Chapter 10:

Previously on the New New Directions: At the freshman winter dance Asher and Maeve shared another moment, Kieran's sister Maya decided to join Glee Club, and Liam convinced Danny to tell Aria about his feelings for her, but she didn't reciprocate them.

Sitting in her classroom nervously chewing gum, Aria doodled instead of making notes, she just couldn't right now. Ever since that night at the freshman dance she hadn't heard or seen anything from Danny and she was incredibly worried; not just for their friendship but also for the panic that she had worsened his eating disorder by rejecting him and making him more stressed and depressed. All she wanted to do was run out of this stupid geography lesson, go to Danny's house, tell him she was so sorry and everything would go back to normal. God, she felt horrible. She wished more than anything that she felt butterflies when he touched her, that she loved him in the same way he loved her. He could have smiled and kissed her instead of frowning and walking away. She could have helped him through his eating disorder instead of worsening it. They could have lived happily ever after. But she didn't feel that way about him, and to say she did would have been a lie of a fairytale, and the one thing she refused to do to her friends was lie to them, no matter how much the truth hurt that had always been her motto in life. And yet she felt like she was going to snap inside.

For the umpteenth time, Aria turned to her best friends to ask if Danny had texted them. Just as they were both about to say no a beep came from Liam's phone.

"Check your phones are on silent please class," Their teacher drawled and Aria managed to whisper,

"Was that-?" As Liam checked his phone.

"No, it was my mom." He said. Aria shrunk back into her chair, closing her eyes for a brief moment.

Natalia put her hand on top of her friend's. "I'm going to the dentists near Danny today, I can check in on him." Aria wrapped her arms around her friend happily, making an uncharacteristic squeal.

"You three at the back," The geography teacher paused in his lecture and stared at them, as did the rest of the class. "Is there a problem?"

Liam answered for the three, "No Sir. We just love geography so the girls got a little over excited about tectonic plates." Natalia stifled a laugh, as did some of the class, and their teacher, before he turned and continued writing on the board.

After school and the dentists that day, Natalia had asked her mom to drop her off at the Schuesters. She'd knocked on the door and been met with Emma, who readily let her in, expressing how worried she was about her son, who'd holed himself up in his room for the past few days, and was hoping his friend could bring him out of his sadness a little. So Nat made her way up the stairs and through the familiar upstairs corridor until she got to the two adjacent doors of Danny and Eleanor's bedrooms. His had a name hanger with the letters of his name spelled out on it in bright colours, the same way all four of the friends had one. It had been Nat's idea, they'd been out shopping and she'd seen some and though they were cute. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door softly. No answer. "Danny? It's me, Nat." Still no answer. "I'm coming in, okay?" She said eventually. The door was unlocked but Danny wasn't in there. Confused, Nat glanced around the room for a second before realising the door to the bathroom he shared with his sister was open. She peered inside and saw her friend pulling himself up from the toilet in a panic, flushing his sick down. "Danny!" She raced over and knelt down beside him. He looked away as if in shame, seeming like he was searching for an excuse. "Were you- making yourself throw up?" He nodded weakly, looking like he expected a lecture. Instead she gave him a hug, then pushed his hair out of his face, feeling tears coming to her own eyes. "How long has this been going on?"

"Only since the New Year's party." She bit her lip and hugged him again,

"Because of Aria?"

He stared at the floor and she could tell he really didn't want to say anything to her, but finally he answered. "Partially."

She took one of his hands in hers and whispered, "I know this probably feels like the end of the world, but I believe in soulmates. I believe there's someone out there for you, who can help your heart heal."

He nodded. "I want to still be friends with here, but it's going to be hard. I think we need some time apart." Natalia nodded.

"Will you come back to school though?" Weakly, he nodded. Smiling reassuring, Nat asked if he wanted to go talk to his parents about what she'd seen him doing. Immediately he shook his head. "Danny-" She started.

"No! You don't understand! I don't want to disappoint them anymore, and I don't know if I can stop!" He'd raised his voice a little but he lowered it when he heard footsteps and Emma asking if everything was okay. "It's fine, mom." Please, he mouthed. Biting her lip again, Natalia shook her head.

