Okay, honestly I have no idea where this story is going, but I'm just going to write LOL

Thanks for all the reviews, it means so much! :D

And I don't own Next to Normal...If I did, I'd be married to Henry and we'd be jamming out to jazz piano in our little villa on the Italian countryside :)

"So what are you going to do now?" Henry asked. He and Natalie were on their flight back from Connecticut.

"I don't know," Natalie said. "I guess I'll have to tell my dad about what I did and then just wait to hear from the other colleges."

"You'll get in anywhere. Harvard, Princeton, where else did you apply?"

"UCLA," she said with a smile.

"What? There is no way you are going there just because I am. I'm not letting you ruin your chance at an Ivy League education just for me."

"Come on, Henry. Just you and me in sunny California. Now that Yale's a no-go, that's all I really want."

"Your dad will never let you do that," he reminded her.

"He won't care, I promise," she assured him. "I want to be with you. And UCLA's a good school. We'll have fun."

"College isn't all about fun, you know."

"Wow," she said, laughing. "I never thought I'd hear you say that."

"Shut up," he teased, giving her a fake slap on the arm.

When they landed back in Seattle, Natalie dreaded seeing her father. He had been so proud of her, so encouraging. He had wanted her to go to Yale probably more than Natalie wanted to go herself. She hated letting him down. Of course he was waiting eagerly in the airport.

"Hey, Nat," he said, giving her a big hug. "It's so great to have you back. I booked a reservation for tonight at Blue Sand. I know it's your favorite place."

"Um, Dad, you didn't have to do that," Natalie said, regretting having to tell him anything upsetting at all.

"Nat, are you okay?"

Natalie just nodded. "Uh, it was a really interesting trip," Henry answered for her. "We should talk about it over dinner."

"Good idea," Dan agreed, chipper again. "Let's go."

They drove across town to Blue Sand, the hottest new seafood place around. Natalie liked it there because it was dark and the music was loud so you barely had to talk. And the food wasn't too bad. They got a table in the back and ordered their drinks before Dan brought up the audition.

"So did they love you?" he asked.

"Once they heard me play," she answered honestly.

"So when do we get your acceptance letter?"

"Never."

"What do you mean?" Dan asked uneasily.

"I've withdrawn," Natalie answered with a sigh.

"What? Why?"

"They were giving me a hard time about the audition, so I had to explain everything, and by everything, I mean everything. Then this lady makes a comment about me needing therapy, so I thought, hey, fuck Yale. I mean, come on, what kind of career can I have with piano anyway?"

Dan took a moment to digest it all. Natalie was surprised he didn't comment on her swearing. "So no Yale?" he asked quietly.

"No. I'll be going to UCLA with Henry in the fall."

"That is if she doesn't get in to Harvard or Princeton," Henry said quickly. "Which she will, so no worries."

"No," Natalie said. "We're going to have to talk about this at some point. We might as well do it now."

"You would rather go to UCLA than an Ivy League?" Dan asked, not sure what kind of sick monster was posessing his daughter's body.

"No, she definitely would not," Henry jumped in, not wanting to upset Dan.

"Actually," Natalie said, getting annoyed, "I would. Look, I care about Henry and I think UCLA would be a great place for us. I mean, he's already going, but it'll be good for me too. Like, when was the last time I got some sun?"

"That's not what college is all about," Dan said. "You have to think about your future."

"I already have. I'll study in their architecture program and do what you do. I've always wanted to do that."

"You've always wanted to go to Yale."

"No," Natalie said, "I used to. Now I understand that was all a fantasy. I will be just as happy in California as I would be in Connecticut."

Dan didn't want to argue with Natalie. He figured she would get herself out of this one. Sure, she could to UCLA for a semester. But then he was positive she'd realize that it was all a mistake. And then she could transfer. He smiled.

"Alright," he said. "It's your choice."

"Really, Dad?" Dan nodded. "Thank you so much!" Natalie said, beaming.

He kept nodding, kept smiling, hoping that he hadn't just made a mistake himself.

Sorry it's so short! Next chapter I'm jumping ahead to college. YAYYYY! lol

Please review!