Holding on
A/N: A collaborative story between Softrock-showtunesgirlscout22 and flyintherightdirection. We own nothing but the plot. All the Med characters are currently in high-school or somehow fit into the story, others from the One Chicago Fam may also appear, reviews are always welcome!
We apologize in advance for the Manstead and Rheese feels!
Chapter 1
Sarah Reese did not want to be in Chicago.
"Can't I just stay at home tomorrow? Please Mom?" She begged her mother one last time before she went to bed.
She didn't want to be there and she most certainly didn't want to have to start at Gaffney High School the next day.
"Sarah, Sweetie, we've discussed this, you're going to school tomorrow. I have to be in the office early and you promised Jason that you'd go with him, get him settled. "
"Can't I just stay at home, for one more day?" Sarah said, slumping onto her new bed in her room that was cluttered with half unpacked boxes.
"You're not staying home alone in a city we're not familiar with yet. First days of school are scary but you'll be fine, you're my smart, clever girl. Goodnight Sweetheart." With that Sarah's Mom, kissed her forehead and closed the door behind her.
What was good about it? Sarah thought as she reached for her laptop and continued her research on the new city she had to call home.
Sarah sighed, she should've known she'd never win that kind of argument when her Mom was a lawyer and able to negotiate and persuade for a living.
She was just not looking forward to starting at a new school a month after everyone else had. She was going to stand out like a sore thumb. High school was hard enough without having to start over in a new city, try to make new friends and catch up on school work.
She could blame the move on James, the man that her mother was in the processes of finalizing a divorce with. But really, she should have known that life was going far too well for it to last. She should have seen the separation coming.
She laughed bitterly to herself, now at least she and little Jason shared more than just a mother, they now shared the fact that both their fathers didn't stay.
She shook her head, there was no point mulling over the state of her family, and she refocused her attention on the screen in front of her.
Chicago. The Windy City, which, according to her extensive internet research encountered its fair share of rain and snow.
Two of Sarah's least favorite things. Great.
She pulled up the page about Gaffney High School again. It certainly wasn't as prestigious as Riverside Memorial High School, the school her Mom had intended her to go to. However, it was right next door to the middle school that had the best reputation for having a program for children with special needs in the city and Sarah suggested that Jason could attend there and so she could be close by if he needed her.
She'd have to walk him to the bus and probably sit with him so he wouldn't cause any trouble.
Jason was just 8 but he was the smartest kid she knew.
"Don't play with your cereal buddy, we've got to get going." Sarah told Jason the next morning as she picked up his half done bowl.
He looked down to the ground. That usually meant he was upset about something. "We use our words, remember?"
Jason looked up at her, just about to throw a tantrum if she wasn't fast enough. "Come on, we're going to be late."
Sarah led Jason to the bus, he usually didn't like people touching him, her grabbing his hand was torture enough but she couldn't possibly have him run off somewhere.
The yellow and stereotypical bus stopped just in time, Sarah looked up for a moment, she was sure it would rain today.
"Are you two getting on?" The driver asked. Sarah nodded, pulling on Jason's hand.
"Sorry." Sarah told him. Jason quickly let go of her hand but didn't move, he really didn't like to be around people so the school bus, which was usually cramped up with kids was an issue.
Sarah took a look around the empty seats, there was one next to a blonde girl which could possibly fit her and Jason.
"You can't sit here." The girl in the adjoining seat, with blonde hair and fancier clothes than Sarah could ever afford, snapped at the Reese siblings.
"Seriously?" Sarah asked, in a mix between a real question and in annoyance.
"Yes I am actually. I'm waiting for someone else." She glared at Sarah who suddenly felt like the entire bus was staring at the ill-fated interaction.
Sarah sighed, she no longer felt her brother's presence, he'd moved up further back on the bus. "Jason?"
"You want to sit here buddy?" A boy, about her age moved from his seat so Jason could be by the window.
"What do you say Jason?" Sarah came up to them.
"Thank you." The little boy said.
"No problem, the window is also my favorite spot." The other boy smiled.
"I'm sorry." Sarah said shyly.
"Like I said, it's no problem, you're new, right? I haven't seen you around."
Sarah nodded. "We just moved."
"Oh, cool. I'm Jay…" He beamed. "You're a sophomore?"
She nodded again. "Tragically."
Jay smiled. "Me too, unfortunately."
The bus pulled off and Sarah was forced to take the empty seat across the aisle where she tried not to make it too obvious that she was craning her neck to keep an eye on Jason. He never sat with strangers, so allowing Jay to sit with him and not Sarah was an odd event, to say the least.
