Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original Higher Ground characters. Please don't sue.
A/N: Here's chapter 4! Sorry the last one was SOOOO short! If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, feel free to email me at jd108@hotmail.com
Second Chances
Chapter 4
"Shelby!" Juliette was the first to speak. Her squeal was so high-pitched it could break glass. The brunette gave Shelby a big hug, a huge smile spread across her face.
Slowly the rest of the group made their way over to the blonde who was standing nervously in the doorway.
"What's it been? A week?" Daisy somehow found the strength to joke to her best friend. "I'm so glad you're back." She whispered as they hugged.
"So am I." Shelby whispered back. The two friends released each other and Shelby's eyes shifted to Scott. He took her in his arms and held her for a long time. He never wanted to let her go.
"I would do anything for you." He whispered in response to her question. She smiled and when he sadly let her go she looked at Chase. Her face was emotionless, but her eyes were cold. Scott had never seen so much pain in them before. Not even the day she had finally told the group about Walt had she looked so angry. Silently Scott prayed she wouldn't break down.
Everyone watched as Shelby slowly turned her back to him to face the rest of the Cliffhangers. Her family.
"I wouldn't be asking you to forgive him unless it was to help me put this all behind me. Nothing can heal properly until the cut is clean. So that's what I'm asking you to do. Don't forgive him because he deserves it, but because I want you to. Because I need you to." Shelby's eyes were now filled with so much hope. Or was it urgency? Cautiously Peter stepped forward.
"That's it for today guys. Shelby, we need to get you checked in. The rest of the Cliffhangers, you are free until lunch. Chase, you're still on restrictions so Jeff is waiting for you at the woodpile." Peter handed out instructions and commands as he made his way towards the door.
With one last glance at her friends, Shelby followed him out, squeezing Daisy's hand for strength on the way by.
* * * * *
After dinner the Cliffhangers sat around the fire in silence. Scott was a little more relaxed now that Chase was in his dorm. Shelby sat next to him on the couch, her head on his shoulder. It seemed like it had been so long since they had been together. Daisy sat on the couch across from them, next to Ezra. Her eyes met with Shelby's and she searched them for some insight into her soul. Auggie disentangled his hand from Juliette's and got up from where they had been sitting on the floor. He threw another log onto the fire and glanced at his friends, his second family.
"This has gotta stop." He said to them angrily. "We're all just sitting here waiting for something to happen or for someone to say something." He sat back down next to Juliette and took her hand in his.
"Auggie is right." Jules added quietly. "Do you guys want group twice a day? We have to start talking."
"What do you want us to say Jules?" Ezra asked. He glanced at his friends. "I have a feeling Peter will be scared of what's going through our heads." He continued honestly.
"Then we don't tell Peter. We keep it between us." Auggie suggested. "Who wants to start?" he asked, not leaving room for arguments.
"I will." Scott spoke up, tearing his eyes away from Shelby for a second to look at Auggie. Deep down he knew that his friends were right. "I don't get why we have to accept this ass into our group. He hurt Shelby in a deeper way than any one of us has ever experienced. That's not something you can just forgive." Scott poured out his thoughts.
"Then don't forgive him Scott. Let him in, and then keep a distance." Shelby's voice rose above the crackling of the fire.
"That's impossible Shel. He sleeps in the same room as me, he eats at the same table as me, and he has the same classes as me. He lives with me, ok? There's no distance in any of those situations." Scott replied coldly.
"I thought you said you'd do anything for me." Shelby's words were as cold as ice. She looked at Scott with no expression, no lead for him to go on as to what to say back to that.
"Shelby, I've said this before, and I'll say it again. I can't do the impossible. I can't erase the hatred from my heart just because you want me to. It doesn't work that way." Scott replied, just as angrily.
"Then I guess you're not the one." Shelby got up and raced from the building as the rest of the Cliffhangers watched in shock as Scott's head fell into his hands.
* * * * *
Daisy sat down at the base of the bear statue. She wanted the tears in her friend's eyes to dry. More than ever, she wanted the pain to stop.
"Neither of you was completely right." Daisy's voice was the only thing that was clear in Shelby's head. She glanced down at her friend.
"What do you mean?" Shelby asked, wiping the tears from her face with the back of her hand.
