A/N: Song featured is "Broken Vow" by Josh Groban.

Michelle bounced impatiently in her seat as she watched the clock tick away the seconds before school ended. The cast list was being posted as she sat there, practically on the other side of the school, and it was killing her not to know which character's name would be attached to hers.

"Would you calm down?" Lindsay whispered, giving her a nudge. "It's just a stupid musical."
"It was a stupid musical," the aspiring model told her. "Now it's a matter of pride. I'm a Harrison, and we carry a proud tradition of performing with us. I have to get the lead."

The curvy freshman that she considered her partner-in-crime apparently did not possess the compassion to sympathize with her situation, as she instead shook her head in disgust. "I would understand if this was something like Rat Pack or Sandra Dee, but ABBA? That's what you're attaching your pride to?" She leaned closer to the Cheerio. "You have to admit that being this obsessed with anything ABBA-related isn't healthy."

Michelle didn't want Lindsay to be right. She didn't want to be overreacting to something that was more Everett's thing than hers anyways; especially since people thought they were weird enough with their Sharpay-and-Ryan bonding tendencies in performing.

The busybody sighed and shook her head. "Fine," she conceded. "Let's just talk about something else then—get my mind off of it." She turned expectantly to her friend. "What did you find out from Nikki?"

Lindsay's dark eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"The note?" Michelle prompted. "Did it end up leading to anything?"

"Oh," the spray-tanned girl replied, face relaxing. "No, no—you were right. Just a dead end. No one even showed up." She chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Probably just a decoy or something."

"Well, I know you'll get that story you're looking for," her friend encouraged with a pat on her hand. "If you want, I'll help you out with file digging next week."

"Oh, I know you: you'll be busy with rehearsals by then," Lindsay replied. "No worries; I've got enough side-projects to keep me occupied for a while."

"O-kay." Michelle glanced at her friend suspiciously—it wasn't like Lindsay to let up on the hunt just because of a false lead, but maybe she'd realized how dangerous her quarry really was? "Anyways, maybe this weekend we could—" The bell sounded, and her entire body perked up as she practically leapt from her seat. "Oh! The list is up—let's go!"

And she began dragging her protesting cohort out the door.

School was over. Caroline squeezed Katie's hand hard as she shut her locker and began walking toward the bulletin board.

"Are you nervous?" the blonde girl asked. She'd already admitted she'd approached Teddy to ask for a bit part, which he'd been copacetic to, so of course the blonde in all of her twirling glory had nothing to fear.

"As a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs," her friend replied, freeing her hands and wiping them across her uniform to get rid of the accumulating moisture.

The bubbly Cheerio arched an eyebrow. "Do people say that?"

Caroline shrugged and smiled. "They did at my last school."

Katie bobbed her head, "Huh. Well, I think you'll be great—you killed the auditions."

"Yeah, but it's more than that. I don't want everybody to hate each other just because we all want the same role." The freshman tugged at her high pony uneasily. "I mean, I'd rather not get the part at all than lose my friends."

"Did you tell them that?" The other girl asked. When her Captain shook her head, she gestured in front of them where a group of girls had appeared from around the corner. "Well, now's your chance."

After a moment's hesitation and a firm push from Katie, the toned brunette hurried over to the dispersing group of Cheerios.

"Wait, guys," Caroline reached out to grab Annie and Michelle's hands. "Before we go to the list, I just want to say something." The three girls faced each other, two with arms crossed as they watched their captain shift from side to side. "I think we're all really talented, and I don't want pride to get in the way of us being friends. Whoever gets whichever part, I want us to support each other regardless."

She looked earnestly at the other two, watching as Michelle averted her gaze uneasily and Annie dug the toe of her shoe into the linoleum. The golden-brunette put her hand out in the center of their triangle. "Come on," she encouraged with a smile. "No matter what—friends first."

Annie was the first to crack, her smile brightening as she stuck her hand on top of Caroline's. Michelle bit her lip for a moment before she too gave a reluctant grin and placed a tiny hand with the others.

"Okay," Michelle said. "None of us will sabotage the others, and we'll accept what we get."

"Right," Annie agreed. "Ultra-Cheerio-Gleek swear that no one is going to quit just because someone else got the lead."

The three girls nodded resolutely and hugged, the feud behind them. Then, in unison, Cheerio skirts flew as they scurried the rest of the way down the hall and braked in front of the paper on the bulletin board.

Mamma Mia! Cast List, the paper proclaimed.

