Sweet Child Of Mine
Notes:
You don't HAVE to know the characters or the shows to get this fanfic, but it'll make a lot more sense if you do. Takes place vaguely around season 7 of Degrassi: TNG and season 1 of 90210… Completely AU besides Darcy's rape.
Not really sure of the couples yet but will probably be Annie/Silver with mentions of Annie/Manny friendship
Warning: Contains mentions of rape, self harm and teenage pregnancy.
I own nothing. Everything besides Shelby and the story idea belong to their respective owners.
Chapter 1- Broken
Annie Wilson shifted in her bed, starring at the roof. She had been in the same position for the last 6 hours, attempting to sleep but her thoughts keeping her wide awake.
A knock at the door started her and she inwardly groaned at her involuntary flinch. "Annie? Honey, are you awake?" Her mother's kind voice drifted from the hallway.
Annie sighed, rubbing her tired eyes. "Yeah." She dragged out quietly.
"Okay, honey, why don't you hop in the shower? Your dad's downstairs making breakfast and you don't want to be late for your first day of school."
First day at West Bev, Annie thought as she listened to Debbie walk down the hallway and wake Dixon the same way she had "woken" her. Annie sighed, pulling her comforter off her body and forcing herself to shift her legs over the side of the bed. She looked down, simultaneously noticing two of the three most dramatic changes in her life.
Annie ran her fingers gently over the still-tender scar that ran parallel down her wrist. It had been deeper than she had intended, the blade slicing through her artery, requiring surgery. The thick cut was inflamed, sticking up from her skin as if it was just an extra body part stuck on top of her skin. The bandages had only been removed two days ago after encasing her wrist for 3 weeks, and Annie knew that if she pressed hard enough, she could break through the stitches.
The Degrassi Spirit Squad girls were stacked high next to Lakehurst's own cheerleaders, Manny Santos and Holly J Sinclair standing on the ground around them coaching. "Okay, bring it down." Manny told the group, looking at her watch before turning to Holly J. "Holly J, can you take over for a sec?" She asked, not waiting for a reply as she walked passed the other girls and into the girls' change rooms.
"Okay, back in formation." Manny heard Holly J sigh as she excited the gym.
Manny's happy expression quickly turned to confused as she entered the change room, the sound of the shower running quickly flowing to her ears. She walked into the bathroom-type room, glancing around the corner as she looked for her friend. "Darcy?" She called out confused as she turned the corner to face the showers. Annie, or at least the old version of her; the version that went by Darcy Edwards sat leaning heavily against the tiled wall, a razor blade by her hand, freezing water streaming over her clothed body and mixing with the heavy flow of blood coming from her sliced wrist. Darcy looked up at Manny, her face blank but her eyes a mixture of pain and exhaustion.
"Darcy!" Manny screamed, springing into action after recovering from her initial shock. She turned off the flowing water, grabbing a towel and holding it against Darcy's wrist. "Oh my God! Hold this, press." Manny held Darcy's hand to the towel before letting go and standing back up. "I'm calling 911." She said, both girls about to cry.
Darcy felt herself going limp, struggling to keep breathing as her chest grew heavy and she let her thoughts slip away.
Annie picked up a photo frame from her bedside table, tears immediately filling her eyes. The photo showed her, the old her, in a hospital bed, Baby Girl Edwards sleeping soundly nestled against her chest.
The Annie in the photo was pale, and after thirteen hours of labor, clearly exhausted, but her general demeanor was completely emotionless. Annie sighed, running her thumb over the baby in the photo, being torn between wanting the baby back in her arms more than anything, and wishing she didn't exist in the first place.
Flipping the photo over, Annie traced the engraving with her fingers.
Darcy's first day with Shelby Grace
7/14/2008
Annie hastily put the photo frame back on the table faced down as she swiped at a stray tear running down her cheek. She stood up, grabbing her already picked out clothes and made her way into her bathroom, showering and getting ready for school.
Half an hour later Annie made her way downstairs to an outside kitchen table covered with food, Debbie, Harry, Dixon and Harry's mother Tabitha all helping themselves to the feast, laughing and talking as if for show. Annie hesitated before joining them; she wasn't used to this, breakfast with the family that is. Darcy and her family wouldn't have ever even considered eating breakfast together, that was of course except for a bowl of cereal or a piece of toast on a Sunday morning before church, but here Annie was, almost excited to join them.
"Annie!" Her father exclaimed happily with a mouthful of toast. "Come, sit, eat."
Annie pasted on a smile and did as was requested, taking a seat beside Dixon and helping herself to eggs and waffles. One plus of being Darcy Annabelle Edwards, was that she could eat whatever she wanted and would never even gain an inch of fat.
"Morning dad, grandma." Annie smiled greeting the two family members she had yet to greet.
Harry smiled in response, but Tabitha spoke up, taking another sip of her "tea" first. "Good morning, Darcy." She smiled and Annie watched her "parents" exchange glances.
"Uh, Tabitha, remember Darcy is going by Annabelle now." Debbie said cautiously.
Tabitha grabbed the napkin off of her lap and threw it down on the table beside her plate, standing. "I will address Darcy using her name." Tabitha emphasized Darcy's name. "As for acting as her grandmother, I have no problem with that, but I will not help Darcy pretend to be someone she's not." Tabitha picked up her Long Island Ice Tea and empty plate, walking inside.
Debbie sighed and she, Harry and Dixon exchanged worried glances, noticing Annie had hardly flinched at Tabitha's comment, preferring to push the food on her plate around with her folk, starring off into the distance.
Harry took a seat beside her, placing a hand over Annie's to still her movements. "You're Annie to us, honey. For as long as you need to be."
Annie forced a smile before changing the subject. She looked down at her wrist, checking the time. "We better get going if we don't want to be late." She said softly, her tone emotionally absent.
Dixon and Harry agreed, their happiness both real but more fake in an attempt to keep Annie motivated and happy. They had been doing that 24/7 since Annie had come to live with them as well as the not-so-subtle check-ins they each paid her every five minutes or so, using lame excuses like asking her if she was hungry or wanted to go for a walk. Annie, however, knew they just didn't want her to off herself while she was in their care.
Annie went to stand up, beginning to walk inside but was stopped by Debbie's hand on her shoulder. Debbie waited until Harry and Dixon were out of ear shot before speaking kindly. "If you need anything today, Annie, anything at all, if you feel tire or…" She hesitated before choosing her words. "Sad, I'll have my phone on all day. Harry and Dixon will check in with you too. And don't forget, you have an appointment with Ms. Taylor, the guidance counselor, after school too. It's important that you go, honey."
Annie nodded, forcing a smile and accepting the hug Debbie offered. "Thank you, Aunt Debbie." She whispered, pulling back and walking after Harry and Dixon. She turned at the door, smiling. "Bye, mom."