Hey guys, sorry for not updating for a while. Trust me, I've been working on a lot of stuff, so that's why I haven't updated until now.

I've also been contemplating whether or not I should pick up some of my old unfinished FanFics/series for you guys that may follow them but I'm not sure. I'd love opinions about this. I'd definitely have to go back through and edit through all of them and repost them probably. I wouldn't bother with the Warriors ones, but I'm contemplating the Pokemon ones. I dropped all of those since I started them all in middle school – about seventh grade – and now I'm a senior in high school. I'd want to rewrite them if I picked them back up at all.

So please tell me what you guys think about that. Other than that, please enjoy the next chapter!

Chapter 3

The following weeks were very difficult for her. Maki could only remember a few things about the group of people who visited her every day. She remembered the Honoka girl applauding her piano playing and she remembered the Nico girl winning Toru for her. She couldn't wrap her mind around their discomfort at her friendliness though. They all said they were friends, so was it really that strange that she greet them with smiles and warm conversation?

"You never… really talked so much," the tall blonde girl, Eli, had explained to her on one of her visits. "They're probably just surprised with how open you've been."

Her throat had been recovering at a smooth pace, much to everyone's delight. Although she was grateful for the care of the hospital, she ached to sing. She just counted her blessings that none of her fingers had been badly injured. She longed to play the piano and perform. She couldn't help but look forward to the stories the eight girls would bring her of their group. She loved hearing about μ's and what they had all accomplished together.

Maki's excitement was through the roof when she was able to leave her hospital room. It had taken some time for her bones to heal, and she was very excited to be able to move around again. While she appreciated her father and the hospital staff for taking care of her, she remembered being very independent and wanted to be able to do things for herself. Nico had been there for when Maki took her first steps after several months.

"Careful now," the older girl cautioned. "You don't want to fall and break them all over again, do you?"

Maki could hardly contain her excitement. She wobbled violently with each step, swaying dangerously from side to side. Nico let her use her shoulders for balance and support and a large smile spread across her face.

"Nico, I'm walking!"

Nico beamed at her; she just couldn't help it. Not only was she genuinely pleased that Maki was recovering wonderfully, but the younger girl's giddiness was contagious.

"Soon enough, you'll be running again with the rest of us."

Maki's eyes got wide and they seemed to fill with stars. "Running!"

"Whoa there tiger, not now. You still need to get used to walking again."

Maki was so happy that she had friends. She never had really had them before, she recalled from her earlier memories she retained, so she was very thrilled to know she had made some. They were all so kind and understanding towards her, and none of them seemed to care she was an heiress; they really just liked her. She was also very happy when she found out that they all did music together. She would beg the others to sing for her, but they weren't allowed, due to it being inside a hospital.

"Please!" Maki asked sweetly, trying to persuade Eli and Nico.

"We can't, Maki," Eli said patiently for the fifth time that day.

Nico clicked her tongue in annoyance. "The staff won't let us. We'd be disturbing the other patients."

This would cause Maki to pout and sulk for the rest of the visit. That was, until Nico and Honoka brought a laptop one day. The videos they showed her were amazing.

"Is… is that me?" she asked, pointing to the screen. The song they were singing was so pretty, and something clicked in her mind with familiarity. She'd heard that song before.

"Yup, that's you alright," Honoka grinned. "You have no idea how hard it was to even get you to compose the song for us in the first place."

Maki looked confused. "I didn't want to? But I love music."

"Yeah, but you were just kind of against the whole pop music thing."

"I do like classical music…" she relented calmly.

Nico looked her over. "Yeah, well you're definitely being more open than you were before the accident. You were really stubborn and never knew how to express yourself properly."

"Look who's talking," Honoka remarked, scowling slightly.

Now Maki sat in the Idol Research club room, waiting for the others to show up. She was somewhat annoyed with all the clutter, but she was more so impressed at exactly how much idol merchandise there was. It covered the walls, lined all the shelves, and even rested in the piles of boxes upon boxes that inhabited the corners of the room.

She flinched slightly as the door's handle clicked and it swung open, revealing the third years. They were each very surprised to say the least.

"M-Maki-chan?" Nico stuttered, looking shell-shocked.

"Yes?" She wasn't used to so many people being surprised by her every action. Her classmates had even been very surprised with her saying that they were used to the "cold shoulder" rather than her shyly ducking behind Rin when she didn't know how to handle something.

"You're here… rather early," Eli continued as she hesitantly entered the room. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything's fine. Honoka told me there was a meeting and I came after class."

Nozomi, unlike the other two, was already seated, having had waltzed in like this was normal. "You see, you usually would be the fourth or last person to show up to our meetings."

"Why?"

