Author's Notes: So I am just so stoked for this chapter. This chapter reaches one of the plot points I've had in mind for this story SINCE THE BEGINNING. Yaaaay! It only took 29 chapters to get there! Just sat down today and words flowed from my fingertips. I'm actually making good progress on the next chapter of Nice Guys, too. So that maaay be up before the weekend's done! :D In this chapter I pay homage to the musical that gave me the inspiration for this fanfic in the first place - Next to Normal. The song I use toward the end of the chapter is called 'Everything Else' and I definitely recommend giving it a listen maybe as you're reading the part or after. Hell, I'd recommend giving all the songs a listen because they are just so good. Kalel is pretty much Natalie, lol. BUT...my rant aside, thanks to everyone who is reading and sticking with me so far! And I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!


After school the following day, David went and got all of Kalel's assignments for her classes as per her order that morning. He was afraid she'd bite his head off when she came stalking out of her room as he was getting ready and handed him a list of her classes and what she needed to know for each. By the time he finished collecting what she missed and what she owed, David came back with a list even larger than the one Kalel gave him that morning - one so big, David found it daunting and would have never taken on the mountain of work, even if it meant failing. He wasn't even sure Kalel should tackle the task, but once she set her mind to something, it was impossible to change it. She was crazy like that.

He got home and frowned when he saw his Mom's car in the driveway. It meant he couldn't sneak Ian inside for at least a few minutes, which had been the plan up until that point. So he reluctantly said goodbye to his boyfriend and headed in, David shed his jacket and shoes before unzipping his backpack and removing the list. He brought it upstairs, knocking lightly on Kalel's door before opening it up.

David found Kalel sitting on her bed, sobbing into her hands as his mother sat beside her - whispering reassurances and stepping into the role of, well, parent. He wasn't sure how he felt about it. A part of him was glad she was making the effort, but another part of him was irrationally jealous. Even if he was upset with her, she was still HIS Mom.

They looked up when he arrived, Kalel wiping away her tears and sniffling while his mother rose to her feet, announcing that she was going to make some cookies before dismissing herself. David watched her go before stepping forward and offering the sheet of paper.

"I got your assignments."

Kalel reached out and halfheartedly took it, "Thanks."

"I'm sorry, Kalel. She gave me the ultimatum to tell her about the Ativan or she would tell your father that the doctors found it in your blood work. I didn't have a choice. I thought I was protecting us both."

"Wait...what? She knows?" Kalel looked at him in disbelief.

"That wasn't what this was all about? ...o-oh. Crap."

"No, it wasn't. I can't believe this!"

"Kalel, it could be worse..."

Her bottom lip quivered and her eyes flooded with tears before she shook her head, barely able to speak as her throat closed to try and suppress a sob, "No. No it really couldn't."

"Kalel...?"

She held up her hand to silence him. "Just go, please..."

He furrowed his brows, but didn't have much of a choice. David hoped Kalel's new thing of pushing people away from her was only a phase until after her recital tomorrow.


They all sat around the dining room table as David's Mom dished out her beef stew (and Mari got a version of it minus the beef and anything not vegan). Kalel picked at her food, clearly lacking the appetite to eat but forcing herself at the same time. Mari, on the other hand, was actively eating the meal, much to David's surprise. When his mother finally sat down in her seat, Kenichi took that as the prime opportunity to open his mouth.

"So, Mariko, I've read in the newspapers that your performance tomorrow is highly anticipated and has been praised as the most graceful, elegant take on the role of all time..."

Mari looked mildly embarrassed, "They're using a lot of flattering words, but they're not nearly giving enough credit to my fellow troupe. Without them, I wouldn't be able to find the passion to dance the way I do."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he smiled proudly.

"Dad!" Kalel burst out, looking at him incredulously. "My recital is tomorrow. You promised you'd go!"

Kenichi reared back in surprise, "I didn't forget about it, Kalel, but unfortunately you're not well enough to be pushing yourself so hard."

"I'm fine. I'm perfect! I'm fan-fucking-tastic," she stood up at the table, a determined resolve on her face. "And I'm going to that recital tomorrow. So you can either support me or support your favorite daughter like always!" Kalel gestured wildly toward Mari.

David's mother frowned, trying to urge soothingly, "Kalel, please sit down."

