Authors' Note and Disclaimers : First, first off, "we" is Jueee and Emma Morgan. Just so you know that it's a collaborated effort.

First off, this is completely Alternate Universe and all our shit, except from the very basic plot outlines that we base on Queer As Folk. To anyone who watches it, you'll know what we're talking about (review and let us know, and we'll love you forever!!!)

Right now, we're going to acknowledge QAF, and say here and now (this counts for the rest of the story) that we don't own it, the storyline, the characters, or any of it's affiliates.

And, as for QAF (this counts for the whole story), we don't own Higher Ground, the characters, their backgrounds, the settings, and so on.

Oh, and some of you might notice this: we've taken some ideas from Moulin Rouge. We also acknowledge that we don't own it, the characters, the settings, and so on.

We'll warn you now, there will be no fluff. It will be a deep plot with deep characters, and of course, deep conversations… thus no fluff! So, don't expect it, don't ask for it, we're not writing it! If you want shameless fluff, check out Perfect Love in an Imperfect World, by Emma Morgan, and you shall receive liberal amounts of it. Don't confuse fluff with romance. This is, after all, a romantic story, just in a completely new way.

Second, Shelby and Scott will not be how they are in the show. Don't expect anything old and cliché on that front. If you want that stuff, check above story. Please read before you actually judge them. Go in with an open mind, and forget all you know about the characters from the show. Everything will be re-explained so you don't even have to have watched the show to get what's going on.

Last Thing, there is some more adult content in this. Nothing too bad…but let's say we don't hold back or sugar-coat things. Just consider yourself warned.

But don't worry, it'll be good. We're just covering all the bases, you know? It'll be a great story though, we promise!

By the way, we worked on and off for twelve hours just now (after days of planning it). Just to let y'all know.

*******************************************************************************************************************

Tristan: had him. Justin: had him. Toby: had him. Kris: had him. Scott… I won't lie, I tried. It was a couple of months ago, when he first came here. The minute I saw him, I knew I wanted him. I mean, who wouldn't. I immediately approached him, though he wasn't exactly approachable. He was like any newbie: shy and withdrawn, and there was a sadness in his eyes. But it was business as usual, and he was my next client.

The minute I started approaching him, he became uncomfortable as if he didn't know how to act. I delivered my usual lines. Tried, tested, and true. But instead of grinning seductively, his eyes turned down and he bit his bottom lip. He answered monosyllabically as though he were acting like he didn't catch onto my innuendoes. I put my hand on his arm, and he majorly shrugged it off, and I never felt so rejected in my whole life.

I suddenly felt very dirty and backed away, not wanting to offend him. I haven't talked to him since.

Oh, there are the Cliffhangers, my group of fellow inmates. Isn't it somewhat sad, that I'm so alone, that my only real family is a bunch of fellow psychologically disturbed teenagers.

Juliette, the ultimate princess, with her prince, Scott. Or at least, that's what she would like him to be: hers. But it's a big joke around the students that it'll never happen.

Then there's Auggie, the third party of the dysfunctional love triangle. See, he worships her highness who's too oblivious to pick up on it. Poor Auggie, I don't know what he sees in her, but I guess you can't account for people's tastes.

Oh, and there are Daisy and David, the happy couple. I'd hurl, but that would be a waste of perfectly good barf. But I shouldn't be mean, Daisy's a really cool person. I mean, she's my best friend if I were to have one. Despite her own romantically charged life, she supports my own less-than-romantic liaisons.

As for David, he's nothing more to me than the love of Daisy's life. Well, maybe more like the fuck of her life. God, I'm cynical! But hell, it's better than expecting every guy you meet to take you away on a white horse into the sunset. I mean, love is just something people tell themselves there in to get laid. If you ask me, it's better to just skip the love crap and get straight to the fucking.

Whatever, I respect Daisy's beliefs, and she respects mine, that's why we get along so well. Unlike the other girls, who, if they found out, would run away disapproving, and consequently squeal. It's sad that, with all they've been through, they're still so naïve and judging, at the same time. Come to think of it, Daisy's never been judgemental. She found out about my past… actually, that's a pretty funny story.

