A/N: So yes another one-shot already haha :) And I guess this could be placed at the end of season five (although with my little touches, such as Jarley never broke up, and Kitty didn't date Artie :), you know since they're dropping Lima :( The only good thing is being able to assume whatever you want :D

Wildly Hydrophobic

I've always been afraid of swimming. It's just been that way since I was little, I guess just being small, and jumping straight into the deep end of the pool with no supervision, that just takes it's toll on people.
I was five, and don't worry, my dad was on his way. But I was too excited. We were staying at a hotel and it was my first time ever. And the pool was just too exciting to wait for. So I ran ahead, dumping my towel on one of the pool lounger chairs, then jumped.
I didn't think about how there was no one else there, or about how deep the pool was, that my dad has my floatly, that I couldn't swim. I just wanted in, and I was an impatient little girl, so I got in. I jumped.
I clearly remember the second it took me to realise all that. The struggling, hitting the water with my hands as I desperately tried to do what daddy could. Gasping for air, choking on the water that my arms were churning up. Yelling for "Daddy" through the water.
I don't remember much after that. All I know is that I do not swim.

Kitty Wilde is afraid of water.

...oOo...

No one but my parents know, I'm an only child, so there was never a problem with a family day at the pools or anything of the sort.

So while we wait for Mr Schue to arrive for the last glee lesson of the semester, the rest of the club were discussing something we could all do together over the summer. And after the date was decided on, a good day for everyone, they began to suggest activities.
Sam wanted to go to Laser Tag, that would be fun, most of the guys are on board, but those like Marley, Unique and Tina don't like it, even Joe is against the violence of whatever. Marley suggests the Beach, that we all drive up there or whatever. Not so bad, I could stay up on the sand, read, maybe do do cartwheels, build a sandcastle. Then there's Ryder's idea which everyone but me agrees on, and that's what we're doing.

We're going to the freaking water park! Help!

...oOo...

I really wish activity had been decided before date. Then I wouldn't have agreed to come. I can't back out now, I'd said I'd be there, so crap! It's like they know and it's like they hate me. I could say I have my period, so I'm not swimming, I'll just watch everyone splash around in that death trap.
Though thinking about it, I wouldn't really want everyone to know, not to mention at our last sleepover Marley and I had realised we'd "Synced up," if that's even an actual thing. But she'd know I was lying then there'd be questions from her, so I'll just avoid that if I can.

"This is gonna be fun, right?" Marley beams as she steps up beside me as we wait in line, linking her arm with the one of mine that wasn't occupied by my large pink and white tote bag. It had a towel in it, I can at least act the part, so don't judge.

I nod, swallowing deeply, I can see the slides from here, and I hear the splashing and the screaming. "Of course," I say, trying to sound normal, it comes out sounding strangled.

"Are you okay?" Marley asks, her smile dropping as she turns to me.

"Of course," I repeat, pulling a fake smile up onto my face. "I'm great, why wouldn't I be, we're at the water park," I say the last two words through clenched teeth, but my brunette bestie doesn't seem to notice.
Her boyfriend has appeared beside her, making her all smiley and ... ick. So her distraction is somewhat understandable, but ick. Though his best friend is there too, the idiot who suggested this god-damned day. Too bad he's decided we're friends, so I have to deal.

"Ryder," I say shortly in greeting, folding my arms and looking up at the price board.

"Kitty," he nods, stepping closer as Marley and Jake move forward. I can see he's trying not to laugh as he copies me, looking up at the board. 20 buck a ahead, regardless of whether you are swimming or not.

I hand Ryder my 20 as we get closer to the gate. I then lean on his shoulder, sighing. So okay, maybe I've decided he's my friend too, but he doesn't need to know that.
"You okay?" he asks, turning to look at me.

I inwardly groan, I hate that question.
"I'm fine," I tell him rather harshly as I stand up straight.
He turns back to me with a slight frown after he hands our money to Marley as she gets to the window. The others had gone ahead, though I could see Sam and Sugar on the other side of the gate, if they were waiting for us or what? I didn't know.

"Why you no happy cat?" Ryder chuckles, his smile growing.
I have to try real hard at not laughing along. I know I have a smile though.
"Is the Kitty afraid of the water?" he jokes. And I know he's joking, but I still stiffen. To a point where Ryder has to reach back and pull on my arm to get me to follow him.
Once in the park he pulls me away from the others.

