Author's Note: So, it has taken me a REALLY long time to get this chapter because the beginning of marching band, a website, and a new podcast, accompanied by a massive brain fart, left me pinched for time. I promise I'll try to get chapters out on a more regular basis. Please don't give up on me just yet, because I promise I haven't given up on this story or any of my others! TEAM DAMERON FOREVER!
"Damien!" Brittney called from the opposite end of the hallway, skipping up to him and looping her arm through his own, "Where have you been? I've been waiting for you since noon." she pouted, as he frantically tried to concoct a plan in his head to smoothly get away from her.
"Since noon? Brit, I have Pre-Cal from 11:30 to 12:45, then gym, then band. You had classes too. Where could you have possibly been waiting for me."
"At the lunch table."
"At noon? Brittney, that is when the Kindergarteners are in the cafeteria for snack time!"
"How do you know that?" she asked him, finally stopping their walk at the exit to the school, then adding to herself in a lower tone, letting her head duck, "That would explain all of the munchkins."
Damien decided to tell her about his huge exploration into the uncharted territory that was the primary school down the street, "I took an opening as a Cadet teacher at Washington and Lee Primary just down the road. I figured it would look good on college applications. Anyway, all I have to do is come in during school hours a couple days a week, sing a couple songs, play patty-cake, grade some papers, and then I'm right back here. It isn't a big deal."
"Sounds like fun." she said excitedly, "Anyway, do you want to come over tonight?" he knew what she was hinting at and several dozen red flags flew up on the double.
"You know what; actually I was going to study with Lindsay tonight." He dodged, "Tomorrow?" What? Why the hell did that word come out of his mouth? The word 'tomorrow' left her with the promise that he was going to be at her house tomorrow, without parents, stuck in the middle, forced to do her bidding. He didn't want to hurt her. She was like a child; a fool. He was like putty in her hands.
"I kind of had my heart set on tonight. It's the only night my dad isn't in town. Can't you study tomorrow?" she whined a bit, bouncing on her heels.
"No, I really need to go to this study thing, Brittney. I'm already falling behind and Lindsay seems to know what she's talking about." It made his chest feel like it was screwing upward while he lied to his first American girlfriend, "But I promise you that I will walk to your house tomorrow after scool, Then," he pulled her closer, putting his arms around her waist, "we can do whatever you want."
"So, are you cashing in the offer from the second day of school?"
"Mhm."
"I'll see you tomorrow." she said, giving him a quick peck on the lips, then taking off to Santana's car.
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"Mom, I'm home!" Finn called, as he opened to door to the Hummel/Hudson house that was soon to be the Hummel/Hudson/Larsen house, "Can we talk for a minute?"
"Sure, kiddo!" she called from the general direction of the laundry room. There were footsteps and then she appeared, whiping her hands on her apron, "Oh, who's your friend?" she asked, a smile growing across her lips.
"Uhm, Mom; Sam needs a place to stay." her smile collapsed.
"Of course he can stay here. Sam can stay as long as he needs." she said, "We'll have to make up the couch though. There really isn't space for three people in that bedroom of yours."
"Thank you, Mrs. Hummel." Samuel couldn't help, but spread a huge smile over his lips, sticking out his hand for her to shake and she took it.
"You can call me Carole. Excuse me. I was just about to take dinner off the stove." she nodded and took off, "Finn, can I see you for a second?" she asked, practically dragging him by the ear all the way to the kitchen, "Finn, who is he?" she asked uncertainly.
"He's just a friend from Glee. I gave him a ride home the other day, saw something I probably shouldn't have seen; and I knew he couldn't stay in that house."
"Well, he can stay, but you can't do this anymore, Finn. I know you want to help everyone, but I don't think I can handle another one of these friends just popping up out of no where. Does that make sense?" she asked, more concerned with the fact that it might have actually not made sense.
"Is this about when Quinn lived with us?" Finn's voice began to rise; not in outrage, just defense for his ex-girlfriend, "Her parents kicked her out, Mom."
