previously....
"........ we're just gonna be adding one more to the family."
Lindsey smiled at Sara, and Sara slowly smiled back at Lindsey, knowing she was right.Chapter 20.
[/b]
as dysfunctional as it seemed, they were all a family. it was kinda weird, but at the same time, it was the only thing that made sense. they always had eachother's backs no matter what the time or the place- they were there for each other, and they always would be. having Brooke around certainly wouldn't change that- in fact it just meant adding to it, and having one more person to look out for, who would look out for you. Sara had never had that, not once growing up, and neither had Brooke. but she would have now, it was never too late to have a family looking out for you, even if they weren't related to you by blood. after all, "friends are the family we choose for ourselves", and that was certainly true.
Sara smiled to herself. "are you sure you're only 16 Linds?"
"yeah. believe me she is. i was there. i can't believe my baby can learn to drive now."
"mom! i told you never to call me that. especially in public, i'm not a baby anymore!"
they all laughed.
"oh yeah, she's definitely 16." said Nick.
"Linds, don't you know by now, that you'll always be my baby girl, just because your older, doesn't mean that will change." Catherine told Lindsey.
"ok, but could you at least stop calling me that ok. especially when we're out in public. please mom?" Lndsey pleaded.
"ok fine, i won't call you a baby anymore." Catherine sighed.
"thank you. so not to pressure you guys or anything, but which of you wants to go in next? it's not scary or uncomfortable or anything, it's kinda calming actually. it's not as if you're talking to yourself, she can hear you, she just can't respond much at the moment. honest it's fine." Lindsey told them.
"i'll go." Jim said quietly. "she kinda reminds me a little bit of Ellie, only i'm not being spat at, or screamed at." Jim said smiling sadly.
"sure, take as long as you want. say whatever you want, we won't be ablr to hear you anyway. whatever you say will stay between you and Brooke." Sara explained.
Jim got up from where he had been sitting, and walked out the door, into Brooke's room, and walked over to the chair that had recently been vacated by Lindsey.
"hey Brooke." Jim said sitting down on the chair. "you might not remember, but we met briefly before. remember, you accidently bumped into me at LVPD, whilst waiting for Sara. and then she called you and you ran off, and then all this happened. listen i don't know exactly how this happened, or how you came to be where you did, where we found you, but it wasn't your fault ok, you have to know that. nobody blames you, in fact mostly i think Sara blames herself, but she has no need to. no-one's to blame for what happened, it just did.
i have a daughter, you know. her name's Ellie, and she's a few years older than you. she was a great kid, she was so smart and funny and sweet. she was the cutest kid. i don't know what happened really, maybe i wasn't home enough, or maybe it was just teenage rebellion, but she turned away from me. overnight she became someone else. she got into drugs, and alcohol, and partying and stripping. i haven't even seen her in a couple of years. i mean i've tried, but she doesn't wanna see me. the last time i saw her, she was in LA, and a friend of hers was killed, and so she called me and asked me for help. that's the first time in years she's asked me for anything. i actually thought i could help her, get her into a programme, help her get her life back on track, but i never heard from her. at least not until i got shot on the job. and that's the last time i saw her, when i was in the same position as you, lying in a hospital bed.
you know, Sara's like another daughter to me. i mean we don't get on all the time, but she's family. they all are. that may sound weird, but we've always got each other's backs, we always will. and when you wake up, we'll be there for you, every step of the way, especially Sara. i think deep down she knows that no-one's to blame, but for now, she's still blaming herself. but see that's why you've gotta wake up soon, sweetheart. Brooke you need to wake up, so Sara knows you're ok. she's had so much heartache in her life, she's lost people she cared about, she can't lose you too.
you know, you kinda remind me a little bit of Sara. perhaps that's why she wanted to help you so much. she may not show it, and you may not believe it, but she's been through kinda the same thing. she didn't have much of a family growing up either, and from what Sara's told me, you haven't either. i guess she wanted to mke a difference to your life, before it was too late. Sara found her family, but not until she came to Vegas. she had no-one for years, and i don't think, actually i know, she doesn't want the same for you. she knows you deserve better in your life, and in her own way, that's what she's trying to give you, something better, a better life.