"Kitty? You are aren't you?" he asks seriously. "When I don't answer, he takes that as an affirmative and continues. "Why didn't you say something? I wouldn't have suggested this if you'd told me!" he whisper yell, like somehow he already knows I want it to stay hidden.

"I don't want anyone to know okay," I sigh looking at the ground. "I can't swim," I very quietly tell him, a half truth, because yes I can not swim, but he doesn't need to know why. I was hoping he'd leave it at that, but him being Ryder, of course he can't.

"I can teach you!" he smiles, speaking too loudly, so I cover his mouth.

"No," I almost yell.

"Why?" He mumbles beneath my hand, he goes to continue, but I cut him off.

"Just because," I roll my eyes and drop my hand.

"But why?" he frowns.

"It's like six foot deep!" I stress.

"And I'm six foot one, I can touch the bottom all the time, not that we'd need to go in that end, I'll be right next to you Kitty," he tells me as he leans closer so he doesn't have to talk so loud.

"I just, I ... I can't okay," I whisper on the verge of tears.

"Okay," Ryder nods, clearly disappointed.

I hadn't expected him to give up so easily. Maybe I will tell him, he already knows something no one else does, what's another thing?
"Ryder," I say quietly as he goes to go back to the others.

"Yeah," he quickly turns back to face me, as if that was his intention from the start, to not leave.

"I just had a really bad experience when I was little and I haven't swam since," I'm pulling at my fingers as I speak, I've never told anyone this. "I just, I jumped in while my dad wasn't there, just me and no one else. I was five, and couldn't... it was just horrible," I look back up at him. "I was lucky that my dad was close enough behind me that he heard the splash and my yelling and screaming," I sigh.

Ryder nods, "It's okay, everyone has their things," he smiles slightly rubbing my arm. "I'm just glad you told me."

"What's yours?" I ask. He said everyone has one, so what's his?
And without hesitation he answers:

"Bee's," he nods. "And wasps. Remember that day in the choir room when I just jumped up halfway through the lesson, well Bee," he shrugs. I do remember that, he just jumped from his seat, then casually pretends he was actually going to sit at the drum set, sure he was.
"Any kind and I'm gone. And if you mock me, I will chuck you in the nearest body of water."
When my eyes widen, he continues, "Then pull you straight back out." Ahh there's the kind and careful Ryder that disappeared for a moment there.

"Fine," I nod, holding out my hand for him to shake. He takes it with a smile, and that's about when the others tell us to hurry up. So we oblige, going back over to them.

...oOo...

After about an hour I was sick of watching everybody else having fun except me. Jake had only just convinced Marley to go back in after Sam had thrown her in for a laugh. He'd apologised, but she was still pretty pissed. And Ryder, well I'd probably be more bored if he wasn't coming back every ten minutes to see if I was alright. Of course I was, I wasn't in the water, but it was sweet.

"Time to work on my tan," Sugar tells me with a beaming smile as she lays down in the lounger next to mine. Tan? I was ridiculously covered in sunblock, Marley's idea. I'd even helped her get Sam and Ryder (they're just as white as us, they need it too.) And she got Jake too, despite him claiming he didn't need it, it's better safe then sorry.
Sugar was asleep within minutes, so I take her leopard print towel and cover her in it. Okay, so maybe I'm just as sun safe as Marley.

I get up from my seat and start walking the length of the pool. I try to find everyone, so I can watch what they're doing.
The whole area was really nice, this was called like beach aisle or something, away from all the slides, so it was a bit quieter. Apparently we'd be going to them later. But it really was like a beach, minus the sand and waves. The water started very shallow and got deeper as you went, not sure how deep, and I wasn't about to find out.
The river thing went in a huge circle around the 'beach' pool and the land area, we'd been over a bridge to get here. It took me a while but I did spot everyone, once you find one, everyone else else seems to just pop up.