Sophie…Annie Hudson

Donna…Michelle Harrison

Rosie… Caroline Fabray

Tanya…Anastassia Moran

Skye… Everett Harrison

Sam… Dalton Johnson

Harry…Ashwin Chima

Bill…Coby Pally

Pepper…Walter Devlin

Ali…Nina Grannis

Lily…Aria Gauthier

Pastor Alex…Katherine Benett

"Wow, congrats Coby," a tiny voice piped up, and the funny-man turned to see Michelle grinning beside him. She'd made a point to find him ever since she'd found out that Everett had chickened out of talking to the boy again.

"Well thanks, little Hepburn," he replied with a grin.

"I mean, Bill, that's a hefty role," she continued with a gleam in her eye. "I mean, he carries so much of the story."

"He does?" Coby said quizzically.

"Oh yeah," the scheming girl told him as they began walking toward the Music Room. "I mean, without Bill, the whole plot just falls apart."

"It does?"

Michelle's pleasant face dropped in impatience. "Yes, Coby—it does. I mean, Donna obviously has an important role as well, but with my extensive theater experience, I'm feeling fairly confident in my abilities. I'd never be able to get over the nerves, though, if it were my debut." She nudged him playfully in the gut. "Good thing we're both veterans of the stage, right?"

"Uh, well…" The messy-haired boy trailed. "Actually, this is my first show. It was kind of a spontaneous thing."

"Oh," the freshman gave a surprised pause. "Well, I mean, you obviously have natural talent, or they wouldn't have given you the role. Really, I bet all you need is some fine-tuning and you'll be amazing." She dropped her voice to a whisper. "Do you want some friendly advice?"

"Yeah, absolutely," he replied eagerly.

"If it were me, I'd consider finding someone to rehearse with. Take me through the show, smooth out the edges of my performance, you know?" Michelle looked at him pointedly. "Like a tutor, only for musicals."

"Yeah," Coby said enthusiastically. "Yeah, that would definitely help." He put on a British accent as he mimicked the Guiness commercial, "Brilliant!" His thousand-watt smile turned back onto her. "Hey, Holly Golightly—what are you doing for the next week or two?"

Michelle's eyebrows furrowed in surprise. "Me?"

"Yeah, you're going to be in the show anyways, playing my opposite—you'd be a perfect Obi Wan."

"What, no!" The junior looked at her in surprise, and the tiny girl composed herself. "I mean, I'm going to have my hands full as it is, with Cheerio obligations and my part and everything. What you need is a tutor who doesn't have all of those distractions. Someone with loads of theater experience, who's in the play already and has lots of talent…maybe someone that could help from the male perspective—" She tilted her head as she stared at him hard, willing him to understand her words.

The jock bit his lip in thought, and she released a breath of relief as his eyes lit up in realization. "Oh my god—I should totally ask your brother!" He grinned as he smiled and nodded agreeably with his suggestion. "Roger's whole life is theater—I bet he could totally whip me into shape."

"I'm sure he could," Michelle replied as she bit back a delighted giggle, and waved happily as she watched the boy rush off to find her brother. She smirked to herself proudly, "I'm good."

"I still don't understand why I'm covering this thing and not you or Ryan," Addie complained as she trailed behind her editor. "I'm a newspaper cartoonist and human rights columnist, not a critic."

"If you want to be taken seriously, you need to be able to branch out; show some flexibility," Emma explained, handing her a stack of papers.

"You really think writing about an ABBA musical is going to get me taken seriously?"

Emma huffed as she turned to face Addie's skeptical face. "Okay, how about this? Life isn't fair, Ryan's already on a story, and I'm busy enough as it is. The review is yours—deal with it."

The editor-in-chief whirled back toward her office, and was more than slightly irritated to find the curvy blonde still following her. "Hey, this isn't because your ex and his blonde bimbo are in it, is it?" Russet eyes narrowed darkly as if to kill the speaker on the spot. "I'm just asking because you seem to be stretched thinner than usual. I mean, not to be insensitive, but you look tired and you might be losing weight—"

"I've been increasing my training regimen now that track's back in season," Emma insisted. "I'm fine."

"And we're doing extra meetings after school now? I'm just saying, no guy is worth your health," Addie told her.

"Thank you for your input—next time wait until I ask for it." The sophomore placed a hand on her door while giving the other girl a pointed look. A moment later she watched in relief as the gay-rights enthusiast caught on and left to go back to her desk, and she tucked a brown lock behind her ear as she slipped into her office.

And directly in front of Ashwin, leaning against her desk with a bouquet of roses.

"I know those aren't for me," she told him with a suspicious look. "Roses are for girlfriends or recently-made role-getters, and since we're not dating and I did not audition for any part, I know you didn't get them for me."

The muscular boy shrugged sheepishly, though the smile didn't leave his face. Emma found herself laughing despite her best intentions, and took the flowers as he extended them toward her.

