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Chapter Text

Janis froze in place as the dull thud sounded, and then the screeching tires followed. Regina's body was flung forward, crashing onto the asphalt unceremoniously, broken, lifeless. Janis' eyes widened, but the sound got caught in her throat, as everyone that had gathered to watch the fight between Regina and Cady, was screaming.

Everyone was screaming, but no one actually moved, and then Janis realized, she was moving. It wasn't even conscious, she just knew she needed to get to Regina.

She rushed towards the blonde who wasn't moving, that was the only thing Janis could focus on. Regina wasn't moving.

The bus driver got there first, and he looked absolutely terrified.
"Hey, can you hear me?!" He knelt by Regina's side, checking for a pulse "Someone call 9-1-1!"

"They are on their way!" Cady called back, and Janis could hear the tears in her voice.

She knelt at Regina's side, almost throwing up her lunch at the sight of her. She was lying at an awkward angle her face bloody and bruised, but she was still alive. Janis knew, because her eyes focused on Janis'.
"Hey, look at me." Janis murmured "This isn't how you go out? You hear me?"

"Janis..." Regina breathed, tears flowing out of her eyes down the sides of her face.

"You're gonna be okay." Janis murmured, scared to touch her "You'll get through this."

"We have to help her!" Someone from the crowd blurted out.

"We can't move her, you idiot!" Janis growled "She probably has a spinal injury."

"I swear to God, I didn't see her." The bus driver shook his head. He looked ghostly white, his eyes wide "I would've stopped. I didn't see her!"

The paramedics arrived a couple of minutes later, and they forced everyone to back off so they could work. They took Regina's vitals, and then they carefully moved her onto one of those boards, and once she was secure, they put her on a gurney and moved her into the back of the ambulance.

"Is anyone coming with her?" The paramedic asked. Janis' gaze moved to Cady, because the
redhead had spent all year hanging out with Regina every day. But Cady didn't say anything. She just kept looking down.

"I will." Janis spoke, eliciting a few gasps and murmurs from her peers.

"Hop in." She said, and Janis did as told.

She tried to stay out of the way, but still make sure Regina knew she wasn't alone. It felt important for some reason.

"Do you know if she's allergic to anything?" The paramedic asked.

"No allergies." Janis shook her head "Her blood type is O-negative."

"So, is she your friend or girlfriend?" The paramedic asked with a sympathetic look.

"Mortal enemy is more appropriate." Janis murmured with a small smile, getting a confused look. "We used to be best friends."

"But, you were the only one who offered to come with her." The paramedic look befuddled.

"People are assholes." Janis told her with a shrug "They wanted to be around her because she was the pretty, rich, popular girl. Not because of her."

"Tale as old as time." The paramedic shook her head.

The ride to the hospital went by pretty quickly, and before Janis knew it, they were rushing Regina into the E.R.. Once they handed her off, a nurse approached Janis.
"Do you have contact information for a parent or a guardian?" She asked

"Y-yeah, I think I have her mom's number." Janis pulled out her phone with shaky hands and scrolled through her contact list until she found June George. She hadn't used it in years, but she never deleted the number.

She gave it to the nurse, and then the paramedics led her to the waiting room, before leaving.

Janis collapsed onto one of the chairs, staring at a single spot ahead of her, mind spinning. She couldn't believe the past hour actually happened. Regina George actually got hit by a bus. Janis was actually sitting in the hospital waiting room while the doctors treated her.

Janis didn't want to think about it, but she knew that even if the doctors saved Regina, there would be consequences. She had gotten hit by a bus. Her body looked broken.

She didn't even know what the fuck she was doing at the hospital. She and Regina sure as shit weren't friends, and Regina didn't even deserve Janis' help, but the brunette couldn't help it. So, she stayed.

About twenty minutes after she got to the waiting room, the doors opened, and June George rushed in, holding Kylie's hand.

Janis couldn't believe how big Kylie had gotten since she saw her last. The 8-year-old was looking around with wide eyes, clearly scared.

June rushed to the reception desk, where the woman told her that Regina was being treated and someone would come and update her soon.

The blonde turned towards the waiting area with the chairs, and that was when she spotted Janis. She looked taken aback for a long moment, and then she approached.

"Janis, sweetheart, what are you doing here?" She asked, as Janis got to her feet.

"I- I was there." Janis spoke, voice catching in her throat "And the paramedics asked if anyone was going with her. Nobody else stepped up."

"What happened?" June asked, the three of them sitting down.

"She and Cady were fighting." Janis shared shakily "Regina was storming out of the school, and she was looking at Cady while they argued. She stepped onto the crosswalk, and the bus came out of nowhere."

"Bus?" June asked, looking devastated. "They said it was a car accident."

"It was a bus." Janis shook her head.

"Well, thank you for being here." June offered quietly "Even after everything."

"Yeah."

They didn't really talk a lot while they sat there, and Janis considered leaving a few times, but something inside wouldn't let her. She had to know if Regina made it.

One of the doctors came out to update June a couple of times, and they kept saying things like "Her condition is stable." which Janis hoped was a good thing.

Then, about 6 hours after they wheeled her into surgery, two doctors came through the doors of the waiting room.
"Mrs. George," The older one addressed Regina "I'm Dr. Pierson." She shook June's hand "I was the neurosurgeon operating on Regina."

"How is she?" June asked frightfully.

"She is stable." She said grimly "Two of her vertebrae were shattered, and we replaced them with instrumentation. Her neck was also injured." The doctor paused "We put her in a medically induced coma to help her body heal, especially because there is slight brain swelling."

"Oh my God..." June gasped.

"Regina is alive, that is the silver lining here." The surgeon offered soothingly.

"Is- Is she paralyzed?" June asked, tears in her voice.

"It is too soon to tell right now." She said, and Janis felt like she wasn't fully honest "At the moment, we are focused on helping her spine and back heal properly. We will reassess when we reverse the medically induced coma."

"When can we see her?" June asked.

"My colleagues are taking her to the ICU right now," The doctor explained "once they get her settled, someone will come get you. I will be on call for the rest of the night, in case you have any questions or concerns."

"O-Okay, thank you." June breathed.

The nurse that came to take them to the ICU told them there was a 'family only' policy, so there was nothing Janis could do. It was already past 8 p.m., so Janis headed home because she didn't want her parents to worry.

As soon as she stepped through the door, though, that went out of the window.
"Janis?!" Her mom gasped "What the hell happened?!" She demanded, and that's when Janis realized her clothes were stained with Regina's blood.

"I-" Janis stammered "R-Regina got hit by a bus."

"What?!" Both of her parents yelped simultaneously.

"She got hit by a bus." She repeated, and then the tears came. They both rushed over, pulling her into a tight hug as the sobs ripped through her.

She told them everything that had happened, and her mom made sure to text June. The women hadn't been in touch since Regina did what she did, but Malia put that aside for the time being.

Janis ate a little dinner and then retreated to her bedroom. There were dozens of calls and texts on her phone from Damian and Cady and literally everyone at school that had heard that she was there when it happened. Janis responded to none of them. She couldn't. She could only think about Regina's broken body lying there in the street.

The next day, she told Damian about what had happened, and while he was surprised by the way she was affected, he didn't fight her on it.

Two days after the bus crash, Janis got a call from Mrs. George. She said that Regina had been moved from the ICU to a regular room and that Janis could visit, if she wanted to.

Janis got ready to go before she even realized what she was doing.
"Where are you going, kiddo?" Her dad asked, putting down the TV remote.

"Uh, Mrs. George told me Regina got moved to a regular hospital room, and I can visit." She said.

"Janis..."

"I need to see her, Dad!" She said "I need to see she's alive."

"Okay, I'll drive you." He said, and got up to grab his keys and his wallet.

When she got to the hospital, her legs suddenly felt heavy. Like she couldn't walk the distance to Regina's room.
"We can go home right now." Her dad said softly "You don't have to do this."

"I think I do." Janis whispered, and then she walked up to the elevators, her dad in tow. June had texted her the room number, so she didn't have trouble finding the room. When she walked in, she wished she hadn't found it, though.

Regina was lying in bed, a nasal canula on her nose, an external fixator holding her neck and back in place, face scratched up and bruised.

June and Kylie were there, and even Regina's dad was in the room, though he stood to the side. June looked exhausted and devastated, with dark circles under her eyes and red-rimmed eyes. Regina's dad had always been kind of robotic, but he seemed worried too. He and June had divorced two years prior, if gossip was to be believed. Kylie's expression broke Janis' heart. She looked terrified, staring at Regina like her big sister would disappear if she looked away.

"Janis, you came." June tried to smile and failed.

"Yeah." Janis gulped "How- How is she doing?"

"She is getting better bit by bit." Michael, Regina's dad, answered "The doctors are optimistic, considering."

"Let's- Let's grab a cup of coffee, give Janis a minute." June suggested, and Michael nodded.

"No!" Kylie snapped "I'm not leaving Reggie."

"Kylie..." June sighed like she was exhausted.

"It's okay." Janis murmured "Let her stay."

Regina's parents, along with Janis' dad went to get coffee, and then Janis was left alone with the George girls. She hadn't been alone with Regina and Kylie since their falling out.

"You aren't Reggie's friend." Kylie told her, frowning as Janis sat down.

"No, I'm not." Janis replied. She had never lied to Kylie and she wasn't about to start.

"Why are you here, then?!" Kylie demanded.

"I don't know, Kylie." Janis told her honestly. "I don't know why I'm here. I thought I hated her, but then, this happened, and now I don't know."

"She has pictures of you." Kylie murmured, making Janis' heart drop "I think it's like a secret. I found them by accident, and she took them from me. She wasn't mad but she wouldn't talk to me about you."

"Yeah, sounds about right." Janis sighed.

"Karen and Gretchen and Cady didn't come to visit her." Kylie remarked "I thought they were her friends."

"Sometimes, when something horrible happens, some people freeze." Janis explained softly "It doesn't mean that they aren't her friends or that they don't love her."

"I talk to Reggie. The doctor says she can hear us." Kylie stated after a while "Maybe you can tell her something to make her wake up."

"I can try." Janis quirked a smile. She loved how innocent Kylie was.

She took Regina's hand, which was kind of cold, but still as soft as Janis remembered. She hadn't held Regina's hand in more than five years.