The rest of the ride to school consisted of a couple of more stops and turns. One of the which let on a girl who took the seat next to the other one that hadn't let Sarah sit down. It looked like Gaffney had it's own version of Mean Girls going on.
They pulled up at the middle school, where a few of the younger kids on the bus raced off and Sarah hopped up and beckoned to Jason.
"This is not the right building." Jay said as he moved up so Jason could get out.
"I have to get him to class." Sarah told him. "Thank you for being nice to him. We're working on his conversational skills."
Jay nodded. "Of course, I'll see you up there I guess."
Yeah, Gaffney High School, she could just hope that she could stay under the radar.
As she walked, alongside Jason, who seemed to be dragging his feet. Another sign he was not happy with the arrangement at his new school, Sarah prayed his aid would be nice. Her mother had hired an aid for him whom she was meant to meet before her brother went into class today.
He'd had behavioural aids back home whom he'd loved but then the divorce came into the game and their mother announced they could no longer live in Michigan and no one was willing to pack up everything and leave. Not even Sarah's old nanny.
"Sarah and Jason?" A woman said as soon as they approached the entrance. "I'm Mary, your mother and I met and she said I'd recognize you as soon as I saw you."
Sarah smiled, turning to her brother. "Jason? Are you ready?"
He was most definitely not ready as he fidgeted with the zipper on his jacket. "I realize this is a little off for him too, I'll come to your home once we get to know each other a little more. It was a last minute thing that your mother chose me to work with your family." Mary explained, Sarah didn't see anything wrong with her and Jason had been used to the aids that had been around him since he had started kindergarden.
So they should see, Sarah thought, but one thing was for sure, he didn't like change. Another thing he shared with his half-sister.
But maybe things could be different in Chicago, Jason would improve and Sarah would flourish. Although she highly doubted it.
"Alright, we should go in, you don't want to be late either Sarah." Mary told her.
Jason didn't move though. "Buddy? Come on, you have to go inside." Sarah said softly, crouching down to face her brother.
"Where will you be?" He asked in a low voice.
Sarah made him turn around so he was facing the building next door. "I'll be right in there, see? Not so far away, if you need me you can just tell Mary and she'll get me."
"Sarah, that's not really how…" Mary began but Sarah brushed her off.
"We can't use our walkies?" Jason asked.
"Nope." Sarah said with a small smile. "They're too loud, we wouldn't want to get in trouble and have them be taken away."
"No, cause they have our names on them." Jason said. "Dad made them for us."
"He did, now if you need anything, just tell Mary, okay?" Jason nodded slowly. "Have a good day buddy…" Sarah then turned to the young woman. "Here's my number, you can text me anytime if he gets too difficult."
Mary gave her a puzzled look as she handed her a piece of paper. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."
"Oh, it will." Sarah said, walking away, in the direction of the adjoined building where she was sure to hate from the moment she stepped in.
Sure, it wasn't like she had many friends back home but at least everything was familiar. This was all too new.
Crowds of kids bustled in, and she could do nothing but go with the flow and hope to find the reception.
A group of older girls stood inside the door, handing out leaflets for some upcoming cake sale.
"You okay honey?" One girl asked.
"I'm new actually, which way is it to the head office?" Sarah asked.
The older girl smiled softly, "First days are the worst, I'm Maggie, by the way. Principal Goodwin's office is just down that corridor." She pointed down the hall toward to the right of the entrance doors. "You won't miss it. Goodwin is firm but fair, you should be fine. Good luck."
Sarah thanked her and followed Maggie's directions until she came upon the reception desk.
"Can I help you?" The receptionist asked, never looking up from her computer.
"Eh..yes…I'm Sarah Reese, today is my first day and I was told to come here and…"
"Principal Goodwin is expecting you. Go right on in." She pointed vaguely to the door behind her.
"Thank you." Sarah said and knocked on the door.
"You must be Sarah." The principal was a woman who was exactly as Maggie had described, firm but fair. She had Sarah's file set up and talked her through some of the more serious rules of the school, what was expected of Gaffney's students, and that her teachers would be notified of her arrival.
"With a GPA like yours I'm sure you're eager to get to class." Principal Goodwin smiled, "But I have set up a meeting for you now with our guidance counsellor Mr Charles, it's standard procedure for new students, you can talk through your timetable and classes and he'll set you up with a buddy to help you settle in. I hope you like it here at Gaffney Sarah."
Sarah hoped so too.
Thanks so much for reading you guys! We'll be updating weekly as in the show, every Wednesday, we hope this helps you get through waiting for season 4! As always, reviews make us happy :)