"I'm going to do the show."

"Hey Tina, how are you?" Rachel came to sit next to Tina, Mercedes fell down on the bench on the other side. "I'm okay, my shoulders and back hurt a little, but other than that, I'm fine." Tina knew it wasn't really the truth. Her back, shoulders and neck were hurting a lot, but with the painkillers John had given it was bearable. "Are you sure?" Artie asked wheeling closer, watching Tina closely. Tina cursed inside, besides Mike Artie knew her the best of her friends. Of course he would pick up on the fact that she wasn't really okay, bur she had to keep it up. She wanted to do this show and she was going to do it. "Yes I'm sure." She said.

"Are you going to do the show? I mean we would all understand if you sat this one out." Mercedes asked. Tina saw Mike come towards them. "No, I'm going to do the show. I wouldn't want to miss it." Tina said firmly. "But Tina…" Artie started to protest. Tina was thankful that Mike didn't comment. He just looked at her, stepping closer, giving her a kiss on her head, taking her hand and sitting next to her. Rachel had stood up to give him the space. Tina smiled at Mike and then turned back to Artie: "No Artie, I'm not going to miss this show. No way… Though I might need your help a little with getting ready girls."

"We'll help you." Lauren said and the other girls nodded.

"Well why don't you go and get ready. I'll go and have a quick word with our parents and then get ready myself." Mike said, getting up and helping Tina on her feet. Everybody left for the respective locker rooms. Mike watched them and then turned to the stands. He saw his parents and Tina's parents huddled together near the edge, talking to someone standing on the field, John. Mike sighed, John was much better at explaining all the injuries and reassuring parents. Mike started to cross the field when he heard Artie call him. Mike turned around and saw Artie coming towards him, he was angry. "How can you let her perform? Couldn't you see she is in pain?"

"Let her? Do you think I'm happy about this? Of course I can see she's in pain, but she want to perform and there is nothing or no one who could stop her." Mike said.

"You could, you're her boyfriend. She listens to you."

"Yes she listens to me, but I'm not going to tell her what she can and cannot do, Artie. I support her and try to ensure her safety."

"That's not enough." Artie stubbornly said.

"Maybe not for you, but it is enough for Tina." Mike calmly said, knowing getting angry wasn't going to help. "Artie I know she is one of your oldest fiends and I know you care for her, but so do I. You just have to trust that I know what I'm doing. You know her well enough, to know that telling Tina what she is and isn't allowed to do is just going to get her angry. And rightly so. Besides that I trust Tina enough to let her maker her own decisions and if it turns out she overestimated what she can do, I'll be there for her. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to talk to her and my parents." With that Mike turned and quickly walked to the stands. He knew he didn't have much time but he felt he had to do this.

After a short run he reached the stands. "I'm so sorry mr. and mrs. Cohen-Chang. I tried to make sure she stayed down, but I failed." Mike started, Tina's father simply smiled: "We know you tried Mike and we also know our daughter. She is not someone to sit passively by in such situations and John here already told us her injuries are minor." Mike nodded and then turned to his mother: "Mom, could you go home and get the scented candles that are on the black tray in my room and the massage oil on my nightstand?" His mother hesitated: "I'll get them after your performance, I really want to see it."

"Michael I will get them. I don't really need to see the performance and I think there won't be a second half. I don't think the other girls will be able to play." Mike's father interjected. Mike felt a little disappointed that his father didn't want to see the performance, but it wasn't unexpected. Mike s father had never really encouraged Mikes activities in Glee.

"Puck is trying to convince the other players to play the second half, we're all hoping he'll succeed. Either way: I want to give Tina a nice long massage. She deserved it, besides, after the adrenaline from the performance wears off she'll start to feel the pain much more."

"Is she going to perform?" Tina's mother asked, who had clearly not considered this.

"Yes, she is adamant about it. I told her she could sit this one out, the entire Glee club told her, but she really want to do the performance." Mike explained. Tina's mother remained silent for a few moments. "I told her she can stop whenever she wants and asked Puck to be careful with her. He's going to lift her a couple of times, but we changed the lift so it won't hurt her. And Tina really wants to do this, she put so much in it already." Tina's mom interrupted Mike's ramblings: "I know Mike and she loves to perform, it just hadn't occurred to me. You don't have to defend her choices and I know you would do anything to keep her save. It's alright, I just have to reconcile myself with the fact that my daughter will do a routine after such an injury." Mike sighed audibly. "Mike relax, we don't blame you for anything and you really don't have to explain our daughters choices. You just focus on the performance and the game okay? Go and get ready." Tina's dad said, he knew Mike wanted to do the right thing, but right now he needed to focus on other things. "Thank you sir, I hope you will all enjoy the show."

"I'm sure we will, now go." His mother said and waved him away.

As Mike made his way to the changing rooms, the four adults turned to each other. "Mike is a very nice and decent young man. You have raised him well." Tina's mother said, Mike's mom thanked her: "Thank you. He was, still is, very worried about this game and Tina playing in it."

"We know. That day, the day when the girls became part of the team, Mike came to drop Tina off and he asked me if I knew what had happened. I told him that I knew and we had given our consent. Mike ten assured us, that he would try to keep Tina safe. I told him that I appreciated it, but that I also knew my daughter and that she would find it hard to stay passive if push came to shove. Mike just said that he and the guys would work hard to make sure that didn't happen." Tina's father told Mike's parents.

"They really like each other, don't they?" Tina's mother said, the other parent nodded. "I think they are really good for each other. I know Mike is good for Tina: she is becoming a bit more outgoing and less shy, even the teachers have seen this. Of course some has to do with Glee, but I know a lot has to do with Mike. And I am really glad she has managed to stay friends with Artie." Tina's mother concluded. "Well, why don't you give me the keys and I'll go and get the candles and oil. The black tray is Tina's right?" Mike father asked.

"Yes, the black tray has Tina's favorite scents, the bleu one has Mike's."

"They have the same arrangement in our home." Tina's mother said as she and Mike's mother turned to resume their seats.