Her world was spinning and her head felt like it was being hammered. The first thing she hears is the steady beeping of the monitor followed by the hushed voices. When she opens her eyes this time she didn't feel like blinded by the light. She blinked through the fog of her sleep. She remembered her conversation with Ava, but when she looked around the room she was nowhere to be found. Her ex-wife was replaced by her coworkers and friends gathered at the corner of the room. Laurel was there too, talking to them.

The room was now filled with different flowers, cards and balloons. Her friends didn't seem to notice she was awake. They were busy with their respective conversations. She sees Zari with Laurel and Nate. Ray was with Amaya and Mick was eating a sandwich in the couch.

"I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to be here all at once." She joked to make her presence known. It was loud in her ears, but it was just enough for her friends to turn around. Their worried looks lifted as they approached her.

They asked how she was feeling and what they could do to make her comfortable. To which she replied. "I'm good."

Laurel held her hand, the one without the IV. She smiled comfortingly at her sister and squeezed back her hand. She sees tears forming in her eyes and suddenly she felt weak too. She feels herself slowly breaking down.  "You promised to be careful" Laurel whispered.

"I tried" She sadly replies. Laurel kisses her on her forehead and said goodbye. Laurel was needed in the DA's office and she couldn't bring herself to stop her. Laurel also told her that Dinah was bringing little Laurel to visit.

She hated being injured. Being a detective, she knew it was going to be inevitable but the thought of Laurel worrying, or losing a mom was difficult to bear. She loved being a cop and being out in the field, saving others and making the city safer for Laurel to grow up in but it's the moments like this that she feels like she should find a safer job. What is a safe future for Laurel when she doesn't have a mom to take care of her?

Her friends kept her company and eased the negativity. They told her stories and how the operation was successfully executed last night. She finally felt at peace knowing that there was one less criminal roaming around the streets. She forgets about Ava or where she was. Honestly, she could've returned to Ivy Town and she couldn't care less.

Later, her friends let her rest. They returned back to the couch and offered to wait for Dinah to arrive before they leave so that she would have company. She closed her eyes and allowed her drowsiness to consume her.

She hears the door open and assumed it was her mother. When the room suddenly went silent, she opened her eyes.

"Mommy?" she hears her daughter. She entered the room with Ava. Their hands were intertwined and suddenly it hurt. It wasn't her abdomen but it was her heart. Seeing their daughter with her mama brought back memories from the past she buried deep down. 

Their eyes met for a split second before she focused all her attention on Laurel. The little girl was trying to climb up the bed but she was struggling. Ray was beside them in an instant helping Laurel up, smiling at Sara with an I got her look. She mouthed a silent thank you. She hissed at the burning sensation when she felt Laurel's weight hover against her.     

Suddenly Ava was beside them, telling Laurel to be careful. She almost scoffed. The gesture was soft and nice, something they haven't been in a while. However she focused more on Laurel who was sobbing in her chest. She feels the wetness in the crook of her neck as her daughter cried.

"I'm okay Laur, mommy is okay now. I can't be home for a few days so Aunt Laurel and grandma will be taking care of you okay?" She coaxed so that the little girl will stop crying.

"Will mama be there too?" a lump formed in her throat. She didn't know what to say. She couldn't promise Laurel that Ava wouldn't leave because she will. She turns to Ava and gave her a look, encouraging her to answer the question herself. 

"Of course little bean, mama's not going anytime soon. I promise" The taller blonde replied. Sara's heart sank at the nickname. Ava has been nothing but kind and gentle with her and apparently, Laurel. It was loud and clear that she was waving a white flag and she got the message.

Ava leaned in and smoothed their daughter's hair and kissed her forehead. Suddenly she was really close to her. One move and their lips would meet. She shook the thought away, confused as to why she is suddenly feeling these urges. Maybe because it reminded her of how they always tucked Laurel in bed.

Sara cuddled with the little girl as Ava read her a toddler book of Peter Pan, Laurel's all-time favorite, for the second time. Her wife was seated at the other side of their daughter's bed showing her the pictures while reading the text below.

She would occasionally make her own sentences and conversations along with a few hand gestures that made the story ten times longer than it should be but it was amusing to see her wife's stoic and poker face become a set of emoji in the span of the story.    

Laurel's giggles and laughs were music to her ears. She loved the way her mama read her the book and it was difficult to put her to bed without this routine they grew accustomed of.

