"What do you think?"

Initially, the grin Quinn wore was the only thing that served as her response to Paloma. She marveled at the hot pink comforter that lied beneath a panting Siberia and covered the queen-sized mattress in its entirety.

A ceiling fan hung above the bed, successfully maintaining the bedroom's comfortable temperature. The evening sun poured in through the window that was on the opposite end of the room, hovering over the reading nook that held an abundance of small, prearranged pillows.

Quinn's elation dispersed at the sight, instead, she leered at the area that she once retreated to for its undeniably cozy atmosphere. Had she'd been asked just a few short weeks ago, she'd say that there was nothing better than curling up on that very nook with a lengthy novel in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other, wearing one of Paloma's old college sweatshirts that was always a size or two too big.

It was a place that served as an alternative to her own occasionally stuffy room, offering her yet another quiet place to retreat into the many thrilling worlds her books allowed her to travel to.

But now, her response would differ vastly because now she hated the niche. She despised it really. It was as though the sun crept from behind the clouds, shined into the bedroom, and perfectly illuminated the domain just to spite the girl.

She assumed it did so to remind her that her once favorite pastime of reading on that very nook would forever serve as a distant memory unless she somehow forced her brain to make sense of the words on the page of a book—any book.

In spite of the cruel reminder, Quinn smiled. The once dull room was well decorated with many items from her own bedroom and she knew that the only person that was skilled enough to arrange her things in just the way she liked them was Paloma.

She was certain that her older sister spent whatever time she wasn't with her in the hospital setting up the bedroom, making it perfect, just for her. And for that, Quinn smiled.

Now that she had to remain on the first floor of the home—her broken legs preventing her from going up and down the daunting staircase—the guest bedroom would temporarily serve as her own.

"It's perfect." Quinn looked up, her eyes meeting the brunette's. "Thanks."

At the retort, the elder Sullivan matched her sister's expression. She then pushed Quinn closer to the bed. The wheels of the wheelchair rolled soundlessly against the fuzzy, white rug that rested beneath them.

The redhead's eyes danced as they met Siberia's, the dog whimpered and moved restlessly back and forth in anticipation for Quinn's touch. Quinn delicately stroked her fur while the husky fought a losing battle with her excitable personality.  The girl was convinced that she'd never get tired of the sight of the adorable dog or the feel of her soft fur. It was absolutely medicinal. It went without saying that their time apart had truly been too long.

It wasn't until the trio heard a few faint knocks sound from the doorframe that the placidity of the mood was disturbed. But once Quinn saw who it was, she couldn't say that she minded the interruption.

Charlie stepped into the bedroom holding a man-sized stuffed bear in his arms. "Don't forget this."

He planted the stuffed animal down onto the bed. Siberia prodded the bear with her nose, inspecting the new item. She let out a soft, confused whine before nudging Quinn's hand using her snout, begging the girl to pet her like only she knew how.

Paloma peeked out of the bedroom once she heard quiet movements that came from the kitchen. "Ava's back with the food. I'm gonna help her set up for dinner."

The moment Paloma left, Charlie crept closer to the girl and studied her carefully, a small smile settled on his lips. Quinn couldn't help but squirm under his gaze once the laceration that stretched from her eyebrow to her nose resurfaced her insecurities. She hated knowing that the long, ridged scar would forever be apart of her.

Quinn was instantly thankful for the baseball cap that the boy let her borrow. He said that it was because, like any other guy, he liked seeing her wear his clothes—or anything else that belonged to him for that matter—but Quinn knew that it was because of the area that was quite possibly the greatest of her insecurities.

The intraventricular catheter that once monitored the pressure in her brain when she was at the hospital now left a not so flattering shaved and drilled portion of her head, leaving her completely repulsed with the sight.

Once Charlie saw the disgusted look on the other teenager's face, he swiped the baseball cap from his uniform, offering a solution to the girl that he hated to see look in the mirror with anything less than complete and utter admiration.

Although the solution was temporary, Quinn was grateful. The hat that still held his natural scent made it nearly impossible for her to take it off, but neither teen was complaining.

