Run from your problems, but you cannot run from yourself.

"Lily-Pearl?" I knocked on the hospital door. When no one answered, I opened it a crack to see a small blonde figure lay in the bed that was to large for her. She was hooked up to at least three different machines. Her eyes fluttered open at the sound. I remember when I was in the hospital. Austin and Alan followed me in.

"Rae." She murmured, still quiet as usual. Her lungs must be hurting. It was exactly seven on the dot and we were even a little early to see her, but Alan was persistent on asking to be in her room.

"Hey, LP. How are you feeling?" I asked her. She smiled through the tube that was attached around her ear, the little nubs in her nose.

"Okay." She replied. I took a seat, pulling it up next to her bed side. The steady beeping of her heart beat was reassuring. Alan took a seat on the other side while Alan sat next to me.

"Ginger princess!" My sister mustered up the energy to say his name. Alan held her hand, squeezing it gently.

"I'm right here." He told her. LP stared at the blank TV screen as we continued to listen to the blank heart beats.

"They said that you can get out by the end of the week." Austin filled in the silence. LP smiled.

"Darn." She sighed. I laughed a little at her unexpected reaction. Austin and Alan looked a little confused.

"Why, do you want to stay here?" I asked her. She shrugged a slight bit, wincing at the pain.

"Well no, but they have the Avengers. Plus they have Thor. I like Thor." She murmured with a small yawn. I could help but laugh and roll my eyes again. Dear little Lily-Pearl, she loved the Avengers and Thor. They were her favorite movies and we didn't own them at home, but she always pleaded me to watch them.

"Oh really? I like Iron Man." Alan shook his head sadly. LP laughed a little and squeezed his hand again, reassuring herself she was still here.

"Plus Mr. Craig Mabbitt promised he would play checkers with me once I got well enough to walk down to the viewing room." She told me. I smiled, pleased that she was making new friends.

"When did he come it?" Austin asked her.

"Just before you came down the hall. He came in, since he's the nurse for the room." She told me. Her eyes drooped, already getting a little sleepier. We talked for a while more until LP eventually drifted off, falling asleep with her little hand in Alan's.

"So are you going to stay the week?" Austin asked me. Even though I had school, I would have to call in, explaining the situation.

"Of course." I told him. We both turned to face out the large window, over looking to see the beach off in the distance.

"Good. So what are you going to do after this?" Austin asked me, reaching over and grasping my hand in his. I stared, mentally tracing the flowing lines on his tattooed arm before answering.

"We have cousins, aunts and uncles back in Colorado. I can't make LP move, after what we've been through and the friends she's made back there. The house is mostly paid off, I'll get a job, we'll make it work." I explained sadly. Austin looked at me, concerned etched on his face.

"You know you've always got a home back here. We're always here for you.I know I can't change your mind to live out here with us, but I want you to think about it." He told me. I sighed, trying to imagine both possibilities.

"I hope by the time LP finishes school, she'll choose a college and be able to fulfill her dream." I laughed quietly and looked behind me. Alan looked hopefully.

"I'm sure Alan would throw his vote in for her." Austin agreed.

I wanted Lily-Pearl to have as much as a 'normal' life as possible. She needed to go to college, like I would. I'll be going into engineering and wanted to pursue a career in that direction, but that would mean a lot of time out of the house. When I went to college, LP would probably have to move to my aunt's house and be properly taken care of.

"Well, you at least better visit sometimes, otherwise we'll go insane." I told him. He smiled and clutched my hand tighter to his.

"You've always got our numbers. Just tell us what you need and we'll be there for you." He said. We watched the sun reflect off the distant water, throwing beautiful rays of rainbow light.

"Thank you. You've done so much for us." I told him. He waved it away.

"That's what family's for." He answered.

The future might be uncertain, with many more bumps in the road, but I knew that these guys were my family and I could always rely on them. I had run from my problems before, but Austin and the band helped me realize they were part of me and I couldn't run from myself. No matter how rough the road gets, or how scary it is, I've always got them.

Behind me, Lily-Pearl woke up again.

"Can we play horsies now?" She asked Alan. I gave Austin a small kiss on the cheek. Yep, he was real, and he was right here.

"Yes LP, we can." Alan responded happily.

Notes

Last "official" chapter! Thanks for sticking with me as I worked through this sequel! I hope you enjoyed it, but it's no over...

SERIOUSLY GUYS, I'VE GOT AN EPILOGUE SO DON'T STOP READING!!!

(We find out the futures of Alan and LP, Rae and Austin, and where Mom is!)

I love you all and thanks for your support!

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