"I know you're in pain and everything sucks right now." Janis spoke, blinking back tears "But, you have to wake up and be okay so I can yell at you for what you turned into."

For the next week, Janis tried to maintain a semblance of normalcy, but she kept visiting Regina in the hospital without telling anyone. She did run into Shane a couple of times, and they never talked, but they shared an understanding.

The school was getting shut down for two weeks to deal with the burn book fallout and Regina's accident, and Janis tried to get her mind right during that time, but nothing helped.

Not painting, and definitely not hanging out with Damian and Cady. Damian kept relaying every piece of gossip he'd hear about Regina, no matter how unhinged, while Cady was so wracked with guilt that she couldn't even talk about Regina.

And then, a week after the accident, Janis walked in to find her parents on the couch, waiting for her.
"We have to talk, keiki." Malia said softly, nodding to the armchair.

"What's up?" Janis asked as she sat down.

"Mom and I know you've been struggling with everything that happened." Hale began gently "And since you have some time off from school, we decided that the three of us are going to Hawai'i."

"We know you're worried about Regina," Malia added quickly "but, Janis, we're worried about you."

Janis knew what they meant. The last time there was a big incident involving Regina at school, Janis ended up trying to kill herself.

"Okay." She just said. She knew they meant well.

The week in Hawai'i did help her. She started sleeping through the night and she felt slightly more stable, but she still kept checking her phone for Regina updates. Damian kept relaying the gossip, which wasn't worth much.

Janis enjoyed her time in Hawai'i but it didn't last very long, and soon enough she was back in Evanston. Their plane landed at 6 p.m. and about thirty minutes after they got home, Janis got a text from June that Regina was awake.

So, Janis grabbed her stuff and headed to the hospital. When she got there, she found Regina in her hospital room with her dad, while her mom and Kylie weren't there.

"Hey." She stepped inside hesitantly.

"Janis." Regina's dad looked surprised, then he glanced at his daughter, and then he stepped outside.

"What are you doing here?" Regina asked slowly, her breathing labored like she was in pain.

"Came to make sure you were alive for myself." Janis responded, crossing her arms. As much as she was glad Regina was alive, she still felt angry at the blonde.

"Disappointed the bus didn't do the job?" Regina retorted with a sneer.

"No, that's more your style, I think." Janis shot back.

"No, Janis, seriously what the fuck are you doing here?!" Regina demanded, agitated.

"I was there, Regina, and I hate you, you're a fucking asshole, but no one deserves this." Janis replied.

"Were- Were you there in the ambulance?" She asked.

"Yeah, I rode with you." Janis offered "Sucks being alone after almost dying."

"I don't know what to say to that." Regina said.

"I don't expect you to say anything." Janis shook her head "And you're drugged to high heavens right now."

"True."

Janis didn't know why she kept going back to the hospital but she did. She also had no idea what the burn book fiasco and the bus crash were going to mean for Janis and Regina, if they meant anything.

The only thing she could do was just take it one day at a time. She had missed Regina more than she would ever admit, but she also hated the blonde for what she did. So, that's where they were, and Janis had no idea what to do about it.

Chapter Text

Regina lay there in the hospital bed, staring out of the window, feeling like she was sinking deeper with every second that passed.

A month prior, two months prior, Regina George had had everything. She was on top of the high school hierarchy, she had friends that bent over backwards to make her happy, she had Aaron who was like a lost puppy, and she had Shane with their little fling on the side.

Regina knew that everything went to shit the moment she adopted Cady into her friend group, but the redhead had seemed so pathetic and Regina had been so bored that she gave her a shot.

That was how Regina ended up in a hospital bed with a broken back.

In all fairness, she knew that everything had happened was her fault in one way or another, but the rage she felt was still very real. She wasn't the only shitty person in that damn school, and yet she was the only one that got hit by a bus.

The day after Regina woke up from the coma, her doctors entered her room all somber and told her that the damage to her back had paralyzed her legs. Regina was heavily sedated, and yet it felt like someone stabbed her in the gut.

The surgeon said that while Regina was very young and there was a chance she could walk again, she still needed to manage her expectations.

Regina, who had gotten everything she wanted in life simply by thinking about it suddenly had to deal with the fact that she may not walk ever again. She couldn't accept it, she just couldn't.

She had spent every day since she woke up lying in bed trying to force her legs to move, to force a toe to move, anything, but nothing happened.

Her parents, who were being shockingly civil to one another, and Kylie were there all day every day. They tried to cheer up and distract Regina, but it just made her angrier.

Regina felt helpless, on top of the excruciating pain that not even the IV painkillers dulled completely, and she hated everything. She just wanted to close her eyes and never wake up.

She just wanted it to be all over.

After she woke up from the coma, Karen and Gretchen came to visit. Regina knew they hadn't been there while she was in a coma-- her mom had told her about every single person that visited, not that there had been many people.

Karen was more serious and focused than usual, but she hugged Regina carefully and told her she missed her, and it was nice. And then Gretchen tried to speak, but seeing Regina lying there broken, combined with the news that the blonde was paralyzed from the waist down, had made her sob uncontrollably.

Aaron had stopped by once with a bouquet of flowers. He was very awkward and concerned, but he was genuine, Regina never doubted that.

Her most regular visitor, aside from her parents and Kylie, had been Shane. Shane showed up every single day in the morning or in the evening, and he always brought something. Sometimes flowers, sometimes desserts, sometimes magazines. He would sit with her and talk to her exactly like he had before the bus crash. He didn't try to placate her that it would all be okay, and he didn't try to distract her. He was just Shane.

The other visitor that she had that sent her reeling was Janis 'Imi'ike. Out of everyone in school, the last person Regina expected to give a shit about her and her life was Janis. She had hurt Janis worse than anyone, she had been a monster to her former best friend for years, and yet Janis showed up.

Regina didn't tell anyone but she remembered every single moment of the bus crash in clear detail. The metal crushing her bones, the crash against the asphalt, the agonizing pain, the fear that she was dying, and then Janis.

Her gaze met Janis', and Regina found herself relaxing. Janis had said something that Regina couldn't hear, but she was there, and she kept the blonde calm.

When Regina woke up, Janis surprised her again by showing up at the hospital, and though Regina was on painkillers, she still felt her heart clench at the sight of Janis the way it had since their falling out. It was like something from the inside was clawing to reach out to Janis and Regina kept forcing it down because she didn't know what to do with it.

"Hey, bestie, I just talked to your doctors!" Her mom burst into the room with that fake cheerful expression of hers "They told me you can go home next week."

"B-But, I can barely move." Regina murmured, blinking back tears.

"Well, we're gonna set up the guest bedroom on the lower floor, you know the one with the view of the pool." June explained "And the doctors are sure you'll be able to sit up for short periods of time by next week."

"Okay." Regina replied. She didn't even care anymore.

A few minutes later, Kylie and their dad returned with everybody's lunch, not that Regina had any kind of apetite. She still ate a little, just so everyone would get off her backs.

"Reggie, can I ask you something?" Kylie spoke after lunch. She was sitting in a chair at Regina's bedisde, while their parents sat on the couch and armchair in the sitting area of the hotel suite.

"Sure, Ky." Regina hummed.

"What is Janis to you?" She asked, and if Regina could feel her legs at all, they would've given out.

"What do you mean?" Regina responded with a question.

"Well, she's not your friend because I know all your friends and I haven't seen her in so long!" Kylie explained enthusiastically "And she keeps visiting you, but you aren't nice to each other."

"I don't know what she is, Kylie." Regina sighed "She used to be my best friend in the world. That's all I know."

"I think she still cares about you." Kylie offered with childlike naivete.

"She doesn't." Regina told her firmly.

"But, what if-"

"Drop it, Kylie!" Regina cut her off sharply. She hated snapping at Kylie, but she found herself very low on patience.

The three of them hung out until dinner, and then they left at her insistence. She knew they all needed the rest, and she kind of needed space from them.

About 15 minutes after they left, Shane walked through the door.
"What's up, G?" He greeted her with a smile like he did every day.

"Oh, you know, wondering if I'm cursed." She shot back, making him laugh.

"You can't be cursed, that face is too pretty." Shane responded with a wink "Now, are we in the mood for UNO, chess, or dominoes?"

"Shane-"

"Nothing isn't an option." He cut her off "I'm not having my beautiful brain shrivel up because you're feeling lazy."

"You're such a weirdo." Regina stifled a chuckle because it hurt her to laugh.

"You love it." Shane replied cheekily.

They ended up playing dominoes for about two hours, and when Regina started yawning, he packed his stuff up, kissed her on the head, and left. Regina, with the nurses' help used the bathroom and got cleaned up, and then she settled in. She was about to drift off, when there was a hesitant knock on the door.

She turned slightly to see Janis standing there apprehensively.
"I thought you skipped a day." Regina remarked as the brunette stepped inside and shut the door.

"Why, is her highness booked and busy?" Janis shot back with ease.

"No, I just figured you'd have enough of a life not to spend all your time in my fucking hospital room." Regina countered, even though she loved that Janis came to visit. She had spent so long attacking Janis that it became the norm for her. She didn't know how to turn it off.

"Well, there was this blonde bitch that ruled the school with an iron fist," Janis replied casually "and she made sure most people stayed away from me."

"I'll grab you a tissue as soon as my back heals." Regina snorted.

"Has Cady showed up yet?" Janis asked after a few moments.

"You know the answer to that." Regina offered with a small smile. Cady hadn't showed up nor was Regina expecting her to "She got what she wanted."

"What do you mean?" Janis asked with a frown.

"That was your plan, right?" Regina prodded "Ruin me so Cady could take my place."

"No." Janis shook her head, making Regina's eyebrows hoot up "No, I just wanted to hurt you a little. Bring you down to earth. I told her to stop after you fell on your face at the Christmas showcase."

"But?" Regina prodded.

"But, she kept going." Janis answered "I think she was drunk with power."

"That's why people shouldn't get home schooled." Regina remarked, drawing out a loud laugh from Janis.

"That's the only reason?" Janis asked bemusedly.

"Yeah, they turn out unadjusted." Regina explained, keeping her laughter suppressed.

"Yeah, because you and I are so well adjusted." Janis deadpanned, and Regina had to use all her self control not to laugh.

She had missed Janis and her unhinged sense of humor so much.

After a few minutes in silence, Regina brought up something that had been on her mind since she woke up from the coma.

