I Think I'm in Trouble {Reimagined}

LIV.

When Stevie returned to the hospital, it was just Danielle seated in the chair at her brother's bedside.

"Hi," she said softly, making her presence known as she let herself in and shut the door behind her, taking note that Robert was taking a snooze.

The other woman acknowledged her sister in-law with a short incline of her head and she let off a small sigh.

"Where is everybody?" she then wondered of her children and other sister in-law.

"Cathy and Shannon are in the cafeteria, Jeffrey went to take Nick home... Did you get some rest?" she then wondered, looking her up and down.

"Not really, no," she shook her head. "I just freshened up and everything, I laid down for a bit but I didn't sleep."

She nodded.

"The stress of everything has had me on edge," she brought her fingertips to her temple, displaying sympathy as she stared at her sleeping husband.

"You should probably try and take it easy..." she added.

"I wish I could," she smirked.

"Well, I'm sure if you stayed home instead of working, it would probably do you better..."

Looking up, Stevie bit her bottom lip as she contemplated her response.

"For your sake and Robert's... The kids for that matter since they need your support."

"And they have it... They all know they have my support and I have theirs," she claimed. "Look, I'm not exactly sure why it is, we've never seen eye-to-eye, Dani, but I can assure you whatever you think of me, it's probably a misconception..."

Suddenly, the atmosphere changed.

It was as though Stevie could see her defense go up.

"Without fail, since I was pregnant with Jeffrey, you've treated me unfair. Yes, we got married because I was pregnant, but I loved Robert then, and I love him now... We may not always get along, but we always have one another's support."

Suddenly, Robert stirred a bit, not opening his eyes, though shifting his hand over to his wife's.

Danielle missed the action.

"So, please, enlighten me... Why is it that you don't like the idea of me working? Is it because you don't work?"

"No... Of course not. My sister works, my mother worked..."

"Well?" she lingered with a shrug of her shoulders.

"You're not a present mother because you're gone so much... It's as though every time something happens, you leave."

"That's not true," Robert suddenly shifted awake and he looked at his sister.

She looked at her brother quickly, unsure of when he started listening to their conversation.

"As I said, you must have a misconception about me and isn't true. You're not here to see me be a mother and when you have come, it's been in times of crisis and times of work sprees. You expect me to change everything about myself for your arrival but why would I do that when your opinion of me means nothing to me? I have millions of fans all over the world, I have people who send hate mail; do you think it bothers me if you don't like me?"

She sighed.

"I got your parents' approval and your brother's hand in marriage. Our children have grown up just fine. In fact, they can't wait for me to go on tour and come back so they can pamper me."

Robert rubbed her hand gently.

Danielle stood, letting off a deep sigh.

"I'm sorry you feel like that, Stevie. I can see my brother isn't going to defend me, so maybe I'll just head back to the house and grab my things to get a hotel."