"Kalel," Kenichi began with years of practice in exhibiting patience. "There are no favorites here. I love you both equally, which is why I am looking out for you and your health. I really don't believe the extra strain and pressure will do anything good for your injury. There will be other recitals..."

"No, no! There won't be other recitals. I wish everyone would stop trying to tell me that! Yale is coming tomorrow to see ME specifically. If I'm not there, what message does that send to them? They won't understand. Even if I tried to explain - they have millions of other applications. They have so many people trying to get that one chance at their dream school that they're not gonna give me any special consideration just because I had a head injury and couldn't make the recital. I HAVE to be there tomorrow!"

There was a hush over the dinner table, and Kenichi slowly set his utensils down, wiping his hands on his napkin, "Yale? Kalel, that is incredible. Why didn't you tell us sooner?"

"Because I didn't need the extra pressure of you knowing what I was up against. It was bad enough for me to deal with it alone. To let everyone else know? What if I fail? What if I embarrass myself? I didn't need anyone to share my disappointment if I do, but since no one gets why I have to be there or why the other recitals don't matter, I had to tell you now."

Kenichi studied her and then looked toward David's Mom, having a silent conference. David was sure he was trying to figure out whether or not to allow her to do the recital, but he was also sure Kalel wasn't going to take no for an answer. After a moment, they came to some resolution and Kenichi turned back toward Kalel. "Alright. I can see how important it is to you, so you can go. But, David-"

David straightened in surprise that he was being drawn into this, "Y-yeah?"

"Please do your best to watch over her. If there is even a small sign she isn't okay, I expect you to take charge."

"Right!" He agreed and was oddly happy with his role. It meant his Mom couldn't say no to him going, and it also meant he got the opportunity to hang out with Ian during the recital.

Kalel also seemed pleased - an exhausted smile stretching across her lips, "Thank you."

"Now, what time is your recital, Kalel?" Kenichi inquired.

"Six and should be over at around nine. But I got an e-mail with the lineup, and I'm going on closer to the beginning, so you wouldn't have to stay if you didn't want to."

"And what time is your performance, Mariko?" Kenichi looked toward the elder of the two girls.

Mari blinked in surprise as she was addressed, "Oh...um it starts at eight."

"Then I see no reason why I shouldn't be able to make it to both and support my two beautiful daughters on their big nights..." Kenichi smiled at them.

Kalel appeared nervous, and Mari exchanged a glance with her before shaking her head, "You don't have to, father. Please just focus on Kalel. Her night is far more important than mine..."

"Don't be modest, Mariko. All the papers are raving about your upcoming performance. How could I think to miss it?"

"I'm finished," Kalel pushed her half-eaten dish in front of herself before rising to her feet and leaving.

David watched her go and then looked over at his parents, hoping like hell Kenichi knew what he was doing.


The morning of Kalel's big recital, she insisted on going to school. Kenichi tried to argue, but in the end Kalel won and hitched a ride with David and Ian. Anthony was surprised to see her there when she arrived, and David had to wonder why she hadn't called him in the first place to let him know she was coming. He watched them closely and noticed that any time Anthony touched her, she visibly cringed. It made him confused, but not as confused as Anthony - who did his best to pretend he didn't notice, but you could see it in the way his touches became tentative.

David didn't see them together again until lunch. Kalel sat beside Anthony, but scooted her chair over toward David a little to put about a foot of distance between them. Again, Anthony pretended not to notice, but for someone who was fine with the situation, he sure had a hard time spreading mayo on his sandwich. Kalel was only there for five minutes of lunch anyway, picking at her salad and taking a few bites before pushing it away with a disgusted look. She announced that she was going to the practice room and left.

By this point, David became resolved to do a bit of snooping. Considering he had the final two classes with Ian, he went ahead and asked him if he knew anything. This turned out to be a dead end, though, because he shrugged and confessed Anthony had no idea what was up either. The issue was Kalel's and Kalel's alone. Maybe it was something as simple as the stress of the recital eating away at her and she didn't want the distractions, but she had been acting far too strange since she got home for it to be simply that.

