𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 | jesse st. james - bookishbichon (2024)

Chapter 1: FINLEY HUDSON

Chapter Text

[ 1.01 ]

💙 Vocal Adrenaline | "Rehab" - Amy Winehouse

❤️ New Directions | "Don't Stop Believin'" - Journey

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

𝘼𝙇𝙇 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘾𝙃𝙀𝙀𝙍𝙄𝙊𝙎 tried to catch their breath as they stood on the field. Practicing rigorously for hours before school even started was part of the daily schedule for cheerleaders, especially with a coach like Sue Sylvester. With her iconic tracksuits, Sue was a force to be reckoned with. Everyone was terrified of her, even the teachers. With a scowl on her face and her short hair spiked atop her head, the sun lit her from behind making her appear like she had a divine light around her. In a way, Sue was a god at Mckinley. To the Cheerios, she certainly was. With multiple national cheerleading titles to her name, Sue was the reigning bitch of high school cheerleading.

Sue glared at the team from the bleachers, a megaphone in her tight grip. "You think this is hard? Try being waterboarded. That's hard!"

Practice ended finally after Sue's outburst and everyone dispersed to grab their bags and freshen up before school. The four top cheerios and queen bees of the school walked off the field together to grab their bags on the bleachers. The four reigning queen bees of the school: Quinn Fabray, Santana Lopez, Brittany Pierce, and Finley Hudson. They were the most popular girls in all of McKinley. Though they were only sophom*ores, they ruled the school. They were known as The Unholy Trinity and their Guardian Angel.

Who was The Unholy Trinity? They were teen royalty. If McKinley was US Weekly, they would always be on the cover.

The tallest blonde with fair skin and bright blue eyes was Brittany Pierce. She was one of the dumbest girls you would ever meet. At least that's what everyone thought. She once asked how to spell "orange."

The tan one with shiny black hair, dark eyes, and a tongue that could cut glass? That was Santana Lopez. Everyone cowered in fear as she strutted through the halls. She was by far the biggest bitch of the group. And she knew that. And owned it. Another thing about Santana Lopez? She knew everybody's business. She knew everything about everyone. And if she didn't know something, it was only a matter of time before she found out. That's why her hair was so thick. It was full of secrets.

And evil took a human form in Quinn Fabray- blonde, blue eyes, and physical perfection in every way. Don't be fooled, because she may seem like your typical selfish, back-stabbing, Jesus-worshiping ho-bag. But in reality, she was so much more than that. She was the queen bee. The star. Those other two in The Unholy Trinity were just her workers.

And that last girl with The Unholy Trinity, their Guardian Angel? That was Finley Hudson. She was the exact opposite of the trio. Instead of instilling fear, she met everyone with a kind smile and a friendly greeting. While the other girls were tall, Finley stood at an adorable 5'3". Her long dark brown hair and warm brown eyes melted everyone into a puddle of mush. While Quinn Fabray was Marilyn Monroe, Finley Hudson was Audrey Hepburn. How she was friends with the other three, no one understood. While the footballers and cheerios gained their popularity through fear, Finley gained hers through her kindness. Her older twin brother was the quarterback of the football team, and she was close with everyone on the team.

How would everyone begin to explain Finley Hudson? Finley Hudson was flawless. She had two Fendi purses and a silver lexus. Her hair was insured for $10,000. She did car commercials in Japan. Her favorite movie was Moulin Rouge. One time, she had met John Stamos on a plane, and he told her she was pretty. One time, she punched a guy in the face. It was awesome. She always looked fierce.

Finley herself knew all the rumors surrounding her. The only ones that were true were her favorite film, that she punched someone, and John Stamos. If anyone bothered to look past superficialities, they would know that Finn and Finley lived in a small house with their amazing mother, Carole. Their dad had died when they were little, leaving her to raise the twins alone. Finley wasn't rich. She didn't even own a designer purse. Finley hated violence with a passion, but she could definitely go Lima-Heights on someone's ass. When she had punched a guy last year in her homeroom, he had tried to slide his hand up her skirt. After repeatedly telling him to stop, she drew her fist back and broke his nose. She only got off with a warning because Principal Figgins and Sue Sylvester understood that the situation must have been dire for her to do such a brash thing.

She was called the "Guardian Angel" for a reason. She objected every time she saw something wrong at the school. Everyone liked to think that she had some influence on The Unholy Trinity, that she was their moral compass of sorts. Even Sue Sylvester liked her, which was a surprise to everyone. If Santana was evil, Sue Sylvester was devil himself. It would seem Sue would hate everything Finley stood for, but she didn't. It was a mystery, but no one dared pry unless they wanted to be verbally assaulted and physically thrown into the lockers by the cheerleading coach.

"That wasn't so bad," Finley chirped as she took a long sip from her water bottle. "She's in a better mood today. She didn't insult us as much as she usually does."

"I'm sure something will set her off today, leading afternoon practice to burn like a ginger in sunlight," Santana quipped. The other girls laughed. Santana was known for her one-liners and verbal assaults. She made people cry with her vicious quips.

"I'll see you all later," Finley waved goodbye to the girls and walked off the field to the parking lot. She put her gym bag back in her car and looked around to see if her twin had arrived yet. He was easy to spot with his letterman jacket. He and other guys from the football team, including her childhood friend, Puck, were lounging near a dumpster.

As Finley made her way over to them, she realized they were, in fact, not lounging. Finley watched with both anger and embarrassment as Puck and some of the guys threw a boy she recognized from school into the gross bin.

Finn and Puck were two of the most popular guys in school. Finn had matching dark brown hair and eyes, but he got the height gene as he towered over everyone at 6'4". Everyone knew Finn was the nicer of the footballers, probably because of his sister. When Finley was younger, Finn used to hate that his and his sisters' names were so similar. Finley had always adored the fact. She had worshiped Finn ever since she was a baby. After a few tense years, Finn realized that he did like the similarity. Though she could get on his nerves, he loved his baby sister with all his heart. And everyone in the school knew that Finn Hudson had only one soft spot, and that was his twin.

Puck was really who everyone feared. He had a big reputation from both sleeping around and committing little crimes here and there. He had more run-ins with the police at the age of 13 than anyone in all of Lima, Ohio. His dark black hair was cut into a Mohawk, making him extra scary. It also helped that he was 6 feet tall, but his reputation and constant glare were enough to scare anyone. No one except Finley really knew how soft Puck could be.

Finley stomped over to the guys who were laughing as they turned to walk away from the dumpster. "Hey!" Finley called after them. The boys turned to see her with a rage easily recognized all over her face. They knew they were dead. "Finn Hudson! Noah Puckerman! What are you doing?"

"Run!" Puck screamed, throwing a leather duffel to the ground. Finn dropped a dark blue jacket and bolted with the rest of the guys. Finley knew she would never catch them with her short legs, so she let them run.

She picked up the bag and the jacket from the floor and made sure to dust off any debris. Finley's brows raised as she read the label on the jacket's tag. "Marc Jacobs? You have good taste," she complimented in awe as the boy crawled out of the bin. She recognized him from her English class. He sat further behind her but he always had amazing clothing. "Kurt, right?"

He nodded. His pale skin was flushed pink from hitting the hard metal and his brown hair was sticking in different directions. "Yeah," he mumbled, smoothing out his hair and his shirt. His voice was high and soft. Finley could only compare it to the soft chirp of a bird in the morning. She handed him back his things. "Thanks."

"I'm sorry about my brother," she apologized. She felt terrible. She knew that it was not her fault, but she couldn't help but feel guilty that she could not stop her brother. "I'll talk to him. He can't go around harassing you."

"It's fine," Kurt waved her off. He didn't know why Finley Hudson was talking to him, much less knew who he was. "I'm used to it."

"But you shouldn't be," she shook her head, refusing to back down. "I'll talk to Puck too. No, the whole team."

"Really, don't worry about it," Kurt pleaded. Finley stopped, confused. "It will only stoke their fire. I worry you would only make things worse for me."

"Oh," Finley mumbled, her expression falling. She would respect his wishes, but she hated it. "If you change your mind, let me know. I have no problem with disciplining them."

"Thanks," Kurt chuckled. "I'll see you in English?" Finley nodded and Kurt walked off towards the school entrance. With a heavy sigh, Finley grabbed her pink school backpack from her car and headed off to class.

During English, Finley had chosen to sit further back in the class with Kurt. He was surprised that the cheerio wanted to sit with him out of all people. Usually she sat with Mike Chang, one of the nicer footballers. Kurt had found out that the Spanish teacher Will Schuester was bringing back the glee club. Finley listened as Kurt told her all about his plans for auditioning. She agreed that "Mr. Cellophane" from Chicago would make a great audition and worked with his voice well. Kurt left English feeling lighter than he had all week.

As Finley walked through the halls to get to her next class, she spotted a girl writing something on a paper posted on a bulletin board. Finley recognized her from the videos Quinn, Brittany, and Santana liked to troll online. She had long brown hair and a strong nose, and Finley knew she had an amazing singing voice. Right as she placed a sticker on the paper, Puck brushed past Finley and threw a slushie into the girl's face.

Finley wasn't surprised. This was a normal day for Puck. If anything, she witnessed him on a good day. But that didn't stop Finley from rushing up to the girl. Her mouth was agape as she wiped the slush away from her eyes. Finley could not imagine how cold she must be now. "Here, let me help you," she offered her hand to the girl. She gawked at the Cheerio. She had never even spoken to Finley Hudson, and she was offering to help her after her friend slushie-assaulted her? She realized that she was leaving Finley waiting, so she warily took her hand. Finley led her to the nearest girls' bathroom and rushed to grab some paper towels. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah. This happens all the time," the girl shrugged. Finley wet the towels under some warm water from the sink and began to wipe away the red ice from her face. "Um... can I ask? Why are you helping me?"

Finley shrugged. "You were slushied in the hallway. Why wouldn't I?" She could do nothing but stare as the cheerio finished cleaning her face. "I don't have any spare clothes on me, unfortunately."

"I have some in my locker," she told Finley, making her relax. "I'm Rachel Berry."

"Finley Hudson," Finley smiled at the greeting.

"I know," Rachel smiled back. "I mean, everyone knows." Finley giggled at Rachel's fluster as she threw away the dirty towels.

"So, what were you writing on the board? And what was with the sticker?" Finley inquired, leaning against the sink.

"I'm going to join the new glee club Ms. Schuester is starting," she told her. "Everytime I sign my name, I put a gold star after it. You might laugh, but it's a metaphor. And metaphors are important. My gold stars are a metaphor for me being a star." Finley found it endearing. She had seen Rachel's videos and she had no doubt she was a star.

"Good luck at auditions. I'm sure you'll be amazing," Finley told her earnestly. "I have to get to class. It was nice meeting you, Rachel."

"You too," Rachel beamed. Finley gave her a parting smile before walking off to French III.

Little did she know, she would get to know both Kurt and Rachel more in the months to come.

The front door slammed, causing Finley to jump from the couch. Her math homework scattered across the floor. She sighed as she picked up all the papers as her twin stomped into the room. His back was hunched and his brows furrowed, a clear sign he was distressed. "Hey, where have you been?" Finley asked as she took her seat back on the couch.

"I was forced to join the glee club," Finn huffed, sitting beside her. Finley stared at her brother in both shock and confusion. "Mr. Schue found weed in my locker and said I could either serve 6 weeks of after-school detention or join. I had to."

"Wait, you had weed in your locker?" Finley gasped. She then hit her brother's arm, causing him to cry out more from surprise than pain.

"It wasn't mine, Finley! I swear!" Finn pleaded. "You have to believe me. I don't smoke that crap. You have to believe me. And you can't tell Mom. Please, Finley."

Finley sighed and pulled her brother into a hug. "I won't tell her. And of course I believe you." Finn relaxed in her arms. His sister's opinion meant the world to him, though he would never admit that. He hated to disappoint her. He did often with putting kids in dumpsters and stuff, and it hurt his heart every time he saw that disappointed look on her face. Finley dropped her arms and the twins rested against the couch. "Is that why you're home so late? You were at practice?" He nodded. "How was that?" Finn just groaned, shutting his eyes in a hard grimace. "That bad, huh?" Finley asked empathetically.

"We had to sing 'You're the one that I want' from Grease and I was Danny with this girl named Rachel singing Sandy. She was staring at me so hard I thought her eyes would bug out of their sockets," Finn told her, making Finley giggle. She got the impression that Rachel was a very intense person during her metaphor rant. "She scared me, man. Plus, there was some fighting between the rest of the group. It was... I don't even know how to describe it."

"Sounds like a blast," Finley joked. "I'm sure it will get better, Finn. You love to sing. Don't think Mom and I don't hear you jamming out in the shower." Her brother went red, making Finley burst out in giggles again. "You have an amazing voice. I think this club will really allow you to shine." Finn just shrugged and allowed himself to rest on the couch. Finley went back to working on her homework.

After a few minutes of silence, Finn spoke. "Hey, you should join too." Finley' s eyes widened at the suggestion. Finn suddenly got excited. "We're called the New Directions. I think you could really dig it. Yes! Not only would I not be the only one in there who isn't totally lame, but it would be so much fun together. You're a great singer too, Finley. You say I sing in the shower? You have full concerts in there."

Finley thought about it. She did love to sing, though she only did it in the privacy of her room with Santana and Brittany during their sleepovers. And she loved to dance with Brittany and Santana, or copy Mike's victory dances on the field. But she was already so busy. Sue was preparing the cheerios for another national championship. Could she really add glee club to the list? For Finn, football ended after fall. But cheerleading lasted all year. "I'll think about it," she answered carefully.

Finn's expression fell, but he had hope that she would give in. He was sure, with enough convincing, Finley would join. He knew if he asked long enough, she would give in. It had always been that way. Finley would do anything for her brother, including joining the New Directions.

🎵

A few days later, Finn begged Finley to drive him and Rachel to Carmel High School so the New Directions could spy on a rival show choir called Vocal Adrenaline. Finley had to admit their name was awesome. After agreeing that Mr. Schue driving them with the guidance counselor Ms. Pillsbury would be really weird and totally inappropriate, Finley agreed. Finn also wanted some distance between him and Rachel, and Finley driving would force Rachel to sit in the back. Apparently the odd staring hadn't gotten any better over the past couple days. The trio spent the ride singing along to Elton John and Billy Joel. Rachel didn't want to admit it, but Finley had a beautiful voice. She was thankful the cheerio had not joined the glee club.

Little did she know she would eat those words.

The club met up in the parking lot. Kurt greeted her with a friendly wave which she promptly returned. He introduced her to the other members of the New Directions: Mercedes, Tina, and Artie. Mercedes had black loose coils spilling out from behind her headband. Her dark skin and eyes seemed to glow in the sunlight. Tina had straight black hair with a dyed blue strip. She was dressed in a what Finley would describe as a mix of goth, punk, and vampire queen, if that was even possible. Artie was a nice kid with glasses. His light brown hair and eyes were kind and a little nerdy. He greeted Finley kindly, having rolled up to her in his wheelchair and extended his hand to her. She immediately liked the group.

Mr. Schue and Ms. Pillsbury, a guidance counselor at school, pulled up. Together, they walked into the school to the auditorium. Carmel High was lavish, way nicer than McKinley. And the auditorium was massive. There were concession stands in the lobby- yes, the auditorium had its own lobby- and Finley salivated as she eyed all the choices. Mr. Schue allowed everyone to buy some snacks while he talked to Ms. Pillsbury. Finley grabbed Finn's hand and forced him into line with her. Rachel followed after them, determined to get more time with Finn. It was plain as day to see that Rachel had a blooming crush on the footballer.

"You're very talented," Rachel told Finn while Finley focused on scouring the various snack options.

"Really?" He asked shyly. It wasn't often he was praised by anyone besides his family. It was nice.

"Yeah. I would know. I'm very talented too," Rachel nodded. Finley stopped herself from chuckling. It seemed Rachel wasn't one for modesty. "I think the rest of the team expects us to become an item." That comment threw both of the twins off guard. Finn's eyes seemed to bug out of his head while Finley simply stared at Rachel, the snacks no longer distracting the cheerio. "You, the hot male lead and me, the stunning young ingenue everyone roots for." Finn bristled and it was easy for Finley to notice he was uncomfortable. Rachel was not subtle.

"He has a girlfriend," Finley butt in to save him from Rachel's beady gaze.

"Really?" Rachel's face falls. Finley felt a twinge of pity for the girl, but she wouldn't allow Rachel to dig her claws into Finn. He was dating one of her best friends, for crying out loud! "Who?"

"Quinn Fabray," Finn answered, finding his voice.

"Cheerleader Quinn Fabray?" Rachel gawked. "The president of the celibacy club?"

"The very one," Finley nodded.

"For almost four months now. She's cool," Finn nodded. He then got distracted by the assortment of candies in the casing. "Finley, what do you want?"

"Sour Patch Kids, please," she replied. She suddenly got the urge to use the bathroom. "Hey, can you get them for me and I'll meet you at the seats? I have to find the ladies' room." Finn nodded and Finley left the two alone. She made her way through multiple hallways, looking for any signs of the bathroom. After 5 minutes, Finley still couldn't find it. She turned another corner and found herself in another abandoned hallway. She groaned in despair. Carmel was too big! How did anyone find anything?

"Backstage is for performers only, you know." Finley jumped at the velvet voice. She whipped around and came face-to-face with an incredibly dashing man. He towered over her. She found he was about Puck's height, maybe an inch or two shorter. His eyes were a bright blue. She felt as if she was looking at the Caribbean Sea. His hair was a warm brown and so fluffy. It was slightly wavy, as if the wind had brushed it back for him. Finley wanted to touch it, but she fought against the urge. "May I ask what a little thing like you is doing back here?"

Finley shook herself out of her daze and her cheeks blushed a fierce pink. "I'm sorry. I was looking for the bathroom. But this school is so big that it seems I've gotten lost." Her cheeks pinkened even more in embarrassment. "I'll go. Sorry for trespassing." She turned to leave.

"Hey, wait," he called, making her pause. He then extended his hand. "Jesse St. James." Finley reached out and shook his hand. She was surprised at how soft his hands felt. "Leader of National Championship team Vocal Adrenaline and future EGOT winner." Finley smiled at his confidence. From his tone, she could tell that he was 100% serious.

"Finley Hudson," she introduced herself in the same manner. "Head cheerleader of National Championship team the Cheerios and future cat lady."

Jesse laughed. "Cat lady?" He repeated, amused.

"Yes," Finley answered in all seriousness. "My friend Brittany has a cat named Lord Tubbington, and we're besties. We read dystopian novels and watch documentaries about Ponzi schemes together." Jesse didn't even know how to respond to that. "Wait, you said you're in Vocal Adrenaline?"

"Lead singer," he nodded, a small arrogant smile on his face. "You're going to learn why we're one of the best in the entire country. We're not little league."

"I'll believe it when I see it," she challenged. Jesse quirked his brow and she felt her stomach flip. That look was doing something to her. That, or she really, really had to pee. "Oh! Where are your restrooms?"

"Take a right at the staircase instead," Jesse replied, his eyes never leaving hers. "We're to the left."

"Thanks!" Finley then ran off, her bladder now screaming at her. She prayed Finn had gotten her Sour Patch.

Jesse watched her leave with amusem*nt and a new lightness in his chest before walking back to join the group. He had wanted to get a small moment to himself to shake off his anxieties he never let others see. He had not expected to see a girl standing in his hallway. Or that he would be so intrigued by her. He had never met someone so... soft before. Everyone at Carmel had an edge, whether it be money or acclaim or a jawline. Vocal Adrenaline was cut-throat. If you weren't up to par, you were out. There was no room for weakness, no mercy. He was aware of Sue Sylvester's cheerios and the intense practices that could rival Vocal Adrenaline's. It was known that every cheerleader was a raging bitch. But after meeting Finley, it seemed the common knowledge wasn't fully accurate. Maybe only 99% accurate.

He found himself wanting to see her again, though he didn't know why. Sure, he had dabbled in the dating pool. And he had no problem taking a different girl every night. With his entire life taken up by Vocal Adrenaline- and that was no exaggeration- he had no time for girls. Nor had he ever felt a desire for a relationship. So why was his heart yearning for Finley to come back? He shook the thoughts of her away. He had a show to perform.

After Finley finally found the bathroom and finished her business, she found her seat beside Finn and Mercedes. She squealed with excitement as he handed her a box of Sour Patch Kids gummies. "Hey, guys," Mr. Schue leaned over to get everyone's attention. "So this is supposed to be our 'competition.' But I honestly don't think that they've got the talent that we've got. Let's be a good audience. Give them some of the McKinley High respect." Finley eyed the confident faces and she internally winced. Based on her interaction with Jesse, she knew that Mr. Schue was severely underestimating Vocal Adrenaline. They were one of the best show choirs in the nation, for heaven's sake.

The loudspeaker turned on, signaling the start of the performance. "Please give a warm Buckeye State welcome to last year's regional champion... Vocal Adrenaline!" The audience clapped and the lights dimmed. The curtain rose and the group began to sing. 💙

Vocal Adrenaline performed Amy Winehouse's "Rehab" with intense choreography that seemed perfected to the millisecond. There were flashing lights and high lifts. How they could sing with that much movement was astonishing. It was intimidating. Not to mention the definitely-over-six members the club had.

Jesse was center with the group, dancing with who Finley assumed was the top girl. Finley couldn't keep her eyes off him. He moved with such grace, sung with such ease. He was professional. They all were. And from the looks on everyone else's faces, they were nowhere near the level Vocal Adrenaline was.

"We're d-doomed," Tina stuttered once the performance finished as everyone stared at the stage with wide eyes. Even Mr. Schue was gawking. Finley didn't know what she could say to make them feel better. She wasn't sure if there even was anything.

But then she couldn't speak for a different reason. Jesse had found her in the crowd and was staring right at her. When her dark eyes met his light ones, she felt the breath was stolen out of her chest. All she could do was stare at the god of a man before her.

And then he winked. Finley couldn't form a coherent thought even if she tried. All she could do was stare at Jesse St. James. He kept her gaze on her, and hers on him, until the curtain fell.

Oh, Finley was so screwed. And by the still gawking expressions on the group's faces, so were they.

🎵

After the disaster that was Vocal Adrenaline, the glee club had disbanded. Sue was over the moon. If the glee club continued, they would be taking part of her cheerleading budget, and Sue would not have that.

So imagine her surprise when she overheard the glee club singing "Don't Stop Believin" in the auditorium. She called up The Unholy Trinity and their Guardian Angel right away. ❤️

"Finn told me that he quit, and Kurt told me that Mr. Schue had to stop because his wife is having a baby. I swear, I thought glee was over," Finley panicked as they followed Sue in her mad rage to the auditorium.

"Hudson, not another word," Sue spit. Her voice was so cold that Finley felt a shiver jolt down her back. They watched as Tina, Artie, Rachel, Finn, and Kurt sang their hearts out on that stage. Mr. Schue was watching from the seats, tears in his eyes. Finley noticed Puck standing at the back of the room. He and Finn had a falling out over Finn being in glee club, resulting in Finley having to help Finn get paintballs out of his hair. For the offense, she was giving Puck the silent treatment, which he was not enjoying.

"Finn is back in glee?" Quinn snarled, her jaw clenched so hard Finley worried she would chip a molar. "He is going to ruin our reputation, wreck our popularity, destroy any chance of us winning prom king and queen! Everyone is going to think he's gay now, which makes me his gay beard!" Quinn was absolute horrified at the thought. Everything she had worked so hard for, down the drain. And for what? So her boyfriend could sing and dance with a bunch of losers? And she didn't miss the little looks him and hobbit were giving each other.

"He looks happy, though," Finley said as she watched her brother. She had never seen Finn so... alive before. He loved the stage, the singing, the choreography. "And they're actually not that bad."

"This is a disgrace!" Sue hissed, causing the cheerios to freeze in fear. An angry Sue Sylvester was not someone to cross. "One way or another, glee club is going to die" Then Sue stormed off, leaving the cheerios confused.

"What am I going to do?" Quinn groaned in misery. The performance had finished and Mr. Schue was now talking to the group. "I will not be his beard."

"I've been a beard," Brittany stated. Quinn, Santana, and Finley stared at her blankly. They were used to Brittany's random comments, but the bizarre never wore off.

"Quinn, you have nothing to worry about," Finley assured her friend, putting their focus on the matter at hand. "Finn adores you. What's the harm in letting him sing?" Quinn's response was a simple eye roll and storm off. Finley sighed at her dramatics.

"I'm in the mood for some Breadstix," Santana announced. Brittany nodded enthusiastically at the idea. "Finley, you in?"

Finley took one last glance at the group. "Yeah, Breadstix sounds great." As they walked out of the auditorium, Finley couldn't help but worry. What was Sue Sylvester planning?

Chapter 2: THE NEW DIRECTIONS

Chapter Text

[ 1.02 - 1.03 ]

❤️ The Unholy Trinity & their Guardian Angel | "I Say a Little Prayer" - Dionne Warwick

💙 Vocal Adrenaline | "Mercy" - Duffy

🖤 Mercedes | "Bust Your Windows" - Jazmine Sullivan

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

𝙁𝙄𝙉𝙇𝙀𝙔 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙌𝙐𝙄𝙉𝙉 stood in front of Mr. Schuester, hands on their hips, in the choir room. Santana flanked Quinn's left side while Brittany was on Finley's right. The Unholy Trinity and their Guardian Angel were auditioning for the New Directions. Their hair was up in the signature Cheerio ponytail and their cheer uniforms were freshly pressed. They were going to put on a show.

It was all a blur for Finley. Apparently, Rachel joined the celibacy club and Quinn wasn't allowed to refuse her. When they did a joint activity with the boys, Rachel and Finn seemed to be really close. Then there was that god-awful assembly where the New Directions performed "Push It" by Salt N' Peppa with some extremely racy and sexual choreography that led to Finn and Rachel grinding incredibly close to one another. Quinn was angry and hurt. In order to keep them apart, Quinn decided to join the glee club. She convinced Santana, Brittany, and Finley to join her.

Finley wasn't that hard to convince. Quinn appealed to her using her worry and hurt about Finn and Rachel. Since Finn had already begged her to join for the past week, Finley saw no good reason to say no.

The other two girls were easy. Quinn bribed Brittany with glitter crayons. And anywhere Brittany went, Santana followed.

So there they were, standing in front of William Schuester, playing with death by one Sue Sylvester, and auditioning. Mr. Schue eyed the girls with confusion. "I have to say, I'm really surprised you guys are trying out."

"I'm sure you've read about this in the school paper, Finn and I have been an item for a while now. So what kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't support him?" Quinn replied innocently. Finley nodded in support and Santana smirked. Brittany looked lost. And she kind of was. The only thing Brittany wasn't confused about was that she would be singing and dancing.

"And Finn asked me to join a week ago, but I told him maybe. Now that my friends are joining, I figured I should too. I think it could be really fun," Finley said earnestly.

Mr. Schue smiled at her genuineness. Though he didn't fully trust The Unholy Trinity's reasoning, he trusted Finley's. He then pressed the play button on the CD player and leaned back into his chair. The beginning of Dionne Warwick's "I Say a Little Prayer" began to play through the speaker. "Let's see what you got."

Santana and Brittany moved in front of Quinn and Finley, who turned so their backs were facing Mr. Schue. ❤️

[Santana & Brittany "(S & B)" ]

Say a little prayer for you...

Brittany and Santana moved to the side and Finley and Quinn turned around. Together, they performed their audition with their rehearsed choreography.

[Quinn]

The moment I wake up

Before I put on my makeup ( [S & B] : makeup)

I say a little prayer for you

[Finley]

While combing my hair now

And wondering what dress you wear now ( [S & B] : wear now)

I say a little prayer for you

[all]

Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart

And I will love you

Forever, and ever, we never will part

Oh, how I'll love you, together, together

That's how it must be to live without you

Would only mean heartbreak for me

Mr. Schue was impressed. He knew the girls could dance from their cheerleading competitions, but he had no idea they could sing. And so well! He knew that, no matter what their reasons for joining or secret agendas they were harboring, they needed to be in the club. With them, they were just one step closer to winning Nationals.

[Quinn]

I run for the bus, dear

While riding I think of us, dear ( [S & B] : us, dear)

I say a little prayer for you

[Finley]

At work, I just take time

And all through my coffee break time ( [S & B] : break time)

I say a little prayer for you

[all]

Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart

And I will love you

Forever, and ever, we never will part

Oh, how I'll love you, together, together

That's how it must be to live without you

Would only mean heartbreak for me...

"Let me get this straight. You joined the glee club?" The four tried not to cower in their seats as Coach Sylvester stared them down. Her volume was calm, but they could all see the raging fire in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Coach Sylvester, but something is going on between Finn and that... thing!" Quinn cried in defense. Finley opened her mouth to defend Quinn's mean choice of words for Rachel, but Quinn continued on her rant. "You saw how it was undressing him with its eyes! Please don't kick us off the Cheerios."

Sue snapped, halting the begging. "Cease fire on the waterworks. I don't want to hear it, I don't want to see it," she ordered Quinn. "You know, Q, when I first laid eyes on you, I was reminded of a young Sue Sylvester, though you don't have my bone structure." Quinn's face brightened with hope. Maybe Sue wouldn't murder them, after all. "But it wasn't until this very moment I saw how alike we really are." The girls all shared a confused look. They expected to die, not praised. "You four are going to be my spies. I need eyes on the inside. We are going to bring this club down from within." Santana and Brittany high-fived.

"And I'm going to get my boyfriend back," Quinn smiled hopefully.

Sue gave her a look. "I don't care so much about that." Quinn's smile dropped a bit, but it was still going strong.

"Um, Coach?" Finley asked nervously. The all looked to her. "I'll tell you anything you need to know, but I would like not to be involved in the schemes." Finley raised her head, refusing to show how afraid she was under Sue's glare. "You see, Finn really likes being in the glee club. I don't want to help ruin something he loves so much. As his twin, I just can't go through with it." Quinn, Santana, and Brittany sucked in a breath and they all waited for Sue to reply.

After a few moments of silence, Sue shrugged. "Fine. You'll only be on communications. The others can be front-line." Finley sighed in relief. "Now get the hell out of my office." The girls jumped out of their seats and scurried away, thanking the lords that Sue was in a forgiving mood.

🎵

After just one week in glee club, The Unholy Trinity had already begun their plans to destroy the New Directions. Quinn and Santana pitched to Rachel that they needed better choreography in order to beat Vocal Adrenaline. They suggested hiring Dakota Stanley, a notoriously cut-throat award-winning choreographer. The girls knew what a monster he was, and they were counting on him to ruin any sense of companionship the glee club had. Finley was unaware of The Unholy Trinity's true intentions for wanting Dakota, but she agreed that they would have to step up their game.

So there they were, at Carmel High School again, to take their choir choreographer. Finn joined a singing group called the Acafellas with Puck, Mr. Schue, and some other older guys. It allowed Mr. Schue to distance himself from the club. Finn was at the group's practice, so he couldn't join in on the recruitment. With Puck and Finn's reconciliation, Finley stopped her silent treatment. Tina, Rachel, and Mercedes drove together while The Unholy Trinity and their Guardian Angel took Santana's car. Kurt was the last one to pull up. "Damn, Kurt. This car is fly," Mercedes whistled as the group walked over to him. Kurt's dad was a mechanic, so it was no surprise his car looked so clean.

"My dad got it for my for my sweet 16 after I swore I'd stop wearing form fitting sweaters that stop at the knee," Kurt told them.

Finely looked at the red sweater he was wearing. "But isn't that-"

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him," he smirked. Finley giggled. He locked the car and the group began to walk towards the school's entrance.

"Are we sure they're rehearsing today?" Quinn asked.

"Vocal Adrenaline rehearses every day from 2:30 until midnight," Rachel replies. No one knew how she knew that, but it seemed plausible. Every move seemed perfected to the distance of their fingers when they waved. Mercedes and Kurt then linked arms, surprising Rachel, Tina, and Finley. Santana hid her smirk from Finley, knowing full well she had orchestrated Mercedes's feelings for the obviously not-straight-Kurt.

"I'm so nervous these Vocal Adrenaline kids are gonna laugh at us," Mercedes worries. "They're so cool and popular, and we look like we just stepped off the short bus."

"Those sweaty Nazis have just had more time to practice," Kurt defended. "We have more heart."

"I wouldn't call them Nazis..." Finley voiced, but everyone ignored her.

"And you don't look touched in the head. That outfit is amazing," Kurt continued. Mercedes smiled up at Kurt.

"So... would you ever, you know, wanna hang out?" Mercedes asked. Rachel, Tina, and Finley all shared the same astounded look. They didn't know what to do or say. It was obvious Mercedes was interested in Kurt romantically. And apparently Kurt's not-yet-clarified sexuality was obvious to everyone but Mercedes.

Kurt nodded. "Come over. It's Liza Minnelli week on AMC." And somehow, no alarm bells went off in Mercedes's head. Finley wanted to warn her. She didn't want Mercedes to be hurt when she found out it would never happen with Kurt. But she knew it wasn't her place to say anything. Kurt wasn't out, and it would be wrong for her to reveal that.

Rachel suddenly pushed past everyone, her eyes locked on someone in the distance. "Guys, that's Andrea Cohen! She won outstanding soloist last year in 'Absolutely Tampastic.'" The sounds of female retching caused the group to halt. The girl Jesse had been dancing with on stage now had her head in a trash can outside the front doors. Another girl with a neck cast was holding her hair back.

Rachel walked up to them, making Andrea lift her head. "Are you guys Vocal Adrenaline? We'd like to talk to Dakota Stanley about choreography for our glee club."

"Don't!" Andrea cried, making the group jump back in surprise. "He's a monster." 💙

And that was proven correct when the New Directions watched Vocal Adrenaline rehearse. Jesse was front and center, and Finley knew the second he spotted her in the stands. They were performing "Mercy" by Duffy. As he was singing center-stage, a smile overtook his face as he locked eyes with Finley. Then he winked again at her.

That damn wink.

Finley felt her cheeks pinken as Jesse kept his eyes on her through the number. When it was done, every performer was breathing heavily as they held their final poses. Before Finley could clap, an angry voice yelled from behind the curtain, "Get off my stage!" Jesse's expression dropped and everyone scaredly ran off, disappearing behind the curtain. The Unholy Trinity shared scheming looks. Surely Dakota would destroy their little glee club.

The New Directions waited in the parking lot for rehearsals to be over. Mercedes spent the entire time attempting to flirt with Kurt. She somehow missed every single cue that they would never happen. The Unholy Trinity talked amongst themselves. Tina and Rachel eyed Kurt and Mercedes, planning how they would approach Mercedes if she continued hitting on him. Finley bounced between the girls, learning more about the new friends.

Rachel was apparently obsessed with Patti Lupone- understandably- and idolized Barbra Streisand and Bernadette Peters. She also was in every club at McKinley. Yes, every club, including the ones that aren't for her... demographic. Tina had a little thing for Artie, and they were in the early flirting stage. She loved to listen to pop singers the most and her favorite color was black, which didn't surprise Finley considering her outfits. She also had a stutter. Mercedes loved to sing at her church and dreamed of becoming a pop star sensation. Finley had no doubt she would go far, having heard her powerful voice during glee club meetings.

When midnight finally came, Finley stayed back to watch the cars while the rest of the group went off to find Dakota Stanley. She was texting Finn about his rehearsal when a familiar voice called to her. "Missed me already?" Finley put her phone down and giggled lightly as Jesse St. James sauntered up to her. "If I knew you were a little spy, I would have told you the wrong directions last time."

"I wasn't a spy," Finley told him. "I wasn't in the glee club yet."

"Details, details," Jesse clicked his tongue. He shook his head, making the loose curls in his forehead fall over his eyes. Without thinking, Finley reached up and brushed the hair back. Jesse froze at the touch of her soft fingertips as they brushed against his forehead.

When Finley finally registered what she was doing, she dropped her hand and her cheeks pinked. She seemed to blush a lot around Jesse St. James. She cleared her throat and put her hands firmly behind her back. "Sorry. I shouldn't have done that..."

"Don't be." Her eyes widened as a little smirk grew on his face. "So what brings you back to Carmel High, besides wanting to see me sweat during rehearsal."

Finley promptly ignored the last part of his inquiry. "We're going to ask Dakota Stanley to choreograph for the New Directions," she answered.

Jesse's brows rose. "Good luck with that. He's the real deal, but incredibly intense."

"I'm sure I can handle him. My coach is THE Sue Sylvester, after all. He's minuscule compared to her," she quipped, making Jesse smile. He enjoyed the playful banter. "You are really talented." He practically preened at her praise. "You're a good dancer and an even better singer. I have no doubt an EGOT is in your future." He was surprised that she had remembered. A little fact like that often slipped people's minds. "The market is really into human-animal portrayal. You would make a great reindeer. Cash would be rolling in all through Winter." Jesse threw his head back and let out a full-blown laugh. He looked so young, so joyful. Finley wanted to make him laugh for the rest of time. He laughed so hard tears were forming. When he finally calmed down, he wiped the water from his eyes away. Finley was grinning from ear-to-ear.

"I have never been so insulted in my life," he joked, making her giggle again. She seemed to also do that around him. He made her nervous. "Do I really seem like a reindeer to you?"

"Your reindeer name would be Sven," she replied, making them both burst out into laughter once more.

"I have never laughed so hard in my life," he gasped, clutching his stomach. "I needed this after the hell of a practice we just had."

"Is he really that bad?" Finley winced, now worried if hiring Dakota was the right choice.

"Worse." And her worry turned to doubt. "Enough about show choir- which is not something I say often. Tell me something, anything. About you, your day?"

Finley thought for a moment. "Tomorrow, the cheerios are having a car wash led by Coach Sue."

"Oh," his brows rose. It was known that the cheerios did the annual car wash in short skirt and bikinis. It was a very popular event. "And will you be washing the cars?" He wiggled his brows suggestively.

"No," she shook her head. "Don't get any ideas, mister," she fake-glared as she eyed his hungry gaze. She liked his eyes on her though. "I'm working the payment stand. My friend Brittany will be there if you're interested in some hot abs pressing against your windshield."

"I'm only interested in one person's body being pressed against anything of mine," he roamed his gaze over Finley's short stature. That made her blush even harder. "You look great in pink." Confused, Finley looked down at her outfit. She had no pink on her today, and her backpack was at home. She was in her red and white cheerios uniform. "I'm not referring to your outfit, though I do appreciate the short skirt." She felt her blush depend even more, and that's when she realized what he was referring to. Her skin's flush. He knew the effect he had on her. She continued to redden with embarrassment. Voices began echoing nearby, getting louder as they neared the parking lot. It was easy to pick out Rachel's voice. She never stopped talking. "I should be getting home. I'll see you around, Finley. It was a pleasure speaking with you."

"You too," she whispered, staring into his deep blue eyes once more. "Bye, Jesse." He winked at her once more before walking over to his car. He drove off right as the group reached the lot.

Finley was sad to see him go, but she knew in her heart that would not be the last time she heard of Jesse St. James.

🎵

The next day, Finley was talking to Mercedes at her locker about the latest episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians when Rachel and Tina suddenly appeared. They had determined looks on their faces, making Mercedes and Finley step back cautiously. "We need to have a 'gay-vention.' That's a gay intervention," Rachel stated. Mercedes rolled her eyes while Finley stared at the two. She knew they were only looking out for their friend, but it wasn't their place to talk about this.

"It's K-Kurt. He's lady-fabulous," Tina told her seriously.

"It's obvious you like him. We just don't want you to get hurt by feeling he can't... reciprocate," Rachel told her.

"Look, just because he wears nice clothes doesn't mean he's on the down low," Mercedes defended. "Right?" She looked to Finley. After a moment of panic, she slowly nodded. It wasn't convincing for Rachel and Tina but Mercedes was satisfied with the support. Why she was protecting Kurt, they didn't know.

"He wore a corset to 2nd period today," Rachel pointed out. Finley couldn't hide her wince. It seems protecting Kurt would be harder than she thought.

"You can do better, Mercedes," Tina said.

"Really? Well, what if I can't?" Mercedes snapped, surprising all of them with the harshness of her tone. "You know, there's not a lot of guys around here knocking down my door for a date. Or yours, for that matter," she gave Rachel a look.

"Mercedes, that's not true-" Finley tried to object but Mercedes shut her down fast.

"With all due respect, you wouldn't get it." Finley stared open-mouthed at Mercedes. "You're popular, skinny, talented, kind, not to mention gorgeous. Guys are falling at your feet. You're worshiped like Aphrodite in this school." Finley didn't know what to say. She knew what Mercedes was saying was true. She had never even gotten slushied- though a large part of that was due to Finn and Puck threatening to beat anyone who harassed her. She would never know what it felt like to be invisible. Not like her friends. "Nobody notices us," she motioned to her, Tina, and Rachel. "Hello? We're in glee club. And I'm tired of being lonely. Aren't you?" Rachel glanced away, her throat bobbing as she took in Mercedes's words. "But Kurt? Kurt is sweet to me, and he likes who I am, and I like how I feel when I'm with him. And he's in our group. He understands what I'm going through. Now maybe that's not enough for you guys, but it's enough for me." Mercedes then shut her locker and walked away, leaving the three girls stunned.

After school, Finley worked the payment stand while the cheerios cleaned the cars in their red bikinis and short skirts. There was a line down the street full of hormonal boys and men, dying to have a hot teenager press their boobs against their windows. It was gross, but it brought in a lot of money. And everyone knew not to mess with Sue Sylvester.

Finn, the lovely brother who would do anything to support his sister, brought Rachel to help wash the Hudson family car. As soon as they arrived, Finley took a break to talk to them, leaving Brittany to man the stand. Beside them was Kurt and Mercedes. The girls had finished cleaning Kurt's car and he and Mercedes worked together to polish every single inch of the outside. It was so clean someone could eat off it. Mercedes used the time to make her and Kurt's "relationship" official. And her heart had shattered when Kurt told her, "I'm in love with someone else."

He was staring longingly at someone behind Mercedes. She turned and saw Finley talking to her twin. Her head was thrown back as she laughed at something her twin had said. It rung sweetly and even cackling, she looked beautiful. "Finley?" She asked.

"Yes. For several years now," Kurt answered quickly. A little too quickly. But Mercedes's growing anger deflected from the obvious lie.

All of a sudden, she threw a rock into the windshield. Everyone shouted in surprise as Mercedes turned away. Finley ran over to Kurt, who was gaping at the hole in the center of his windshield. "What happened? Are you ok, Kurt?" She asked worriedly. Kurt looked up at Finley, which only stoked the flames of Mercedes's anger. 🖤

Kurt found his voice and gaped at Mercedes. "How could you do that? You busted my window!"

"Well, you busted my heart," she fired back, stunning him. She glanced at Finley and sent her a withering glare that made her shrink back. They watched as Mercedes then stomped away, leaving everyone else in shock behind her.

🎵

The next week, Dakota Stanley stood in the choir room for his first meeting as the New Directions's new choreographer. He was short, shorter than Finley. He had a dark scarf and was downed in all black. Though his stature was small, he was terrifying. He handed out a booklet to everyone, promptly skipping over Artie and the Cheerios. Artie and Finley shared the same confused looks while The Unholy Trinity just smirked proudly. "Please examine your personalized menus," he told the group.

"Um, mine just says coffee," Mercedes said, eyeing her menu in confusion. Dakota nodded.

"What's smelt?" Rachel asked, reading her own.

"A pungent, low-carb freshwater fish," he replied. "Start with today's business. Artie, you're cut. You're not trying hard enough." Finley gasped while the rest of the group- except the Unholy Trinity, opened their mouths to object.

"Um, at what?" He asked.

"At walking." The entire group gawked in appall. Sue's delivery was somehow softer than his, and that was saying something. This man was the worst person Finley had ever met. "Can't be wheeling you around during every number. Throws off the whole dynamic and it's depressing."

"So you're kicking him out?" Finley sputtered, reeling from the absurdity.

Dakota nodded apathetically. "Also, you. Youse gotta go, jefe," he told Mercedes. Mercedes opened her mouth to object, but he shot her down. "No, no, no."

"You can't kick people out of glee club because you don't like the way they look!" Kurt simmered, rushing to Mercedes's defense, glaring at the tiny man.

"Why don't you shut your face gash and stay away from aerosol canes, because you could burst into flames any second," he fired back. He turned to The Unholy Trinity. "You three, you're great. Seriously. Don't change a thing." He turned to Finley. "You too as long as you keep your mouth shut. I don't want to hear you chirp ever again." Finley shut her mouth and glared at the man. He moved onto Rachel. "Uh, you. Eh, nose job."

"Now just hold on a second!" Finn shouted, glaring down at the choreographer.

"What was that, Franken-teen? Why don't you wipe that dopey look off your face and get some lotion for those knuckles you've been dragging on the ground?"

"What is wrong with you?" Finn gawked at him, deeply offended for himself, Rachel, and Finley. The Unholy Trinity smirked. Their plan was working. The glee club was cracking.

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with me is that you're freakishly tall," Dakota fired back. "I feel like a woodland creature!" Finn was stunned. "Am I hurting your feelings? Did I say something wrong? Because I thought you wanted somebody who respected you enough to tell you the truth. But maybe you don't have the confidence to hear it. Hmm? Maybe you need somebody who is going to lie to you, and tell you things like, 'You got what it takes.' But you know what? As far as I can see, you don't. So, why don't you take a little second, take a breather, and ask yourself, 'Do I wanna be a winner or not?'"

Finley had had enough. "Screw this! I quit!" She yelled. Everyone stared at her in surprise as she began to walk towards the door.

"Finley, wait up. I quit too," Finn joined his twin.

"Me too," Tina joined. Kurt followed after her.