Daisy and I were just talking one day. Suddenly, she came out of the blue and said, "you're one fifty dollar bill away from being a hooker." Of course I knew that it was usually much more than 50 bucks, and I told her so. She immediately questioned my knowledge of the trade. I tried avoiding her questioning by shrugging it off with references to early desensitization, but she didn't buy it. I guess it was due to the shifting of my eyes and the biting of my lower lip. Eventually she got the truth out of me: that I'd sold myself on the street for food and drugs for a year. She was surprisingly nonchalant about the whole thing, and I liked that. She made it feel like maybe it wasn't such a big deal.

But then she questioned why I had ran, and this information I was not so willing to divulge. At this she threatened to use "the cards". I laughed at this. She then challengingly took out her tarot cards, set them up and then hummed and hawed over them ominously. she suddenly looked up at me and said solemnly, "you were sexually abused by a father figure and ran away." By the look on my face, she could obviously see that I was shocked at her accuracy. " I was right?" she exclaimed incredulously. "Shit! I was just guessing!" she then held up a card: "The World". I knew enough about the cards to know just how irrelevant it was. I cringed at what she might have said, but she just shrugged and said, "oh, gotcha." Nothing more was said until I brought it up later. I never told anyone else.

* Third Person POV *

Waking out of her reverie, Shelby ambled over to where Daisy was waiting in line for lunch. They picked it up and headed over to an available table near the other Cliffhangers. Once they were settled in, Daisy turned to her with a questioning look on her face.

"So, who was it this time?" she asked amusedly.

"Fred, very hot, nice treasure trail, oh and he had the biggest--"

"I'm eating," she cut in, putting up her hand, silencing Shelby.

"Suit yourself, but a few tips wouldn't hurt…" she started, sitting back in her chair, looking at Daisy as if she were beginning a speech.

"We are fine, thank you very much," Daisy said.

"I don't want to know, I'm eating," she said sarcastically. Just then, Peter blew into the cafeteria, looking very official, with his target in sight, making everyone hope they weren't that target. He came upon Scott, and all the students let out a collective sigh of relief.

"Can I see you in my office?" he asked, patting him on the shoulder. Scott just shrugged and followed him.

Once he was in the office, he sat down at one of the chairs and silently listened as Peter told him his parents were coming.

"What?" Scott exploded angrily. He immediately checked himself when he saw the shock on Peter's face. "Oh, I mean, she's not my parent, she's my step-mother," he said, perturbed.

"Okay, they'll be down for dinner time."

"You mean today?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes, is that a problem?"

"Whatever," Scott replied, walking out.

*******************************************************************************************************************

* Scott's POV *

Oh. My. God. Can you say night from hell? I had thought it was going to be bad, but that was beyond what I expected. I mean, the nerve of Elaine! With the obvious innuendoes…who couldn't pick up on them? Oh right, my own dad and her husband. God, he was a oblivious. Pretending like it never happened, and then harping on me for god knows what. I tuned out after awhile, something to do with Football. He was usually more obsessed than I was. Didn't he ever realize how what he said affected me? I'm in a school for emotionally disturbed kids, and he has the gall to badger me about Football? While Elaine's practically hitting on me? God, that's dysfunctional in it's highest form.

His words keep playing over and over in my head. God, where are drugs when you need them? I need some mindless distraction. Unfortunately, Horizon's specialty is not that. It's a touchy-feely lets talk about it kind of place, and that's the last thing I need.

Maybe I'll just head back to my room. The last thing I want is to do is talk to someone. Shit! I just bumped into someone…Shelby. Wait, Shelby? Speaking of mindless distraction…

Suddenly a light bulb went off in my head and I go to stop her walking away.

"Hey, are you busy?" I ask directly.

Suddenly her face changes from frustrated to seductive. She knows what I'm after.