Disclaimer: I don't own OLTL, ABC does.

One Prayer Upon Many

A/N: Langston didn't take the ride that Blair offered her. Some scenes were borrowed from the show.

"Langston, let us take you home, please." Starr pleaded to me. "I refuse to leave you here by yourself."

Langston looked at her in remorse. Dried tears stained Starr's face and new ones were swelling in her eyes. The events of today were still overwhelming her and she couldn't shake it off but right now Langston couldn't either. She couldn't leave yet, reality was out there and she couldn't bear it. "My mom will be here soon and I won't be alone there's about a dozen cops all over the place."

"Langston…" Starr started her voice hoarse.

Langston shook my head to stop her, "Starr, I'll be fine. You have to understand."

Starr wiped at the streams flowing down her face, "I do and it's not fair. I'm sorry, Langston."

The other girl embraced her and hung on for dear life, "I'm sorry about what you went through; I don't want to lose you ever."

They stayed like that for a few minutes until finally they both pulled apart. Blair showed up and offered Langston a ride home but again she declined. The mother and daughter pair left in reluctance and Langston stood there outside of the gym not knowing what to do next. A police officer exited the gym and Langston crossed paths with him as she strode strongly into the gym. It was so quiet and so empty; she feared that it would never be full of life again. Was that too melodramatic? Maybe but for now she didn't care. She hadn't been prepared for this but in life there was no preparation. One was supposed to live life to the fullest because things weren't granted, especially not for Henry.

Langston spotted her playbook left on the bleachers and walked up the creaky wooden steps. She picked it up and slowly sat down where it had been. She sighed and looked around the spacious gymnasium. She wanted to cry but she knew that if she did she would become frustrated. She would blame Brittany for leading him on, she would blame the pills for putting so much pressure on his heart then she would blame Henry for being so goddamn stupid.

How could he have driven a car under the influence? He was smarter than that! At least Langston had thought he was. However, she had also thought that he was smart enough not to fall for Brittany's tricks and manipulations.

"What's wrong, Brittany?" Amber asked timidly as the popular girl next to her slam her locker door shut.

A scowl marked the young beauty's face, she replied, "I'll tell you what's wrong. Mrs. McBitch called my mother last night; I have a C in English Lit. Can you believe that? What am I going to do?"

Langston secretly smiled as she walked past the two into the said English class. She found her seat next to Henry Mackler, "Hey." She greeted.

"Oh, hey, Langston!" He responded enthusiastically with a smile spread on his face. She noted how big his cheeks got when he smiled. Henry quickly dug into his schoolbag and pulled out a copy of The Catcher in the Rye. He held it out for her to take. "Thanks for letting me borrow this. I hope you don't mind though, I have a tendency for scribbling notes while I read." He confessed nervously.

Langston grinned and set the book on her desk, "That's cool, Henry. Who knows? It might help me out on the upcoming project."

Henry's face blanched, "I completely forgot about that."

"It's okay." Langston said in an attempt to make him feel better.

"It's a partner project, Langston." He started softly so none of the incoming classmates could overhear. "No one's going to pick me. Oh God…what if Mrs. McBain has assigned partners?"

Langston leaned in closer to him and gave his hand a squeeze, "Everything will be fine." She promised but no color filled his face.

Minutes later…

"…Sandra Gordon and Ethan Watson; Misty Simon and Keith Kentwood. I think that's everyone." Marcie declared matter-of-factly but was thrown off when three students raised their hands claiming to have no partner. The three students were Henry, Brittany and Langston. The project had to be done by a pair of opposite sexes, to get different gender interpretations of the novel. That meant that a girl would have to be left out. Marcie sighed, "Which one of you is willing to work with Henry?"

Langston quickly opened her mouth to answer but Brittany beat her to it.

"I am, Mrs. McBain!" Brittany chimed happily to Langston's dismay.

Henry turned around sharply at the blonde, "Are you serious?"

"Well of course, Henry." She claimed with a plastic smile. "We'll work great together."

Marcie was suspicious of the offer but let it go. She made sure that the partnership was alright with Henry and then excused Langston from having to do the project at all.

"Langston, I'll assign you with something else tomorrow." Marcie stated.

Langston grimaced, watching Brittany wave over at Henry and him blushing in response.

Langston's lips tightened at the memory. She should have insisted that she worked with Henry and not Brittany but she hadn't had the heart to. She knew that Henry hadn't been confident and to have Brittany pick him would definitely raise his self-esteem and make him feel better about himself. Despite the earlier conversation she had overheard, Langston had thought it would help. It turned out to be the start of a vicious cycle.

"Henry! Slow down!" Langston called out to the young man speeding down the hallway. He stopped his pace and waited for her to catch up in step. The expression on his face didn't go unnoticed by her. Was he annoyed? "Where are you heading off to in such a hurry?"

Henry nodded to the cups he held in his possession, "I have to get these lattes to Brittany and Amber."

Langston frowned at him worriedly, "Those aren't allowed in school. Is she having you do errands for her now?"