"Let's roll, Artie," Mercedes said as she helped push Artie and followed the Hudson twins out. Santana and Brittany smirked at how successful their plan was, but Quinn watched Finn and Finley leave with regret. She had wanted to destroy the glee club, but she didn't expect it to go down like this.

"No, great, great! Separate the wheat from the chaff. That's perfect," Dakota allowed them to go with glee.

"Wait!" Rachel called from behind them, making them turn back. "Barbra Streisand." They stared at her, confused. "When Barbra was a young ingenue, everyone told her in order to be a star, she'd have to get a nose job." She gave Dakota a defiant look. "Thankfully, she refused."

"Where is this going, Yentl?" Dakota rolled his eyes.

"Where it's going is that," she turned back to her friends, "we don't need you." Santana rolled her eyes and shared a look with Brittany and Quinn. "Let's face it, we're never going to be as good of dancers as Vocal Adrenaline. We're gonna win because... we're different. And that's what makes us special." The Hudson twins couldn't stop the smile blooming on their faces.

"They told J. Lo her booty was too big," Mercedes stated, walking back to her spot.

"Curtis Mayfield was more successful after he became paralyzed," Artie noted. Kurt pushed them back to their spots in line.

"Amy Winehouse was criticized continuously for 'seeking attention' and 'being too loud.' She's now one of the most acclaimed singers in music history," Finley addressed as she made her way back.

"Jim Abbott," Finn announced.

"I have no idea who that is," Kurt mumbled from beside Finley.

"He was a one-armed pitcher for the Yankees. Pitched a no-hitter," Finn explained, his eyes trained on Rachel.

"Ok, so misfits and spaz-heads and circles can make it too. That's great. What's your point?" Dakota rolled his eyes, annoyed and unconvinced.

"Our point is that you're fired," Finley stated with a triumphant grin. "And I'm taller than you."

"Barely," the choreographer whispered underneath his breath, refusing to meet her gaze. All Finley could do was smile as the tiny man walked out of the room. The glee club rejoined, except for The Unholy Trinity, who were simmering with rage that their plan had failed.

Chapter 3: SINGLE LADIES

Chapter Text

[ 1.04 ]

💛 "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)" - Beyoncé

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

𝘽𝙀𝙔𝙊𝙉𝘾𝙀'𝙎 "Single Ladies" played from the CD player as the girls and Kurt danced in his basem*nt room. Kurt asked Finley, Brittany, and Tina to help him after school with a little project. He got them black-knit leotards and black heels for it. Kurt wore a black sequin blazer over a unitard. His accessories included a black silk tie and a sequin glove. The girls flanked behind him and danced the iconic dance while Kurt lip synced to Queen Bey.💛

Halfway through the number, the music suddenly stopped. The girls and Kurt turned around to see Kurt's dad, Burt, standing behind them with wide eyes. "Dad. You're home early," Kurt smiled as the girls behind him stood awkwardly. Burt did not look happy that he had caught them.

"Deadliest Catch is on," he said, eyeing their costumes. "What are you wearing?"

"It's a unitard," Kurt answered with a shrug. "Guys wear them to work out nowadays. Do sports. They wick sweat from the body." Burt nodded, unconvinced.

"F-football!" Tina nodded in an attempt to back him up. Finley and Brittany both turned to her with open-mouths.

"Yeah, all the guys in football wear them. Jock-chic," Kurt lied, playing along.

"Totally..." Finley played along, eyeing Tina and Kurt warily. "I would know. My brother is the quarterback." Burt's brows rose, impressed.

"Kurt's on the football team now," Brittany added. The other three turned to her with wide eyes. "He's the kicker. That's the smallest guy on the field, right?" She looked to Finley for help.

"Uh, yeah..." Finley winced, giving Kurt a worried look. "Brit, Tina, and I were just helping Kurt with some... conditioning work?" Finley definitely would not be winning an Oscar anytime soon.

"Mmm. Really?" Burt hummed. He turned back to Kurt. "You know, I played in J.C. Before I busted up my knee popping wheelies on my dirt bike."

"Cool! Guess we'll have something to talk about then," he smiled, thankful his lie had worked.

Burt nodded and a proud expression overtook his face. "One of you three his girlfriend?" He asked the girls. Brittany and Finley shared a wide look.

Kurt then grabbed Tina by her hip and pulled her to him. "I'm not ready to be exclusive just yet." Tina nodded, playing along, her smile forced. The two cheerios could do nothing but watch the train wreck further unfold.

After a moment, Burt nodded. "Keep the music down. I can't hear myself think up there." Kurt nodded and Burt made his way back to the stairs. "Hey, Kurt. Be sure to give me a ticket to your first game." With wide eyes, Kurt nodded. Burt then left the four alone.

After a few moments of Kurt staring at the staircase, he turned to Finley with pleading eyes. She was praying he wouldn't say it. "Kurt..."

"Finley, you have to get me on the football team!" Finley winced at his plea. "Please, Finley. You have to help me!"

All Finley could do was sigh.

🎵

On the field the next day, Finn stretched his thigh while in his football uniform. Finley passed Kurt a red helmet, donning her cheerio uniform. Kurt was in a red sweater-thing and black leggings. He wore a blue headband across his forehead and the straps of his blue tank top were visible from the shirt's large neckline. He was visibly anxious. "Hey, just relax, ok?" Finley told him comfortingly. "Remember what Finn told you. Keep your eye on the ball. Don't try to aim it. Now put your helmet on."

"It will mess up my hair," Kurt grimaced.

"Put your helmet on, ok?" Finn chuckled, taking it from him and placing it on Kurt's head. Kurt scoffed as he adjusted it. "It's good. Red's your color."

"Thank you both for helping me with this," Kurt told the twins gratefully. "Especially you, Finn. You're really cool."

Finn shrugged. "I figured the more crossover between glee and football, the easier my life's gonna be."

"And we're helping out a friend," Finley smacked her brother's arm. It was a common occurrence. They never actually hurt, but Finn always flinched when she did it. It was Pavlov at his finest.

Kurt started to make his way in the opposite direction of practice. "Woah, woah. Where are you going?"

"To get my music ready," Kurt replied, oblivious.

"You nuts? You can't use that!" Finn sputtered. "Look, you know how much interference Finley and I had to run just to get you this tryout? Finley agreed to do the team's laundry for a week!" Finley grimaced at the reminder of the deal she had to strike with Coach Tanaka. "You do it your way, they're gonna kill you."

Kurt stepped up to Finn with determination. "My body is like a rum chocolate soufflé. If I don't warm it up right, it doesn't rise. I'm doing this, and I'm doing it my way." The twins watched as Kurt stalked off to grab his CD player.

"Well, at least he's confident. Every athlete needs a backbone," Finley attempted to calm Finn. She failed, as proven by the horrified expression on her twin's face.

"So, are you two an item now, or..." The twins turned to see Puck approaching them. "He doesn't belong here."

"You joined Acafellas. What's the difference?" Finn asked.

"I'm a stud, dude," Puck scoffed. "I could wear a dress to school and people would think it's cool."

"You're quite confident. Care to wager?" Finley challenged. Before Puck could respond, Coach Tanaka blew his whistle.

All the boys huddled while Finley grabbed Kurt and brought him over. "Everybody take a knee," he ordered. "Six games. Our kicker, Mr. Langenthal, is zero for 12 in field goal attempts. As most of you statistically-minded people know, that sucks!" He screamed at the kid's face, and he hung his head low in shame. Kurt swayed on his feet worriedly. They didn't expect Coach to be so intense. "So, Mr. Langenthal, will thusly now be in charge of hydration services. The next player that can get a football between those uprights will get his job."

"Oh!" Finley tapped Coach Tanaka on the shoulder. He turned to face the bright cheerleader. "I have one for you right here, Coach." She pushed Kurt in front of her. Coach Tanaka eyed him, clearly unimpressed.

"Hi. I'm Kurt Hummel, and I'll be auditioning for the role of kicker," he said confidently. The team laughed at him, but Finley's glare made them stop. They did not want to fall from her good graces.

And so the tryout began. Finn grabbed a football and got in position for Kurt to kick it. Finley took his CD player and stood beside him in the field. Coach Tanaka and the rest of the group watched from the sidelines, preparing to watch a total travesty of a tryout. Kurt turned his back toward them and raised his arms, ready. With a nod from Finn, Finley pressed play.

"Single Ladies" began to blare from the stereo, making the rest of the team laugh at its ridiculousness. They had no faith in Kurt whatsoever. But the Hudson twins had seen Kurt's high kicks during rehearsal. They knew that his leg had some serious power. All it took was Queen Bey to bring it out. Kurt danced the iconic dance, making his way closer and closer to the football.

When Kurt reached the ball, he kicked it right through the goal.

After the successful practice and the McKinley Titans' training with their new kicker, Finley decided to take her routine trip to the local bookstore. She was there every week and was known well by the older couple that owned it. She was their most devoted customer. The couple loved her so much they gave her a discount just so she could buy more books with her tight budget.

She was scouring her favorite section, romance.

Finley Hudson was the biggest romantic. She loved everything pink and sweet and heart wrenching. She was waiting for the day that she would experience the heartfelt connection that the protagonists in her pages had.

She scoured the bookshelf when a book on the highest shelf caught her eye. It had a light pink cover with a rose on the front. It was a limited edition of Beauty and the Beast that she had seen online. She didn't think any stores would have it, and yet, here it was in new condition. She stood on her tiptoes to grab the book, but it was too high. With a frustrated huff, she stepped on the lowest shelf to pull herself up. The bookshelf began to wobble and she quickly jumped off with a squeal. She stared up at the beautiful book longingly. She couldn't let anyone else take it. It was hers!

Suddenly, a tall mass approached from behind her. She watched as a manly hand reached up and grabbed the pink book. A whimper of longing slipped her throat as she stared at the now empty shelf. She took a deep breath and braced herself to see who she had lost to. But she was surprised to see those ocean blue eyes she knew so well. "I'm starting to believe you're stalking me."

"Me stalking you? Please," she scoffed playfully. "This is my favorite book store. I get a discount and everything. Maybe it's you who is stalking me. You're the one who's found me every time." He chuckled, sending little jolts through Finley's veins. "How are you, Jesse?"

"Well, I've found a cute girl in a store and helped grab the book she was eyeing so carefully so she would talk to me. And my plan worked, so pretty good," he smiled, his honey curls brushing over his left brow. Finley shifted her feet nervously. "Here." He handed her the pink book.

"Thank you!" She gasped, clutching the books tightly to her chest. "No take-backs!" Jesse laughed at her childishness. He seems to always laugh around her. It felt nice.

"How has your day been?" He asked, trying to act casual so she didn't see how affected by her he truly was. He found it adorable how he could easily read every emotion on her face, but that didn't mean he wanted her to see all of his. Especially the giddiness he felt when he was around her.

"Really great, actually!" She told him excitedly. "My friend Kurt is now on the football team. No one believed he could do it. He doesn't exactly fit the image for a footballer, but he absolutely killed it! I have to sacrifice my dignity for a week and do the team's gross laundry, but that's the deal I made so Kurt could try out. But it paid off, and I'm so excited for him. I know he joined for his dad, but still, it's amazing what he did. His first game is this weekend and I'm going to help him teach the rest of the players Beyoncé's 'Single Ladies' dance. It's going to be so fun." Jesse listened intently as she spoke. She spoke with so much love, passion, heart. And about a person. He had only ever heard someone speak so passionately about themselves or their talents. There was no room for compassion in Vocal Adrenaline. "How was your day?"

"Well, I woke up at 4 AM for rehearsal, then went to school for 7 hours, and then had more rehearsals until midnight. Same old," he shrugged.

"Wow," Finley whistled. "Even Sue isn't that intense." Jesse chuckled at that. "Do you have any free time? Do you have any hobbies?"

"Besides talking to cute girls in bookstores?" Finley rolled her eyes at the flirt. "Honestly, not much. Most of my life is centered around Vocal Adrenaline. When I do find downtime, I'm either rehearsing a new song, or practicing our dances on my own, or working on my acting."

"Yes, of course. You have to prepare to earn that EGOT," Finley hummed.

"But... if something, or someone, were to come into my life that deserved my attention, I would happily sacrifice my already diminishing sleep in order to pursue them- it." Finley couldn't meet his gaze. She was feeling... things. Things she didn't understand. Things she had never felt before. All because of Jesse St. freaking James.

Suddenly, her phone began to ring. She looked down to see Quinn calling her. Then a string of texts from the blonde popped up.

---

quinny-bear

message

EMERGENCY

CALL ME NOW

ANSWER PLEASE

IT'S AN EMERGENCY

Finley, please

I need you

---

"Looks like you have somewhere you need to be," Jesse sighed as he read the messages. Finley gave him an apologetic look. She was just as disappointed as he was. "I'll see you around, stalker."

Finley giggled at the nickname. "See you around, reindeer." Jesse rolled his eyes and smiled as Finley turned and walked away to check out.

Finley quickly paid and texted Quinn that she was on her way over. When she got to Quinn's house, she saw the last thing she ever expected in Quinn's hands. A positive pregnancy test.

"It's Finn's," Quinn told her, tears streaming down her face. Finley pulled her into her arms and allowed them to fall to the floor. She held her friend tightly, whispering comforting words into her ear while Quinn sobbed into her shoulder. "It was the hot tub! The stupid boy impregnated me in the hot tub!" Finley was sure that getting pregnant in a hot tub wasn't possible, but the positive test told her otherwise. "What am I going to do?"

"Oh, Quinn," Finley cooed as she supported her. "You have to tell Finn."

"I know. I... I know," she hiccuped, wiping the tears away with her fingers. Her face was all red and her eyes were puffy from the tears. "I can't believe I let this happen."

"You have choices, Quinn. You don't need to have this baby," Finley told her softly. "There are other options. And I will support you no matter what you decide to do. And I know Finn will, too. It's your choice on how you deal with this. You have options." After a moment, Quinn nodded.

"I'll tell him. I will," Quinn assured her. "You're a good friend, Finley."

"I'm always here for you, Quinny-bear," Finley smiled. Quinn leaned into Finley's arms. The girls laid together on Quinn's carpeted floor until the sun went down. Before Finley left, Quinn promised her she would tell Finn the next day. Finley assured her she would let Quinn tell him herself.

🎵 💛

With Kurt's final kick, the McKinley Titans won their first game all season. The winning play was brilliant. With the help of Finley and Mr. Schue, Kurt taught the football team the "Single Ladies" dance. On the field, the song blared over the speakers and the team danced on the field, thoroughly confusing the other team. With the power of Beyoncé flowing through Kurt's veins, he kicked the ball right into the goal.

The team rejoiced and the crowd went wild. On the sidelines, the cheerios cheered and screamed loudly. Throughout the game, Quinn and Finn shared loving looks. Quinn had told him earlier that week and after getting over the shock, Finn promised he would support Quinn however she needed. They had been inseparable ever since the news. Quinn made sure to ignore the longing looks from Puck.

When Kurt had scored the winning point, Finley had ran onto the field and tackled Kurt to the floor in a fierce hug. She was then surrounded by the team, who included her in their gross, sweaty, team victory hug. The crowd then proceeded to laugh as she and Mike did their victory dance on the field.

During the past week's dance classes, Finley eyed how focused Mike and Matt were. They were the nicest players on the team. They never made fun of Kurt like the others did, and they didn't participate in bullying the rest of the school. Mike and Matt were both average height. Mike had fair skin and spiked black hair, and killer dance moves. Matt had tan skin and dark hair shaved very close to his head. He was quiet and not as great a dancer as Mike, but he was nice. Dancing with Mike on the field, Finley got a brilliant idea.

"Please, Mike, please!" Finley pleaded to the boys. "Matt, come on! For me, please! Please, please, please!" While Finn went off with Quinn, Finley took the chance to corner Matt and Mike as they exited the locker room. And thus began the endless begging and pleading. For any other reason, anyone in the entire school would simply die to have Finley Hudson begging beneath them. But what she was asking for was too much. "Come on, Matt. Mike, please! I'm begging you."

"I have to focus on football and school, Finley," Mike groaned. He hated refusing her, but he wasn't willing to give in... yet.

"And you know I don't like talking in front of people, much less singing," Matt grimaced at the thought.

"Look, we need more members. Rachel got into a thing with Tina about a solo and she quit. We need to reach the minimum performer requirement in order to qualify for Sectionals. Please, I'm begging you two." Both boys shook their heads in refusal again, but Finley was determined. She badgered on. "I saw how happy you guys were during rehearsals. You were in the zone! Don't pretend you weren't smiling every time you walked out of the choir room," she quirked her brow. Matt and Mike didn't reply. They knew they couldn't lie to her. Finley may be the worst liar in the entire world, but she had a strong bullsh*t detector. "See? Admit it."

"Fine," Mike sighed. "I liked getting to dance without needing a victory for once. And considering this was our first one in the past few years where we actually won, I haven't really been able to really do that."

"You could dance in glee club." Finley smiled as Mike perked up at the possibility. "Santana and I are strong dancers, but we all know Brittany is the professional. We need more dancers like her, like you." Mike was still on the fence, but she could see the gears turning in his head. "Glee club will allow you a place to dance to your heart's content. I'm sure Brit will practice with you. She's nice to Santana and I, but we both know she would rather have a partner that was more her speed."

Mike sighed. "I... I'll think about it," he told her. But Finley saw the surrender in his eyes. She had no doubt Mike would be at the next meeting.

"Matt..." Finley turned to him. Matt bristled under her hungry gaze. They both knew that Mike had conceded, though he refused to say it aloud. "Matt..." He shook his head, holding strong in his refusal.

Finley brought out the big guns. With a small whimper, she looked up with puppy-dog eyes.

It only took a second for Matt to yield. "Oh my god, ok! Fine! I'll join!" Matt huffed. "Just put the eyes away, please!" Finley squealed with excitement and jumped up, huggin the guys. They grabbed her, supporting her as her legs lifted off the ground.

No one was a match for Finley's puppy-dog eyes. That was precisely why Carole had banned Finley from using it at home. They were too powerful.

"You won't regret this!" The guys allowed her to squeeze them as she vibrated with excitement.

And just like that, the New Directions had two new members.

Finley went home with Kurt that night. She was ecstatic that the game had gone so well. Burt had to check on something at the shop the two went back alone. Kurt and her were hanging out in his room, showing Finley his nighttime skincare regimen. Finley had some herself, but her products were nowhere as fancy as Kurt's. He sat at his vanity while Finley lounged on his fabulous bed. Kurt knew how to pick good sheets.

As they were applying the last step, the facial mist, Burt came home. He walked down the stairs to Kurt's bedroom and eyed the two teens awkwardly. Finley gave him a small wave. "Nighttime skincare is a big part of my postgame ritual," Kurt said, nodding in acknowledgement to him.

Burt shuffled his feet. "I don't know what to say about that, but, uh..." Kurt waited anxiously for what his father would say next. The game was... unconventional, to say the least. "I was really proud of you tonight, Kurt." A proud smile grew on Burt's face, and Kurt's shoulders visibly relaxed. "I wish your mom would have been there. I mean... alive."

"Thanks," Kurt replied softly, his eyes trained on Burt's in his vanity mirror. Burt turned to leave. "Dad?" He stopped and faced Kurt. Kurt got up from his vanity chair and walked up to him. "You too, Finley. I have something that I wanna say." Finley nodded encouragingly as Burt and her waited for him to go on. Kurt turned his focus to his dad. "I'm glad you're proud of me, but I don't want to lie anymore. Being a part of glee club and... football has really showed me I can be anything. And what I am... Is..." He took a deep breath and Finley and Burt waited patiently for him. "I'm gay."

Finley had already assumed, of course, but she gasped at Kurt's declaration. She felt honored that Kurt felt safe enough to share this bit of him with her. Kurt looked to her for her reaction. Finley smiled lovingly. Kurt felt a bit of relief at her reaction, but his chest tightened and he turned back to Burt. "I know."

"Really?" Kurt asked, a little bit surprised.

"I've known since you were 3," Burt admitted. "All you wanted for your birthday was a pair of sensible heels." Kurt nodded and took another deep breath. Finley watched from the side, not wanting to ruin the important moment. But she could see the acceptance in Burt's eyes. "I guess I'm not totally in love with the idea, but... if that's who you are... there's nothing I can do about it. And I love you just as much. Ok?" He put his hand on Kurt's shoulder, forcing him to look him in the eye. He needed to make sure that Kurt knew how much he loved him. He may not have understood exactly what being gay was, but he knew that he would support Kurt with all of his heart. After a second, Kurt collapsed into Burt's arms. A tear trickled down Finley's cheek as she witnessed the happy moment. "Thanks for telling me, Kurt." They released each other and Burt walked back to the stairs. He paused again, "You're sure, right?"

"Yeah, Dad. I'm sure," Kurt replied.

"I'm just checking," Burt nodded before leaving the two friends.

Finley jumped off the bed and wrapped Kurt in a hug of her own. "Thank you for telling me, Kurt."

"Thank you for being so understanding. I mean, I knew you would be cool about it, but still... It's nice," he shrugged. "I had never told anyone until today."

"Was your dad and I the first people you told?" Finley asked.

Kurt shook his head. "I told Mercedes earlier." Finley's brows raised in surprise at the news. "She took it really well."

"So, you guys are ok now?" Finley asked warily. "You know, after the whole busting-your-window-thing."

"I learned she only did that because she was hurt," Kurt explained. "She was interested in me, and when she asked to make us official, I lied and told her I was in love with... you." Finley couldn't stop the laugh that erupted from her chest. "I'm sorry! You were right there and she just assumed, and I didn't correct her."

"Oh my god," Finley gasped, calming herself. "Sorry, sorry! The whole situation is just funny. I'm flattered that you chose me. I mean, Rachel was right there." Kurt grimaced, making Finley erupt in laughter again. "So... are there any guys you're currently interested in?" She wiggled her brows suggestively.

"Um... no?" Kurt's voice rose an octave, giving away that he was obviously lying.

"Fine. Have your secrets," Finely sighed while dramatically flopping back on Kurt's bed. "You know who's actually pretty fine? Burt Hummel." She screeched as Kurt grabbed his pillow and slammed it into her face. "Ow!"

"Don't hit on my dad," Kurt glared playfully, flopping on the bed beside her.

"You're no fun," she pouted, making Kurt laugh. "Fine. I'll leave him for some hot mom to trap that daddy-derriere." She screeched again as another pillow hit her face.

Chapter 4: ANGELS

Chapter Text

[ 1.04 - 1.13 ]

💛 New Directions Girls | "Halo/Walking on Sunshine" - Beyoncé/Katrina and the Waves

💗 New Directions | "Keep Holding On" - Avril Lavigne

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙉𝙀𝙓𝙏 𝘾𝙊𝙐𝙋𝙇𝙀 𝙒𝙀𝙀𝙆𝙎 passed quickly. Rachel had quit the New Directions for a while because she didn't like how Mr. Schue was allowing other members to sing the leads. When the glee club found out about Quinn's pregnancy- per Puck- Rachel only distanced herself more. Everyone knew it was because of Finn, though no one knew how deep their feelings for each other went.

Mr. Schue brought in an old classmate of his named April Rhodes in an attempt to fill in Rachel's place. She was incredibly talented, but extremely troubled. She got Kurt drunk and taught Tina, Mercedes, and Finley how to shoplift by hiding meat in some... questionable places.

The New Directions performed at an Invitational to prepare for sectionals. April showed up drunk at their performance of Carrie Underwood's "Last Name." The crowd gave her a standing ovation, but Mr. Schue dismissed her. Luckily, Rachel ended up rejoining. She missed singing with everyone.

Finley had been helping Quinn and Finn figure out the pregnancy. Quinn decided she would give birth to her baby. She did not believe in abortion because of her faith. Finley and Finn promised to support her until the very end. Finley had noticed the looks Puck had been giving Quinn the past couple weeks. She did not know what was going on or where his sudden interest came from. But Quinn seemed unbothered by it, so she let it go.

Their first assignment after Invitationals from Mr. Schue was a competition between boys and girls. They called it mash-up week. Earlier in the week, the boys had performed a mash-up of Bon Jovi's "It's my life" and Usher's "Confessions Part 2." They had seemed unusually energetic during their performance, and with some snooping, Rachel found out the boys had taken a performance enhancement tablet. And so, in the spirit of fairness, Rachel got some for the girls. They didn't know where Rachel got them from, but they put their faith in her. Finley was very skeptical, but she figured that if her brother had taken them and turned out ok, she would be too.

A mistake? Possibly.

Thus leading to the girls practically vibrating as they stood on the stage ready to perform. Each of the girls wore a yellow dress, shoes, and headband. Their hair was flowing down their shoulders and backs. Brittany, Mercedes, and Quinn stood with their backs turned while Santana, Finley, and Tina faced forward in the windows between the bodies. Rachel addressed the boys and Mr. Schue with a big smile.

"Thank you. It really is a pleasure." She spoke so quickly the boys just barely understood the words flying out of her mouth. "While the boys chose a selection of songs that cast an eye on the irresponsible life choices and sexual hunger of today's modern teens, we have chosen a selection of songs that speak to the nation as a whole during these troubling times filled with economic uncertainty and unbridled social woe because if there's two things America needs now, that is sunshine and optimism. And also angels."

"Finley!" Puck hollard, cheering for the angel of McKinley. Finley giggled from the stage. After a moment, Mr. Schue and Ms. Pillsbury started their music. The beginning to Beyoncé's "Halo" began to play through the room. 💛

[Rachel]

Oh

The girls began to sway in sync as Rachel began to sing. They then turned around the began the fun and cute choreography that perfectly matched the energy of the song.

Remember those walls I built

Baby they're tumbling down

They didn't even put up a fight

They didn't even make a sound

It's like I've been awakened

Every rule I had you breaking

It's the risk that I'm taking

I ain't never gonna shut you out

[all]

Everywhere I'm looking now

I'm surrounded by your embrace

Baby, I can see your halo

You know you're my saving grace ( [S & B] : I'm walking on sunshine, woah)

You're everything I need and more

It's written all over your face ( [S & B] : I'm walking on sunshine, woah)

[Mercedes]

Baby I can feel your halo

[Unholy Trinity]

And don't it feel good!

[all]

I can see your halo, halo, halo

I can see your halo, halo, halo

I can see your halo, halo, halo

And don't it feel good!

The energy was electric! The boys couldn't help but dance in their seats. The girls' energy was radiant. They were energetic and quick and just so smiley. Mr. Schue and Emma even danced in their seats.

[Finley]

I used to think maybe you loved me

now baby I'm sure

And I just can't wait till the day

when you knock on my door

Oh, now, now!

[all]

I'm walking on sunshine, whoa

I'm walking on sunshine, whoa

I'm walking on sunshine, whoa

And don't it feel good?

I can feel your halo, halo, halo ( [Mercedes] : alright now)

I can see your halo, halo,( [Mercedes] : oh yeah)

I can feel your halo, halo ( [Rachel] : halo)

I can feel your halo, halo ( [Mercedes] : halo)

I can see your halo

[Rachel]

Halo!

What they did, taking Vitamin D supplements, ended up causing some great damage. Because of the debacle, Coach Sylvester was enlisted as the co-director of the glee club with Mr. Schue. Santana and Brittany hid their victorious smirks as Sue addressed the shocked kids.

For the next week, Sue and Will Schuester got caught in a vicious feud that resulted in Sue stealing the band and turning the kids against each other, and in return, Mr. Schue failing every Cheerio in Spanish. Luckily, Finley took French so her grade was saved, but like the rest of the glee kids, they were upset with the co-directors' petty feud.

🎵

Outside of glee club, Finley accompanied Quinn and Finn to their sonogram appointment. They found out that Quinn was having a baby girl. She promised the couple she wouldn't say anything. The glee club knew about the pregnancy, but they didn't need to know more other than the fact that it existed. And Quinn definitely didn't want more information out that could allow more people to find out she was in the first place.

But another week later, the school's reporter Jacob Ben Israel released the news all over the school, much to Quinn's and Finley's horror. They didn't know how Jacob learned the news, but their biggest concern wasn't him.

Their biggest concern was when Sue announced to the New Directions that she knew about the pregnancy. As she left the room, Quinn began gasping for air. Her eyes welled with tears as the rest of the group turned their attention to her. Before Finley could help comfort her, Quinn ran out of the room. Her sobs could be heard as she ran down the hallway. Finn and Finley quickly jumped out of their seats and raced after her. When they reached her, Finn pulled her to his chest. She pressed her face into his shirt and gripped onto his arms tightly. She was trembling as she continued to sob. Finley hugged against her back side, proving her silent comfort.

Finley didn't say anything. There was nothing she could say. There is nothing in the world she could say that could make the situation better. Finn cooed sweet nothings as he held Quinn, but even he knew they wouldn't be much help. All the twins could do was comfort Quinn. And so they did. 💗

The rest of the glee club orchestrated a performance to show their support for Quinn. Together, they all sung Avril Lavigne's "Keep Holding On." Quinn was so touched that she began crying while in the middle of the song. When Finley noticed, she grabbed her best friend's hand and didn't let go.

And when her parents found out and Quinn was evicted? Without question, the Hudsons took Quinn in as their own.

🎵

After another few weeks of lessons and preparing for Sectionals, Sue had stepped down as co-director of the glee club. But there was another issue Mr. Schuester now had to deal with. Principal Figgins had informed him that the school budget would not cover the transportation costs that were handicap-accessible, meaning Artie would be unable to travel with the group to Sectionals.

Finley helped Puck manage a bake sale to help raise funds. It brought in over a thousand dollars- enough to pay for the bus and more. Puck had made cupcakes and they were a hit! When Finley tried to sneak one for herself, Puck promptly knocked it out of her hands and gave it to the next customer in line. The fact that Finley Hudson herself wanted the cupcake made its value heavily increase. He told her that he needed to sell them to make money, so she couldn't take one for herself. Being the selfless person she was, Finley didn't want to lose out on money for Artie over a cupcake.

The real reason Puck refused to let her try one, unbeknownst to her, was that he had spiked the cupcake batter with weed.

🎵

While the New Directions were subjected to that drama, they were also subjected to a new feud between Rachel and Kurt. Rachel was often in combat with someone, so it came to no one's surprise when she challenged Kurt to a sing-off of Wicked's "Defying Gravity." Rachel ended up winning because Kurt had botched the final note. He later told Finley privately that he had done so because his father Burt was getting harassed due to Kurt's sexuality. Finley was furious and wanted to help, but Kurt assured her he and Burt would be fine. He was touched by her reaction, but he didn't want to cause any further problems. Finley respected Kurt's wishes, but she made it clear that if he ever changed his mind, she would do something about it.

🎵

Quinn had been kicked off the cheerios. Finley had begged Sue to let her stay longer, at least until it was no longer safe for her, but Sue refused to listen. She only finally stopped begging when Sue threatened her with suspension from the team. Quinn knew nothing could make Sue take her back, but she was grateful that Finley had even tried. She was her only true friend, she found.

To replace Quinn's spot, Sue held tryouts. She ended up recruiting a girl named Becky Jackson. She was a short blonde with Down syndrome and a tongue almost as sharp as Santana's. Sue enlisted Finley, the head cheerio, to help her train Becky in the gym before she officially joined the team. She trusted Finley the most with Becky, considering her friendship with Jean. Finley showed Becky the drills and exercises, then did them with her while Sue watched.

"Faster," Sue ordered as Finley led her through another exercise, jumping rope. Becky was having a bit of trouble gaining speed. "Harder!" Sue yelled, her eyes narrowing. "Those better be tears of joy, Becky. Faster! Harder!" After a few more seconds, Sue huffed. "Ok, stop." Finley and Becky both stopped and Sue sighed heavily, staring down at her. "Becky, this is terrible."

"She's trying, Coach," Finley defended, but she knew it wouldn't help. The cheerios were working towards another National Championship. They needed Becky to be in tip-top shape.

"This is really hard," Becky sighed.

"You think this is hard? Try auditioning for Baywatch and being told that they're going in another direction. That was hard," Sue snapped.

Finley winced. "I'm sorry that happened to you, Coach."

Sue waved her off, but secretly, she was touched by the concern. "Hit the showers."

"Thanks, Coach," Becky smiled happily before hanging her rope to Finley and running off.

Finley put the gear back and then joined Coach Sue on the bleachers. "She'll get the hang of it, I'm sure," Finley assured Sue confidently. "Becky will fit right in."

"Thank you for your help, Hudson," Sue told her earnestly. Finley softly smiled at her coach's gratitude. She was the only one who understood why Sue was doing this, and she would support her in any way she could.

Mr. Schuester then walked into the gym towards the two women. He had a disgusted look on his face, putting Finley on edge. "Sue, you are unbelievable," he shook his head at the coach.

"And you are a terrible spy," Sue retorted. "You might want to try breathing through your nose sometime. If you were a sniper, I'd have already radioed in your coordinates just like in the falklands."

"I'm not going to let you bully that girl," Mr. Schue glared at her.

"Oh, I bully everybody, Will," she rolled her eyes. She got up from the bleachers and the two women started making their way out of the gym. Mr. Schue followed right behind them. "It's the way I roll."

"Yeah, but this is different!" He exclaimed. "She's not like everybody else."

"Mr. Schue," Finley said calmly, drawing his attention to her. "With all due respect, you need to listen to what you just said. You're asking Coach Sylvester to treat this girl differently because she has a disability when, actually, it seems that she just wants to be treated like everybody else." Will was taken aback.

"William, why are you doing this?" Sue questioned. She had never been so serious in a conversation with Will as she was right then.

"Because I know you, and you're up to something," he accused.

"You don't know the first thing about me." Sue then walked out. Finley gave Mr. Schue a scarily angry glare, one only few people had seen, and followed her coach out. She was offended for both Becky and for Coach Sue. She would not allow Mr. Schue to speak so disrespectfully about either of them.

Yes, Sue had her faults. Millions of them. But this?

What Will would come to learn, Sue had a younger sister named Jean who had Down syndrome. Why Finley was so defensive was that she and Jean were good friends. She couldn't count the number of times she went with Sue to visit her. They would spend the afternoon telling stories and laughing.

That was why Sue liked Finley so much. She was the first one to show true compassion for Jean and treat her as a normal human being. She had a soft spot for the girl that had only grown as she witnessed more of Finley's kind personality. She was every bit as loving and sweet as Jean.

And with the help of Finley Hudson, Becky would soon be ready to officially join the cheerios.

🎵

In the next couple of weeks, a devastating secret spread like wildfire through the New Directions. Everyone knew... except the Hudson twins. Everyone agreed that it was best they didn't know. There was no doubt that the twins would kick Puck's ass and Finley's friendship with Quinn could completely dissolve.

But that all fell apart and secrets unfolded... from Rachel.

Finley had been practicing choreography with Mike, Brittany, and Santana in the choir room while everyone else was lounging around when Finn suddenly stormed into the room, Rachel at his feet. Before anyone could move, Finn had grabbed Puck by his shirt and slammed him to the ground. Then he pummeled his face with his fist. Finley screamed in fear as she stepped in front of Quinn to protect her from the violence. "Finn, stop! What are you doing?" Finn didn't stop. Usually Finley could calm him down, but not this time. She ushered Mercedes to protect Quinn and she grabbed Finn's arm. He shoved her off, causing her to fall back with a cry. Luckily, Mike caught her before she hit the ground. "Finn, what the hell? Stop this!" But he wouldn't.

Then Mr. Schue and Ms. Pillsbury ran into the room and saw what was happening. He ran over to Finn and ripped him off of Puck. "Hey, come on! Come on! Get off! Knock it off! Get off of him! Get off!" He passed Finn off to Finley, Mike, and Matt, who helped hold him back.

"Tell the truth!" Finn screamed. He screamed at Quinn and she burst into tears. Finley gasped. It wasn't just rage, it was hurt. Finn was in pain. What did Quinn do?

"Wait, what are you talking about? What truth?" She looked to Quinn, but she was sobbing.

"Punk just walked in and sucker-punched me!" Puck yelled angrily.

"Don't play dumb! Don't play dumb!" Finn screamed, lunging once more.

"Hey, pull him back!" Finley ordered. Mike and Matt pulled Finn farther away. "What is Finn talking about? Quinn?" She looked to her best friend.

"Who told you, Finn?" Quinn demanded. She was sobbing. Finley had assumed she was crying because Finn screamed at her, but it was more than that, she realized. It wasn't his yelling that made her cry. It was what he was yelling about.

"Obviously, it was Rachel," Kurt said. Finley whipped around to face her, furious. Rachel flinched under the Cheerio's murderous gaze. She had never seen Finley so angry before. It was terrifying.

"What? I didn't do anything," she cowered. She wouldn't meet anyone's eyes.

"Wait, you knew about whatever this is? And you, Kurt?" Finley gasped. She glanced around the room and saw everyone had the same guilty expression. "Oh my god, you all knew. And none of you told me or Finn." After a moment, they all nodded. Finley could do nothing but gawk at her friends. She had trusted them, and they were keeping secrets from her and her brother.

"Yeah, it was Rachel," Finn hissed. "But I want to hear it from you. From both of you," he glared at Quinn and Puck, waiting.

Finley was so confused, but she knew one thing. Her brother was hurt, and it was Quinn and Pucks' fault. She stomped over to Puck and grabbed his shirt, yanking him to meet her eyes. He had seen Finley this enraged before, but never at him. And he knew what she was capable of. Puck had known Finley since they were children. He loved her like a little sister. And he knew that the news, the truth, the betrayal would kill her. "Whatever Finn is talking about, say it. Now!" She demanded.

"Hey, just calm down!" Mr. Schue yelled. That only made Finley angrier.

"No! They're both lying to Finn! To me! They need to come clean with whatever they're hiding from us," she yelled back.

Finn shook Mike and Matt off and faced Quinn and Puck. "Is it true? Just tell me, is it true?" Finley's heart hurt from the defeat in Finn's voice.

Quinn walked up to Finn, her chest heaving as she tried to contain her sobs. Finley kept her grip on Puck as she waited. What she said next broke the twins. "Yes. Puck is the father."

Finley dropped Puck's shirt and staggered back. She stared at the two in horror. They had lied to both of them, the two people who had supported Quinn since the entire journey began. And it was all a lie.

"I knew it wasn't possible to get pregnant in a hot tub," Finley gasped. "But I believed you. And the entire time, you were lying to me." She shook her head as she realized how deep the betrayal went. She had used Finn and Finley's kindness when she never even deserved it in the first place. She had placed the burden of a teenage pregnancy on Finn when he wasn't even involved.

"It's... So all..." Finn sputtered as he processed the news. "All that stuff in the hot tub... You just made that up?"

"You both were stupid enough to buy it!" Puck shouted from behind her. Finley choked as Puck's words sliced pain all through her body. She began to tremble and her eyes welled with tears. Puck's eyes softened and he immediately regretted what he said, but it was too late. The damage was done. Finn took one look at Finley's hurt face and lunged for Puck again, but Mr. Schue held him back.

"I am so sorry," Quinn whimpered, her eyes pleading at the twins to forgive her. The boy who would have done anything for her, and the best friend who did do anything for her. And Quinn knew that she had just lost them both.

Finn scoffed at her tears and shoved Mr. Schuester off of him. "Screw this!" He screamed as Finley's cries got louder. "I'm done with you! I'm done with all of you!" He then stormed out of the room. The group watched as he disappeared out the door, and then turned their attention to Finley.

"I..." Finley shook her head, unsure of what to say. She felt Puck's and Quinn's gazes on her and she stepped back, wanting to get as far away from them as she could. "I can't believe you two."

"Finley, please..." Quinn's heart broke as the distance widened. "Finley..."

"No," she shook her head, making her stop. There was nothing she could say that could make this better. Finley understood Quinn probably had a good reason for lying, but it didn't just erase all the hurt and pain it caused. "I'll get over it, and Finn will too. We just need space. From you. Both of you." Puck and Quinn nodded, accepting the consequences of their actions. "I have to go." The group watched as she ran out of the room.

There was no telling what this could mean for Sectionals. They couldn't win without Finn and Finley. They prayed everything would come together, that Quinn and Puck hadn't ruined everything they were working so hard for.

🎵

The day had finally come. Sectionals. And the New Directions were panicking. Finley had promptly returned to perform at Sectionals, ignoring Quinn and Puck as best she could, but Finn was nowhere to be found.

Mr. Schuester was unable to accompany the club to Sectionals per show choir rules, so Ms. Pillsbury postponed her wedding to Coach Tanaka in order to take them. Finley could sense something was going on between the two, but it wasn't her place to comment on it. Plus, she had no desire to involve herself in the teacher's affairs.

The New Directions were slotted last in the lineup, and Rachel and Finley had helped keep morale high. But it soon plummeted when the other two choirs performed all their numbers. They had stolen their set list! And Finley only had one guess on who gave it to them. Sue Sylvester. And everyone had their suspicions on how she attained that list.

"You leaked the set list!" Kurt accused the cheerios as they strategized in the green room backstage. "You don't want to be here. You're just Sue's little moles."

"I know for a fact, that's true," Quinn confirmed. "Sue asked us to spy for her. The only one who never actually did anything was Finley. She didn't want to ruin it for Finn." Santana and Brittany gasped as Quinn outed them. The rest of the team glared accusingly at the two girls.

Santana scoffed. "Look, we may still be cheerios, but neither one of us ever gave Sue the set list."

"Well, I... I did," Brittany mumbled. Everyone gaped at her and she cowered beside Santana. "But I didn't know what she was gonna do with it." No one could get mad at Brittany. They all knew Brittany had no malicious intent. She didn't want to sabotage the group. She had just made a careless mistake. But that mistake might ruin the New Directions.

"Ok, look," Santana spoke up. "Believe what you want, but no one's forcing me to be here, and if you ever tell anyone this, I'll deny it... But I like being in glee club." The group stared at her in surprise at her confession. "It's the best part of my day, ok? I wasn't gonna go and mess it up." Finley grabbed the girls' hands in support.

Rachel broke the silence. "I believe you." Santana's brows rose in surprise, but there was gratitude in them. She didn't want to be blamed for this. "Ok, look, guys. There's no point in us arguing anymore. We have to go on in an hour."

"And we have no songs," Tina reminded them, her stutter now gone.

"Perhaps I could improvise some of my def poetry jams?" Artie suggested.

"No," Finley shut him down with an apologetic look. "We're going to do this the right way. Let's start with a ballad. Mercedes, do you have anything else in your repertoire?"

Mercedes shook her head. "But it's not as good as anything Rachel is going to sing."

"No, we agreed-" Rachel tried to argue but Mercedes shook her head again.

"We agreed that I would sing 'And I'm Telling You.' And that ain't happening," Mercedes sighed. "Look, Rachel, the truth is, you're the best singer that we've got." Rachel gaped at Mercedes. She had never thought she would ever hear those words come from Mercedes's lips.

"And as much as it hurts me to admit it, and it does, she's right. Rachel's our star," Kurt agreed. "If anyone's going to go belt on the fly, it should be her."

Rachel beamed at the support of her friends. "Well, I do have something I've been working on since I was four."

"Then I guess we have our ballad, and we can close with 'Somebody to Love,'" Quinn organized the group. "It's a real crowd-pleaser."

"Yeah, that and a can of soup will guarantee us third place," Puck objected, causing Finley to bristle. "We still need another song we can all sing together." Finley sighed. He was right.

The crowd applauded and cheered as the New Directions stood on stage. Rachel had opened their performance with Funny Girl's iconic "Don't Rain on my Parade," and then the group performed "You Can't Always Get What You Want" by The Rolling Stones as their closing number.

And on Monday, the New Directions returned to the choir room and handed Mr. Schuester their first place trophy.

Chapter 5: JESSE ST. JAMES

Chapter Text

[ 1.14 ]

💛 Jesse & Rachel | "Hello" - Lionel Richie

❤️ Vocal Adrenaline | "Highway to Hell" - AC/DC

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

"𝙃𝙀𝙇𝙇𝙊."

"Hi!" Finley answered with a bright smile. Mr. Schuester had written "hello" on the white board and was staring at the group expectantly. He sighed when Finley was the only one who bothered to answer.

The New Directions were on a high after winning Sectionals. Tensions were still tight between Finn, Finley, Puck, and Quinn. Quinn and Puck sat together, leading Finn to sit beside Rachel and Finley to sit with Brittany and Santana.

"Hello?" Mr. Schue called again, waiting. The rest of the group responded, "hello," to which he grinned and began his lesson. "What do you guys say when you answer the phone?" He asked everyone.

"What up?" Mercedes answered.

"Who dis be?" Artie said.

"Did Taylor Swift announce a new album?" Finley replied, earning a chuckle from Finn.

"No, she's dead. This is her son," Kurt replied morbidly.

"Woah. Dark," Finley mumbled underneath her breath as the energy in the room shifted.

"Ok..." Mr. Schuester tried to lighten the mood by continuing with his lesson plan. "Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone, liked to say 'ahoy, ahoy' when he answered the phone. It was Edison who decided that 'hello' was a more appropriate greeting. Look, I am really proud of what you guys did at Sectionals. But as most of you have realized by now, it hasn't made a difference in your day-to-day at school."

"I have a slushie-stained training bra to prove it," Rachel nodded.

"The fact is," Mr. Schue continued, "we're going to have to be better, even more spectacular at Regionals. It's time for some reinvention, some new New Directions. We need a new..." He pointed toward the board, "Hello." The group nodded in agreement. They knew they would have to step up their game. Vocal Adrenaline had won their Sectionals- no surprise- so they needed to find a way to compete with their talents. "Here's your assignment for the week: come up with a fresh number but it has to have 'hello' in the song title, all right?" The group nodded and began to brainstorm.

🎵

In the next few days, two numbers had already been performed. Finn had sung "Hello, I Love You" by The Doors for Rachel to express his feelings for her, which she loved. It was sweet and fun. Finley loved to watch her brother perform. It was one of the only times Finn got to let loose and express himself freely.