Blaine, Tina and Artie were all in those giant swimming ring things, floating around the outside of the 'beach' pool, in the river thing. I was still trying to get over the fact that Artie was in the water and I wasn't. They were laughing and it kinda looked like fun, but what if I fell out?
Joe and Unique were sitting in the shallows, just talking, and even that looked fun, and nice and cooling. But what if I slipped and my head went under?
I turn to look at Marley as she jumps on Jake's back and he starts carrying her around. Then I happen to look at Ryder at the perfect moment, as Sam jumps on his back, and they fall laughing. I'll even admit that that could be fun, but not the falling bit, I would never ever do that if I can avoid it, which I will. Turning back to Marley and Jake, I notice she's barely in the water, I could do that!
Slowly I step into the water, stopping when it reaches my ankles. I decide just to sit there and wait for Ryder to come back over, so I sit in the surprisingly warm water.
It's not even a minute before he spots me, I wave as he quickly comes towards me.

"What are you doing?" he asks with a smile.

"If you promise not to let go, I'll come in with you. Carry me like Jake is carrying Marley," I point over at our friends. "And don't let Sam near me, I don't trust him." I look back at Sam, it's alright he's just joined Tina, Blaine and Artie's train, taking the lead from Tina.

Ryder turns to look at Jake and Marley, then Sam, as I talk of them. Then he turns back to me.
"We can do that," he nods and pulls me up, then spins around, crouching for me to climb on.

"Don't drop me," I re-iterate as I slowly climb onto his back.

"Wouldn't dream of it," he chuckles. "Just tell me if you want to go back to land okay," he adds, turning his head slightly.

"Okay," I say quietly, taking a deep breath as I feel the water swaying over my feet as we get deeper. But I'm fine, I'm going to be okay.
I know I'm probably strangling him, and yet he doesn't complain. Which is quite impressive since I've been warned of my death grip. Even if he did complain, I wouldn't do anything, I couldn't risk moving, he has no shirt on, so his neck has to suffer.
Anyone comparing Marley and I would see her relaxed grip compared to my strangle hold. They'd see her release and wave at me, even calling through both hands.

"Hi Kitty!" she beams, now god forbid waving with both hands. And then Jake's only holding her up with one arm as he waves, and I can't look anymore. I bury my face in Ryder's neck and my arms, so I can't see the water, can't see the danger. But I can still feel it. I quickly pull my legs up so that they're practically wrapped around Ryder's torso. I can't see but i know he walks us back out. I'm such a chicken.
So many people are staring at me when Ryder puts me down, including all the glee club. What if they figured me out?

"Kitty?" Ryder tries to get my attention. I just shake my head and take off running, past Sugar, back over the bridge, towards the exit. There were tears stinging at the corners of my eyes. And I frantically wipe at them as they start to fall.
I know Ryder runs after me, and it's only as I'm almost at the gate that he uses his speed to his advantage and runs ahead of me, successfully stopping me as he places his hands on my upper arms.

"I want to go home," I tell him, sobbing and still trying to wipe my eyes clear.

"Well I don't know how you were planning on doing it?" Ryder chuckles, "Since I drove the four of us here."

I shake my head, trying not to laugh with him, "I don't know," I sigh.

"What got to you Kitty?" he asks as he pulls me towards a table near the ice-cream stand. "I wasn't going to drop you."

"No, I know that," I continue sobbing. "It's stupid, just... Marley wasn't holding on," as I say it, I'm well aware of how dumb I sound, it wasn't even anything to do with me. "God that's stupid," I mumble.

"It's a little strange, but if it gets to you, then it does," he shrugs. I can't watch the beard of bee's thing, that's stupid," he chuckles.

"It just isn't fair! I want to have fun like everybody else, but I'm too chicken," I sigh leaning down on my arms on the table.

"Well how about I go back and get my wallet, then I'll buy us an ice-cream, that's fun," he nods. "And delicious," he smiles.

"A wise idea Lynn," I smirk, "But I'd rather not face the glee club just yet."

"No, I could just go back? You can just wait here if you want," he shrugs, then looks back in the direction we came from.

"Well I was actually going to ask, do heads go under water when on slides?" I raise my eyebrows as I play with my hands. I don't miss the smile that grows on his face.

"Not much, maybe at the end when you go into the pool, but you can sit up during the ride," he explains to me.

"And if someone was afraid to go on, but kind of really wanted to, would their awesome friend be allowed to go down with her? And if allowed, would he?" I question, hoping he could make sense of it.

"Yes Kitty, I can and will go on the slide with you," he nods smiling. "You didn't even have to ask, I wouldn't have let you go alone," he laughs, "Just in case you tried to climb back up or something," he jokes.
I even manage a small laugh.

