When It All Goes Wrong Again

[Piper Galloway]

Even though it had been days since Piper's last episode had freaked out her beloved, favorite teacher Bell Connelly, the young girl still hadn't been able to shake the guilt that lingered in the wake of the debacle.  She still remembered the image of the young teacher's face, bright blue eyes gleaming with worry and concern and it wrenched at Piper's heart.  She didn't imagine it had been easy on Bell, after all, it probably wasn't every day she had a student pass out on her.  Piper was just thankful it had been a vertigo spell and not a seizure.  That probably would have gone over terribly.

All this was more than likely why Piper was now making her way toward Bell's classroom after the last classes had ended for the day with a foil wrapped plate carried in both hands.  She'd been wanting to approach her teacher about this, though nerves prevented her from doing so.  She didn't want to come off as pushy or needy but still felt something needed to be said and maybe certain fences needed mending.

"Excuse me, Miss Connelly?"  Piper said, cautiously poking her head into the classroom to see if the teacher was busy.  Finding her alone, Piper slipped into the room and pushed the door closed behind her with the heel of her sneaker.  "I hope I'm not being a bother."  Piper spoke in her usual soft, almost gentle tone that wrapped her words in a clean British accent.  "I just wanted to thank you for the other day."  She said tentatively, still standing just a few feet inside the doorway, the plate held in her hands.  "I made brownies."  She added nervously, lifting the plate a bit for emphasis.

[Bell Connelly]

Bell really was glad that student felt so comfortable walking up to her approaching them with whatever problems they might have. it was honestly the biggest compliment she could ever receive that she was a source of comfort for them, she knew that there were worries that the average highschoolers life so she made sure that everyone knew that they could come to her rain or shy. Open door policy.

She was busy writing down some notes, as always the picture frame of Sarah Connelly watching over her eternally cheery, she was just half way through the grading of one paper (C- it looked like. Very hit and miss) when there was a knock on her door and she was ever so pleasantly surprised to see Piper there. A big bright smile greeting her face once she did, small relief over taking her when she saw that seemed much better then she was the last time she met. "Oh you can never be a bother" Bell said meaning every single word. It was endearing to see how she was still nervous around her. She let out a pleasantly surprised coo once she saw that she brought food "Oh really, you didn't need to do that..That's very kind of you" Bell pushed herself off her chair and glided towards Piper "Here let me take that off your hands"

[Piper Galloway]

Piper only began to move further into the room once Bell had stood and was approaching. She met the redheaded teacher halfway and held out the foil wrapped tray with a certain contentment having settled over her. Once the tray of browmies had been secured, Piper pulled back and smiled, a hand reaching over to tug the cuff of her long sleeve shirt down, covering the corner what looked to be a brownish purple bruise on her arm.

"Thank for helping me." Piper said, her voice still soft. "I didn't mean to scare you. It's one of those things I've lived with for so long I forget how frightening it can be for someone else to see." She explained as a friend invaded her feature, but only for a moment. "I hope you like chocolate." She said quickly switching gears and peering to Bell with a hopeful gleam in her eye. "If you don't I can bring you some sugar cookies."

[Bell Connelly]

Bell could have sworn that he sworn that she saw something out of the corner of her eye at Piper's arm, but she covered it up too fast for Bell to get a good look at it, she made a mental note to look for it later but just then the smell of melted chocolate hit her nose and oh it was heavenly, Bell put it to the back of her head for the moment as she focused on the brownies.

Balancing the try in her hands she brought it to rest on her desk beside the picture of Sarah letting it rest there before becoming Piper forward with a bright smile and inviting body language "Please, sit down. You don't expect me to eat them all by myself do you?"

"Well, I must admit, it was quite a shock to see you like that. I was so worried but I'm very glad you're ok now and yes, everyone has their vices and mine happens to be chocolate"

[Piper Galloway]

When Bell had taken the tray from her, Piper stood politely by, hands folding together in front of her. She smiled brightly and nodded enthusiastically. She hadn't expected the invitation but she graciously accepted and moved to sit in the indicated seat.

"Yes, well, I'm doing much better, thank you." She let out a light chuckle, her blue eyes gleaming as they remained focused upon the redheaded teacher. "I'm sure it was." Piper agreed with a nod. "If it, uh, happens again, I can assure you I'll be okay. Just a glass of water and a lie down and I'll be good as new in no time!"

[Bell Connelly]

Piper was such a sweet girl, not many children would think of baking a teacher a bunch of brownies ,this was a rare treat that honestly touched Bell deeply not to mention appealed to her sweet tooth, she supposed that was her Achilles Heel.
"I didn't know you were a cook Piper. This is very sweet of you. You really didn't have to do this" Bell nodded and it was true she didn't know what compelled Piper to take this to her of all people. Bell hasn't really done anything to warrant such a treat, at least in her mind. All she did was check to see if she ok when she had a dizzy spell. Hardly enough to warrant this

Not that she was complaining of course....

