The hospital room was freezing despite the fact I had my body pressed against Ashton's and Ender and Gracie laying on top of me.

"Mommy shaking." Gracie looked up at Ashton who was frowning.

"I know, she's cold. That's why you've gotta hug her to keep her warm." He told her and she hugged me tightly.

"Mommy you feel better?" She looked up at me.

"I do, thank you." I smiled at her.

Looking around the room I was surrounded by Ann, the boys, Ari and Jason, our lawyer Mr. Jackson, and Holly Baker.

I felt absolutely horrible because I immediately knew the moment I woke up from the seizure that my disorder would be used against us in the case, and Mr. Jackson only confirmed it.

"Hey, sorry I'm late." My head snapped over to the door when I saw a breathless Harry jog into the room. He was in what looked his pyjamas with a beanie over his curly hair.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him, a bit surprised by his attendance to what was apparently a big deal.

"Seriously?" He rolled his eyes at me.

"Excuse me." A woman's voice said and I saw it was my doctor from two weeks ago when I had the other seizure, Dr. Lisa. "Halle." She nodded at me. "I'm going to ask you to come with me for a few minutes."

"O-okay." I said, my eyes widening and I moved out from under Gracie and Ender.

"Can Ashton come?" I asked her.

"I'd really just like to talk with you privately for a moment." She gave me an apologetic smile. Immediately I was even more nervous than before.

I looked back at Ashton who looked panicked and then followed Dr. Lisa out the door.

She led me ten feet down a hallway before speaking.

"Halle, I'm very aware of how stressful of a time this is for you and your family, and I'd like to do everything I can to make this less difficult for you, and I'd like to start by re-diagnosing you."

"What do you mean?" I asked as we turned a corner.

"I believe you have dissociative seizures, but I think what you really have is epilepsy."

"But the doctors said I didn't have it." I furrowed my eyebrows.

"I believe those doctors were looking to see if you had a stroke or meningitis, but it's the severe head injury that caused it. And add in the seizures due to stress, that makes for a very bad mix."

"So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I'd like to put you on epilepsy medication and see how you do." She said and then paused. "But I'm curious as to if this is hereditary."

"I don't know if my parents had epilepsy."

"Well I'm concerned about Ender."

"You think Ender might have them too?" My heart sank.

"It's possible but that doesn't mean he does."

"Can we test him to find out?"

"If you'd like."

"Yeah." I nodded.

"But Halle the real reason I wanted to talk with you privately is because I'm a mother myself. And I know if I was in your shoes I would be beside myself, and I want you to know that you are not alone. There are many people in that room back there who are there for you."

"I know that." I gave her a little smile.

She walked me back and I knew I now had to tell this to Ashton who was probably going to freak out.

As I came up to the open door I stopped before I could walk in, everyone noticing me, so I bit my lip and motioned Ashton over with my finger.

His eyes and mouth were wide as he looked at me then set Gracie who was in his arms on the bed and walked over to me.

I turned and began to walk through the halls until I navigated my way outside to a courtyard where I sat down on a bench, Ashton siting down next to me.

"I feel like you're about to tell me you have three months to live." He said in a scared voice.

"Two." I commented back and his eyes about popped out of his head. "I'm kidding."

"That's not even remotely funny." His face became serious.

"Sorry." I gave him an apologetic look and took his hand. "But um...I have epilepsy."

He sighed.

"Epilepsy." He said the word. "Okay, so what do we do?"

"I take medication for it and hopefully that can stop me from having seizures."

"Alright." He nodded. "Now what else are you not telling me?"

"That Dr. Lisa thinks it might be hereditary and she wants to test Ender for it."

He let out a loud breath at that.

"Okay."

He shook his head and took a moment to collect his thoughts.

"How are you though?"

"I'm okay. I wasn't as shocked as I thought I would be, but I know I'm in good hands and have a lot of people to help me."

"You do." He smiled and then moved his arm to go around my shoulders so I could be close and lean into him.

"I'm sorry I worry you so much." I mumbled and he let out a chuckle.

"I only worry so much because it's you." He kissed the top of my head.

"I heard what you said this morning to your mom...about me dropping dead in front of you...do you really think that will happen?"

"I thought you were unconscious." He gave me a pointed look, telling me I wasn't supposed to have heard that.

"Answer me." I lightly hit his chest.

"I don't know. It's just lately...I don't know...it's like I used to have this idea of what was going to happen and even though there were surprises now it's like my life is just all over the place. And you've just been so sick lately and I know you won't say anything
about it but I can just tell when I look at you that you don't feel good and then on top of that there's the seizures and Im just so scared of what the future holds."

"We haven't really been ourselves lately have we." I gave him a partial smile and he matched my expression.

