Heart-Shaped Box

"What?!" Kurt yelled, half asleep still. "You've gotta be kidding me..."

Kemmy was shaking as she held the test. "Um, actually...I'm not sure, I've never used one of these before..."

Kurt took it out of her hands. "You idiot, that means it's a negative."

"Oh...okay. Sorry for scaring you." Kemmy breathed a sigh of relief.

Kurt just laughed. "It's okay...you seriously scared the crap out of me though."

Kemmy smiled weakly. "I really am an idiot, aren't I?"

"You really are," Kurt agreed, but kissed her on the forehead. "But I love you for it."

*~*~*

"So you slept with him?" Cassie asked excitedly. "How did it go? What happened? You have to tell me everything!"

"Well," Kemmy said thoughfully. "He was pretty good, I'll give him that."

"Do you love him now?"

The question caught Kemmy off guard. "I - I guess so. I mean, I'm not sure... I think he's really hot, hotter than Billie, so that's a good sign... and I let him have sex with me, so... I mean..."

"Ugggh!" Cassie looked exasperated. "You mean you're still not sure, even after--"

"Want me to be really honest?" Kemmy folded her arms. "I only did it because I wanted to forget Billie. And you know what? I think I have."

"I feel sorry for Kurt," Cassie muttered. "I can't imagine how he'd feel if he knew you were just using him."

"But I'm not," Kemmy cried. "I really do like him, I just don't love him..."

"Well you better hurry up and fall for him," Cassie pointed out. "Girl...you're going to be in trouble if you find out that you're still in love with Billie...."

Kemmy stared at the ceilling. "If that happens...I'd shoot myself." She made a gun with her fingers and pretended to fire it. "Bang."

Cassie didn't smile. "Seriously. You have issues."

"I'm working on them," Kemmy promised, smiling finally. "So how're you and Tre?"

"We're just fine," answered Cassie simply. "He's such a sweetheart, Kem, I can't believe you haven't considered hooking up with him in all those years you knew him!"

"Actually, we tried," admitted Kemmy. "It was hilariously awkward and the farthest we ever got was a peck on the lips. It lasted like....two days."

Cassie laughed. "Wow. But you're still such good friends."

"Yeah, he's always been there to give me advice and stuff. And he's been a huge help during the whole Billie thing. Mike too, but he's not as sympathetic - he's more of the 'what the hell were you thinking' type." Kemmy sat down on the bed. "Can't say I blame him, actually." She looked up at Cassie. "So did you shag him yet?"

Angel blushed. "No!"

*
*~*~*
*

-The next day- Tre's house

The door opened. "I told you not to come over here anymore!" Tre snapped, sticking his head out. Then his angry expression faded. "Is Cassie with you?" he asked hopefully.

"You've got to come with me, she's dying!" Kemmy cried.

*~*~*

In the room, Cassie lay bleeding on the stretcher.

"What happened to her?"

"Drunk driver," Kemmy answered, her voice shaky. "She had an accident on the freeway..."

"She's in bad shape." The doctor checked a machine by her bedside.

"No shit," Tre spat. "You gotta do something, anything, give her medicine, whatever you have to do!" He leaned over Angel nervously. "You can't just let her go," he pleaded.

"I'm going to do what I can," was all the doctor said. "No promises."

Kemmy and Tre waited in the room for hours into the night. Kemmy finally fell asleep, but Tre couldn't.

"Please be okay," he begged the unconscious Cassie, who gave no response.

*~*~*

Kemmy stood outside at the drink machine, punching the vend button furiously. "Come out, dammit!" she yelled. The machine whirred and made grinding noises, but didn't release any beverages.

She sank to the ground in frustration. "Please?" Kemmy asked on her knees. "Please, please please? I need this now more than ever," she said with an exasperated sigh.

"Kemmy?"

She stood up, recognizing the voice. And didn't turn around.

"Why are you here?" Kemmy kept her gaze fixed on the machine.

"I came because I heard Tre was here. I wanted to be here for him... with the whole Cassie thing." She heard Billie Joe step closer. "I didn't ... I guess I didn't realize you'd be here, too. Stupid, huh?"

Kemmy turned around, finally, and offered a smile. "Not as stupid as some people," she replied sheepishly.

Billie Joe ran a hand through his hair. "I'm...sorry. You know...about the whole calling you a whore thing. I was just mad, you know. I shouldn'tve... but... anyway ...can you forgive me?"

Kemmy extended a hand. "Sure. Friends?"

"Friends." He shook it.

"I was just out here trying to get a drink," Kemmy explained feebly. "But the machine--"

"I heard," Billie Joe said with a laugh, and kicked it. The Dr Pepper fell down with a clunk.

"Thanks," Kemmy told him gratefully.

"Let's check on Tre."

*~*~*

"She's not doing so good," Tre choked. "They told me not to expect her to make it...but...oh, fuck!" He started crying. "I don't want to lose her!"

Billie Joe put a hand on his shoulder. "I know how it feels, man," Billie Joe murmured. "I understand...so much."

Kemmy bit her lip. Why did he have to come back now? Right when she was just starting to forget -

Her phone vibrated. It was Kurt. She opened the text.

'hey babe hows cassie'

Kemmy felt a lump in her throat.

'not so good & neither is tre'

Tre's eyes were red, but he'd stopped crying. "The bastards who did this are gonna pay."