Hey!

I'm sorry it took so long to update this. Please note, that the first chapter has been edited as well. I had to rewrite it because I actually hated it. It's not completely changed though, but I added somethings if I remember correctly. :) Thank you for your reviews!

Well, here goes the second chapter and to be honest I almost have the third one ready too, so you won't have to wait long. :D This one is a bit shorter than the first one, but I hope it doesn't matter.

Enjoy!

2. Wishing It Away

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone
What doesn't kill you makes you fighter
Footsteps even lighter
Doesn't mean I'm over 'cause you're gone

(Kelly Clarkson – Stronger)

White. Loud noices. A small room. Shaking. Pain. Now it was there. And he welcomed it. He was alive. Alive – if not well.

Along with the pain came the cold. He was shivering uncontrollably and he wanted to wrap his arms around his torso. He was unsuccessful though, as his body wouldn't co-operate. Breathing made his sides throb and every movement sent a flash of pain. Still, he was very much unable to start trashing around let alone sit up. It was like he was strapped down – which, in fact, was the truth.

"Hey there. Glad to see you awake. Just hold on tight. We're almost at the hospital," Bethany whispered to him. Too kindly. Too sorrowfully.

"Hospital?" Mike grunted thickly and regretted it immediately as the pain grew even bigger.

"Yeah. Do you remember what happened?"

"Car…" Mike mumbled and closed his eyes again. The lights hurt his eyes. Was it supposed to be like this?

"Yeah. Good. Well, you're pretty banged up, but they're going to fix you up in no time," Bethany said cheerfully, but her eyes betrayed her lie. Apparently, it wasn't to be expected that he could just walk away from this. Typical.

Mike tried to smile reassuringly to the woman hovering over him, although he wasn't sure who he was supposed to comfort. Suddenly the ambulance had to slow down and almost stop abruptly as something was on the way. The harsh jolt made Mike cry out in pain. His back was on fire and so was his head. There was something wrong. Had to be.

"Oh God. Just hold on Mike. It's going to be okay," Bethany whispered, stroking Mike's head gently. She had been a paramedic for several years but she would never get used to teenagers suffering. And something about this boy made her feel sorry for him even more. Maybe it was the kid's face was crunched up or the way he was breathing difficultly even with the mask covering his face. Or maybe it was his eyes. The kind look with which he had thanked Bethany in the first place and the fear glistening in the background.

"Cole?" Bethany called the driver while still holding her hand in Mike's hair. It had helped other patients before and she hoped it would do some good for this poor fellow too.

"Two minutes. They're standing by and he'll go in as soon as we get there," Cole answered without needing a question. He didn't tear his eyes away from the road. He wanted to reach the hospital and fast.

"Got it. You hear that, Mike? We'll be there soon enough. You're going to be fine," Bethany said. Mike opened his eyes again for a moment and nodded. He wanted to talk. To thank. To say something. Anything, really. But he couldn't. Instead he smiled again. The smile was weak and forced, but he felt like it was needed.

Tina was angry. She truly was. Mike was such a jerk sometimes. Of course it didn't mean that Tina wanted to break up with him. He was a great guy and she loved him – she really did – but there were times that she wished she could just throw away all the memories she had with him so that she could let go. How could he go and dance like that with Britt? He was practically on top of her. They were supposed to be singing and dancing together, not doing any funny business.

Tina was pacing around her room with a sharp bounce in her step. She would crush his toes next time she saw him just to make sure that he wouldn't be dancing with Brittany anytime soon. Or if he was, it would at least be very painful.

She paused on her route when she heard the all too familiar tune. Her cell phone was ringing. Luckily, it wasn't Mike. She had put on a special song just for him so that she would always know if he called. She had never been as grateful for that as she was today. She didn't even bother to check the caller's ID before answering, forcing her voice soft.

"Yeah, it's Tina."

"Tina… This… this is Mike's mother. I… umm…" the voice in the other end of the phone was quiet and sorrowful. There was something really unnerving in the way she spoke and it made Tina shiver.

"What's wrong, Mrs. Chang? Is everything okay?" Tina asked worriedly, sitting down on her bed and tilting her head slightly to the left.

"No… I mean, Mike… he's…. he's in a hospital."

There was a long, thick silence. Tina tried to process the words but was unsuccessful. Mike couldn't be in a hospital. There had to be a mistake. She had just been talking to him – arguing with him – a couple of hours ago. There was no way he was hurt in anyway.

"Ummm… Why?" Tina whispered. She still couldn't believe it.

"There was a car accident… He… It's not good, Tina. It's not good".

"Where is he? Can I come?`"

"Of course you… can come. We can… pick you up on the way. We just got the… the call ourselves… and we're about to leave now," Mrs. Chang swallowed and Tina sighed.

"Thank you… I'll… I'll call to mister Schuester, so…. so he can tell our friends. Is that… is that okay?" Tina asked the tears swelling into her eyes and her lips trembling. This started to feel real and she really didn't want it to be true. If Mike died, the last the she would've said to him was about him being stupid. Oh, how she regretted it now!