"Janis, what did you mean when you said it sucks being alone after almost dying?" Regina asked her softly.

"I tried to kill myself after the arson incident, Regina." Janis told her sharply "And I woke up in the psych wing alone."

"I'm-"

"Don't say you're sorry when you aren't." Janis interrupted with a glare "You did what you did, I dealt with it the way I dealt with it. It's done."

"Well, you should feel good now, karma got me for you." Regina offered, mostly joking. But, the look on Janis' face told her she was anything but amused.

"If you think this would make me feel good, then you never really knew me!" She snapped at Regina.

They talked about school mostly for the remainder of the time, and then the nurse kicked Janis out so Regina could get some rest.

The following days bled together, since Regina could do nothing but lie there and stare at the ceiling or through the window. She'd rather break her back again than watch cable TV, so she was left there battling her own thoughts. She kept replaying the moment the bus hit her in her head.

The doctors were fussing over her, checking and re-checking her wound, testing her reflexes, and working with the physical therapists to develop a recovery plan for her. Regina didn't give a shit. None of it meant anything.

She was never going to walk again, and she was going to suffer in excruciating pain for the rest of her time. So, she didn't see a reason to try.

Instead of being a burden on her parents, on Kylie, and on her friends, she could just end it all and put herself and them out of their misery.

Life at home wasn't any different, except she couldn't push a button to flood her bloodstream with sedatives, which sucked. Her parents were home all the time and they had hired a round-the-clock nurse service too.

Kylie also barely left her side, and Regina wished she could draw strength from that, but it just made her angrier and more depressed. She was a useless waste of space, and she saw no reason to keep going.

She hadn't shared her feelings with anyone in her life, because then they'd pity her even more, which she didn't want.

All of it was her fault, everything was her fault, and everyone's lives would be better once she was gone.

"How close are you to offing yourself right now?" Janis asked, startling Regina.

She let herself into the guest room, which her parents had moved all of her stuff into, to make it more hers.

"I'm not you." She shot back on instinct.

"No, you're much more methodical than me. I fucked it up and survived."Janis countered evenly "You're going to plan it to the last detail and then do it with no mistake."

"Did my mom send you?" Regina asked, letting out a deep breath.

"Your parents are worried about you," Janis hummed, bringing one of the armchairs over to Regina's bedside "but, no, they don't know you're suicidal."

"All of your lives would be easier and less complicated if I died." Regina responded without getting emotional.

"Maybe," Janis conceded "but easier and less complicated doesn't mean better."

"Janis..."

"No, shut up and listen." Janis interrupted "I've been where you are, I know what you're thinking." She said firmly "That you're a waste of space, that you're a burden, that things are never gonna get better."

"Sounds about right." Regina confirmed.

"It's bullshit." Janis told her "Do you know how much love and joy and excitement I got to experience after I tried and failed to kill myself? It doesn't feel like it, but you will make it to the other side. The sun will rise again."

"You're so corny." Regina murmured, even as she blinked back tears.

"Yeah, well, if corny gets you to keep breathing, I'm corny." Janis shrugged, unbothered.

"Why do you care, Janis?" Regina asked, letting the tears fall "I don't deserve it."

"Oh, you don't deserve it, we can agree on that." Janis laughed.

"Then why?!" Regina demanded.

"Because once upon a time, I loved you more than anyone in this world." Janis told her, and Regina's breath caught in her throat "And, sure, you turned into the actual devil, but I think deep down you're still you. And I'm not gonna let that Regina drown."

"I'm probably never going to walk again." Regina murmured, looking down.

"So, you adjust to that. Find the fanciest wheel chair in the universe, become a congresswoman and change every piece of legislation to benefit disabled people." Janis rattled off.

"I'm serious, Janis, the doctors said I have a 5% chance of walking again." Regina muttered.

"And when have you ever let anyone tell you what you can and can't do?" Janis asked her "A 5% chance is still a chance. And by the way, I'm serious about the other thing. Being disabled is not the end of the world, you just have to adjust to a different way of life."

"Since when are you an optimist?" Regina asked bemusedly. She did feel lighter than she had before.

"The hair dyes gave me brain damage." Janis deadpanned.

Regina still felt like she was in free fall, like she was drowning, like she didn't know which way was up. But, maybe, Janis had a point. Maybe she could figure out a way to claw her way back from everything that happened.

If Janis believed Regina was worth fighting for, then maybe Regina could become the person worth fighting for.

Chapter Text

Janis checked her phone for the fifth time in less than a minute, looking around impatiently. Damian had convinced her to go shopping for their outfits for the Spring Fling dance that was coming up. The school had pushed it bacm a little, but it was still happening. Janis usually scoffed at school-organized pageantry, but after everything that happened, she was actually kind of looking forward to it.

She was probably going to go with Damian, like they had done for years for all school events, and she was happy with that. Grace, a girl from her art class had kind of been flirting with Janis and hinting at the dance, but Janis wasn't too keen on getting mixed up with someone from school. People already had too many subjects to gossip about her, Janis didn't need to give them another one.

That was also why she hadn't told anyone about visiting Regina, even when they went back to school. She wasn't sure she could even explain it to herself if she tried, she definitely didn't understand why she kept going back, but she did.

Sometimes she and Regina talked about people from school, sometimes they played cards, and sometimes they just sat in silence, Regina playing on her Switch while Janis drew or painted.

Occasionally, Kylie would sit with them, since she was so scared of losing Regina. Janis was happy to learn that no matter how much of a monster Regina had become, she was still soft and loving with Kyl
Janis would never admit it aloud, but she loved spending time at the George house. It kind of felt like all times, if she suppressed her wildly conflicting feelings about what Regina had done to her and the years of bullying.

She was just about to text Damian again, when her best friend rused over.
"I'm here, I'm here!" He announced "There was some drama with Rosie and Donovan and then I had to mediate, and it was a whole mess."

"Yeah, I don't know who those people are." Janis murmured, putting her phone away.

"Of course you don't, you never listen to me." He complained "Now, are we ready to shop 'til we drop?!"

"Or, hear me out, shop until we buy what we need?" She suggested.

"Whatever, be boring." Damian waved her off "I have the best idea for an outfit for you!"

"Me?" She frowned "What about you?"

"Oh, honey I've got my outfit all planned out." He assured her "You're the crisis."

"I resent that!" Janis shot back, making him laugh.

"So, how have you been?" He asked her, and she glanced at him for a moment. She knew what he was asking.

"I'm fine Damian, I'm not gonna break." She replied, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

"I heard Cady's grounded for the rest of her life, and she doesn't hang out with anyone." Damian offered quietly.

Janis was pretty sure that Damian thought Janis was crestfallen over what Cady did, but as angry as she was, that wasn't enought to throw her off kilter. Cady wasn't the first friend to betray her, and the previous betrayal had been much worse.

"Oh, does the Regina replacement not feel like ruling her little kingdom anymore?" Janis asked sarcastically.

"I think she's regretting everything that went down." Damian offered.

"My heart breaks for her, it really does." Janis scoffed derisively.

They went to a store that had women's suits of all sizes and types, so they could find something that Janis was going to like. She was never going to be one of those women that wore skin-tight suits, but she hoped she'd find something she liked.

They spent the next two hours browsing through the options and having Janis try them on with different combinations. She was starting to get a little exhausted, when she put on a suit with a light purple jacket with black lapels, a black tie, white button-up, and black pants.

As she looked at herself in the mirror, a smile spread across her face. The suit felt right. She felt good wearing it and she thought she looked good too.

"Alright, I think we have a winner." She stepped out of the changing room, eliciting a gasp from Damian.

"That's the bitch!" He exclaimed, jumping to his feet so he could inspect her closely.

"You can do bold makeup and even pair it with combat boots because I know I'm not getting you into heels." He rattled off.

"Damn right, you aren't." Janis nodded "Alright, I'm getting this one."

After she paid for the suit, they went to the store where Damian had planned to get his outfit, and he picked an incredible black suit with a black shirt and a black tie. The suit jacket and the bow tie had intricate flower designs on them.

"What do we think?" He asked, stepping out of the changing room.

"Amazing!" She said, nodding earnestly "It's so chic and classy."

"Like me!" He tossed a non-existent strand of hair over his shoulder. "I was thinking I could wear silver chains too, to make it pop."

"You can pull it off." Janis nodded, taking a moment to imagine what that could look like.

After Damian paid for his stuff too, they decided to grab a cup of coffee, and since it was pouring out, they decided to go to one of the coffee shops inside the mall.

"Now, we have to figure out your date situation." He announced as soon as they sat down at a table with their drinks and muffins.

"What date situation?" She asked with a frown "I'm going with you."

"Janis, you know I love you, but I'm gonna get you to take a date to the Spring Fling if it's the last thing I do." He told her "I know what Regina did was scarring, but you can't just avoid every girl at school because of her. There are so many out girls now."

"I know, I just feel weird about it." She shrugged.

"You aren't the pyrolez pariah anymore." He told her, squeezing her hand "I think people actually consider you cool, now."

"Well, don't sound so surprised." She quipped.

"Now, who are you asking out?" He asked firmly.

"You know Grace from my art class?" She asked him softly.

"Tall, gorgeous Grace?" He frowned.

"Yeah." Janis confirmed "She's kind of mentioned a few times that she's trying to figure out her date situation. I'm like 98% sure she was hinting at it."

"Do it!" He told her "Or I will do it for you."

"Alright, alright."

Just as she was starting to relax, Janis noticed Shane Oman walking into the coffee shop. She tensed up for a moment as Shane spotted them.
"Hey, Janis." He said with a small smile. They weren't friends by any measure, but they had become friendly, visiting Regina in the hospital and at her place.

"Hey." Janis replied with a smile. "What's up?"

"I was out buying a present for my moms' anniversary, and now I'm getting coffee." Shane lifted the gift bag as he spoke.

"Wanna join us?" Damian offered, and Janis wanted to slap him.

"Uh, yeah, sure." Shane nodded "Let me just get my coffee."

"Since when are you friends with Shane Oman?" Damian asked Janis quietly after Shane walked to the counter.

"We're not friends," She rolled her eyes "we're friendly."

"Yeah, I still need answers." Damian muttered as Shane returned and took a seat at the table.

"Did you say your moms' anniversary?" Damian asked him, making him chuckle.

