Artie
He wondered if Kitty noticed that, suddenly, it wasn't so hard for him to be around her now, even when Ryder was present. They managed, for instance, to work together on a dance routine for the holiday show (Leah would correct anyone who said 'Christmas show' within earshot), and Artie could honestly say he'd enjoyed every minute.
Artie was helping with the choreography for a brief dance number, to open up the Christmas, er, holiday show. The club would be singing 'White Christmas,' heavily featuring Rory, easily the best 'crooner' on the team. Being that Kitty and Jake were still the best dancers on the team, they were the ones chosen to open the show with a waltz.
Artie had gotten the idea, the night before, to enlist Sam and Amy to dance the dance he'd envisioned while listening to the song at Wednesday's practice. He'd then filmed them, posted a private YouTube of their performance, and brought along his laptop for rehearsal, to show everyone the recorded footage. He knew Jake and Kitty would be able to copy it in no time.
"You choreographed that?" Ryder had said, as he, Jake, Marley, and Kitty all gathered around to watch the dance that Artie had crafted for Jake and Kitty.
Artie just nodded, not offended by the tone of surprise. He'd also be the first one to admit that a guy in a wheelchair choreographing a waltz was pretty unorthodox. But once Artie had a vision for it, he just needed the means to show it. He'd taken many pains in instructing Sam and Amy on exactly how it should go. Sam had later called him a drill sergeant, and Artie wholeheartedly appreciated the comparison.
"I would have redone 'Jingle Bell Rock,'" he said. "But then I realized you were copying the choreography from 'Mean Girls,' and I think that'll be a funny moment for those in your audience who are in on the joke."
Nearly ever member of the glee-brundleclub was featured in some way, either dance or song, and the show was nearly long enough to require an intermission. Luckily, the school staff was in full support of them filling a lot of time on Friday, the last day of school before the holidays. No one wanted to be stuck in a classroom. They'd perform for the middle schoolers in the morning and then the high schooler in the afternoon. Then, later that same evening, there would be one more performance, for the adorable old people at Lima Manor.
At the end of the rehearsal on Thursday afternoon, Artie was headed out to the parking lot when he heard the sound of Kitty calling his name. He pulled back on his wheels as she stopped in front of him. Ryder was nowhere to be seen.
"Hey," he said. "You and Jake definitely satisfied my vision for the dance." He smiled gently at her.
She wasn't wearing the Cheerios uniform, for she'd won her argument about that by pointing out that the money they saved in dry cleaning costs could easily help them afford more pyrotechnics for their shows. Instead, she had on that outfit she'd worn to the coffee shop last month, and he had to stop himself from telling her she looked pretty.
She was shaking her head, as her blonde hair fell in soft curls around her face, instead of being slicked back in a high pony. "You and your artistic visions," she said. "I'm still a little bummed you didn't go to film school sometimes."
Artie smiled at that. "I'm not," he said. "The world is as it should be. I think I'm in the right place."
Kitty hesitated, then answered, "Most definitely." There was a moment then, where they both looked at their feet and Artie was wondering why she'd stopped him.
"I'm, uh, going snow skiiing for Christmas break," she admitted. "We leave Saturday. I'll be back just in time for New Year's Eve. Dad thinks it would help us, if we started some new holiday traditions as a family..."
She trailed off, after eluding to the sudden loss of her mother, which she hardly ever talked about. Artie thought back to June, right after Kitty's birthday and on the same day she'd tried out for a Cheerios captain, about how he'd tried to help her work through the first anniversary of her mom's death.
"Oh," he said. "I'm, uh, I'm happy for you guys. Sad for me, because it means you won't be around for much of the break, but happy for your family. Please tell Hunter, Logan, and Collin I said hello."
"Oh, speaking of!" Kitty brightened, as he brought up her three older brothers. "Did you hear? Hunter and Tina are back together. And he's invited her to go skiing with us."
"What?" Artie's face broke out into a grin. "No, I hadn't heard! I'll have to call her and get the details." He laughed at his next thought. "Does this mean you're rooming in with Tina for a couple weeks?"
