screw up," Ava cried out as tears began to fall down her cheeks. Mal needed her right and so did her other siblings but instead she just made things worse.

    She was supposed to be their caregiver and here she was barely even able to stand up because of her stupid reckless actions. Alison quickly pulled Ava into a hug as she held her close. "Ava you are not a screw up don't say that," Alison exclaimed to the younger girl.

    "I am! I couldn't even handle drinking. I can't believe I did that!" Ava cried out again as more tears poured out. She couldn't stop feeling guilty about everything that happened. She was supposed to be the big sister and their legal guardian. It was her job to be there for them and she was failing again.

    "Ava we all make mistakes and do things we're not proud of. Trust me I have done so many horrible and questioning things in my past but here we are now. Ava, what you're going through right now is a lot especially for someone young. You made a mistake but you got lucky because you're here right now. Don't waste this opportunity and don't give up. We all make mistakes," Alison told Ava in her firm but gentle voice again trying to calm her down.

   Alison understood what it was like to feel this way. She had done so many horrible things in her past that she wished she could take back but she knew that she can't. It was in the past and she was trying to move on from it. She knew that Ava was trying her best and that she shouldn't blame herself for this.

    Yes it wasn't a good idea for her to be drinking like that but she didn't blame her. Ava was 20 years old and forced to raise her own siblings on her own. One in which was sick. She didn't blame Ava for snapping; she probably would have done the same if she was in this situation.

    Ava just needed to put this behind her and keep going. "You really think so?" Ava asked Alison as she began to calm down. "Of course and Ava you're not a screw up. You're one of the strongest, most badass women that I know," Alison told Ava as she hugged her again and smiled a little.

    "You really mean that?" Ava asked the older girl as she just smiled and hugged her back finally starting to feel less guilty about everything. "Of course I do now please go back to the room before you hurt yourself," Alison told Ava after she released her from the hug.

     "Yeah I will and thanks again. I really needed that talk," Ava whispered once she released herself and made her way back to her room. "Oh good you're okay," April called out when she saw Ava enter the room again. "April? What happened to Lola?" Ava asked in shock and confusion. She had no clue when it became April instead of Lola.

    "Lola told me you tried to leave to go see Mal and that's when we decided to switch. What were you thinking!" April lectured out as she still couldn't believe that Ava had done this to herself. Ava closed her eyes knowing that April was mostly talking about Ava's drinking situation and not really about her leaving the room.

    "I'm sorry I just couldn't handle it," Ava whispered, hoping to calm April's anger. "You should have talked to us," April told her sister. She was honestly feeling hurt that Ava had gotten to this point when she had them. They were all going through the same thing right now. They needed each other.

    "I know I'm sorry I messed up," Ava cried out, starting to feel guilty about the situation again. April sighed as she just hugged Ava close to her. "You did but I'm so glad you're okay please never scare us like that again!" April told Ava as she kept hugging her close just relieved that Ava was okay right now.

    "I won't and again I'm sorry for scaring everyone I just couldn't take it anymore and I just snapped. I'll never do anything like that again," Ava said to April as she released herself from the hug and sat back down in her bed. "Good oh and um one other thing I should probably mention," April nervously told Ava.

    Ava sensing this uneasiness quickly looked over as she felt the anxiety build up inside her at this sentence. "What is it?" Ava asked, trying to keep herself calm. "It's um it's about Mal," April replied, causing Ava to quickly jump up as she felt more fear build up.

    "What about Mal!" Ava cried out not being able to keep herself calm anymore as the fear and anxiety seemed to be taking over again as she tried to imagine what could be going on.