1: Hunter/Kara

So it's Kara's birthday, right.

And last year, it was a huge deal because she could strut around like a total bitch and everyone would fall all over her, but now she's trying not to be a bitch and she doesn't really want people falling all over her, anyways. Now, she just wants to have a day with her friends, and laugh a lot and maybe eat some cupcakes. Except there's one problem - her friends have disappeared.

Literally. She doesn't know why they chose this day to escape the hospital and leave her, but she's been looking for someone, anyone all day and so far the only one she's got is Charlie. So she's been talking to him about her plans to slaughter everyone else, but like. It's only fair.

"I mean honestly, it's not even like I care about my birthday that much, I just..." And she slowly tapers off as Hunter appears at the doorway to her room and knocks on the open door. Kara turns on him, hands on her hips. "Hunter Cole! Where have you been all day?"

And he just smirks that adorable smirk of his and holds out his hand. "Come with me and I'll show you."

So she takes his hand and he leads them through the hospital, up the floors, never letting go of her. And when they reach the roof, Kara has to clap a hand over her mouth because, wow.

The whole place is decorated with white fairy lights, and there's a cheap sparkly Happy Birthday banner hanging in between two chairs. And there's a bunch of cupcakes and a six pack on the table. And all her friends are here, grinning like idiots, and wow. "Happy Birthday," Hunter says, grinning.

It's not until much later when most everyone is gone and some Parachute song is playing from the radio, when Hunter asks, "May I have this dance, Birthday Girl?"

And of course she calls him a dork but accepts, and she rests her head against his chest, just drinking in everything and life, and she sort of regrets wearing the shirt she's wearing because his fingers are holding the skin near her waist and he's cold.

And so then the guy singing the song says something about Kiss Me Slowly and Kara grins. "Is this song your idea of an invitation?" She asks, raising her eyebrows.

"It is if you want it to be," Hunter whispers, completely serious. And so by the time the verse starts she's wrapped her arms around his neck and he tastes like cupcakes and Hunter, basically her two favorite things, and it's the best present ever.

2: Emma/Leo

So they're on a date, and it's not even at a food place.

Leo, because he's Leo and he's possibly the most amazing person to walk the Earth, had taken the liberty of telling everyone that he would whack them over the head with his crutch if they even came within five feet of the roof. At least that's what Emma's assuming, since no one has come within five feet of the roof. Actually, the last she checked, they were all in Charlie and Kara's room (well it's basically Hunter's too because he doesn't leave) watching The Simpsons reruns on Kara's iPad.

But that's not really the point.

The point is that currently Emma and Leo are on the roof, squished onto the same bean bag, staring at the stars. And it's sort of cold, so Leo takes his jacket off and wrapped it around her, even though she's wearing a sweater and he's wearing a T-Shirt, because he's Leo and Leo does that for people.

And they've been talking about the stars and the meaning of life and their childhoods before all this and Emma doesn't think this night can get any more perfect.

"So, you wanna dance?" Leo asks, shifting to look her fully in the eyes.

Okay, so it just did.

"Okay." And Emma smiles, and he smiles back, and stands up, leaving his crutch on the ground. "Leo-" Emma starts, because really, he doesn't have to, I mean that must hurt.

But Leo only smiles and winces a little which makes Emma's heart hurt it really does and holds out a hand. And she takes it, and he pulls her up.

There's a radio on the roof, and he turns it to the station that plays old classical music and Emma laughs as he opens his arms expectantly. "This song is my jam," he says, and it's all just.

Emma puts her hands on his shoulders, and he wraps his arms around her waist. There's a bright smile on his face, and it's blinding, really, because who deserves this, not her. "Love you," she says quietly.

And he doesn't question it, just hugs her tighter and they sway back and forth to Bach.

And Emma closes her eyes, and she breathes.

3: Hunter and Jordi

At Ocean Park, cheesy bread day in the cafeteria is everyone's favorite.

Because yeah, they normally have good food, sure. But every Tuesday they switch out the pizza for bread with cheese and there's marinara sauce, and sure everyone sort of exaggerates its taste, but it's a thing. And besides, Jordi just... he likes it.

So one day everyone sort of forgets lunch and it's a Tuesday and they're late to lunch so when everyone's gotten except him and Hunter. And Jordi sort of stares, eyebrows raised, and he doesn't know whether he's challenging or begging.

And Dash waltzes over like the drama queen he is, slinging an arm around each of their shoulders, and laughs. "Man, we got a situation here!"

Kara sort of rolls her eyes. "It's not a big deal, Dash. If Hunter really wants it, he can have mine."

"Shhh! Zip!" Dash shakes a finger at her, and continues dramatically. "This can only be settled by the most intense of competitions - Just Dance 2!"

"I don't know, my chemo's sort of making me tired today-" Jordi starts. Because really, not only does he not dance 100% can't do that! he is feeling sort of strange.

"You scared?" Hunter asks, grinning.

Jordi opens and closes his mouth before returning the smirk and shaking his head. "It is so on, dude."