She laughed too. "If you can imagine that," she said. "But I guess I don't mind Tina as much as I used to. Not like I did, back when she was always meddling in our business."
"Hey, you know that I tried to call off my bulldog many, many times." He was feeling weirdly bold, now that he was comfortable around Kitty again, bold enough to have a conversation about their past, which now felt like ages and ages ago.
And she was comfortable enough to keep laughing. "I could choose to get her back for all that now," she said. "Except that I won't, because Hunter was miserable while they were apart and now he's himself again. I guess she can stick around."
"Does Tina ski?" Artie wondered. "That's, I don't know, a sport? That requires athletic skill. She can dance, sure, but I don't think I've ever seen her do anything athletic."
"She's going to learn," Kitty replied. "Hunter's going to teach her, I guess. This should be fun."
"Take video," Artie said. "Maybe I can do a blooper reel for her."
"On second thought," she said, with her wickest grin stretching across her face. "Looks like I'm getting her back."
"Looks that way," Artie agreed. "So, do you want to get coffee? I mean, if that would be okay with Ryder."
"Ryder and I are just being casual about our stuff right now," Kitty said, and Artie hoped he hid his relief well. He knew it wasn't really his right, as someone who was not dating her and someone who had just started casually seeing someone else, too. But he couldn't help feeling somewhat entitled to just remain in the know about all things Kitty.
The Lima Bean was predictably quite busy on the Thursday before the holiday break began. Artie knew his family wouldn't be looking for him just yet, though, because dinner would be later to allow time for the Evans family and Artie's father to arrive that evening. He knew Kitty always went home to a quiet household, being that it was now just she and her dad living there. Dinners were always late, she said.
Kitty managed to run off a couple of young, terrified-looking guys who'd been occupying the accessible table.
"You haven't lost your touch," Artie told her, as he slid smoothly into place, his legs fitting easily under the table with the handicap symbol on the top.
"Well, it wouldn't be a really good day if I didn't get to yell at someone," Kitty reasoned, shrugging as she settled into the chair across from him.
The barista, who was Joe Hart again that day, brought them their lattes. He regarded them with interest, it seemed, but said nothing, and Artie just hoped the Christian Hippie would consider starting rumors a sin.
"So, you're... going skiing... with Tina," he paused for dramatic effect, punctuating the thought with an amused smirk, as she rolled her eyes. "And you won't be back until New Years' Eve. Got plans for that?"
"If we get in early enough to go someplace," she replied. "I was sort of hoping for another Rachel Berry house party. Or any house party will do. But if we're back in time, I'll need to get my glee on."
"Definitely," Artie agreed. "Well, I'll ask around, see what I can do. I don't think I can host though. We'll have the Evans family staying with us again, so there will be little kids around."
They chatted for a solid hour and a half, until Artie realized he'd better hurry if he wanted to make it home before his dad. He was hoping to talk about the surgery with his family, before the Evans clan arrived, to get that over with.
"I better go," he said, reluctantly.
"Oh, yeah..." she trailed off, looking a bit disappointed by that. As he started to unlock his wheels and back away, though, she stopped him. With a knowing smirk and maybe a hint of sadness, she asked, "Okay, who is she?"
"Uh, what?"
"You've sat here and talked to me just like we used to, before this whole thing with me and Ryder made it awkward," Kitty observed, bluntly, true to her form. "So, I just want to know who it is that's helped you get over me."
"Oh, uh..." Artie was sure he was blushing. "It's... her name is Julie. She, uh, is this girl Sam introduced me to at the pool. She did this documentary about Sam being the first male member of the synchronized swim team, and now she wants to do one about me and the Paralympics, so we're... doing it."
Word. Vomit. It just all came up, because he guessed he figured the more he talked, the less weird it would be. Except it had the complete opposite effect as Kitty just nodded and raised her eyebrows sky-high when he got to the last part.
"The documentary," he hurried to explain.
"Riiight."
"I don't know what kind of slut you think I am," he replied, copying the smirk she wore. "I wouldn't just sleep with some girl I met at college, just like that. She might have an STD."
"Well, and on that delightful note," Kitty said, rising to her feet now, re-buttoning her coat, and replacing her hat and gloves. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Right," Artie said, turning over his shoulder to watch her go. "See ya."