"Not really." He sighed. "I miss us. I miss the Carter and Ashton we used to be."

"Me too." I moved my head back to his chest. "So there's something I've been wondering."

"What?"

"The day we got to London and we had that fight about not wanting to talk about us dying? Well when Ender asked if we would love someone else if the other died and you said no...did you mean that?"

He nodded.

"Carter, you're it for me." He looked down into my eyes, his hazel orbs filled with sincerity, sadness, and love.

I leaned up to press my lips against his, holding them there as I whispered.

"You're it for me too."

He kissed me once I finished speaking, the feeling of this kiss so loving and passionate, one we hadn't really had since the whole custody ordeal began.

"I love you." I managed to get out.

"I love you more." He kissed me for several more moments.

We then decided to go inside since it was cold outside and we were both in our pyjamas still.

"You need new sleep shorts." He said as we walked through the hospital. "I can literally see the bottom of your bum and so can every guy in here."

I laughed.

"Well maybe you should carry me and they wouldn't be able to see."

He smirked and then swept me up into a princess carry, me wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Prince Charming sweeping me off my feet." I smiled cheekily and he burst into laughter.

He continued to carry me through the hospital hallways until we reached my room where he walked inside.

"Oh my god are you okay?!" Ari jumped up.

"Yeah, I was just carrying her so she wasn't flashing the whole hospital." Ashton smirked and then set me on my feet.

Calum whistled at me and I sent him a playful smile before getting onto the bed.

"So what did the doctor want to talk to you about?" Ann came up and asked me softly so no one would hear as they were talking amongst themselves.

"I have epilepsy." I whispered back to her and she gasped before hugging me. "They want to test Ender, they think it might be hereditary."

She hugged me tightly before kissing my cheek and letting me go, knowing I now needed to talk to Ender.

"Can I have a minute alone with Ender?" I looked up and asked everyone.

"Yeah." Ashton said and began to direct everyone out of the room, Ender staying there with a confused look on his face. Ashton shut the door once everyone was out, leaving Ender and I alone.

"Come here bub." I waved him over and he sat down on the bed so I could bring him into my arms.

"Are you okay?" He asked me.

"Well, today I was diagnosed with epilepsy. Do you know what that is?" I asked him and he shook his head. "Epilepsy is a brain condition that affects how my brain normally works,
so sometimes there will be like a electric burst in my brain and it will cause me to have a seizure."

"Can you fix it?" He asked sadly.

"Well I can't fix it." I chuckled. "But I can take medicine to help stop the seizures."

"That's good right?"

"Yeah, that's really good. But Dr. Lisa wants to see if you might have it too, just as a precaution ."

"Do you think I have it?" He looked up at me scared.

"I don't know, bub." I kissed the top of his head. "But don't worry."

He nodded and turned himself into me.

"I don't like it when you're in the hospital. It scares me."

"I know, I don't like it either." I softly patted his back.

"I'm scared you're going to go away." He said like he was about to cry and I immediately hushed him.

"I'm not going anywhere, okay? I'm not going anywhere."

Ender and I laid on the bed for a long time, holding each other like we hadn't done in a while.

There was a light knock on the door and Ashton poked his head in with Gracie.

"Can we come in?"

"Yeah." I nodded and he led Gracie inside, then picking her up and setting her on his waist.

"We just wanted to check and see how Mommy is doing." He thumbed at Gracie's cheek while he talked.

"I'm doing amazing. I think that those Gracie hugs earlier really helped." I smiled and reached up for Gracie who was set in my arms by Ashton.

"You get Ender hugs too." She smiled up at me with her chubby cheeks.

"I did." I smiled.

"So I sent everyone to the hotel, I wanted to not overwhelm you." Ashton said and I nodded.

"Thank you."

"Now scoot over munchkin, Daddy wants to hug Mommy too." Ashton smiled at Gracie and had her move so he could get in the bed and put an arm around me as well, letting me feel immersed by love.

Gracie curled up on Ashton while I held Ender, the four of us making light conversation.

Eventually Dr. Lisa came in with the epilepsy medication and I took some before she hesitantly released me.

We filled out the paper work for me to leave and then set a time to get Ender tested for epilepsy.

The boys had brought me clothes to change into and I slipped on a white sweater and yoga pants before shoving my feet into a pair of black boots.

Ashton changed clothes as well and shoved our old clothes in a bag before picking up Gracie and slinging the bag over his shoulder.

Brad, Dave, and another security guy were there now and escorted us through the halls.

As we walked through the hospital Ashton called a car to come get us and we waited inside the waiting room for our car while paparazzi literally swarmed the doors.