But then he realized he still had feelings for Quinn, which Finley completely understood. Finn thought he was going to have a baby with her, for crying out loud. Finley was still hurt from Quinn and Puck's deceit, but she was slowly getting over it. She just needed a bit more time to process it all. And so did Finn. He realized jumping right into a relationship with Rachel was not a good idea, so he broke off their little romance. That led to a hurt Rachel singing the All-American Rejects' "Gives You Hell" to Finn in retaliation. Finley felt bad for her brother, but she had to admit, Rachel's performance was fun. She didn't stop herself from dancing with Santana and Brittany while Rachel sang.

After Rachel's performance, Mr. Schue was upset that she strayed from the assignment. "I don't think you guys understand the seriousness of what you're up against," he scolded the teens. "While we were busy winning our Sectionals, Vocal Adrenaline was busy winning theirs. They're last year's national champions. They haven't lost a competition in 3 years. This is the big leagues, guys. And If we don't place at Regionals, glee club is over." With that reminder, the room sobered up. Finley knew Mr. Schue was right. They had all seen Vocal Adrenaline's talent, and Finley knew how talented Jesse was. She worried Finn's voice couldn't compete with the smooth, velvet voice of Jesse St. James. They needed to bring their A-game.

Once the meeting was over, Rachel ran over to Finley as she was grabbing her bag. "Hey, are you doing anything after school?" Finley shook her head. "Even though things with me and Finn are... complicated, that doesn't mean we can't still be friends."

"I agree," Finley nodded wholeheartedly, making Rachel smile.

"Would you want to come with me to the local music library? I'm going to research some possible songs for our set list for Regionals. I could help you pick a song for this week's assignment. My input is very valuable as I am the most talented member in glee club."

Finley smiled, amused at Rachel's lack of modesty. After Mercedes admitted the fact to Rachel, she constantly mentioned how she was "the most talented member in glee club." Finley didn't want to tear down any self-esteem and confidence Rachel gained. Santana did enough of that already. "That would be great. Thanks, Rachel." Rachel beamed as the head cheerleader accepted her offer. She had attempted to befriend Quinn Fabray, but that failed when she started trying to steal her boyfriend. Santana and Brittany hated Rachel, they thought her loud and annoying, but Finley still liked her. Sure, she was... a lot at times, but Finley didn't fault her for that. Not many people seemed to these days so Rachel was eager to strengthen her friendship with the cheerio.

After school, they met up at Rachel's locker and Finley drove them over to the store. Finn told her he would catch a ride home from Mike after football practice. They walked in together and began to scour the shelves. "So, what are you thinking for Mr. Schue's lesson?" Rachel questioned.

"I was thinking of doing Lionel Richie's 'Hello,'" Finley told her. "He's one of my favorites."

"Oh, great choice! Just make sure you can mine the emotional depth it requires. You're great at cute and bubbly tunes. I wouldn't want you to attempt a challenge you can't succeed in." Finley ignored the subtle dig in her words knowing it came from a place of insecurity. "I'll go look for some sheet music for you." Finley smiled in thanks and Rachel went off to look.

After searching for a little while, she finally found a book of Lionel Richie's music. She smiled with glee, happy that could be of help to the cheerio. As she was looking through the book, a hand pushed it down, forcing her to meet her interruption's gaze. "Lionel Richie, huh? One of my favorites."

Rachel blinked at the man before her. "Oh my god, you're Jesse St. James," she gasped, recognizing him from her never-ending stalking of their rival show choir. "You're in Vocal Adrenaline."

"And you're Rachel Berry," he said with an intense stare. "I saw you perform at Sectionals. Your rendition of 'Don't Rain on my Parade' was flawed. You totally lacked Barbra's emotional depth," he critiqued, causing Rachel's expression to fall. Jesse then took the book out of her hands and smirked, eyeing her from her brown hair to her ugly sweater. "But you're talented."

He began to walk away, and Rachel followed after him. "Hey, I need that book. You can't take it. It's for a friend."

"This is one of my favorite haunts," Jesse ignored her. "I like to come and flip through the celebrity biographies, pick up some lifestyle tips." Rachel followed him as he passed the various aisles, eyeing the books on the shelves. "I'm a senior now, so this year's kind of my victory lap. Snagging a fourth consecutive national championship would just be gravy." He walked into another room with a piano in the center and checked out the bookshelves, Rachel at his heels. "I'm getting out of Ohio soon. I've got a full ride to a school called the University of California, Los Angeles. Maybe you've heard of it? It's in Los Angeles." Rachel was having difficulty thinking. All she could do was stare at the handsome man with the buttery voice that broke goosebumps all over her arms. Realizing what he had asked, she nodded robotically.

"Hey, I found you!" Finley chirped with relief as she skipped into the back room. Jesse froze. He knew that angelic voice. "You completely disappeared. I was wondering where you had wandered off to." Jesse took a deep breath and turned around. He felt the breath escape his lungs as he took her in. Her lush hair, her soft skin, her full lips and dark eyes. For a solid moment, he couldn't even think. All he could do was soak up the beauty that was Finley Hudson. Finley realized who was in front of her and grinned with excitement. "Jesse? I didn't think I would see you here. Usually you're stalking me down the aisles of the book store."

Jesse blinked, snapping out his trance, and laughed. "Not stalking. Wandering," he corrected with amusem*nt. His gaze softened as he stared at Finley. Finley couldn't stop her smile from growing as she gazed into Jesse's deep eyes. It had been some time since she had last gotten lost in them.

Rachel analyzed the soft looks the two shared. "Wait, you two know each other?" She asked, confused. She had no idea when or how Finley could have met without her knowing. It also wasn't wise to be friends with the enemy.

"We're merely acquaintances," Finley assured her, seeing the worry and skepticism on Rachel's face. "We run into each other a lot at the bookstore." Rachel nodded at the news. Then Finley noticed the piano. "Jesse, do you play?" She motioned to the instrument.

His expression suddenly seemed to harden, as if he had put on a mask. Finley didn't know what to make of it, so she just assumed that it was a natural thing he did subconsciously. He nodded and turned back to Rachel. "What do you say we take her for a spin?"

"Here?" Rachel glanced around the room as she took a seat beside him at the piano. "No, I'm kind of nervous." Finley found that ironic considering how not-shy she appeared to be while thrusting like a hussy into Finn at the assembly months ago.

Jesse sighed dramatically as if in reminiscence. Finley couldn't help but feel odd as she watched him. Something felt... off about him. But she couldn't put her finger on it. Whenever she interacted with Jesse, he was playful and sweet. It was like she was seeing a whole different side of him.

"I remember when I used to get nervous," he told Rachel. "Come on. I do this all the time. I like to give impromptu concerts for the homeless. It's so important to give back."

Finley couldn't tell if he was serious or not about his benighted comment. She had never seen Jesse act so... full of himself. He had never acted like this around her.

Jesse's fingers suddenly began to dance over the piano's keys and the beginning notes of Lionel Richie's "Hello" floated through the air. Finley walked over to the opposite side of the piano. Staring at Jesse's handsome face across from her, she leaned against the edge of the wood and listened. Finley sucked in a breath as Jesse gazed deeply into her eyes, his beautiful voice beginning to sing her beloved song. 💛

[Jesse]

I've been alone with you inside my mind

And in my dreams I've kissed your lips

A thousand times

I sometimes see you pass outside my door

Hello

Is it me you're looking for

Rachel glanced at Finley nervously, and Finley could tell she wanted to join Jesse. With a soft smile, Finley gave her an encouraging nod. As Rachel began to sing with him, Jesse turned his gaze over to her. Finley was surprised at the feeling of disappointment she felt when his eyes no longer rested on her.

[both]

I can see it in your eyes

I can see it in your smile

You're all I've ever wanted

And my arms are open wide

'Cause you know just what to say

And you know just what to do

And I want to tell you so much

I love you

Finley had to admit, they looked good together. Jesse and Rachel were gazing into each other's eyes like deep lovers. And their voices sounded good together. Really good. Finley felt her chest tighten at the fact. She refused to admit it to herself, but she wished she was the one sitting beside him at the piano.

[Rachel]

Oh, yeah

[Jesse]

I long to see the sunlight in your hair

[Rachel]

And tell you time and time again

How much I care

[both]

Sometimes I feel my heart will overflow

Hello

I've just got to let you know

'Cause I wonder where you are

And I wonder what you do

Are you somewhere feeling lonely

Or is someone loving you

Tell me how to win your heart

For I haven't got a clue

But let me start by saying

I love you

A perfectly curled strand of hair fell over Jesse's brow, and Finley itched to brush it back just as she had in the Carmel High parking lot. He and Rachel had inched closer, now sitting completely beside each other. Finley could read Rachel's face easily. She was never good at hiding her emotions, just as Finley wasn't one for lying. And it was on her face, plain as day. Rachel Berry was enamored with Jesse St. James.

Is it me you're looking for

'Cause I wonder where you are

[Jesse]

And I wonder what you do ( [Rachel] : wonder what you do)

Are you somewhere feeling lonely ( [Rachel] : feeling lonely)

[both]

Or is someone loving you

Tell me how to win your heart

For I haven't got a clue

But let me start by saying

I love you

Finley clapped along with the crowd that had formed as Jesse played the final notes of the song. She smiled supportively at the couple, but it felt forced. She didn't know why she felt so... glum. All they did was sing and stare into each other's eyes... really intensely.

Jesse met Finley's gaze as he leaned in closer to Rachel. "We should do this more often. How's Friday night?" Finley felt her heart sink when Rachel answered yes.

🎵

A week had gone by and Rachel and Jesse were officially dating. From what Rachel had told Finley, their date had been a blast. She really liked Jesse. Finley was happy Rachel had found someone who made her happy, especially after the whole thing with Finn. So Finley ignored the little nag in her heart and was the supportive friend she always was.

With her and Rachel getting so close, Finn felt awkward around his twin for the first time in years. It had never been so weird between the twins since Finn first discovered what a period was and that Finley had gotten hers. It was a difficult week for the entire Hudson household. Finley was not the nicest person those couple days. But after a week, Finn decided that he wanted Rachel back.

Finley leaned on the lockers beside Rachel as she was grabbing her books and recounting another magical date night. Finley didn't miss the little photo of the boyfriend taped with glitter heart stickers in the upper right corner of her locker. It was a good photo of him. His curly hair was resting over his forehead just the way Finley liked it.

Rachel finished her story and Finley expressed excitement for how well things were going between the two. But their girl time was broken when Finn approached them. "Hey, Rach, can we talk?" She shut her locker and waited for him to continue. "Look, I want to apologize. I realize I don't want to date other girls. Only you." Rachel was shocked by the confession. Finley was too, her eyes wide as she watched her brother. "You do talk too much, and you usually just talk about yourself, but at least I don't feel alone when I'm with you," Finn saved his little quip.

"I'm glad you've come to that realization, but you're too late," Rachel told him with a hint of satisfaction in her tone. "I met someone else. A boy who's finally worthy of my talent and love. Come on, Finley. We should get to class," he grabbed the cheerio's hand and Rachel pulled her with her.

"Woah, woah, wait," Finn stopped them. "Do I know him?" He had an adorably confused look on his face, like the thought of Rachel finding someone else wasn't possible. "Do I know him? Is he bigger than me?" Finley blanched at the question.

"Oh, he doesn't go to this school, and he's a senior," Rachel bragged. "And he's the male lead in Vocal Adrenaline." Finn glanced at his twin for confirmation that what Rachel was saying is true. Finley nodded, wincing with apology. Finn stood there, open-mouthed, as Rachel droned on. "We're both aware that our romance will be a challenge, but our deep respect for each other's talent will carry us through."

"Rachel, don't you think that's suspicious?" Finn bristled. "We make it to Regionals, and suddenly the top guy in our main competition picks you up?" Finley was taken aback. She had never entertained the thought that Jesse would be anything but genuine. The possibility alarmed her.

Rachel simply shook off his concerns. "I know it's hard to believe that anyone would like me without an ulterior motive, but you have to respect that our love is real." Had Rachel exaggerated how serious she and Jesse were, maybe. But that didn't stop Finley from gasping in surprise at her use of the L-word. "Move on, Finn. I finally have." Rachel then tugged on Finley's arm, beckoning her to follow her to class. Finley took one last look at FInn, who was staring at Rachel in shock, before allowing herself to be pulled away.

Finley was busy reading another one of her romance books on the bleachers when she felt a presence beside her. Cheerios practice had ended about 20 minutes ago, but Finn had already taken the car. It was too late for Finley to get a ride from Santana or Brittany, so she had decided to wait at school until Finn could come back and pick her up. She looked over to see Mr. Schuester with a desperate expression on his face. With a sigh, Finley shut her book and faced him. "What do you need from me, Mr. Schue?"

"How did you know I wanted something?" He inquired, attempting to deflect from the accuracy of her assumption.

Finley chuckled. "You're making the same face Brittany makes before she asks me to help Lord Tubbington out after yet another run-in with the Sicilian Mafia."

Mr. Schue blinked. "Wait, what?"

"Oh, he's fine. He's friends with the Capo. He plays poker with them twice a year," Finley waves him off. "Now what were you going to request of me, Mr. Schue?"

"I was hoping that you would come with me to Carmel High to talk to the coach of Vocal Adrenaline?"

Finley sighed. "Let me guess, this has something to do with a certain new relationship that has come to light?" After a moment, Mr. Schue nodded. Finley was frustrated. Everyone distrusted Jesse St. James, but no one even knew him. They only saw him as the enemy. "Is this really necessary? Rachel is trustworthy. She may be difficult and emotional at times, but she would never betray the New Directions."

"I know that," Mr. Schuester assured. "I'm not worried about her, I'm worried about him." Finley urged him to continue. "I don't want him to hurt her. Rachel is fragile, and she's already had enough boy trouble for one year."

Finley felt a twinge of guilt. She knew Rachel and Finn's problems had nothing to do with her, but it didn't stop her from feeling bad anyway. "Why do you need my help?" She asked.

"You're the only one who seems to have a clear head when talking about Vocal Adrenaline. I figured it would be smart to have you there to show that we don't bear any hard feelings. You might get Jesse to talk about his true intentions with Rachel," he explained.

Finley thought about it for a moment. "I suppose you're right. Ok, I'll come with you, show them some of the friendly McKinley spirit." She was the only one who seemed to have it, these days.

❤️ Finley and Mr. Schue walked into the fancy auditorium. Vocal Adrenaline was in the middle of an intense number- "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC. Jesse was front and center. His forehead was caked with sweat that Finley could see from the stands. His curls seemed flatter than usual, probably from all the rehearsing and sweat. The set was insane. There were actual flames coming from off the stage.

When the number ended, their coach Shelby Corcoran, who Finley knew about due to Rachel never shutting up about Vocal Adrenaline now that she was dating Jesse, stared at the group with pursed lips. "Stop, please. Dear god, just stop," she groaned, disappointment evident in her voice. "Seriously, guys? It's like watching beige paint dry." Finley was surprised. She thought they were incredible. She couldn't understand how anyone could fathom being bored with a performance like that. "Could everyone please look at Jesse? Jesse, give us a show face." Finley and everyone else watched as Jesse's face lit up with the biggest, most forced grin she had ever seen. "That's a show face, guys. You want to look so talented it's literally hurting you. I want a look that's so optimistic, it could cure cancer." The group nodded and put on the same forced grins. Shelby clapped, "That's what I'm talking about. Take five. Everybody, drink a Red Bull."

As Vocal Adrenaline made their way off the stage, Jesse looked over. His blue eyes met Finley's brown. A genuine smile lifted on his face. Finley shyly waved to him. He winked back, making her stomach flutter, before following the rest of his teammates offstage.

Mr. Schue and Finley took the opportunity to approach her. "Excuse me, Ms. Corcoran? Hi, this is Finley Hudson and I'm Will Schuester," he introduced them.

"Sorry, I don't know who either of you are," Shelby eyed them skeptically.

"I'm a big fan, really. I also coach the McKinley glee club. Finley here is one of the members," he told her.

"I don't usually cotton too well to my competition sneaking in to watch a rehearsal," Shelby quipped, giving them a pointed look. "But I also have trouble seeing you guys as competition." Finley winced at the blatant dig.

Mr. Schue continued on. "I believe you have a student named Jesse St. James?" He posed. "I think he's dating one of my students." Finley didn't think, she knew. "I'm more than a little concerned with the whole fraternizing-with-the-enemy aspect of their relationship."

"You think we're spying on you?" Shelby quirked her brow in amusem*nt.

"Honestly? Yes," he replied in all seriousness.

"Noted," Shelby hummed. "Look, I don't stand for any funny business, and Jesse's a good kid. I mean, what can you do? The heart wants what the heart wants." She shrugged. "Sometimes there's just that little spark." Mr. Schue didn't seem to have an answer to that.

"Mr. Schue?" Finley called, grabbing his attention. "Why don't I go find Jesse, talk to him one-on-one? That's why I'm here, right?" He nodded and Finley excused herself.

She left the auditorium to find the entrance backstage so she could find Jesse. Luckily, she didn't need to search that long because as soon as she stepped out of the front doors, there he was waiting for her with a smug smile. "Missed me already, stalker?"

"I just couldn't keep myself away," Finley giggled, walking up to him. "Hi, reindeer."

Jessie laughed. "You gotta stop calling me that."

"But where would be the fun in that?" Finley pouted, causing her bottom lip to pucker. Jesse's eyes zeroed in on that lip. "Your show face only proved to me how perfect you are for the role of Sven." Jesse shook his head at his ridiculousness. "I actually came here to talk to you about something."

Jesse sighed, meeting her gaze. "Is this about Rachel?"

"Yes," Finley nodded. "I just want to make sure your interests only hold pure intentions." Jesse co*cked a brow, sending shivers down Finley's spine. "I just need you to say yes, and I'll be on my merry way."

Jesse shook his head and stepped closer to Finley. Their chests were now only an inch away from touching. Finley had to lean her head back in order to maintain eye contact with Jesse due to their height difference. Her breathing became shallow as she registered how close their two bodies were. She could feel the warmth his skin was exuding between the inch that separated them. "And what if I told you that my interests hold intentions that are anything but pure?" His voice had a rasp made Finley's cheeks flush. Her throat was so dry it felt like she had been in the desert for days.

"And what about them deems them impure?" She whispered. She was thankful she was even to get one word passed her lips. Her brain felt cloudy, overwhelmed by everything Jesse St. James.

Then Jesse took another step forward. Now the polyester of Finley's cheerio uniform was pressed against his black shirt. She could feel the hard definition of his abs, and her fingers itched to touch them. As he peered into her eyes, Finley felt as if he could see her entire soul. It sure felt that way.

"That my current interest has caused me to question everything I stand for, to realize my willingness to risk, to sacrifice, everything for." Finley sucked in a tight breath. She didn't understand why Jesse affected her so. Every time she was faced with Jesse St. James, she felt his effect more and more. And watching him sing while playing the piano only intensified his influence. It was no wonder Rachel was so enamored...

Oh my god. Rachel. He had to be talking about Rachel. His girlfriend.

Finley jumped away from Jesse, her chest heaving as she caught her breath. Everything was so confusing. It was like she couldn't think with Jesse so close. But her brain fog had finally cleared. She saw that Jesse was struggling as well. He was heavily panting as he stared intently at her. There was an animalistic hunger in his eyes.

Jesse himself couldn't even decipher what he was feeling. He had acted on instinct.

"I... I should go," Finley mumbled, smoothing her uniform with her hands, but it only brought attention to her figure. Jesse's throat bobbed as he watched her fidget with her tight clothing and short skirt. "I'll see you, Jesse. Um... bye." Then she ran back into the auditorium, leaving Jesse to deal with the onslaught of feelings that he was newly experiencing.

Finley Hudson could never know how entwined Jesse was in her being.

And Jesse St. James could never know what a curveball Finley Hudson would be in his plans...

🎵

Finley felt uneasy as she, Kurt, Mercedes, Artie, and Tina waited for Rachel to walk in. She should have known they would react this way. No one but her had even a lick of respect for Vocal Adrenaline, much less their lead singer. He was the Quinn Fabray of high school show choir. Finley pushed their pervious night's encounter to the back of her mind. That's what she told herself, at least. Her only focus now was protecting Rachel from the onslaught of drama that was about to unfold.

"Hi, guys!" Rachel greeted energetically as she walked in.

"Cut the butter, Benedict Arnold," Kurt snapped, making Rachel stop in her tracks. "We heard about your new boyfriend." Finley flinched in her seat at his harsh tone. Rachel looked to her and Finley gave her an apologetic grimace.

"Look, Rachel, we're all happy that you're happy, but we've worked too hard to let you throw it all away on a relationship that might not even be real," Mercedes chastised her.

"Why, because he's in Vocal Adrenaline?" Rachel asked with dread. She did not like where this was going.

"He's not so bad," Finley defended, but they ignored her.

"Their motto is 'Aut neca aut eris,' which loosely translates to 'murder or be murdered,'" Kurt pointed out, making Rachel cower under their upset gazes.

"They give their dancers human growth hormone," Tina added.

Mercedes attempted to ease her feelings. "Look, we're not saying the dude is playing you-"

"He's playing you," Kurt cut her off with a definitive tone.

Mercedes continued, "We just think that until Regionals are over, we can't risk the possibility that he is."

"None of us wanna go through what happened at Sectionals again," Tina said.

"Hey, that's not fair, guys. You don't even know him," Finley objected. "This is unfair to Rachel."

"And do you know him? Because you're offly defensive of him," Artie inquired. Finley shut her mouth, not willing to subject herself to their terror if they found out just how close she had been with Jesse

"Ok, look," Rachel sighed, taking the attention off Finley, "Jesse and I might not be true love. But what if we are? I know who I am, and how many chances at this am I gonna get?" She and Rachel had the same pleading look in their eyes.

Kurt shared a look with Mercedes. "If you don't break up with him, you're out," he threatened. Finley gasped in outrage at the ultimatum.

"You can't kick me out!" Rachel cried.

"But we can all quit if Mr. Schue doesn't," Artie fired back.

"Good luck winning without her," Finley glared at their friends.

"Everyone is replaceable. Even you," Kurt asserted, making Finley snarl.

"How could you do this to me?" Rachel gaped at her friends, betrayed and hurt. She never thought they could be so... selfish. How dare they make her choose between love and glee club.

"How could you do this to us?" Mercedes fired back. "We're a team. And all you've ever wanted was for us to be great and be a part of something special. Now is that still true, or not?" Rachel didn't know what to say.

But Finley had a few choice words of her own.

"How dare you? How dare you, Mercedes?" Mercedes stood her ground as the angelic Finley Hudson raged at her. "You can't just force Rachel to break up with Jesse. That isn't fair to her! Or to him, for that matter. You're assuming who he is without knowing anything but that he's in Vocal Adrenaline. Seriously, how selfish and cruel could you possibly be?"

"You know we're right, Finley," Kurt said coldly, only making Finley angrier. "We don't have a choice. She needs to choose, him or us."

Finley had had enough. She stood up from her chair and grabbed Rachel's hand. "Come on, Rachel. I refuse to indulge this any longer." Together, the two girls walked out of the choir room, one enraged and the other with a choice to make.

Chapter 6: THE POWER OF MADONNA

Chapter Text

[ 1.15 ]

🖤 New Directions Girls | "Express Yourself" - Madonna

❤️ Mercedes, Kurt, & the Cheerios | "4 Minutes" - Madonna

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

𝘾𝙊𝘼𝘾𝙃 𝙎𝙔𝙇𝙑𝙀𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙍 paced in front of the girls during their daily cheerios meeting. Finley sat with Santana on her right and Becky and Brittany on her left. Sue was excited for the theme of this week's training, and all of the girls were ready. The cheerios had won their Sectionals and were gearing up for Regionals in only two weeks. They were confident they would win- they were the best cheerleading team in the country- but that was only because of the brutal training Sue put them through. It always paid off though, and the cheerios were eager to bring home another national championship trophy.

The day's agenda was about planning for an upcoming assembly where the cheerios would be performing. "Santana," Coach Sue called on her. "What does your bracelet say?"

Santana held up her wrist, showing off the band. "WWMD."

"What would Madonna do?" Sue reiterated with a proud look. "Well, the answer to that question is usually date another man. So let's see some arm candy, girls." All the girls shared the same wary look. "Sorry, freshmen. You're gonna have to start trolling the middle schools. And you know why? 'Cause if you want to be as riveting a performer as Madonna, a skill that will nab us Nationals this year, you're going to have to start thinking like her, acting like her." The girls all nodded, determined to make Sue proud. They thirsted for that trophy. Finley herself had no plans to go through with finding a boy toy, but Santana and Brittany seemed eager.

"Also, a la Madonna," their coach continued, "I will no longer acknowledge that any of you have last names. Becky Jackson, from now on you're just Becky." Becky clapped excitedly. "You know, it's like Madonna once said, 'I'm tough, I'm ambitious, and I know what I want. If that makes me a bitch, ok.' I'm pretty sure she stole that line from one Sue Sylvester." The girls looked at her blankly. "No, really. She stole it from me. I said it first. Palladium, 87'." The cheerios all nodded in understanding. "Now, you sloppy babies, everyone is going to run laps until one of you barfs. Go." The cheerios shot out of their seats and began their morning practice.

All of the New Directions girls hung out in the choir room during their free period. Finley was lying down on the choir room floor on Santana's lap with her legs resting on Brittany's. Brittany was drawing rainbows and unicorns with washable markers all over her thigh, which Finley didn't mind. She liked Brittany's youthful drawings. Teachers may have found it annoying, but Finley loved that Brittany wrote everything in crayon. It was niche and so endearing.

Quinn was sitting on the opposite side of the room drawing something in her notebook. It was still awkward between the two girls, but Finley's past anger had resided with time. Tina was braiding Mercedes's hair while Rachel sat in her seat. She had yet to speak a word since she entered, which was very unusual for Rachel Berry. Santana, for one, was especially happy about the fact. Every time Rachel opened her mouth, Santana wanted to slap her. Finley was the only one concerned about Rachel's silence. "Hey, Rach, you ok? You've been offly quiet today," she inquired.

Rachel met her gaze, thankful that someone had noticed. She had a troubling date with her beau and needed someone to talk to, but she didn't know who. "Can I ask you guys something private?" Who better to ask about this matter than her girls-the Christian singer, the Asian misfit, the pregnant teen, the most promiscuous cheerleaders in the school, and the angel that every guy longed for? They were bound to have some helpful advice.

"Yes, you should move to Israel," Santana answered instantly, gaining a chuckle from Quinn and a glare from Finley. Rachel ignored her and grabbed a stool so she could sit in front of all the girls.

"It's about dating," Rachel told them. Finley nodded her head, urging her to continue. "Not that I'm dating anyone!" She said quickly. "We all know Finn and I are no longer an item and, for the sake of the team, I broke up with Jesse."

Finley was the only one who knew the truth. Rachel never broke things off with Jesse. They decided to date in secret, though Rachel knew it risked expulsion from the glee club. She confided in Finley, knowing she was the only one she could trust with the information. And she was right that Finley would never tell a soul. She didn't believe Jesse had any ill intentions toward Rachel. And subconsciously, she knew she needed that ever-present reminder that Jesse was unattainable. It helped her attempts to forget what had occured between them only a week prior.

"But let's just say I was dating someone," Rachel badgered on. "Let's just say, hypothetically, we went to a Wiggles concert last Friday night," Brittany snickered at Finley's feet, "and then because my dads weren't home, we went up to my room and started making out." Quinn visibly grimaced at the idea. No doubt she was imagining how disgusting it would be to make out with Rachel Berry. "It was erotic, and romantic. And then he said that we should do 'it.'" Finley's brows rose at the news and she felt her stomach drop. She hadn't realized how serious Jesse and Rachel were. But she was happy for them... right?

"Nothing like a good Wiggles concert to get a girl in the mood," Santana mocked with a smirk. She was enjoying how uncomfortable and miserable Rachel seemed as she recounted her date.

"Ok, and what did you say back?" Finley questioned.

"I was hesitant. Obviously, it would be my first time so I was nervous," Rachel told them. "He noticed and assured me it was no big deal. Then, I told him it was for a girl."

"Ok, hobbit, just ask the question. There's no need for a play-by-play," Santana rolled her eyes.

Rachel nodded and continued. "What if then he got really crabby and left and didn't even take home the Care Bear I won him playing skee ball?"

"Would you please stop talking," Quinn grimaced. "You're grossing out my baby."

"I just want to be ready," Rachel sighed. "I know I'm getting older and these things are going to happen someday, but how do I stop a guy from getting mad at me for saying no?"

Finley opened her mouth to respond but Santana cut her to it. "Just do what I do. Never say no."

"Oh, totally," Brittany nodded in agreement. "What's the worst that can happen?" Finley tapped Brittany and motioned to Quinn who pursed her lips. "Sorry, Quinn..."

"Girl, don't ask me. The last guy I liked was the mayor of Gay Town. I can't wait to get a guy mad at me for saying no," Mercedes said.

"We just have to accept that guys don't care about our feelings," Tina shook her head with disappointment. She then recounted a story about how Artie made some rude comments about her style.

"That's appalling," Finley gawked, horrified at the insensitive comments Tina had received. Finley really liked how unique Tina's style was. It was edgy.

"That's gotta sting," Rachel winced.

"Hey, guys." None of the girls had registered when or how long ago Mr. Schuester had walked into the room. They turned their attention to him as he approached their girl talk. "I'm sorry to interrupt your little sorority, but I couldn't help but overhearing. Are you really having that much boy trouble?" He really didn't understand how the guys in the glee club could be so... mean and misogynistic.

"You wouldn't understand, Mr. Schue," Quinn told him with a slight shake of her head. "You're a guy."

"Well, then, maybe you should talk to someone else about it. Like Ms. Pillsbury?" He suggested.

"I already tried that," Rachel pouted. It was known throughout the entire school that Ms. Pillsbury was a little... uptight. Everything had to be in order and organized without one thing out of place. She was kind and sweet, but everyone could tell just by her conservative clothing that she was a bit of a prude. She obviously hadn't been of much help to Rachel, which was why Rachel turned to the girls for help.

The bell rang, signifying the end of the period. Finley got up from Brittany and Santana's laps and grabbed her bag. "Mr. Schuester," she addressed him. "We live in a patriarchy. And the fact of the matter is that women still earn 70 cents to every dollar that a man does for doing the same job," she pointed out with a dejected sigh. "That attitude starts in high school." All the girls then walked out to head to their next classes. Finley was headed to math, which was in the same hallway as Rachel's next class. She ran up to Rachel and matched her pace. "Hey, Rachel?"

"Yes?" Rachel glanced at her friend, surprised she was walking with her. Before the huge fallout, Finley would walk with Quinn to their math class. The past couple weeks, Finley would walk alone, never with Rachel.

"Santana kind of interrupted me before I could give my piece on your situation. If you're open to it, I would like to give it to you," Finley told her. Rachel nodded, urging her to continue. None of the girls had been much help. "I don't really have enough experience, or any really, but I think my advice is still valid."

"Wait, you're a virgin?" Rachel's eyes widened in surprise and Finley blushed, feeling a bit embarrassed. There were rumors everywhere, but no one had ever seen a boy on Finley's arm unless it was her brother or Puck, who was basically her brother. "But you're the most popular girl in school. You were even more popular than Quinn Fabray was. Every guy wants to be with you."

Finley shrugged, knowing full well how true her last statement was. More guys had asked Finley out than she could count, and she always turned them down. Her mother hated that Finley never went out, but Finn was ecstatic. He didn't want any guy to get his gross hands on his baby sister. "Can I tell you something?" Rachel nodded. "I've only kissed two people."

"Wait, really?" Rachel gasped. She thought Finley would have had a more adventurous love life. She had built this narrative of Finley Hudson in her mind. The perfect girl with guys fawning over her, the best grades and beloved by everyone. But Rachel was learning that though she was all of those things, she was so much more. "Who?"

"Puck and Santana," she confessed. Rachel would have never guessed it would be those two. "And only just once each." Rachel was stunned. Puck and her had a sibling relationship. The idea of them ever being romantic was bizarre. And Santana? Well, it kind of made sense how that could have occured. She and The Unholy Trinity were best friends. "They meant nothing. Puck and I kissed when we were in 7th grade. He offered to be my first kiss and I accepted. It was nothing but a peck. And Santana was at a sleepover with Brit and Quinn last year. It was just some girly fun." Finley giggled at the gawking look Rachel was giving her. "Back to my piece. I just wanted to tell you, you don't ever have to do anything you're not ready for. Don't let anyone, including Santana or Jesse, pressure you into doing something you aren't sure about. But also don't let Quinn scare you. What happened was an accident, and she made her choices. It is your decision, and your decision alone, to do whatever you want with whomever you want. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. And anyone who doesn't respect that choice doesn't respect you. As for Jesse walking out on you, you should talk to him about how you feel. And if he pressures you to do something you're uncomfortable with, you kick him to the curb and channel all that energy into destroying him at Regionals."

Rachel smiled at the advice. This was the first good piece she had received. "Thank you. I think I really needed to hear that. You're a good friend, Finley," she said softly. She had never had a friend like Finley before, one who cared so much and protected her. It was nice. The girls stopped, having reached Finley's classroom. "I'll see you later in glee club?" Finley nodded and they went their respective ways.

Finley took her seat at the front of the classroom and took out her folder for her homework she had done the night before. The seat beside her, usually occupied by Matt, was taken by someone Finley didn't expect. "Hey," Quinn greeted softly with a nervous smile.

"Hi," Finley smiled back, causing Quinn's smile to grow. The girls hadn't spoken since Sectionals. It broke Quinn that her deceit had cost her her best friend, the one girl who was always there for her.

Quinn took a deep breath, preparing herself to talk at risk of complete rejection from Finley. But her friendly greeting gave Quinn hope that their friendship could be salvaged. She missed her best friend. "I overheard what you were telling Rachel in the hallway." Finley nodded, waiting for her to elaborate. "It was admirable what you said. As much as the thought of Berry naked makes me want to hurl even more than I already do with the pregnancy hormones, I hope she does find the confidence and assurance she needs in order to make that decision."

"Thanks, Quinn," Finley gratefully told her. No matter how close she and Quinn were, her opinion would always matter to her. And vice versa. Matt then walked into the room and eyed the taken spot next to Finley.

"I guess I should take my usual seat. Thanks for the chat, Finley," Quinn smiled sadly before starting to stand up.

"Stay." Quinn's brows rose in surprise at the request. "I... I've missed you. I would love it if you sat with me." She glanced at Matt and he understood that he would be taking Quinn's usual seat a few rows back.

"I've missed you too," Quinn admitted, sitting back down in the seat beside her. "I honestly worried you would never speak to me again."

Finley shrugged. "You made a mistake, and you owned up to it when you were confronted. There's nothing I can do to change the past. All we can do is move forward."

"Will you ever forgive me, Finley?" Quinn asked, her eyes beginning to water. She would accept if Finley never wanted another thing to do with her. She would understand and honor her wishes. But her worries faded away when Finley wrapped her arms around her and pulled her into a hug.

"I already have." Quinn relaxed into her arms. She had missed them. Finley Hudson gave the best hugs. They could cure anything.

"I love you," Quinn whispered into her hair as she soaked up the comfort.

"I love you, too, Quinny-bear."

The girls and Kurt chatted excitedly as Mr. Schuester wrote "Madonna" on the white board. It appeared that Sue's influence had spread. Mr. Schue underlined her name and then turned to the group. "What comes to mind when you see that name?"

"Genius," Rachel stated.

"Icon," Kurt replied, his eyes wide with excitement.

"Fabulous," Finley praised.

"Hall of Fame MILF," Puck smirked smugly, resulting in an unimpressed look from Quinn.

Mr. Schue ignored Puck's inappropriate comment and continued on with his lesson plan. "So we're all aware of Madonna's musical and cultural significance, which is why, this week, your assignment is to come up with a Madonna number." The girls and Kurt clapped with excitement.

"Uh, Mr. Schue?" Puck interjected, a frown now on his face. "As a dude, Madonna makes me kind of uncomfortable."

"Yeah, she's smoking and everything, but can't some of us do something else?" Finn asked, earning a befuddled look from the teacher. "Like the guy version of Madonna? Like, you know, Pantera?" The rest of the guys murmured in agreement.

"Guys!" Mr. Schuester yelled with frustration. "You know, it's come to my attention that many of you haven't been treating the young ladies of our group very nicely." Finley didn't miss the pointed look Tina gave Artie, causing him to shrink in his wheelchair. "You're disrespectful, bullying, sexist, and I hate to say it, misogynistic."

"I have no idea what that means," Finn said with a blank stare.

"When I pulled my hamstring, I went to a misogynist," Brittany stated, causing everyone to give her weird looks and Mr. Schue to sigh.

"Not that far off, Brit," Finley praised proudly at her. Santana nodded in support. "Finn, it means to be strongly prejudiced against women," she explained.

Mr. Schue nodded, continuing his lecture. "What it means is to put yourself in their shoes for a change. Culturally, Madonna's legacy transcends her music because by and large, the subtext of her songs are about being strong, independent, and confident no matter what your sex." All the girls nodded in agreement as he droned on. "But more than anything, Madonna's musical message is about equality. And that is something I think you guys need to work on."

"Mr. Schue," Kurt spoke up. "I don't think we can have an honest conversation about Ms. Ciccone without acknowledging that her images are as inedible as her songs. I would like to honor her contributions by tackling a multimedia project with Mercedes."

"Oh, fun!" Finley chirped. Kurt beamed at the support.

"Great! Go for it, Kurt," Mr. Schue told him supportively.

"I'm still not down," Puck objected. "And no chick intimidates Puckzilla." Finley grimaced at the awful nickname. "I just don't think her music translates to show choir."

"Really?" Rachel challenge, hopping off her chair. "Well, I, for one, couldn't disagree more." She whispered something to the band before facing the group with a large smile. The girls waited with anticipation as the band began to play Madonna's hit "Express Yourself." 🖤

[Rachel]

Come on, girls

Do you believe in love?

'Cause I got something to say about it

And it goes something like this!

Rachel grabbed Finley's arm and pulled her out of her seat. Finley grabbed Santana, who promptly grabbed Brittany, who pulled Quinn along. The rest of the girls got up and joined Rachel on the floor.

They would later perform the iconic number on stage in the auditorium in satin corsets and black pant suits. Their hair was pulled up into a twist with a wave like Madonna. Their corsets were of different colors; Brittany in teal, Tina in indigo, Quinn in light blue, Mercedes in violet, Finley in pink, and Rachel in red. When their performance ended, Mr. Schuester and Kurt clapped loudly while the rest of the boys glanced away awkwardly. It seemed it would take more convincing than the girls thought to get them aboard the Madonna train.

🎵

Finley was reading on a couch in the library after school while waiting for her mom to get off work. Finn needed the car after school because, much to Finley's surprise, he was going out with Santana. She assumed it was for Sue's assignment that Santana went after Finn, and it wasn't Finley's place to judge. Her brother was his own person and could make his own choices, as could Santana. So Finley had to wait until her mom could pick her up after she got off work.

As she finished the chapter in her book and turned the page, the library door opened. Finley was surprised that non-athletes were even still at the school. She looked over to see Rachel turn down a far aisle. She looked like a scared mouse in the empty room. Finley quietly extracted herself from the couch and followed her. She was about to turn into the next aisle where she was when she heard a familiar name, making her stop. "Sondheim in Music. Jesse?" Rachel gasped. "Is that you?"

"I'm so glad you came." His velvet voice sent shivers down Finley's spine. She took a deep breath as she tried to suppress them. She hadn't seen Jesse since her visit to Carmel High, and she had no desire to confront what had transpired between the two. She held back, deciding it best for her to stay out of sight. Also, she was feeling snoopy. "I picked the Stephen Sondheim biography section for our clandestine meeting place because only he would be able to express my melancholia." Finley blanched at his dramatics. She had never heard Jesse speak so... pronounced. His word choice was definitely interesting. "I feel bad about what happened at your house. Do you still have my Care Bear?" Realizing what the conversation would be turning to, Finley quietly snuck out of the library. She didn't want to intrude on such a private and important moment for Jesse and Rachel.

She hoped they hadn't heard as she shut the library door and snuck out. She wandered down the halls until she found an empty bench. She sat with her legs crossed and continued to read her book. Finley relished in 15 minutes of uninterrupted tension between the protagonist and her enemy in the written pages when her book was suddenly stolen out of her hands. "Hey! They just learned there was only one hotel room available!" She cried in outrage. She suddenly lost all fire when her eyes met the deep blues of Jesse St. James. "Oh. It's you."

"It's me. Hi," Jesse greeted. The look on his face could only be described as a smolder. He was staring intently at Finley with his lips a bit pursed and his right brow slightly quirked. Finley blinked the oncoming clouds away. "So you're not only a stalker, you're a spy."

"I'm sorry, what?" Finley couldn't stop the bubble of laughter at his accusation. "I am not a spy. This is my school, for crying out loud."

"I was referring to you listening into my conversation with my girlfriend in the library." Finley's mouth dropped and her cheeks pinked. His smolder turned into a smug grin, relishing in her adorable face when she realized she was caught. She was like a doe, her eyes so wide and dark that allowed him to dive into her soul.

"What? Pshh, couldn't have been me. I was here the entire time. It must have been another cheerio you saw. I don't even go to the library. In fact, what even is a library?" She rambled, playing innocent. Jesse chuckled at her adorable attempt at lying.

"It's adorable that you're trying to weasel your way out of this after I so obviously caught you," Jesse said. Finley immediately shut her mouth. Nothing could get her out of the hole she had dug herself into. "What are you doing here so late? All the cheerios have already left." Finley sighed at the discovered plot hole in her lies, knowing she had to admit defeat.

"My brother took the car so I have to wait for my mom to get me. Again," she huffed, frustrated. They were supposed to share the car! It was unfair that Finn got to take it more than she did, leaving Finley to either get rides from others or wait hours after school for her mom to get her or Finn to pick her up. "I haven't seen you since... How have you been, Jesse?" She stopped herself from bringing up their last encounter. The memory made her flush deepen from embarrassment.

"Madly in love, I'm sure Rachel's told you. She talks about you a lot- her friend, the head cheerleader and the most popular girl in school who goes out with her to music stores and gives the best advice." Finley smiled softly at the compliments. She knew Rachel liked her, but she didn't know how much Rachel valued their kinship.

"I do give out great advice," Finley hummed while reaching out and taking her book back from Jesse.

"It's been a while since I've seen you. I missed your insults."

Finley ignored the second part of what he had just said, unable to even attempt to process it, and scoffed. "Me calling you 'reindeer' isn't an insult."

"Tell my bruised ego and painful show face that," he retorted, making Finley burst into another fit of giggles. "I love your laugh." He hadn't thought, he just let the words slip his tongue. He hadn't meant to say it. But it was the truth. He adored how happy he felt in her presence. Her laugh made Jesse forget all his worries.

"Um... thanks," Finley mumbled awkwardly. No one had ever complimented her laugh before. It was always about her face or her hair or her body or her cheerio skills. It made her feel... warm inside. "I, um... I love your laugh, too." A grin overtook Jesse's face at the sky compliment. Finley felt herself pinken even more under his gaze. She was sure she had never been so flushed before. What was Jesse St. James doing to her?

"So, you missed me, huh?" Never mind. Now she was the most flushed she had ever been. Jesse spared her any further embarrassment with a confession of his own. "I missed you, too, angel."

"Angel?" Finley repeated the pet name. She was known as the "Guardian Angel" around the school, but no one had ever called her that before. Jesse didn't provide any clarification.

"Don't worry, my dear spy. We will be seeing more of each other very soon," he told her cryptically.

"You mean, at Regionals?" She questioned his vague statement. She had no idea what he could possibly be insinuating.

Jesse just smirked. "Goodbye, angel. Dream of me." Then he sauntered off, leaving Finley stunned in the hallway with her jaw slack. What was it about Jesse St. James that made her feel both numb and alive at the same time? Finley prayed she wouldn't get the chance to find out.

🎵

Any chance of solitude for Finley immediately evaporated as she and the rest of the New Directions gaped at the situation in front of them.

"What the hell?" Finn cried in outrage. "It seems like now everybody's doing things just to hurt my feelings!"

"I thought you all would take this news a little better," Jesse addressed the club, feigning offense by the clear yet expected unwelcome. "I'm a star. You can learn from me," he said simply. He honestly didn't really care what the others had to say about him transferring to McKinley and joining the New Directions. Rachel and Finley were the only ones who weren't furious at the fact that he had done so.

"We were already fighting for second leads, and now that you've shown up, I've lost all hope at ever getting a solo," Kurt pitched a fit.

"Yeah, that's right. And y'all just trot me out at the end of every number so I can wail on the last note," Mercedes joined. "How is that ok?" Everyone, including Finley, knew that Kurt and Mercedes were right. With Jesse joining, the various underrepresented members of the glee club would get even less opportunities to shine.

"He's a spy. I would know," Santana crossed her arms and glared at the two men.

"Woah, woah, woah, guys," Mr. Schuester motioned for them to calm the hate brakes. "I saw the paperwork. I spoke with his parents," he defended.

"They winter in Bali. It's a very expensive phone call," Jesse said, a not so subtle brag to his family's wealth. As if the glee club wasn't already aware of how rich Jesse St. James was. The first thing Kurt noticed was his designer shoes. Not to mention that he had attended Carmel High School, which was districted for all the wealthier neighborhoods in Lima.

"Jesse just moved in with his uncle, which is in our school district. It's all above board, guys. He goes to this school now." Mr. Schuester's tone was final. The rest of the glee club had the same spurning hatred in their eyes as they stared down their rival- past rival now.