"Thanks for the heads up" She winked before she took a bite out of the brownie "Meeeh. This is really good. Try one. Please!"

[Piper Galloway]

"I learned how to bake at the orphanage in England." Piper explained, eyes still bright. She had learned a great many things while in the various housing systems she'd been cycled through until being adopted. "I never got the chance to play with the other kids, much." She have a bit if a frown at that, though her features quickly lit up again. "One of the sisters, I guess you could say took me under her wing and taught me." Piper let out a soft giggle as she did as she was told and carefully plucked one of the chocolatey squares from the tray.

"And how have you been?" Piper asked softly. Her eyes shone with concern and a certain sense of admiration as they remained on Bell. "I hope the beginning of the school year hasn't been too much stress." There was a faint pause then as Piper noticed something amiss on Bell's desk. "Did you get her a new picture frame?" She asked, gesturing toward the framed photo of Bell and her sister that was always nearby.

[Bell Connelly]

Bell cheery disposition took a hit after learning that Piper grew up at an children home. Bell's heart went out to her she couldn't imagine how terribly lonely it must have been to leave in a place like that and not have a family, Of course in Bell's mind, the mental image of where Piper grow up was a terribly unflattering place, like something out of Oliver Twist, but she tried to tell herself that her mental picture of what a place like that was was distorted by books and this was real life and she hoped that the place where Piper grew up was at least comfortable.

She swallowed her piece of brownie and frowned "Why not?" Bell asked, she didn't see a reason why Piper should be excluded, well she thought the same with almost every child but Piper was clearly a very nice person and she wouldn't be surprised if she had an army of friends to call upon, After a moment Bell winched and put her hand up "Sorry, sometimes I open my mouth without thinking. That's terribly personal forget I said anything

Bell's eyes drifted to where Sarah's picture sat proudly -It wasn't the first time that happened today- and her face twisted a little her lips pursing as she was reminded of her encounter with Elsa Bellefonte "Mhhh. I did. Sarah had an accident and she broke so I got her a new one" After a beat Bell shut her eyes closed like her tongue clicking with tension "Sarah's picture. Not Sarah. Sarah's picture had an accident"

She hated when she did that

[Piper Galloway]

Piper gave a faint shrug of her slender shoulders and brought the brownie she'd selected up to her lips where she nibbled a bit on the corner. In spite of the personal, and easily construed as tragic, topic of of conversation the bright, joyful gleam never left Piper's gaze. Hers hadn't been an easy life but she held no grudges.

"I was sickly as a child." Piper explained, carefully wiping a finger across the corner of her lips. "I spent most of my days indoors." A trace of sadness touched her eyes then, but as usual it didn't last long. "But while the other kids were playing tag and hide and seek I learned how to bake and sew." Her eyes widened. "Oh! Do you crochet, by any chance?"

A thoughtful nod was given as Bell explained the need for a new picture frame. Piper's smile softened and she reached out, tentatively at first and placed her tiny hand over Bell's. "It's okay." She said, smiling warmly. "It feels better to talk about her like she's here with you, doesn't it?"

[Bell Connelly]

Bell bit the baked good absentmindedly, The impromptu lunch was the least of Bell's worries at the moment, She was interested in Piper, she seemed to have such a harsh life but despite this she seemed to be ever so happy. Her smile just seemed to light up the entire room, honestly Bell has rarely seen someone do that just through the act of smiling . -Maybe Sarah...She used to love to see her smile- So there was something admirable about her attitude.

Bell began to put two and two....yes she saw an example of how sickly she was that day at the book club didn't she? God, only knew how bad she was when she was a child. "I'm sorry to hear that" Every child's natural instinct was to play outside, it must have horrible to be prisoner in that place wondering what it was like to have friends....

And yet she was still putting a positive spin on it, Bell couldn't help but let out an amused giggle and a smile to match Piper's as she leaned back in her chair "I'm afraid not, Crochet is not one of my skills, But I can knit, I knitted a few jumpers that I wear,I've picked up a lot of stuff when I was your age like ballet and the like, but not Crochet I'm afraid" Bell nodded, taking a bite again "...Sarah was the exact opposite...She was more into hip hop and rap" Bell smirked a little at the memory...and then her heart settled back in her chest again with a dull thud, why did every single topic of conversation always turn to her?