"I offered." Henry told her.

"You're lying." Langston stated without any fault. "Henry, you could get into a lot of trouble."

"For bringing her coffee, Langston?" Henry asked both skeptically and rhetorically. He moved to turn away and head on but her hand on his arm stopped him.

Her eyes connected to his and he knew that he was stuck. Langston stared at him sadly. "We both know that you're doing a lot more than caffeine deliveries. Brittany's has been getting straight A's in class for the past few weeks. She didn't do that on her own."

A small grin graced his face, "I've got everything under control. You don't have to watch out for me anymore, Langston."

She returned the gesture, "You're my friend and I care about what happens to you."

"I know that." Henry commented gratefully. "You want to walk with me? I'm going over to the auditions."

"Are you trying out for Curly?" Langston inquired with a sparkle in her eyes.

"I don't know. Theatre's not my thing but Brittany recommended that I should give it a shot." Henry admitted, now gaiting down the hall at a slower pace.

Langston forced herself to be happy and feigned interest, "You like her, huh?"

"Maybe. I'm not used to feeling this way." Henry confided to her, hopeful for some feedback.

Langston felt a twinge of jealousy; exactly what kind of influence did Brittany have over him? "How do you feel?" she asked hesitantly.

"Like I'm flying and no one can take me down." Henry started in a low voice. They had just reached the opening of auditions. "I'm not an outcast anymore and more people are beginning to talk to me because of her. With Brittany I feel needed and appreciated. It's nice to get that from someone other than my parents."

I need you and I appreciate you, Langston thought sadly. She chuckled lowly, "Don't fall too deep."

"Who said I'm falling anywhere?" Henry laughed.

Langston couldn't help that foreboding feeling that was pitted in her stomach. She wished that she could instantly believe what he said but she couldn't. Henry was getting himself into something that would only have negative side effects and she was helpless sitting on the sidelines.

Henry dropped a kiss to her cheek cautiously, "We'll talk later, Langston."

With her genuine surprise, she only managed to mumble a reply back, one that he didn't quite catch as her ran over to Brittany and Amber.

Despite the spring season, a chilly air stung Langston's cheeks. She was waiting for her mother to appear. But she wasn't looking forward to the car ride. She didn't want to face the questions and concern. She didn't want to have to share her feelings about the "outcast turned crazy" that Henry would be labeled as. All night long, Langston had stated that Henry was a good kid but in her heart he was more than that. He was funny, brilliant, dorky and handsome. Brittany had pretended to notice that and taken advantage of Henry's insecurities. Now he was dead, lying in a cold steel morgue with lifeless strangers. How could fate be so cruel? A car's headlights blinded her as she thought of that day in the park.

"Ugh, this stuff is getting gross." Langston complained as she swished around a cup of warm ice coffee.

"Mine's still cold. Do you want some?" Starr offered from the bench directly behind her.

Langston smiled and shook her head no. "Any news yet on who got the leading roles?"

"No yet," Starr answered. "But I don't really care anyways. Brittany will most likely play Laurey."

Langston rolled her eyes, "Yeah right. You're way better than her and she doesn't deserve to get the role. She's doesn't deserve to get anything but a good butt kicking."

"Something wrong?" Starr asked the obvious question. "There are more 'I hate Brittany' vibes bouncing off from you than usual. Is this about Henry?"

"No." Langston murmured. "What makes you think that?"

Starr looked at her quizzically, "You mean other than the fact that you secretly harbor feelings for him?"

"I do not!" Langston exclaimed but Starr read her best friend easily and could tell that she was in denial.

"Yes you do."

"No I don't."

"Yes!"

"No!"

There was a rustle of in the bushes near them and they soon quieted. Starr caught the person moving into their area, "Uh oh."

Henry walked towards them looking antsy and uncomfortable. They didn't know what to say to him, considering the last time he was heard of he was humiliated by finding out that Brittany had lied to him.

"Have you seen Brittany?" Henry asked, directing the question towards nobody particular.

Langston took the liberty of answering, "No. Why?"

"I told her to meet me here." Henry informed her.

Langston looked him up and down worriedly. He appeared as if he hadn't gotten any sleep the night before. Circles were beginning to form underneath his eyes and his hair was messier than usual. The only thing that seemed in character was his perfectly starched clothes and his bookbag hoisted high upon his back.

"Did you actually talk to her?" Starr wondered aloud.

Henry was taken aback by the question and didn't have an answer for the girl. Well at least not the one that she was looking for. "I'll wait." He replied.

And he did until she finally came around a few minutes later. Langston and Starr stood around the corner spying on Brittany and Henry. They had offered to stay with him but he wanted to do 'this', whatever 'that' was-- alone. The pair strained to listen in as they watched Henry pull out a disc from his jacket pocket.

"This is for you," Henry stated holding it out for Brittany to take.

"Is that my history paper?" Brittany asked in a cocky tone. "I thought you said you deleted it."