"But this isn't fair!" Artie exclaimed.

"Guys!" Mr. Schue's yell made everyone quit their objections. "Everyone who's ever auditioned for this group has gotten in. That's how we do things here, ok? To suddenly change the rules now, that would be unfair." No one had a comeback to that. Brittany suddenly raised her hand. "Brittany," he called on her.

"Mr. Schue, is he your son?" She asked in all seriousness. Brittany was often lost during conversations.

Finley had to bite her tongue to stop herself from giggling. Mr. Schue just stared at Brittany with incredulity. Even Jesse's face pinched to hide any signs of amusem*nt.

Rachel suddenly spoke up, gathering everyone's attention. They all wanted to see what she thought about this new development. "I don't understand why you're doing this," she said softy, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Because when you love something, you got to go for it," he replied, shocking everyone. Jesse's eyes flickered to Finley before settling on Rachel. He had a lovestruck expression on his face that touched both Rachel and Finley. The others watched his romantic declaration with distrust. "You would never be with me completely if I were on the opposing team. And I care about you more than winning another national title. So I left Vocal Adrenaline. For you." His eyes flickered back to Finley. It was so quick that Rachel didn't catch it. But Finley did. As did Puck.

No one was fooled by his words except the two girls. Finn's brows were furrowed as he processed everything Jesse just said. He could not believe the bullsh*t he was hearing. He glanced over to his twin and saw the trust in her eyes. Finley believed him! What the hell? How could she not see through his bullsh*t? She was such a sucker for romance that she let it blind her from the obvious truth!

"All right, guys," Mr. Schuester clapped, eager to begin the day's lesson. "We have got a lot of work to do. Jesse, great to have you here." He and Jesse shook hands. "Welcome aboard."

Mercedes and Kurt were fuming. They didn't want Jesse in the club. Not just because he was a traitor who was obviously playing Rachel, but for what his joining meant for them. Jesse was a stronger male lead than Finn, and everyone knew it. With the power of both of their talented voices, Mercedes and Kurt didn't stand a chance.

Kurt glanced at Finley, Santana, and Brittany, who were chattering amongst themselves as they eyed Jesse when he moved to sit beside Rachel. An idea popped into his mind. After including Coach Sylvester in their multimedia project, he hoped she would be open to admitting two more Cheerios.

🎵

Finley took a deep breath as she stood front and center with the rest of the cheerleading squad in the gymnasium. They had been preparing for this assembly all week, and Sue had pushed them harder then ever before. She needed to make sure the cheerio's performance did Madonna justice. Everyone was filled with excitement and anticipation. No matter if you loved or hated the cheerios, they always gave the best performances. They were national champions, after all.

In the stands sat the glee club. Kurt and Mercedes were nowhere to be found, and Brittany, Santana, and Finley were performing. Finn always loved watching his sister perform. She was extremely talented, one of the many reasons she was head cheerio. Just how Finley always supported Finn during his games, he supported Finley at her performances. The skimpy uniforms also helped.

Jesse and Rachel sat together a bit farther away from the group. Tensions were still high as no one attempted to put a little faith in Jesse. He paid them no mind. Rachel had her arms wrapped around one of his own as he stared at the scene. With Finley being front and center, it was easy for him to watch her. He saw the calming breaths she took and the way she would subtly shake her leg as if to let nervous jitters out. He noticed everything about her. If Rachel noticed where his gaze was transfixed, she made no comments on it.

Sue counted from five to eight, and the trumpeters in the marching band began the opening notes to Madonna's "4 Minutes." All the cheerios began their practiced choreography, strutting down the floor as two surprising and familiar voices began to sing. ❤️

[Mercedes]

Hey

Uh

Come on

Kurt Hummel, take it!

Mercedes and Kurt strutted across the gym floor as Brittany, Santana, Finley, and the rest of the cheerios danced around them. Mr. Schuester stared in shock from the stands. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

[Kurt]

Come on, girl

I've been waiting for somebody to pick up my stroll

Uh

[Mercedes]

Well, don't waste time

Give me the sign

Tell me how you wanna roll

Kurt and Mercedes then stood in the middle of the cheerios. Finley and Santana flanked one side while Brittany and another cheerio flanked the other. Kurt and Mercedes sang powerfully, their voices absolutely killing the song as the girls danced around them.

[Kurt]

I want somebody to speed it up for me

Then take it down slow

There's enough room for both

[Mercedes]

Well, I can handle that

You just got to show me where it's at

Are you ready to go

Are you ready to go

Finley arched her back through the turns and shook her hips during the transitions while the two sang. The show was incredible. Everyone couldn't take their eyes off of them, and not just because of the tiny skirts.

Jesse's eyes were trained on Finley as she danced. Her ponytail bounced with every jump and flick, and her skirt fanned out at every twirl. Jesse had never seen something so enticing. He felt an animalistic hunger begin to build up inside him.

[Kurt, Mercedes, & the Cheerios]

If you want it

You already got it

If you thought it

It better be what you want

Jesse hadn't been this transfixed on anyone since that moment with Finley outside the auditorium. Watching her now, arching her back, swaying her hips, shaking her ass, Jesse realized what that primal urge inside of him was.

Longing. Desire. Want.

He wanted Finley Hudson.

[Kurt]

Time is waiting

[Mercedes]

We only got 4 minutes to save the world

[Kurt]

No hesitating, yeah

[Mercedes]

Grab a boy

Grab a girl

[Kurt]

Time is waiting

[Mercedes]

We only got 4 minutes to save the world

[Kurt]

No hesitating

[Both]

We only got four minutes, huh

We only got four minutes

Quinn watched with awe as her friends sang and danced their hearts out. Yes, she missed being on the cheerios. But being pregnant wouldn't have allowed her to perform the insane dance moves the girls were doing. Not to mention how nauseous she would get in the middle of the number if she had to twirl the way Brittany and Finley did. She absolutely loved watching them in their element, singing and dancing. She couldn't be more proud of them.

[Kurt, Mercedes, & the Cheerios]

So keep it up, keep it up

Don't be a pri- hey

Madonna, uh

You gotta get 'em a, hop

Ticktock, ticktock, ticktock

That's right, keep it up, keep it up

Don't be a pri- hey

Madonna, uh

You gotta get 'em a, hop

Ticktock, ticktock, ticktock

The cheerios fell to their knees and arched their backs against the gym floor as they sang the final note. The audience erupted in cheers and applause. Mercedes and Kurt soaked it all in. For the first time ever, the applause was for them. The cheerios caught their breath as they got off the floor. Santana and Finley helped each other up while Brittany just hopped to her feet with ease. They had absolutely killed that song! And from the satisfied look on Sue's face, they had done Madonna justice.

Mr. Schue suddenly appeared and approached Sue, clearly upset. Mercedes and Kurt walked over and they all got into a heated discussion.

Not wanting to get involved, Finley looked up to the stands. Her brother caught her eye first. He was sitting with the rest of the glee club boys. Their expressions were difficult to understand, but easy to read. They had been moved by the performance. They finally understood the power of Madonna. Finley had no doubt they would make things right with the girls.

Her eyes then landed on Jesse's deep blues. She couldn't describe what she saw in his stare. This time, it felt different. She didn't know what or why or how, but she knew something had shifted between the two of them.

Finley's attention was suddenly pulled away when Santana and Brittany pulled her into a tight hug. "Oh my god, we were so good! That was so awesome! Did you see Sue's face? She was impressed! Like, for real!" Santana shouted gleefully over the loud cheering. It was rare when Sue was satisfied with a number. Her pleased glower was like gold to them. Finley squealed with excitement.

"Now I don't have to worry about getting kicked off the cheerios and being forced to sell photos of my feet for Lord Tubbington's p*rnsite!" Brittany cheered. Santana and Finley blinked, processing what the blonde had just said. They found, oftentimes, it was just easiest to acknowledge her and then move on. The statement didn't surprise Finley, though. Lord Tubbington had involved her in some crazy schemes in the past.

She was just lucky no one had ever found out about the time she had to testify in court in order to stop him from being sent away for assaulting a police officer with used litter box mix and a sock full of butter.

Don't ask.

Chapter 7: FEELINGS

Chapter Text

[ 1.16 ]

❤️ Finley & Jesse | "Elephant Love Medley" - Moulin Rouge (2001)

💙 Jesse | "Cold As You" - Taylor Swift

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

𝙄𝙏 𝙃𝘼𝘿 𝘽𝙀𝙀𝙉a whole weekend since he had joined, and the group had finally accepted Jesse into the New Directions. Accepted might be too strong a word. The group tolerated Jesse. But only just barely.

The past week, he was glued to Rachel's hip. Unless they were in class, they were never apart. Since most of the members avoided talking to Rachel outside of glee club, it was easy for them to avoid Jesse as well.

Finley, Mike, Santana. Brittany, Matt, Mercedes, and Tina were waiting in the choir room for everybody else to show up for rehearsal. With some time on their hands, the four dancers started fooling around with dances from their favorite movies. Brittany showed off her amazing dance skills by replicating the entire Footloose line dance, which Mike promptly joined. Santana and Mike attempted to do the Dirty Dancing lift, but failed miserably as Mike almost toppled into the music stands. Not wanting to subject Mike to another possible injury, Finley settled on the iconic can-can.

The four got into a line and laughed at the fun as they did the can-can together. Matt, Mercedes, and Tina watched from their seats with glee. "You guys, come join us!" Finley beckoned them. With matching grins, the three joined the lineup and they all can-can-ed until their legs hurt so much they collapsed to the floor.

Right as Finley rolled off of Mike, who she had used as a landing mat for when her legs gave out, the rest of the members came in. "What was going on in here? Did we miss the party?" Mr. Schuester asked with amusem*nt.

"You guys look like me," Artie joked, getting a laugh out of Finley.

She got to her feet and helped Mike to his feet. "We just got tired of can-can-ing. That's all," she said right as Rachel and Jesse stepped into the choir room.

"The can-can?" Everyone turned their attention to Jesse who had spoken. "I never took you for a Moulin Rouge fan." His heart skipped a beat as he looked at Finley. She was in her signature cheerios uniform, the criminally short skirt showing off her toned legs. Her hair was down in soft waves instead of the usual high pony, but Jesse liked it better this way. He felt the desire to wrap his fingers in those soft strands and grip them tightly while he kissed along her jaw-

Jesse shook his head aggressively, snapping out of his lustful trance. He couldn't think like that about her. She would just distract him from the task at hand. He tried to take his eyes off her, but he found that he couldn't. And even more importantly, he didn't want to.

"You mean, the best movie of all time? I'm offended you thought so low of me," Finley gasped, feigning hurt. Jesse chuckled as he and Rachel walked over to a pair of empty seats. Mercedes, Tina, Matt, Brittany, and Santana had already sat back in their seats. Mike and Finley were the only ones still up. "I'll have you know that I am the president of the Ewan McGregor fan club on MySpace." Everyone looked to Finn for confirmation.

"It's true. She has a whole shrine in her diary dedicated to him. She was so proud of it that she showed it to me as soon as she was done. The most torturous 5 minutes of my life," he groaned, earning a laugh from everyone. Finley smiled proudly. She had no shame in her affection for the actor. He was a dreamboat. Who could even argue with her?

"If you're such a big fan, why don't you sing some of it for us?" Jesse suggested, quirking his brow as Finley's smile dropped.

"No, that's ok!" Finley squeaked, suddenly itching to get back to her seat. She moved toward her chair, but Mike suddenly grabbed her waist and dragged her to the center of the room. "Hey! Let me go!" She attempted to fight against Mike, but being a dancer and a football player, Mike had some really strong muscles.

"If Finley won't perform, I will," Rachel shot up from her seat eagerly. Rachel loved performing, and she took any chance she could. "I am the only person that possesses the ability to tap into the deep and raw emotion needed during 'Come What May.'"

"Actually..." Jesse placed his hand on Rachel's shoulder and beckoned her to sit back down, confusing everyone. Most boyfriends would jump at the offer for their girlfriend to perform. "I think Finley should be the one to do it. She is the president of Ewan McGregor's fan club, after all." His eyes twinkled with amusem*nt as Finley's eyes narrowed. He found her anger adorable.

"Then it's settled," Mr. Schue clapped. "Finley, blow us all away with the gut wrenching and heartbreaking tragedy that is Satine." The group cheered for Finley in support while she glared daggers at Jesse. He met her withering stare with a smug grin. Was he trying to mess with her on purpose? First he made her head cloudy, and now he made her life messy? Yes, that was a bit of an overstatement, but still!

When Finley refused to sing, Jesse groaned while extracting himself from Rachel and getting out of his seat. "Oh, come on, Finley. You love romance. Why won't you sing for us?"

"I have no desire to sing of love when I was basically ambushed into singing in the first place," she snapped, glancing at Mike before turning her attention back to Jesse. "It's going to take more than love to get me to sing up here." She pursed her lips as she continued to glare at Jesse. It took all of his strength not to zero in on her puckered lips and hold her gaze.

Jesse smirked, taking on the challenge. He stepped closer until he was only a few feet away from her. He pulled his fingers through his hair, causing the loose waves to fall over his forehead in just the way she liked it. He reached out and grabbed her hand. Sparks erupted and traveled up her arm, causing both of them to shiver from the contact. Jesse stared deeply into her eyes as his hand wrapped around hers. He had never felt something so... perfect.

Finley didn't know what to do. She felt as if her heart was beating out of her chest. It was so loud, so strong. His skin was as soft as she remembered. She wanted to know what it would feel like if he were to caress her cheek with the soft pad of his thumb-

Finley blinked out of her daze. She couldn't think about him like that. He was her friend's boyfriend! Finley effectively pushed all her confusing feelings towards Jesse St. James away and focused back on the present moment. "You won't get me to sing," she asserted. Jesse's eyes seemed to light up at the challenge. ❤️

"Love is a many splendid thing. Love lifts us up where we belong. All you need is love," he stated, leading her to roll her eyes.

"Please don't start that again," Finley pleaded with a sigh.

"All you need is love!" Jesse suddenly sang dramatically, making Finley giggle.

With an internal groan, she gave in. "A girl has got to eat-"

"All you need is love!"

"-Or she'll end up on the street!"

"All you need is love," he drew out the last syllable.

Finley didn't stop the soft giggle that bubbled up in her throat. "Love is just a game."

Jesse couldn't help the grin that overtook his face. He had never heard Finley sing before. When he watched the New Directions's Sectionals performance online, she sang with the group. He wasn't able to pick her voice out. But now? Her voice was powerful, yet soft somehow. The only thing Jesse could compare it to was the angelic chime of a soft bell. He had never heard a voice so sweet.

The band slammed on the drums and blew into their horns, beginning to play the iconic "Elephant Love Medley." Jesse had a victorious look on his face, in which Finley found his pride that he had made her crack adorable, and spun her around, making her laugh.

[Jesse]

I was made for loving you, baby

You were made for loving me

Finley found her footing and ripped her hand out of Jesse's grip with a playful smirk.

[Finley]

The only way of loving me, baby

Is to pay a lovely fee

[Jesse]

Just one night

Give me just one night

[Finley]

There's no way

'Cause you can't pay

Jesse dropped to his knees in front of her, making everyone but Finn and Santana swoon. They may have all disliked Jesse St. James, but they had to admit that he had an intoxicating effect. His voice was like velvet, smooth with a bit of ruggedness. He was putting all his emotion into the song. Where he got the longing, the frustration, they didn't know. But they were entranced by his emotion. He looked at Finley as if he had never desired someone more in his entire life.

No one, not even Finley, knew how true that was.

[Jesse]

In the name of love

One night in the name of love

[Finley]

You crazy fool

I won't give in to you

Jesse suddenly rose to his feet and took both of her hands in his, prompting a gasp from Finley. With two of Jesse St. James's hands on her, her brain turned to complete mush. He then looked deeply into her eyes, stunning her as she stared back into his. There was so much emotion in them, Finley didn't know what to do. They were performing, but it seemed as if Jesse was serenading her.

[Jesse]

Don't leave me this way

I can't survive

Without your sweet love

Oh, baby

Don't leave me this way

He lowered his head so their foreheads were now touching. Finley shut her eyes, unable to look so deeply into his eyes any longer. She couldn't bear it. Not with him so close. Her voice was soft as she sang, as if she wanted him and only him to hear her.

[Finley]

You'd think that people would have had enough of silly love songs

[Jesse]

I look around me and I see it isn't so

Oh, no

[Finley]

Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs

[Jesse]

Well, what's wrong with that

I'd like to know

The energy was suffocating. Quinn and Puck couldn't believe what they were seeing. They knew Finley the best out of everyone, and being best friends and like siblings, they knew every blink, every smile, every sigh. And right now, the two knew without a doubt that Finley wasn't faking anything before them. Every soft smile, every longing look, every hitch of breath, they were all real. Finley wasn't just acting for the sake of the song. Whatever she was feeling in that moment was genuine. And that's what worried them the most.

Finley and Jesse suddenly opened their eyes and jumped apart. Their chests were heaving and Finley's face was red, completely flustered. They held each other's gazes even across the new distance between them. There was a wildness in his eyes, a hunger. Finley felt like prey under his stare. It... excited her.

Jesse eyed the pink that dusted her cheeks. That flush made him feel alive. Performing with her, singing with her, was exhilarating. He had never felt so free as he did right then.

'Cause here I go

Again

Love lifts us up where we belong

Where eagles fly

On a mountain high

Finley whipped around, turning her back to him. She shook her head, attempting to clear her mind. He sang so passionately. She knew he was a performer, so she assumed he was channeling that emotion into their performance- probably from Rachel. Finley knew it was not possible that Jesse was being genuine. He was acting. He had to be.

[Finley]

Love makes us act like we are fools

Throw our lives away

For one happy day

[Jesse]

We can be heroes

Just for one day

She suddenly felt a warm hand on her arm. Her breath hitched as she felt Jesse press against her back. She felt the tip of his nose brush lightly over her hair. He was so close. Too close.

Finley shook him off and walked across the choir room, keeping her back facing him. She couldn't let herself feel those... things... any longer.

[Finley]

You

You will be mean

"No, I won't!" Jesse shook his head as he slowly made his way over to her.

And I

I'll drink all the time!

Finley stiffened as she felt him once more at her back. She wouldn't turn around, she swore to herself.

[Jesse]

We should be lovers

Finley shut her eyes, trying not to focus on the smell of his musk cologne or the heat of his body at her back. "We can't do that," she denied softly.

There seemed to be double-meaning to the lyrics. Finley felt as if it was Jesse telling Finley rather than of Christian to Satine.

[Jesse]

We should be lovers

And that's a fact

Jesse had felt it too. He knew, deep in the darkest chambers of his heart, that what he was singing was more than just a famous love song.

Finn loathed everything about this. He hated Jesse St. James. He hated his voice, his talent, his model looks, his capture of Rachel's heart. And most importantly, he hated how close he was to his sister. Finn had been the first member to act civilly towards Jesse. With Finn's acceptance, the rest of the group followed. It was because of him that harmony returned to the group- well, as much harmony as they could possibly have while there was drama every 5 seconds. But Finn was willing to throw all of that harmony out the window just for the opportunity to punch Jesse's stupid face.

Rachel swooned as her boyfriend sang so eloquently. She knew Jesse was talented, but he still managed to amaze her every time he opened his mouth. She herself was impressed by the emotion of their performance. Jesse was a professional, an artist, but Finley was inexperienced. Rachel knew she was great at singing upbeat pop songs and fluffy lyrics with her signature cuteness, but she didn't think Finley had the capability to possess such deep emotion. She, as did everyone else, knew Finley was a terrible liar and an even worse actress. But here she was, proving her wrong. Finley was insanely talented, Rachel had to admit. She could dance and sing while also being charming and lovable. But Rachel shrugged her off as a threat. She was still the better singer.

Mr. Schuester, Tina, Artie, Mike, Matt, Kurt, and Mercedes were captivated. They had never seen Finley sing so passionately before. They felt all the longing, all the desire. Finley had never been a good actress, so they were all amazed at how well she was able to portray the deep emotional conflict of Satine in the piece.

Quinn and Puck shared a concerned frown. But they knew how.

[Finley]

No, nothing

Could keep us together

[Jesse]

We could steal time

Just for one day

Finley couldn't take it any longer. She needed to know if he was feeling the same way as she was. That it wasn't Christian singing, but Jesse.

She finally turned to face him. Jesse smiled with relief. He hated that she kept her back turned to him. Not only was it not good for the performance, but he wanted to watch her as she sang. He yearned to watch his angel of music.

Their eyes met, and their souls poured out.

[both]

We could be heroes

Forever and ever

We could be heroes

Forever and forever

We could be heroes

Jesse couldn't help himself. He needed to touch her.

He reached for her. Finley squealed as he pulled her into his arms and spun her around, lifting her feet off the ground.

[Jesse]

Just because I

Will always love you

[Finley]

I can't help loving

You

Jesse set her back on her feet and held her in his arms. Finley gazed up at Jesse, her breath shallow as she brought herself back into the real world. Her voice was so soft that if everyone else hadn't been silent and the band didn't stop playing for the last notes, only Jesse would be able to hear her. The all watched with anticipation for Finley to sing the final lines. She took a steadying breath.

How wonderful life is

Now you're in the world

The choir room was silent for a good moment. Then the room erupted in applause. Mike whistled while Rachel cheered vigorously for her boyfriend. Brittany hollered, "Finley!" And Santana bowed in praise. Finley jumped away from Jesse and faced the group, blushing fiercely. She was used to the cheering and applause, but they were always for a team- the cheerios, the New Directions. She had never had applause directed solely on her.

"That was incredible, you two!" Mr. Schue exclaimed, getting up from his seat and grabbing Finley's shoulders, shaking her. "You both killed it! Finley, I have never heard you sing like that before? Why have you been hiding your voice from us?"

"I wasn't," Finley brushed the question off. Everyone knew the answer was that Mr. Schue obviously favored Rachel and gave her most of the solos. "Thanks, Mr. Schue."

"And Jesse!" Mr. Schuester released her and turned his attention on their newest member. "You are very talented, my friend. Well done." Jesse shrugged with a co*cky smirk. He was used to the praise. He knew he was talented. It was fact. He saw no benefit in being modest. "Maybe you two could perform a duet at Regionals."

Rachel gawked in outrage at the suggestion. Mr. Schue was absurd! She had never heard an idea so terrible. "Excuse me?" The club looked at Rachel and Finley cowered under her anger. Rachel would not let anyone steal her solo, especially not "guardian angel" Finley Hudson. She had already had everything. She would not get this too. "Mr. Schue, with all do respect, Finley does not possess the time nor the talent to execute a number that would impress the judges at Regionals, what with her cheerio practices and obvious inability to sing about any other themes besides love and fluff." Finley had never felt more embarrassed as her friends glanced between her and Rachel. She could feel Jesse's eyes on her, and she wished she could just sink into the floor and never be found. The objection was harsh. Finley knew that she would never be as talented a singer as Rachel, but her delivery was just cruel.

"Rachel, what the hell?" Kurt jumped to her defense, horrified by her insensitivity. "Did you not just watch their performance? It was electric! How can you say Finley can't possibly hold her own at Regionals?"

"Yeah, Hobbit. Are you really so insecure that the second you felt threatened, you turned your back on your one and only friend who has only ever supported you?" Santana sneered. "You know, I always knew you were a two-faced bitch who would do anything to be on top, including sinking the one person that has stopped me from literally stabbing you in your ugly face and letting the squirrels devour your rotting corpse." Rachel flinched at Santana's terrifying threat.

"Yeah, Rachel, that was completely out of line," Finn joined in his sister's defense. He didn't want everyone to gang up on Rachel after everything had been tamed down the past week, but he couldn't let her tear down his sister. "That wasn't just a critique, and I know you'll play it off as one, that was just you being mean to someone for no reason."

Finley hated the fighting. She was grateful that her friends had jumped to her defense, but she detested violence- verbal or otherwise. She hated that everyone was watching her, waiting for her to either bolt or break down. She didn't want to stoke the Rachel-hate-fire, so she beckoned for everyone to calm down. "Guys, no need to attack Rachel." Everyone quieted as Finley hung her head, suddenly fascinated with her cuticle station. "I agree with her. Jesse and I should not sing together at Regionals."

Jesse was surprised. He knew that it wasn't possible for them to sing at Regionals, but it still stung that she was unwilling to. They had made magic on the floor. They had a deep connection and Finley wanted to throw it all away.

"Finley, are you sure you wouldn't even want to try? I'm sure we could figure out an arrangement-" Finley shook her head, cutting Mr. Schue off. He shut his mouth and sighed in disappointment. He didn't want Rachel's harsh words to stop her from taking opportunities to further grow her ability.

"Thank you, Mr. Schue," she smiled at him gently in appreciation. "But Jesse and Rachel should be the duet at Regionals. They both have the talent and the connection needed to impress the judges." Everyone wanted to object, knowing full well that the two did possess the connection, what with the performance they just witnessed, but the finality in Finley's tone kept them from speaking out.

"If that's what you want," Mr. Schue sighed with resignation. "But let me know if you change your mind." Finley nodded and walked back to her seat. She avoided making eye contact with Jesse and Rachel. She took a seat beside her brother and Finn pulled her to his side, giving her a comforting hug. Finley allowed herself to sink into his embrace. Finn was probably the only person who could comfort her.

She hadn't meant to cause such an uproar. She only sang because everyone forced her too. And Jesse had joined her of his own volition. She still had to sort through her feelings towards him that she didn't understand. The constant butterflies in her stomach, the way she couldn't stop blushing around him, how he complimented her and watched her with his kind eyes. Nothing about Jesse made sense to her.

She also hated that she had caused such a disturbance in the glee club. And even worse, she hated that she had upset Rachel. She had never wanted to make Rachel feel insecure or inadequate for any reason. She knew that Rachel's insecurities ran deep, and Finley never wanted her to worry that she would target them. But now, Finley could feel the daggers Rachel was staring at her. It felt as if she could feel their sharp blades embedding in her neck. Tears welled and Finley began to tremble in her brother's arms. Finn felt his baby sister shake and his hatred for Jesse St. James had never burned brighter. Mr. Schuester began his lesson, not knowing how else to remedy the situation. Finley paid no attention to the lesson at all. She simply soaked up her brother's comfort while lost in her own world.

Towards the end of the meeting, Finley dared to glance up. Her eyes immediately met Jesse's. His arm was around Rachel's shoulders and her head rested against his neck. She was listening to Mr. Schue go on at the front of the room, but Jesse maintained his gaze on her.

Finley felt her heart tug inside her chest. His eyes shone with concern, but Finley knew that he couldn't do anything to help the situation. Rachel was his girlfriend. Of course he would support her. Finley wouldn't have it any other way.

Rachel was happy with Jesse, and it seemed Jesse was with her. She would not be able to handle it if they broke up because of something she did. Her heart seemed to pull painfully against her chest as she came to a decision. She did not know why it hurt her so, but she knew it had to be done. She needed to do it for Jesse and Rachel, for the glee club, for herself.

She held his gaze for one final second before turning away. Finley made a vow to herself. From now on, she would have nothing to do with Jesse St. James. It was the only way. The glee club would be harmonious again, Rachel wouldn't hate her, and most importantly, she could stop thinking about Jesse St. James.

Mr. Schue droned on for a couple more minutes before finishing his lesson. "All right, I have one final announcement to make before we all leave," Mr. Schue said. Everyone waited to hear it. "We can't use the auditorium for the next week." The club murmured, upset.

"But that's garbage. How are we supposed to practice for Regionals without the auditorium?" Finn exclaimed.

"The cheerios need it to practice in. There's nothing I can do," Mr. Schue told them regretfully. The club all turned to glare at the cheerios in the room, minus Finley after what had occurred earlier. Santana and Brittany were unbothered, but Finley felt bad that Sue had kicked them all out.

"I recommend a sit-in," Rachel pitched.

"I recommend we torch the place," Puck suggested in all seriousness. Mike and him high-fived and Finley leaned over and flicked Mike's temple, making him flinch. She let out her first smile since the debacle. Mike wasn't upset that she had hurt him. He was just happy he had made Finley finally smile. Finley wasn't Finley without her constant smiles.

"No," Mr. Schue shut them down. "Look, we've all faced adversity before and come out stronger on the other end. Now, I'm going to check out a few off-site locations for us to use just for the week. I promise I'll find us a new home." The bell rang, dismissing everyone. Finn grabbed his and Finley's bag for her and they headed to leave, his arm still draped over her shoulder, when Kurt stopped them.

"Oh, Finn!" Kurt called him over excitedly. Finn glanced down at his sister then back at Kurt. "Oh, Finley too. I want your opinion on this." The twins walked over and Kurt laid out a board with various patterns and fabrics on it.

"Oh, this looks cool. What is it?" Finley asked, finally breaking her silence.

"It's a swatch board," Kurt explained. "I'm redecorating my bedroom. Kind of going for a hunting-lodge meets-Tom-Ford-place-in-Bel-Air. I was hoping you could help me out with the hunting lodge part," he told Finn, completely ignoring Finley at his side. Finley eyed the eager expression on Kurt's face with amusem*nt. Kurt had been trying really hard to befriend Finn these days. She found it sweet.

Finn stared blankly at Kurt, confused as to why Kurt wanted his opinion when Finley was standing right there. "I live in a closet. There's cowboy wallpaper on the walls," he told him.

"Oh," Kurt's eager expression fell a bit.

"But, I guess, that one's nice," Finn pointed to one of the fabrics, not wanting to disappoint Kurt.

"Toile? I always pegged you as a chinoiserie type," Kurt hummed, as if expecting Finn to know what either of those things were. Finn gave Finley a weirded-out look before leading her out of the room.

In the cafeteria, Finley walked with Brittany and Santana through the salad bar line. They were ordered by Coach Sylvester to eat extra healthy that week. There was a reporter to write about the cheerios, and Sue wanted everyone to look their best. She put all the girls on a strict diet. Finley liked to eat healthy, but she allowed herself to indulge when she wanted to. She was lucky she had found a healthy relationship with food. She knew that many of the other girls on the squad had difficulty balancing their diets. Finley still participated in Sue's crazy cleanses though. The rest of the team did them, so it would look bad if the head cheerio didn't.

"I'm pretty sure my cat's been reading my diary," Brittany told the girls as Finley grabbed an apple from one of the fruit bowls.

"Wait, Brit, did you write my bra size in there?" Finley questioned. Brittany nodded. "Huh. I was wondering how Lord Tubbington ordered me that push-up bra last month," she hummed. "Surprisingly, that wasn't one of the weirdest things he's ever gotten me."

"Why didn't he order me one?" Santana pouted, leading Brittany to simply shrug. Their conversation was then interrupted by Mercedes.

"Hey, guys. Can I ask you something?" She asked the girls.

"Of course!" Finley nodded, the three girls turning to face her.

"How do you manage to stay so skinny?" Mercedes eyes the girls up and down, taking note of their toned legs and small waists.

"The Sue Sylvester Master Cleanse," Santana replied, holding up her water bottle. Brittany held hers up too, but Finley kept hers on her lunch tray. She didn't like where the conversation was headed. "Water, maple syrup for glucose, lemon for acid, cayenne pepper, irritates the bowels, and a dash of ipecac, a vomiting agent."

"Sometimes I add a teaspoon of sand," Brittany added.

Mercedes blanched at the girls. "That can't be healthy." It wasn't, and Finley knew it wasn't.

"Who cares?" Santana scoffed. "You can either feel terrible and look great, or get kicked off the team when that reporter gets here."

Finley watched as Mercedes set down her lunch tray and walked away, a newfound determination on her face. There was hardly anything on the tray as it was, Finley saw. There was a single grilled chicken cutlet, three broccoli brussels, and a small salad made of only raw lettuce. Finley glanced up worriedly for Mercedes, but she had disappeared. Santana and Brittany shrugged and raised their water bottles to drink. Finley sighed regretfully and looked away, not wanting to watch them.

Her eyes met Quinn's a couple feet away. It was clear that she had witnessed their conversation. She had the same worried look on her face as Finley did. Before Finley could approach her, Santana and Brittany pulled her hand to head over to their designated table. She took one last look at Mercedes's abandoned tray before allowing herself to be dragged away.

Finn parked the car and he and Finley looked around, confused, as men walked past them to place their furniture in a truck parked on the street. "Finn, do you know what's happening?"

"No, do you?" Finn asked.

"Nope," Finley huffed. "Come on, let's ask Mom what the hell these guys are doing." The twins got out of the car and walked into their house. They passed two guys carrying out the master bedroom's mattress, to which they both shared an even more confused look. They found their mom, Carole, in the living room ordering the movers to take out more of the furniture. Her hair was shorter than it was that morning and she was wearing a nice shirt and pants with a gold necklace. "Mom, what is happening? Are you selling our stuff?" Finley suddenly gasped in horror, a terrible thought entering her mind. "Please tell me you aren't going to sell Bunny Hopperpants!"

Yes, Finley had a stuffed toy bunny named Bunny Hopperpants. Finn had won her the toy at the county fair back when they were in the second grade. It was Finley's most prized possession.

"Don't worry, honey. They're not going to touch any of your stuff. They're only taking the master bedroom and the living room," her mom assured her. Finley sighed in relief.

"Mom, what the hell is going on? You can't sell this stuff," Finn protested in distress.

"Why are you so upset?" Carole questioned. "It's not your bed."

"Don't you have any feelings about it? It's your and Dad's honeymoon set. Finley and I were conceived on that bed." Finley blanched at the thought.

"You were convinced in a pinball machine," Carole corrected him. Finn's eyes widened in horror.

"Oh my god, Mom! Ew!" Finley shrieked, disgusted by the new information. "We did not need to know that!"

One of the movers came back in. "Well, I think that's everything," he told Carole. "You mentioned something about the recliner?" The twins shared a worried look at the mention of the recliner.

"Oh, yeah! It doesn't look lie much, but the parts all work," Carole nodded, walking over to show it to the man.

"Ooh, my wife would love this. Sciatica," the man admired the chair. Finley bit her lip, hating what she knew was about to happen. Finn, however, didn't hold back his displeasure.

"Mom, no!" He shouted, surprising her. Finn then turned to the man. "It's not for sale." The man backed off and walked out. Carole turned to her twins, upset that they had lost her a possible deal.

"Mom," Finley spoke softly, walking up to stand beside Finn, "this is Dad's chair." Carole realized why the twins were so upset.

Finn picked up a picture that was resting on a nearby coffee table. It was a photo of the twins when they were babies. They were in their father's lap while he cuddled them in that very recliner. "This is the last picture of the three of us. It's the only picture there will ever be of the two of us, and he's sitting in this chair," Finn said as he held up the photo.

Carole rolled her eyes, not understanding why the twins were so upset over this. "It's a chair, honey. It's not him," she told them. Finley and Finn gawked at the insensitivity of her words.

"What's going on with you? You're selling all our old stuff, you got new clothes, a new haircut?" Finn questioned. The twins waited for her to answer.

Carole sighed, knowing the cat was out of the bag. "I'm seeing someone," she confessed. The twins were taken aback in surprise. "I think I'm in love."

"Mom, that's amazing!" Finley gasped. "I'm so happy for you!" She pulled her mom into a loving hug. Carole was appreciative that her daughter took it so well. She only prayed Finn was as cool about it. When they released each other, Carole anxiously turned to Finn, waiting to see his reaction.

"Um... Who is it? Do I know him?" He questioned.

She nodded excitedly. "It's your friend Kurt's father," she told them. "Burt Hummel." The twins could only stare in shock.

🎵

"Kurt, hey!" Finley called as he and Finn found him walking down the hall. Kurt stopped and waited for the twins to reach him.

"What the hell's going on with our parents? How did this happen? When did they even meet each other?" Finn demanded answers.

Kurt sighed, realizing he had to come clean to the twins. "Parent-teacher conference night about a month ago," he admitted. "I always accompany my father to those conferences to act as a translator. And fate brought them together." Finley had the sneaking suspicion that so-called "fate" was just code for "Kurt Hummel." Kurt continued, "It was an instant connection."

"That's impossible," Finn breathed, still unable to process the entire ordeal. Finley had accepted it the past night. After a long chat with her mom, she came around to the idea. She loved Kurt and she thought Burt was really cool and nice. As long as her mom was happy, she was happy. She never would have thought her mom would be the one who caught that daddy-derriere.

"When will you learn that nothing's impossible when it comes to love," Kurt shook his head as if he was speaking to a little boy. "Haven't you noticed anything different about your mom? New clothes, new makeup, a haircut that doesn't look like it was styled by the Amish," he went on. "Who do you think Pretty Woman-ed her up?" Finley and Finn shared the same aghast look. Kurt had known all along and kept it a secret! If there was one thing everybody should know about the Hummel twins was that they LOATHED secrets. "Has she started selling the furniture yet?

"Yeah," Finley sighed, still a bit down about the entire thing. She was happy for her mom, she was. But change was always hard. "She got rid of her old bedroom set and she tried to sell our dad's chair. Finn and I stopped her."

"But, how do you even know about that?" Finn questonioned, getting more and more upset with each passing second of the conversation.

"People our parents' age don't wait around for love to bloom," Kurt shrugged with a dopey smile. "They know what they want. I guess you, Finn, and I will be roommates, with Mom and Dad cohabiting upstairs by midterms. Dad already plans to give the guest room to Finley.

"No way," Finn shook his head in refusal. He hated the idea of sharing a room with Kurt. Finley was happy to get her own room, but she hated how upset Finn was. She wanted her mom to be happy, but she didn't want Finn to be miserable.

"Give in to the inevitable, Finn. Finley already has," Kurt droned on, ignoring the obvious discomfort on both of the twins' faces. "I want us to decide how to redecorate our room together. That's why I asked you about the swatches. And I don't sweat that old chair. I have a lovely chaise picked out."

"Look, screw your swatches and your chez-"

"Chaise," Kurt corrected.

"Whatever!" Finn was officially panicking, and even Finley couldn't figure out how to stop it. "Look, I like my house, I'm not moving, and she's not selling that damn chair!"

"Finn-" Finley reached out to comfort him, but he swatted her hands away and stormed off. She turned to Kurt with an apologetic grimace. "I'm sorry about him. It's just going to take some time for him to accept all this."

"I understand completely," Kurt nodded in understanding. "I'll make sure to be extra welcome and supportive."

"Thanks, Kurt," Finley said gratefully. "Come on, we have to get to English."

"A roller rink?" Tina grimaced, clearly not impressed with the new rehearsal space. The rest of the club had the same displeased expressions on their own faces.

"Weren't those outlawed in, like, 1981 for being totally lame?" Santana quipped.

"Oh, come on, guys! Where's your sense of adventure?" Mr. Schue huffed at the unenthusiastic teens. "The space is great, and April is giving it to us to practice in for free."

"Mr. Schue?" Kurt interrupted, raising his hand. "If I may?" He nodded and Kurt walked to the front of the room and faced everyone. "The New Directions is clearly a club with a dearth of direction. Rachel and Jesse refuse to accept that all of us would rather die before we allow them to become the next Beyoncé and Jay-Z."

"I would say they're more like Kristen and Rob," Finley commented. Tina nodded in agreement while everyone else gave her a blank look. "Sorry, not important. Continue, Kurt," she mumbled. She felt Jesse's stare on her, but she ignored him and continued to avoid looking at him. She made sure to sit with Finn on the opposite side of the room, as far away from the couple as they could be.

"And Finn and Finley's mother's romance with my father is sending him into a wholly unnecessary tailspin of despair." Finley felt as if her eyes bulged out of her head as she gawked at Kurt's words. She and Finn shared the same upset expression. They both were still dealing with the fact that their mom was dating. They didn't want their troubles to be blasted to the entire group! "What we all need right now is to explore the idea of a sense of place and how if we find that place within we will get that happy ending. Brad, B-flat."

Finley tried to sink into her chair while Kurt sang Dionne Warwick's "A House is Not a Home" while intensely staring at Finn and her... but mostly Finn. She appreciated the sentiment. Kurt was only trying to help her and Finn deal with everything. He just wasn't doing it in a way that actually helped ease their worries.

The Hudsons and the Hummels would have their first dinner all together later that week at Breadstix. Finley only hoped it would go well. Finley actually thought Burt and Finn could get along really well. They were both into sports, so they already had something that bonded them. She wanted everything to go smoothly for her mom. She deserved to be happy.

And knowing Burt Hummel and his kind heart, Finley had no doubt that he could make her happy.

🎵

"Finley, help, help!" Finley skated up to Quinn, who was waving her arms frantically as she tried to regain her balance. Finley offered her hand and Quinn steadied herself. "Thank you," she gasped in relief. "I don't want to fall on my face and risk my baby having an ugly mother."

Finley giggled. "Quinn, even if you ate gravel, you would still be beautiful." Quinn preened at the compliment. Finley grabbed both of Quinn's hands and skated backward so Quinn could face forward.

The New Directions were trying out the rolling rink for their new practice space. Mr. Schuester had hoped the new space would grow on the teens, and it did. Just not in the way he wanted it to. Instead of singing and practicing dance moves, the glee club decided roller skating would be a better use of their time.

Santana and Brittany were skating together while Puck, Matt, and Mike were having competitions on who could do the coolest moves on their skates. Mike was winning, obviously. Tina was using Artie as a stabilizer as he pulled her around the rink. Kurt and Mercedes were leaning on the side of the rink in conversation. Finn was talking with Mr. Schue off the rink. It was wise that Finn decided not to skate. His dancing alone was enough to prove he was not easy on his feet.

A blur of motion whizzed past the girls. "What was that?" Quinn questioned as the girls looked over to see who it was. Finley felt her stomach tighten as Jesse spin Rachel around in the center of the rink. She laughed gleefully as he yanked her to his chest, leaning down to kiss her. Finley had to look away as their lips locked. Quinn noticed Finley's mood fall. "Hey, are you ok?"

"Oh!" Finley quickly nodded unconvincingly. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just got distracted by the, uh... the wall." Quinn glanced at the black wall beside them, devoid of anything. If Finley was trying to act like something wasn't bothering her, she was failing.

Quinn sighed. She and her needed to have a talk. "Finley, you know you can talk to me about anything, right?" Finley nodded. "Good. Now look me in my eyes and tell me you don't have feelings for Rachel's boyfriend." Finley choked, gaping at her blonde friend as she waited expectantly for her to answer.

"I do not have feelings for Jesse," Finley squeaked, making Quinn shake her head in exasperation.

"Finley, ever since you guys sang together two days ago, you've avoided looking at him." Finley's brows rose in surprise. "Yes, I've noticed. I've also noticed how he stares at you in the choir room like he's in misery waiting for you to just look up. It's heartbreaking, really. The sad face he makes looks the same as a kicked puppy."

"You're just imagining things, Q," Finley waved her off, praying she would end the conversation.

"No, do not do that," Quinn hissed, forcing Finley to look her in the eye. "I've seen you, Finley. I've seen the longing looks you give him. I've seen the way you smile and laugh when he's talking to you. Admit it, you have feelings for him. And I think he has them for you too."

Finley shook her head in denial. She didn't like him. She didn't! She couldn't. "No, he doesn't. He's in love with Rachel. He told me so himself."

Quinn co*cked her chin at the couple with a raised brow. "Then why, with his girlfriend in his arms, is he staring at you?" Finley risked a glance back and saw indeed that Jesse was staring right at her. Rachel had her face pressed into his chest and his hand cupped the back of her head. It was an intimate embrace. Anyone else would see two teens in love holding each other in the center of the roller rink. But Jesse's eyes on her said otherwise. Finley looked down at her skates, unable to watch him any longer. "Finley, it's ok to admit that you like him."

"No," she shook her head, clenching her jaw with determination. "I refuse to even entertain the thought. Nothing is going on between me and Jesse St. James." Quinn opened her mouth to say more, but Finley shut her up. "Quinn, can we talk about something else please? Or just skate? I really don't want to do this." Quinn saw how distressed her friend was. With a dejected sigh, she nodded. Finley instantly relaxed. "Why don't we join Mike, Matt, and Puck? I want to see if Mike can twirl me off the ground." The girls skated over to the boys, who welcomed them with open arms. Puck offered his arm to Quinn, which she took.

"You guys want to join our competition?" Matt offered as Finley skated over to Mike.

"Hell, yeah! I just creamed Matt with a sick flip," Puck bragged, making Finley smile.

"Considering I'm one trip away from crushing my belly, I'm going to pass," Quinn winced. Matt nodded understandably.

"Mike, can you try and spin me?" Finley asked. Mike nodded and put his hands on her waist. Finley grabbed his shoulders and Mike bent his knees before lifting her off the ground. Finley chirped with excitement as Mike carefully twirled her around. Finley let her head fall back, her dark hair fanning out.

In the center of the rink, Jesse and Rachel watched as their friends had fun. "I could never do that. If she fell or Mike dropped her, her entire cheerleading career would be over. I would never be so careless," Rachel commented with displeasure as she and Jesse watched Mike spin faster, making Finley squeal. Secretly, she wished that she had friends like Finley did. She wasn't close with any of the members of the glee club. Any relationships she once had were cracked after she had insulted Finley.

Jesse watched the two in despair. He knew from watching her in glee club that Finley was just friends with the guys on the football team. She treated them like friends and brothers, and they did the same with her. There were no romantic feelings whatsoever between her, Matt, and Mike. But that didn't stop the seed of jealousy in his chest from blooming as he eyed Mike's hands on her waist.

Finley had been ignoring him for the past couple days. She never even spared him a look during glee club. At school, she would run past him or take another hallway to her classes to avoid him. He hated it. Jesse assumed it was because of what happened with Rachel on Monday, but he couldn't help the suspicion that there was more to it. She wouldn't even look at him! He needed to figure out why Finley was avoiding him and fix it.