"What's this about, sport?"
Artie had hardly waited a moment, once his dad got home, before assembling the family plus Sam into their small, but cozy living room. He wanted to have the conversation before the rest of the Evans clan arrived, and they'd be there any minute.
"Just that I need to tell you guys something," Artie said, gesturing towards the coach and loveseat where his mom, Amy, and Sam were already assembled. When his dad obliged and sat, Artie parked his chair opposite them, as the other three watched him with curious eyes and Sam just looked nervous.
"I think I know what," Amy commented, before he could get it out. "You got your second opinion from another doctor, didn't you? What'd they say?"
Artie glared at her. "Thanks, Amy," he said, through gritted teeth. "Could you please let me catch them up first?"
"What's going on?" Now Artie's mother, who realized she'd been left out of the loop, looked angry before he'd even started explaining.
Artie sighed and started again, but not before shooting a meaningful glare at Amy again, who had the decency to bite her lip and look slightly remorseful.
"I got another MRI," he began. "I looked into it first, my deductible was met this year, so there was no cost. I did that so I could get a second opinion from this doctor. Dr. Sheffield. He's with the university. You know... Wexner. I wanted his opinion because I just didn't understand the recommendation to wear a brace. I don't understand what that's supposed to accomplish, other than making me miserable..."
He trailed off, before dropping the bomb on them, and looked to his parents for a reaction to all he'd just told them thus far.
Surprisingly, his mom seemed to remember. "Well, I respect you figuring all this out for yourself, Artie," she finally said, and Artie was relieved that she didn't look mad about it. "What did this doctor say?"
"He said my scoliosis is already worse now than it was in September," Artie reported. "And that I need physical therapy, which I can get at the university if I want, and that I need to have surgery again. I can postpone it until summer, if I want, but I need to have it."
Artie's dad, who was usually quiet about these things, spoke up then. "That was a pretty long, hard recovery last time," he said. "And we were very worried about your risk of infection. Do you really think the benefits outweigh the risks?"
"I think, if I don't, the Paralympics are out," he said, softly. "And... it's my dream. My new dream."
His mother rose from her seat to approach him, kneeling down to kiss his forehead before cupping his cheeks in her hands. "It would have been nice to be in the know," she said. "But I really do find it admirable that you figured this out on your own. And I also want to see your dreams come true."
Artie smiled softly. "Thanks, Mom."
"We're with you, one-hundred percent," his dad added, rising and approaching Artie, as Amy nodded vigorously, jumping up to join the family of four in a small huddle around his chair. Not to be outdone, Sam joined in the group hug.
Just then, the doorbell rang, announcing the arrival of the Evans family.
"You miss me?" was Stacey's enthusiastic greeting, when the door opened to reveal the two little kids and their parents. Sam answered by wrapping them both up in a huge hug.
"Now the holidays can begin!" he said.
"Sam, we heard it's supposed to snow in Lima!" Stevie exclaimed. "We heard it on the radio, on the way over! They said three or four inches on Saturday!"
"Ugh." Artie's response was sort of involuntary, and he blushed a little when the two kids looked at him like he was crazy for having that reaction to the news of an impending blanket of fresh snowfall.
"Maybe it'll snow for Christmas, too," Stacey added, her hope so infectious that Artie almost agreed, just because it would be nice to see her excitement.
"Merry Christmas, baby," Sam's mother, Mary said, cupping Sam's face in a manner similar to the way Artie's mother had just done with him. "Nancy, you are an absolute angel for taking us in again."
"And she literally is taking us in," his dad, Dwight, added, coming in with the bulk of their baggage. "Because, as of yesterday, we are between homes yet again. But not unplanned," he added that part, as Sam was looking somewhat distressed.
"We worked out an arrangement to stay with the Abrams family until we find a nice rental house," Mary explained. "As of the new year, your dad is officially employed in Lima, Ohio once again!"
This really was a cause for celebration. The whole house came alive, as it was filled with people, and Nancy couldn't have been happier. It looked like Artie had never needed to worry about his mother being alone afterall.