Quinn matched his smile. "Thanks for being here."

Charlie scoffed to prove that her words lacked necessity. "Of course."

The girl opened her mouth to speak once more but was cut off when Charlie cupped her jaw and crashed his lips into hers. His curly hair coiled around her fingers as she instinctively trapped her digits in the thick strands.

Their lips desperately collided with one another's as though the rapid affection could somehow make up for the lack thereof from the last couple months. Charlie welcomed the taste of her lips as they made his tongue dance with satisfaction.

After a few moments, ignoring every instinct in her, Quinn drove herself to cut the heated affection short. She leaned back far enough away from the boy's reach, forcing Charlie to stop following her lips with his own and instead open his eyes.

"Look, as ecstatic as I am that you're here and as much as I wanna keep doing...that," she couldn't stop the blush from claiming her cheeks but she continued anyhow, "I don't want you to be here because you feel guilty or obligated to me or something because I'm..." She motioned to the injuries that continued to stricken her body as if they weren't already obvious. "Like this."

Charlie furrowed his eyebrows but failed to interrupt the girl's affirmation.

"I don't want you to see me as a damsel in distress or someone that you feel like you have to fix." She finally met his gaze. "So, if this is that then maybe we shouldn't..."

The boy laughed, Quinn looked up at this. "Of all the things anyone would use to describe you, I'm pretty sure 'damsel in distress' wouldn't be one of them."

Quinn sighed, "I'm serious."

"So am I," he maintained. "Come on, I don't see you as a damsel in distress. I never have and I never will."

After a few moments passed, he lowered his eyes and Quinn instantly picked up on the pensiveness his look held.

"Honestly, I don't see myself not feeling guilty...at least not for a long time," he admitted. The redhead opened her mouth to object but was cut off once Charlie pressed on, "But that's not why I'm here." He shrugged his broad shoulders. "It never got any easier—being apart from you. I didn't like it, I...hated it actually."

Quinn's voice was small but sincere, "I hated it too. I just didn't wanna assume that we'd just jump back into how things were before...even though I want to."

She fidgeted with her hands once her declaration lingered in the air. She only looked up again when Charlie's conviction filled words met her own.

"Me too."

"You and Charlie have warmed up to each other quite a bit I see."

Paloma's eyebrows danced and the girl rolled her eyes but the woman could tell that it lacked sincerity. She extended her open palm, Quinn took the two tablets from her hand and tossed them into her mouth before washing the medicine down with a glass of water. The woman then carefully tucked two pillows at Quinn's sides in attempts to protect her injured ribcage from the slumber that was to come.

Now that nightfall had come, the brunette did something that she hadn't in quite a while—put her sister to bed. The act alone reminded Paloma of when they were both about ten years younger. She hadn't realized she missed that time together until it dissipated entirely.

"Yeah, well..." Quinn shrugged as if it was no big deal but the genuine smile plastered on her face didn't go unnoticed by Paloma. "You're one to talk. Ava seems to have given up giving you the cold shoulder. Just a few weeks ago she wouldn't even look in your direction, now you two are attached at the hip."

Quinn patted the spot next to her. Soon after, Siberia hoped up onto the bed and snuggled up to the girl. Paloma sat down next to them and laughed, "I wouldn't go that far. I mean, sure, she can stomach me so that's good but...I don't know. If I'm being honest, I'm kinda holding my breath. I'm not sure how long this is gonna last, you know?"

The redhead nodded in understanding but then, her face took on a serious look. She toyed with a loose strand that stuck out from the comforter that rested over her. "Paloma, I've been meaning to apologize for what I did to your car—"

The brunette instantly shook her head. "No, don't even. I don't give a shit about that. I'm just relieved you're okay. Things could've gone another way."

She allowed the heavy words to linger in the air before finally reaching over towards the lamp to turn off the light that dimly lit the bedroom. She only ceased her advance once Quinn groaned.

"Don't turn it off, I'm not tired. It's not even midnight."