Mike slowed to a stop and set Finley back on her feet. She swayed on her feet as she regained her footing. "That. Was. Awesome!" Mike laughed at her childish delight. She had a large smile on her face and her hair was now fluffy from flying through the air. Mike released her and Finley started to skate toward Matt who was near the middle of the rink where Jesse and Rachel were. As Finley made her way over, she felt a wave of dizziness from Mike's spinning. She cried out in fear as she felt herself begin to trip. She shut her eyes, preparing to eat the rink floor.

But the floor never came.

Someone had grabbed her just in time. Finley slowly opened her eyes to see who her knight in shining roller skates helped her from embarrassingly face-planting. They were holding her holding her as if in a dip. She smelled the familiar musk cologne. She gasped as her eyes met their deep blue. "Are you hurt?"

Finley quickly untangled herself out of Jesse's arms, her skin burning everywhere his fingers had touched. She needed to get away from him. "I-I'm fine," she mumbled, finding her balance. "Thanks." Jesse didn't know what to say. She sounded so detached, like she didn't want to pay him any mind. He felt his heart crack.

"Finley!" Finn ran onto the rink and pulled his twin into his arms. "Are you ok? Are you hurt anywhere? I'll send Mr. Schue to get a first-aid kit."

Finley shook her head, trying to calm her brother down. "Finn, I'm ok. I just tripped. I am still capable of leading the cheerios to nationals." Finn sighed with relief and released her. Finley ran her fingers through her hair, flattening it, and smoothed her cheerio uniform. "Now, in that arcade are two Dance Dance Revolutions that are calling." She made her way off the rink toward the exit. "Mike, Brit, Santana," she called as everyone followed her, "I challenge you to a dance-off!"

"Oh, you're on!" Mike exclaimed with excitement.

"Be prepared for me to wipe the floor with your ass!" Santana hollard as she and Brittany followed.

"Be prepared to be destroyed!" Brittany cackled. The four friends quickly undid their skates and ran over to the game.

They played two rounds. Brittany won the first round and Mike won the second. Santana and Finley both had high scores, but they were no match for the professionals. Puck, with his misplaced confidence, took Santana's spot to compete against the three. Brittany came out victorious once more, much to Mike's chagrin. But it was all in good fun. Everyone was having a blast. Finley tried to get her brother to try, but Finn refused knowing he would just embarrass himself.

After another few rounds, Finley allowed Tina to take her spot. After dancing so hard, she needed a drink. Why she thought she could compete against Brittany and Mike, she didn't know. The spin on the rink must have messed with her brain more than she thought. She made her way to the vending machines and scanned the shelves. She settled on a simple bottle of water. She paid the machine and watched as it released her beverage. She grabbed the water and turned to walk back when she was blocked by a certain somebody.

"Excuse me," she said as she tried to step around him but there wasn't enough room for her to slip through.

"Why are you avoiding me?" Jesse demanded, his brows furrowed as he analyzed her. Her eyes were wide like a deer in headlights. She held the bottle in front of her, as if she wanted a barrier between them.

"Shouldn't you be with Rachel?" She fired back, ignoring his question.

"Why are you avoiding me?" He demanded again. He wanted answers. He couldn't stand Finley's silent treatment. He missed her laugh, her smiles, her jokes, her calling him insulting nicknames. More than that, he missed her, being around her.

Finley huffed and decided if he wouldn't move, she would make him. She reached out and pushed his chest with her palm. The actual strength of the push was minuscule. The only reason it worked was because Jesse had let it. "I'm going back to the group." She strolled past him.

Jesse needed answers. He hadn't wanted to seem desperate around her, but he was. As she walked past him without sparing a second glance, he felt as if his heart was being torn out of his chest. With a frustrated sigh, Jesse made one last attempt and called out to her. "What did I do?" Finley stopped, her back facing him. He didn't want to beg, but this was the first time in days that Finley willingly acknowledged him. He had to take the chance, no matter how humiliating it would be for him. "Finley, what did I do to make you hate me? Whatever it is, I'll fix it. Please, let me fix it. I'll do anything to make things right between us. Please."

Finley's eyes began to water with tears as she listened to Jesse's pleas. He sounded of deep anguish. Her heart hurt at the thought that she was at fault for his pain. She wanted nothing more than to run into his arms and take it all away. But she couldn't.

"You didn't do anything, Jesse," she told him softly, keeping her back turned. Jesse slowly approached her, hanging on to every word that fell off her delicate lips. "And I don't hate you. Not even a little bit. Not even at all."

"Then why are you treating me like this?" Jesse pleaded. He was only a couple feet away from her. If he wanted to, he could reach out and force her to meet his despaired gaze. But he held back. He couldn't risk losing her. "Finley, please."

A tear trickled down her cheek as she tried to compose herself. His heart wrenching pleas sent wave after wave of pain through her. It was all she could feel. She heard Jesse approaching behind her, and she swiftly shut her eyes. She couldn't risk getting lost in his ocean eyes. Her resolve would crumble, and she couldn't let it.

Jesse stopped in front of her, and she could feel his eyes on her delicate features. She felt more of his warmth as he got closer and the scent of his cologne flooded her senses. His face was only inches away from hers now. "Jesse..." she whispered as he inched closer. She flinched as his forehead touched hers. Their noses lightly brushed against one another's and she trembled underneath him. She didn't understand why her body was reacting this way.

"Please, Finley," he whispered, his breath fanning across her lips, causing her breath to hitch. "Tell me how to make things right with you." Finley felt the urge to lean into his embrace, to reach up and twist her fingers in his soft curls, to kiss...

Everything clicked.

Finley staggered back, gasping for air as she processed the realization. Before Jesse could react, she had sprinted out of his reach back to the arcade, tearing her own heart out in the process.

Puck had realized that Finley had been gone for a strange amount of time. He also took note that Jesse had disappeared, as Rachel was now playing skeeball with Mr. Schue. He wandered away from the group to look for her when she suddenly slammed into his chest. "Sorry, sorry!" She stammered as Puck helped stabilize her. "Thanks, Puck."

Puck took one look at her grief-stricken face and went into rage-mode. "What happened? Who do I need to kill?"

"No one," Finley assured him, sniffling. "No one did anything. It was all me." Puck was confused until he saw Jesse rejoin Rachel. It only took him one guess to know what had occured.

"Come on. Let's take a walk," he took Finley's hand and led her to an empty section of the arcade. Everyone else was too invested in their own games to notice. "Look, I know we're not on great terms right now, but you know I'm still here if you ever need me, right?"

"I know, Puck," Finley assured him, her voice soft, "I'd forgiven you a while ago for what you did." Puck didn't show it, but he valued Finley's opinion of him. Her forgiveness meant everything to him.

"So, as your honorary older brother, tell me why you're crying." Puck only reserved his softness for two people: Finley and Quinn. Puck was feared throughout McKinley High as a bully who threw slushies in nerds' faces and dumped losers in dumpsters. But he had known Finley ever since elementary school when he befriended Finn. She was one of the only people in the entire world that he cared about. "I'm here for you, Finley. You're safe with me. Tell me."

Finley suddenly burst into sobs. Puck wrapped her in his arms and rested his chin on the top of her head as she soaked his shirt with her tears. "I have feelings for Jesse." Admitting the realization out loud only made her cry harder. "I don't know when it happened or how, but I do. And he's with Rachel."

"Oh, Finley," Puck cooed as she cried. "It's going to be ok."

"How do you know, Puck? I've never felt this way about anyone before. I'm absolutely terrified." Puck knew he could never understand fully how Finley was feeling. He was the biggest player in the school. But he would help her the best he could. He stroked her hair, comforting her until her sobs resided. Her breath had slowed and her mind calmed down. Puck spoke as she leaned quietly against his chest.

"I know you're going to be ok because I know you, Finley," he told her comfortingly. "You are strong, and you are kind, and you're so damn smart. No matter what problems you get yourself into, you'll always find your way out. No matter how this Jesse thing plays out, you're going to be ok. And I'll be here to help you if you ever need it."

"Thank you, Puck. You're a good honorary brother," Finley told him with a grateful smile. Puck was happy that he had helped. He hated when Finley was sad. "So what am I supposed to do? Suffer in silence?"

"Hell no," Puck scoffed. "The way I see it, you have two options. You can either go after what you want or you can move on."

"Ok, so I should find a way to move on," Finley nodded, taking his words to heart.

"If that's what you want to do. But..." Finley waited as Puck drew out his next piece of advice. "I've seen the way he looks at you, Finley." Finley was confused. "He looks at you the same way you look at him."

"That's not possible," Finley denied, shaking her head at the absurdity. "He's madly in love with Rachel."

Puck rolled his eyes. "Look, Finley, I'm only telling you what I see. And what I see is that same longing look you give him when he's near you- and yes, you look at him longingly. I've seen it during rehearsal- he has that same look." Finley was silent as she thought over his words. Was it possible that Jesse felt the same way? But if he did, then why was he still with Rachel? It was obvious he cared for her. He switched schools for her, for crying out loud! Puck saw the gears turning in her head and grabbed her attention back. "Look, Finley, it's just something to think about. It's still your choice which option you choose. No matter what, I'm here for you if you need me. And so is Quinn and Finn and all your friends- except Berry of course."

Finley looked back and watched as Jesse handed Rachel a little stuffed bear from winning skee ball. She took in his kind smile and his bright eyes, his soft hair and his designer clothes. They looked happy. Finley would have never dreamed of taking that away. She was always willing to do whatever it took to help her friends. She was always willing to sacrifice her reputation, her time, her energy, herself. She was selfless.

But for the first time in Finley's life, she wished she could be selfish.

🎵

In the school hallway, Jesse watched from afar as Finley threw her head back and laughed at something Mike said. She looked like a goddess, the light from the windows kissing her soft skin. Her hair was down again, as it was the day before. She was in her signature cheerios uniform, the tight top and the short skirt leaving little to the imagination. He remembered how her hair and skirt had fanned out as Mike spun her around, her squeals of joy.

And he remembered how he had almost kissed her by the vending machine. How her lips were only inches away from his, how the sweet smell of her floral perfume trapped him in a dizzy haze, how her breath tickled his skin as he drew nearer. How he had lost her.

Jesse couldn't take watching her anymore with Mike. She used to share her laugh with him, but now he was lucky if she even shared a look. He spared one final glance before turning back and walking away. It was all too painful.

Jesse found himself alone in the choir room. He shut the door behind him and walked over to the piano. He set his bag down beside the bench and took a seat. His fingers danced along the keys to the opening of Taylor Swift's "Cold As You" as he poured his heart and soul out to the empty room. 💙

[Jesse]

You have a way of coming

Easily to me

And when you take

You take the very best of me

So I start a fight

'Cause I need to feel something

And you do what you want

'Cause I'm not what you wanted

He poured all his longing, all his anguish and heartbreak into the song. He was consumed by the pain. He didn't understand why it hurt so much. He wanted it all to stop.

Oh, what a shame

What a rainy ending given to a perfect day

Just walk away

Ain't no use defending words that you will never say

And now that I'm sitting here

Thinking it through

I've never been anywhere

Cold as you

He remembered all the happy moments they had shared. The funny nicknames they created the day they first met. Joking in the parking lot. Conversing in the book store. The never ending laughter and the constant smiles. Feeling free for the first time.

You put up walls and paint them

All a shade of gray

And I stood there loving you

And wished them all away

And you come away

With a great little story

Of a mess of a dreamer

With the nerve to adore you

Jesse never cried. Ever. And yet, as he sang the sad notes, he found his eyes began to well with tears.

Oh, what a shame

What a rainy ending given to a perfect day

So just walk away

Ain't no use defending words that you will never say

And now that I'm sitting here

Thinking it through

I've never been anywhere

Cold as you

He had picked the song on instinct, but he knew why he picked this one. Taylor Swift was one of Finley's favorite artists. Even when he didn't want to think about her, his mind stayed on her anyway.

You never did give a damn thing, honey

But I cried, cried for you

And I know you wouldn't have told nobody

If I died, died for you

Died for you

Oh, what a shame

What a rainy ending given to a perfect day

Every smile you fake is so condescending

Counting all the scars you made

And now that I'm sitting here

Thinking it through

I've never been anywhere

Cold as you

Jesse didn't know how long he had stayed in the choir room. He wanted so badly to just forget her and everything he was feeling. He had never been so distraught and in such pain But he couldn't. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't just forget Finley Hudson.

Instead, Jesse decided he would simply stop trying to. He had begged and pleaded to fix whatever had transpired between them. He had promised he would do anything to make things right. And he would make due on his word.

No matter what it took, Jesse St. James would get Finley Hudson back.

Chapter 8: ALL I ASK OF YOU

Chapter Text

[ 1.16 ]

🤍 Mercedes, Finley, & students | "Beautiful" - Christina Aguilera

💜 Finley & Jesse | "All I Ask of You" - The Phantom of the Opera

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

𝘿𝙄𝙉𝙉𝙀𝙍 𝙒𝙄𝙏𝙃 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙃𝙐𝙈𝙈𝙀𝙇𝙎 had been a success! That Thursday night, the families had gone out to Breadstix, snagging a booth near the center of the restaurant. Through the night, Finn and Burt had bonded over football. Finley told Burt all about her friends on the team and the many crazy shenanigans they found themselves in, making him laugh and reminisce about his old high school days. Carole was ecstatic that her kids got along so well, especially Finn. He was the more apprehensive one about the situation. But the twins got along great.

Kurt was glad that Finn was opening up their parents dating, but he couldn't help but feel hurt as he felt excluded from the conversation. He didn't know anything about the sports that his father was interested in. He didn't like that his father had bonded with Finn so quickly when it took so long for Kurt to feel accepted by him himself.

Finley came out of the dinner feeling much better about the entire ordeal after she saw how happy Burt made her mom. That was all she wanted, her mom to be happy. Burt was good for her. Who was she to object?

🎵

At lunch on Friday, Finley was in the middle of a conversation with Santana and Brittany about the upcoming show when she saw Mercedes collapse in her peripheral vision. Finley stopped mid sentence and ran over with worry. "Mercedes? Mercedes?" She shook her friend. She was unresponsive and Finley's worry turned into full blown panic. "Mercedes, wake up! Someone, get the nurse!" Quinn suddenly ran over.

"Oh my god, Mercedes, is she ok?" She asked worriedly.

Finley's eyes were beginning to tear as she tried to awaken their friend. "I don't know. She just collapsed." Quinn and Finley stayed by her side, and when the nurse came and took Mercedes to her office to treat her, the girls followed.

After a few minutes of lying in the nurse's office, Mercedes woke up. The nurse immediately went through all the standard tests: temperature, headaches, dizziness. When she recorded her blood pressure, she found it was scarily low. Quinn and Finley knew exactly why.

The nurse let the girls in to watch their friend, and Finley and Quinn entered the room with supportive smiles on their faces. Quinn held out a granola bar for her.

"Thanks. I'm not hungry," Mercedes mumbled, refusing to take it.

"Yes, you are," Quinn said with an understanding smile. She and Finley grabbed some nearby chairs and sat in front of Mercedes on the bed. "You're starving."

"We know," Finley told her as she met their gazes. "We've been there."

Mercedes's eyes widened at the information. "Did the other kids start looking like food before you fainted?" Quinn asked with a knowing look.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Mercedes questioned.

"Like I said. We've both been there," Finley said. "Now eat the granola bar."

After a moment of hesitation, Mercedes took the bar from Quinn. She eyed the girls warily. "You both really have been through this too?"

Finley nodded. "I was you, scared. Hating myself for eating a cookie. But I got over it."

"Yeah, of course you did, Ms. Pretty-Brunette-With-The-Small-Waist-And-Perfect-Ass," Mercedes huffed, rolling her eyes. Finley stiffened at her dismissive tone.

"Mercedes, we all have struggles. Our different body types don't dismiss one situation over the other," Finley reproved. Mercedes felt guilty about her comment. She was right. She couldn't invalidate her experience just because of her body. Finley could control her genetics just as much as Mercedes could control her own.

"When you start eating for somebody else so that they can grow and be healthy, your relationship to food changes," Quinn told her. "What I realized is that if I'm so willing to eat right to take care of this baby, why am I not willing to do it for myself?" Her words seemed to really resonate with Mercedes. So much so that a few tears escaped her eye and traveled down her cheeks. She was moved by the mother-to-be's words of wisdom. "You are so lucky. You have always felt at home in your body. Don't let Ms. Sylvester take that away from you."

Mercedes sniffled as the two girls supported her. Mercedes had never been that close with Finley, they were merely civil friends. And Quinn had never said more than two words to her that weren't "you" and "suck." She hadn't realized how much she needed to hear the things they said.

"I'm so embarrassed. This isn't me," her voice cracked with emotion. Finley's heart hurt for Mercedes. She reached out and took her hands in her own, squeezing them gently in comfort. "How did I become this person?"

Finley sighed, sharing an understanding look with Quinn. She and Quinn had both been there at one point. They knew what it was like to not recognize yourself in the mirror. They knew what it was like to feel so insecure that you stopped caring for yourself. They didn't want Mercedes to fall further down that path.

"Hey," Finley called, causing Mercedes to meet her gaze. "You are beautiful. You know that." Mercedes didn't reply, but Finley saw in her eyes that she took her words to heart.

"We're going to stay here with you until your mom comes, ok?" Quinn told her. Mercedes nodded and the girls spent the next half hour soaking up each other's comfort until Mercedes left to rest.

The gymnasium was packed for the show that evening. Sue sat in the stands with the reporter. The crowd cheered as the cheerios walked onto the floor and got into their starting positions. They were in a triangle formation, Finley at the top as head cheerio. Santana, Brittany, and Kurt stood behind her. Mercedes would be the main performer tonight. Sue had picked Mercedes to solo because she had the best voice out of everyone.

The audience died down, waiting for the performance to start with anticipation. The cheerios waited for the music to start and Mercedes to emerge, but nothing happened. Finley and Santana shared worried looks. The reporter was in the stands. Where was Mercedes? Coach Sue would kill them if their performance wasn't absolutely perfect.

The sound of shoes squealing on the gym floor echoes through the room. Finley glanced to the side to see Mercedes walking to the center of the gym with a microphone stand. There still was no music playing. "What is she doing?" Kurt asked, looking to the three girls. Brittany shrugged and Santana shook her head, neither knowing the answer.

Finley tried to conceal her proud smile. She knew exactly what Mercedes was going to do. She was going to do what she needed for herself, for her body, her mind, her soul.

"Hey, guys. I'm Mercedes Jones," Mercedes's voice echoed through the silent room. "So, most of you know Cheerios is about perfection and winning, looking hot and being popular." The crowd murmured in agreement. Finley didn't want to even imagine what Sue was thinking. "Well, I think that it should be about something different." They heard her take a deep breath. "How many of you at this school feel fat?" Finley glanced back and saw Quinn be the first one to raise her hand, followed by others in the stands. "How many of you feel like maybe you're not worth very much?" Finley's breath hitched as she gained the courage to raise her hand. Brittany, Santana, and Kurt stared at her in surprise. She was the only cheerio with her hand raised. She kept it up in support of Mercedes. "Or you're ugly or you have too many pimples and not enough friends?" More and more hands raised. Finley saw Rachel raise her hand in the crowd out of her peripheral. She spared a quick glance at Jesse, which was easy as Rachel was sitting on his lap. She saw his eyes widen as he caught her eye. Finley quickly looked away. "Well, I felt all those things about myself at one time or another. Hell, I felt most of those things about myself today. And that just ain't right. And we've got something to say about it," she motioned toward the squad behind her. "And if you like what we have to say, come down here and sing it with us."

Finley bravely left the triangle formation and joined Mercedes, grabbing her hand and holding it as a show of solidarity. A bright spotlight was put on Mercedes, and everyone in the gym's eyes were focused on her. Finley noted that while Sue was trying her best to remain calm, the reporter beside her was intrigued. He was on the edge of his seat watching Mercedes. Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" began to play over the speakers. 🤍

[Mercedes]

Oh, yeah

Every day is so wonderful

Then suddenly

It's hard to breathe

Mercedes raised the mic to Finley. Finley swallowed her nerves and shut her eyes, allowing the lyrics to come naturally to her.

[Finley]

Now and then, I get insecure

From all the pain

I'm so ashamed

I am beautiful

No matter what they say

Words can't bring me down

[Mercedes]

I am beautiful

In every single way

Yes, words can't bring me down

Oh, no

So don't you bring me down today

Finley dared her eyes to meet Jesse's. His expression seemed to light up as their gazes met. It had been so long since Finley actually stared at his face. He was as beautiful as he'd always been. And the way his eyes watched her, Finley felt beautiful. Jesse always had a way of making her feel that way. With his eyes on her, Finley mustered up the courage to continue singing.

To all your friends

you're delirious

So consumed

in all your doom

[Finley]

Trying hard

To fill the emptiness

The peace is gone

Left the puzzle undone

Ain't that the way it is

Finley allowed herself to smile at Jesse as he and Rachel stood up and began singing along. Jesse noticed and smiled back. After her long talk with Puck at the rink two days prior, she had allowed herself to finally think for herself. She had finally gained the courage to look Jesse in the eye. For the first time in the past couple days, Finley felt... free.

[Mercedes]

'Cause you are beautiful

No matter what they say

Words can't bring you down

Oh, no

You are beautiful

In every single way

Yes, words can't bring you down

Oh, no

[Finley]

So don't you bring me down today

Behind them, the rest of the cheerios turned around and began to sing with her and Mercedes. The team had never been so united. It was beautiful.

[Cheerios]

No matter what we do

[Finley]

No matter what we do

[Cheerios]

No matter what we say

[Mercedes]

No matter what we say

[Cheerios]

There's a song that's out of tune

[Mercedes]

Yeah, yeah

Quinn was the first to join them. Finley extended her free arm and pulled Quinn to her side when she grabbed it. More people got up and joined in as the cheerios sang. Santana and Brittany joined Quinn, Mercedes, and Finley in the center, singing in support.

[Cheerios]

And everywhere we go

[Mercedes]

And everywhere we go

[Cheerios]

The sun will always shine

[Mercedes]

The sun will always

Always

Shine

The boys got up and started to sing along from their seats. Matt and Mike walked up and stood behind the girls, singing along. Even Puck got up and joined in, taking a spot beside Matt. Finn got up and joined them, standing behind his sister. Finley leaned back against his chest, happy that her brother was standing with her with them.

Rachel and Jesse made their way over. Jesse kept his eyes on her as he and Rachel took a spot on the other side of Mercedes. She didn't cower under his stare. She met it with a brave smile. Together, the entire gymnasium joined in the powerful song.

[All gymnasium]

'Cause we are beautiful

No matter what they say

Yes, words won't bring us down

Oh, no

We are beautiful

In every single way

Yes, words can't bring us down

Oh

[Mercedes]

So don't you bring me down today

Oh

Don't you bring me down today

Hey, yeah

Oh, don't you bring me down

Today

The room erupted in cheers. Finley released Quinn's and Mercedes's hands and turned around, wrapping her hands around her brother. Behind her, Kurt walked up to Mercedes and gave her a hug of his own.

The show had finished an hour ago and most people had already gone home. Santana and Brittany had gone out to Breadstix. They had invited Finley, but she respectfully declined. Kurt and Finn had left together to talk about something, though Finley didn't know what. She didn't pressure them to tell her. It was the first time since finding out about their parents dating that Kurt and Finn had gotten along so well. She didn't want to mess any of their truce up.

Finley sat quietly in the center of the auditorium stage. The only lights were the dim lights at the back of the stage, casting shadows all over the large room. There was something so peaceful about the silence and vast darkness. Finley's current state of mind and life was chaotic. It was nice to find somewhere so tranquil.

As she sat in the silence, her mind drifted to Jesse. After some deep contemplation, she had realized that she didn't want to distance herself any longer. There was a way to live in both worlds. She could still be friends with Jesse while also suppressing her feelings for him. She was sure of it. She just needed to make sure Jesse understood that whatever fire was blazing between them needed to be extinguished.

The sound of clicking boots echoed throughout the auditorium. Finley tensed as Jesse emerged from the shadows of the rows of seats. The dim lights reflected in his eyes, entrapping Finley in their deep blue. He made his way to the stage and sat beside her, their legs hanging off the ledge. His cologne intoxicated her, and she felt the urge to lean into his side and sniff his neck. No, Finley! Don't think things like that!

"I've been looking for you," Jesse broke the silence, staring off into the dark rows of seats.

"You found me," Finley said quietly, beginning to fidget with her hands.

"You were great up there," he complimented, making Finley blush. "I felt the emotion as you sang. What Mercedes said was important to you."

Finley nodded. "I've had my fair share of struggles. Mercedes needed to know that she wasn't the only one who had struggled." Jesse finally looked at her. The lights reflected the chocolate hues in her hair. The shadows accentuated her high cheekbones and the roundness of her nose. He had never seen someone more heavenly than Finley Hudson. "I'm sorry, Jesse." His eyes widened in surprise. He was taken aback by the apology. "I've been so awful to you. And when you asked me how to fix it, I ran away. I hurt you. And for that, I'll never forgive myself." Her breath hitched and her eyes began to well with tears.

"Finley..." His voice was soft, gentle. "Finley, look at me." After a few moments, Finley finally met his gaze. He eyed the shine on the surface of her eyes. He hated when Finley cried, and he hated it even more that she was crying because of him. He would do anything to stop her tears, to make her smile. "There is nothing to forgive. I'm a big boy, I can handle myself." Finley let a little laugh slip at him calling himself a "big boy." Jesse was happy to have lightened the mood. "Will you tell me what's been going on with you this past week? After we sang together, you just... disappeared from my life. I didn't like it," he looked away, nervous about her reaction to his confession, to his questions.

Finley looked back down at her hands. She had been brave at the assembly, mustering up the courage to finally look at him. She needed to be brave now and tell him how she felt. He deserved an explanation. "The reason I avoided you was that I felt uncomfortable being friends with you." His brows scrunched in confusion. Finley elaborated, "After we sang together and Rachel got upset, I realized that I was dipping my toe in waters that I don't belong in. I vowed to myself that I would stay away from you from then on. For you and Rachel, and for myself. I just couldn't handle being so close to you anymore."

"And why couldn't you handle it?" He inquired, his attention rapt. A flame of hope flickered in his chest. Did she feel everything that he did? The pull that attracted them together like a moth to a flame, did she feel it too?

"Because... Because..." Finley had trouble admitting the words. Once it was out, there was no turning back. Her heart would be in Jesse's hands to either treasure or crush. "Because... it wasn't enough." Her voice was so soft that Jesse almost hadn't heard her. But he did. And his heart soared.

Finally, he knew with 100% certainty that she felt the same way as he did about her. The realization was overwhelming.

Finley held her breath as she waited for his reaction. She had laid out her heart, and it was now beating in his hands. What he did surprised her. He got to his feet and lent out his hand.

Finley finally looked up at him, and her brown eyes gleamed, now in the light. She had a questioning expression on her face. Her nose was scrunched, making Jesse smile at her cuteness.

"Come on." Finley warily took his hand, sparks shooting up their arms at the contact, and let him pull her to her feet. Jesse led her over to the piano sitting on the side of the stage. He took a seat on the bench and motioned for her to join him. "Sing with me, my angel of music." The elegant notes of The Phantom of the Opera's ballad "All I Ask of You" floated through the auditorium. Jesse watched her expression change from confusion to embrace with tenderness. He inhaled a light breath before serenading her with Andrew Lloyd Weber's intimate words. 💜

[Jesse]

No more talk of darkness

Forget these wide-eyed fears

I'm here

Nothing can harm you

My words will warm and calm you

Let me be your freedom

Let daylight dry your tears

I'm here

With you, beside you

To guard you and to guide you

Finley's heart was pounding as he sang so eloquently to her. Just like when they sang together last, she felt as if it was Jesse singing to her, not Raoul. He was beckoning her to let him in, to embrace their connection. Finley sighed, giving in to the magic of their shared moment.

[Finley]

Say you love me every waking moment

Turn my head with talk of summertime

Say you need me with you now

And always

Promise me

That all you say is true

That's all I ask of you

The way her tongue caressed the words, her lips kissed the lyrics, engrossed him. Everything about Finley Hudson engrossed him. The way she was singing to him, that she longed for him, engulfed him in a spiral of desire and... something more. Something passionate, something deeper.

[Jesse]

Let me be your shelter

Let me be your light

You're safe

No one will find you

Your fears are far behind you

[Finley]

All I want is freedom

A world with no more light

And you

Always beside me

To hold me and to hide me

Suddenly, everything clicked. Jesse's chest heaved as he processed the realization.

[Jesse]

Then say you'll share with me

One love, one lifetime

Let me lead you from your solitude

Say you need me with you here

Beside you

Anywhere you go, let me go too

Finley, that's all I ask of you

His eyes had darkened and his voice. Oh, god, his voice. His tone intensified and his voice dropped an octave, making Finley shiver at its ruggedness. She flushed as her body reacted to his voice.

[Finley]

Say you'll share with me

One love, one lifetime

Say the word and I will follow you

Share each day with me

Each night, each morning

The two hadn't realized that they were slowly leaning towards one another as they sang. It wasn't until that very moment that Finley realized how close Jesse's face was to hers. They were only inches apart. If Jesse leaned only a little further, his lips would brush against hers.

Finley began to tremble under his gaze. Her mouth had gone dry and her throat thick. Her voice was so light, it sounded like the chime of an angelic bell. Jesse held his breath as Finley opened her mouth to sing the final lyrics.

Say you love me

[Jesse]

You know I do

[Both]

Love me

That's all I ask of you

Anywhere you go, let me go too

Love me

That's all I ask of you

Finley watched as Jesse slowly lowered, his breath lightly fanning against her lips. She shut her eyes, desire overtaking all her senses. Her breath became shallow as his nose lightly brushed against hers. His lips were only an inch away from hers now.

One word passed through her mind. Rachel.

Finley gasped and jumped off the bench. Jesse lurched back in surprise. He had allowed his need, his impulse, his longing to overpower him. He was gasping for air as he finally came to his senses. He recognized Finley in front of him, her hands clutching her heart as she gaped in horror.

They had almost kissed. Only a second later, and there was no doubt his lips would have been on hers.

They stared at each other for a few moments. Neither of them said a word. They were trying to grasp what had just occurred between them. Suddenly, Finley turned and leapt off the stage. Jesse watched as she sprinted out of the auditorium, leaving him alone once again.

Jesse turned back to the piano, and all he could do was stare at the keys. He was still reeling from his realization, but he had no doubts about it. In fact, he welcomed the fact.

It hadn't been Raoul singing to Christine. It was Jesse singing to Finley. Every word he sang was true.

He was in love with Finley Hudson.

Chapter 9: RUN, JOEY, RUN

Chapter Text

[ 1.17 - 1.19 ]

❤️ Will Schuester & the New Directions | "Ice Ice Baby" - Vanilla Ice

🖤 Rachel, Puck, Jesse, & Finn | "Run, Joey, Run" - David Geddes

💜 Finley | "I Caught Myself" - Paramore

🤍 Kurt | "Rose's Turn" - Gypsy

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

𝘿𝙐𝙍𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙁𝙍𝙀𝙀 𝙋𝙀𝙍𝙄𝙊𝘿, Rachel and Jesse walked into the choir room after Finn to find Mercedes, Kurt, Tina, and Artie howling with laughter at something on a computer. "What's so funny?" Finn asked as he took a seat.

"You guys aren't watching me falling off stage at my first Tiny Tots beauty pageant, are you?" Rachel asked as she and Jesse peered over the computer.

"That was Carrot-Top funny compared to this comedic tour de force," Kurt waved her off while keeping his eyes on the screen. On the computer was a video of a woman with spiky ash-blonde hair dancing- more like writhing- against a wall while music played.

"That's Olivia Newton-John's 'Physical,'" Jesse noted. "It was pretty groundbreaking subject matter at the time considering its depiction of fluid sexuality."

"Wait, wait," Finn took a closer look at the screen. He recognized the familiar tracksuit. Then, the woman turned around, exposing her face. "That's not Olivia Newton-John, that's Sue Sylvester!" The group was laughing so hard they could barely breathe. "Where did you get this?" Finn asked in awe.

"I can tell you that I certainly did not steal it from her locked file cabinet yesterday when she sent me back to her office to get her hormone replacement injection during cheerios practice," Kurt replied, wheezing.

"Wait, did she just do the Cabbage Patch?" Artie questioned as they watched her dance on the screen.

"Oh my god, don't tell Finley, but I'm posting this on YouTube," Finn said as he grabbed the laptop.

"Wait, no, no, no!" Rachel quickly objected, making him pause. "Do you think that's a good idea? She might kill us," she panicked, referring to one terrifying cheerleading coach.

"Oh, let her get a taste of some of the humiliation she put us through," Mercedes waved her off while she, Tina, and Kurt mimicked the little punching movements she was doing on screen.

"I'm with Finn," Jesse said, surprising the group. It seemed Finley's good graces were not doing a great job of influencing their morals. "You guys need to stop being such asses and start being badasses."

Finn smirked wickedly as he took the laptop. "You swear not to tell Finley?" Jesse nodded. "Ten bucks it goes viral by lunch." Rachel gawked as Jesse took the bet.

"Who did it?" The group was silent as Mr. Schuester angrily held up a piece of paper that had spread throughout the school. "This is serious. Principal Figgins is threatening to disband the club." On the paper was a list of names, all of them members of the glee club, with points next to them ranking their alleged promiscuity. It read:

---

Glist

"Who's Hot- Who's Not!"

Quinn +45

Santana +43

Puck +38

Brittany +35

Jesse +29

Finn +19

Mike +11

Finley +8

Matt +5

Rachel -5

---

Finley didn't care that she was on the list. She was aware of the rumors going around. People were bitter, and jealousy was the number one motive for spreading cruel gossip and false information. But the nature of the list was still incredibly inappropriate and hurtful.

"Why are we playing this game?" Santana rolled her eyes, bored. "We all know it was Puck."

"Back off. I didn't do squat," Puck glared, defending himself.

"Then why is your girlfriend first on the Glist?" Tina questioned with an accusatory glare. She was bitter that she hadn't made it while Rachel had... Even though she was in the negatives.

Rachel was outraged by the fact too. "And why am I last?" She demanded. "Aside from the fact that I refused to put out for you."

"Ok, enough!" Finley yelled, surprising everyone. It was rare when Finley raised her voice. "No one is accusing anyone of anything!"

Mr. Schue turned to Puck in all seriousness. "Puck, seriously, did you do it?"

"Mr. Schue!" Finley glared angrily. If Puck said he didn't do it, he didn't do it! Puck was many things, but he was not a liar.

"I said no!" Puck defended again, hating how everyone was first to accuse him. It made sense why, but the fact that no one believed him the first time he defended himself hurt. At least Finley knew who he was and defended him as well. "I'm a delinquent, sure. I like setting stuff on fire and beating up people I don't know. I own that. But I'm not a liar." Finley nodded in solitude.

Mr. Schue's expression told her that he didn't fully believe Puck, but he moved on. "All right, here's the important point," he sighed. "Between this and posting Coach Sylvester's personal video on YouTube, you guys are getting a pretty bad reputation."

"Wait, it was one of you who did that?" Finley gasped in horror, gawking at the group. Everyone seemed to sink into their chairs- for Artie, his wheelchair- under her murderous gaze. Santana had shown Finley the video during lunch that day. Though it was hilarious, Finley had to admit, she felt bad for Coach Sue. She was so embarrassed that she had canceled practice that evening. Sue Sylvester never canceled practice, no matter rain or shine or snow or hurricane. "I cannot believe you guys." She then huffed and crossed her arms in her seat.

"Why is that a bad thing?" Artie asked, focusing back on Mr. Schue. "Maybe if we seem more dangerous, people would stop flushing my glasses down the toilet."

Mr. Schue sighed sympathetically as he began handing out sheet music to the group. "Look, things are hard right now. I get it. You're under a lot of pressure with Regionals coming up. And I know that winning Sectionals hasn't had a positive effect on your popularity that a lot of you thought it would. But becoming what you despise is not the answer," he scolded them.

"Man, this song is wack," Mercedes grimaced, reading the song he wanted them to perform. Even Finley had to agree, though she did so internally. Everyone else nodded in agreement with Mercedes.

"No, it's not. It's a terrific song on a long list of top hits, because of time or some bad press, has become a joke," he lectured. "And like you guys, it's time to start rehabilitating its bad reputation. The assignment for the week is for all of you to find songs like this, mine them for what works, and make them great again. And then, hopefully, you can apply this musical lesson to your own lives."

"This song should be arrested for the crime of sucking," Jesse quipped. The group laughed at his burn. Finley couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled out of her chest. Jesse glanced back and smiled. He had no contact with Finley over the weekend as he came to terms with his feelings for her. He liked that the first time she responded to him was with her bubbly, adorable laugh.

Finley cleared her throat as Mr. Schue gave her a look. "Sorry, Mr. Schue..."

"You wanna bet?" He eyed Jesse with a challenging gleam in his eye. The group groaned, knowing what was about to occur. They were about to enter Dante's tenth circle of hell- Will Schuester was going to rap. ❤️

The bassist began to play the opening notes to Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby." He pulled Mike and Finley from their seats, and they couldn't help but sing and dance along as he rapped the catchy song. Eventually, the entire glee club was up and dancing while he rapped. Finley laughed with joy as she, Brittany, and Santana copied his sick moves. She even allowed herself to smile as she and Jesse gave passing high-fives as they moved around the choir room. He was especially zealous at the fact.

By the time Mr. Schue finished, everyone was smiling and laughing at the fun. "This song is officially paroled!" Mr. Schue declared while everyone clapped for him. "Right, Jesse?"

Jesse laughed as he held his hands up in surrender, "You got me."

"Jesse could have done it better, but you did really good," Rachel told Mr. Schue. Finley shook her head at the absurdity of the comment. Jesse noticed and he gave her a nervous smile. His heart skipped a beat as she smiled back.

🎵

The Hudson twins sat nervously beside each other as Mr. Schuester stared them down. Well, more like he stared Finn down. That didn't stop Finley from fiddling with her hands out of anxiety. She was a rule follower and she hated being in trouble.

"Look, I don't like doing this any more than you do," he told the twins with an accusatory glare. "But if i don't find out who made the Glist and stop another from being published, the whole glee club's going down and I can't let that happen."

"I didn't do it, Mr. Schue, you have to believe me! I would never rank anyone except my favorite One Direction members! I would never do something so mean to my friends! You have to believe me, Mr. Schue, I would never!" Finley pleaded, speaking so fast it was difficult for Mr. Schue to keep up.

"Woah, Finley!" He raised his hand, ushering her to calm down. "I believe you." Finely gasped with relief and sunk into her chair. "Honestly, I never thought it was you. You're just here because I am being required to talk to everyone."

"Oh, ok," Finley nodded, her anxiety fading away. "Oh, and it wasn't Puck. In fact, he was being a gentlemen. The list was taped on Rachel's locker, so he moved it to spare her feelings." Mr. Schue still seemed unconvinced by the new information. He then turned to Finn.

"Look, I know I've been kind of angry lately and sometimes I kick over chairs and stuff, but I didn't do it!" Finn swore. Finley believed him.

"All of the pieces fit, Finn." But Mr. Schue did not. "You have a very big ax to grind with several people on that Glist," he pointed out. "Quinn broke your heart, Puck betrayed your friendship, Kurt's dad is dating your mom."

"That's a pretty solid list of motives," Finley hummed. Finn turned and gave her a "what the hell" look. "Not important, sorry. Oh, and there is no way Brittany did it. She doesn't know how to turn on a computer," she defended her other friend.

Mr. Schue then slammed his hands on his desk, causing the twins to jump in their seats in fear. "Look! I know you know something, and we're not leaving here until I get some answers!" He yelled at them, a vein bulging out of his forehead from his intensity. Finley scaredly raised her hand. "Yes?" He called on her.

"Mr. Schuester, may I be blunt?" She asked timidly. He sighed and sat down on his desk before motioning for her to continue. "Ever since you separated from your wife- Kurt informed me about you and Ms. Pillsbury and everything after cheerios practice a couple weeks ago- you've been spending a lot of late nights watching reruns of Law & Order, haven't you?" The lack of a response told Finley all she needed to know. "Thought so," she hummed. "Again, neither Finn or I made the Glist."

"Right," Mr. Schue sighed.

Finley gave him a sympathetic look. "Sorry, Mr. Schue. I'm sure you'll find out who it is soon enough."

"Thanks, Finley," he gave her a small smile.

Finley raised her hand again. "Um, Mr. Schue? As much as we'd love to stay here longer while you interrogate us, Finn and I have to meet up with Santana and Brittany. We're helping Rachel out with her Bad Reputation project."

"Oh. Yeah, you both are free to go," he nodded, his expression tired. With a grateful nod, the twins raced out of the office.

🎵

Finley sat beside her twin, Puck in the seat diagonally behind her, as the glee club meeting started. They were going to watch Rachel's project!

It had been a week since Coach Sue's video being leaked and the Glist going up. Sue had managed to rid herself of humiliation with a new video. She and Olivia Newton-John- yes, the real Olivia freaking Newton-John- created a new video to her song "Physical," and it was a hit. Finley was happy that everything had worked out well for Coach Sue.

Mr. Schue finished setting up a projector screen before turning to the group. "All right, guys, listen up," he grabbed everyone's attention. "Another week has almost passed. If a list goes up again after today, this issue is out of my hands, and it becomes Principal Figgins's jurisdiction."

"Seriously, Mr. Schue, whoever made that list isn't gonna come forward. We might as well just bend over and take whatever's coming," Finn told Mr. Schue with a dejected expression.

Mr. Schue eyed every one of the members with an expectant expression. "Fine," he clipped when nobody owned up. "Ok, well then, let's get to it. Rachel, how about you show us your Bad Reputation project?"

Rachel nodded excitedly and walked up to the front of the room. "I'd like to say a few words first. Though I understand that a motion picture should stand on its own, I do realize that some of you are not well-versed in the complex vocabulary of filmic arts. I expect that this video will go over some of the heads of our less-cultured teammates," she glanced at Brittany and Matt, making Finley frown. "So let me just say, I hope you enjoy my bad reputation." Rachel sat back in her seat and Jesse draped his arm over her shoulders.

Finley and Finn shared an excited look as the lights turned off and the video began. David Geddes's "Run, Joey, Run" began to play and the video opened up with Finley, Brittany, and Santana in the school hallway dressed in draped white dresses and angel wings. The ground was covered in artificial fog. There were some... interesting editing choices, to put it lightly. The three girls stepped out of frame and Rachel emerged. 🖤

[Rachel]

Daddy, please don't

It wasn't his fault

He means so much to me

Daddy, please don't

We're gonna get married

Just you wait and see

Puck's face appeared on the screen. He was on a bed with an ugly brown part work quilt. Finley and Finn shared a confused look. Why was Puck there? Rachel cast Finn to play Joey. Had she changed her mind and reshot everything without telling them?

Finley turned around to look at Puck. Puck had a smirk as Quinn and Santana gawked at him. Finley would have laughed at Santana's gawking expression if she wasn't so confused.

Finley glanced at Jesse, and he had the same dubious look on his face that Finn had. Maybe Rachel had included Puck and he didn't know? It was odd to use an ex-fling rather than her own boyfriend. Yet again, she had cast Finn and they used to date. The entire thing was very strange.

[Puck]

Every night, the same old dream

I hate to close my eyes

I can't erase the memory

The sound of Julie's cry's

She called me up, late that night

She said, "Joe, don't come over

My dad and I just had a fight

And he stormed out the door

There were some even more... interesting editing choices. Finley glanced back over at Jesse and noticed he was staring at the screen. His expression matched the same Finley had made the first time she had watched a video in health class of a baby being born

To sum it up in two words- utter horror.

I've never seen him act this way

My god, he's goin' crazy

He said he's gonna make you pay

For what we've done

He's got a gun

So run

Joey, run

Joey, run

A weird transition involving a star changed the scene, going back to Rachel in the hallway. She was pressed against the lockers singing while students were walking past her on their ways to class. And some even more... interesting editing choices.

[Rachel]

Daddy, please don't

It wasn't his fault

He means so much to me

Daddy, please don't

We're gonna get married

Just you wait and see

Two hearts enlarged and then shrunk, changing the scene again. A car pulled up in the night and a new voice everyone recognized as Jesse's began to sing. It was confirmed when Jesse got out of the car and Rachel appeared to run to him on screen.

The twins shared an even more confused look. Finley looked back at Puck to see if he knew what was going on, but his expression had changed from co*cky to fury. It appeared he was also unaware of Rachel's casting choices.

[Jesse]

Got in my car

And I drove like mad

Till I reached Julie's place

She ran to me with tear-filled eyes

And bruises on her face

Suddenly, Sandy Ryerson, the old glee club coach before Mr. Schue took over, appeared on screen with a gun.

Finley had no words. All she could do was gawk. In fact, all everyone in the glee club could do was gawk as the video continued.

All at once, I saw him there

Sneaking up behind me

[Rachel]

Watch out!

[Jesse]

Then Julie yelled, "He's got a gun!"

[Finn]

And she stepped in front of me

Finley gasped as Jesse disappeared and Finn took his place on screen. With the editing, it looked like the scene hadn't even been altered. Finn, Puck, and Finley whipped around sharply to Jesse, who was staring back at Finn in alarm. It appeared that Rachel had triple-casted the part of Joey and didn't tell anyone. Not even her own boyfriend.

Suddenly, a shot rang out

And I saw Julie falling

A sign that said "bang" shot out of the gun. Rachel then collapsed in Finn's arms dramatically. Her dress was suddenly soaked with red liquid as Finn held her in his arms while singing.