"No, Finn, I know. I just want you to know that you don't have to help every single sob story you meet. This kid might have a rough life, but if he were home, he'd still have a roof over his head. Maybe it just seems worse than it really is. I mean, we haven't seen his home life. You haven't even seen the inside of his house, have you? For all we know, he could just be a melodramatic teenager, and things could be perfectly normal."
"Mom, I saw the place with my own eyes. There was definitely something not right going on there." Finn insisted, hushing his tone again, worried that the new guest might have heard.
At that moment, Samuel came into the kitchen, his gate resembling that of a zombie and less that of a human. Carole wiped the look of discontent off her face and turned to face Samuel once more, "Can I help you with something, Dear?" she asked in as calm a voice as she could muster.
"I just got a call from the police. My parents were cooking Crystal Meth. The house exploded." there wasn't a hint of emotion in his voice. He seemed conflicted, like he didn't know what to think, "My sisters were in there!" he suddenly realized.
"Oh my God." erupted from Carole's mouth as a bustle of activity broke out among the three of them, as Carole ran to the stairs to call for Kurt, who happened to be (actually) studying with Blaine, and Finn ran to get the car started, and the five of them piled in the car to take off toward the hospital.
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"SAM!" Marissa called from across the hospital lobby, running to the place where he, Carole, and Finn had sat for the past two hours. Finn recognized the skinny ginger from homeroom. She was quiet, but when she chose to speak, it was usually snide, witty, and humorous. Now, though, she stood there with Samuel's hands in her own, tears coming out of her own eyes, "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner. I got stuck in traffic. Apparently there's a balloon race in Carmel that all of Lima will be attending. How are they?"
Samuel shook his head, still infuriated by what had been going on, and what was going on now, right under their noses, "I don't know how they are. The doctors won't tell us can't get a straight answer out of anyone." Finn scooted over a seat, in order for Marissa to take the seat beside Samuel.
"Kurt and Blaine went out to get coffees." Carole began, "It looks like it's going to be a long night. Do you want them to get you anything, Dear?" she asked directly to Marissa, who declined politely.
Just as they managed to settle into a pregnant silence, a doctor, who was still in gloves and a mask, as if she had just come out of surgery, began to speak to the entire group at large, "Mya lost a lot of blood. We believe that she was in the same room with the object that imploded, causing shrapnel to go flying, and as a result, a small piece of glass has lodged itself into her heart. We can opperate, but there's no garuntee that she won't flat line during surgery. Even if she does make it through, it will be a huge bill, and about 4 to 6 months of recovery time."
"What about Bree? Is she okay? And Mom and Dad?"
"Mom sustained life-threatening injuries and is currently on blood thinners and respiration. We aren't able to operate until the drugs leave her system, though. It's too risky. Bree is fine, but just to be sure, we put her on a breathing tube. Unfortunately, we couldn't revive your father and he had passed before he ever made it through the doors of the hospital." the news that both of his parents were nearly dead brought tears to Samuel's eyes. He wasn't entirely sure. He had hated his parents up until approximately three hours ago.
"What about Bree?" he asked, pushing the tears away once again, "Can I see her, please?" he pleaded. Marissa didn't like seeing Samuel like this. He was always so calm, cool, and collected, and to see him like this, in a random, jumbled, hurting mess, made her want to just jump over the seat and give him a huge hug, but it didn't work that way; she had to keep reminding herself.
"She seems stable. I don't see why not. I can take you to her right now, if you'll just follow me." Samuel motioned for Marissa to follow him and she did wordlessly.
It made Marissa start to wonder why they were passing the nursery. When Samuel spoke about Bree, she sort of always imagined an older sister, but when they were allowed in, and he took her hand, leading her at a dead sprint all the way to a baby crib, she realized she was so very wrong, then as Samuel lifted the tiny baby out of the crib in an almost fatherly way, a realization came to her, "Sam, your mother was cooking Crystal Meth when she was pregnant." That baby couldn't have been any more than three months old. Of course she had been brewing while pregnant. Bree did look particularly small for a baby of any age as well. She probably could have fit in Samuel's cargo pocket, "I think you need to have Bree tested for Crystal Meth."
Author's Note: Well, that was a twist. So, as always, review, hug a porcupine, watch the Glee Project! TEAM CAMSAMDAM FOREVER!