listen you may not believe me, and i suspect Lindsey told you the same thing, Sara cares a lot for you Brooke. but you need to wake up so you can both sort things out, and get your friendship back on track ok. can you do that? ok, i'm gonna go now, and leave you to think about stuff, and give you a bit of peace and quiet. but no doubt one of the family will be in in a bit to talk to you. i don't know who it will be, but please listen to them ok. none of us are going anywhere until we know you're ok. Sara's just outside, with the rest of our dysfunctional family, she's not going anywhere, none of us are, and neither are you, you hear me Brooke? you're not going anywhere. so i guess what i'm trying to say is: welcome to the family Brooke Tyler, however dysfunctional we may be...."
and with that Jim stood up, kissed Brooke lightly on her forehead, and walked out of the room, back to the rest of the team.
"hey guys. Lindsey's right you know. it is kinda calming talking to her, you can say anything, and know she's listening. so who's next?" Jim asked looking at them.
"i guess it's my turn." Catherine said. "just keep an eye on Lindsey for me would you? just while i'm in there"
"mom! i'm not going anywhere, besides, it's not one way glass, you'll be able to see me, and the rest of us if you look our way, we just won't be able to hear you that's all. it keeps it private that way. mom, it'll be fine. go talk to her, she'll listen." Lindsey reassured her mom.
"ok, i'll be back in a bit."
"take as long as you want mom, we're not gonna go anywhere. i'm not gonna go anywhere. we're all gonna stay here ok."
Lindsey walked over to her mom, and gave her a reassuring hug, realising that something else was going on with her mom, something she wasn't going to talk about, but somehow Lindsey knew. "i'm right here mom, i'm not going anywhere ok." Lindsey gave her mom one more hug, and a squeeze of her hand, before letting go so her mom could go and talk to Brooke.
"hey Brooke, i'm Catherine, Lindsey's mom." Catherine said sitting down.
"i don't know what Lindsey's told you about herself, or me for that matter, or if she even has, but she's my only daughter, my baby girl, and she's my best friend in the whole world. i know it must sound strange to you, hearing a mom say that her daughter is her best friend, but it's true. Lindsey's the best thing that ever happened to me. and the rest of our dysfunctional family is a close second, and i guess, actually i know, that that now includes one more person, and that's you. you're part of our family now Brooke, and nothing is gonna change that, not now, not ever. you need to know that.
i didn't always have this. i used to work in a club as an exotic dancer, and after going to night school, and getting a qualification, i joined the Las Vegas Crime Lab. one of the best things i ever did-i get to help people, i give a voice for those who can't speak for themselves.
Lindsey's dad, died a few years ago, and when she rang me to say that she was trapped in a car that was sinking, i panicked. i was so scared i would lose my baby girl, but i didn't. we grew apart for a bit, but then, i don't know we talked about everything, and since then we've just got closer and closer. i know it must be hard for you to listen to this right now, especially considering your family background, but know this, you are a part of this family now, and you will never be alone again.
just so you know, Sara didn't tell us everything, she only told us what we needed to know in order to fnd you. she never gave up on you, not once, and i need you to hold her to that now. don't give up on her ok, she never gave up on you, she refused to stop, until you were found, even if it meant hurting herself in the process. she knows what its like to have no-one to believe in you, to have no-one to fight for you, to make you think you are worth something. she was in the foster-care system when she was a kid, she had nowhere to call home, no family to look out for her. that was until she came to Vegas. Vegas became her home over time, and we became her family, she became part of ours. and now you're a part of that family.
just hang in there ok Brooke. and when you wake up, we'll all be here for you, every step of the way. day or night, you need anything, you just let us know, and we'll be there. Sara will be there. so you just rest now, and we'll talk later. ok, bye."
Catherine gave Brooke's hand one last squeeze, and then left the room, leaving Brooke on her own temporarily, knowing that another one of the family would be in in a little while. she then entered the room where the rest of the team were, and immediately walked over and enveloped her only daughter in a big hug.
she knew that Lindsey was ok, and that she wasn't going anywhere, but she just needed a reassurance. "i'm ok." she said. "i just realised i need to spend more time with my daughter, and less time at the lab, that's all. i guess i just experienced some flashbacks i thought i'd dealt with and locked away. i'm ok now really. but maybe one of you guys should go in and talk to her, or sit with her. i don't think it's a good idea to leave her without company for too long."
TBC??
who will be the next to go in? read and review to find out.