Finley physically jumped in her seat in discomfort as she and her twin watched. Every one of Finn's muscles were tense. He was as furious about this video as the other two guys were.

I ran to her

I held her close

When I looked down

My hands were red

And here's the last words Julie said

Finn held up his hand to the camera and showed off his red-colored hand. Finley choked. She glanced back at Jesse to see his reaction to the train wreck of a video they were watching. Jesse's mouth was agape as he drew his arm away from Rachel. He was gaping at her while she watched the screen with an excited smile. She obviously hadn't noticed the horrified and disturbed expressions on everyone else's faces.

[Rachel]

Daddy, please don't

It wasn't his fault

He means so much to me

Daddy, please don't

We're gonna... get... married....

Rachel then went slack in Finn's arms. Angel feathers then covered her and the scene transitioned back to the school hallway. In an edited montage with even more interesting- no, horrendous- editing choices, Puck, Jesse, and Finn were storming down the fogged hall in the same outfit- a leather jacket with a white undershirt and dark wash jeans. It switched between the three guys, and at one point, their videos were side-by-side with all three on the screen at once.

All of the guys leered with mortification, but Rachel was none the wiser as she stayed focused on the screen.

[Puck, Jesse, & Finn]

Run

Joey, run

Joey, run

Joey, run

Joey, run

Joey, run

Joey, run

The video ended with Santana, Finley, and Brittany on the screen in their angel costumes. The three stepped aside to reveal Rachel donned in a matching draped white dress and angel wings. She then smiled and winked as the word "fin" appeared on the screen.

Brittany and Santana clapped- mainly for themselves- and the rest of the room slowly joined, still processing what they had just watched. Rachel walked back to the center of the room as the lights turned back on. Her proud and excited expression fell when she took in the expressions of her four other cast mates. "Well, why don't we just... um... take a moment to really absorb what we've just watched," she said nervously. She waited for the compliments and praise she expected to receive from her fellow glee club members, but everyone was either silent or too slack-jawed to reply. "Finley!" Finley froze as Rachel looked to her expectantly. "What did you think?" Finley could never be mean to anyone. She was bound to have some compliments.

"I.. um... um..." Finley tried to find the words to express what she was feeling without insulting the video or her friend. It was proving to be very difficult. "It was very... creative? Um... the editing was very... um... different from what we've seen before. And... uh... your dress was pretty?" With each compliment, Finley pitch got higher and higher until it was basically a squeak. She looked around, praying someone would cut in and save her, but no one would meet her gaze. "And it was... um... it was..."

"This is garbage!" Finn shouted, unable to hold back anymore. He was absolutely enraged. Rachel's smile from Finley's weak compliments fell.

"Finn!" Mr. Schue yelled sharply, not wanting Rachel to be insulted when she had worked so hard.

"No, he's right!" Puck joined in agreement, just as enraged. "First of all, I need to trust my instincts more because I had a feeling when we were shooting that that it was not gonna be good." Rachel's face pinched in offense.

"Why didn't you tell me they were in this too?" Jesse exclaimed, glaring at Rachel. "I thought you and I were going out? Being triple cast with two other guys to play opposite your girlfriend? It's mortifying!"

"It was an artistic statement!" Rachel defended, causing Jesse to lean back in his seat and refuse to engage with her any longer. She was surprised by the uproar. She had honestly thought it wouldn't be a big deal. Considering Jesse was such an artist, she thought he would appreciate the creativeness and artistry of her project.

"No, it wasn't," Finn snapped. "It was you trying to look like you had a bunch of guys fighting over you so you could stop looking like some outcast and be seen as some hot, slu*tty girl singer!" Finley kept her mouth shut as Finn got out of his chair and walked over to her. "How could you do this to me? To all the guys? Is your stupid reputation more important than your relationships?" He then walked out. Jesse and Puck then got up to follow him out.

Finley grabbed hers and his bags and moved to follow him. Before she and the rest of the guys left, she stopped in front of Rachel. "Rachel, I understand what you were trying to do here, but you really messed up. Big time." She gave Rachel a sympathetic look before moving to leave. Jesse walked alongside her, wanting to get out as fast as possible.

"Jesse, wait!" Rachel called out helplessly as she reached out to stop her boyfriend.

Jesse evaded her advance. He instead took Finley's bag off her hands and slung it over his shoulder, leaving her only having to carry her brothers. "Let's get out of here," he said to her. The rest of the group watched as the four stormed out of the room.

Finley and Jesse walked around the halls for Finn in silence. There was a pinch between his two brows and all of his features were hard, telling Finley he was still very much upset. She didn't want to bother him so she stayed quiet. Eventually they found Finn in the weight room with Puck. There was loud, angry metal music blasting from a speaker as they repeatedly punched some punching bags. Finley left Finn's bag by the speaker before leaving them alone. When Finn got upset, he got UPSET. And Finley did not want to deal with that.

After leaving the boys to rage, Finley and Jesse wandered the school halls. They made sure to avoid the hall with the choir room. The halls were devoid of students, everyone either at their respective clubs, practices, or out. The hallway windows allowed the afternoon sun to illuminate the hallways, providing a light warmth. After about 5 minutes more of silent walking, Jesse spoke. "You know, before I transferred here to make Rachel my girlfriend, I asked around about her, found out her rep, what kind of girl she was."

"What did they say?" Finley asked. The two had reached the library and noticed the bench where they had spoken some time ago was open. They both took a seat beside each other and Finley turned her head to face Jesse.

"Most of them had no idea who she was," he told her. "The ones that did said she was kind of sneaky hot, but that that quality was canceled out by a compulsive need to be right and a strange affinity for sweaters with animals on them. The most interesting part was that even though no one particularly liked her, they all said she was a person who could be trusted." Finley hated to see Jesse so troubled. What Rachel had done hurt him, and now he felt like he couldn't trust her anymore. She had broken him.

Finley didn't condone what Rachel had done, but she didn't want Rachel's life to fall apart because of one mistake. Finley thought about what it must be like to live in Rachel's shoes. She had always been ignored at school, and when she wasn't, people were being cruel to her. Finley had witness that cruelty first-hand, and often at her friends' hands. Rachel hadn't intended to hurt Jesse or Puck or Finn. It was just a careless mistake. "She still is..." Finley told Jesse carefully. "I think she just has this pathological need to be popular. I think she just wants people to think she's cool so bad sometimes that it clouds her judgment. I mean, as a star in the making, I'm sure you could understand that."

Jesse sighed dejectedly. "On that level, sure. But as the guy who gave up everything to be her one and only, I just can't see past this. I should have been enough for Rachel." Finley couldn't argue with that. Rachel had Jesse St. freaking James, and she basically threw him away in order to salvage her reputation, which wasn't even that bad. But after the stunt she had just pulled, she had only made it worse. The broken expressoin on Jesse's face broke her heart. "Why wasn't I enough for her, Finley?"

"You are enough, Jesse," Finley vehemently told him. She was perplexed how Jesse couldn't see how amazing he was. If he was not enough for Rachel, then Rachel never deserved him. "Don't let anyone ever make you believe otherwise. You are everything a girl could possibly want and more. You're sweet, and kind, and caring, and so fun to be around. You make me feel beautiful without having to say a word. All it takes is the look in your eyes, and I feel like the prettiest girl in the world. You're so supportive and encouraging. Not to mention you're gorgeous and creative and so freaking talented. You are enough, Jesse."

Jesse was stunned by her. While everyone else sought to only see the worst in him, she had found the best parts. She was the only person who saw Jesse for who he truly was- a boy broken by the competitive and cruel world around him, but a hidden heart of gold. As if he couldn't already love Finley Hudson more, but here he was, doing just that. Everything about her, her kindness, her softness, her beauty, her intelligence, only caused him to fall further and further in love.

He wanted to shout his love from the rooftops, sing it from the clouds, declare it over the city lights. But he couldn't. Finley would panic and only run away again. He would not let that happen. Not again. He had vowed he would do anything to get Finley. If that meant sacrificing his pride and heart to honor her stubbornness and reluctance to give in to her feelings, then so be it.

He plastered on a smirk, making Finley both smile and tense in response. "So... I'm charming and gorgeous, huh?" He watched as the flush he loved so much flooded her cheeks. "And, quote, 'so freaking talented.' You flatter me, Finley. I didn't know you thought so highly of me."

Finley rolled her eyes but laughed lightly. "Don't let it get to your head, reindeer. I was just trying to stroke your ego."

"There are other things you could stroke," he purred.

Finley gasped at the innuendo, but quickly recovered. "Yeah, your fur as you cosplay Blitzen," she quipped. For the first time since Jesse had come to McKinley, he laughed. It was a full belly laugh., the kind that made it impossible to breathe. "God, I missed this," he wheezed as he wiped oncoming tears away from his eyes.

"I had to take your ego down a peg," Finley giggled as Jesse calmed himself. "Is it too soon to bring up 'Run, Joey, Run?'" Jesse blanched, telling her all she needed to know. "Ok, ok, I won't bring it up," she promised him with an amused smile. "But I did dig the leather jacket."

"Oh, really?" Jesse perked at the comment.

"Yep. Oh, and my part. My performance was Oscar-worthy. I made a fantastic angel," she told him in all seriousness.

"I couldn't agree more," Jesse said softly with a smile, making her blush once again. When the video had begun, all Jesse could do was admire the way the white dress clung to her curves. Seeing her as a literal angel only further proved that she was in fact one. She was a divine sight. Jesse wanted a photo of her so he could admire her for the rest of time. "Oh, I forgot to tell you, I am visiting my parents in Bali for the next week." Finley's expression fell a bit. She was sad that she wouldn't be able to see Jesse. Everything was slowly going back to the way it was. She and him could laugh and joke again.

"Oh. That sounds amazing. I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun," Finley forced herself to smile again. Jesse could see right through it, though. She was sad that he was living. He was thrilled. "Are you excited to see your parents?"

Jesse shrugged, unbothered. "I love them and I talk to them every week. They dote on me as their pride and joy. I have missed them, but something else has been keeping my attention lately." He then winked at Finley, making her blush. "Will you miss me?"

"I will." He had never heard lovelier words.

Jesse and Finley talked and laughed together, all worries and negative feelings evoked by the meeting gone. And as Finley left to go home with her brother, this time she didn't stop the fantasies of one Jesse St. James as they played in her mind.

🎵

The next Monday, Finley was busy doodling unicorns with Brittany on the sheet music when Puck walked in the room. Everyone could do nothing but gape as he took his seat. Brittany leaned in to Finley and whispered, "who is that guy?"

Everyone made no comment to Puck, everyone too terrified to ask him about his now mohawk-less head. Finley knew what had happened. Puck's mother had found a mole on the back of his head and forced him to visit the dermatologist. He had to shave his Mohawk off to check it out, and it turned out to be nothing but a normal freckle.

Finley knew the topic of his hair was still sensitive for Puck, so she went on normally. Mr. Schue shook his head as he took his focus off Puck and back on the club. He began rehearsal and led everyone through some vocal exercises.

🎵

The next day, the New Directions walked into rehearsal only to get an angry scolding from Mr. Schuester. Rachel had apparently bugged the choir room so she could find out who was singing and who wasn't during rehearsals. She was upset that as the lead soloist, she was the only one who was actually putting in any effort. She then proceeded to provide Mr. Schue with a list of names of all the members who were not "pulling their weight." Finley wasn't on the list, but Finn was, as well as Quinn, Santana, Brittany, and Puck. "I am very disappointed in your guys," he told the teens with a glare.

"Can't believe you narked on us," Finn gaped at Rachel with betrayal.

"Don't get mad at me for exposing your laziness," she fired back unapologetically while turning to accusingly glare at the other members. "I'm tired of carrying all of your weight. Regionals is a month away, guys."

"I'm just trying to understand what's going on here, guys," Mr. Schue said. "Finn, why did you stop singing?"

Finn grimaced with embarrassment. "'Cause you started giving all the male leads to Jesse. It kind of shook my confidence, you know?"

Santana sighed with boredom. "What difference does it make? Everyone knows that my job here is to look hot."

"My baby hormones are making me moody," Quinn defended.

"There are so many lyrics," Brittany whined. Finley squeezed her arm lightly in comfort.

"Ok," Mr. Schue huffed with displeasure. "A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. A glee club is about a myriad of voices coming together as one, all right? This ends now. Which is why your assignment for the week is for each of you to come up with a song that best represents how you see yourself. Your voice. Then you're going to stand up here and sing your hearts out. All of you."

"Solos? In front of everyone?" Kurt gasped excitedly. Finally, he would get to sing!

Mr. Schue nodded. "The glee club has lost its voice. It's time for us to get it back." The rest of the period was spent brainstorming song ideas.

When the bell rang, Finley and Finn walked out to grab the rest of their work from their teachers. Finley made sure to stop by her locker to grab her red cheerio pom poms. Burt was taking them out of their afternoon classes to go watch a baseball game! The Hudson twins had never been to a major league game before so they were very excited. Though Finley wasn't as sports-obsessed as the two guys, she could enjoy a good game. Once they got all their things, they met up with Burt, who was busy talking to Kurt in the hall. "All right, we're ready!" Finn called. He and Finley were practically vibrating with excitement.

"Go Red Team!" Finley cheered while shaking her pom poms.

"It's actually the Reds, not the red team," Finn corrected her.

"Oh," she hummed. "Well, then, go Reds Team!"

Burt and Finn shared an assumed look. Finley was very intelligent, but she wasn't the smartest when it came to sports. "Close enough," Burt laughed with a shrug. "All right, you both, I'll meet you by the car." The twins nodded and rushed out. Burt turned back to Kurt with a grin. "This is gonna be so great for them, and it means a lot to their mom, too. Hey, I'll see you at home. I'll be home around midnight," he bade goodbye to Kurt before hurrying off to join the twins.

Kurt watched as his father disappeared around the corner. He had never been so hurt in his life. Sure, he wasn't a fan of sports, but he could have at least been invited. It just felt to him that his family was growing without him. Like, now that Burt had Finn and Finley, he no longer needed Kurt.

🎵

Finley and Finn sat together as they gushed about the past night's game with Mike and Matt. They had the best time with Burt! He even got Finley a jersey so she could remember the night. Kurt didn't engage in the conversation. Finley noticed how down he looked as he cast little glances at her and Finn. She made a mental note to talk to him after rehearsal.

The bell rang, signifying the beginning of the meeting. "All right, guys," Mr. Schue clapped. "Let's get things started."

Rachel got to her feet and took her place on the center of the floor. "As I was first on the sign-up sheet, I'll kick things off." Mr. Schue nodded and let her continue. "I have chosen Miley Cyrus's 'The Climb' because it's about overcoming obstacles and beating the odds. In my case, the obstacle is you," she gave pointed looks to everyone, "my lackluster teammates who refuse to carry their own weight." Finley sighed at the dig while glanced away. Mercedes shook her head while Kurt simply rolled his eyes. Santana and Brittany couldn't be more unbothered, instead of paying attention they were fixing their makeup. They never listened to anything Rachel said anyway.

Rachel motioned for Brad the piano player to begin. Rachel then began to sing the opening lyrics of the song. Everyone was in shock as she sang. Rachel was completely off-key and her voice sounded strained and nasally. Santana put down her compact mirror as she realized what was happening. A smirk appeared on her face as devilish as the Cheshire Cat. She was absolutely loving this. Everyone either look away or gawked at her as she sang. Finley tried to hide her alarmed expression as best she could, but she couldn't stop herself from wincing as Rachel attempted to hit a particularly high note. She sounded like nails on a chalkboard.

The piano suddenly cut off, and Finley internally cried in relief. "Rachel..." Mr. Schue said carefully, "I think you've lost your voice." Rachel's horrified expression was all it took for Mr. Schue to cut rehearsals off early for the day. Finley grabbed her bag and raced after Kurt as he left the room.

"Hey, Kurt, wait up." She caught up to him and together they walked to his locker. "How are you? You seemed a little down in glee club."

Kurt sighed. He knew Finley didn't mean any harm. She couldn't hurt a fly if she tried. But that didn't lessen the bitter taste in his mouth. But he didn't want to make her feel bad. He knew she wasn't at fault for anything. "It's just... hearing about you and Finn and my dad, it makes me feel like... like I've been replaced."

"Oh, Kurt," Finley gasped. "That wasn't our intention at all. Burt told us you weren't coming and we just assumed you didn't want to go. And I didn't mean to rub it in your face. I'm sorry, Kurt." Her heart hurt for him. She felt so awful. She loved hanging out with Burt, but she didn't want her and Finn's joy to be at Kurt's expense.

"You did nothing wrong," Kurt assured her with a sad smile. "I just wish things were different, you know?" Finley didn't get the chance to respond.

"Hey, lady-face." They both turned as Coach Sue walked up to them. "I noticed you both weren't at cheerios practice yesterday and I don't look kindly on absenteeism."

"I'm sorry, Coach. I was at a baseball game with my brother," she apologized. She flinched at the cold and unforgiving look Sue shot her.

"I am so sorry, Ms. Sylvester. It won't happen again," Kurt apologized too. "Something happened that really upset me. It's my dad. He's the most important thing in the world to me. I love him, and I'm afraid I might be losing him because of my... sexuality," he confessed.

"Your sexuality? How old are you, 16?" Coach Sue snapped. "Have you even kissed a boy?"

"No," he answered.

"Have you ever kissed a girl?"

"No," he repeated.

"Well, then, how can you possibly know what you like?" She scoffed. "You see, that's the problem with your generation. You're obsessed with your labels. So you like show tunes. Doesn't mean you're gay. It just means you're awful." Finley winced at her insults, but she had to admit, Sue's advice wasn't horrible. "You know, there's only one person in this world who can tell you what you are."

Kurt smiled. "Me?"

"No, me. Sue Sylvester," she deadpanned with complete seriousness, making Kurt's smile fall. "And she hasn't quite made up her mind about you."

"Wait, I have an idea," Kurt exclaimed. "Our assignment for glee club is to find a song that reflects your voice-"

"Yeah, you know what, I checked out of this conversation about a minute back," Sue cut him off. "So, uh, good luck with your troubles and I'm gonna make it a habit not to stop and talk to students 'cause this has been a collateral waste of my time." Kurt and Finley shared blank looks as the cheerleading coach then stalked off. "Oh, and Hudson?" She called out behind her. "Next time you skip practice, you're gonna run circles on the track until you puke."

"Got it! Sorry, Coach!" Finley called back as Sue disappeared down the hallway. She made note to never skip practice ever again. Not if she wanted to face the wrath of one Sue Sylvester.

🎵

Finn and Rachel had effectively made up and were friends again. Finn's anger about Rachel's Bad Reputation project evaporated when she got sick. His feelings for her had stirred up again, and he was going to translate them into song for him to sing.

Finley figured out the night before what she was going to sing for Mr. Schue's assignment. Jesse had been gone for only a couple days, but Finley missed him oh so much. Even if she wanted to call him, the call was too expensive for her. It was when she was writing in her diary that her mind drifted to Jesse. It seemed he constantly occupied her thoughts those days.

Mr. Schue wanted voice? Finley was going to give him her voice.

After sitting through a painfully awkward performance of Rick Springfield's "Jessie's Girl" from brother dearest that was so obviously directed at Rachel, it was Finley's turn to perform. Her hands were trembling lightly as she walked to the front of the choir room. She knew that the only reason she could perform was because Jesse wasn't there. There was no way she could handle this with his eyes on her, and even more so if his arm was around Rachel.

"Finley, what are you going to sing for us?" Mr. Schue asked her.

"I am going to sing Paramore's 'I Caught Myself,'" Finley answered with a shaky breath.

"You watched Twilight too?" Tina asked. "Who is your favorite Cullen?"

"Carlisle, Rosalie, and Alice, obviously," Finley answered with a smile. Tina's question distracted her, making her nerves calm a bit thankfully. Mr. Schue then coughed, bringing her attention back. Finley refocused and motioned for the band to begin. The opening guitar riff filled the room as Finley prepared to sing. 💜

[Finley]

Down to you

You're pushing and pulling me down to you

But I don't know what I

Now when I caught myself

I had to stop myself

I'm saying something that

I should have never thought

Now when I caught myself

I had to stop myself

I'm saying something that

I should have never thought of you

of you

You're pushing and pulling me down to you

But I don't know what I want

No I don't know what I want

Everyone danced in their seats as Finley performed. Her energy was electric as she sang and danced. At one point, she had made her way over to the band and they joined in on the dancing with her. If Finley Hudson asked you to dance, then you better have freaking danced.

You got it, you got it

Some kind of magic

Hypnotic, hypnotic

You're leaving me breathless

I hate this, I hate this

You're not the one I believe in

With God as my witness

Now when I caught myself

I had to stop myself

I'm saying something that

I should have never thought

Now when I caught myself

I had to stop myself

I'm saying something that

I should have never thought of you

You're pushing and pulling me down to you

But I don't know what I want

No I don't know what I want

Finley poured all her feelings, her heart and soul, into the song. In the empty chair beside Rachel, she pretended that ocean blue eyes were staring back at her. Quinn and Puck watched as the only two in the room who knew what the song meant to Finley.

She was putting her internal conflict, her feelings for Jesse, her respect for Rachel, all on display. They had no doubt that if Jesse had been there he would have leapt from his seat and finally taken Finley in his arms. They didn't know if it was good that he was in Bali or not.

Don't know what I want

But I know it's not you

Keep pushing and pulling me down

But I know in my heart it's not you

Now when I caught myself

I had to stop myself

I'm saying something that

I should have never thought

Now when I caught myself

I had to stop myself

I'm saying something that

I should have never thought of you

I knew

I know in my heart it's not you

I knew

But now I know what I want

I want, I want

Oh no, I should have never thought

The group cheered as Finley finished her performance. Mike whistled while Brittany hollard "Finley!" Finley quickly rushed back to her seat and Finn hugged her in congratulation. "Wow, Finley! Excellent, absolutely amazing job!" Mr. Schue praised, clapping for her. "So much heart, so much emotion, so much voice! Where did you channel all of it? Who was the song for?"

"Uh..." Finley didn't know what to say. She looked around the room and found everybody's eyes on her, waiting for her to respond.She couldn't tell everyone the truth, especially Rachel. There was a reason she had sung without Jesse there. "Um..."

"Mr. Schue, can I sing my song now?" Puck interjected thankfully. He glanced at Finley, and after realizing she wasn't going to answer, he let Puck take the floor. Two guys from a jazz band he had previously joined entered the room. He then proceeded to sing "The Lady is a Tramp" by Mitzi Green. It was fairly obvious he was trying to impress Mercedes. Finley didn't know that Puck had a thing for her, as she was distracted by Jesse's hair and Jesse's eyes and Jesse's voice and... just Jesse. Mercedes ended up joining him on the floor and the two sang together. Their voices complemented each other and they sounded beautifully together. The only person not enjoying the show was Santana, who was staring daggers at Mercedes as she danced with her ex-lover.

🎵

On Friday in the choir room, Finley was braiding Quinn's hair when all of her attention was pulled away by Kurt walking into the room dressed in a trucker hat, a puffer vest, a gray Henley, and baggy jeans- the exact opposite of everything Kurt had ever worn.

"Mr. Schue?" Kurt asked as he approached their teacher. Finley was taken aback by the low pitch and little country accent his voice held now. "I'd like to start us off. I believe I've found a song that finally expresses my true voice."

"Ok..." Mr. Schue eyed Kurt's outfit weirdly before sitting down.

Kurt glanced at the band, "Gentlemen." John Mellencamp's "Pink Houses" began to play and Finley couldn't believe what she was watching as Kurt sang. One thing she knew for sure, this was not the true Kurt Hummel.

When he finished, everyone slowly clapped with confused expressions on their faces. Finley had a disappointed look on her face, which Kurt promptly avoided. Mr. Schue didn't even bother clapping. "Is there something wrong, Mr. Schue?" Kurt questioned, his upper lip curling from the twang.

"I don't really think you got the point of the assignment," he answered honestly. "This was about finding a song that expresses who you are. That song didn't really sound like you."

"Well, I'm sorry if I didn't live up to your expectations," Kurt responded.

"No, no," Mr. Schue shook his head, his message not coming through clearly to Kurt. "This group needs you to be you, Kurt. You can literally do things no one else can."

"I'm not a box," Kurt said defensively. "There are more than four sides to me."

"Don't lose track of who you are just because it might be easier to be somebody else," Mr. Schue told him. Kurt simply turned and walked out. Brittany quickly ran up to him and they spoke for a few moments before she returned back to her seat. She had a small idea of what was going on with Kurt, but she had no clue what Brittany could have wanted him for.

🎵

It didn't take long for her to find out. The next day at school, Finley was baffled when she noticed their interlocked hands as Kurt, still dressed in a trucker hat that he paired with a red hoodie and band t-shirt, and Brittany walked down the halls. "What the..." Finley mumbled as she and Burt made their way towards the couple.

"Hey, Kurt!" Burt called him.

"Dad. Hey," Kurt faced them, his eyes wide in surprise.

"Finn caught a foul ball in the ninth, so that means free hoagies at Lenny's Hoagies and half-price at the motocross tonight so I promised I'd take him," Burt told him with a proud smile. "Finley helped me find you to tell you. Hi," he smiled at Brittany.

Kurt's throat bobbed as he swallowed, taking in the news. He had changed himself so his dad could finally take notice of him, and still nothing had changed! "Can you excuse us for a minute, boo?" He mumbled to Brittany.

"What?" Brittany asked, confused.

"Just go away," Kurt shooed her off. His expression was upset and his voice went back to normal as he turned to Burt. "Did you ever think that that might be something I wanted to do with you?"

Burt sighed. "Look, Kurt, Finn needs a buddy right now, ok? At the game, he got talking about his dad, and you know, his mom thinks it's a really good thing for him. He hasn't handled it in the same way Finley has," he told Kurt. "Look, I promise you, we will hang out as much as you want, ok? Just not tonight."

Before Finley could say anything, Kurt swiftly turned and walked away. "Burt, Kurt really misses you. He feels like he's been replaced with you spending so much time with Finn and me," Finley explained to Burt. She felt so sad, so guilty for Kurt's pain. She loved Burt, but she never wanted to get in between him and Kurt. Burt was surprised by the revelation. He had no idea his son felt that way. He couldn't have Kurt thinking he didn't love him anymore.

"Oh, god," Burt gasped in anguish. "I need to fix this. Where is he? Where is he going?"

Finley had a pretty good guess. Burt followed her as she ran to the auditorium. They came to a stop as Kurt stepped onto the stage. He was back in his normal clothes. How he changed that fast was a mystery- yet again, he was Kurt Hummel. If anyone could master a quick change, it was him. He was seething, angry, hurt. They watched with apt attention as Kurt began to sing a rendition of Gypsy's "Rose's Turn." 🤍

[Kurt]

All that work and what did it get me?

Why did I do it?

Scrapbooks full of me in the background

Give 'em love and what does it get ya

hat does it get you?

One quick look as each of 'em leaves you

All your life and what does it get ya?

Thanks a lot and out with the garbage

They take bows and you're battin' zero

I had a dream

I dreamed it for you, Dad

It wasn't for me, Dad

And if it wasn't for me

Then where would you be

Miss Rachel Berry?

Well, someone tell me, when is it my turn?

Don't I get a dream for myself?

Starting now it's gonna be my turn

Gangway, world, get off of my runway

Starting now I bat a thousand

This time, boys, I'm taking the bows and

Everything's coming up Kurt

Everything's coming up Hummel

Everything's coming up Kurt

This time for me

For me! For me! For me!

For me! For me! For me!

He was absolutely magnificent. It was flashy, it was dramatic, it was flare and power. The raw emotion, the rage. It was his voice.

Finley and Burt had to clap. They had to. Kurt was a star. Kurt looked up in surprise. He had thought he was alone as he poured his heart out. "Wow, Kurt," Finley breathed as she gaped at him with amazement. "That was incredible."

"That was some serious singing, kid," Burt smiled, making his way toward his son. Finley stayed in the stands. Kurt needed this. He needed his dad.

Kurt gracefully brushed a loose strand of hair away from his face as he looked at them. "That was 'Rose's Turn,'" he told him.

"I could get into that, maybe," Burt nodded as he stepped onto the stage.

"What happened to the hoagies?" Kurt asked, glancing at Finley.

"Uh... blew it off," Burt shrugged. "Too much cholesterol."

Kurt was surprised. "I bet Finn was disappointed," Kurt muttered.

"We texted him while you were singing," Finley informed him.

"He understood once I told him how bent out of shape I thought you were," Burt added.

"Me? I'm fine," he lied. Burt wasn't convinced. He eyed the glistening wetness that covered his son's eyes.

Burt made sure he was looking straight into his eyes. "Kurt, I'm dumb, but I'm not stupid," he asserted. "And I have no idea what that song was about, but 'fine' don't sing like you just sung." Kurt looked away, hating how vulnerable he was, and that his dad could see it. "Look," Burt sighed, "maybe I got carried away doing stuff with Finn, but, you know, I told you this thing was going to be hard."

"Thing with me?" Kurt scoffed. "You mean being gay."

Yeah, being gay," Burt nodded honestly. "Look, I will fight to the death for your right to love whoever you want. But when you were a little baby in my arms, did I dream about taking you to baseball games and talking about girls? Yeah, I did," he admitted. "A lot of fathers do."

"I had no idea how disappointing I was," Kurt said, his voice breaking as his tears threatened to fall. He turned to walk away, not willing to hear more about what a disappointment he was to his father. But Burt wouldn't let him.

"Hey, come on, now. Stop it right now," Burt ordered. "I'm talking straight to you. Don't go playing the victim. You know that's not what I mean."

Kurt turned back around to face his father. "I know," he croaked, his throat thick with emotion. "I'm sorry. I know you're working hard on yourself to make all this ok. Just seeing you, the way you are with Finn, and even with Finley... how easy it is with them both, breaks my heart," he confessed. He finally allowed his tears to fall.

It all made sense to Burt now. "Is that why you were pretending to date that daffy cheerleader? And dress differently, and singing Mellencamp?" Burt asked.

"I just want you to know that... I'm going to work as hard as you to make this ok," Kurt promised him.

"You don't have to work at anything, Kurt," he told him. He made sure Kurt was looking into his eyes and his words were loud and clear. He needed Kurt to understand. "Your job is to be yourself. And my job is to love you no matter what. Ok? That and a majority ownership in a tire store, that's all we got. Ok? We stick to that, we're going to be great."

Kurt sniffled as he took in his father's words. "I missed you, Dad," he whimpered.

"Oh, come here," Burt grabbed Kurt and pulled him into a tight hug. "I love you."

Kurt laid his head on his dad's shoulders, soaking in his love. "I love you, too."

Finley wiped her silent tears away as she took in the loving scene. Burt met her gaze from over Kurt's shoulder. She could see a sheen on his eyes, telling her he was on the verge of crying. "Thank you," he mouthed to her, his grip on Kurt tightening. Finley simply smiled before turning and leaving the two to their private moment.

🎵

Tuesday morning, Finley was organizing her locker before she made her way to the cafeteria to eat with the rest of the cheerios. She stacked all of her books in rainbow order, red being her first class and violet being her last. She was humming Taylor Swift's "Fearless" when someone suddenly slammed the door in front of her face. She whipped around to glare meanly at her culprit when her chocolate eyes met her favorite ocean blues. "Jesse!" Jesse grunted as she threw her arms around his neck, but he quickly recovered and proceeded to pick her off the ground and spin her around. He made sure to place his hands right where Mike's were weeks before. He smiled as she squealed excitedly.

"I missed you, my angel," he mumbled into her hair as he slowed to a stop. He deeply inhaled the scent of her jasmine shampoo. He now had a favorite flower. "Did you miss me?"

"More than I thought possible," Finley admitted as he set her down, her cheeks flushed. And it was the truth. She leaned back against her locker, craning her neck to meet his gaze. "You missed Rachel getting laryngitis."

"Ooh," Jesse winced. "I imagine she was none too pleased."

"She had just finished accusing everyone else in glee club for not doing their part and then backed up her claim with audio evidence recorded from bugs she planted in the room. I call it a coincidence. Quinn calls it karma," Finley shrugged.

Jesse hummed in agreement. "She was pretty down when I reunited with her this morning. She was rehearsing Laura's dream ballet with Curly from Oklahoma. She does it whenever she feels stressed."

"So, you guys are ok now?" Finley asked timidly. She wanted Jesse and Rachel to be good. She did! But she couldn't deny a part of her hoped that Jesse would still be reluctant to involve himself in her drama. Her heart sunk a bit when he nodded. "And did she tell you about Mr. Ryan's speech?" She inquired. Jesse nodded again. Mr. Schue's old glee club member Mr. Ryan spoke to the glee club the day prior about dreams and how everyone will fail to achieve them. It was quite bleak and not good on everyone's confidence. "Yeah, it was... interesting." Interesting was a good word. "So, how was Bali?"

"It was nice. My parents were happy to see me. I wore sunscreen so I didn't burn. The usual," he replied quickly. Finley was confused by his vagueness. He just went to Bali, for crying out loud! Before she could ask more, Jesse cut her off. "How is Mike?" His expression pinched as the name left his lips.

Finley giggled. "Mike is doing well. He's been busy working with Brittany and Mr. Schue on the choreography for Regionals." He was relieved for the small and platonic review. "Me, Brit, Santana, Mike, and Matt are going back to the roller rink to play more Dance Dance Revolution this afternoon after our practices if you want to join us. Unfortunately, even you are no match for Brittany and Mike. They're professionals."

Jesse was touched by the invite. It felt like at the beginning of a relationship where you're being introduced to your new partner's family and friends. He was desolate as he regretfully refused. "I wish I could. Tonight I'm helping Rachel search through her childhood memory boxes and baby items. She wants to try and find her birth mother."

"Wow," Finn gasped softly. "That's huge. Don't worry, I totally understand." She was sad that Jesse couldn't come, but she understood that, as Rachel's boyfriend, she took priority. And searching for her birth mother was definitely more important than failing to beat Mike and Brittany in an arcade game. "Next time, then."

"Definitely," Jesse smiled, nodding lightly. A stray lock of hair fell over the side of her face. Recently, Finley had changed her daily hairstyle to a natural down look. She only put her hair up in a ponytail when she was doing something cheerio-related. She was beautiful either way, but Jesse especially liked her hand down. Reason one, he could run the pads of his fingers through the soft locks. And he did just that. Finley sighed smittenly as he brushed the stray lock behind her ear. His eyes were focused on her, his lips slightly parted. Finley was dying to learn if they were as soft as they seemed. "I'll see you around, angel. Dream of me." Then he walked away, leaving Finley leaning against the lockers, dotingly watching his figure disappear down the hall.

It was pouring rain outside. Mother Nature seemed perfectly in tune with Jesse, the rain matching his inner turmoil.

Drenched from the downpour, Jesse panted as he sat in the parked car with Shelby Corcoran. He had just finished with Rachel, her having asked him to leave as it was overwhelming. He was silent for a moment before briefing his coach. "She has the tape. She won't listen to it."

"What?" Shelby gasped incredulously. "She has to listen to it. That's the point of all of this!"

"I am doing my best!" Jesse fired. He was sick of the lying and the pretending and the deceit. The plan had already caused so much trouble for Vocal Adrenaline, and it would cause even more trouble- no, disaster- for his personal life. He was fed up with all of it. "Look, when you told me to seduce her-"

"Befriend her was the word I used, actually," Shelby corrected while giving him an exasperated look.

"Whatever," he ignored her, "the thing is, I was into it because I thought it would be a good acting exercise, but now... there are others involved. Others that are really important to me. I don't want her-them to get hurt." He hadn't meant to let his words slip, but he had. And Shelby had caught it.

"Look, one more week, this will all be done. You can come back to Vocal Adrenaline where you belong," Shelby said decisively.

"I don't understand why you don't just go up to her and say, 'Hi, my name's Shelby. I'm your mom,'" he told her, getting increasingly annoyed and angry, both at her for putting him in this situation and himself for allowing it to get this far.

The guilt had been eating at him for months. Originally, he was happy to step in for Shelby's plan. And it had been fun for the first few weeks. But then he met Finley. Truly met Finley. He learned about her love for Taylor Swift, her schemes with Lord Tubbington, and her love for her friends and her family. He had seen how far her care and love extended. Her heart transcended boundaries Jesse had never thought possible. He was bathed in her sweetness, showered in her beauty, drowned in her ever-loving laughter and smiles. And suddenly, the plan was no longer fun anymore. In fact, it was torturous.

But, at the same time, he was thankful for Shelby and her plan. Without it, he never would have met Finley in the first place. He never would have had those amusing conversations and rude- no, cute, though he would never admit it to her- nicknames. He never would have known the softness and delicacy of Finley Hudson. He never would have fallen in love with her. If there was anything that was worth all the pain the plan would cause, both to the New Directions and to himself, it was that.

"I signed a contract," Shelby explained, sighing. "I can't contact her until she's 18. She has to come to me. That's why she has to listen to the tape. Once she hears it, she won't be able to sleep until she finds me." There was deep longing in her eyes. Jesse had never seen his coach so emotional before. "I answered an ad in the paper. Nine months work here would make me enough money to live in New York for two years. Her dads seemed like nice guys, so I went for it." He felt sorry for his coach as she recalled her heart wrenching tale. "I never got to hold her. And I only saw her for a second when they were cleaning her off. It was through a bunch of nurses, but she turned her little head and she looked at me." She sniffled and her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. "I've failed as an actress. My walls are lined up with trophies instead of wedding pictures. But through all of that, I only have one regret." She finally looked at Jesse. There was pure determination in her eyes. "You get her to listen to that tape, and then you come back."

Jesse sighed in defeat. With the new information, he knew he had to finish the plan. For Shelby. "All right. I'll get her to listen to it. And then I'll come back home," he agreed.

"You knew what this was coming into it, Jesse," she reminded him. "But I am sorry about whoever the girl is. Hopefully you can recover from this." Jesse nodded in thanks at the apology, but that didn't stop the fear that was clawing at his heart. Finley was generous with her forgiveness, but could she ever forgive him for this? He truly didn't have an answer.

His phone suddenly buzzed. He looked down to see a photo of Finley in front of the Dance Dance Revolution leaderboard. She was ranked second, Brittany first and Mike third. She had a large, proud smile as she posed for the camera. She was so beautiful, so angelic, so perfect.

She was ingrained in his heart, entwined with his soul. He was going to lose her, and it would be all his own fault.

Chapter 10: AS LONG AS YOU'RE MINE

Chapter Text

[ 1.20 ]

❤️ Shelby | "Funny Girl" - Funny Girl

🖤 New Directions Girls & Kurt | "Bad Romance" - Lady Gaga

💚 Finley & Jesse | "As Long As You're Mine" - Wicked

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

"𝙊𝙆, 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙏𝙒𝙊 𝙈𝙊𝙍𝙀 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙋𝙎 𝙁𝙊𝙍𝙒𝘼𝙍𝘿," Finley's mom ushered her. "Ok, open your eyes!"

Finley gasped with excitement as she took in the room. The walls were painted a pale pink and the floors were a hardwood that matched the rest of the main floor. There was a pale pink rug in the center of the room and a white lace curtain in front the window opposite of the door. There was a full sized bed pushed against the left wall beside it facing the door. There was a white bedside table next to it with a lamp that looked like a flower blooming downward. On the right side of the window was a tasteful white wardrobe for clothing. On the right side of the door was a white bookshelf for Finley to put her numerous romances. She noticed there were Taylor Swift records sitting on the top shelf for her. On the left side of the door was a full length mirror. "What is this?" Finley asked as she stared in awe.

"Well... Burt asked us to move in with him," her mom told her excitedly.

"Wait, really?" Finley glanced between the her, Burt, and Kurt. Carole nodded. She then turned to Burt. "You did all this... for me?"

"I hope it's ok," Burt said nervously while rubbing the back of his neck. "I let Kurt take the reins on decorating. He seemed pretty confident and it was a small room, so I wasn't sure what to get and where to put it. It's humble, but Kurt and I figured you'd want to put your own spin on everything."

Behind him, Kurt held his breath as he waited for Finley's reaction. He was inspired by her cute personality and affinity for pink. Also, one time when he and his dad were dropping by the Hudsons, Carole had invited them inside. Finn and Finley were at their respective sports practices, so Kurt decided to search- PEER INTO- the twins' rooms. Finn had not lied when he said he lived in a closet. Finn's bedroom was possibly the most straight-male room he had ever seen. Finley's however, he was surprisingly impressed by. She had her own small bookshelf with stacks of books organized by both genre and author. She had pink bed sheets and pillowcases and a white comforter on top with pink throw pillows and a Sherpa blanket. There was a tiny closet in the wall where she hung her cheerios uniforms. He assumed the rest of her clothes were in hidden storage. He took inspiration from her room and just made it... more. He was terrified that Finley wouldn't like it. But his worries were quickly washed away.

"I love it!" Finley squealed, leaping at Burt. He grunted as he caught her hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Her grip around him tightened, and Burt felt his heart melt. She wasn't even officially his daughter and yet he already saw her as one. When they released each other, Finley then wrapped Kurt in a big hug of his own. "And, Kurt, thank you! It's perfect!"

"You're welcome," Kurt mumbled, relieved. He hoped that Finn would have the same reaction.

An hour later, Finn came over after showering from a gym workout with the football team. The season had recently ended, but the boys still hung out outside of glee club. He was immediately rushed into the house and Carole covered his eyes. She then helped him walk through the house and down the stairs into the basem*nt. A grin broke on Finn's face. "Is there a car down here for me?" He asked hopefully.

Finley and Carole blinked. "Finn, we're indoors," his sister reminded him while trying not to laugh. Finn could be very... slow sometimes.

"Oh," he mumbled. "Ok."

"And open your eyes!" Carole exclaimed. Finn opened his eyes, and then they widened as he took in the room. There was a "Welcome Home" banner hung on the wall, in which he was very confused. He turned around to see Kurt and Burt grinning excitedly with champagne flutes in their hands filled with a liquid.

"Sparkling cider?" Kurt offered.

"Oh, yes please!" Finley chirped excitedly. She skipped over to them and Burt handed her a flute. Finn warily made his way over to them while Carole hugged Burt. "Welcome home? But who went somewhere?" He asked, confused.

"Burt asked us to move in with them," Carole answered, practically vibrating with joy.

"And this is how you're telling me?" Finn gawked. Carole's expression fell at his displeased reaction.

"The party was my idea. If you're gonna say something, say it loud, right?" Kurt told him. Finley thought the party was a nice gesture, but she was aware that her brother was not taking the news lightly.

"Finley, did you know about this?" He turned to her, his eyes wide with alarm.

"I just found out," she shrugged. "But I think it could really be good for us." Finn gawked at her. He did not understand how she was so cool with this. It was too sudden, too different.

"Yeah," Burt nodded in agreement. "It's gonna take some time getting used to, but trust me, you're gonna love it, ok? Now you don't have to drag your tail over here every time you want to watch someone on the old 55-incher." Burt smiled. He liked the idea of having Carole and the twins so close. He already saw Finn as a son and Finley as a daughter. And Carole as a wife. He ushered the twins over to the table behind them that had an assortment of fruits and snacks on it. "We got a lot of food. Some ethnic food. It's some ethnicity that's not ours." He held out a small piece of bread with some type of cream-colored spread on it.

"Tuna crudité," Kurt corrected as Burt handed it to Finn. Finley could tell from Finn's expression that the food and eagerness of everyone else was not helping him process the situation any easier.

"Finn, this house is twice as big as ours," their mom told him. "It has two bathrooms!"

"Two and a half," Burt corrected with a proud smile.

"I don't want an extra bathroom or a tuna crude," Finn snapped, growing visibly upset. "I just want my house back."

"I think I know what this resistance is about," Kurt hummed. "Our room. And I couldn't agree more." Finley and Finn blinked at just how wrong Kurt was. "The palate in here is totally unflattering to your skin tone. Not everyone can pull off Dior gray. We need to redecorate."

"Wait, we're sharing a room?" Finn cried in horror. "I'm not cool with that!"

"Finn, I understand you're overwhelmed, but allow yourself time to process this first before you make any... emotionally-motivated reactions," Finley ushered him gently. Finn calmed a bit at his sister's voice, but he was still extremely upset.

"Baby, I know it's weird, ok? But it can't be much of a surprise. And, in time, you're gonna be as happy as I am," Carole told him softly.

"Yeah, look, I'll knock out a wall upstairs, I'll put an addition on, ok?" Burt assured him, trying to be supportive. "But until then, maybe this will grease the shells a bit, huh?" He then handed Finn $300, but Kurt snatched it up before he could take it. "Hey, look, that's 300. Have at it. You redecorate this place." Finn was not soothed at all by Burt's attempted support.

"Don't worry, roomie," Kurt assured him cheerfully. Finley winced at the nickname, knowing that it would only make Finn more upset. "Mr. IKEA catalog and I will have this all figured out. I am going to put together a palate that expresses who you are and who I want you to be- who you want to be," he corrected after Finley shot him an angry glare.

"Hey, what's game night?" Burt asked as he slung his arm around Carole and Kurt. "You play Sorry?"

Finley couldn't help but wince as the three tried to be all cute and funny while trying to win Finn over by coaxing out his competitive nature. They were completely oblivious to how overwhelmed Finn was. And Finley increasingly got more upset as they continued to badger on about how fun game night will be while Finn simply gaped in horror.

Finley grabbed his hand in hers and pulled him a bit aways back from the overbearing trio. "I'm sorry, Finn. I know this isn't exactly what you wanted," Finley sighed apologetically. "But just know that I'm here for you."

"Thanks," Finn swallowed. "I love you, Finley."

"I love you too," Finley smiled. "And anytime you need, you're welcome to sleepover in my room. I'm tiny so we can both squeeze into my bed." Finn grimaced at the idea. "Or you can just sleep on the carpet. I'll give you extra blankets and pillows."