Bell's hand was a little spooked by the unexpected presence of another but she found the small warmth comfortable as she locked eye contact with Piper her eyes twinkling sighing "Yeah...Yeah it does..."
She made a mental note to change the subject as soon as she could

[Piper Galloway]

"Don't be sorry for me, Miss Connelly." Piper insisted softly. She smiled again. It always felt better to smile through the things in life that tried to get you down. It was either that or cry and Piper refused to do that anymore. She had managed to get by and find the silver lining in everything. "I was happy then. It may not sound like it, but I was." She felt almost a pang of guilt right then. The people worthy of Bell's sympathy were those like her sister. The ones who had been extinguished before their time.

"Perhaps one day you could teach me." The words came tumbling from Piper's lips seemingly of their own volition. Her enthusiasm over the mere idea if it shone through in her voice even as she instantly brought a hand up to her mouth. "Oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have." She stammered apologetically. "I crossed my boundaries. Forget I said anything." She said, worried that she may have come on too strong or maybe expected more than she should from her teacher.

Piper's hand gently closed over Bell's and she gave it a reassuring squeeze. Her eyes gleamed warmly as they peered up to Bell. "If she was here right now I know she'd be proud of you." Piper said quietly before pulling away. She had left herself slip and get pulled into Bell's emotions. Piper shrank into herself, uttering a low 'sorry' as she prepared to be chastised for violating the student-teacher relationship.

[Bell Connelly]

There was that smile again, did she every really stop? She couldn't recall any real time where she wasn't happy, and giving what had happened to her in her life which again made Bell respect Piper more and more, It's a miracle that she would still keep smiling considering all that she have to deal with.

Bell needed to learn how to do that...

"I'm sure you're right...I've no doubt it was a nice place to live" Or maybe hope was a more accurate word to describe Bell's feelings.

Bell's eyes wide momentarily in surprise at the abrupt request. She wasn't expecting this, not at all. She wasn't aware anyone could be so enthusiastic about kitting but there seemed to be little that she wasn't enthusiastic about "Well, I'm hardly a kitting teacher Piper. It's more of a hobby more then anything else, but if you really want I could show you a few things" Most teens would have the activity boring, but Piper didn't seem like most teenagers

Bell felt the comfortable squeeze on her hand just like the one she had felt a thousand times over from friends and family after the shooting, the gesture that meant "I'm here for you" even if she felt it so many times that didn't mean it was any less appreciated, she blinked a little at the words that came out of Piper's mouth. Oh how she wanted to believe that. She really really did, but the truth was she never pictured her proud. She pictured Sarah watching her with anger screaming why wasn't she there when she needed her most or in fear tears streaming down her face muttering, "Please I don't want to die..."

Bell shook these thoughts away and put on a painted smile "Thank you Piper" She said in a strangely emotionless voice "For what it's worth I'm sure you two would have been friends...if you could keep up with her...she was adventitious"

[Piper Galloway]

There was more light to be found in the soft, blue eyes that looked to Bell with such reverence. Not only had Bell not corrected Piper in her rudeness, but she'd actually accepted! If one hand wasn't still holding the partially nibbled in brownie they would have clasped together as Piper issued a gleeful squeal. Her mind instantly started thinking ahead. This was what families did, right? Taught each other things, supported them. Piper couldn't wait to feel what it was like to have someone looking after her. "I would love that." She agrees with an enthusiastic nod.

"Do you think so?" Piper's head tilted slightly at Bell's comment. Would she really have gotten along with Sarah? Just for Bell to say such a thing was more than enough to draw out a humbled, sheepish smile. "I would've been so lucky." She said.

"Um..." She grew a bit serious then as she studied Bell carefully. Her already soft tone lightened even more as she tentatively spoke. "Could you..." She hesitated a moment as the subtle psychic waves began to project from her mind, tugging gently at Bell's subconscious. "Could you tell me a story about Sarah? I do so love hearing you talk about her."

[Bell Connelly]

Well to be honest, Bell really didn't see what Piper saw in her or what she was doing here, Sure Piper was a very friendly student that caught her at a very vulnerable moment but Bell never dud anything particularly nice for the girl, or at least anything to deserve this kind of attention but she was sure that Piper had her reasons for being so happy to be around her "Well we certainly should do it sometime soon.


Bell tilted her head as Piper stumbled over her words, she raised an eyebrow when she finally came out with her request...normally Bell would be somewhat uncomfortable with that request, but Piper seemed very interested and...talking about her sister now was almost , comforting in a way to Bell. She frowned a little almost in contemplation lost in her own thoughts more then anything else "She hated the uniforms...I remember that, she was...very willful and every day she used just toss on the tie and every morning I would have to call her back and straighten her tie for her...She used to hate that"