"Yeah, the school QB has lesbian moms," Shane confirmed "nobody sees it coming."

"I knew you were too good a dresser for a basic straight boy." Damian shook his head, making Shane laugh again.

"Well, that's more thanks to Regina then my moms." Shane replied, and the energy shifted, but Shane either didn't notice or didn't care "She said I was too good looking to dress bad."

"She is a bitch, but she isn't wrong." Damian remarked bemusedly.

They sat there and talked to Shane until they finished their drinks, and then they got up to leave.
"How did you guys get here?" Shane asked them.

"We both walked." Janis offered. The mall was like a 20-minute walk from their school, though their houses were further away.

"C'mon, I'll give you a ride home, it's pouring out." Shane tilted his head towards the garage, and they exchanged a look, before following him.

Since Shane was going to drop Janis off first, she got into the back seat, and Shane and Damian carried most of the conversation. Janis couldn't exactly say it, but she was grateful to Shane that he didn't spill about her regular visits to Regina.

Janis wasn't surprised when she got a call from Damian about 15 minutes after Shane dropped her off.
"Alright, spill!" He said "What is with you and our resident quarterback with a heart of gold?"

"Nothing is with us, Damian." She sighed "I saw him a couple of times when I went to visit Regina. He was visiting her too, and we were polite. He doesn't have to be a douchebag just because he is a jock."

"I'm not complaining, trust me." He responded "He's very good company."

"Gross." Janis replied on instinct.

The very next day, Janis approached Grace after one of their art classes, when she was the only person left in the room.
"Hi." She spoke softly.

"Hey, Janis." Grace smiled at her.

"I'm very awkward about these things, so I'm gonna just go ahead and say it," Janis blurted out "would you like to go to Spring Fling with me? As my date?"

"I would love to." Grace replied, eyes sparkling. "I thought you'd never take the hint."

"Like I said, I'm super awkward." Janis murmured, blushing.

"Well, I'm glad you asked me." Grace kissed her cheek, before stepping out of the classroom.

Janis wasn't sure if the thing with Grace was going to go anywhere, but she liked the other girl. She was smart, funny, and a good artist. Best of all, she wasn't complicated. Janis wanted something uncomplicated.

Later that day, Janis found herself back at the George mansion. She didn't know why Mr. and Mrs. George had gotten divorced, but ever since Regina's accident, they looked very connected. Janis didn't know if it would lead to their reconciliation, but she wouldn't be surprised if it did.

"Hey, Janis." June greeted her with a smile "Regina's in her room."

"Thanks." Janis replied with a smile of her own.

She had brought her mom's malasadas for Regina. While her parents weren't thrilled about her reconnecting with Regina, even under the circumstances, they were willing to stand back and let her make her own choices, as long as she was careful. They had also kind of started talking to Regina's parents again, so that was nice.

"You're never on time and yet I know you'll always show up." Regina remarked when Janis stepped inside her room.

The blonde was resting against a pile of pillows, kind of sitting up, with the halo holding her neck and back in place.

"Are you complaining about my magnificent presence?" Janis retorted.

"Pipe down, you're not the Magnificent Janis." Regina responded. "What's in the box?"

"Well, now I don't know if you deserve it." Janis told her with a smirk.

"Don't be a bitch, my back is broken." Regina complained, pouting.

"Oh, you're gonna milk that for all it's worth." Janis rolled her eyes "I brought you malasadas, you drama queen."

"Your mom's?" Regina's eyebrows shot up.

"Yep." Janis confirmed.

"Wow, thank her for me." Regina told her, still surprised.

"I will." Janis nodded, taking a seat in the armchair "So, when are you starting PT?"

"I have a check up in three days." Regina responded "And if it goes well, I'll start immediately."

"And how are you doing?" Janis asked pointedly.

"I'm not gonna kill myself, Janis." Regina told her with a deep sigh. "I hate everything about this, but if that bus didn't kill me, then I'm not going out that easy."

"There's the queen bitch of North Shore High School." Janis nodded, making Regina laugh silently. "I bet you'll even be up and about for the Spring Fling."

"Nah, I'm not going." Regina said without hesitation "Even if I could sit up for long enough, I'd have to go in a wheelchair, and I'm just not doing that. No way."

"There's nothing wrong with using a wheelchair, Regina." Janis told her firmly "But, if you're so hell-bent on avoiding it, use the damn dance as motivation."

"What do you mean?" Regina frowned.

"You said the doctors gave you a 5% chance of walking? Prove them wrong." Janis shrugged.

"Yeah, this isn't some corny TV movie, Janis, it's real life. And real life fucking sucks." Regina stated.

"Finally, something we can agree on." Janis snorted.

"Who are you going with?" Regina asked her.

"Grace." Janis said, tensing up. Regina had been supportive of her coming out, but then she had turned it around on Janis and burned down their friendship by making fun of Janis being a lesbian.
"She's in my art class."

"Good for you." Regina offered quietly, and Janis frowned. She had no idea what to expect from Regina, and in all fairness, she didn't give a shit what Regina thought about Janis' love life. She lost that right when she stabbed Janis in the back.

"Shane told me he gave you and Damian a ride home, by the way." Regina added after a few minutes.

"Yeah, it was pouring rain outside and we ran into him at the mall." Janis explained "He is a good guy."

"You don't have to sound so surprised." Regina remarked bemusedly.

"Can you blame me?" Janis raised an eyebrow "With the mess with you and Aaron and all those things?"

"That wasn't on Shane, that was on me." Regina said simply, making Janis' mouth drop open.

"Regina George taking accountability?!" She gasped "Did I slip and fall into a parallel universe?"

"Shut the fuck up." Regina muttered, but there was no malice.

There were moments, brief moments, when they would spar verbally, or Janis would make a lame joke, and Regina's eyes were sparkle in the way they hadn't since 6th grade. Whenever that happened, Janis felt like that little kid that loved her best friend with her whole heart.

She would've followed Regina George to the ends of the world, once upon a time. She hadn't been that person in a long time, but there was still something within her that called out for Regina.

Chapter Text

Regina sat in the giant physical therapy room at the private PT facility that her parents had paid for, looking around. She knew what most of the equipment was for, though there were some things that baffled her.

It had been a month since the bus crash, and the Spring Fling dance was exactly one month away.

Regina had made a lot of progress after the surgery. She was still in excruciating pain, but she could sit up on her own, and she was no longer wearing a halo. In its place, the doctors gave her a neck collar to wear, which was annoying, but not nearly as excruciating as the halo itself.

The pain hadn't abated though. Not even a little bit. She woke up in the middle of the night, unable to take a breath because the pain felt like a hot knife to her lungs. And even after the painkillers kicked in, she still felt it, but she could at least function somewhat normally.

The worst thing, by far was the realization she had every day, sometimes multiple times a day that her legs didn't work.

She'd see her charger on the other end of the room, or she'd want to grab a hoodie to put on, and then she'd realize that she couldn't just take the few steps and be done with it. She had to move herself to the wheelchair, and then roll it to wherever she wanted to go. And the chair movement was no walk in the park, because she still felt so week after her injury.

At physical therapy, she did everything the therapists told her to, and she even pushed herself further. She did exercises for her neck, arms, and upper back, learning how to function with the limited mobility she had.

On top of that, she was also receiving some cutting-edge treatment that was supposed to heal the soft tissue and nerve damage. It cost a lot of money, but her parents could afford it easily.

"Hey, Regina." The PT, Lana, walked in with a smile "You ready to work?"

"Hey, Lana." Regina replied "I like how you say that like a question."

"The illusion of choice, babe." Lana shot her a wink, dropping her gear off on the desk.

Lana helped her stretch out her back and her arms, and then they started doing the repetitive exercises that helped improve her flexibility, mobility, and strength. 

The PT took around four hours in total, with multiple breaks that Lana forced her to take. Regina thought they were nearing the end, when Manny, one of the other PTs walked in the room.
"What's up, G?" He gave her a fist-bump which she returned.

"Hey." She said, taking a sip of water "Does the torture session require both of you?"

They laughed at her dry comment, but then they sobered up.
"If you feel up to it," Lana began hesitantly "we wanna try standing up."

"My legs don't work, Lana." Regina responded, trying to keep her composure.

"Your back had a traumatic injury, so some stuff got messed up." Manny waved her off "You can reteach your body how to do anything, even stand and walk."

"Fine. Let's try." Regina nodded, trying to hype herself up.

"Alright, so, we're going to do it with the support bars." Lana explained "Manny's gonna stand in front of you and I'll stand from the back. We won't let you fall."

"Okay, so what do I do?" Regina asked them.

"Try to stand up." Manny offered softly "Don't overthink it, just let your body do what it's been doing naturally for 17 years."

"Okay." Regina breathed shakily.

Manny moved the leg rests on the wheelchair to the side so Regina's feet were on the floor. There was no movement, nothing, they just stood there.

"Alright, G, here we go." Manny offered both hands, and she placed her own in his. Once he had a firm grasp on her, she tried to stand up, but only her upper body moved.

"I can't, I can't, nothing is happening." She blurted out, frustrated.

"I've got you, c'mon." He smiled encouragingly and he lifted her up bit by bit until she was upright.
Except, she wasn't standing, because she couldn't feel her legs, she couldn't move them, and she knew that if Manny were to let go, she'd fall.

"Okay, now grab the support bars on both sides." Lana supplied "Manny and I've got you."

Regina let go of Manny, who moved his hands to her waist, just like Lana was holding her from the back, and she grasped the support bars with each hand.

Regina looked down at her feet, staring at them without blinking, willing them to move, but no matter how much she wanted them to do something, it didn't happen. 

Even so, Regina tried to take a step, like she had before the accident, and both of her legs gave out. She would've hit the floor, if not for Manny and Lana holding her up.

"Okay, that was major progress." Lana murmured, and Regina wanted to punch her.

"I almost fell on my face!" She snapped at the PT.

"But, you stood on your own." Lana countered "What did we say about progress?"

"It takes time." Regina muttered morosely "Can we be done now?! I'm tired."

"Sure." The PTs exchanged a look, and then Lana took her to the changing room. Regina got dressed on her own because she hated asking for help, and then she sat in the changing room, replaying the past hour. 

She'd never admit it aloud, but she had been hoping for a miracle, praying for one late in the night, when she was alone with her thoughts. She hoped that she'd be one of those lucky people that somehow got their ability to walk back, and the whole broken back thing would be behind her.