...oOo...

The lines for the slides weren't completely unbearable, they were moving at a good pace. But not quite fast enough because I had time and I was starting to way over think things. Ryder had a tight hold on my hand, lightly rubbing his thumb back and forth to calm me down a bit. It was kind of working, mostly because him taking my hand shocked me into thinking about only that. Had that been his intention? I couldn't stop staring at our interlocked hands, why did I even care?
We soon reach the front of the line. And now I'm shaking. Ryder quickly makes sure I still want to do this. I nod and he sits down on the little seat-slide thing in the entrance. He pulls my hand so that I step over one of his legs then sit between them. I then pull his arms so that they're wrapped around me, keeping me safe and pressed to him.
I squeeze my eyes shut, and latch onto his strong arms as the light goes and he pushes us off.

Okay, so it's better than I thought it would be. It's fast, and I like fast. Though for the few seconds I have my eyes open, it's really dark and I know that waters there, but I can't see it, and I don't like this, so I close them again. But it was over way to soon.
We reach the pool at the bottom, and I'm going to ignore that Ryder touched my ass, because he did it by accident as he pushed me up so that my head wouldn't go under the water. That was insanely thoughtful, even if he scared the crap out of me, I couldn't believe he'd thought to do it all though.

We've separated, barely, and I stand up, quickly looking for him. He's only right behind me, re-emerging from the water, so he'd gone under.

"Oh my god!" I exclaim, jumping at him. "I loved that," I smile brightly, clutching onto him, letting him carry me out of the shallow water. "That was so fun! Can we do it again? No actually can we go on that one?" I point at the green on and immediately start pulling him towards it as he puts me down.

"Yeah, whatever you want," Ryder chuckles, letting me pull him along.

...oOo...

We go down like six slides, the same way every time, his arms around me, then he pushes me up at the end making himself go under.
The one time in line when Ryder wasn't holding my hand, and he was standing in front of me in line again, some girls in front of him started talking to him. I felt my face heat up, he was supposed to be talking to me, not those giggling bitches. I take his hand again, and he turns back to me with a smile.
I lean around Ryder to give those girls a 'shame bitches he'd rather hang with me' smirk.
They retaliate by grabbing his arm and pretending to be scared, asking if he'd go with them. Ryder pulls back from them and releases my hand. Why? He's pulling back from both of us, I thought he was my friend? I can't go down the slide alone.
I am put at ease when he apologies to them and puts an arm around my shoulders.

"I have my chicken to look after," he smiles down at me. He practically just insulted me, and yet I didn't care, I'd won. And as Ryder looks back up I stick my tongue out at those two girls, mentally chanting about how I'd won.

Soon enough they go down, then Ryder and I soon after, same as the other five times, his arms around me, then pushing me up at the end making himself go under, and making me laugh.
He picks me up out of the water, again. Carrying me out, again. I don't care if I looked pathetic, I was having fun, and those jealous bitches were watching shame!

"Okay, I'm tired of stairs now," I tell him as he puts me down.

Ryder nods, "Do you want to go back and get some money for ice-cream then?" he suggests.

"Not yet," I shake my head. "I want to go on the rings, like Tina and Blaine did," I say quietly as I watch the rest of the glee club walk past, minus Marley, Jake and Sugar, on their way to the slides. Luckily they don't see us.

"You sure?" he asks and I nod quickly. I grab his hand and pull him back towards the bridge then over it again. He lets me lead him all the way back to our stuff.

"Oh yay, you're here!" Marley jumps and waves at us as we get closer. "Sugar's asleep, and we didn't want to leave everything unsupervised," she shrugs.

"Yeah, we want to go on the slides, so we'll be back soon," Jake says as they start walking off hand in hand, Marley giving us a quick wave as they go over the bridge.

"Even better if no one sees us sharing," I say with a smile as I join the end of the short cue for the large swimming rings. "Not that I have a problem with sharing you." I quickly tell him as he steps up behind me. "It's just I don't want questions, and if they see us sharing there will be questions," I shrugs, hoping I wasn't rambling.

"It's okay, I get it," Ryder chuckles, pushing me slightly as the line moves and I don't.

...oOo...