"Hatred can't just be erased. It has to be replaced by love. To forgive Chase, all of us need to see that there's something worth loving in him. Scott needs to see the other side of him too, and he wouldn't just be doing t for you. He'd be doing it for himself, too. As for him not being the one…Well, all I can say is that maybe you're looking in the wrong place." Daisy glanced at her friend to see what she was thinking before she continued. "No one can just erase the pain or hatred they're feeling. Think of all the other things he's done for you; the things he would do for you. Shel, you found one of the few guys in the entire universe who is capable of putting the past behind him, no matter what that past may be, and loving you for who you are. You found that guy. The one who would die for you…The one." Daisy felt it was her responsibility, maybe even her obligation, to help her friend. She knew that at that moment Scott and Shelby needed each other more than ever before. Possibly more than they ever would.
Shelby looked her friend in the eye for the first time since she had sat down. There was a strength there that always seemed to give her the courage to go on, no matter how bad things got.
"Why is this happening?" Shelby asked, desperate for an explanation.
"God doesn't give you more than you can handle." Daisy replied simply.
"Then God has obviously mixed me up with someone else. Someone who's strong."
"You are strong Shelby. You just need to find the strength in you. It's there. Seek and you shall find." Daisy got up and brushed the dirt off her pants. Holding out a hold, she helped her friend out of the statue. Slipping a comforting arm around her shoulder, the two best friends walked back towards the lodge.
* * * * *
Shelby sat back down next to Scott, and from the look on her face, the rest of the Cliffhangers got the point: it was time for them to leave. Scott's face was still hidden behind his hands as he tried desperately to hide his tears from his friends. Very gently Shelby took one of his hands in hers. Slowly Scott lifted his head and their eyes met. Shelby gave him a little smile, afraid that if she spoke he would get mad. But Scott wasn't like that.
"I was wrong, Scott." Shelby paused nervously. "I'm sorry." She whispered, her eyes searching his for forgiveness. He lowered his other hand into hers and laced their fingers together.
"I shouldn't have said what I said. I just, I don't know…you're hurting and you're telling me I can't to do anything to help, but I just can't live with that, you know? I care about you Shel. I didn't want someone like him getting in the way of your happiness…"
"The thing is, Scott, hurting him won't help me. I need to put everything behind me, and him hating everyone I love isn't going to help. I just want to be able to forgive and forget."
"It's not that easy Shelby."
"I know. That's why I need your help."
"Then I'm here. No matter what, I'm here for you." Scott's words made Shelby smile.
"Thank you." She whispered. He smiled widely, happy to have somehow helped.
"Your welcome." He replied quietly, pulling her into a long hug. Shelby couldn't remember a time when she had felt safer. When they finally released each other, Scott stood up and held out his hand.
"What?" she asked, taking his hand in hers and standing up. "Where are we going?"
"You're tired. You should get some sleep." He walked her out the door and they slowly made their way towards her dorm.
A few minutes later the couple stood silently in the moonlight. Scott took Shelby's face in his hands, looking deep into her eyes.
"You have no idea how much I've missed you." He whispered.
"Probably not as much as I missed you." Shelby moved closer to him, trying to stay warm in the cold air.
"I don't know about that." Scott replied playfully.
There was so much they wanted to say to each other. So many words to describe what they felt for each other, but the gentle kiss said it all. It was a kiss full of longing, passion and love. Shelby smiled.
"I missed that too." She whispered into his ear. Scott laughed quietly and hugged her again.
"Sweet dreams." He said as he watched her walk up the stairs to the door.
"You too." She answered, hoping his dreams about Elayne had ceased to exist. Taking one last look at Scott, Shelby slipped into her dorm, and was asleep only minutes after her head hit her pillow.
Scott didn't have Shelby's luck. He lay in bed, fighting the urge to demolish Chase, who seemed to be sound asleep in his bed. Every time Scott moved to get out of bed, Shelby's voice rang in his head. 'Hurting him won't help me...' Scott sighed and rolled over so that his back was to Chase. Maybe if he couldn't see him, the urge wouldn't be as strong. Scott focused his tired eyes on the picture of him and Shelby that was sitting on the small table next to his bed. Soon he was asleep, Shelby's image etched in his mind...
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I'm sorry I made you guys wait! Thanks for the great reviews :) I'll post more soon, I hope!