She wasn't that lucky though. Her legs just didn't fucking work. They were useless. No matter how much Regina glared at them, and how pissed off she got, they wouldn't move.

"Fuck!" She screamed, punching her right thigh as hard as she could, only to feel nothing "Fuck!" She hurled the water bottle across the room, making it slam against the wall.

Then, she let the tears fall, not that she could've stopped them if she tried. She just let the sobs rip through her, as she buried her face in her hands.

"Regina? Sweetheart what's wrong?" June asked, panicked, as she rushed to Regina's side. Apparently she had entered the changing room without Regina noticing.

"What's right, Mom?!" Regina snapped at her "I'm a fucking cripple!"

"Don't say that." June admonished her softly, pulling her into her embrace.

"Why not?!" Regina retorted "It's the fucking truth."

"I know everything is horrible now." June murmured softly "But, it's gonna be okay. You're strongest person I know."

"I'm a spoiled bitch." Regina responded, wiping her tears away angrily.

"Reg-"

"I wanna go home now." She cut her mom off. She was in no mood to be placated or coddled.

"Okay." June helped her move to the wheelchair, and then they left the PT facility.

When they got home, June helped her take a shower, and Regina got dressed just in time for Kylie to burst into her bedroom. Their dad had picked her up from soccer practice.

"How was soccer, Ky?" Regina asked, even though she couldn't care less.

"It was super awesome!" Kylie announced enthusiastically "We played a scrimmage game and I scored four goals! Coach said I was starting in the next game!"

"That's awesome, bub, I'm proud of you." Regina pulled her into her embrace as Kylie curled up next to her on the bed.

"How was your PT?" Kylie asked.

"Much less fun than soccer practice." Regina offered jokingly, earning herself a laugh.

"But, you have to do it to get better, right?" Kylie asked.

"Yeah." Regina confirmed.

"Girls, dinner is ready." June stepped inside the guest room with a smile. "We're having spaghetti bolognese."

"Yeah, spaghetti!" Kylie hopped off the bed, excited for dinner.

"Go ahead, I'm not hungry right now." Regina told her mom, silently pleading with her not to argue.

"Okay." June hummed, and left her to her own devices.

As soon as she was alone, Regina let the tears fall again. She wished she was back at the hospital where she could push that button and knock herself out with sedatives. Instead, she could only take painkillers, and then scroll through social media until she was slightly more numb.

The next morning, she had an appointment with her therapist, Dr. Almaz, who insisted that Regina call her Candace. Regina liked her shrink-- she was around 35 years old, so she wasn't ancient, and she didn't coddle Regina. She was understanding, but also very firm.

"Wanna share what's on your mind?" Candace asked midway through their session "Your focus keeps drifting off somewhere."

"Uh, guilt." Regina murmured, looking down.

"You're thinking about guilt?" Candace asked for clarification, and the blonde nodded.

"Yeah, my guilt specifically." Regina supplied.

"And why are we reflecting on guilt?" Candace prodded, and Regina leveled her with a pointed glare. Candace didn't budge, she just kept staring at Regina expectantly. 

"Just like, thinking how everything that happened to me is my fault." Regina explained evenly "And I get so angry at everyone-- at Cady for coming after me that day, at Janis for coming up with the plan, at Mrs. Norbury for holding that stupid ass girls assembly." She ranted "But, then when I stop and think about it, I realize that everything happened because of me. I am disabled and it's my fault."

"It's no one's fault, Regina." Candace replied firmly "The bus crash was a freak accident. It isn't some great karmic revenge that the universe got against you."

"I deserved it." Regina responded stubbornly "I was so mean and vicious and fake. Guess God or the universe or whoever had enough of me."

"As long as you're stuck in this victim/perpetrator mentality, you won't heal properly." Dr. Almaz told her "Not physically, and definitely not mentally."

"What do you suggest then, Doc?" Regina asked with a sigh.

"Make amends." Candace told her easily "Own up to what you do and apologize to the people you hurt."

"It's not that easy." Regina huffed.

"No, it will probably be the hardest thing you'll ever have to do," Candace said with a smile "but, you have to do it. For your sake and theirs."

"Okay." Regina nodded. She wasn't sure if she was going to do what Candace suggested, but she was at least going to think about it.

For the rest of the session, they talked about Regina's failed attempt at walking, and about the prospect of going back to school as a whole new person, mentally and physically. 

Regina couldn't stop thinking about what Dr. Almaz had said to her about making amends, though, so when Shane came to visit her the next morning, on a Saturday, she decided to give it a try.

It was a gorgeous spring day, and they were on the patio, overlooking the pool as Kylie splashed in and out of the water.

"So, how were your torture sessions this week?" Shane asked. He hadn't visited for a couple of days because they had finals. Regina got to take them online, for the subjects that professors even demanded she take them. Most let her pass without a fuss. 

"Oh, sunshine and rainbows, I can't wait for Monday!" She plastered on a fake smile, making him laugh loudly.

"But, really, the Doc and I talked about something and I keep thinking about it." She shared after a moment.

"What?"

"Well, we talked about making amends." Regina told him "And I- I wanted to apologize to you."

"You have nothing to apologize to me for, Regina." Shane replied seriously. 

"No, I do." Regina insisted "I was an absolute asshole for hooking up with you while I was dating Aaron. You are a good guy and you didn't deserve to be treated like a side piece."

"At least I got to be your side piece." Shane shot back with a wink, and then sobered up "But, I forgive you, it's okay. You were going through stuff and you know I wasn't looking for anything serious."

"Okay." Regina let out a deep breath, and much to her chagrin realized that Dr. Almaz was right. She did feel better.

After Shane, she set her sights on the next people she needed to apologize. If she was honest, she needed to apologize to the whole school, but that was never going to happen. She was going to stick with her closest people, who were coincidentally the people she had hurt the worst.

That Saturday evening, Karen came over, and for once she wasn't together with Gretchen. Karen had always loved playing Texas Hold'em Poker, which surprised everyone that knew her. Regina was the only one of her friends that knew how to play it, so the two of them played it on their own and bet candy.

"Hey, Karen." Regina spoke tentatively. They were in her room, Regina sitting up against the headboard, with her legs stretched out, while Karen was on her right, legs criss-cross.

"Yeah?" Karen hummed, betting two gummy worms.

"I- I am sorry." Regina murmured, having trouble meeting her gaze.

"For what, G?" Karen asked softly.

"For how I treated you," Regina said, forcing herself to look Karen in the eyes "for how mean and disrespectful and impatient I was. You are an amazing person and friend, and I'm sorry I treated you like shit."

Karen looked at her for a long time, face completely impassive, and then she smiled. She reached over to hug Regina tightly, and Regina reciprocated, blinking back tears.
"It's okay, Regina." She breathed "You were mean because you were unhappy, not because you enjoyed being mean."

"It's still not okay." Regina claimed.

"You are my friend and I love you." Karen told her "So, I forgive you."

"Thank you." Regina replied, grinning mostly out of relief. 

"You're welcome." Karen shrugged, unbothered like always.

Apologizing to Shane and Karen had been relatively easy, but Regina knew that apologizing to Gretchen would be anything but. 

She and Gretchen went to one of the parks nearby Sunday after dinner, and they spent a good couple of hours talking about what was happening around Evanston. It wasn't malicious, but Gretchen absolutely loved gossip, and in all fairness, Regina enjoyed hearing about drama that had nothing to do with her.

Apparently one of Gretchen's neighbors had stolen another's lawnmower, which had led to an all out Facebook war and even egging houses.

They lapsed into silence, and it was comfortable, but Regina wanted to get the apology out of the way already.
"Gretch, I'm- I haven't told you this," She began hesitantly "but, I've been going to therapy. To a shrink."

"You have?" Gretchen's eyes widened.

"Yeah, I mean, it was overdue." Regina shrugged, which made Gretchen laugh a little. 

"Is it helping?" Gretchen prodded hesitantly.

"Yeah," Regina nodded "I've only been going for a little bit, but yeah definitely."

"I'm so glad." Gretchen told her.

"Thanks," Regina managed a smile "but, anyway, the reason I brought that up is because me and my therapist were talking about making amends."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, and you are one of the people I've hurt the most." Regina continued "I was mean and vindictive, and I always took advantage of your insecurities. So, I am sorry, and I will be better."

Gretchen was silent for a long time, and then Regina realized she was blinking back tears.
"Wow," She said "I- I never thought I'd actually hear you say that." 

"Me neither." 

"I- Thank you for saying it, it means a lot." Gretchen murmured "But, I may need a little time before I forgive you fully. Is that okay?"

"Of course, Gretchen." Regina assured her quickly "You don't owe me anything. I just wanted you to know I was sorry."

That night, Regina went to sleep easier than she had in years. Nothing was truly fixed, but she had made amends with three people that she genuinely loved, and that meant something.

That Monday, she went to physical therapy reluctantly. All she could think about was her failed attempt at walking, and that just kept making her angrier and more despondent. 

About mid-way through her therapy, when she was getting her magnetic resonance treatment, Janis walked in. Ordinarily, patients couldn't get visitors during therapy, but because Regina's parents paid for everything out of pocket, and her dad donated some kind of equipment, she was allowed to have people keeping her company.

"What's on the torture menu for today?" Janis asked, settling next to her.

"Magnetic resonance, NMES, and TENS." Regina rattled off "And of course, the flexibility and strengthening exercises."

"Damn, they are putting you through it." Janis laughed.

Regina was lying on the bed on her stomach, and since her head was turned sideways, she could look at Janis. For a brief moment, she blurted an apology to her too, but then she froze. Janis was way more complicated than anyone else, and Regina wasn't in a place where she could articulate what she had to say. So, she didn't say it.

Janis hung out with her while she lay on her stomach for the magnetic resonance and the other treatments, and then Lana led her back to the exercise room.
"You ready to try standing again?" Lana asked her.

"No!" Regina snapped "I almost fell on my face, I'm not doing that again."

Regina was expecting Lana to try and convince her, but it was Janis that spoke next.
"Since when are you a coward?" She asked casually.

"Excuse me?!"

"Janis-"

"No, I mean, I know you're a lot of things," Janis continued, not letting Lana interrupt "you're a grade A manipulator, you're a raging bitch, you're an ego-maniacal narcissist. I just never thought you were a coward too."