Henry nodded knowingly, "I did. This is the backup copy; I worked too hard on it just to trash it. I overreacted when I saw the picture of you kissing Garrett. Anyways we both messed up. I'm sorry. Are we okay?" He asked with an expectant smile on his face.

Brittany snatched the CD and the ridicule that poured out of her mouth was unbelievable. "My God, could you be anymore of a loser? Get a clue, Henry, no one likes you. You're a dork with a research fetish. You're useful but the idea that I would go out with you—do you have mental problems…"

Langston couldn't stand to hear anymore of it and moved to put Brittany in her place. Starr quickly stopped her from doing so. "No, Langston. He needs to realize how much of a bitch Brittany really is. This could help him out."

Langston looked at her wide eyed. "Or make it a lot worse, Starr."

"How do you think he will feel if you fight his battles for him?" Starr inquired softly.

Langston had no choice but to watch as Henry was further humiliated. "Please forgive me."

The brush's bristles traveled through her thick hair once more before she tied the mass into her nightly ponytail. She flipped off the overhead lights of her bedroom and switched on the lamp that sat on her nightstand. Langston searched through her skull decorated satchel for her playbook and her eyes burned at the sight of it.

"I saw you talking to Amber." Langston told Henry as she walked up to his 'newly designed' locker. "Brittany giving you trouble by proxy now?"

"I really wish you would stop pretending to care." Henry exasperated.

"You know that I care." Langston chastised. "Don't lose trust in me because of what Brittany did to you."

Henry however wasn't fazed by her statement and led on with his pessimistic outlook on everything, "I just want to be invisible, Langston."

Langston gingerly moved closer to him, "I see you, Henry…the real you."

Her words seemed to get through to him because his features softened. Henry noticed her proximity and could read the emotion in her eyes. Everything was going so fast for him and he wasn't sure how to react to her. "Langston…" he started apologetically.

She smiled sadly, "Its okay. There's nothing to be sorry for."

"I wish that I hadn't fallen for her." Henry admitted. "You were the one that was always there for me and now…it's just not fair. Talking to you used to be so easy. I want to get back to the way things were."

"Me too." She agreed quietly. "Walk with me to my locker?"

Langston didn't wait for answer and strode to the locker right across from his. He was predictably right behind her and helped out with her books. His eye caught her libretto for Oklahoma! "You're writing for the play?" he asked her.

She was uncharacteristically shy, "Yeah. Mrs. McBain asked me to. I've got most of it finished but there's still a lot of work to do."

Henry bore a toothy smile, "I'm sure it's amazing." He started flipping through the text with interest. "You must be working night and day on it."

"Would you mind…" Langston began unsurely but gained more poise, "Would you mind looking it over for me?"

He nodded, "If you want."

"I do!" Langston proclaimed instantly, "I like hearing you comments and advice."

Henry grinned wider. "I doubt I'll change a thing."

Langston felt like an anvil had been lifted from her shoulders. Little by little, things were getting back where they needed to be.

A police officer had found her playbook in his small red bookbag after the wreck. She had seen the cop giving it to Commissioner Bo Buchanan along with Henry's other items. Langston had run over to the men in haste and pleaded to have it back. She had assured them that there was no evidence contained in the book. Bo had given it to her sensing that the girl would become tooth and nail for the possession.

Now here she was touching the same paper leaves that Henry had touched only hours before. A dog-eared page opened before her and she noticed Henry's handwriting over the once blank page.

She expected to see notes on grammar and characterization but instead found a message addressed to her. She read it to herself, tearing up at each word. Langston could almost hear him talking to her in person.

Langston, I'm sure that Starr will love the lyrics and dialogue you have written for her lead role. I hope she gets it! I know you probably don't buy that because of my earlier support for Brittany to get the part of Laurey—but I really do mean it. You impress me so much with your writing. You're full of talent and soon everyone will see that. Well everyone willing to pay the extravagant price of $20.00 to see a high school production. I'm sure that you're fanbase will grown immensely.

I don't tell you thanks enough, Langston. Without you I don't know where I'd be. I've been on the brink lately but I think you just rescued me. Today was the first time that I have talked to you in a long time. I mean really being able to talk you. Before today I never realized how much I had missed it. Just the sound of your voice lifts me up, it was refreshing. I do want to try with you. That must sound fickle but it's true. Not today and probably not tomorrow but someday when I'm ready…I just hope that you'll wait for me. But right now, I've got to head to driver's Ed. I'll be a proud owner of a Pennsylvania driver's license very soon. You'll be my first passenger, I promise. Wish me luck!

Henry

Sobs racked through Langston's small body when she reached the smiley face next to Henry's signature. She cried for the young life lost, for the fact that she would never see Henry's friendly face again and for the chance they never had. She hugged the playbook to her chest and allowed her tears to wash it. She stayed that way for most of the night and until early morning, only falling asleep when all of her tears when finally rid of. But she would cry again tomorrow and the day after that, she would mourn Henry Mackler until everything was fine. Who knows when that will be…

The End