St. Elsewhere

Sean had an uneasy nights sleep. His dreams were chopped up and all over the place. Dark dreams filled with men in white coats, abandoned wheel chairs and the constant soundtrack of tears.

It was for this reason that Sean was up before the birds had even started singing.

He was stood on the balcony that Mia's room possessed, holding onto the black ornate railing with both hands and looking down the still dim street that was lined with tall and old trees, admiring the orange glow that the streetlights added to the scene.

He looked over his shoulder at the sleeping figure of Mia. The tears had worn her out, her dreams may also have been chaotic and uncomfortable but her sleep was sound and untouched, the soft sound of steady and deep breathing filled the room gently and soothed Sean, knowing that she was better asleep and far away from her thoughts that would become her tormentor for the up coming day.

The sun slowly began to rise and as the fresh sunlight began to flood through the streets and shine through the green leaves bathing the street and Sean, still stood on the balcony, in hopeful early spring morning light.

After a couple of minutes soaking up the sun Sean pulled his mobile out of his jeans pocket and dialled a familiar number.

"Matt? It's me Sean, listen I need your help."

- - -

Mia had woken up from a long and dreamless sleep by bright sunlight flooding into the room. She shielded her eyes and could make out Sean's form stood on the balcony that was over looking the street along which large elm trees stood.

She got out of bed almost noiselessly and patted over to Sean, barefoot, pulling a hoodie over her thin t-shirt.

She stood next to him and slid her hand in his.

He looked up startled and a soft smile spread across his face.

"Morning sleepy head." He said and gently kissed her on the lips.

"You're up early." Mia stated, looking at his tired face, but noticing that his eyes were shining bright which meant that he had good news.

Sean just nodded and caught her hand and held it lightly in his, playing with her fingers.

"Do you think your parents could spare you for four days?" Sean asked tentatively.

"Depending on what, possibly." Mia said slowly wondering what was going on inside Sean's head; whose smiled widened into a grin.

"I think I've found a way to get you to ballet school again."

- - -

And so it came that Mia found herself sat in Sean's car again, her bags thrown in the back and Sean driving back down the motorway in high sprits.

He had refused to tell her exactly what was going to happen, having talked to Mia's father and mother in private to inform them of his idea. Mia unable to take the secrecy had attempted to listen with her ear pressed to the closed door, but she could not make out clearly what was being said; she only heard her mother's tone of protest and then Sean's reassuring voice. The three of them came out of the living room fifteen minutes later and to Mia's surprise her mother was smiling but also refused to say what was going on.

Her mother only said with a soft smile still on her face:

"This is quite an extraordinary man Mia, keep a hold of him." Which made Sean blush the shade of his pink in his hair, but secretly he was proud having already won Mia's parents over.

"So what's actually going on?" Mia asked impatiently and was even more infuriated when Sean tapped his nose knowing and shot her a grin.

After another uneventful drive down, Mia and Sean found themselves parking the car outside of the apartment block that Rhys and Nat lived in. Twenty minutes later Mia was sat on the couch in Rhys and Nat's apartment, comfortably squashed between an ecstatic Lauren and a joyful Nat, holding a steaming cup of green tea. Rhys, Gavin, Bob, Matt and Sean occupied the rest of the chairs and the floor space in the tiny living room.

Questions after questions were fired at her, making Mia feel even more guilty about not having been honest with them in the first place.

But in the car whilst driving down the busy motorway Sean made Mia promise that she first told her story and exactly what was happening before Sean enlightened her about his secret plan.

So Mia did what was expected of her. She apologised for bailing out on them like that and told everybody present the condition her mother was in and explained right from the start what was going on: having to go to ballet school on a scholarship because the family could only just afford her mothers healthcare, her mothers' deterioration and now there was not enough money to keep up a personal carer and so Mia would not be able to go to school in London, and then with some difficulty Mia explained how she might lose her scholarship.

The reaction from everybody was so different from the one which Mia had expected.

There was no rage, anger or hard feelings for her not having said any of this earlier. Everybody's faces were awash with understanding and concern. But not pity.

"So what are you going to do now?" Nat gently asked Mia, pouring her another mug of tea.

"I have no idea." Mia said truthfully.

"We do." Matt and Sean crooned in one voice.

"Well enlighten us please." Nat said sarcastically rolling her eyes at them.

Sean gestured to Gavin and Gavin took the lead from here.

"We're going to play three shows on three consecutive evenings and the money raised is going go to you and your family so you can get a carer for you mum which means you could come back to London and dance."