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The excitement and all the expectations that had come with Alice moving her hand had exhausted me thoroughly and for the love of god I could not refrain from letting my eyes shut firmly as I curled up in my usual chair. It was a dreamless sleep, the kind that absorbs your body when under a lot of stress or worry and I had handfuls of both on my conscious. I knew it was taking its toll on me when I was washing up that day in Alice’s en-suite, my eyes had big dark circles under them, my skin was pasty and I looked like I hadn’t slept in weeks, to put it bluntly I looked like shit and knew I too had to get some rest if I were to be any help to Alice. Tina had popped by earlier that morning on her way to work with some beautiful sunflowers for our girl. I admired Tina in a new light; her strength was admirable to say the least. I knew she was breaking inside every time she seen Alice and yet she kept her spirits high. I think it was not only for her own good that she did so but for the good of us all, even Alice. She waltzed into the room all smiles and chatted about how Angelica was getting so big she was sure to be walking any day now and how everyone at the Planet was asking how Alice was doing. I felt touched and blessed to have such great friends around me and around Alice. Everyone had been chipping in watching her, talking to her, bringing her music and DVDs, anything they thought would help to aid her was provided.

I had been out for a good few hours and it was growing dark outside when I was awoken with a slight shake. Alice! She was always the first and last thing on my mind and my immediate thoughts went to her.  I was at her side as quick as my newly roused limbs would take me and at first it didn’t register that she was staring right back at me and then it clicked and she was there again just as she always had been. She looked downright confused and perfect aside from the shaved area around her head and bruising to her eyes, but none of that mattered for now she was looking right back at me recognising my face and trying to smile as I asked if she could see me alright. She didn’t need to answer for I understood that she could, we always did have this silent communication that bonded us together and set us apart from the rest of the group. Then more than ever I was appreciating that unspoken code. I brushed her remaining bangs away from her face glad to touch her again and for her to see and feel it for the first time in weeks. Growing closer I held her hand and traced her cheekbones, her eyes flickered and I knew she was going back to sleep, it did not matter though as she had made the first important step in my opinion. My Alice was still in that body and she was never going to escape like that again. I kissed her forehead softly and then exited the room to call the rest of the family.