"Thanks," Finn chuckled, thankful that through thick and thin his sister was always by his side.

🎵

Jesse was out sick The entire room stared at Tina as she sat glumly in her chair, devoid of all her fabulous clothing or her edgy makeup. She was wearing a simple baggy gray hoodie and sweatpants. Principal Figgins had threatened to expel her if she didn't change her wardrobe. Something about believing she was a vampire all thanks to Lauren Zizes once siked him in similar garb.

"It's so weird," Artie muttered as he stared at his girlfriend.

"This so isn't you," Finn told her.

"I feel like an Asian Branch Dividian," Tina moaned miserably.

"Tina, are there any other looks you can try?" Mr. Schue asked, trying to help.

"Biker chic?" Santana suggested. Tina gave her a thumbs down.

"Cowgirl?" Finn said.

"Hood rat," Mercedes smiled.

"Computer programmer," Quinn offered.

"Cross-country skier," Brittany pitched.

"Catholic schoolgirl?" Puck wiggled his brows suggestively, earning a slap on his arm from Finley.

"Cheerleader?" Finley suggested. Kurt and Mercedes had joined, she was sure Tina could too.

"Happy Meal, no onions," Brittany said. "Or a chicken." Tina gave Brittany a blank look while Finley nodded her head and smiled in support.

"Look, I appreciate it, guys, but it just isn't me," Tina told them dejectedly. "I know who I am, and I'm not allowed to show it. It's like communism."

Before anyone could comment, Rachel bursted into the room in extreme panic. "Guys, we have a serious problem," she exclaimed. "You know how I've been doing some deep background on Vocal Adrenaline?"

"Isn't that against the rules?" Artie questioned.

"No. Not at all. Or probably. Whatever!" Rachel moved on. "Anyway, what I figured out, I rooted through the dumpsters behind the Carmel auditorium and found 18 empty boxes of Christmas lights-"

"Oh no," Tina moaned, knowing exactly where Rachel was going. The girls and Kurt did too. The boys blinked, confused as to why this was so frightening.

"-Which led me to Joelle Fabrics. I asked them about red Chantilly lace. They were sold out!"

"Oh, sweet Jesus," Mercedes breathed.

"Oh, my," Kurt gasped.

"What?" Mr. Schue asked, oh so confused.

"They're doing Gaga," Finley informed the guys with a desparraged expression.

"Oh, that's it. It's over," Mercedes mumbled in defeat.

"Exactly!" Rachel cried in misery.

"We should have guessed it," Kurt panicked. "They're going for full-out theatrically. They know it's their easiest way to beat us. Damn them!"

"What's up with this Gaga dude?" Puck questioned. "He just, like, dresses weird, right? Like Bowie?"

Rachel scoffed and Finley slapped Puck again in offense as Kurt glared at him furiously. "Lady Gaga is a woman!" He yelled at Puck. "She's only the biggest pop act to come along in decades. She's boundary-pushing. The most theatrical performer of our generation. And she changes looks faster than Brit changes sexual partners."

"Hey!" Finley shouted angrily as Brittany mumbled, "That's true."

"It makes sense that Vocal Adrenaline would pay homage. It's a brilliant move," Finley sighed. "She's a perfect fit for them."

"Now, hold on a second," Mr. Schue interjected the pity fest, getting an idea. "We might be able to kill two birds with one stone here. We can help Tina find a new look and find a competitive number for Regionals. This week, your assignment is... Gaga!"

Finley squealed in excitement and immediately jumped up from her seat between Finn and Puck to rush over to Santana and Quinn. Finley was a major fan of Lady Gaga, so she was ecstatic about the new assignment. Rachel ran into Mr. Schue's office to grab pens to help her brainstorm. The girls and Kurt huddled all together and decided to do a group number. They would all dress up in looks inspired by Gaga and perform in the auditorium.

Nearing the end of rehearsal, Rachel pulled Quinn, Finley, and Mercedes aside. "Guys, what do you think about sneaking into Vocal Adrenaline's rehearsal after school today?"

"I'm in!" Mercedes immediately answered.

"I don't know..." Finley said warily. "It seems wrong."

"Oh, please," Quinn rolled her eyes. She loved Finley, she did, but it was sometimes annoying how goody-two=shoes she was. "You think 'wrong' would stop them from spying on us?"

Finley shrugged. "Maybe. Their coach seems like a nice woman and Jesse is a really good person." Mercedes rolled her eyes at the thought but Rachel nodded in agreement. "You've known Jesse for months now, Q. Do you really think he's so morally low?"

Oh, how Finley would soon learn to eat those words.

"Well, I'm in too," Quinn told Rachel. "And, Finley, you are too."

"But-"

"No buts," Quinn cut her off with a stern look. "You're coming."

Finley sighed in defeat. "I'm coming."

The four girls snuck into the auditorium as Shelby led Vocal Adrenaline through the choreography. Everyone was dressed in Lady Gaga's 2009 VMA outfit. They were covered head-to-toe in red lace. There was no skin showing, not even faces. "Claw, claw, claw, clap-clap!" Shelby clapped, providing a beat for the movement. Everyone moved sharply with such synchronization. It was fascinating to watch. "And five, six, seven, eight. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight!"

"You think they can see us?" Mercedes asked warily as they took a seat in the highest balcony in hopes of staying hidden.

"If they catch us, are we gonna have to go to jail?" Finley squeaked, panicking at the thought. She would do well in jail.

"Stealing their ideas is not a crime," Rachel hissed, making Finley shrink in her seat. If Jesse found out she had become a legit spy, she would never hear the end of it. "They look amazing," she ogled over them as they watched with apt attention.

Finley admired the sharpness of the choreography, but she had to admit that their outfits were pulling away from their performance a bit. It wasn't the brightness of the red or the detail of the lace. There was a certain flare missing. As a cheerio, Finley understood that appearance didn't matter if the performance was weak. Donning a bright red outfit herself, she could see how the outfits overpowered the performance.

"One, two, three, four, five, six- ah, stop!" And it seemed Shelby understood the same thing. "Ok, just... enough," she sighed. "You guys aren't getting it. You're letting the costumes do all the work. Theatricality isn't about crazy outfits. It's not enough to douse yourselves with gasoline. You have to light yourselves on fire to make it work."

"God, she's good," Rachel mumbled as they watched Shelby work. It was obvious that Shelby knew her sh*t. There's a reason Vocal Adrenaline won 3 National Championships in the past 3 years.

"But being theatrical doesn't mean you have to be a nuclear explosion," she lectured. "It can be like a quiet storm. You just have to radiate emotion, express what's deep inside of you. That's what theatricality is truly about." The performers all looked at each other. "Do I have to demonstrate for you?" Shelby challenged. "'Funny Girl,' E-flat," she told the piano accompanist. She motioned for the performers to get off the stage and she took the center. ❤️

"Exactly what I would have done. Barbra," Rachel told the girls. "I could do it in my sleep." Shelby began to sing Funny Girl's "Funny Girl." It was breathtaking yet somehow reserved. As she sung, Rachel's eyes suddenly widened as if she had just realized some ultimate truth or learned some big secret. She stood up and made her way out of the seats, moving as if she was being summoned by something.

"What are you doing?" Mercedes whispered.

"Get back here!" Quinn hissed.

"Rachel?" Finley asked worriedly. As Rachel began to make her way down the stairs, Finley got out of her seat and followed her. "Rachel, where are you going?" Rachel never answered her. It was like she was in a trance. They made their way all the way down to the stage as Shelby's beautiful voice floated through the room.

Rachel finally stopped once they reached the stage. Finley glanced at the Vocal Adrenaline members. They all stared at the two girls, their faces uncovered except for one guy. Finley tried to make out who it was under the lace, but it was too difficult to see. His head was turned to them and his body language showed he was tense.

"Ms. Corcoran?" Rachel called, catching Finley's and Shelby's attention. Rachel was staring up at her with both hesitation and wonder. "I'm Rachel Berry. I'm your daughter."

Finley's eyes almost bugged out of her head at the revelation. She glanced between Rachel and Shelby and noted their similarities. "Oh my god."

Finley waited patiently at the auditorium's exit doors while Rachel and Shelby talked. Quinn and Mercedes had snuck back to the car, not wanting to be caught. Shelby had dismissed Vocal Adrenaline as soon as she got over the shock of Rachel's news. The guy whose face was covered seemed to sprint out of the room faster than the speed of light, which she found odd. Maybe he just really had to pee.

Finley watched as Shelby's expression went from smiling to closed off. She staggered away from Rachel. Finley was worried for her friend and quickly ran in to grab her. "Rach, we have to get back to Quinn and Mercedes. They're waiting on us," Finley told her softly, eyeing the heartbroken expression on Rachel's face. She had saved her at the right time.

Rachel nodded numbly and began making her way to the exits to leave. Finley followed her until Shelby called after her, making her stop. "Hey, you!" Finley turned to Shelby and nodded nervously. "I remember you. You came with your coach months ago. You were spying, just like you're doing now."

"No! That's not what we were... I mean, I guess we were kind of... um... uh..." Finley panicked under her gaze. This was why she hated doing bad things! She couldn't handle people, especially adults, being mad at her.

"You came to talk to Jesse," Shelby stated. Finley nodded slowly. "Ah, yes. I remember completely now. Finley Hudson, right?"

"That's me," Finley confirmed. Shelby glanced at something offstage before turning back to Finley with a new expression. Finley shifted nervously and began fiddling with her hands. "It was nice to see you again, Ms. Corcoran. But I really should be catching up to Rachel."

"Of course," Shelby nodded. Finley smiled awkwardly before running out to catch her friend. Shelby waited for her to disappear behind the corner before walking off stage. She pursed her lips as she stopped in front of the masked guy, who was staring at the doors with a longing and despaired expression. "So, that was her, huh?"

He took off his mask and ran his fingers through his wavy locks. "Yes," he sighed in complete misery.

"She's pretty," his coach noted. He nodded. It was true. Finley Hudson was a vision. "What did you tell her this week? Last time, it was Bali."

Jesse finally met his coach's gaze. "That I'm out sick with a fever," he told her. Finley gave her trust out to him freely, so it was easy to lie to her. Jesse had taken the weeks off to catch up with the choreography and rehearse for Regionals with Vocal Adrenaline, and she was none the wiser. Seeing her talking with his coach, looking as angelic as she always did, only reminded him of his last conversation with Shelby. It hurt more and more every time he remembered what he had to do.

Now that Rachel knew the truth about her mother, the plan was complete. Everything would soon come crashing down, tearing apart Jesse's heart in the process.

🎵

Finley sprinted over to Quinn, Brittany, and Santana, who were already sitting in their seats with their costumes on. They were going to perform their Gaga number today!

Brittany had a silver glitter lobster on her head with a white top and black pants, taking inspiration from Gaga's look at her performance at the BankAtlantic center. Santana wore a black lace bodysuit with a big black bow on her head, paying homage to her outfit at the MAC Viva Glam Launch. They both looked sexy. Quin had almost an exact replica of her Armani Prive dress she wore to the 2010 Grammys. She put her own twist on it by making the dress pink and the wrap around cords and spiked accessory silver. She looked elegant.

Finley herself wore a white mini dress with a flared skirt and a one-shoulder strap, referencing Lady Gaga's 2008 Jingle Ball outfit. She had a headband with pink crystals on and she had straightened her hair. Similar crystals only bigger sat on the top of her shoulder strap and were sewn into the opposite side of the skirt. Thanks to Kurt's insistice in helping her with the costume, it looked fabulous. Tina, Mercedes, and Kurt walked in wearing their own outfits inspired by Ms. Gaga herself. Everyone looked fierce!

"Little monsters, take a bow," Mr. Schue exclaimed as he clapped in appreciation for the dedication and sheer fabulousness of the costumes. "All right, ladies, Kurt, I am really, really impressed. You know what the best part is? Each one of those costumes shows off a different aspect of your personalities."

"Wait, where's Rachel?" Finley asked aloud, glancing around the room for their missing member.

"Yeah, where is she? I mean, I only noticed because, like, 5 minutes have gone by without her saying something totally obnoxious," Puck shrugged.

"Rachel kind of got some shocking news yesterday," Finley told them.

"We were spying on Vocal Adrenaline, and-" Quinn began to explain when Mr. Schue cut her off.

"You guys, that's not fair," he scolded. "You gotta stop doing that." He paused. "But, uh, you know, what did you find out?"

"Ok, y'all ready?" Mercedes said. "Ms. Corcoran, their coach? She's Rachel's mom."

"Are you serious?" Mr. Schue gaped.

"Way to bury the lead, Mercedes," Artie mumbled while everyone processed the news.

"We're screwed," Puck huffed. "Rachel's gonna jump ship to Vocal Adrenaline."

"Never." Everyone looked up as Rachel entered the room. She was wearing a dress with little toy animal plushies on it. It was... interesting. "I really don't want to talk about it, though. I'm still processing the news. And my dads are moving my therapist to our spare room later this afternoon. All I know si that I'm not going anywhere, and I've chosen a Lady Gaga look that expressed the longing for a chilled hood I was deprived of."

"You look terrible. I look awesome," Brittany eyed Rachel's outfit. Santana smirked at the comment.

"I think it's the Kermit the Frog look," Mercedes noted while squinting at the dress.

One of the animals suddenly fell off the dress. "And we have a jumper," Kurt hummed.

"Well, my dads can't sew, so these are just stapled on," Rachel told everyone to explain the travesty of her dress.

"Guys, why don't we worry about this later and maybe try to focus on the song?" Mr. Schue suggested.

"Couldn't agree more," Rachel nodded. Everyone made their way over to the auditorium. The performers got on stage while the rest of the guys took their seats to watch. "Hit it!" The band began to play Lady Gaga's masterpiece "Bad Romance" and all the girls and Kurt got into their positions. 🖤

[Kurt]

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh

Caught in a bad romance

[all]

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh

Caught in a bad romance

[Kurt]

Rah, rah-ah-ah-ah

Roma, roma-ma

Gaga, ooh-la-la

Want your bad romance

[all]

Rah, rah-ah-ah-ah

Roma, roma-ma

Gaga, ooh-la-la

Want your bad romance

One thing Kurt knew how to do was Gaga. And he did it well.

Everyone was lined up on stage showcasing their Gaga-inspired looks. It was dramatic, it was flamboyant, it was camp. The choreography was sharp, crisp. The girls and Kurt needed to do Gaga justice.

[Tina]

I want your ugly, I want your disease

I want your everything as long as it's free

I want your love

Love, love, love

I want your love

[Finley]

I want your drama, the touch of your hand ( [Kurt] : hey)

I want your leather-studded kiss in the sand

I want your love

Love, love, love, I want your love ( [all] : love, love, love, I want your love)

Quinn got front and center, showcasing her fabulous outfit. Together, everyone bopped across the stage as she sang.

[Quinn]

You know that I want you

And you know that I need you

I want it bad

Bad romance

Together, everyone danced the choreography as they sung their hearts out.

[all]

I want your loving, I want your revenge

You and me could write a bad romance ( [Kurt] : oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)

I want your love and all your lover's revenge

You and me could write a bad romance

Woah, oh-oh, oh-oh

Caught in a bad romance

Woah, oh-oh, oh-oh

Caught in a bad romance

Rah, rah-ah-ah-ah

Roma, roma-ma

Gaga, ooh-la-la

Want your bad romance

Mercedes then strutted around the stage as everyone danced around her. Her purple bow wig and sparkling outfit were a spectacle.

[Mercedes]

I want your horror, I want your design

'Cause you're a criminal as long as you're mine

I want your love

Love, love, love

I want your love

Santana, in all her laceed glory, stole the show as she sang her lines with her husky voice.

[Santana]

I want your psycho, your vertigo shtick ( [Kurt] : hey)

Want you in my rear window

Baby, you're sick

I want your love

Love, love, love, I want your love ( [all] : love, love, love, I want your love)

[Quinn]

You know that I want you

And you know that I need you ( [Kurt] : 'Cause I'm a freak, baby)

I want it bad, your bad romance

[all]

I want your loving, I want your revenge

You and me could write a bad romance ( [Kurt] : Woah, oh-oh, oh-oh)

I want your love and all your lover's revenge

You and me could write a bad romance

Woah, oh-oh, oh-oh

Caught in a bad romance

Woah, oh-oh, oh-oh

Caught in a bad romance

Rah, rah-ah-ah-ah

Roma, roma-ma

Gaga, ooh-la-la

Want your bad romance

Rah, rah-ah-ah-ah

Roma, roma-ma

Gaga, ooh-la-la

Want your bad romance

The group got into a line in the center of the stage and treated it like a catwalk to showcase their amazing outfits. It was lined Tina, Rachel, Kurt, Mercedes, Brittany, Quinn, Finley, then Santana. They strutted like models in a runway on the beat.

[Tina]

Walk, walk, fashion baby

Work it, move that thing crazy

[Tina & Mercedes]

Walk, walk, fashion baby

Work it, move that thing crazy

[Tina, Mercedes, & Quinn]

Walk, walk, fashion baby

Work it, move that thing crazy

[Tina, Mercedes, Quinn, Rachel, & Brittany]

Walk, walk, passion baby

Work it, I'm a free freak

Baby

Everyone sunk to their knees as the bridge began. Santana slowly rose to her knees while twisting and swaying her hips and staring down at the boys under her lashes.

[Santana]

I want your love, and I want your revenge

I want your love, I don't wanna be friends

Beside her, Finley twisted her arms and body in a more graceful way, like a ballerina, but still just as dramatic. Her crystals gleamed in the stage lights as she slowly rose to her feet in her white stilettos.

[Finley]

J'veux ton amour, et je veux ta revanche

J'veux ton amour, I don't wanna be friends ( [Kurt] : Woah, oh-oh, oh-oh)

No, I don't wanna be friends ( [Kurt] : Caught in a bad romance)

I don't wanna be friends ( [Kurt] : Woah, oh-oh, oh-oh)

Want your bad romance ( [Kurt] : Caught in a bad romance)

[Santana]

Want your bad romance!

The girls and Kurt pumped their fists and stomped their feet on the beat as the chorus picked back up. The energy was wild and they were all having a blast. They then got up and danced around the stage flamboyantly, the girls circling around Kurt.

[all]

I want your love, and I want your revenge

You and me could write a bad romance ( [Kurt] : Woah, oh-oh, oh-oh)

I want your love and all your lover's revenge

You and me could write a bad romance

[Kurt]

Woah, oh-oh, oh-oh

[Santana]

Want your bad romance

[Kurt]

Caught in a bad romance

[Finley]

Want your bad romance

[Kurt]

Woah, oh-oh, oh-oh

[Santana]

Want your bad romance

[Kurt]

Caught in a bad romance

[all]

Rah, rah-ah-ah-ah

Roma, roma-ma

Gaga, ooh-la-la

[Kurt]

Want your bad romance!

The girls and Kurt posed dramatically as the boys cheered. It was by far their favorite performance yet.

🎵

Finley could do nothing but simmer with rage as she helped Kurt fix his Gaga heels. At rehearsal, the boys performed Kiss's "Shout It Out" while decked in all leather with white and black face makeup. It was awesome!

But Finley came home after cheerios practice to find Kurt's entire Gaga outfit ripped and ruined. After a lot of coaxing- more like badgering- Kurt finally told her what had happened. Two guys on the football team, Karofsky and Azimio, who were known to be less frightening than Puck but bigger bullies, jumped him and Tina in the hallway because they hated them for being "weird." Finley knew Kurt experienced harassment from being "feminine" and "different," though he wasn't openly gay yet. She protected him as best as she could, but even she couldn't be everywhere all the time. Finley wanted to throw something after Kurt told her what happened, but he was worried she would break all of his expensive things, so instead he put her to work- smart move by Kurt.

Finley's attention on the shoe snapped when Finn came stomping down the stairs. He was back in his normal clothing but still had his face makeup on. He sat down at Kurt's vanity and immediately started taking the paint off with some tissues. "Hey," Finley leaned over so Kurt could hear her talk softly. "You can talk to Finn, tell him to get them to back off. Those two never cross me, but they never listen to me either."

Kurt nodded at the advice. "Could you have a word with Azimio and Karofsky about harassing me without damaging my Gaga outfit?" Kurt asked bitterly, meeting Finn's eyes in the vanity's mirror.

"Are you serious?" Finn gawked at the suggestion, making Finley tense. She did not like his tone one bit. "Do you know how difficult it is with those guys? They already think we're boyfriends."

"And why does that bother you so much?" Finley questioned carefully. She knew Finn and Kurt didn't get along the best, but he didn't have to seem so disgusted and angry about the idea.

"Let them think what they want," Kurt shrugged. "They're neanderthals. In 3 years, they'll be cleaning my septic tank."

"Don't you get it?" Finn snapped. Kurt and Finley stopped working on the shoes, surprised by how distressed Finn seemed. Finley didn't understand why he was so hesitant to help Kurt. He was their friend! "It's not just them. We live in Ohio, not New York or San Francisco or some other city where people eat vegetables that aren't fried!" He finally turned around and faced them. "I don't understand why you always need to make such a big spectacle of yourself," he told Kurt. "Why can't you just work harder at blending in?" Finley was flabbergasted at what she was hearing. She had never heard her brother say such thoughtless things.

"I'm sure that would be easier for you," Kurt gritted, glaring angrily that Finn would even dare suggest such a thing. Asking why he had to be himself? What kind of request is that? That would be like him asking Finn to stop playing football or asking Finley to stop liking the color pink. It was a part of them. No one should ever ask them to take away a part of themselves.

"You know, it would," Finn admitted. Finley gasped in outrage. She moved to march over to Finn and give him a piece of her mind, but Kurt stopped her by grabbing her arm. They watched as he struggled to take the paint off his face with the dry paper.

"You are such a boy," Kurt grumbled. He went over to help Finn. "You're gonna have to use a moist towelette if you wanna get that makeup off." Kurt grabbed a makeup wipe and raised his hand to Finn's face.

"Don't touch me!" Finn yelled, hitting Kurt's hand back. The slap echoed through the room and Finley jumped to her feet. She ran over to Kurt and inspected his arm, which thankfully was fine.

"What the hell? You can't hit him!" Finley screamed at her brother. She was seething with unbridled rage. If there was one thing that could set Finley off, it was hurting the people she cared about. "What is your problem, Finn?"

"It's just a moist towelette!" Kurt cried, gaping at Finn in shock. He knew Finn was upset, but to hit him? He knew Finn had a little violent streak in him, but he never thought he would be at the serving end of it.

"Take a walk, Finn! Now!" Finley ordered, standing in front of Kurt like a protective barrier. She couldn't believe he had done that. Finn glanced between Kurt and his twin before storming out. Finley turned to Kurt. "Are you ok?" She asked gently.

"Yeah, I will be," Kurt assured her with a small smile, but she could see right through it. Kurt was hurt, and not just physically.

"He has no right to treat you this way," Finley fumed. "He was asking you to change who you are so his life could be 'easier.' It's not your job to do that. Finn is a big boy. He can handle those guys by himself."

"Finley, it's ok. You can calm down," Kurt ushered her. She noticed how distressed Kurt was over her reaction, so she took a few deep breaths and calmed down. "I think I know how to fix this. All of it."

"You do?" Finley asked, confused but hopeful.

"Yes," Kurt smiled excitedly. "Tomorrow, after a few changes, everything will be better. You'll see."

🎵

Kurt led Finley and Finn down the stairs to the dark basem*nt in anticipation. The twins shared wary expressions. Finn had finally cooled off and spent the night in Finley's room. The two didn't talk, Finley still upset about what he had said to Kurt, but she was always going to be there for Finn. She was anxious to see what Kurt's plan was to remedy the situation with him. "I had to skip school to finish it, but I think you're really going to like it." Kurt switched on the light. "Consider it a peace offering after all the yelling that we've been doing. I used Marlene Dietrich and Gray Cooper in Morocco as my inspiration. It's a perfect blend of the masculine and the feminine and the muted and the theatrical.

The twins gaped as they took in the room. There was textured brown and deep red fabric all over the walls. The lamps had swirly designs and the furniture was extravagant and bold, yet small and low to the ground. There were two long beds on either side of the room with velvet blankets and colorful cushions. There was a wooden privacy divider between the two sides. Finley felt like she had just stepped into Satine's private chambers in Moulin Rouge. It was... a lot. She loved the concept and execution, but she was afraid of what Finn's reaction would be.

"Are you freaking insane?" Finn gasped as he looked around the room in horror. Kurt's hopeful expression immediately fell. "I can't live here. I'm a dude. What the hell is that?" He pointed to the privacy divider.

"It's a privacy partition," Kurt answered. "It was the only one I could find on such short notice. Why are you getting angry at everything? I worked hard on this." Finn began to pace and Finley's anxiety turned to fear. Finn was getting more and more upset, and she was worried about how he would take that out on Kurt.

"That's not a privacy partition-" Finn screamed and faced Kurt, "Why is it so hard for you to understand?" Kurt cowered under his furious gaze. "I don't want to get dressed in front of you. I put my underwear on in the shower before I come out when you're around. I just, I don't wanna have to worry about that kind of stuff in my own room, man!?" Finley was confused on where this fear was all coming from. Sure, Kurt was really friendly towards Finn and was gay, but that wasn't grounds for Finn's reaction. There was something she was missing. She was sure of it. Her brother could be very dim-witted, but he never got this upset without good reason.

"And what 'stuff' are you referring to?" Kurt glared at him.

"You know what I'm talking about. Don't play dumb," Finn snapped. "Why can't you just accept that I'm not like you?"

"I have accepted that," Kurt told him.

"No, you haven't," Finn fired. "You think I don't see the way you stare at me? How flirty you get?" Finley's brows rose in surprise at the news. She looked to Kurt for verification on what he was saying. Kurt refused to meet either of their gazes, proving that what Finn was saying was true. "You think I don't know why you got so excited that we were moving in together?"

"It's just a room, Finn!" Kurt yelled, beginning to tremble in anger. Yes, he liked Finn. But he was painting Kurt as some type of sexual predator. "We can redorcate it if you want to!"

"Ok, good," Finn said sharply. "Then the first thing that needs to go is that f*ggy lamp!"

Kurt flinched at the slur. Finley saw red. "Finn Hudson!" She screamed, but Finn paid her no mind as he was too consumed by his own anger.

"Then we need to get rid of this f*ggy couch-"

"Hey!" Finley jumped in surprise at the loud voice as Burt stepped into the room. He was glaring at Kurt with anger she didn't know Burt could possess. "What did you just call him?" Finley grabbed Kurt's hand and stepped in front of him defensively once more. She would not allow her brother to say another word to him. Kurt glanced nervously between his father, Finley, and Finn. He had no idea how this was going to play out.

"No-n-no," Finn stammered under Burt's fury. "I didn't call him anything. I was talking about the blanket." Like that made it any better.

"No, you use that word, you're talking about him." Finn bristled as Burt took threatening steps toward him.

"Relax, Dad. I didn't take it that way," Kurt said quickly, trying to protect Finn.

"Yeah, that's because you're 16 and you still assume the best in people," Burt glanced back at him before turning back to Finn. "You live a few years, you start seeing the hate in people's hearts. Even the best people. You use the n-word?" Burt questioned.

"Of course not!" Finn replied.

"How about r*tard?" He demanded. "You call that nice girl in the cheerios with Kurt and Finley, you call her a r*tard?"

"Becky? No. She's my friend," Finn defended. "She's got Down's Syndrome. I'd never call her that. That's cruel."

"But you think it's ok to come in my house and say 'f*ggy?'" Burt asked him.

"That's no what I meant-"

"I know what you meant!" Burt screamed, shutting him up. "You think I didn't use that word when I was your age?" Finley felt Kurt squeeze her hand, and she gripped him tighter in comfort. "You know, some kid gets clocked at practice, we'd tell him to stop being such a f*g, shake it off! We meant it exactly the way you meant it. That being gay is wrong, that it's some kind of punishable offense. I really thought you were different, Finn." The emotion was clear in his voice. It wasn't just anger and hurt, Burt was feeling. It was also betrayal. "You know, I thought that being in glee club and being raised by your mom with your sister meant that you were some, you know, new generation of dude who saw things different, who just kind of came into the world knowing what it's taken me years of struggling to figure out. I guess I was wrong." Burt shook his head disappointedly as Finn cowered under his gaze. "I'm sorry, Finn, but you can't... You can't stay here. Finley is welcome as long as she wants, but you need to go."

"Dad..." Kurt gasped. Finley froze at the decision, but she knew in her heart that it needed to be done. And for the first time in Finn's life, his sister wouldn't be there to support him.

"I love your mom," Burt told Finn. "And maybe this is gonna cost me her, but my family comes first. I can't have that kind of poison around." Finn stood in silence, unsure of what to say. He had f*cked up. Big time. Burt then turned to face his son and Finley. "I'm sorry, Finley, but I have to do this. This is our home, Kurt." Finley nodded in understanding. Burt turned back to Finn. "He is my son. Out in the world, you do what you want. Not under my roof."

After a moment, Finn began to leave. Right before the stairs, he turned back and looked at his sister. He felt as if his heart was being torn out of his chest as he took in her broken expression. Broken because of him. "I love you, Finn. You know that. I have looked up to you ever since I was a baby. I saw you as a superhero who would help anybody in need, who would never hurt another soul. I was so proud to be your sister," she told him softly, her voice breaking. Her words cut into him like a sharp knife. "But I have never been more ashamed to be your sister as I am right now." It was a sucker-punch to the gut. But Finn deserved it. And he knew he deserved it. Sparing one last glance at everyone, he walked up the stairs and out of the house. Only after she heard the front door slam shut did Finley allow her tears to fall.

Burt turned back to the two teens. "Place looks great." He put a supportive hand on Kurt's shoulder, and Kurt clutched it with his free hand, his other squeezing Finley's tightly. He gave Finley a curt nod before making his way back upstairs.

Taking a deep breath, they both sunk into Kurt's elegant new bed. They lay in silence for a few moments, processing what just happened, before Finley broke it. "I love the place, Kurt," she told him softly, attempting to lighten the mood. It worked.

"I thought you would," Kurt told her with a small smile. "I also took some inspiration from cabaret culture and opera."

"If you're down for a new roommate, let me know. I have always dreamed of living in the elephant," she joked.

By some miracle, Kurt laughed. It was small, but it was there. "I just might take you up on that."

🎵

Kurt and Finley ignored Finn for the rest of the week. When he tried to talk to Kurt during glee club, Finley pulled Kurt away and shot Finn nasty looks. During rehearsal, where Puck and the guys performed Kiss's "Beth" for Quinn, Finley made sure that Kurt and her sat on the opposite side of the room. If anyone noticed the tension, no one commented on it.

On Friday, Tina walked into glee club back in her normal attire with a big smile. The power of Gaga gave her the courage to stand up to Principal Figgins, and he allowed her to wear her punk attire again. The only people not in the room were Kurt, Finn, and Finley. Everyone was wondering where they were. Finley was never late. Ever. The fact that she wasn't there was a clear sign that something was wrong.

Finley screamed in fear as Azimio and Karaofsky slammed Kurt hard against the wall in the hallway. She looked around for anyone to help her, but there was no one around. "Don't touch him!" She pummeled her fists against Karofsky's back, but it only felt like a light massage to him. Finley was too small to do any damage, and she knew that. But she would fight tooth and nail to protect her friend.

"Fine. You wanna hit me? You wanna beat me up? Go ahead," Kurt snapped, staring the two footballers right in the eyes, refusing to cower beneath them. "But I swear to you I will never change. I'm proud to be different. It's the best thing about me. So go ahead. Hit me."

"I believe I will," Azimio smirked, turning to Karofsky. "Sir, would you like to go first?" Karaofsky grinned wickedly at the offer.

"You're not hurting anyone." Finley gasped and turned around to see Finn standing behind them. He was wearing a dress made out of a red patent leather-type fabric that brushed the floor. It had dramatic shoulders and a ruffled neckline. On his face were red glittery eye patches. Finley smiled and her fists fell from Karaofsky's back.

Her big brother was here to save them, ever the hero.

"Oh my god," Kurt gasped as he took in Finn's look.

"Is he wearing a real rubber dress, or am I tripping?" Azimio asked Karofsky with amusem*nt.

Finn ignored them, putting his sole attention on Kurt. "I wanna thank you, Kurt. I realize I still have a lot to learn. But the reason I'm here right now, in a shower curtain, is... because of you. And I'm not gonna let anyone lay a hand on you," he said vehemently, taking a threatning step toward Karofsky and Azimio.

"Oh, really, dude?" Karofsky scoffed. "I'm pretty sure we can both take you. And your little chipmunk too," he glanced at Finley, who gasped in fury at the insult.

"Yeah, but can you take all of us?" Behind Finn, the rest of the glee club in their theatrical costumes backed them up, staring daggers at the two footballers. "And no one calls Finley a chipmunk. Next time you insult her, you'll have to deal with me."

"And me," Santana joined, crossing her arms threateningly. Santana was the scariest cheerio in the school for a reason.

"I once had a pet chipmunk, but it killed itself while me and Lord Tubbington were sharing hair secrets," Brittany pipped up. Everyone gave her a blank or confused look before focusing back on the manner at hand.

"Ok, ok, I get it. I took biology. You know what, Karofsky? We done disturbed the freak hive. The worker freaks is trying to protect the queen freak," Azimio said as he shifted nervously on his feet.

"Next time, we'll bring some friends too," Karofsky threatened. Then he and Azimio left Kurt alone and walked out. Finley grabbed Kurt in a tight hug, thankful that he was ok.

"I'm tired of everyone calling us freaks," Rachel sighed frustratedly.

Mercedes chuckled. "Well, look at us. We are freaks," she eyed everyone's costumes. Everyone else joined in the laughter.

"But we're all freaks together," Finn said, turning to Kurt and Finley, "and we shouldn't have to hide it." Kurt smiled and Finley released him to then hug her brother. The twins were together, a team, again, just as it always should be.

Loud clapping came from behind them, and they all turned to see Mr. Schue walking towards them with a proud smile on his face. "Nice job, Finn. I think you just figured out what the lesson was. Kind of makes me wish I'd planned it. But Mercedes is right. You do all look incredibly insane."

"Thank you," the group murmured.

"You're so welcome," Mr. Schue said. "Anyways, let's get back to work before you're all forced to join the circus. Next stop, Regionals!" Everyone cheered as they made their way back to the choir room. Finn, Finley, and Kurt walked at the end together, happy as ever.

Maybe this whole moving-in-together-thing would work out after all.

🎵

Sunday night, Finley was busy reading another one of her romance books while the Wicked Broadway soundtrack played from her phone when there was a tap on her window. She looked up to see Jesse's face in the moonlight. With an excited gasp, she jumped off her bed and opened it for him. He crawled through the small opening while Finley made sure her door was locked. Finn and Kurt were in the basem*nt and her mom and Burt were already asleep, but she didn't want to risk anything. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see you." One last time before everything between us falls apart, though he didn't say that out loud. He was dressed in black wash jeans and a dark gray t-shirt. His outer layer was a sleek black leather motorbike jacket. Finley's mouth dried at the sight.

Jesse St. James was a fine piece of man.

"I take it you're feeling better?" Finley asked, sitting back on her bed while eying him up and down.

"Much," he replied softly. There was a sadness, a melancholy, in his voice.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Finley asked worriedly, patting for him to sit beside her. Jesse lowered himself onto her soft bed and the scent of his musky cologne overwhelmed all of her senses.

"I just needed to see you," he admitted, meeting her gaze. His blue eyes held a pain in them. Finley didn't like it. "I've had a tough week." That was the truth. Catching up with Vocal Adrenaline rehearsals, not to mention the agony of each passing day, was really taking a toll on his mental health. He wasn't sleeping and it was difficult for him to eat, his stomach turning with anxiety every time he thought of Finley- which was all the time, basically. She never left his mind.

After the day's rehearsal, Jesse had dragged Shelby aside and begged her to rethink the plan. He was dreading the next day when everything would fall apart. But no matter what he said, Shelby refused. So when the morning comes, Jesse can only bask in the torture of his own actions.

So Jesse decided he would make the most of tonight.

"What happ-"

Jesse cut her off, unable to contain himself any longer. He needed her. "I'm breaking up with Rachel." That wasn't false, technically. Finley gasped in surprise, but a small seed of hope planted in her chest. "And I want you."

It took her a moment to process what he had just said. "You... you want me?" Her heart was pounding as she stared into his eyes. "But... you said you were in love with her."

Jesse shook his head furiously. "I love someone else," he told her.

Finley then felt as if her heart stopped as she asked the biggest question of them all. "And who is that?" Her voice was barely a whisper, but Jesse had heard her.

"You. It's always been you, Finley. I am in love with you."

She could scarcely breathe at his confession. It was all she had ever wanted to hear. Somewhere along the way, she had given her heart away to Jesse St. James. But she had never imagined he would give her his in return.

"I can't believe it," Finley mumbled, her eyes wide in astonishment. "I just can't believe that you, Jesse St. James, who could have anyone he wants at the drop of a hat, want someone like me..."

Jesse's heart hurt at the insecurity in her voice. He would not allow her to speak so lowly of herself. To him, she was the world. "What you said at the assembly, about feeling like you're not worth anything?" Jesse made sure she was looking into his eyes so she could see the truth behind his words. "You are. There is no amount of gold or jewels that amount to you. You are worth everything, Finley." Any insecurity on her tongue washed away at his words. She thought she could not adore Jesse anymore, but then there he went, proving her wrong.

The previous song playing suddenly ended, and her phone began to play the musical's ballad "As Long As You're Mine." Jesse felt the song perfectly reflected the situation he was in. He brought his hand up to her soft cheek and cupped it, making her breath hitch. Their faces were only inches apart. Finley couldn't help herself and began to softly sing... 💚

[Finley]

Kiss me too fiercely

Hold me too tight

I need help believing

You're with me tonight

My wildest dreamings

Could not foresee

Lying beside you

With you wanting me

Jesse took her delicate hands in his, and he had never felt something so... right. Her fingers were nimble, and her palms were soft. He clutched them tightly, dreading the moment he would have to let go.

Finley broke her gaze from his eyes to look at their interlocked fingers. She loved the sight.

And just for this moment

As long as you're mine

I've lost all resistance

And crossed some border line

And if it turns out

It's over too fast

I'll make every last moment last

As long as you're mine

She met his gaze again, and he adjusted himself to he was on his knees before her, the mattress weight shifting as he moved. He kept his focus on her. It was always on her. No matter how crowded or busy a room was, he always found her.

[Jesse]

Maybe I'm brainless

Maybe I'm wise

But you've got me seeing

Through different eyes

Somehow I've fallen

Under your spell

And somehow I'm feeling

It's up that I fell

She was a beacon of light. He was her shadow of darkness. She was the sun. He was the rain. She was the day. He was the night. She was high noon. He was mid night.

Sunshine and midnight rain.

Perfectly complimented. Averse, and yet synchronous. The perfect blend.

Finley rose to her knees and Jesse cupped her cheek adoringly. Her hands immediately fell to his chest and she clutched the leather of his jacket tightly. His hair swept across his forehead, the curled tendril glowing in the warm light of her floral lamp. In all the gruffness of him, his hair would always remain soft. Finley adored that about him.

[both]

Every moment

As long as you're mine

I'll wake up my body

And make up for lost time

[Jesse]

Say there's no future

For us as a pair

He pressed his forehead against hers, and their breaths shallowed as they relished in their proximity. They needed to touch each other whenever they sang. It was like a thrumming desire, an impulse.

[both]

And though I may know

I don't care

Just for this moment

As long as you're mine

Come be how you want to

And see how bright we shine

Borrow the moonlight

Until it is through

And know I'll be here

Holding you

As long as you're mine

Finley gasped as she felt the pads of his thumb stroke her cheek. Lost in the moment, she hadn't realized just how... ferveranly her pulse hummed, how fast her heart pounded, how desperate her soul ached for Jesse St. James.

"What is it?" Jesse asked softly, lost in the chocolate brown of her eyes. He only wished he could hold her for the rest of time.

"It's just... for the first time..." Finley took a deep breath, ready to give him her final confession. "I feel..."

Jesse couldn't hold himself back any longer. Everything about Finley Hudson consumed him, every moment and every day. He needed to have her. It was the last time... He needed to make his last moments last.

In the blink of an eye, his mouth was on hers. She moaned as the tip of his tongue lightly brushed hers. She wove her fingers through the soft locks of his hair and gripped them tightly, erupting a groan from deep in his throat.

She tasted heavenly. Her lips were even softer than he imagined they would be, and the faint taste of her cherry lip balm only encouraged his hunger. She was wanton in his arms. She didn't notice that they had fallen back on the bed, too consumed by Jesse St. James. He ravished her lips, caressed her skin, overwhelmed her soul.

The rest of the night the two spent laughing and talking while kissing in between. It was the most magical, perfect moment of their lives.

But it would be broken all too soon...

Chapter 11: TRAITOR

Chapter Text

[ 1.21 ]

💙 Vocal Adrenaline | "Another One Bites the Dust" - Queen

💜 Quinn | "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" - James Brown

💛 New Directions | "Give Up the Funk" - Parliament

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

𝙁𝙄𝙉𝙇𝙀𝙔 𝙒𝘼𝙎 𝙍𝙄𝘿𝙄𝙉𝙂 on a high all day. She was the most sunshine person in the school, but everyone noticed the extra aura around her. Happiness. Everyone looked to her friends and her twin, but none of them knew why.

Jesse had snuck out in the early hours of the morning, the two lovers sharing a parting kiss at her window before Burt had woken her up for school.

Finley was smiling her bright smile as she, Kurt, Mercedes, Tina, and Artie were walking together to the choir room after school for rehearsal. "Is it just me or does if feel like we have a real shot at Regionals next month?" Mercedes asked excitedly. Tina nodded in agreement while Kurt and Finley shared an excited smile.

"Ohio show choir chat rooms have been buzzing about how Vocal Adrenaline has lost a step," Artie told them.

"I agree," Kurt said. "The judges know their tricks. Now that we have Jesse, they've lost their best performer."

"And we'll be on track to two national titles," Finley added, pointing to her and Kurt's cheerios uniforms. "We'll need Burt to build a trophy shelf."

Rachel suddenly appears before them, her expression panicked and frantic. "You guys have to come to the auditorium! It's an emergency!" Finley ran after Rachel and the others followed suit. The rest of the New Directions were already waiting. Finley looked at the stage to see Vocal Adrenaline in matching blue jackets.

"What is going on?" She asked nervously. She looked around for Jesse, but he was nowhere to be found. "And where is-"

"Jesse?" Finley whipped her head back to the stage at Rachel's words. From the crowd, familiar curled locks emerged center stage. Finley faltered back a few steps, Puck catching her before she could trip. Her eyes were wide and her mouth agape as she stared up at the stage in disbelief. "What are you doing up there with them?" Rachel questioned, just as betrayed.

Jesse held his head high, hiding any signs of the pain he felt ripping apart his chest. "I've transferred back to Carmel High." Finley gasped, the sound echoing through the quiet auditorium. He felt his heart seize at the hurt expression on her face. After the perfect night they had just had, this was the last thing she would have expected. "I'm sorry that it's come to this, but you guys were awful to me. You never accepted me. You never listened to my clearly superior ideas."

"I accepted you," Finley mumbled, the feeling of numbness traveling through her veins. "I listened to you..." Everyone, including Jesse, heard her, but no one reacted. Puck tightened his arms around Finley protectively while glaring murderously at the traitor. Quinn glanced back and forth between worry at Finley and fury at Jesse.

"Why you here, in our auditorium?" Finn demanded as Rachel gaped at him.

"The blogs and chat rooms say that we're finished and that you guys are ripe to topple us. We just wanted to show you a little something we came up with a few days ago to see if you agree with that assessment," Jesse shrugged with a smirk. Finley couldn't believe her ears, her eyes. She just couldn't understand what was happening. They were so happy a mere 8 hours ago. How could it all shatter so fast? 💙

Finley only felt her heart crack more and more as they performed "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen with perfectly practiced choreography. If there was anyone who could tackle a Queen song, it was Jesse St. James.

"A couple days ago," he had said. Finley felt the air rush out of her lungs at the realization. He had already planned this when he visited her the previous night. He sang to her, held her, kissed her... All while knowing that he would break her heart the next morning.

No, it was more than that. This was planned before Jesse had even joined the New Directions. It was planned from the moment Jesse walked into that music store. Everything was a lie.

Were his feelings for her all just a lie? Had he been acting the entire time? Was it all just a clever ploy to take down the New Directions?

He had toyed with her feelings, gotten her to fall for him, and it was all an act. A clever, cruel ruse.

The number ended, and Andrea was hanging off of Jesse, her hands very close to the hem of his shirt, and they were only traveling downwards.

Finley could no longer watch. She pressed her face into Puck's chest and finally allowed her tears to silently fall. Jesse had never hated himself more as he watched her sob into his chest.

The group made their way off the stage. Jesse sighed heavily, taking one last look at Finley before following his members off. He didn't spare a glance at Rachel, and everyone noticed. Even Rachel saw the longing looks he gave to Finley.

Finley couldn't take it anymore. She needed to get out. Now.

Her sobs echoed as she ran out of the auditorium, her heart now completely shattered. Jesse felt as if his own heart was being torn out of his chest as he watched her leave. He was certain he wouldn't find her forgiveness again.

He had lost her.

Jesse St. James never cried. But sitting alone in his Range Rover, he allowed his tears to fall.

🎵

Finley was inconsolable all night. She had locked herself in her room, and didn't let anyone, not even Finn, inside. It was the first time she hadn't let her twin in. Ever.