"I was hoping we could talk," he told her.

"We've got to get to Glee," she reminded him.

"I can walk and talk," the brown boy replied, and she shook her head in amusement as she grabbed up her bag and walked back through the office door he now held open for her. She also pointedly ignored a certain blonde lesbian's incredulous expression as she passed.

"So what is this?" Emma asked.

"I've been thinking," her ex confessed, "and I realized that I still love you."

"Ash…" she trailed warily.

"No, look. I've broken up with Rhi—I mean, maybe she's more fun to some guys, but really, we just had nothing going for us. I miss us: talking, our connection—I want that back."

"Ashwin, we've talked about this," Emma sighed. "About us, about how we just aren't boyfriend-girlfriend material for each other. I mean, yeah, Rhi didn't work out for you because the two of you have a canyon of nothing in common, but there are more girls out there than just me and her. You can't say that you've given up just because the first girl didn't work out." She bit her lip. "And I know I'm still trying to find something to spark in me. I need more time."

To her surprise, when the brunette looked over at her friend, he was still smiling. "I know that you think there's a great romance out there for you," he told her. "I love that you're honest about it, because communication, honesty? They're huge for working relationships. But I'm going to be honest too—I know what I want. I've known since grade school. And that is you Emma Malley. If I have to wait for you to date every guy at this school, every guy in the state of Ohio—I will. Because I know in the end you're the only girl for me. Well, that and if I never have to try to have a conversation with Aria Gauthier in this lifetime it will be too soon."

The perfectionist laughed, but felt her mirth crackle in her throat as they walked into the Music Room and found the aforementioned blonde standing by the piano.

"Rhi?" the brown boy gaped, and the artsy junior spun toward him.

"Ashy! I'm joining Glee!" Her perfect blonde hair bounced around her bulky military jacket as she wrapped her arms happily around the sophomore boy.

"But…why?" he asked, still grasping at reason.

"Because of what you said, about spending more time with Mr. Schuester to raise my grades," she replied, stepping back to smile up at him.

"I meant in Spanish!" he exclaimed, flabbergasted as he glanced between her and a piqued Emma.

"But you were totally right—I mean, I snuck around with Brittany Pierce, and how that girl got out of any of her classes is beyond me. Schue has to have some sort of pull to scrounge up that sort of sympathy in grades, and that's what's going to pass me through." She smiled triumphantly at the two, and Ashwin's face fell in disbelief.

"I did not mean to do this," he whispered to the brunette desperately.

"Well, anyways, I just wanted to say that I'm really excited to join, and I hope this doesn't distract you." She leaned toward the younger girl, whispering conspiratorially, "I have a tendency to burn through dating options in my social circles, if you know what I mean."

Emma honestly couldn't think of a single response to the promiscuous admission, and so was grateful when Mr. Schuester appeared in the doorway and directed everyone to their seats.

"Congratulations to everyone in the musical!" he exclaimed happily. "I know everyone is going to work hard to make it the best McKinley production yet!"

Dalton grinned. He still couldn't believe he was cast as Sam. He was flying on cloud nine, so thrilled that he couldn't muster the right expression of compassion toward Ashwin as the Spanish teacher beamed at his team and gestured to their newest addition.

"I'd like to welcome Rhi Gauthier to the team as well," Schue continued, and Dalton saw Wally with an equally inappropriate expression, though his was more poorly disguised amusement at their Indian friend's distress. "I know she's going to be a great asset in our expanding group."

"With the emphasis on her ass," Stassi murmured to the other Cheerios.

Obliviously, the teacher turned to the whiteboard. "And since the next couple of weeks many of us will be focused on the musical, I want to give us all the chance—"

"Mr. Schuester?" a small voice interrupted. The entire group turned to look at Roxie, and Dalton suddenly felt a drop in his chest. His girlfriend wasn't much of a speaker, but he knew the tone she'd used. And as she stood up slowly and made her way to the front of the class, face enflamed at her own actions, the ashen-haired boy felt his lungs tighten and his heart pound painfully.

The curly-haired teacher, however, continued to smile as he gave the young girl the floor. "I just wanted to say I love being a part of this team," Roxie told them. "And it's thanks to this club I've been able to find a place where I felt like I belong, and amazing friends."

"Are you serious? I think I'm going to be sick," Hayley protested. "ABBA may be a hippie love-in, but we don't have to relive it."

"Shut up Hayley," Walt said, putting a steadying hand on his friend's shoulder as Dalton watched his great day crumbling in front of him.