"Your body has to heal, that means you gotta get plenty of rest." Paloma chuckled when Quinn emitted a frustrated sigh.

"I know it sucks but it's good for you. Besides, at least you get to miss these last few weeks of school. The next time you go, you'll be a junior." She grinned and squeezed Quinn's good shoulder. "So, that's something. Come on."

"It's so boring though. I can't hang out with any of my friends because I can't get around by myself, not that I'd want them to see me like this," she muttered. "I can barely see without my glasses, I don't even have my cellphone, and I can't read any of my books."

Paloma frowned. She knew exactly where her little sister was coming from. There really wasn't much that the girl could do and even though she didn't necessarily enjoy knowing Quinn was bored out of her mind, she had to admit, she was kinda relieved that the teenager lacked the ability to do much of anything.

The woman stood by her previous contention—her sister needed to heal. Even so, she knew that given the chance, Quinn would be up and at 'em in a heartbeat, ignoring the doctor's orders entirely. And that would do nothing more than make the girls many limitations abundantly apparent.

Besides, the situation was all new territory so Paloma welcomed the extra time to figure out their next steps because as much as she hated it, she knew the road ahead wouldn't be easily traveled.

"Well, I'm gonna take a few days off work so I can be here with you, to help you adjust. With me around, you definitely won't be bored," she tittered. "I ordered you a new pair of glasses so they should be in in a couple days, I'll replace your phone as soon as I can, and—" Paloma interrupted her rant with a sigh when she realized she didn't have a solution for everything. "...We'll figure out the other stuff. Eventually, it'll get better, you'll get better. You will, okay? Until then, when you're not working with the doctors at the recovery program, we can hang out, have fun."

Paloma winced when Quinn tensed her jaw. She sighed and awaited the pushback that was sure to come.

"You mean rehab," Quinn deadpanned.

The brunette grimaced once more. She didn't know why but the term 'rehab' always seemed to have a negative connotation to it.

"Recovery program," she insisted. "It's to help you get back on your feet—mentally. It'll help you cope and become more independent."

"The tests, the exercises, the 'program'...it won't help. It's not helping."

"You only just started."

"I've been doing it for hours on end, every...single...day," she enunciated. "Staying at the hospital, letting them pick my brain...or what's left of it," she hissed. "It's not working and I don't wanna go back."

"You have to. I know it seems pointless now, but it's not. It'll get better, the doctors will help you, and so will I. You'll get back on track."

Quinn expunged a heavy sigh, her hair spilled over her pillow as she shook her head back in forth. "You don't know that, even the doctors said I might not."

"No," Paloma immediately countered, "they said it'll take hard work like taking steps in the program, but they never said it's impossible because it's not."

"And if they're wrong?" Quinn cut her sister off before she could offer another counter, "It's not just with reading. I feel like I can't think like nothing makes sense. You were there," she reminded. "During the assessments? You know what I'm talking about."

Paloma pursed her lips and looked away from the girl, instead, she settled her gaze on Siberia who slept soundlessly.

"The way I am now, this might be it."

The brunette's eyes flashed to Quinn's. She hated that her sister presented a valid point, especially since it did nothing more than worry the women. But still, Paloma did her best to hide her anxieties because she knew that at least one of them had to believe that things would get better.

"Stop," came her firm assertion. "Look, I don't know what you want me to say." She took in a breath and softened her eyes. "These are the cards we've been dealt, sweetheart. Let's just try to make the best of it."

Quinn bit her tongue and fixed her eyes elsewhere, holding back the argument that threatened to break free. The gentle tone in Paloma's voice was perhaps the only thing that made Quinn heed her sister's demand.

The woman let out a sigh that dripped with exhaustion. Ever since Quinn awoke from her coma, their verbal spats seemed to increase. Each time the topic being of the girl's recovery or possible lack thereof.

Paloma ran her hands over her tired face. "I'm sleeping on the couch tonight," she started up again, "so I can hear you if you need anything."

"No need, I'll be fine."

"Don't fight me on this."

