Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 40th cycle. Now cycle 41!

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** UPDATED WITH CYCLE 41 CHEAT SHEET ** Check it out to find out about shift days, starting in cycle 41!

This is a shift day [see above]. There will be another upload this afternoon: Flying Solo, chapter 4.

"Wheels Go Two By Two"
Artie/Lucy (OC), Stella (OC)
follow up to "Stage Front"

It just figured his anxiety over buying Lucy a proper birthday present had been pegged by an eleven-year-old. When he'd seen the Collins' number on his phone he thought he'd hear Lucy's voice, but instead it was a whispering Stella, who asked him to take her to the mall to shop for Lucy, saying she would help him find something, too. The two of them had never hung out, just the two of them, outside the Collins house, and that wasn't even accounting the fact it was just both of them, two kids, two wheelchairs. He knew going around there for a while could be tiring on him, and he knew it would be the same for Stella, even more so. But then this could be good, for both of them, so he agreed.

Saturday morning, Mr. Abrams drove Artie to the Collins house, where they picked up Stella. Artie watched his father get the girl in the back seat, just as he would for him, before putting her chair in the back. Stella was positively bouncing. "Hey, Stel," he presented his fist, which she happily bumped with her own. "Are you ready? Got your money?" he asked, and she nodded, tugging at the coin purse dangling from a long strap around her neck. "Looks heavy," he told her, making her laugh.

"Thanks for taking me," she told him, reaching to buckle herself in.

"So Lucy doesn't know?" he asked.

"I was really careful," Stella promised proudly. "Besides, she's at work."

"At the mall, which is where we're going," he pointed out, and Stella paused.

"Oh…"

"We'll just have to be careful not to go too close to Breadstix… Not that we're very noticeable," he shrugged, making her laugh once again.

So off they'd gone to the mall. Mr. Abrams had offered to stay, but Artie could see Stella was counting on doing this independently, just them, so he'd sent his father off and the two of them had gone in. As expected they did get the odd look or two, but after a while they didn't notice them anymore.

"Where do you want to go first?" he asked, and Stella looked around.

"I need to find this," she opened the coin purse and pulled out a sheet, folded many times over, which she handed over to Artie. He unfolded it and saw a book cover. "She's talked about it a lot," she explained.

"She did," Artie nodded, remembering. "Well I guess we're off to the bookstore," he returned the sheet and they were off. Once at the bookstore it took a lot of searching and asking around, but finally the book was found and presented to Stella. Her face lit up. "So that's the one?" Artie asked.

"It is," she confirmed, turning it over.

"Got enough money?" he asked and again she nodded. "Okay, let's go." The book was paid for and placed in a pocket at the back of Stella's chair. When they left the store, Stella made them stop.

"I know what you should get her."

"Okay, that's great," Artie listened.

"She's going to know though… that I told you."

"So why didn't you get it for her?"

"Hey, you're the boyfriend, not me," Stella defended with a smirk.

A few days later, it was Lucy's birthday. The day itself had involved class, a 'birthday Slushie' – one in the face, one in the back – and, after a clean-up, Glee Club rehearsal. There'd been cake, a few presents, lots of dancing… Artie's present would wait until that evening, at Lucy's birthday dinner, to which he was invited. Patty the waitress always kept the little redhead well stocked in Breadsticks.

"Oh that Patty…" he shook his head, but then Lucy leaned over to kiss him.

"Thank you," she told him and he smiled. "I mean it. She was so happy that you went out there with her, you have no idea."

"Happy to do it," he nodded. "I have to say she did help me with this," he pulled out a small wrapped box. "Well, she basically told me to get it for you, that it would mean a lot… How could I say no?" she shrugged.

"You couldn't," she laughed. "That's her super power." He handed her the box and she unwrapped it. The box was clearly one that would hold jewelry, which initially threw her. But then she opened it, and her reaction was immediate. "Artie…" she gasped, pulling out a golden heart-shaped locket.

"Didn't get presumptuous enough to put my picture in there," he joked.

"Pictures…" she opened it and found one half of the locket had a picture of Mr. and Mrs. Collins, while the other had one of Lucy and Stella. "It's beautiful," she held it in awe.

"You have that in common," he smiled, and she smirked.

"Did she tell you why…" she started, and he shook his head. "Well… It's kind of silly and all, but… when I was little I was kind of obsessed with Annie."

"As in 'Little Orphan…'" he chuckled.

"The very one," she bowed her head. "Well, you know, redhead," she tugged at her hair. "She was like my hero, I mean I was a frizzy child," she emphasized, which only kept him laughing. "And… she had the locket, or half of one anyway, for most of it, and then I just really… really wanted one. But I never got it. I guess my parents thought I was too young back then, and after that they forgot… thank you," she kissed him again, longer now.

"Technically I just…"

"No technically, I love it," she cut him off, unclasping it and fastening it around her neck. "How do I look?"

"Like you need to ask," he smiled and she 'posed.' "So now… let me get this straight…" he paused. "Your favorite movie growing up was a musical…" he stated.

"Yes, and?" she asked, 'suspicious.'

"You really were destined to be one of us," he went on grinning, even as she smacked his arm, still smirking.

"You watch yourself, Abrams."

"Okay, okay, but… Now you know I won't let it go until you sing some of it in Glee Club."

THE END

A/N: This is a one-shot ficlet, which means that signing up for story alert will not bring you any alerts.
In the event of a sequel, the story will be separate from this one. And as chapter stories go, they are
always clearly indicated as such [ex: "Days 204-210" in the summary] Thank you!