Disclaimer/Warning: This chapter contains references to abortion. If you choose to review, please leave out your opinion on the practice. I'm pro-choice and, for the sake of the story, wanted this procedure to happen, but I really don't want any flames telling me it's sick, wrong, evil, etc. Just tell me how you liked the story, I guarantee it'll make me write faster.

What Do You Need?

Maybe we'll find a way somehow

"I remember that!" Manny exclaimed, and the laughter that bubbled from her throat echoed throughout the deserted playground. "Oh, Lord, can you imagine what life would be like if Ashley and Sean had actually gotten together?"

"Anarchy," Jimmy declared. They shared an amused smile and a comfortable silence fell between them.

It was the first time in well over an hour that they hadn't said anything, Jimmy realized with a start. The 'somewhere' he'd suggested had ended up being a park a few blocks down the road from Paige's house. Though they hadn't really discussed their destination at all, he'd just followed lead until they'd ended up here.

He'd enjoyed walking with her. Despite all the energy she usually had, when she was walking, she had a slow, casual pace that he could easily keep up with. And he liked that it made her seem like she wasn't in any hurry; like she had all the time in the world to get where she was going.

As for the talking part he'd proposed, well, it had come easily enough. He'd always been good at making small talk with strangers, but somehow he'd found himself delving deeper with Manny. So far, they'd covered which country they'd most like to visit (New Zealand for her, Greece for him), their first best friend (she'd always had Emma, he'd had playdates with a redheaded kid named Stevie he hadn't seen since Grade One), and biggest fears (she was terrified of small spaces, he hated even the thought of failing).

"You know, Jimmy," Manny mused as her swing moved gently with the wind, "The party was a really nice thing for your friends to do. I feel bad you missed it."

"They had good intentions," he agreed. "But … it wouldn't have been very fun for me. I had a better time with you."

"Really?"

She bit her lip, looking entirely insecure, and he didn't even think about his actions before he had laid his hand on her knee. "No lie, Manny. You've been great company."

"Well, back atcha," she giggled, tucking her hair behind her ear. He'd noticed during their conversation that she had about a dozen nervous tics, and each one was cuter than the last. "And … okay. I have a confession to make."

"Another one? I don't know, Manny Santos, after the whole 'you're pregnant' thing, I'm not sure I can handle any more confessions from you," he joked.

"Well, it kind of has a little something to do with that," she said. "Um. When I told you earlier that I was coming to the party to thank you, that wasn't … totally the truth."

"It … wasn't?"

She shook her head. "Not entirely. I was also coming to ask a favor of you. And if you don't want to, it's okay, just say so, I'll completely understand, but –"

"Manny," he interrupted, and gently squeezed the knee he was still touching. "Just spit it out."

Concentrating on the warmth of his hand on her leg, she nodded. "Okay. I wanted to know … well. I decided to … have an abortion," she finally managed to get out, and looked up to lock eyes with him. "And I wanted to know if you would come with me."

Jimmy was stunned. He was probably even more than stunned, but her news had knocked the wind, and most of his vocabulary, right out of him. "Whoa … Manny, are you sure that's what you want to do?"

"I've been thinking about it ever since I found out about this baby, Jimmy. And I just can't do it. My parents would kick me out and Craig would only be willing to give me money. Money doesn't raise a child. I don't have the time, or the means, and …" she gulped. "Oh, God. Would I be awful if I said I just didn't have the heart? That I just … don't want a baby right now?"

"Of course not," he soothed instantly. "Manny, you're young, you've got your whole life to find the right guy and have kids. No one will blame you if you don't go through with this pregnancy.

"But … why me?" he continued. "Why are you asking me to do this with you?"

"Well, here's the deal, Jimmy Brooks," she smiled, a little painfully, but her eyes were steady on his. "Three people know about this baby. One's Craig and, well, he's made his position perfectly clear. He wants nothing to do with it. I told Emma and she'll stand by me, of course, but … I can't make her sit in a clinic while I end the life inside me. It'll hit too close to home for her, I know it will. So … by process of elimination … you're it."

His head was still spinning. There were a million questions he wanted to ask, a million things he needed to say. But he couldn't find the words. All he could manage to do was nod his head, mutely, granting her wish, making his promise.

"You're nodding," she told him, her expression anxious. "Does that mean you'll help me?"

"Of course I will," he promised. "Just say the word, and I'll be there."