"Your back's gotta be killing you. Sleeping on a rickety cot at the hospital for over a week didn't do it any favors," Quinn reminded. "You deserve to sleep in your own bed. I'll be fine for one night."

Paloma parted her lips but offered no rebuttal, instead, she smiled. A tired smile but a smile nonetheless. She then followed up the expression by running the pad of her thumb over a small cut that embedded itself into Quinn's right cheek.

"...I'm so glad you're home, kiddo."

Quinn nodded. "Me too."

Paloma leaned down and kissed the teenager on the forehead. "Love you, g'night."

"Night."

It wasn't until Paloma pulled the bedroom door closed that she noticed the unusually tidy kitchen. Her frown only dissipated when she saw Ava sitting out the couch, her eyes fixed on the television screen.

"Hey," Paloma grinned, "you're still here. Did you do all this?" She motioned to the kitchen as she planted herself on the couch next to the woman.

Ava shrugged her response.

"You didn't have to," the brunette assured.

"It wasn't a big deal, you've got enough on your plate."

"Still...thanks. And not just for this but for everything. You have no idea how much of a lifesaver you've been or how much everything you've done means to me."

"You don't have to keep thanking me," Ava affirmed. "It's not a big deal. Besides, you guys need the help."

At this, Paloma chuckled, even so, her words still held great sincerity, "You're right about that. We definitely need you."

Ava clicked the television off and took in a breath before finally looking at Paloma who wore an inquisitive expression.

"About that...I've been thinking," Ava began, "you know, with your car being totaled and all the stuff you're gonna have to do to help your sister..." she trailed off. "You're gonna need some help getting to work and with Quinn."

When Paloma failed to offer a response, Ava forced a small chuckle once she realized the other woman wasn't catching on.

"I could stay," was Ava's sudden statement. "Here, I mean. To help out, help you, and her. And anything else you guys might need."

Paloma raised her eyebrows, the contention taking her back. "You don't have to do that. I don't want you to put your life on hold for me."

"Then, it's not for you," Ava decided. "It's for Quinn. Like I said before, sometimes I feel like she's my little sister too. I can't just sit around and do nothing when I know she needs me." Her bright green eyes met Paloma's light-brown ones. "And...you need me."

"I do, we do...but," she took in a small breath before hesitantly revisiting the very topic that drove them apart, "what about Sandra?"

"What about her?"

Paloma chuckled, "What about her? Wouldn't you be a tad bit pissed if you found out your girlfriend moved in with her ex...without saying anything?"

Ava let out a small laugh, "Yeah, well, she won't miss me. We're not living together or anything. Like I said—it's not serious. And either way, she doesn't govern me, so...it's fine."

"Oh." Paloma slowly nodded, nevertheless her reluctance didn't go unnoticed by Ava. "But still, I don't know. Are you sure about this?"

"Yeah, I mean, if I'm being totally honest, I was pissed before. At you," she reiterated. "But I also knew that, for whatever reason," she laughed, "I still cared about you. And after what happened, I knew that I didn't wanna be away from you or Quinn because I don't know anything else or any other way. Being with you guys...it feels like home."

Paloma simply studied the other woman, as a result, Ava cleared her throat and busied herself with the beer bottle that rested on the coffee table. She furrowed deeper into the couch and toyed with the glass as she shrugged nonchalantly. "So, the offer's there, you know, if you want it."

"Of course I do," Paloma immediately declared. "Me and Quinn both."

Ava let out a breath that she hadn't realized she'd been holding.  "Cool. Then it's settled."

Paloma observed the woman carefully then let out a giggle, "Were you scared to ask me?"

The mahogany-haired woman scoffed before joining in on the light laughter. "What? No."

"You sure? I mean, you look pretty relieved." Paloma snickered and alleviated Ava of the beer by taking it into her own custody and allowing the alcohol to cool her insides.

Ava ignored the burn in her cheeks and maintained her contention, this time an eye roll accompanied it. Paloma could tell that the expression was good-natured and for that...she smiled.

A lot to take in. Any thoughts about these recent developments? Let me know in the comments. As always, thanks for reading! 🤗