"Well I wouldn't know the real reason but you always told us you were 'busy' or 'were in no rush to come'," she explained warmly and slowly, as if she were talking to her young daughter.

Maki's face scrunched oddly. "Doesn't that sound a bit rude?"

Nico snorted. "Yeah? You could be pretty rude."

Nozomi shot the shorter girl a glare. "Nicocchi. You have no room to talk. Besides, we all knew it was a defense mechanism she set up for herself, so don't be insensitive."

Eli let out a huff of apprehensive air as she glanced at Nico's expression. As she expected, her fellow third year looked like she got slapped.

"Oh please don't fight…" Maki said, trembling slightly. She always knew there was something commanding about Nozomi, but she didn't realize how fearsome she could be.

By this time the others had begun arriving and taking their seats.

"Maki," Umi greeted.

"Hey Umi," the redhead's answer was immediate, clear, and friendly. Something Umi was not used to coming from her.

"A-ah, well, I was j-just wondering h-how your voice is recovering?"

"Oh, Papa said I'm recovering very quickly! He said I may even be able to sing if I keep up my medicine and throat exercises!" She could hardly contain herself, she was so excited. Then she remembered, "Oh but my other injuries are supposed to take more time to heal, so I can't really do much dancing…"

Umi smiled at her. "No worries. I'm simply happy you are recovering at such a steady pace. Honestly I'm very glad you are even able to be at school again, attending our meetings. Speaking of which, I should get these girls situated…"

They looked over and saw Rin, Honoka, and Nico all standing on the table, head banging rather aggressively to After School Navigators. Eli was trying to get them all to calm down while Kotori and Hanayo simply looked worried. Nozomi sat there quietly, her usual knowing smile on her face.

"Knock it off you three!" she called and stalked towards them.

A few weeks later and Maki's throat was ready for singing. Well, that information was currently solely known by her father and herself. She had tested out one of her old vocal practices and her voice sounded cracked and raw. That was to be expected, seeing that she hadn't been able to use it for several months.

She started immediately on her old singing routines, playing the piano and re-teaching her body the basics. She would have to repeat the process, again, whenever her father decided she was capable of dancing again, as well.

It took her less time than she expected to get back to her previous expertise. Her voice had only been "placed on a shelf" for a while and needed some "dusting", as she liked to think about the situation.

She speed walked - she would have ran if it weren't for her remaining injuries - towards the clubroom to share the good news with the others. She threw the door open, catching many of the girls inside off-guard.

"M-Maki!?"

Umi looked at her, eyes bulging slightly. "I would have thought that were Rin or Honoka if they weren't both already here!"

Both aforementioned gingers huffed indignantly, but silently agreed Maki's entrance was out of character. Though, she had been out of character for the majority of this ordeal.

"I can sing again!"

Everyone dropped what they were doing and all attention was on her in an instant. Surprised expressions sparked to life, shining radiantly with glee.

"No way!"

"You're kidding!"

"That's wonderful!"

Umi looked hesitant but asked, "Do you think you'd be ready to work with me on the new song? I know you just healed, and it is regrettable that I should have to place any sort of burden on you, but we are already running out of time for-"

"Love Live," Maki interrupted instantly.

"Huh?"

Even the first year looked confused. "I don't know where that came from… but there's this important thing called Love Live, right?"

"Yes."

"And we're running out of time…" she said, almost guiltily.

"Oh!" Umi caught her tone immediately. "It is in no way your fault we're behind, Maki. I already have some of the steps worked out and Kotori has the outfits already together. You and I just need to fix the music and-"

"... And wait for my leg to heal…"

"Well yes… there is still that."

Nico scowled. "And we have to get her back in shape."

"I've been walking!" Maki huffed, a deep red blush burning her face.

"Unfortunately, that's not enough…"

"Eli," Nozomi spoke. "Maki is a very capable girl. We'll make it on time." She turned her wise gaze to Maki. "Besides, we're all here to help her. She won't be left behind."

Maki felt tears prick her eyes. Nozomi stood and brought her into her arms. The others all were very touched at the scene in front of them. That is, until Rin decided;

"GROUP HUG!"

Honoka and Rin leapt up and threw themselves at the other two girls, nearly knocking them off balance. Kotori and Hanayo made their way over and claimed their spots, Eli dragging Umi to join in. Nico walked up and claimed her place.

"It's too hot," came Maki's abrupt complaint. "Get off."

Everyone sprang back, looking at her like they weren't sure if she would be there the second they looked away.

"Oh gosh I'm sorry, that was rude… I don't know what came over me."

"Maki's back!" Honoka cheered. "You're usually like that!"

"What? But that was so ungrateful of me!"

"Nah," Nico corrected her, "you always hid your feelings that way. Or expressed yourself better that way."

After a moment of thinking, Maki said, "Well it did feel good, I guess."