Ronnie walked back in to the house exhausted. He had been to the gym trying to get back in to shape after being off tour for so long. There was pressure from the label for them to get back on the road again, it was gentle pressure as they understood they needed time after the accident but they couldn't wait any longer and a tour was booked to start next week. Ariel had been home for a few weeks now and was getting stronger every day but there was still no chance of her being able to go on tour with them. Ronnie was worried about being away from her but she had constantly reminded him that she would be ok and it was more important for him to focus on getting back in to his music than anything. He dropped his gym bag at the bottom of the stairs and headed to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. He heard the TV on in the living room and went to investigate. As he entered he saw the back of Ariel's head, her black curls tied up in a bun on the top of her head. He moved round and noticed she wasn't really watching the TV but had a box in her lap. Ronnie recognised it. It was the box she kept under her bed. Ariel looked up to him and made no attempt to hide it from him so he sat down next to her. Silently she opened the box and grabbed a handful of photos

"This is who I was before" she said as she turned the photos in her hand "A past I tried to escape"

Ronnie sat still and allowed her to carry on

"I didn't have a bad childhood, it was one of the best. Everyone tried to make it so happy for me, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. My mother left before I could even really remember her. I think I remember her voice but I'm not sure. My father he tried his best to raise me but he struggled I guess" she handed Ronnie the death certificate that he had seen before "He committed suicide"

Ronnie felt his heart shatter as he looked at Ariel. Her voice had broken a little at those last words. He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder and she moved in closer to him for comfort. Ronnie savoured the moment remembering how lucky he was to have the chance to do this with her after nearly losing her.

"Did he ever say why? I mean did he leave a note?"

"I think so. It was the day after my ninth birthday. It had been just me and him that day. I knew we didn't have a lot of money so I never really got presents and that morning I got one" she showed him the photo of her sitting on her fathers lap with a present.

"That's why you're always so grateful when you get them now" Ronnie smiled but there was a tinge of sadness. He understood where she was coming from as his childhood had been difficult to and as it turned out almost similar to hers.

"Yeah I guess" she smiled a little "all I remember is waking up the next day and I couldn't find my dad. He wasn't in the house. I knew that I should call my grandma if I couldn't find him. After that I'm not really sure what happened. I guess my mind just blocks it out."

"I'm sorry Ariel" Ronnie pulled her in tighter

"I remember my grandma telling me that I was going to live with her and she seemed so sad but at the time I didn't understand. I saw her once not long after, in her bedroom reading a piece of paper and crying. She screwed it up and threw it in the trash. I later guessed it must have been my dad's note. She never told me why. I was never really told that he was dead. My family just had a way of making everything seem natural, like that was how it was."

"Didn't you ever question it?" Ronnie was curious now.

"I did. The night I got in my first car accident" she chuckled loudly "Sorry. Just it's a little funny that I say that it's my first car accident."

Ronnie shook his head.

"You know the story of that one" Ariel continued "But what I didn't say was that I had been over to ask my grandma about it. I wanted to know why. I was 18 and thought that I had the right to know why my dad had chosen to leave me. When I asked her about it she got angry and told me to forget it. I know she was still mad at my dad but I took it as being mad at me. I lashed out and said I hated my whole family for keeping secrets from me about what my past was. I left her house so angry that I was speeding when the storm hit and wrecked."

"What happened afterwards" Ronnie was always wondered about the reason why she had never been back to the UK since she had been working with him.

"My grandma visited me in hospital, I apoligized for what I had said but she refused to have me back in her life. I reached out to others in my family but the all saw me as ungrateful. I just wanted to know the truth. So with the help of a friend I got back on my feet, healed up and worked my ass off to save enough money to come here. The day I left I hugged my friend goodbye and never turned backed."

"Do you miss your family?"

"At first I did but since I've been working with you guys I don't. I have you. You're my family Ronnie." She looked at him smiling.

Ronnie pulled her in tight and hugged her for everything he had. Those last words made the months, no the years that she had been with him completely worth it. She had become his little sister and all he wanted was the best for her

"The guys will be here tomorrow so I was thinking we should all go out to dinner. You know to celebrate that we are all together again." Ronnie released her from his hug and she smiled up at him nodding enthusiastically "How are you and Christian getting on now?" she had barely mentioned him since getting out. He had left to go home a few days after she had come out of hospital.

"We're good." Ronne noticed her hand go to her necklace. She had put it on the moment he had left "As I'm in the mood for telling secrets today I guess I'll be honest. I miss him, a lot."

"Have you told him?" Ronnie watched as she shook her head in response "Well maybe you should. Life is too unpredictable to hold things back. I know what he did was utterly stupid but the moment he heard about you he was here. If that doesn't show how much he still cares then I don't know what does."

He watched as Ariel weighed this up and hoped that she would see sense. He wanted her to be happy and she had always been her happiest with him. Hopefully she would do something whilst he was here before heading out for tour. Ronnie wasn't going to force anything but he could hope.