"Okay, let's go." Brad said once the car pulled up and I gripped onto Enders hand tightly, Ashton still holding on to Gracie who had her head rested on his shoulder behind me.

When the door opened there were what felt like a million camera flashes and shouts of my name and Ashton's name.

I kept my head down and hurried to the car where Ender got in. I was about to get in myself when I heard Gracie yell.

"Don't yell at Mommy!"

I turned to see Ashton moving her face to hide it in his neck as he pursed his lips together to shush her.

He put her in her car seat then all but shoved me in the car, following behind me.

"Jesus." Ashton breathed as he shut the door behind him and climbed past Gracie to sit next to me.

"What was she yelling about?" I looked at him and Gracie.

"A pap said something about you faking being sick and apparently she didn't like that." He said and looked at Gracie who was now playing with Mr. Carrots.

"She's a firecracker." Ashton placed his hand on Gracie's knee and she smiled up at him.

As we came up to the hotel we were taken around back to walk in.

Going inside our hotel room we were met with all of our friends and family.

"Hey." I smiled and hugged Harry who was the closest to me.

"Please tell me you're going to be okay." He held me tightly.

"I have epilepsy." I said and he squeezed me tighter.

"I'm so sorry."

"I'm still here right?" I pulled back to give him a faint smile.

He didn't really know what to say to that and I let go so I could hug Ann and Ari.

"Car." Ashton walked up and showed me his phone. On the screen was a paparazzi photo of Gracie sticking her tongue out at the paparazzi who she had yelled at.

"Oh my gosh." I put my hands over my mouth as I tried not to laugh.

He scrolled and then found a video of the whole ordeal.

"Gracie." I shook my head.

Ashton took to his twitter then.

'My daughter stuck her tongue out at a pap who yelled at her mom today. To her that's the biggest insult you can give. Sad when my four year old has better manners than a 40 year old.'

I took a seat on one of the beds, Harry sitting down on one side of me and Ari sitting down on the other.

"So what do they do for epilepsy?" Ari asked.

"I have to take medication for it and hopefully that will calm the seizures."

"Cease the seizures." Harry said under his breath and I looked at him before bursting into laughter.

He smiled at his joke and my reaction.

"They set the date for the hearing you know." Ari said once I had calmed down and I nodded.

"It's on July 29th."

"I'm very aware."

"You know what the day before that is right?" She asked in a more quiet voice and suddenly I froze.

July 28th, the day my parents died.

This year it would be on a Tuesday, the day before the hearing.

What kind of sick person was fate?

"What is that day?" I heard Harry ask but I couldn't respond.

"Carter, are you okay?" I then heard Ashton's voice.

"The court hearing is on the 29th, that's the day after her parents died." Ari explained as Ashton approached me and bent down in front of me.

"Car, we can change the date of the hearing." He offered me.

But that wasn't the reason I was upset.

"No it's just...it's been six years. I've been an orphan for six years."

"Carter you're not an orphan." He placed his hand on my cheek.

"What do you call a child with no parents?" I asked him.

"Hey, just because you don't have parents doesn't mean you don't have a family."

Something in his words hit me and I nodded.

Ari took one of my hands and I felt Harry lay a hand gently on my back, the people who cared for me the most trying to comfort me.

"Sorry."

"Baby this has been a really tough day, okay? Let's just take a break from all of this negative for a bit, have some fun, relax, and then we can talk about everything when you feel ready." Ashton stroked his thumb back and forth across my cheek.

"Okay." I gave him a little smile and he kissed my forehead before helping me up.

The guys had an interview to go to that Ashton was skipping out on and they left for that leaving Harry, Ari, Jason, and Ann left.

We ordered in food and Harry and I discussed my love for Chinese food while I shared my chicken fried rice with Gracie.

Harry left after dinner and then Ashton and I chatted with Ari, Jason, and Ann for a while longer until we needed to go bathe Gracie.

Ashton and I got Gracie in the bath while Ender went across the hall to play video games on the guys playstation.

Gracie giggled as Ashton played rubber duckies with her while I washed her hair and then lifted her out of the water, wrapping her in a towel.

Ashton then took her up in his arms, smiling as she pressed her cheek to his and I managed to get a photo of the adorable father and daughter.

'After bath time smiles.'

We got Gracie into her pyjamas and I braided her hair before taking her over to Ashton so he could pick out her story book.

I was about to go change clothes myself when there was a light knock on our door and I went to get it.

The door swung back to reveal a person on the other side I never expected to see this close in front of me.

Jenna Taylor.

--

Oops! I bet Carter wished she hadn't opened the door!

I wonder what Jenna will say and also why Harry feels the need to be there for Carter even when she doesn't need him?

Hmm.....

I'll have the next part up soon!

Much love xx -M