-five-

Sam sat in her bedroom in her school uniform, trying to put her seizure out of her mind, but couldn't help but wonder what had caused it.

"Sam! Come on, love we're going to be late." Rose called up the stairs.

"Yeah, I'm comin'!" Sam called, grabbing her phone and sending a quick message to Finn, Lauren and Bex saying she was setting off to the hospital now, and she'd be going into school later. She stood up and walked out of her bedroom with her school bag in hand, and she walked down the stairs.

"You don't have to go into school after this you know, love." Rose said gently, walking to her daughter as she appeared at the foot of the stairs and she gently touched her face.

"I'll be fine, mum. The doctors are just gonna tell us exactly what I've been saying, it's just a migraine." Sam smiled, keeping her hopes high.

"Yeah, probably. But it doesn't hurt to check does it? And anyway, doctors always wore me out. Are you passing up a day to curl up on the sofa with your old mum?" Rose smiled.

"Yeah, but only cause it's an important year. At the weekend I won't go out with my friends and we can spend the whole day together, yeah?"

Rose nodded and went to grab her coat. "Come on, we're really pushing time."

Sam smiled and walked out, slinging her bag over her shoulder as her mother appeared at her side.

"Finn she'll be fine. It's probably gonna be all blood tests and stuff." Lauren shrugged.

"Yeah I know, but Clarkson said she collapsed a couple of days ago. I just want to know if she's alright." Finn looked at her.

"You big softie." Lauren laughed and jumped out the way when he tried to grab her. "No!" she laughed, running down the corridor.

Finn smirked and ran after her.

"Oi! No running in the corridors!" Tom shouted as they passed him.

"Sorry si-AAHH!" Lauren squealed and laughed as Finn caught up to her and threw her over his shoulder. "Finn put me down now!"

"Why?" he smirked, carrying her through the corridors and made his way to the lockers.

"Cause I'm wearing a skirt and you're messing up my hair."

"No one can see anything anyway you got tights on and I'm holding it down. And your hairs a mess anyway." He smirked. "Ow!" he scowled as she punched him in the back and he dropped her to her feet again as he got to the lockers.

Lauren straightened out her clothes again and went to her locker, grinning. "This is gonna be a long day ain't it."

"For you yep." Finn grinned, and then the bell for lesson went. "Come on, let's go annoy whoever's got us first." He said, pulling Lauren along once she was done with her locker.

Both Rose's and Sam's minds were still reeling from the news they had just received. Brain cancer? Inoperable? She was 17 years old, this sort of stuff didn't happen to kids…

"We'll get a second opinion. We'll go private." Rose said as they waited for their bus.

Sam looked at her mother, who looked as though she was about to crumble, yet she herself couldn't even bring herself to cry. It was her illness and her mother had more of a reaction to the news than she did… what kind of person did that make her?

"I'll find the money, Sam… there is no way my baby's got cancer, alright? It's just… just migraines like you said…"

Sam wanted to change the subject. "I want to go to school." She said.

"Are you sure you're up for it, love? Like I said earlier you don't have to, I'm sure one day won't hurt."

"Yeah… besides it's careers day… don't want to miss it." Sam nodded.

"Alright love" Rose nodded and stood up as the bus arrived, and they both got onto it.

Sam walked through the school gates at break time and she looked around for Finn or Lauren.

"Sam!"

She looked when she heard her name and spotted Finn with Lauren, Amy, Josh and Harry. She smiled and she walked over to them.

"So how did it go?" Finn asked.

Sam looked at him and her friends. How could she tell them? She didn't have much time to live she knew that… and her friends thought they had forever. She couldn't handle the truth yet… So she decided to lie.

"Yeah it's fine… just migraines that's all." Sam smiled.

She was lying to protect them from the hurt they'd have to endure. One thing she hated was hurting the ones she loved.

"You had us all worried there babe." Finn smiled, hugging her.

"Yeah never worry him again. He annoys EVERYBODY!" Lauren laughed.

Sam laughed with her. "Well I told you I'd be fine." She said, though she wasn't sure who she was trying to convince more, herself or those around her…