Chapter 3

Authors Notes:
a) I couldn't find Saint-Césaire on Google Earth, so I can't tell if it's really close to where real-life Cascadia is.
b) For our purposes, the Hospital is within walking distance of Cascadia. I located Pierre-Boucher Hospital, (where Jaclyn and Vadim were taken after the accident) and saw some tennis courts behind it. For our characters it's almost a cruel irony, but important as well.
c) A G2 is the second driver's license level of three in Ontario. I guess it's the same in Québec.
d) It's pretty normal for teacher's to give student's rides at my school, so Wiley and Séb in the same car isn't that wild. For me.
e) Shotgun is the passenger seat next to the driver.
f) My French teacher is always bugging me about how I forget that there is no AM-PM in French, so 18 00h refers to 6pm.

Enjoy chapter 3.

"Mr. Dubé I'd like a word with you after class," whispered Ms. Wiley. He nodded and she continued making her rounds down the rows of students, watching them work. When the bell rang he approached her desk tentatively.

"Ms? You wanted to-"

"Yes…Sébastien, I haven't received a confirmation of your service project placement yet. Is there a problem?" Ms. Wiley looked up at him questioningly.

"No…I've just been…busy, lately. And I don't really know what to do." He pulled a seat up to the desk.

"Well…I've heard from the hospital. They're looking for a few volunteers doing desk work in the children's and youth floor. It's specialized, so most people just volunteer with the whole hospital. They're really in need of some good workers, and I was thinking of you…you up for it?" Ms. Wiley handed him a sheet of paper with info on the Starlight Floor.

Sébastien skimmed over it silently and decided to do it. It said that after some volunteer experience, he could work there part-time. It was a long shot, but he could earn some money for his father and get them out of debt. "I'll do it. When do I go there?"

"Well…they didn't specify any date, but I'm headed for the hospital today…I've got to pick up the new physiotherapist and help her fill out some paperwork from there. I'll give you a ride, if you hurry up and get your jacket." Wiley looked up expectantly.

"I'll be back in 10 minutes." With that, Séb walked out of the room and jogged to and from his dorm room, leaning in just far enough to grab his coat off the hook on the wall.

"Ready, Mr. Dubé?" Ms. Wiley slipped on a pair of gloves and jingled the keys. "You've got a G2, don't you? Why don't you start up the car." She tossed them to him and he grinned, running down the hall to the staff parking lot.

"Hey, Séb!" he turned and saw Megan in the hall. "Where you going?"

"Ah… Wiley's giving me a ride to the hospital so I can do my service project. She got me a place working on the Starlight Floor at Pierre-Boucher Hospital. I heard there's some courts near there too…"

"What? The Starlight Floor?" she double-backed to look at him, then stared resolutely at the floor.

"Yea…why?"

"No reason! Bye!" Megs ran away and Ms. Wiley came up behind him.

"Let's get a move on!" They had a fairly quiet drive down to the hospital, and once Ms. Wiley had directed him to the top floor Séb was on his own. He took the elevator up and stepped out into a hallway where the walls were decorated with stars. Going around a corner he saw a pleasant looking office.

"Hi…I'm Sébastien Dubé. My teacher, Ms. Wiley told me I could come here to do some volunteering?" he said to the receptionist.

"Oh thank God! I'm buried in filing…it's really simple, all the files are organized alphabetically by last name. Until I get more time that's pretty much your only job. If you want to get started now I've got a pile for you- Sébastien? I'm Wendy, by the way."

Séb nodded, confirming her pronunciation of his name. No one in Canada had gotten it with the proper accent anyways, so he let it slip. He pulled off his jacket, gloves, and toque and grabbed a few of the file folders. The names barely registered as he let his mind wander, tucking in the folders as he pondered his father's situation.

Adam Forb, Maria Cruz, Anna Lee, Megan O'Connor, Andrew Pre- wait. Sébastien checked back to the file he'd just put away. Megan O'Connor. Séb resisted the urge to open it- it was pretty thick with various papers. "So," he said, thinking quickly. "Do you get to know a lot of these patients?"

The receptionist smiled at him. "Yea, after a few visits I can usually recognize them. The older ones- around your age- talk a lot too. I had an interesting conversation today with a boy here…he was talking about his school."

"Really? Wow…any uh…any other good ones?" he asked, hoping for her to mention Megs.

"Ahh they're all good, aren't they?" She sat back in her chair, thinking. "Hm…if I could get the names…pass me a few of those?" She indicated the folders. Séb grabbed a few off the top of the pile and wedged Megan near the top of the bunch. "Daniel's always a good laugh!" Wendy dove into a long story about Daniel, and Séb started to get a little anxious. Finally she went through a few more folders and landed on Megan's. "Megan O'Connor! Oh she's amazing…she goes to this tennis sch-" She stopped and eyed Sébastien. "Tennis school. You're from Cascadia too, aren't you? I remember Ms. Wiley talking about that on the phone…you must realize Sébastien that all of this is confidential. You're not supposed to know about her."