After halfway of the second reading Laurel was already peacefully sleeping. She untangled herself from her embrace. Then, they both kissed her goodnight and tuck her in properly before they headed to their bedroom.

She giggled in between kisses as Ava pulled her in the room. "I miss having you all to myself" The taller blonde whispered, kissing her once more.

"Mmm...you have me for the rest of your life" She whispered back in between smiles and kisses

"Cute. But that's not what I meant" Ava raised both her brows twice and grinned. She lets out the cutest giggle.

Suddenly Sara's mood changed from light to seductive "show me" She pushed the other woman gently and they both fell slowly on the bed.

"Boss, we better get going." the brute and rough voice of Mick brought her back to reality. Her partner, who often referred to her as boss, was eating a new sandwich, his third one she supposed.

Everybody bid their goodbyes to her and Laurel. They also murmured a quick goodbye to Ava and she heard Mick say "see you around hotcakes" who was then slapped in the arm by Nate. She smiled at the humor of her friends and shook her head. Dinah, who apparently arrived already, showed the legends out the door.

Laurel stirred and her weight knocked the air out of her lungs. She kissed her daughter's forehead and smoothed her hair back.

Maybe Ava was paying attention because she was at their side again trying to get Laurel down "Laur baby, you're such a big girl now and you're getting heavier and heavier. Mommy is quite having a hard time cuddling with you right now. Is it okay for you to go with mama?"

When the little girl nodded Ava carried her off the bed. She shot her a grateful look before smiling. Her heart warmed seeing Ava and Laurel sit in the couch and talk. Laurel had a huge smile on her face as she watched something on Ava's phone.

She should be angry at her ex-wife, showing up after a year without any contact with her in between aside from a casual check in with Laurel. She thought of the many times Ava could've come and be with their daughter, all the missed out moments she put in second as she chose her career.  The excuse was always work, work and work but she wasn't an idiot. Ava went to great lengths just to avoid her even if it meant she couldn't be with Laurel. What changed? Why now when she has already moved on?

Dinah pulled up a chair beside her and squeezed her arm. "How are you feeling?" her mother asked.

She answered with a smile. "I'm good" her eyes however never left her daughter.  "She arrived with you?" she didn't even need to say the name for her mother to understand.

Dinah told her about how Laurel thought it was a good idea to hitch with her seeing that the car wasn't available. She also told her about their interaction and how little Laurel reacted when she saw Ava. "She is happy that she is back. She may not understand yet but I know one thing, she wants her in her life sweetheart"

"Ava left Laurel mom. I can't just welcome her back into our lives just because she decided to show up when you called" She said bitterly. She still hated Ava for leaving, for not fighting hard enough for their little girl, for her.

"You knew how hard it was for her, you know what she has been through sweetheart" her mom reminded. Of course she remembered. She wanted to tell everyone she was hurt too, that it wasn't just Ava that had it hard but she kept quiet, not having enough strength to argue.

"It doesn't justify why she left her daughter" She stared back at them again. Laurel was clearly enjoying a video Ava was showing her. Ava was smiling too. She has never seen her this happy since...since everything became a downward spiral.

She doesn't deny that it was good seeing Ava smiling again, talking to her friends and being with Laurel. Maybe she moved on too, maybe she finally found whatever it was that she had been missing in her life. It didn't matter because whatever it was turned her back to who she was before.

She felt herself being pulled back into sleep. Her eyelids were heavy and her body weak. Sara allowed herself to succumb to it and drifted into dreamland.

They haven't talked in a week. Ava has been distant again, burying herself in work. She wakes up in an empty bed and sleeps alone at night. Ava would already out the door before she could grab an opportunity to talk to her or she would stay in the office so late it became too exhausting for her to wait.

She tried reaching out, she really did. She would wake up early and set an alarm at night just to catch Ava. Her wife however made little effort to communicate. She would brush her off and tell her everything was okay and she shouldn't worry about her. It was the problem, she can't stop worrying. 

Laurel had been asking for her bedtime stories and mama wasn't there to read them for her. Sara tried but fails miserably. In the morning Laurel asked for mama to take her to the park but Ava couldn't say yes because she was swamped with work. Sara called in sick and took her but all she did was frown and displayed tantrums the entire day.

Sara was getting tired. She wanted the coldness to end. She tried her best to tiptoe around Ava, giving her space and the time she needed to be back on her feet, but tiptoeing wasn't working anymore so she confronted her.