We've got the ring and are soon floating on the water in it. I'm sitting on him. He is draped across the ring, his butt in hole, and his arms and legs dangling over the edges. And basically acting as my perch, my seat. I was pretty comfortable, well besides my eyes darting from side to side as I sit up and lay back, panicking a little as I take in the water surrounding us. Ryder had warned me that this water was deeper than the side pool. I acted fine at the time, but I was starting to crack.
Ryder reaches up and takes one of my dry hands in his wet one, squeezing it gently.

"Just relax, you'll be fine," he assures me. "Unless you keep moving, because then 'll fall through the damn hole in pain okay," he chuckles slightly. Is he joking or not? I think it may be a bit of both, so I lean back until my ponytail touches the water. I then sit up a little, and slide down so my feet are dangling over the edge, lightly brushing the water.
I sigh in relief, we were pretty stable, and there weren't many others floating in the river, but not packed either. It was not likely that someone would bang into us.

But with my luck, of course they do. Some rotten nasty little boys, literally tip us. God only knows how 12 year olds have such dirty minds, but they made some sort of sex joke before purposely tipping us over as they laugh. Then they make their quick, able to swim, ways away.

As for me, I panicked for the two seconds that I was under, and Ryder didn't have me.
I will admit he acted fast, not even bothering with those putrid little demons. He easily and quickly pulls me from my state, bringing me closer to him. And I cling, crawl, scramble and scrape my way up as high as I can on him. Make all the cat jokes you want, but I was freaking out.
My legs were wrapped around his torso, not touching the water and my arms were locked around his head, so tight that my chest was pressed right up to him. My boobs were right up against the side of his head, and I didn't care. I just wanted out, and I wanted out now!

Leaving the ring behind, Ryder had figured it out. He pulls my arm from his line of vision, only to have it latch on under his chin. He has both arms wrapped around my awkward position on his side as he carries me out. I'm shaking and my teeth are chattering, I'm not cold, but I'm sure I'm having some sort of panic attack or something. I refuse to let go of Ryder.

I think we may have gone around a couple of times, because Sugar is awake and reading a magazine when we reach her.

"What happened?" She asks, actually sounding somewhat concerned as she peers up at us through her ink heart shaped sunglasses.

"Ahh, just some shitty little kids," Ryder shrugs, and makes no move to remove his Kitty growth. He must expect me to come down in my own time, does he know me?
You know, I don't even care that Sugar can clearly see how terrified I am right now.
I feel safer with Ryder, like if I let go of the thing keeping me afloat then the water will chase me and swallow me whole. God I'm a chicken.

...oOo...

With me still hanging off him, Ryder manages to collect his wallet and take us back over to the ice-cream place. I've relaxed slightly, but I still don't want to get down. And he hasn't even complained once, wow this guy would make a good boyfriend... wait... where did that come from? No! Bad Kitty!
I am still mentally scolding myself when we reach the min shop.
He manages to swing me around to his back, easier for him I guess? I quickly glance over the flavours.

"French Vanilla! Please," I say without hesitation. Ryder chuckles at my eagerness, and my first words since the incident. After much debating he decides on Orange Choc Chip, then pays and takes both cones from the holder. I don't even question that he payed for mine, maybe I'll pay him back later, I do very much doubt he'll let me, he's one of those guys.
He's also smarter than I'd assumed, because he withholds my melting ice-cream from me until I let go. So I oblige and receive my cone then follow him to the table we were sat at earlier.

We sit and eat the cones in almost silence, the noise is coming from the rest of the park, not us. He wasn't going to question me, and I certainly wasn't going to bring it back up. He was smart like that too.
A thought comes over me as I watch him drop some of the frozen desert down himself with a quiet curse, then he turns to me with a sheepish grin. I can't help but smile back at him, he had ice-cream on his face. I've never had that flavour, I wonder if it's a nice one?
Would it be weird? Of course, but screw it, today has been a weird day and Ryder has been noting but good to me.

I lean over the table, kissing the corner of his mouth, taking the ice-cream with me. I lean back to see Ryder quickly turning red. I bite my lip as I try not to laugh, then start on my ice-cream again as a further distraction.

So maybe I like Ryder ... a lot.

And maybe I'll deal with my Hydrophobia later, and maybe it'll be with a really cute helper?

A/N: So I hoped you liked that, please review if you did :) You'll get a link to the outfits :D