"I know but…"

"But what?"

"It's a long story." Séb glanced at the clock. Wiley had given him one hour to get started at his new job.

"I've got time…well, I don't but this will be my exception. You might as well tell me."

"She's actually one of my- my good friends. I knew she was having problems before matches but…we've even got our own psychologist at school! If Hartley couldn't help her then something must be wrong! And she knows about me anyways." Séb wasn't altogether pleased with what he'd said- it barely made sense.

"Knows about you?" Wendy gave him a piercing stare and he felt exposed beneath it.

"I'm…Cascadia's a rich school. And I just found out that my dad's on welfare." Séb started to babble. "Worse, he registered while Megan was working at the welfare office! She knows everything and I don't want things to change because if they do she might not- not like me anymore. And I couldn't stand that, she means too much to me."

Wendy smiled. "Awww that's sweet. I love you guys, I can always get you to spill all with one look. But I know from talking to Megan that she won't mind. If you don't feel comfortable keeping this to yourself, just talk to her! You'll work out." She glanced at the clock and her eyes widened. "Oh I've kept you for too long! Out! I'll see you soon Sébastien."

A little confused, Séb bundled up and waved bye to Wendy before heading down the elevator.

"How did it go, Mr. Dubé?" asked Ms. Wiley as she stood next to the new physiotherapist.

"D-uhh…it was…g-g…it was good!" He stared openly- she was honestly the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, apart from Megan and his mother.

"Good to hear! This is Monique, she'll be joining us at Cascadia. She's riding shotgun if you don't mind." Shaking his head, Sébastien followed the two women out into the parking lot and spent the ride back in somewhat of a daze. Wendy and her eyes, Megan and her secret, his father and welfare, and Monique and her…her…everything!

Séb ran up to his dorm and headed straight for his bed, dumping his winter clothes on the floor for once. It was pitch black outside, even though it was only 18 00h. After a few minutes, he got up and walked to the cafeteria.

"Hey man…you missed out! They were serving pasta but all that's left now is bean sprouts." Squib grinned as he tucked a pasta shell into his mouth.

"Oh shuttup Squib! You're the one who finished off the pasta," quipped Cameron. "Saved you a seat Séb."

"Thanks…I'll be right back." Séb filled up his plate and sat between Cameron and Tanis. "Long day, eh?"

Everyone around the table agreed, and later on decided to meet in the guys dorm to watch a movie. As they all separated, Megan and Séb's eyes met, but they both looked away before any message could be sent between them.

Squib and Cameron set up the TV and queued up a horror flick. A soft knock on the door meant that the girls had found a way to sneak into the dorm. Tanis, Adena, Cody, and Megan all filed in. They settled in on the floor, Séb sitting next to Megan a little farther from the group. Top Gun watched in near silence, save for an occasional scream for the girls. When Sébastien realized that Megan wasn't even watching the movie, he whispered to her. "Did you do volunteering today?"

"No… I needed to catch up with my English homework. How uhh…how was the Starlight Floor?" she avoided him resolutely, playing with the hem of her pyjama pants.

"It was alright…I'm just doing some filing. My dad told me yesterday, you know?" Séb hoped to put her at ease before dropping the bomb on Megs.

"He did? I'm sorry…I promise I won't say anything."

Whispering even more quietly, "I won't say anything either." Megs turned to stare at him.

"About what?" she asked sharply.

"I saw your file…I didn't read it, don't worry! I'm just worried about you."

"You're worried about me? I'm doing fine. I haven't gone there in months anyways." Megan shifted uncomfortably.

"Wendy said you'd been there in the past few days. I didn't pry… I mean, I asked her if she knew you and then she figured it all out…she got me to tell her everything."

"It's the eyes. She just looks at you like she already knows and-" Megan smiled. "And it all comes out anyways!" finished Sébastien. They laughed together, feeling better now that they both had their secrets out.

"Look, nothing's changed alright? But you're going to have to explain it all later." Said Megan.

"Same goes for you…only if you want to." Sébastien trailed off and was drowning in the depths of her.

"I…I want a lot of things." Megan's lips barely moved, but that was all he could look at. He leaned forward, unsure. Megan exhaled and moved a touch closer as well, until they were almost nose-to-nose.

"Megan…" "Shh…" she placed a finger on his lips and drew him forward, letting her hand fall to his shoulder. "Please." Séb reached for her and their lips touched softly, once, then twice, and once again. As they pulled back they seemed dazed. But Megs smiled softly and took his hand in hers, proving to him her trust. All around the room, each of Top Gun had chanced a look at them, and turned away in respect to their privacy. Things were changing quickly at Cascadia.