When the final bell rang, Ian and David were met by Kalel who asked if she could get a ride home with them. David frowned. Once again, Anthony was perfectly capable of doing this, but Kalel chose to evade her boyfriend. Ian agreed, and the car ride that was supposed to be full of groping with a hint of road head, turned into the most awkwardly silent ride of a lifetime.

As they pulled into the driveway and Ian parked there, letting the car idle, Kalel finally broke the hush to ask, "Would it be too much to ask you to give me a ride to the school tonight, Ian? I'd like to be there by five. You can just hang out here with David until then, can't you?"

Ian looked toward David for confirmation, and David looked toward the rest of the cars in the driveway. His Mom's wasn't one of them, so he nodded that it was okay, and Ian shut down the car, "Sure. Anthony's coming too, right?"

She shrugged dismissively, "I don't know. Probably." And then got out.

David exchanged a look with Ian and then said, "See? It's so weird."

"Yeah, it is," Ian agreed. "We'll see how it is after tonight. If it's not getting any better, we might have to plan an intervention for them or couple's counseling or something. But anyway, we have some time to kill - so why not let me come inside you?" A dorky grin appeared on his face, and it brought a smile to David's lips.

"That sounds like an excellent plan. Let's go." And David was quick to lead the way to his bedroom.


Kalel had just finished getting ready, looking so dolled up and beautiful in her light peach, ruffled dress. Her hair was pulled half back, pinned by two barrettes with flower patterns, and her makeup was subtle - accenting her features without masking them dramatically. She paced the house, rushing back and forth to make sure she got everything while continuously checking the window each time she passed. David and Ian were sitting on the couch, sharing a plate of microwavable pizza rolls while watching Kalel breeze by them each time.

"They're not home yet. They should be home by now, don't you think?" Kalel turned toward David.

"They'll be there. They promised," David reassured. "They're probably just running a little late at work."

"Maybe..." Kalel looked down at her hands and perked up as soon as she heard a car pull into the driveway. She scrambled toward the window again, only to deflate as soon as she saw who it was.

Before David could question her, the door opened and Mari stepped inside - carrying a dufflebag of items and appearing to be Kalel's complete opposite, disheveled and dressed down. She removed her sneakers and wandered toward the living room where everyone was, tossing her keys on the coffee table.

"Hey, David," Mari smiled - a smile that lit up her face. Her eyes veered toward Ian. "Hey, David's friend."

"Ian," He corrected.

"Ian," she repeated and then her attention landed on Kalel. "Oh my god, baby sis, you look stunning."

Kalel rubbed her shoulder uncomfortably, "Thanks. Hey - do you have any idea when Dad'll be home?"

"No, sorry. He might not be coming home. Maybe he and Claire are gonna meet up for dinner and then head straight to your recital?"

"Yeah...maybe."

"I really wish I could be there for you," she reached out, pressing her lips to Kalel's forehead. "But break legs and all that good stuff. I know you're gonna be amazing."

She forced a smile, "You are too, Mari."

"Thank you. Alright, I'm starving and need to get a shower before I stretch out and limber up. So I'll see you later." She turned toward David and Ian again. "It was nice seeing you. And nice meeting you, Ian!" And then she breezed off to start taking care of her long list of things to do.

Kalel watched her go before sparing one final, hope filled glance at the window. When there was no sign of either parent's car, she relented. "I guess we should probably head out now."

Ian nodded, getting up from his spot with David following suit. David reached Kalel, putting his arm around her and giving her a light, reassuring squeeze. After all she had gone through, after the fears and doubts she had in her relationship with her father - Kenichi wouldn't miss this recital. He knew how important it was to Kalel, so he would be there. ...or so David liked to hope.


After they dropped Kalel off at the school, Ian and David left to grab something quick for dinner at a nearby fast food joint before returning and getting a good seat front and center. They saved a spot for Joshua and Anthony as well. Joshua was fairly quick to show up, always insisting on punctuality and seemed quite surprised Ian and David (kings of lazy) were there before him. Anthony, on the other hand, got there a few minutes after everyone had started filtering in - dressed up in his best pair of jeans and a plain black, button down shirt. He had a bouquet of pink roses that he gently sat in the seat beside him, careful not to crush it. Joshua, Ian and Anthony talked while David watched the doorway expectantly, waiting for the familiar faces of his family to come walking in at any moment.

