It's Not Over Yet (the seventh book in the glee series)

Chapter 25: Something's Gotta Change Around Here

"Well, I think we should help them," Bree said.

"I need to help myself first," said Kitty. "Something's gotta change around here for me or my head will explode, I swear it." Looking up at the opening door she added, "Hmm, that Christopher gets sexier every time I see him."

She wiggled her fingers at him in a sort of wave and he waved back, walking straight past them to the counter. After quickly giving his order, he walked back to the girls and said, "Bree, Kitty, hi. How are you?"

"We're great," Bree said politely. "How about you? We hear a lot is changing over at Blackbird."

"I'm actually not working there anymore," said Christopher.

"You got fired?" Kitty gasped.

Laughing he said, "No, no. Not really. I've pretty much done everything I had to do with the construction there. I was just supervising so they dismissed me. I'm working on a couple of construction projects in the suburbs. New houses, private projects. But I liked working on Blackbird. Something for the public, you know?"

"Totally," Kitty nodded.

"So what now?" asked Bree.

"Uh," Christopher shrugged. "I don't know. I like this town and I think I wanna stick around but... I need more projects to keep me busy if I'm gonna be here." They called for his order so he said, "I should go. Nice talking to you."

"You too," Bree smiled. "Good luck!"

As he left with his order, Kitty watched him go and asked, "Are he and Amity still..?"

"I doubt it," said Bree. "But who even knows with her anymore."

"Huh..." Kitty said, smiling to herself as she tapped her fingers on the desk. "I have an idea."

Bree anticipated that whatever it was wasn't great so all she responded was, "Oh no..."

***

"OH NO!" exclaimed the birthing teacher, standing over John's shoulder. "She's not breathing right and you're not helping her. She could die!"

John glanced up at him for a moment, made a face, then looked back down at Marley, who was lying on her back with her legs bent up, wide open.

She resumed her exaggerated, quick breaths until the instructor walked away, at which point John whispered, "This is ridiculous."

"It's good practice for the real thing," Marley responded.

"You've done this before," said John. "You don't need practice."

"Practice for you," Marley raised an eyebrow. "You're calm now but when the day comes you're gonna be freaking out. The guys always freak out."

"I think I'll survive," John rolled his eyes. "And so will you."

She reached her arms to him for help propping up her body. After she was resting on her elbows, closer to eye level with him, she said, "Speaking of things which might kill us... How are you feeling about what Julie said?"

"Her crazy plan for me to go in search of Roxie and force a confession out of her?" John responded. "It's crazy."

"Ok, good," Marley felt a sense of relief.

"But," he added, taking that relief away, "I don't think I can say no to her. Or to Alex. They need help and they can't go themselves or they could get into big trouble and—"

"—and you can get into big trouble too," Marley shook her head. "You have just as much at stake here, John. It wasn't fair for them to ask you of all people to go looking for this woman. She could be dangerous. Not to mention that you're a public figure who could get into a lot of trouble for getting involved."