The confronting however didn't go well. She waited for Ava to come home. It was past 10 and Laurel was already sleeping. She sat in the bed fighting the urge to go to lie down and rest. Ava arrived, her suit jacket hanged on her arms and her usually neat bun was messed up. When she turned on the light that's when Sara finally made her.

Her eyes were puffy and rimmed with red from crying. Her lips swollen and her nose and cheeks were pink. 

"Ava" she whispered. She stood up and walked closer to her wife. She cups both her cheeks and stared into her dark blue eyes. 

Ava was shocked to see her awake, she wasn't expecting to be confronted and it made her upset. "Why are you still awake?" she replied coldly

"I was waiting for you, we need to talk Aves" the nickname hit her. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.

The attempt to converse turned into a heated argument, turned into shouting that woke Laurel up and turned into Sara crying while tucking Laurel back in bed. Ava had slept in the guest bedroom that night and after that the fighting never stopped. 

***

Three days passed and Sara was given an all clear to be discharged by the doctor. Ava was always in the hospital with little Laurel or if anyone was watching Sara she'd take Laurel out to the park or anywhere else and make up for the moments she missed in her daughter's life.

Sara's things were already packed up and she was ready to go out in a few hours. Laurel, Sara's sister was with her, little Laurel and Quentin helping Sara out.

Ava couldn't help but overhear the conversation between the sisters.

"Sara you can't stay in your apartment. It would be difficult for you to move around and it's too far for me or our parents to come and take care of you. Dad has to be in the precinct and mom is teaching"

Sara as stubborn as she is, replied "I can take care of myself Laurel. Besides where would I stay?"

A stupid thought immediately came into mind. The past days she and Laurel had been having so much fun that she wanted to be with Laurel more. If Sara stays in her apartment then she would drive an hour from her house just to see the little girl so the compromise she wants to offer is perfect.

So she offered without thinking about it twice. "Why don't you stay at our old house" Everybody stared at her like she grew horns. "I mean it's going to be easier for you. There's a guest room in the first floor and there will be maids at your beck and call" she further explained

"What's in it for you?" for a second she felt like Sara was considering.

"Oh you mean beside from helping you out of the goodness of my heart? I get to spend time with my baby girl" she stared at Laurel who was busy with the phone on the couch and back to Sara.

Sara rolled her eyes at her sarcasm. She was almost enthusiastic until Sara replied. "No"

"Sara. That's actually a really good offer" Laurel encouraged. She was grateful for the other woman's support.

    "You don't owe me anything and I don't want to owe you Ava. Do you even know what you're asking? I'm not going back to that house" she replied almost harshly.

She was a lawyer, convincing people is her job and she wanted this so bad. "Sara come on. Just until you be okay on your own. You won't even know I'm there." she tried once more but failing so she tried using the kid to sandbag her ex -wife. "Laurel would want to be there, she wants to spend time with me"

"Maybe if you didn't leave then you wouldn't have to go through the lengths for you to get to know your daughter." that hurt. She also made a point. She was the one who left and it was unfair for her to ask such a big thing to Sara. Her shoulder slumped in defeat.

"I'm sorry" she whispered. The room was too quiet it was deafening.

"Mama? What's wrong?" Laurel came closer and hugged her mom's legs. Ava crouched down to level with her daughter.

"Nothing little bean, mommy is coming home today are you excited?" she tried to smile. The little girl lit up with excitement.

"Will mama come home with us?" she asked enthusiastically. Ava's heart ached. She didn't want to hurt the little girl more than she already have.

"Hey little bean look at mama, mommy... and I, we uh, thought it was best that mama will be at the old house okay? But I promise I will come to visit" her heart broke when Laurel started sobbing.

"But you promised you could stay" The little girl looked up at Sara frowning.

Ava didn't know what to do or what to say. She feels her heart being torn to shreds, afraid that maybe Laurel will grow tired of her making mistakes and finally give up on her but then Sara spoke from the bed.

"And Mama is keeping that promise babe, come here" Laurel helped the little girl up and she sat beside Sara. The shorter blonde wiped the tears from her eyes. "Remember our old house? We're going to stay there with mama for a few days or more okay?" she smoothed their daughter's hair and kissed her forehead.

Sara looked over Laurels shoulder and stared at her. She mouthed a silent thank you and Sara nodded in return. This could probably be the worst or best decision she had made after their divorce and she had a few hours to find out.