Manny was floored by how quickly he'd agreed. She'd expected some hesitancy, or discomfort, or … something. To have him so readily take her side and stand by her filled her with a joy she hadn't felt in a long time. She felt … worth something, with Degrassi's boy wonder in her camp. Like she deserved his help. Like she deserved her own happiness.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she gushed, and before either of them knew she was moving, she had barreled onto his lap and into his arms. "You know, Jimmy, you are like, such a gift right now. You're probably the best thing that's ever happened to me."

His heart stirred for the first time since the shooting. It felt good to be helping someone else, to know that he wasn't entirely useless to the world just because he couldn't land a layup anymore. He felt … alive again.

XXX

Jimmy was a little afraid of losing feeling in yet another limb. The hold Manny had on his hand was tight enough to do some severe – and lasting – damage. But he didn't have the heart to ask her to loosen up.

She looked petrified. She'd been running on nervous energy when they met at the bus stop, bubbling over with forced cheer and too many questions. Her body hadn't stopped moving – feet tapping, hands wringing, eyes shifting – until they'd hit 38th Street and the clinic had come into view.

Getting her off the bus had been like rearranging a statue. Jimmy had pushed, pulled, and pleaded to get her feet moving in the right direction. He'd considered just shoving her onto his lap and wheeling them both down the ramp, but he hadn't wanted to draw too much attention. The downtown area held a lot of businesses where many Degrassi parents – including his own – made their livings, and the last thing he and Manny needed was a concerned parent taking note of them and asking around at the next PTA meeting.

Manny's hand had shot out to grab his about halfway to the door. "Jimmy," she'd said urgently, keeping her voice low. She, too, know that there was a potential for being seen. "I don't know if I can do this."

"Manny, you don't have to do anything you're not ready for," he'd soothed, turning his palm up to squeeze hers reassuringly.

"Huh." The color had drained from her face at that remark and the noise she'd made had sounded like she was choking.

"What's wrong?"

She'd smiled oddly, her a eyes a little too bright. "That's what Craig said right before we …"

"Oh! Jeez." He'd looked away, feeling like an idiot. Good move, all-star. Way to bring up every bad memory the girl has. Just what she needs on today of all days. "I'm sorry, Manny, I didn't mean to …"

"No," she'd interrupted. "It's fine. It's just … what am I gonna do when he asks me what happened? When the baby I told him about never shows up?"

"You could try the truth," he'd suggested. "That since he was an insensitive jackass, he didn't deserve a say in the matter, but you had to –"

"Whoa, Jimmy. Harsh." But she hadn't been able to push down the warmth that spread through her at his protectiveness. "He's a friend of yours, remember?"

"Right. Sure." Biting back a few more colorful adjectives for his 'friend', Jimmy focused. "Listen, about the … abortion. If you need more time to think, or if you might be changing your mind –"

"I can't change my mind. And I don't need to think anymore, I've done nothing but think about this for weeks. I've considered every option and I know I can't have this baby. I'm just … I'm really nervous."

"I know. Well. I don't know-know, obviously, but I get it. Manny, I'm here for you, okay? Not just 'cause you asked me to be. 'Cause I want to be. And I'll be here – with you – the whole way. Okay?"

It had taken another minute for her to gather her courage. But his words had helped more than he knew. Manny had lifted her chin, tightened her grip, and taken the final steps to the door.

"Manuela Santos?" the receptionist intoned now, interrupting Jimmy's stream of consciousness. "We're ready for you."

"Oh, God." Manny's eyes, clouded with fear, flew to his.

"You can do this," he rushed to encourage before she could entertain her doubts. "I know you're strong enough to do this."

It was exactly what she needed to hear. She could do it. She would. And she would get through it. How could she not, with people like Jimmy - and Emma, waiting patiently at home to take care of her - at her side? They were both so fiercely determined, neither would let her quit when things got rough.

"Okay, then. Jimmy, if I forget to tell you later … thank you. I'm beyond grateful to you for doing this … for being here."

His heart swelled with pride. And for once in his life, it wasn't for himself. It was for her; standing tall through the hardest moment of her life, able to handle tragedy with such grace. He wished he could've been so dignified in reacting to his own trauma. She was inspirational.

Manny, unaware of his thoughts, bent to kiss his cheek softly, then squared her shoulders. She looked back once before following the nurse down the hallway, pausing to take a deep breath and shoot Jimmy one last look.

"Well," she said, "This is it."

And with that, she disappeared out of sight.