She took the hand he'd dropped a moment ago. "This is an addiction, like drugs, and it's going to be hard, but if you want to quit your addiction you need to ask for help." Her friend was still clearly angry, his other hand clenched into a fist and his face pale. Softly, she moved to push the hair falling into his face out of the way but he jerked away, staring at her through his eyelashes. That wasn't going to stop her though, Nat had made a vow to herself back in middle school to repay her friends in anyway that she could, and this was one of those ways. "How about we don't tell your parents just yet, if, you'll come with me to see your counsellor."

Danny sighed. "Promise you won't tell my mom or dad till I'm ready." Natalia stood up and held out a hand to help her friend up too.

"I promise."

As they sat at their favourite table in the mall, Aisha rolled her eyes. "We come here way too often, I'm pretty sure you have an obsession."

Beth laughed. "I'm not the only one laden down with bags!" She teased her girlfriend, leaning across the table and kissing her. Aisha smiled against the blonde's mouth. It had been difficult but she really was feeling good now after everything that had happened in the past six months or so. Beth was amazing, Shelby was amazing, her SAT scores were amazing, cheer was amazing, Glee Club was amazing- Regionals were next week and they'd all been practising hard, it was surely going to get them through to the next stage. Beth had really gotten a passion for acting since joining Glee Club and had been acting in school plays, community theatre, singing, dancing, anything to get her experience. As a result her letters to the colleges she wanted to go were packed and very impressive. She knew what she wanted to do; perform in any way she could. Aisha wasn't so sure about herself. Her father was a lawyer and she had been thinking about following that path but she now realised it had only been because she wanted to make him proud, it wasn't her dream. What was her dream? When she pictured her future it was like there was a big question mark, and sure, as Shelby and Beth said, she didn't have to know exactly what she wanted to do, but the problem was she had no clue. Beth's dream was Julliard so that narrowed it down; Manhattan. Still, what to study? Aisha was still waiting to hear back from the main school she wanted, Columbia. She'd written that she wanted to study medicine and business in a last minute decision but she was doubting it now. Even if she got in she'd need at least a part scholarship, it was wonderful of Shelby to take her in, but she couldn't ask her to completely pay for two college tuitions. That's why she'd gotten a job in the mall; she certainly spent enough time here what with shopping with Beth and working in the canteen. It might seem like she was wasting away her money on the things she'd bought today, but it was mainly college stuff for next year- only one or two unnecessary jackets.

"I'm gonna go get some water," Beth announced, standing up and wandering over to the vending machine near them. Aisha didn't pay much attention until she heard a groan from behind her. Flipping around she saw that the water was jammed. Aisha started to smile at her girlfriend's cute frustration… until a college guy with a leather jacket and slick dark hair came over to her aid, banging on the machine. Beth loved brunettes, Aisha should know. The blonde girl giggled, thanking the guy. He replied, saying something about how it was no problem, he loved to save damsels in distress. Beth thanked him again but added, "I don't need any shining knights right now, I've got a great girlfriend." She laughed before coming back over to their table, the guy's eyes stayed on her the whole time. The blonde put a hand on Aisha's when they were both sitting down. "You okay?"

The brunette nodded. "I'm not trying to sound like a clingy annoying girlfriend, but sometimes it's just frustrating that I have so much competition, you know, next year we're gonna be at different schools and I'm sure there'll be lots of hot talented Juilliard guys and girls-"

Beth stopped her. "You don't have anything to worry about! I get jealous too, but you should know I love you in a way I've never loved any other guy or girl." She squeezed Aisha's hand gently.

Marley sat at her desk tapping her pen as she remembered the principal's words about how Glee Club would have to end if they didn't get to Nationals. Regionals was in less than two weeks and she hadn't even opened the letter telling her the theme. God, she felt like such a failure to the kids. When Mr Schue had been running New Directions it had always been a way to work through problems, or push them away and think about something happier. Nowadays it felt like they were just getting in the way. Maybe she should just give up, go back to being a radio show host. No! What was she thinking? If she gave up now she'd be as bad as Sue.

Marley grabbed the letter from a pile of them and looked at the theme. Love. Well that was a broad topic. Okay, what would Mr Schue do? Probably a ballad or solo, and two more energetic group numbers. After thinking of some good songs she made two polls (one for the ballad, one for the group numbers) and sent them to the Glee Club to vote for the songs they wanted to sing.