Roxie continued, her bright crimson face staring at the ground intently as she forced out the rest of her speech. "I love Glee Club, but I have to quit." Her voice became lower and faster as she raced to get the words out and move out of the limelight. "Circumstances have changed and this is no longer an extracurricular I can afford to spend time with. I'm sure you will all go far do incredible things, but I'm afraid I just can't be part of it anymore."

"You're just quitting on us Squeekers?" Coby responded in shock.

"Does that mean that the female lead is open?" Michelle asked.

As the room broke out into a cacophony of opinions and exclamatories, the tiny brunette slipped away from their teacher's questioning eyes and out into the hallway. She sighed unhappily and brushed the shed tears from her eyes.

"I don't understand." She had to have known he would follow her; that she couldn't possibly get away with no explanation.

"I'm joining Coach Roz's swim team, and I won't have time for Glee," she replied without looking at him. The sophomore wondered if she was purposely avoiding his gaze; if she was trying to hide a secret from him by keeping her body turned from his, or if she just didn't want him to see her cry. "It's that simple."

"But you said we had to stick together," Dalton reminded her. It was so unlike her to simply walk away. She'd been the glue that had held the group together from the start—she had been the one to draw them back in when everyone had been so scared to show their true selves in the beginning. She'd always been so strong and brave. "What are you hiding?"

"Nothing," she replied quickly and unconvincingly.

"I'm supposed to believe that?" She said nothing, only continuing to stare at her shoes. "Don't I deserve some sort of honesty?"

"Yes," she told him softly. "You deserve someone who can be honest with you, and keep all of their promises and be everything you could want." She finally turned to look at him, and the tears brimming in her eyes broke his heart. "But that's not me, Dalton." Her breath hitched and he felt paralyzed as she pivoted away from him and moved quickly down the hall with a barely audible, "Goodbye."

Dylan was back at his mother's grave, the sun setting slowly behind him. His eyes were wet and he rubbed his sleeve roughly across his face as he sniffed.

"I'm so sorry Mom." His voice was sad and broken, and he stared despondently at the marker in front of him as if his mother's eyes looked disappointedly back at him. "I wanted to keep my promise—so badly."

But he couldn't. Katie was right, and when he'd spoken to his father, he'd told him as much. Mark Jamieson may well be on the road to recovery, but Dylan couldn't take the chance that the man might fail. His brothers' lives were too important, and until he felt certain that his father could truly be there for his sons the way they needed him to, he just couldn't risk that his father would fall back on his bad habits. The haggard-looking man had been upset and frustrated, asking how could he atone for his mistakes if the young boy never gave him a chance? How could he rebuild his relationships with his sons if he was never allowed to see them?

"What can I do to prove to you that I mean this?" he had asked unhappily.

"I need more time," Dylan had maintained, feeling guilty and heartbroken at his own words. "I need more than just a month of sobriety and some counseling. I need to know this is going to stick. And if that means us being on our own, then if you really love us you got to let that be how it is."

Mark had left in a huff, but he hadn't canceled the credit card, so Dylan hoped on some level he understood. Now he just wished that he could look at the stone in front of him with a clear conscience.

"I have to do what I can for the rest of them," he insisted to the somber plot in front of him. "I want to forgive him, but I can't yet. Can't you understand that?" The silence around him was deafening. He sniffled again and slowly stood. "I know you may never forgive me," Dylan said as he pushed his bangs away from his reddened eyes. "But if it makes you feel better, I may not either."

I let you go, I let you fly, Roxie sang from the hallway as she peeked into the Music Room where her old team rehearsed.
Why do I keep on asking why
In her swimsuit, she stood silently as Coach Roz screamed and pointed directions at her, ending with a sharp blow of her whistle, I let you go now that I found
A way to keep somehow
More than a broken vow

Dylan stared out the window of their room as his brothers slept peacefully in the beds beside him. Tell me the words I never said, he sang
Show me the tears you never shed
His eyes became watery as he saw a woman helping her young son out of the car while his father placed a loving hand on her shoulder, and he clenched his fist as the frustration emerged into his voice, Give me the touch
That one you promised to be mine
Or has it vanished for all time?

I close my eyes, Roxie belted as she watched her old friends joking around on the stage of the auditorium, And dream of you and I
Dylan raised his head angrily from his knees as he sat at his mother's grave once again, And then I realize
There's more to love than only bitterness and lies
The two freshman's voices entwined as they harmonized, I close my eyes

Roxie felt a tear fall as she watched Dalton smiling, I'd give away my soul to hold you once again
And never let those moments end

I let you go, Dylan sang out, I let you fly
Roxie's voice joined with his again as they walked separate paths on the hallway and sidewalk respectively, Now that I know I'm asking why
I let you go now that I found
A way to keep somehow
More than a broken vow