The crowd wandered to their seats, and the dull roar of conversation rose in volume as more parents, teachers, and staff joined the audience. One man in particular stood out among the rest, dressed in a business suit and tie while carrying a clipboard in his hand. He stood rigid, with a superiority you would expect from the prestigious type - and David could only guess that was the advisor from Yale. He took a seat in the last row as far back as possible, crossing one leg over his knee to provide something to lean his clipboard on - scrawling a few notes.

The lights flickered, signifying the performance was five minutes away from starting, and David's attention went back to the door. There was a mad rush of people carrying beverages and baked goods from the table out front as well as older women who must have been emptying their bladders so they could sit for the duration of the performances, but no sign of his parents. He searched the audience frantically, hoping maybe he had missed them in the crowd, but as the lights dimmed and the heavy set music teacher stomped her way on stage, the cold realization hit David that neither Kenichi nor his mother had shown up.

David frowned, joining the clapping audience as he looked back at the stage. The woman cleared her throat, sounding much like a yipping chihuahua. "Thank you all for coming and welcome everyone to Sacramento High School's fifty-fourth annual fall recital. I'm your host, and head of the music department at this school, Lorraina Brandt. Tonight, I want to emphasize that the group of students I've had the pleasure of working with this year are perhaps the most talented individuals I have seen over my whole career, so you are truly in for a treat. Without further adieu, I'd like to introduce Vincent Wong on classical violin."

The audience clapped again as Mrs. Brandt walked off stage, replaced by the student she introduced who played through a piece that seemed to take forever. A couple more performers followed suit, and David sank down in his seat - hoping Kalel came out soon because he never realized classical music could be so boring. He made it a habit of religiously checking the program to see the lineup and counting down mentally until it was finally her turn.

Kalel stepped out on stage, glowing under the lights and looking as though she truly belonged there. She walked with a poised confidence - an attitude that would have made it impossible for anyone in the audience to guess she had been having breakdowns and anxieties over this moment for a month. Even David almost forgot when he saw her, but then he saw her scan the crowd - saw her shielding her eyes from the spotlight and searching for her father's face amongst them. He saw her face crumble subtly before she composed herself again, and David closed his eyes - sending her good vibes.

She walked behind the piano, setting up her music before introducing herself, "Hello. My name is Kalel Takahashi, and I will be playing 'Transcendental Etude number 4' by Franz Liszt."

Kalel sank down onto the bench as the audience applauded politely and she drew in a deep breath. She shook out her hands, sparing one final look at the crowd before her hands fell on the keys, and she started playing. The first ten seconds were a dissonant mix of chords of perfectly played staccato, but as the notes became faster - they fell off track. One hand moved quicker than the other, and the mistake was made even more noticeable when she stopped playing altogether. Kalel murmured something to herself and restarted. This time she didn't get nearly as far before she messed up again. Her trembling hands came up to push her bangs away from her face, and David had the urge to run up on stage and hug her, clenching his hands into nervous fists on his lap.

Kalel looked up, no longer confident and poised - but stricken and afraid. She was a deer in the headlights, scanning the crowd one final time before starting to play again; this time a different song altogether. This one was slower, gentler, and soothing. She played it perfectly, and for a moment David thought she had recovered. That was until after a break in the music, when she started singing along.

"Mozart was crazy..."

Piano notes filled the space between her phrases.

"Flat fucking crazy..."

There was a hushed murmur from the audience.

"Batshit, I hear. But his music's not crazy, it's balanced. It's nimble. It's crystalline clear."

Her fingers danced easily over a run of notes, no longer capable of messing up. Her song was a desperate cry from her soul, something that had been wanting to escape for a long time.

"There's harmony, logic - you listen to these. You don't hear his doubts. Or his debts or disease. You scan through the score and put fingers on keys and you play..."

There was a lull, a slow emotional beat as Kalel looked up - making eye contact with Anthony.

"And everything else goes away. Everything else goes away..."

She shook her head, looking back down at the keys. As she sang, there was a mounting urgency in her voice.

"And you play til it's perfect! You play til you ache! You play til the strings or your fingernails break. So you'll rock that recital and get into Yale. So you won't feel so sick, and you won't look so pale."

Her eyes lifted, and she directed her next lyrics to the stunned audience.