"You have no idea what you're talking about!" Regina growled, glaring at her.

"Don't I?" Janis raised an eyebrow "These people are here giving you a chance to stand again, to walk again, to reclaim the part you lost, and you refuse to take it because you're afraid. Coward."

"Fuck you." Regina muttered, before turning to Lana "Let's do it."

She knew Janis was just baiting her, she knew that, but she couldn't help it. That fucker had always known how to get under her skin.

Lana got Manny, and the two of them helped Regina get in position. Instead of letting Manny lift her up, she lifted herself up, using his arms, and then she grabbed the support bars.

Janis was standing to the side, staring at the display with full focus, while Regina looked down at her feet, jaw clenched.

"Come the fuck on!" She exclaimed "Do something!"

She was just about to give up and ask to sit down, when she felt a twitch, and then her right big toe curled up and then straightened up.
"What-" Regina blurted out, looking up at the three other people in the room frantically "Did you see that?!"

Lana and Manny looked surprised and pleased, but the look of utter shock and joy on Janis' face, the same kind of shock and joy Regina was feeling made everything more special.

"There you go!" Manny nodded encouragingly "Surgeons are so dramatic. 5% chance. Bullshit. You can walk again."

"I felt it." Regina breathed, tears streaming down her cheeks "I haven't felt anything since I woke up from the coma."

"This is just the start." Lana assured her, squeezing her shoulder.

After Regina sat back down, they stepped outside to give her a moment, while Janis approached cautiously, like she was still stunned.

"You wiggled your toe." Janis breathed "See, I knew you'd start walking through sheer force of will."

"Can't believe Janis 'Imi'ike is my biggest cheerleader." Regina drawled teasingly, as a way to avoid the wave of emotions she was feeling.

"Easy, drama queen," Janis scoffed "I am nobody's cheerleader. And verbally sparring with a depressed Regina George is no fun. Like taking candy from a baby."

"Can't wait until I can walk so I can look down on you again."  Regina shot back.

"I look forward to it." Janis retorted, but there was a hint of softness in her tone that startled Regina.

Wiggling her toe in physical therapy was monumental. It gave her hope, it made her want to fight, to dream that she could walk again. But, somehow, it meant ten times more because Janis was there when it happened. 

Chapter Text

On a Monday afternoon, after she was done with finals, Janis walked into the private facility where Regina did her physical therapy. She still hadn't told anyone apart from her parents that she visited Regina regularly, though she wasn't sure why.

She wasn't ashamed, exactly. She didn't know what she was. Conflicted was the best way to describe it. On one hand, she had missed Regina every single day since their falling out, she had thought about her, about the countless days they spent together all the time. On the other hand, Regina's betrayal still hurt as badly as it did when it happened. Janis still felt blinding rage when she remembered what Regina did, tears still stung her eyes when she thought about the blonde smirking smugly at her after proclaiming that Janis was obsessed with her.

The hell that Janis had gone through because of Regina was very real and she couldn't just forget about it because Regina got hit by a bus. But, hanging out with Regina after the bus crash did feel good. They'd go back and forth verbally the whole time, teasing and taunting each other, but never with malice.

It felt like a more mature version of what they had as kids. Janis had to scold herself more than once because she'd catch herself staring at Regina and smiling. As much as she hated to admit it, the blonde had not lost a bit of her beauty and charm, and Janis had to try very very hard to ignore that.

She walked into the PT center, bringing a box of chocolate chip cookies that she had made just before coming over. She figured Regina could use the motivation to get through therapy.

When she stepped inside the main room where Regina did everything, except recieve her electrical and magnetic treatments, Janis found Shane there with the blonde and her physio.

"Hey." She spoke a little awkwardly, drawing attention to herself.

"Hey, Janis." Regina greeted her with a smile, even though she was clearly in pain as the physio had her lying on her back and doing some kind of weird flexibility exercises.

"Hi." Lana, the physio said with a smile.

"What's up, Janis?" Shane grinned "Do I smell cookies?"

"Seriously?!" Janis laughed "The box is closed."

"The man is like a shark with blood when he senses cookies." Regina offered, clenching her jaw.

"Well, you're gonna have to wait until the princess finishes PT." Janis told him and he sighed dramatically.

"If I have to." He said.

"You know, it kind of feels like you're enjoying my pain." Regina offered, but her tone was humorous "Sitting here, watching me exercise."

"Maybe just a little." Janis quipped, making everyone laugh.

"You have a point, G." Shane nodded, and then got up and walked over to the corner where he picked up two back rollers.

Janis rolled her eyes, but she put the cookies on the nearby desk, and then she lay down, placing the roller under her back. As she stretched over it, she heard her back crack, and she felt relief.

"Janis, what the fuck was that?" Regina asked, mildly alarmed.

"I spent 7 hours painting yesterday." Janis shrugged "And I didn't crack my back after."

"I can show you some exercises, if you spend a lot of time sitting down." Lana offered as she gave Regina a few minutes to breathe.

Janis did the exercises that Lana showed her, and then when Regina continued her workout, Janis and Shane did everything she did. Janis was a little surprised at how diffuclt the exercises Regina was doing with ease actually were, but she didn't complain.

Regina didn't say anything about it, but Janis could tell she really appreciated it, and her movements became much more energetic. While they worked out, they talked about the TV shows they were currently watching, and the shows that they wanted to recommend to each other.

If anyone had told Janis that she'd enjoy spending time with Regina George and Shane Oman voluntarily, she would've had them committed. But, she kept talking and laughing, genuinely enjoying herself.

After Regina finished her PT, showered and changed, they had the cookies.
"Janis, what the hell did you put in these, crack?!" Shane demanded, making her laugh.

"Secret recipe." She said with a smirk.

"They are really good, Janis." Regina offered softly. She was still hesitant about complimenting Janis, and Janis was hesitant about Regina complimenting her. It was a weird situation.

"Thanks."

"So, are we going to Java House?" Shane asked after a few moments. Java House was the name of the little coffee shop in Evanston that had the best coffee and croissants.

"You two go, if you want to, I'm going home." Regina told them.

"Reg-"

"I can't, Shane," Regina cut him off "I'm in so much pain right now, and I can't add gawking gossipers on top of the pain I'm feeling."

"Okay, I'll take you home." Shane murmured.

Janis liked that about him. He knew how to get people out of their shells, but he never pushed their boundaries. He was respectful that way.

After Regina got her stuff, Shane wheeled her out of the center. Janis was just about to say 'Goodbye' to them and head to the nearest bus stop to wait for the perpetually late bus, when Shane spoke.

"C'mon Janis," He said "we'll drop Regina off, and then I'll take you home."

Janis was about to say no, because that was her instinct whenever the popular kids in school asked for or offered anything, but she reconsidered. Shane had been nothing but kind, and Janis really didn't feel like waiting forever for the bus.

"Thanks." She smiled.

They helped Regina get settled in the passenger seat, although that was mostly Shane. He picked her up and placed her in his BMW X5 SUV with ease while Janis held the door open, and then put the wheelchair in the trunk.

Janis handed Regina the cookies that were left over, and then Shane walked her to the front door, where Mrs. George opened it with a beaming smile.

As Regina pushed the wheelchair inside, Mrs. George spotted Janis in the car.
"Hey, Janis!" She waved enthusiastically.

"Hi, Mrs. George!" Janis called back with a smile as she stepped out and slipped into the passenger seat.

Shane jogged back to the car, and then they were off. It was a little awkward because Janis still wasn't sure how to talk to him, even if he was was cooler than she originally thought.

"Can I ask you something?" Shane spoke after a while, but he sounded tentative.

"Sure." Janis responded, even though she was reluctant.

"What- What is going on with you and Regina?" Shane asked.

"What do you mean?" Janis responded with a question, but she knew what he meant.

"Well, you two were best friends, and then G did what she did and you became mortal enemies." Shane explained "And I know you were behind the plan to take her down, and like, I'm not saying she didn't deserve it, but you were the mastermind behind it."

"I was." Janis confirmed. Technically, it was her, Damian, and Cady, but she'd take the brunt of the blame because it was her beef with Regina that started it.

"And then she got hit by the bus and now you're visiting her almost daily." Shane continued "Are you just trying to deal with your guilt or what? Or are you just, like, getting close to her to stab her in the back."

"Well, that's more her M.O. than mine." Janis replied pointedly, and he conceded with a hum.

Janis sat there in silence for a while, thinking about what he asked her. Sure, she did feel some guilt about the whole bus situation, but that wasn't why she kept visiting Regina.

"It's not guilt." She murmured after a few minutes. Shane had stopped at the Java House drive through and got them both drinks, before pulling up near the lakefront.
"I- I know we took- I took it too far with the revenge plan." Janis confided "But, that's not why I'm visiting."

"Why then?" Shane tilted his head.

"When the bus hit her, it felt like my world turned on its head." Janis told him, vocalizing it for the first time "And it doesn't make sense. I should hate her, or at least be apathetic, but I just felt scared in that moment."

"Janis, do you care about Regina again?" Shane frowned, like he was uncertain.

"I never stopped caring about her, Shane." Janis responded, looking down at her lap "Why do you think I was so mad about who she had become?"

"Well, fuck." Shane breathed. "And do- do you want-"

"I don't know what I want." Janis cut him off.

"This is a turn I didn't see coming." Shane murmured, but he looked amused almost "Do you think you could fix things with her?"

"Not until she apologizes." Janis told him firmly.

"Makes sense." Shane nodded, and then started the car. They talked about other stuff-- Janis' art, Shane's goals for his football season, the Spring Fling dance that was coming up. Before Janis knew it, he pulled up in front of her house.

"Thanks for the ride." She said with a smile.

"Anytime." He shot her a wink, and then he waited until she stepped inside the house to drive off.

"Who was the boy that dropped you off?" Janis' mom asked, making her jump.

"Jeez, Mom." Janis clutched her chest "It's Shane Oman. He's Regina's friend."

"I see." Malia hummed, but didn't say anything more.

The three of them had dinner, and then Janis retreated to her garage. She had been itching to paint ever since the PT center, so she grabbed a new canvas and her favorite paints and got started. She sketched it out first, and she started painting as she tried very hard to ignore the subject matter.