The next day when she came back into school they'd all voted online. They wanted the ballad to be All of Me by John Legend, and the top two group numbers were Lay All Your Love on Me by Abba and Still Into You by Paramore. Marley found herself smiling as she texted Jake to ask if he was free to teach the kids some choreography next Monday after they'd perfected the singing this week. This wasn't over until they said it was over.

"Could Beth Corcoran please head to the principal's office," The familiar secretary Jenny's shrill voice said through the loudspeaker. Aisha glanced across at Beth, who just shrugged and gathered her things before shouldering her bag and heading to the principal's office. She hoped this wasn't going to be too long; it was almost the end of lesson she had dance routines to perfect for Regionals at lunch break. Jenny smiled weakly at Beth when she went past, which Beth, who grinned at the older woman, thought a little odd. Surprisingly, when Beth entered the room there were three chairs set in front of the principal's chair, and two of these were occupied by an increasingly pregnant Quinn, and Puck, both in the sweats that their jobs required. Beth cast her glance to each person in the room suspiciously in turn and realised they were all staring at her. So she dumped her bag on the floor beside the middle chair and sat down in it.

"Um, is this going to be quick?" Beth asked. "Because I have Glee Club."

"Miss Corcoran, you won't be expected to go to that today." The principal said, reaching over and patting her hand on the blonde's, which rested on the table.

"Why?" Beth asked, confused. "What's going on?"

"Beth honey," Quinn said softly. "There's been an accident." Beth's mind immediately flashed to the worst case scenario, her eyes widened and her breathing sped up. She reached for Quinn's hand and squeezed it so hard she was surprised it didn't break.

"Mom. She okay is, right?" Beth looked from person to person, finding her words mixing up in the shock and horror of the moment. "Right?"

Puck took her other hand, not answering the question. "It was a car accident, a drunk driving way past the speed limit." Beth felt the tears that she hardly ever let even trickle out cascading down her face. "He was fine but Shelby's in hospital."

"Can I go see her?" Beth asked eventually.

"Of course you can sweetheart," Quinn said. "We'll come with you and you can ride with us in Puck's car. Rachel's listed as her emergency contact, so she's already there. Sam's going to take Aria to the hospital straight after school."

"They think she'll still be in after school?"

Puck looked lost at what to say. "Probably quite a bit longer."

The journey was absolutely silent as Beth stared at the seat in front of her, Puck drove, and Quinn kept glancing back at her biological daughter.

Finally the car pulled up at the hospital and Beth practically leapt out of the car in the direction of the reception desk, her biological parents following behind her.

She was not in the least bit prepared for the scene that she was met with.

Shelby was lain on the bed hooked up to seemingly hundreds of machines, with her face deathly white and her eyes closed.

"Mom!" Beth cried out. Quinn tried to hold her back but Beth broke through the small semi-circle of doctors and collapsed onto the bed, shaking with tears, as she wrapped her arms around the limp figure lying on the bed that was a dull imitation of the woman who'd seen her off from school that morning, shouting at her that she would be checking and there would be consequences if Beth hadn't made her bed. Why hadn't she made her bed? "Mom," She sobbed into the baggy hospital gown her mother would never wear of her own accord. "I'm so sorry." Beth felt herself being lightly pulled upwards and tried to resist but relented when she realised that they were just pushing her up into a chair a short distance away from the bed, so that she could still touch her mother. Beth held onto her mom's hand and stared at her face, willing her eyes to flap open, as she half listened to her mother's doctor telling Beth and Quinn about Shelby's condition. Beth heard odd words here and there, "...head...cancer...the tumour...weak...comatose..." She turned off at that completely. She was vaguely aware of a warmth on her hand and looked over, noticing for the first time that her sister Rachel was sat on the other side of the bed, also crying, and with one hand was holding Shelby's hand and with the other was squeezing Beth's.

Beth didn't look to see who patted her shoulder, just staring numbly at her family's linked hands way past when the door clicked shut and it was just the three of them left in the room.

A/N: :(

This is where I've written up to so I'm not sure how often updates will be from now on. I'll try my best but this is a really busy year so sorry if they're not up every week like they have been so far.