"Cause you got your full ride. And your early admit. So you're done with this school. And with all of this shit! And you graduate early, you're gone as of May. And there's nothing your ungrateful parents can say!"

The words echoed throughout the auditorium and for a second the music stopped altogether. Kalel's emotions took hold, her eyes glazing over with tears and she struggled to continue singing.

"And you know that it's just a sonata away, and you play. And you play..."

A beat.

"And everything else goes away..." She was on the verge of breaking down; her own words an attempt to calm herself down. "Everything else goes away..."

A sob broke out in her voice and Kalel barely whispered, "Everything else goes away..."

As soon as she finished, she stood up. A stunned smattering of claps sounded as Kalel raced off the stage. Unable to remain seated when he saw his sister just have a mental breakdown, David got up and rushed out the door and into the hall. He saw her running from backstage and ducking into the girl's bathroom. David didn't even think twice about it - he ran in after her.

"Kalel!"

He found her sitting in the corner of the bathroom, sobbing into her arms. David rushed forward and wrapped her in an embrace, pulling her tightly to his chest. "Shhhh. Shhhh. It's okay..." He soothed, stroking her hair.

"No. It's not okay! It'll never be okay," Kalel wept, looking up at him with streaks of mascara lining her cheeks. "I'm pregnant." She sobbed harder. "And I don't know what to do about it or how to deal with it!"

David was shocked. But slowly everything started to make sense - Kalel's distance from Anthony, her stress and concern with what she would do with her life, what she was crying about to his Mom yesterday...of course they would find out she was pregnant from her blood work at the hospital. He tightened his grip on her. "How long?"

She sniffled, wiping her nose on her sleeve, "About three weeks. Almost four."

"Have you told Anthony?"

Kalel ripped away from him and got up to her feet, "No. No! I can't! He'll leave me. I know it!" Her hand lightly brushed her stomach, smoothing the skirt down over top of it as she examined herself in the mirror for any sign of bodily changes.

"He gave you a promise ring, Kalel. He's willing to put in that commitment and marry you someday. I'm sure he would stand by you through this as well." David came up behind her, staring at her reflection.

Her hands dropped to her sides, "I have to get rid of it, David. Unfortunately, a baby doesn't factor into my plans for my future. My father would disown me or kill Anthony. Or both."

"But even so, you should tell Anthony. You two should decide what you want to do together."

Kalel began to clean up her smudged makeup, "No. We can pretend none of this ever happened. I already fucked up my chances at Yale tonight. I don't need to fuck things up with Anthony, too." She drew in a deep breath, turning around to face him. "You can't say a word. Not even to Ian."

David frowned, wanting to protest. It wasn't a good idea for her to do this, but what could he do? When Kalel made up her mind, there was no changing it. He sighed, "Alright."

"Promise."

"Alright, alright. I promise."

She rose on her tiptoes, pressing a light kiss to his cheek, "Thank you." And with that, she left the bathroom.

David was about to follow her out when he heard the flush of a toilet. His stomach sank because he hadn't realized they weren't alone. When the stall door opened, David saw the reflection of Melanie stepping out, moving up beside him in order to wash her hands. He watched her, frozen in place for a few seconds until he realized he had to do damage control for Kalel.

"Melanie...you can't say anything to Anthony."

She barely paid any attention to him, focusing primarily on primping herself. She fluffed her hair before digging around in her bag to pull out her mascara. "Sure. I wouldn't want to spread unnecessary rumors about poor Kalel anyway. She's a sweet girl."

David smiled in relief. Maybe he hadn't given Melanie a fair chance. Maybe he didn't have a reason to dislike her. After all, who wouldn't want to be with Ian? Technically it was him who came in and ruined things for the both of them. It was him who was deserving of her hate, not the other way around.

David nodded, figuring there was nothing more to say, and she didn't bother to stop him - uncapping her lipstick and smoothing it on her lips. David turned for the door, and only once he grasped a hold of the handle, did Melanie's voice rise up again.

"Of course..." she nonchalantly began, rubbing her lips together before kissing at her reflection. "These things don't come for free." She repacked her makeup, casually walking to David and brushing past him to take the door handle from his grasp. "If you want me to keep my mouth shut, you're going to have to break up with Ian."

With those words, she left - and David's happiness went with her.