It was Regina, and she kind of hated herself for painting her, but she also needed to get it out of her system. Like she had heard Janis' thoughts, the blonde called her.

"Miss me already?" Janis drawled as she answered her phone.

"You wish, I was just enjoying my Janis-free time." Regina shot back, but Janis could tell she was smiling.

"And yet, here you are in my phone, distracting me." Janis countered.

"In your phone?" Regina laughed "What are you, 80 years old?"

"Why are you bothering me again?" Janis asked playfully.

"Right." Regina cleared her throat "I, uh, I just wanted to say thanks for the cookies, Kylie loved them too. And for showing up."

"You're welcome." Janis replied quietly, taking a seat on the couch heavily. Just like that, the playful mood was gone, and Janis was hyper focused on their shared history.

"Jay?" Regina spoke in a small voice, and Janis had to blink back tears. It had been over 5 years since she had last heard that nickname. Simultaneously it felt like a gut punch and a warm hug.

"Yeah?" Janis replied, hoping her voice didn't shake too much.

"I missed you." She confided, her voice a mere whisper.

Janis let the tears roll down her cheeks, staring at the painting she had just started. And then she responded honestly even as her voice caught in her throat.
"I missed you, too." She said.

They stayed on the phone, neither of them speaking, neither hanging up, for a few minutes, and then Regina broke the silence.

"What are you up to?" She asked.

"Painting a little." Janis offered, not sharing what, or rather who she was painting.

"Can I see the painting?" Regina asked softly.

"Maybe when it's done." Janis responded noncomittally.

"No fun." Regina said, and Janis could almost see the pout.

"Excuse you, I'm the life of the party." Janis scoffed, offended.

"And you call me drama queen." Regina laughed a little "Well, anyway, I'm gonna let you get back to painting."

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow." Janis told her with a smile.

"See you."

Janis sat there frozen for about 20 minutes after she ended the call with Regina. Had Regina actually just admitted she missed Janis?! Had she said those words?!

Janis knew it wasn't an actual apology, which she still needed, but her heart skipped a beat all the same. Maybe she and Regina were on the road of redemption, after years of bullshit.

Chapter Text

Thanks to the extensive physical therapy that felt more like torture than anything else, as well as the experimental treatment she was getting, Regina had started walking. She could only walk for about 10 to 15 minutes before she had to sit down, and she could only do it with the assistance of a walking cane, but she was walking all the same. The feeling in her legs was almost completely back, and she was ecstatic, but also anxious.

She was kind of scared that one day she was going to wake up, and her progress would be gone. That was why she was staying cautiously optimistic.

Aside from the situation with her back and legs, Regina had one other great source of anxiety in her life: the Spring Fling dance. Since she could stand and walk, the people in her life had convinced her to go. Shane asked her to be his date, and it was going to be her first public appearance in school since the accident.

All those things were supposed to be good, but she felt almost sick to her stomach at the thought of showing up with a cane and having to use the wheelchair. And she knew that she would have to use it at some point.

She was sitting in her back yard, staring at the pool as she tried to breathe through her anxiety, but the more she let herself think about it, the worse the feeling got.

"G, you okay?" Shane asked as he walked onto the patio.

"I can't go to Spring Fling, I can't." Regina blurted out "It will be too weird and everyone will stare at me or pity me and I can't!"

"Okay, okay." He pulled her into a hug "Just breathe, it's okay."

"I'm sorry." She murmured, blinking back tears.

"You don't need to be sorry." Shane offered gently "It's a messed up situation."

Regina thought that was that, Shane was going to to Spring Fling either alone or with another girl, it wasn't like he was hurting for options. And then a couple of days later, when Regina came home from PT, she found Shane's car in the driveway.

She did think it was strange that neither him nor Janis showed up to keep her company during PT, but she didn't think much of it. As she walked inside the house--  she couldn't believe she had walked, even though she was relying on the cane, and she got exhausted quickly, she was still walking, she found Shane and Janis in the living room with Regina's mom. Her dad and Kylie had picked her up from PT.

"Hi, Shane!" Kylie high-fived him, before hugging Janis "Hi, Janis."

"Hey, kiddo." Janis smiled. Regina loved how much Janis and Kylie had repaired their friendship.

"What's up, tiny?" Shane grinned at her.

"What- What are you two doing here?" Regina asked them uncertainly. 

"We have a surprise for you." Janis informed her, making her frown.

"It's in your room." Shane supplied, so Regina turned slowly and moved towards her room. The two of them followed, but Regina's parents and her sister didn't, though they looked like they knew what was going on.

Regina opened the door to her room and found a brand new cane and wheelchair, only they weren't the regular design with boring colors. In fact, the wheelchair had been painted the exact sparkly blue of the dress Regina was going to wear to Spring Fling. The cane was too, but the cane also had also had an intricate handle. 

"What is this?" Regina asked, taking a seat on the bed, which caused relief to surge through her immediately.

"We know you said you don't want to go to Spring Fling." Janis began tentatively.

"That's right, I don't!" Regina responded firmly.

"But, G, you've been looking forward to this all year," Shane continued "and you've made so much progress since the accident, and you should only feel proud of yourself, not embarrassed."

"Did you two do this?" She nodded to the wheelchair and the cane.

"It was Shane's idea," Janis explained "your folks bought them, and I painted them."

"They look pretty cool." Regina admitted reluctantly.

"Pretty cool?" Janis huffed "This is the best art I've ever done."

"You're so dramatic." Regina rolled her eyes, reaching out to take the cane.

'Pretty cool' was an understatement. The closer she looked at it, the more impressed she got. It was very chic and fashionable, but it also had a bit of an edge.

"And, I got this." Shane reached behind him and pulled out another cane that matched Regina's. Only, it was taller than hers. "It's for me."

"You don't need a cane." Regina frowned.

"You think I'm gonna let you be the only fashionista at Spring Fling?" He scoffed playfully "No way in hell. I feel like that really old actor that danced really well."

"Is he talking about Fred Astaire?" Janis turned to Regina, amused.

"He is." Regina confirmed.

"So, will you please go to Spring Fling?" Shane asked, a lot more serious.

"I will." Regina finally acquiesced "But, I might leave early."

"That's okay." Janis rushed to assure her.

"Now, I'm afraid I have to go and hit the gym." Shane announced "You need a ride, Janis?"

"No, it's okay, my dad will pick me up later." Janis told him, and he gave her a salute, before kissing Regina on the head and walking out.

"I can't believe you did this." Regina shook her head, taking a closer look at the wheelchair too.

"Turns out, Shane is a pretty sensitive guy." Janis offered, taking a seat next to Regina gingerly.

"He is, but I'm not talking about him." Regina shook her head "I can't believe you, specifically, did this."

"Because of our insane betrayal and arson-filled history?" Janis raised an eyebrow, biting back a laugh.

"Exactly."

"You survived something horrific, and now you have to deal with the consequences." Janis offered staring at the wheelchair "If I can do something to help make the adjustment easier, I'll do it."

"You are something else." Regina shook her head. She knew she didn't deserve a single second of Janis' time, much less everything that Janis had done for her, but she was so grateful.

"That's what my shrink said!" Janis pointed out, making the blonde laugh.

"What are you gonna wear to Spring Fling?" Regina asked her.

"A suit, duh." Janis replied cheekily.

"Show me." The blonde said.

"Nope, you're going to just have to be stunned along with everyone else there." Janis informed her with a smirk, and Regina felt herself drawn in.

For some reason, she got the urge to cup Janis' cheek and maybe even kiss her. She shook that thought away, scolding herself.

She had already ruined her friendship with Janis once after a kiss, she wasn't going to do it again.

Janis stuck around to have dinner with them, and then her dad picked her up.

On the day of the Spring Fling dance, Regina woke up with a pit in her stomach. She was looking forward to returning to school triumphantly after almost dying, but she was also terrified of what was going to happen. She had always acted like she didn't give a damn what anyone else thought, but she always cared, perhaps too much.

It was actually one of the reasons she admired Janis so much. She didn't give a fuck what anyone thought or said, she just lived her life as she wanted.

She did her hair and makeup by herself because no one else knew how to do it right, and Kylie was sitting next to her the whole time. Regina even included her in the process, doing her makeup, which made her smile widely.

Her mom then helped her put on the dress, and Regina had to admit she looked amazing in it, even with her awkward stance because of the cane.

"You are such a slay queen!" June announced, making Regina blush and roll her eyes simultaneously.

"Thanks, Mom." She replied drily.

Just as she put her jewelry on, the doorbell rang.

"That must be Shane." June said excitedly, rushing to answer the door. Regina followed her at a much slower pace, and found him standing there in a dark blue suit with a light purple button up and a dark blue tie. He had a corsage pinned to his lapel, and he was holding one in his hands.

"You look amazing." He told her with a wide smile.

"Thanks." She replied.

He put the corsage on her hand and then they took a bunch of pictures, most of which Regina ditched the cane for. After about 30 minutes of pictures, they were finally in Shane's SUV and on the way to Spring Fling. Regina's wheelchair was in his car trunk, but there was no way in hell Regina George was going to enter Spring Fling in a wheelchair.

Shane parked as close as he could to the gym entrance and then he opened the door for her and offered a hand. She stood up, one hand holding his arm, one on the cane.
"You ready to turn some heads?" He asked with a smile.

"Always." She nodded with more confidence than she felt.

She looped her arm through his and the two of them made their way towards the entrance. As soon as they stepped through the doors, it felt like all the eyes were on them.

"Is that Regina George?!" Someone gasped.

"I thought she died!" Someone added.

"I thought she was paralyzed." Someone else supplied.

Regina didn't even dignify them with a look. She just tightened her hold on Shane and focused her gaze right ahead of her. The two of them made their way through the crowd, stopping to talk to the three people that felt brave enough to approach them. When they got to the table section, they found Karen, Gretchen, Damian, Janis, and Grace all at the same table. Every table had spots for 10 people, though, so she approached them.

"Regina, you look amazing!" Gretchen gushed, rushing over to hug her.

"Thanks, Gretch, so do you." Regina told her sincerely.

"I love the way the cane matches the dress." Karen said, stepping in to hug the blonde "I might have to get myself a cane for the next dance."

"I bet you'll look incredible." Regina told her.

Damian was looking at her a little suspiciously, but he approached to greet her too.
"I'm glad to see you up and about." He told her. 