And so Dash sets up the console and Jordi has one remote and Hunter has the other. And they look ridiculous, spinning and jumping and doing all these really strange things with their arms - what is that supposed to be - but it's just fun. Also he's winning, but it's fun.

Until the world starts spinning and Jordi stutters out an, "Uh..." before feeling an intense need to hug the ground.

And he almost does, really, except then he doesn't, because something is holding him, wait - those are arms. He opens his eyes blearily to find Hunter staring down on him, concerned and eyes wide. "Jordi? Jordi, can you hear me?"

"Uh, yeah, I'm just." And Hunter seems to understand, because he wraps Jordi's arm around his shoulder and then him and Dash help him to his room.

And then it's another five minutes before he stops retching into the toilet and Hunter is still there holding out the cheesy bread. "I know chemo sucks," he says gently. "But if you ever get hungry, this'll be here."

Jordi grins, and then he's back to throwing up, but still. Friends are good.

4: Emma and Dash

Emma's school is having a dance tomorrow.

And it's not a big deal. It's really not. Emma would so much rather be at the hospital, as sad as it sounds, than at that school dance. She would probably sit on the bleachers, alone, because really. Emma Chota doesn't do dances.

Except something about it is itching her. And it itches her all day, and she can't get it off her mind. For some reason, she keeps picturing herself in a dress. And it's weird.

Of course, Dash is the one who notices she's been a little off, and he takes her arm and pulls her aside from the Red Bander's intense Go-Fish tournament with a worried look in his face. "Yo Emma, you okay?" He asks.

Emma thinks for a second. "It's not like I can't dance," she blurts, and Dash looks supremely confused. "I mean, I know if I were there right now I wouldn't be doing anything, it's just, I don't know why and I keep thinking about it but it's so dumb, it's just a dance -"

And then Dash seems to get it. "Hey," he says, cutting her off. "You know, if you really want..."

"If I really want what?" Emma asks.

Dash grins, and she's sort of scared. "We can have our own dance. And we can have our own music, not the crappy stuff they play at school dances."

Emma is sort of at a loss for words, because, okay. That's really sweet, and even though it's Dash and Dash is a generally sweet person, she didn't really expect that, and okay.

So they go to his room, completely ditching Go-Fish, because whatever, they'll apologize later. And Dash plays some music from his phone, propping it up on his desk and reaching out to Emma. "Dance with me?"

Emma laughs, rolling her eyes, and accepts his hand. He spins around dramatically, doing some version of the salsa/tango/dougie and she can't help but hug him. "Thank you, Dash," she whispers.

"Anything for you, baby sis," he says back, over-exaggerating a wink.

And Emma sort of wonders how she got so lucky.

5: Charlie and People (I don't know what is this what)

So they're having another pizza party in his room.

And Charlie knows, he knows that the Red Band Society are his friends. He knows they care about him, even though he hasn't said a word to them. He just wants them to know that he cares back, and he can't, and it sort of hurts.

Because his eyes are open, and he can blink yes or no, but he can't do much more than that and to him it's not a real improvement. He wants to wake up, for real, with moving and talking and hugging. Lots of hugs. He wants to hug everyone.

So anyways, there's a box of pepperoni on his bed. Jordi is eating a slice, leaning against the wall. Leo is standing by him, talking with everyone else. Kara is curled up in Hunter's lap in a chair by his bed, and Emma is on the other side, asking him lots of questions but it's not tiring, it's good, really good, because he feels like he belongs with them, right there.

Dash is dancing.

And it's sort of stupid, he looks stupid anyways, what's the Wobble? And everyone is laughing, and Charlie just suddenly wants - he wants to dance. But it's like. He can't.

But he just wants to.

He closes his eyes and sort of screws them shut, because he needs to concentrate. And he knows, they're gathered around him, he hears Emma frantically asking if he's okay, or in pain, but no one bothers to turn the music down. And he uses that as his fuel, because he needs to - to dance.

It hurts, it really does, but he manages to twitch his mouth. And then he really thinks, and he tries, and he can feel it, moving. And there's an audible gasp as he smiles, he smiles and it's amazing.

He opens his eyes again, still smiling, sort of in pain but he's moved, and wow. Everyone is standing around him, mouths sort of open and laughing and he thinks maybe there's a tear in Hunter's eyes, but it can't be sad tears, he's grinning so wide.

"Charlie," Kara sort of sighs, reaching out and taking his hand. She squeezes, probably not even noticing. And he squeezes back, and ow. But he does and he's still smiling stupidly.

Okay, so maybe he won't dance. Not for awhile. But he can smile, and that's okay for now.

XXX

REALLY IMPORTANT NOTE!

So I don't know if any of you know, but according to my Drama teacher who I'm pretty sure is right, Fox has given Red Band Society's time spot to the show Empire after this season. Basically they have the next show and the finale and that might be it. So me and some of my friends are going to write letters to Fox, and email them to try and get them to keep Red Band Society on. If you want to help, PM me, and maybe we can get RBS back on.

In other news, next chapter is called If My Love Is A Weapon and it's about everyone saying 'I love you' to each other because that's cute.

Also, what did you guys think of yesterday's episode? Review and all that.

-QOTX