"Thanks, Damian." She replied "I love your suit."

"Oh, you know I had to serve." Damian announced dramatically.

Finally, Regina turned to Janis, and her breath caught in her throat. Janis was dressed in a light purple suit jacket with black lapels, black pants, a white button up, and a black tie. She was also wearing combat boots, and her shirt was half-tucked which made the outfit very edgy and Janis.

"Hey, Janis." Regina offered her a smile. She noticed Grace frown at her, but she paid her no mind.

"Hey." Janis responded.

"Okay, just for my own peace of mind, if we have you two at the same table, you're not gonna kill each other?" Damian interjected.

"No, Damian, we're not gonna kill each other." Janis rolled her eyes.

"Well, I had to ask." Damian told her.

Apparently, since the bus crash he had been hanging out with Gretchen and Karen, judging by the familiarity they had with each other.

The dance was like any other dance the school had held before, except Regina couldn't move around the room as freely as she once could.

She was feeling good about being back among her peers, and then she found herself alone at the table. She had sat down to give her back a break, when she realized she was thirsty. Only, the glass bottles with water were in the middle of the table, and Regina couldn't reach them even if she stood up, never mind sitting down.

She sat there, silently stewing at her own limitations, when she felt a presence, and then saw Janis by her side.
"Hey, do you want something to drink?" She offered.

"Water, please." Regina murmured, looking away.

"How are you doing?" Janis prodded lightly, pouring water in a glass "Do I need to get Shane to bring the chair?"

"No, I can power through." She shook her head "I just need to take something for the pain." 
She rummaged through her clutch until she found the little pill bottle. She took two out and put them in her mouth before moving to lift the glass. She almost dropped it because she felt a jolt of pain in her back, which made her hand clench.

"Fuck." She muttered.

"I can help." Janis spoke softly, taking the glass. She held it up to Regina's mouth gently so the blonde could drink.

Cady showed up midway through Spring Fling, just when Regina's pills were starting to kick in and right before the ceremony announcing the King and Queen.

Shane won Spring Fling King, to no one's surprise, and Regina cheered and clapped along with everyone else. And then, Mr. Duvall announced Cady as the Spring Fling Queen, eliciting a lot of cheers, but just as many boos and gasps.

Cady took the tiara and then gave a little speech that Regina could only half-follow. She figured the gist of it was that they were all winners and that division and power dynamics were stupid.

The redhead even threw a piece of the tiara at her, but Regina couldn't catch it.

After the ceremony was over, Regina danced a slow dance with Shane because she couldn't really move easily, and Shane had never been a great dancer.

She did spot Cady and Janis making up, which was nice. After a while, a bunch of people gathered around in a circle, jumping inside the circle to show off their dance moves. Shane was atrocious, but he made everyone excited, which was his superpower.

Regina really needed to use the toilet, though, and she didn't want to bother anyone, so she hobbled over on her own. She did manage to use the toilet on her own and after she washed her hands, she was going to reapply her lipstick, but it flew out of her hands.

"Fuck." She was a little high, and also in a lot of pain, so she couldn't reach the lipstick, which fell into the sink.

"Here, let me." Janis interrupted. Regina expected her to tease or at least comment on her clumsiness, but Janis just picked the lipstick up and opened it.

"Look at me." She said and Regina did, feeling warmth spread through her when the brunette took her jaw with two fingers tilting it down so she could apply the lipstick.

She was fully focused on her task, so she didn't notice Regina holding her breath as her heart thundered in her chest. Janis was so close and she was so pretty.

"There we go." She announced, snapping Regina out of her reverie. She turned to look in the mirror, finding the lipstick perfectly applied, which shouldn't have been a surprise. Janis' makeup was always amazing. 

"Thanks, Jay." Regina replied with a wide smile, and before she could think about what she was doing, she pulled Janis into a tight hug.

"You're welcome." Janis wrapped her arms around Regina's back tentatively.

As soon as they stepped into the hallway, Grace approached them, and she looked kind of mad.
"Janis, can I talk to you for a second?" She asked sharply.

"Sure." Janis nodded, turning to Regina "You gonna be okay?"

"Yep." Regina nodded, so the two of them walked away.

Regina knew she should've minded her own business, but curiosity got the best of her, and she followed them down the hallway. They had gone out to the school yard, using one of the back doors, which was slightly ajar.

"Janis, why did you ask me to be your date?" Grace asked her.

"Because I wanted to go to Spring Fling with you." Janis replied, but she didn't sound too convincing.

"Did you?!" Grace demanded "Because the way you've been acting, I don't see it."

"What do you mean?" Janis asked her.

"You spent all night either hovering around Regina or staring at her from afar." She said, making Regina's eyes widen.

"I just wanted to help her out." Janis responded.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but she has her date and like three other people that are actually her friends." Grace argued "Weren't you supposed to hate her?"

"Excuse me if I'm tired of hating her and scheming after the year we've had." Janis countered pointedly. "I'm sorry I was a shitty date, but it feels like you're attacking me for hanging out with Regina."

"She's a horrible person." Grace stated, and Regina blinked back tears.

"You don't know her." Janis replied quietly "Especially not after the accident. And, by the way, no one tells me who to hang out with."

"Fine." Grace huffed and stalked down the path that led to the parking lot.

Regina hurried, as much as she could, back towards the gym so that Janis wouldn't know she had been eavesdropping.

"Regina!" Cady accosted her, startling her a little just as she stepped into the gym. "I've been trying to find you to talk."

"Can we seat first?" Regina asked, trying to suppress the pain she was feeling.

"Oh, of course!" Cady nodded, moving towards their table. "I, uh, I wanted to tell you I'm so sorry about everything we did to you. The Kalteen bars and the face cream and everything."

"It's okay," Regina shrugged with a smile "those things were pretty funny. And I deserved it."

"No, you didn't." Cady shook her head "Well, maybe from Janis you did, but not from me. And I'm especially sorry about the bus."

"Why? You weren't driving it." Regina replied with a grin.

"But-"

"Don't apologize for things that aren't your fault, Cady." Regina told her lightly "I don't."

"I hope we can be friends, real friends this time." Cady squeezed her hand.

"Sure." Regina nodded "You're pretty cool for a math nerd."

"And me and Aaron-"

"Knock yourself out." Regina snorted "I have no feelings about him and I definitely don't get a say."

After her conversation with Cady, Regina realized she was beyond exhausted. She kind of wanted to go home and curl up in bed until she fell asleep, so her back pain wouldn't be as bad. But, then she spotted Shane dancing with his football team, and she didn't want to ruin his fun.

"Hey, are you okay?" Janis asked, plopping down next to her.

"Yep, just gonna call my parents to come pick me up." Regina told her.

"I can take you home." Janis offered "I drove myself and I'm ready to leave."

"You sure?" Regina asked, not wanting to impose.

"Yep."

"Can you walk?" Janis asked her.

Regina stood up, but she didn't feel very sturdy on her feet. 
"Not sure." She admitted softly.

"Stay here, I'll go get the wheelchair." Janis told her.

"Are you leaving?" Gretchen approached her as soon as Janis jogged off.

"Yeah, I'm tired." Regina mustered a smile.

"I'm glad you came." Gretchen hugged her tightly, and then Karen, Cady, and even Damian followed suit.

Janis brought the wheelchair over, and Shane came with her.
"I can take you home." He offered.

"No, stay, enjoy yourself." She told him firmly.

"Alright." He nodded, hugged her tightly.

She moved into the wheelchair, and she could feel people's eyes on her, but she ignored them. She handed Janis the cane and pushed herself through the crowd and towards the exit.

Janis had come to prom with her mom's sedan, so moving from the wheelchair to the passenger seat wasn't at all difficult. Once she did, Janis put the wheelchair in the trunk, and then she drove off.

"Hey, Jay." She spoke before she could stop herself "I overheard your argument with Grace. I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" Janis asked evenly.

"Because it felt like you two fought because of me." Regina shrugged.

"We fought because I was a shitty date." Janis chuckled.

"Maybe you can apologize?" Regina suggested.

"I will apologize, but I realized we have nothing in common, so I'm not too torn up about her ditching me." Janis explained softly.

"Oh." Regina swallowed "Well, anyone would be lucky to have you."

"Regina George, was that a compliment?" Janis gasped dramatically.

"Shut up." Regina blushed, punching her shoulder lightly.

"Hey, don't hit the driver, you menace!" Janis exclaimed.

"Did you see how scared our friends were when we interacted?" Regina asked after a while.

"I swear they thought we'd kill each other right there." Janis laughed in response.

"I mean, we do have the history." Regina offered "But, I- I'm glad we're civil again."

"I am too." Janis replied, and there was something strange in her tone "Hating you was exhausting."

Janis pulled up in front of Regina's house, and she rushed to help the blonde out of the car. Regina was determined to walk the distance to the house, while Janis pushed the wheelchair next to her.

"Thanks for the ride." Regina murmured "And for helping me out all night."

"You're welcome your highness." Janis shot her a wink.

"Goodnight, Jay." Regina grinned, shaking her head.

"Goodnight, Reginald." Janis said, before walking back to the car.

Regina stood there shocked for a few moments, before stepping inside. She hadn't heard the teasing nickname in over five years, and it felt better than she dreamed.

"Hey, queen, was that Janis?" June asked her, accosting her as soon as she shut the door.

"Yeah, she drove me home because Shane was enjoying himself and I didn't want to bug him." Regina explained.

"Tell me everything!" June exclaimed, following Regina to her bedroom "How was the dance?"

"Pretty fun actually." Regina admitted reluctantly. Sure her mom had a disregard for boundaries, but Regina knew she was just excited that she managed to go to the dance after the bus crash "Shane and Cady were king and queen, and then Cady did this little apology speech and broke the tiara into pieces to give to everyone."

"She is such a cute little weirdo." June offered, making Regina laugh.

"Yeah, and I danced a little. It was fun." She said.

"I'm so happy you had fun." June kissed her on the head. "And I'm really glad you and Janis have patched things up."

"We're getting there." Regina shrugged, biting back a smile.

The thought of having Janis back in her life, hanging out with her daily actually gave her butterflies. And when she thought back to the entire Spring Fling dance night, Regina had to admit that Janis standing up to Grace for her was absolutely her favorite part. 

She just needed to figure out how to apologize to Janis for all the shit she had done. That wasn't going to be easy.