Finn was a wreck all night. He paced around the carpeted floor while Kurt watched, both of them fuming with rage. After Finley had run off at rehearsal the day prior, the glee club found their choir room trashed with toilet paper. Then Sue came in to try and take a claim on the room, and it turned into a whole mess. And now Finley was hurt.

Finley rarely got upset. Frustrated and anxious, definitely. Did she cry a lot? Yes. But this was different. It was more. And Finn needed to find out.

The next day, she refused to talk to anyone. She allowed Finn to drive her to school and went throughout the day silent and destitute. Finally, when it was time for glee club, she sat beside Finn and allowed him to provide a small comfort- his shoulder to rest her head on. Her eyes were puffy and her hair was disheveled. Even her cheerios uniform was creased, and Sue was not pleased. Rachel was slouched over the piano and everyone else was sitting bluely in their seats. Santana was just lying down on three chairs.

The bell rang and Mr. Schue walked in to begin the lesson. "All right, guys, today I want to talk to you about regrets. Who has some?"

"Giving my heart to Jesse, just to have it crushed like the stage floor at Stomp," Rachel snapped as she glared at her reflection on the piano. Finley flinched, making Finn clutch her tighter.

"Thinking 'trust me' was a sensible birth control option," Quinn remarked.

Allowing herself to fall for Jesse St. James, Finley thought.

Mr. Schue hummed, then spoke himself. "I just finalized my divorce," he told everyone. "I regret living in a relationship that wasn't working, letting her put me in these deep funks and not fighting back."

"Besides creeping us out, why are you telling us this?" Santana rolled her eyes.

"Because if we lose to Vocal Adrenaline at Regionals, none of us are going to regret it," Mr. Schue told them. "We will have given it our best shot and we won't look back. But we will regret letting them get the best of us before the competition, which is why we need to hit them back just like they hit us." Finley perked up at the words, surprising Finn.

"So you want us to TP their choir room?" Quinn questioned.

"Whatever the better, cooler version of that is," Mr. Schue shrugged. "Like, maybe, maybe we should steal their school statue."

"Their school statue is a giant bronze of a great white shark eating a seal pup," Kurt pointed out, raising his brow, unimpressed. "It weighs 3 tons."

"Oh, ok, well, how about this one?" Mr. Schue didn't let them pull him down. Everyone else tuned Mr. Schue out, especially Puck and Finn. They knew revenge would end up bestowed onto them. Besides Santana, they were the bullies of the group. And they knew how to fight.

Unbeknownst to Finley, the two boys shared a knowing look. They would go on that night to slash every Range Rover in the Vocal Adrenaline parking lot.

🎵

The next day, Mr. Schuester wrote in big letters on the board "Funk." No one was impressed. "Funk!" He said cheerfully. "Use it in a sentence." No one said anything. "Come on! Rachel?" He looked to his star student.

"This cheese smells funky," Rachel answered boredly.

"That's 'cause it's 'fromunda' cheese," Puck said.

"Shut it, Puckerman!" Rachel snapped, sending him a withering glare.

"Ok, ok, I was thinking more along the lines of 'Vocal Adrenaline has sure put us all in a funk,'" he told the group.

"I'm so depressed, I've worn the same outfit twice this week," Kurt mumbled, his eyes rimmed red from his exhaustion.

"What if I told you I knew how we could shove it right back down their throats?" Mr. Schue said, peaking everyone's interest. "New Directions is about to make their funk the P-Funk. We're gonna get funked up!" No one was impressed in the slightest. "The only way to do that is to beat them at Regionals. Vocal Adrenaline has never once done a funk number. They're a machine, a collective, synthesized, soulless beat. Funk is soul meets anger. It's passion, it's emotion. And Vocal Adrenaline doesn't perform with any. So you have your assignment. I want you guys to turn McKinley High into Funkytown," he sang the last word. Everyone but Rachel got excited. Finley liked the idea of fighting back. Not in the way Finn and Puck had done it, which resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages, but in a more psychological way.

"You guys can relax. I got this one covered," Mercedes assured the group.

"Hold on a second," Quinn objected. "I want a chance to get funky too." Everyone minus Rachel and Kurt laughed at her.

"Good one, Quinn. It even sounds funny when you say it," Mercedes cackled.

"You said funk was about soul and anger," Quinn snapped, ignoring her. "I have plenty of both. Look at me. Look at my life. I'm furious!"

"Let's be honest," Mercedes sighed. "When white people try to be funky, you end up with KC and the Sunshine Band."

"I love 'Boogie Shoes,'" Artie hummed while Mercedes laughed again.

"Mercedes's racism aside," Quinn snapped, making Mercedes roll her eyes, "I will have something prepared tomorrow."

"All right. Quinn goes first," Mr. Schue clapped. Finley smiled supportively at her friend, making Quinn and Finn share a relieved look. Finley had been depressed all week, isolating herself in her room when she was home, crying throughout the night, barely talking. And Finley loved to talk. She would always say hi to people in the halls and chat with her friends. No one but Quinn and Puck knew why she was so down, but everyone knew it had something to do with Jesse's recent betrayal.

But as everyone left the meeting, she seemed to have a new spring in her step.

🎵

Everyone was relieved to see Finley walk in with her hair back in its tight, curled pony and freshly-pressed cheerio uniform. The angel was back. She still rarely spoke, but she had enough energy to at least participate in class all throughout the day. She still hadn't told Finn about everything, but he didn't care as much now that she was seemingly getting better. She had even eaten dinner with the family the night before. She was in her pajamas and had a face mask, and she didn't talk at all, but it was something. And Burt, Carole, Finn, and Kurt were thankful for that.

The bell rang and Mr. Schue got rehearsal started. "Ok! Quinn, it's your day to show us your funky side. So, take it away."

"For some of us," Quinn stated, slowly rising out of her seat, "just simply gettin got class takes a little bit longer. When you're pregnant, you're responsible for two lives. And you're walking down the hallway oppressed by the man."

"Oh my goodness, she is not about to go there," Mercedes groaned while her and Matt shut their eyes and visibly grimaced.

"Hearing people call you fat," Quinn went on, glaring daggers at Mercedes. "Sometimes it hurts." A bunch of other pregnant teen girls suddenly walked into the room, backing Quinn from behind. Everyone glanced around, confused. Finley and Santana shared the same wide-eyed expression. They understood what was about to happen, and they were bracing themselves. "Sometimes you have to stop, and hld that precious life and say 'no.'"

"This is offensive," Artie mumbled. "Who are these girls?"

"We're the Unwed Mothership Connection," Quinn responded, "and that's what we're here to sing about." 💜

Everyone sat through Quinn's uncomfortable performance of James Brown's "It's a Man's Man's Man's World." While Quinn sang her heart out, making everyone bristle in their seats, the mothers behind her danced some... interesting choreography. Quinn sounded beautifully, but the performance was... a sight to behold.

The one thing everyone could feel was her anger and pain. Finley was the first to jump out of her seat and hug her best friend. Everyone else soon joined in, except Mercedes, who sat in her chair in thought.

🎵

Coach Sylvester was out for the day- something that hadn't happened ever. Like, never, ever. From what Finley knew, she had a date. She didn't know what happened, but she hoped Sue was ok.

Finley and Rachel were walking together to the choir room, neither of them saying a word, when Rachel's phone suddenly rang. "Hello?" Finley paused when a hopeful expression bloomed on Rachel's face. After a moment, she put her phone down. "It was Jesse." Finley froze at the name. Her veins felt like ice. "He wants me to meet in the parking lot."

Finley nodded slowly and motioned for her to go. Rachel ran off and Finley remembered she had left her cheerio Pom Poms in the car. Just because Coach Sue hadn't shown up yet, didn't mean she wouldn't! She needed to be prepared for an impromptu practice!

As Finley reached her car, she noticed Vocal Adrenaline was waiting outside a bit away. She felt her heart stutter as she eyed Jesse's soft curls glowing golden in the sunlight. Rachel suddenly appeared and he waved her over. Jesse hadn't noticed her, and she didn't want him to. If he really wanted her, he would have called her. Not Rachel. That other fact only made the pit in her stomach tighten. Perhaps Jesse's words had all been a lie.

Rachel began sprinting toward Jesse, a large smile on her face. Finley noticed movement from behind her. She watched in horror as one of the guys suddenly chucked a raw egg at Rachel from behind. It splattered across the back of her head, getting stuck in her long hair. Finley sprinted as fast as she could to reach Rachel as more of the members threw raw eggs at her.

Not only was the act itself cruel, but Rachel was a vegan. This was not only hurting her body, it was hurting her heart. And Finley would not stand for it.

For the first time in days since her heart had been shattered, Finley spoke. "Back off, Jesse!" She walked up to the one who had done so and shoved him back. The strength of the push wasn't much, but the shock of her standing before him had Jesse staggering back a few steps. The egg throwing had ceased, the only shell left in Jesse's capable hands. "What is wrong with you?" Her voice cracked as she spoke, but she held her ground. She would not let them torment Rachel any longer.

"I heard you're a vegan, Berry," Andrea smirked cruelly from beside him. "The souls of those poor egg fetuses are all on your conscience now." Finley took a threatening step forward, only making Andrea laugh. "Oh, the cheerleader finally stopped crying, did she? After her little heart got broken when her boyfriend finally left her?" Finley felt tears build, but she stood her ground. Rachel glanced between Finley, Jesse, and Andrea, confused. Andrea noticed and cackled. "Oh, she never told you? Ms. Cereal here fell in love with your boyfriend and stole him out from under you. He was going to break both of your hearts."

Finley couldn't stop herself from flinching at the cruel words. Rachel gasped, her head whipping between Jesse and Finley. She felt a new wave of hurt wash over her. There were so many signs, and she never realized. Then she noticed the look on Jesse's face as he gazed at Finley. There was something in his eyes that Rachel had never seen before. It was... hurt, pain, longing... love. The way he was looking at Finley? He had never looked at her like that before.

"I cannot believe you," Finley gritted as she glared up at Jesse. His ocean eyes did nothing to comfort her as they once did. Instead, they only made her see red. "You're better than this, Jesse. Break my heart, fine. Break Rachel's, mean. But throw eggs at her? That is downright cruel." Jesse flinched under her harsh tone, but that didn't stop her. "I stood up for you, you know. When Quinn or Mercedes or Kurt or anyone said something bad about you, I would stand up for you. Always. Because I believed you were a good person. I believed in you." Her voice cracked again, causing Andrea and some of the other members to snicker. But Finley ignored them, keeping her focus on Jesse. "Finn was right not to trust you. And I was wrong for believing that you actually... cared about me..."

"That's not true," Jesse shook his head aggressively, begging her to listen. "I care about you so much, Finley."

"No!" Finley shouted, making him flinch. "You don't get to twist into my brain again! I won't let you. You don't get to say those things to me! It was all an act, Jesse! I know it was! Stop acting like you care about me!"

"Finley, please! I lo-"

"Stop, stop, stop!" Finley screamed, slapping him across the cheek. Hard. Jesse gasped, his entire body frozen as he stared at his love in front of him. Finley began to tremble as she stared at his cheek in horror. It wasn't a hard hit, but that wasn't what terrified her so. Finley hated violence. It was a last resort for her. For her to have hit him, she was at her wit's end. She was truly broken, and it was all because of him. "I... I..." She stammered as she stared at Jesse. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

"It's ok-"

"It's on, Bitch!" Andrea cut him off, moving to lunge for her. Jesse reacted quickly and grabbed her waist, pulling her back. "Jesse, let me go! Let me at her!" Andrea yelled as she fought against his hold, but he didn't relent.

"Andrea, stop," Jesse ordered. After a moment, she calmed down and Jesse released her. She stared daggers at Finley while Jesse turned to her again.

Finley's voice was soft once more as she spoke to him. "There was once a time when you begged me, said you would do anything to make things right with me." Her soft eyes then hardened, her sadness turning to blistering anger. "What a great actor you were. Make sure you thank me when you win your EGOT." Her tone was sharp, cold. It was as if she had slapped him in the face once more. Rachel simply watched from the sidelines, the goop of the egg trickling down her hair and neck. She wanted to hurl.

"Do it, Jesse," Andrea ordered him, motioning to the egg still in his hand. "Are you with us or not?"

"Come on, Jesse." "Do it." "Come on." The rest of Vocal Adrenaline goaded him on.

Jesse slowly walked up to them, his expression now glaring like stone. He stopped right in front of Finley. "Do it," she said softly, her eyes gazing into his. They were no longer hard or burning with hatred and anger, they were sad, broken. It wasn't challenge, it was submission. She had no more fight left in her. "Break it like you broke my heart."

"I loved you," he told her. Finley finally allowed her tears to fall and she shut her eyes, waiting for the hit to come. Jesse took a deep breath. And then another. And another. Finley opened her eyes slowly to see him holding the egg right above her head. But he made no move to bring it down on her. "I can't," he whispered, gazing down at her. He lowered his hand and took a step back. He felt the glares of his other members on him, but he didn't care. He couldn't do it. Not to her.

Andrea scoffed. "Come on, Jesse. You can't be serious."

"I won't do it," he snapped, turning to send a glare of his own to her.

"Then I will." Before Jesse could react, Andrea snatched the egg out of his hand and chucked it at Finley. She whimpered as the shell cracked against her cheek and splattered gooey egg yolk across her exposed skin and down her uniform. Rachel gasped behind her. She hadn't expected Finley to take an egg for her. She realized, no matter their differences, Finley would always stand up for her. She was a true friend.

Finley brought her hand to her cheek and wiped the egg goop away, her jaw clenched so hard Jesse worried for her teeth. She deeply sighed and took a step forward. She then raised her hand covered in raw egg to Andrea. "Hit me or Rachel again. I dare you." Jesse had never seen Finley so enraged. Finley had never felt so enraged. With one glance, she felt as if she could burn down an entire building.

Andrea stepped up to her challenge, but Jesse yanked her back. "No. We're leaving," he ordered, moving to tug her with him.

"Wha-Jesse! Eggs and cereal? The perfect breakfast," Andrea pouted.

Jesse's expression was hard and furious. He hated that Finley had gotten involved and that his team mates went after her. They could go after Berry all they wanted, but not Finley. Never Finley. "We're leaving!" He hissed in her face, making her cower a bit in fear. She nodded and Jesse released her. "Everyone, now!" He ordered the rest of the group. Everyone made their way back to their Range Rovers, glancing back at Rachel and Finley with wicked smirks.

"It's 'cheerio,' bitch!" Finley shouted behind Andrea. It only made Andrea laugh, but it made Finley feel a little bit better. She rarely cursed. The word didn't seem fitting coming out of her mouth, but Jesse found it adorable. She was an angry bunny, and he just wanted to squeeze her. Finley knew she sounded weak, but she didn't care. She had to defend her honor somehow. She then grabbed Rachel's hand and they walked back into the school. Finley refused to spare a look at the traitor, who was watching her leave with violent longing.

The girls found solace in the girls' bathroom and cleaned the egg off in silence. Rachel would glance at Finley every few moments, but Finley ignored her, too lost in her own head. He was going to say "I love you." She was right to stop him. It would have only worsened the pain. It was easier for Finley to clean up, as she was only hit with one egg. Rachel, on the other hand, was pelted with dozens. After she was done, she grabbed paper towel, wetted it, and helped Rachel clean up once more.

"Thank you," Rachel whispered, breaking the silence. "For this, and for standing up for me. You didn't have to do that."

"You're my friend. I always stick up for my friends," Finley said, as if it were just a fact. It was. Rachel nodded and allowed Finley to help get the rest of the raw egg out of her hair and face. "I have some spare clothes in my locker if you need any."

As sweet as the offer was, Finley didn't have much of a desire to wear a red sweater with a bunny on it. "My uniform didn't stain or anything, so I'm ok. Thank you, Rachel," she told her gratefully. Rachel nodded again. The two fell back into silence. Finley didn't want to be the one to bring it up, but she knew at some point Rachel would.

After a few more silent minutes, she did. "What was... um... you and Jesse... um... what was Andrea talking about? You tried to steal my boyfriend?" Rachel asked warily. She wanted to be furious at Finley. She had every right to be. But something in Jesse's expression, the longing and heartbreak, told her there was more to the story. He had not only hurt Rachel, he had hurt Finley. And hadn't she tried to do the same thing to Quinn mere months ago?

Finley sighed deeply, every sense on edge as she prepared herself to confess and relive the now sullied memories. "I never wanted to steal him from you, Rachel," she assured her friend, praying she would believe her. "There was always this... connection between us. I don't know how to explain it. Together, we felt... free." Rachel listened intently. The sadness in her voice made Rachel feel bad for her. Neither of them deserved his betrayal.

"You two always seemed offly close when he transferred and joined glee club," Rachel noted. "You had already met him when we went to the music library together."

"Yeah, we had met before, actually." The new information surprised Rachel. "We met when I went with you guys to see Vocal Adrenaline. I wasn't even in glee club, then. When I left you and Finn in the concession line, I got lost and ended up backstage. Jesse found me and we got to talking. It was fun. He was fun," Finley shrugged. "We met again the night you guys poached Dakota Stanley, and then we met a couple more times at a nearby bookstore. And then you met him at the music library. You both sang Lionel Richie. It was beautiful," she lightly smiled.

Rachel could tell that the smile was somewhat forced, though her comment was sincere. "Jesse said 'Hello' was one of his favorites," she remembered. "And you did too..." That must have hurt. Seeing the guy you like, whether you know or not that you do, sing a romantic song that you both love together.

"Yeah. It is." Finley's small smile fell. "And he proclaimed his undying love for you and transferred schools for you."

"Only so he could further his plan to humiliate us right before Regionals so we would lose," Rachel huffed. Jesse was a performer. She should have seen it coming. He could dance, sing, and act. It was so easy for him to fool her.

"I'm not so sure about that, actually," Finley said, surprising Rachel. "Think about it. He got close to you, got you to trust him, and then he helped you find your birth mom, who happens to be his coach? There is no way that is a coincidence."

"So, what are you saying?" Rachel asked.

"Maybe his motivations weren't just about sabotage. Maybe Shelby enlisted him so he could get you to find Shelby and reunite," she theorized.

Rachel rolled her eyes. "And look how that turned out. She didn't even want me. She wanted a baby," she mumbled.

"I'm sorry, Rach," Finley told her apologetically. "I'm here if you need me."

"Thanks," Rachel smiled softly at her friend. "So..." She cleared her throat. "How did you get from pals to love confessions?"

Finley's eyed suddenly grew wide, frantic. "You have to believe me. I never would have started anything with him while you were dating. I swear, Rachel. I would never do that to you." She didn't deserve her understanding, but she hoped Rachel would give it.

"I believe you." Finley gasped with relief. "Did you guys ever... do anything?"

After a moment, Finley nodded. Rachel slumped a bit the answer, but she wasn't surprised. "We had a few close calls, but nothing happened until last night," Finley explained. "He said he wanted to be with me and he was going to end things with you. We had our first kiss then." Rachel swallowed the lump in her throat. Knowing Jesse was only acting helped ease the pain, but it didn't it from hurting. "But it was all fake, I guess," she scoffed. "Again, I am so incredibly sorry, Rachel."

Finley' s eyes were shining with new tears, and Rachel sighed. "I forgive you." And she did. She had done some pretty mean things to Finley over the past year, and she was always forgiven. It was time for her to extend the same favor. "But I don't think it was all fake..." Finley's brows scrunched in confusion, waiting for her to elaborate. "Jesse had to get close to everyone, and especially me if you're right about the Shelby theory, as well as the fact that I am the star of glee club. I'm the biggest threat to him." Finley knew that was true. Overall, Rachel was the strongest singer they had. "But he had no reason to mess with your mind, except maybe to crush your spirit. You're one of the people that holds the entire group together. Maybe breaking you would break morale?"

"Maybe," Finley shrugged. She hated how easily she was played. So much for her trusting people. Jesse had seemed perfect. Too perfect, it turned out. He was morally gray, but in the cruelest way. No matter how fun and kind he was to her, he did it to mess and ruin her psyche.

"But that look in his eyes?" Rachel hummed. "Jesse is a great actor, but I don't think he can fake that look. Vocal Adrenaline doesn't have the heart that we have. That was the most heart I have ever seen in someone."

Finley sighed, wanting to just be done with the conversation. "What are you saying, Rachel?"

"I don't know," Rachel shrugged. "Just, maybe, there is something there in Jesse besides a slimy co*ckroach traitor." Finley let a giggle slip, making Rachel smile. The world wasn't right if Finley Hudson wasn't giggling. Rachel suddenly filled with determination. "No matter what his motivations were, he betrayed us. And we can harness this pain, this anger, this fire to destroy him at Regionals."

Her determination fueled Finley. "You're right. We need to hit them just as they hit us. A sucker punch to the gut," Finley smiled.

"And we know just how to do it," Rachel nodded.

"We need to get our funk on."

🎵

Rachel and Finley stood center stage in the auditorium, staring down Vocal Adrenaline in the rows of seats before them. Jesse sat in the center of the first row, directly in front of the two girls. Finley made no hint to show how he affected her so, mainly from the fact that she refused to spare him a glance. His curls were sitting perfectly atop his head, and he was staring right at Finley. He never once glanced at Rachel. Stupid Andrea Cohen sat beside him, smirking at the cheerio.

"Thank you all for coming," Finley smiled confidently. She had a loose red button down tied above her belly button and short black shorts- which Jesse honed on right away. Her hair was down in loose waves, which she paired with a funky hat she borrowed from Kurt. She had red socks on that reached her upper calf and vans sneakers on.

"After our brazen escalation of our growing dispute, which we were willing to put to rest, we decided the only way to truly 'funkify' you is to show you the one thing we know you can't do," Rachel said, her brow quirking in challenge.

The members all glanced at each other, unconvinced expressions on their faces. "So enjoy," Finley chirped. 💛

Vocal Adrenaline watched as all the New Directions made their way onto the stage dressed in funky outfits. The music to Parliament's "Give Up the Funk" echoed through the auditorium. Finley sang and danced front and center with Brittany, Quinn, and Mercedes. She avoided looking at Jesse, but she smiled as the other members' co*cky expressions began to fall.

The number ended with Mercedes wailing the final note with Rachel and Finley by her sides. Rachel walked off with Finn, sending Jesse a smirk. Puck walked up behind Finley and grabbed her hip protectively. In another's certain eyes, possessively.

"See you punks at Regionals," Puck tipped his head confidently at the spectators' now anxious expressions.

Finley finally dared to look at Jesse. His eyes were wide and his entire body was tense. He was staring right at her, and she could tell that he was successfully funked. The empty look on Andre beside him was even better. Finley smiled victoriously, feigning innocence. But Vocal Adrenaline knew it was anything but. "Something you'll learn about 'cereal?' We never lose. Remember that we just came off our fifth national cheerleading title before you threaten a cheerio." Finley winked at Andrea, then flipped her hair and sauntered off the stage with Puck, a new sway in her hips.

Vocal Adrenaline stared at the empty stage in their seats, their game rattled. "They did a funk number," Jesse gaped. "We've never been able to pull off a funk number."

"Well, that's because we're soulless automatons," Andrea replied blankly.

"I'm so depressed," he said. Andrea was completely right. Vocal Adrenaline was soulless. And he was the emptiest of them all.

Chapter 12: JOURNEY TO REGIONALS

Chapter Text

[ 1.22 ]

❤️ Rachel and Finn | "Faithfully" - Journey

🧡New Directions | "Any Way You Want It / "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" - Journey

💛 New Directions | "Don't Stop Believin'" - Journey

🩷 Jesse & Vocal Adrenaline | "Bohemian Rhapsody" - Queen

💙 New Directions | "To Sir With Love" - Lulu

💜 Will Schuester & Puck | "Over the Rainbow" - The Wizard of Oz

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

𝙁𝙄𝙉𝙇𝙀𝙔 𝙒𝘼𝙎 𝘾𝙐𝘿𝘿𝙇𝙀𝘿 with Finn on Mr. Schue's couch with the rest of the club. Everyone was crestfallen from the news they had all learned about Regionals earlier that day. Even the pizza was untouched, and everyone knew that the football players could eat.

"Nobody wants any pizza?" Mr. Schue asked, looking around at the kids. No one said anything. "All right, well, uh, let's get started. Thank you for coming to the first annual New Directions Regionals setlist nominations party."

"What's the point, Mr. Schue?" Artie spoke up, his voice small like a mouse. "Coach Sylvester is one of the judges. She's gonna crush us."

"Artie, you don't know that," he said.

"Yes, we do," Santana sighed.

Finley nodded. "She told us at cheerios practice."

"Yeah, she said, 'I'm going to crush glee club,'" Brittany recited with a heartbroken expression.

"The whole freaking year," Puck huffed. "All that hard work for nothing."

Beside him, Tina sniffled. "I'm sorry," she whimpered. "I just really love you guys." Finley cooed and grabbed Tina's hand in comfort. Tina smiled back with gratitude. "You know how many facebook friends I had before I joined glee club? Two. My parents. Rachel was right. Being part of something special, it made me special." She began to cry. "I just can't believe it's going to be over in a week."

"Wait, who says it's going to be over?" Finn chimed in.

"Please," Mercedes sighed. "You think Puck and Santana are gonna even acknowledge my existence once we're not in glee club together anymore?"

"She has a point," Puck mumbled, resulting in Finley slapping him, it was weak, though. Everyone knew Mercedes was right.

"Mr. Schuester?" Rachel sniffled, her face puffy from crying. "Do you think instead of nominating songs, we can just all go around the room and talk about the things that we loved about glee club this year?" Her voice broke as she spoke.

After a moment, Mr. Schue could do nothing but nod. It took everything in him not to cry at their hopeless expressions.

The night didn't end horribly, though. The club spent the evening telling their favorite stories and recounting their favorite performances. Everyone got a good laugh out of Mercedes's crush on Kurt, or Rachel's on Mr. Schue that one time. No one brought up Jesse or Vocal Adrenaline. That night, it was only about the New Directions.

🎵

The following Monday, everyone watched as Mr. Schue wrote in big letters "Journey" on the white board. Finley was sitting with Matt and Mike in the back row. Rachel and Finn walked in right as Mr. Schue turned to the group. "Mr. Schuester, I have something we want to say to you," Rachel told him.

"Me first," he beckoned her to sit. "Have a seat." Rachel and Finn sat together and Mr. Schue smiled at the group proudly. "Nine months ago there were five of you in here. And we sucked. I mean, we really sucked. Bad." He chuckled and then sighed. "One day, all of you are going to be gone. And all of this, all of us, will be nothing but a hazy memory. It will take you a second to remember everyone's name. Someone will have to remind you of the songs we sung, the solos you got or didn't get." His speech really brought down the energy of the room. It was a horrible pep talk, if it was even supposed to be one. "Life only really has one beginning and one end, and the rest is just a whole lot of middle. And I love you guys too much to let you not make the most of it. Now, I was gonna quit once, but you guys brought me back with 'Don't Stop Believin.' It was a 9, but we are going to make it a 10."

The energy returned to the room and everyone's excitement began to grow. "We're doing 'Don't Stop Believin' at Regionals?" Rachel asked.

"And then some," Mr. Schue nodded. "We are doing a Journey medley! Because who cares what happens when we get there, when the getting there has been so much fun?" Finley beamed at her friends around her, and Matt and Mike pulled her in for a little hug. "Rachel, you had something. you wanted to say?"

Rachael smiled and glanced around at all her friends. "Just that we're all really glad you didn't become an accountant." The group laughed at her joke.

"Regionals," Mr. Schue grinned, "here we come!"

🎵

The day had finally come. Regionals.

The New Directions were anxiously waiting backstage in their green room. Finley was thankful Vocal Adrenaline's was the farthest room away at the other end of the theater. She still couldn't bear to face Jesse. She smoothed her sweating palms on the gold fabric of her dress.

The New Directions were slotted to perform right before Vocal Adrenaline. The speakers throughout the theater blared as the MC went through the program. "And now, our panel of judges. He's an international musical sensation, a platinum recording artist 20 times over, the inimitable Josh Groban!"

The crowd cheered. Finley screamed so incredibly loud for the beloved singer. She was a major Josh Groban fan. She clutched Puck's and her brother's hands, the poor souls happened to be closest to her as she watched the video of the stage on the television, and squealed with excitement as he stood up and waved to the crowd. She swore he made direct eye contact with her. Was he on the screen? Yes. Was he probably just looking at the camera? Yes. But who cares. Josh Groban looked at her!

"Who is Josh Groban?" Puck whispered across to Finn, who shrugged.

Finley gasped in horror. "Who is Josh Groban? Kill yourself!" The boys gaped at the sudden animosity. The chatter in the room ceased and they all stared at Finley, surprised by her outburst. Finley then blinked and her expression fell. "Oh my god, I don't know where that came from. I'm so sorry, please forgive me!"

The boys relaxed. They were less worried about an apology than Finley murdering them. "All good," Puck smiled weakly, still shaken up by her reaction.

"It's cool, sis," Finn nodded, himself just as shaken.

The MC continued announcing, "She's four-time Grammy winner who starred in the highest grossing movie musical of all time, Ms. Olivia Newton-John!" The crowd cheered. "He is the two-time local Emmy winner and broadcasting icon, WHON news anchor Rod Remington!" Rod then got up and waved to the crowd. "She is fresh off her fifth consecutive national cheerleading title and author of the soon-to-be-published memoir I'm a Winner and You're Fat, Ohio's homegrown iconoclast, Coach Sue Sylvester!" The New Directions made sure not to cheer for that one. "And now our first performance of the evening, from Westbale High in scenic Fort Wayne, Indiana, Aural Intensity!" The crowd clapped and the lights dimmed. The music of "Magic" and "You Raise Me Up" echoed through the theater.

The New Directions were worried. They didn't know how the glee club had found out about the two celebrity judges. Perhaps it was a coincidence? Perhaps not. But it worried the New Directions.

"A mashup of Olivia Newton John and Josh Groban? Are you kidding me?" Puck fumed, begging to pace around the room. "Somebody tipped them off about the judges."

"Guys, we can't get distracted by what the other teams are doing," Rachel told the room. Finley sighed and sat beside Santana on one of the room's couches. They were so screwed.

Finn nodded, but he too was rattled. "We just gotta keep out heads in the game and focus."

"Even though we know we can't win?" Santana grimaced.

"Yes." Mr. Schuester walked into the room. He turned off the audio and faced the group. "If this is only about winning for you guys, then I owe you all an apology because I've failed you and we should all just go home because it earns that we've already lost. Besides, we have got something that the other groups don't."

"What?" Artie asked.

"Finn's dancing." The group chuckled at the absurdity. Finn was an amazing singer, but his dancing was atrocious. "Right? Come on! Let's get out there. We got two minutes, Aural Intensity is almost finished. Bring it in, come on." He ushered everyone into a circle. They put their hands in the center of thier show circle.

"Aaaaa-mazing!"

Rachel and Finn hurried to the entrance of the theater while the rest of the members got into their positions behind the curtain. Finley' s heart beat like a drumming in her heart. Everything was leading to this. They had to blow minds. The fate of the glee club depended on it.

"Winner of the Central Ohio Sectional, McKinley High's New Directions!" The MC announced. The audience applauded and the beginning notes of Journey's "Faithfully" floated through the air. ❤️ Rachel and Finn sang the ballad beautifully together, making their way down the aisles of the theater. They met on the stage and sang their hearts out, allowing their feelings for each other to overpower the song, only adding deeper meaning to their performance.

Finley was happy for her brother. She knew that Rachel had a lot of work on as a person and heal from Jesse, but in her heart, Finley knew that the two were destined to be. When their song ended, Rachel took Finn's hand and they joined the rest of the group on the stage. The bang of a drum began their next number: A mashup of "Any Way You Want It" and "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'." 🧡

[all]

Any way you want it

That's the way you need it

Any way you want it

Oh

Some of the crowd stood up and danced to the energetic tune. Together, all the guys walked up while the girls danced on the steps in the back, Finn in the center.

[Finn]

She loves to laugh

She loves to sing

She does everything

She loves to move

She loves to groove

She loves lovin' things

Rachel in the center, the girls strutted up while the boys backed up

[Rachel]

It won't be long, yeah

Till you're alone

When your lover, oh

He hasn't come home

Oh

'Cause he's lovin' ( [girls] : lover)

He's touchin' ( [girls] : Touchin')

[girls]

He's squeezin' another ( [Mercedes] : another)

The entire group danced together on stage, just having the time of their lives.

[all]

Any way you want it

That's the way you need it

Any way you want it

He said, any way you want it

That's the way you need it

Any way you want it

Oh

The group ran back to the stage's steps and Puck and Finley stood center while the rest of their friends danced behind them.

[Puck]

I was alone

I never knew

What good love could do

[Finley]

Then we touched

Then we sang

About the lovely things

Rachel and Finn running front and center. Finley and Rachel flocked both sides of Finn while the rest of the group paired up.

[Rachel]

'Cause he's lovin' ( [Mercedes] : lover)

He's touchin' ( [Mercedes] : Touchin')

He's squeezin' another ( [Mercedes] : yeah)

[all]

Any way you want it

That's the way you need it

Any way you want it

He said, any way you want it

That's the way you need it

Any way you want it

Oh

Na na na na na na

Na na na na na

Na na na na na na

Na na na na na

The group danced crazily all over the stage. Mike grabbed Finley's waist and twirled her around, making her smile from ear to ear. She loved performing with her friends. All thoughts and worries about Jesse and Vocal Adrenaline were nonexistent. It was just her and her friends having the time of their lives.

[all]

Any way you want it

That's the way you need it

The crowd cheered and the group prepared for their final number. They all vocalized as the first notes of "Don't Stop Believin'" began to play. The crowd cheered. Rachel and Finn took the center. 💛

[Finn]

Just a small town girl

Livin' in a lonely world

She took the midnight train going anywhere

[Rachel]

Just a city boy

Born and raised in South Detroit

He took the midnight train going anywhere

Puck and Santana then stepped up.

[Puck]

A singer in a smoky room

[Santana]

A smell of wine and cheap perfume

[Puck & Santana]

For a smile they can share the night

It goes on and on and on and on

The group danced together closely while singing, unable to keep the large smiles off their faces. The crowd was clapping along to the music, loving the performance.

[all]

Strangers waitin'

Up and down the boulevard

Their shadows searchin' in the night

Streetlights, people

Livin' just to find emotion

Hidin', somewhere in the night

Finley glanced to the side of the stage and noticed someone standing behind Mr. Schue. And he was smiling.

His eyes twinkled with admiration and... pride. Finley's heart melted. And for some reason, she felt her smile grow as he watched her. Perhaps it was something in his eyes. She felt most of her anger evaporate with that one look.

She couldn't let it all deteriorate. She was still upset about them egging Rachel.

She and Kurt then took center-stage.

[Kurt]

Workin' hard to get my fill

Everybody wants a thrill

Payin' anything to roll the dice

Just one more time

[Finley]

Some'll win, some will lose

Some are born to sing the blues

Oh, the movie never ends

It goes on and on and on and on

Finley glanced again at Jesse and saw the rest of Vocal Adrenaline grouping behind him, preparing for their performance. Finley paid them no mind and joined her friends in the glee.

The group danced again and the crowd went wild. Journey was always a hit.

[all]

Strangers waitin'

Up and down the boulevard

Their shadows searchin' in the night

Streetlights, people

Livin' just to find emotion

Hidin', somewhere in the night

Don't stop believin'

Hold on to that feelin'

The group ran back to the steps and got into their final positions.

Streetlights, people

Don't stop!

The crowd applauded and cheered loudly, and for the first time, the New Directions felt hope that they could maybe, actually win...

Finley grabbed Quinn, who was closet to her, into a big hug. "That was amazing!" Quinn gasped as the two jumped in excitement.

The group ran off the stage, high on adrenaline from their performance. "We got first place in the bag!" Tina cheered.

"Screw them! We are gonna win this!" Rachel yelled.

Quinn was clutching her baby bump while Finley walked with her. "Quinnie." The two girls stopped and turned to see Quinn's mother, Judy, who neither had seen since she and her husband kicked Quinn out their home, beaming proudly at her daughter.

"Mom?" Quinn gaped at her. Finley took a step back and allowed them to have their moment. She walked into the green room and tackled Finn and Puck into a big hug.

"You were so good, sis!" Finn exclaimed, grabbing Finley and spinning her around.

"You guys too! We crushed that!" Finley squealed. She glanced back at Quinn and noticed a wet puddle on the floor underneath her. "Um, Quinn?" She released the two boys and hurried over to her. "Quinn, what is that?"

Quinn's expression was wide-eyed as she stared at her mother. "My water just broke."

Jesse stood center-stage as his team began to sing the opening lyrics to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody." He had looked around for Finley, but couldn't find her anywhere in the crowd. The only member from the New Directions that he saw was Rachel. Where was everyone? 🩷

[all]

Is this the real life?

Is this just fantasy?

Caught in a landslide

No escape from reality

Open your eyes

Look up to the skies and see

[Jesse]

I'm just a poor boy

I need no sympathy

[all]

Because I'm easy come, easy go,

Little high, little low

[Jesse]

Any way the wind blows

Doesn't really matter

To me

Jesse walked over to the piano placed on stage for their performance and sat down. His fingers danced over the keys as he sang while the rest of his group danced elaborately behind him.

Mama

Just killed a man

Put a gun against his head

Pulled my trigger, now he's dead

The New Directions raced Quinn to the hospital. She was placed in a wheelchair and Puck helped push her through the halls to the delivery room. "Mom, it hurts so bad!" Quinn cried in pain.

"My daughter is having a baby!" Judy yelled to the nearest nurse.

"Right this way," the nurse beckoned them to follow her.

Mama

Life had just begun

But now I've gone and thrown it all away

"Wait, wait!" Quinn cried, making everyone stop. "I want Finley with me, too."

Finley nodded and ran off with Puck and the family to support her friend.

Quinn was her best friend. She would do anything to help her.

And now, she was going to help Quinn have her baby.

Mama, oh

Didn't mean to make you cry

If I'm not back again this time tomorrow

Carry on

Carry on as if nothing really matters

Jesse got up from the piano and joined the rest of his group on the stage. Only Rachel was to be found.

Too late

My time has come

Sends shivers down my spine

Body's aching all the time

Goodbye, everybody

I've got to go

Gotta leave you all behind and face the truth

"Mama!" Quinn cried out as she began to push. She was in incredible pain, and Finley and Puck could do nothing but stay by her side as she pushed.

She screamed and gripped Finley's hand so tightly she worried they would break. But Finley wouldn't dare let go.

Mama, oh

I don't want to die

I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all

Another push. Another scream.

"It's never coming! Ever!" Quinn cried in agony as the nurses tried to keep her down.

"Keep pushing!" One of the nurses told her.

"Shut up!" She screamed in her face.

"You got this, Quinn!" Finley said supportively. "You can do this! Now push!"

"Ah!"

Puck wasn't as much help. He was standing behind Finley, slack-jawed and his eyes wide as he watched Quinn do the hardest and most amazing thing in the world.

"You suck, you suck, you suck, you suck!" She screamed at him after another push. Finley winced at her anger, but she supported Quinn's rage. In fact, she encouraged it.

Quinn pushed again and screamed.

"Come on! Come on, come one! Quinn, we're all here for you. You can do this!" Finley urged her. Quinn was squeezing her hand so hard at this point that Finley was sure it was sprained. But she didn't care.

Quinn screamed again.

I see a little silhouetto of a man

Scaramouch, Scaramouch

Will you do the Fandango!

Thunderbolts and lightning

Very, very frightening me

[Jesse & Vocal Adrenaline girl]

Galileo, Galileo

Galileo, Galileo

Galileo, Figaro

[all]

Magnificoo

[Jesse]

I'm just a poor boy nobody loves me

[all]

He's just a poor boy from a poor family

Spare him his life from this monstrosity

The New Directions waited in the waiting room. They could hear Quinn's screams all the way from the delivery room. Rachel had been tasked to stay at the theater.

Easy come, easy go

Will you let me go

Bismillah!

No, we will not let you go

"Let me go!" Quinn screamed at the nurses holding her down.

Bismillah!

We will not let you go

"Let me go!"

Bismillah!

We will not let you go

"Ah!"

Will not let you go

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no!"

Oh mama mia, mama mia

Mama mia, let me go

"She's crowning!"

Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me

"Push, baby!"

For me

"Come on, Quinn, push!"

For me

"Ah!"

[Jesse]

So you think you can stop me and spit in my eye

So you think you can love me and leave me to die

Oh, baby

Can't do this to me, baby,

Just gotta get out

Just gotta get right outta here

Nothing really matters

Anyone can see

Nothing really matters

Nothing really matters to me

Any way the wind blows

The rest of the glee club stood on stage, albeit Puck, and Finley, who chose to say with Quinn at the hospital. The New Directions and Vocal Adrenaline stood on opposite sides of the stage, Aural Intensity between them. Rachel and Jesse shared withering glances at each other.

Jesse scanned the group for Finley, but only found her twin. He noted that Puck and Quinn were missing too, and he put what had probably occurred together. A part of him was glad that she wasn't there. He needed to talk to her, face her, but privately. He couldn't allow whatever moment they might hope for to be ruined by show choir rivalry.

The judges made their way onto the stage and the audience clapped. Jesse eyed Josh Groban as he stood beside the trophies. He knew that Finley would be jumping in her heels at him being so close.

"Thank you all for coming," Sue addressed the crowd. "As we all know, glee club is such an important- and I honestly can't even finish that sentence, so let's just get to it." The glee clubs braced themselves to hear the winners. "The 2010 Midwest Regional runners-up... from For Wayne, Indiana, the not-at-all stupidly named Aural Intensity!" The crowd cheered and the other teams clapped.

It was now between the New Directions and Vocal Adrenaline. They two groups stood closer together and anxiously waited.

"And now, the 2010 Midwest Regional show choir champions... Vocal Adrenaline!"

🎵

Mr. Schue walked into the auditorium to find all of his students sitting on the stage. "So, we have something we need to say to you," Rachel told him, lightly smiling as he took a seat in the audience.

"In the beginning of this year, I was just another football player," Matt started.

"I had a stutter," Tina said.

"I was a closeted Diva," said Mercedes.

"I used to be captain of the cheerios," Quinn added.

"I was afraid to dance outside my room," Mike admitted. He gave Finley a grateful smile. It had been her who had convinced him and Matt to join. And it was the best thing she had ever done for him.

"I hated everyone in this club," Santana said.

"So did I," Brittany nodded.

"I wasn't honest about who I was," Kurt said.

"I was tossing kids in dumpsters," Puck said, hanging his head shamefully.

"I had never kissed a girl before," Artie confessed, glancing at Tina.

"And I was getting slusheed," Rachel said.

"I wasn't friends with half the people in this room. And now I am, and I am eternally grateful for them," Finley smiled, looking around at the group. Her eyes welled with tears.

"I didn't... I didn't have a father. Someone I could look up to, model myself after," Finn admitted. "Someone who could really show me what it meant to be a man." Finley reached over and grabbed Finn's hand. She spared a grateful glance at Kurt, who smiled back at them. It had been him after all who had given them such an amazing person. Burt was family.

"We don't care what the judges say," Rachel told Mr. Schue. "We won. Becuase we had you as a teacher."

"And glee club will never end, Mr. Schue, because," Mercedes sighed, "you are glee club. And you're in all of us now." Her voice cracked, as she was trying not to cry. It was difficult for everyone not to. Finley was the first to let a tear fall down her cheek.

"And we have something for you," Finley said. The band behind them began to play "To Sir With Love" by Lulu, and the friends serenaded their mentor. 💙

No one noticed, but Sue had watched from the shadows. Her face matched the rest of the New Directions. Red, puffy, and wet from tears.

When the number ended, Finley held back a sob as Finn wrapped her in his arms. Glee club might be ending at the school, but the memories would remain forever.

Dancing with Mike, Santana, and Brittany in the choir room. Helping Rachel with her narcissistic projects. Gossiping with Mercedes and Kurt. Laughing with Puck. Talking with Matt. Relishing deep hugs with Quinn. Performing with her brother.

She would miss it all.

🎵

The next day, Mr. Schue called another meeting in the choir room. The energy was low, as everyone knew it would be their last meeting. Or so they thought.

Mr. Schue sat on a stool in front of the kids as they held their breath, waiting for whatever dreaded news he was going to give them.

Mr. Schue stared at them before breaking into a big grin. "We've got another year!"

"What?" "How?" The kids murmured as they processed the news.

"Oh my god!" Rachel shrieked. Everyone jumped out of their seats and cheered.

Finn grabbed Finley and she slammed into his chest while he hugged her. "We got another year, sis. We got another year," he gasped into her hair as they embraced each other.

Finley didn't stop the tears falling from her eyes. "We got another year, Finn." She didn't know how, but she knew that Coach Sylvester had something to do with it. No matter how cruel and selfish she could be, she knew that she could always put her faith in Sue Sylvester.

"Ok, you guys!" Rachel exclaimed, grabbing everyone's attention. "I think this is the perfect opportunity for us to start rehearsing for next year's Sectionals immediately-"

"Guys!" Mr. Schue stopped her and ushered her back to her seat. "You've all worked really hard this year. You deserve a break. Take the summer off."

"But I have ideas!" Rachel protested.

"Have some fun," he waved her off. Everyone internally sighed in relief. "Oh, but before you go, I have something for you." He walked over to the piano and opened his guitar case, taking out a ukulele. "You all sang for me that other day, so today I'd like to return the favor. Puck, if you're ready." Puck joined him with his own acoustic guitar. 💜

The New Directions watched as Puck and Mr. Schuester serenaded them with The Wizard of Oz's "Over the Rainbow."

All was right in the world.

Almost.

🎵

The world righted itself that weekend.

Jesse stood outside the Hudson-Hummel house. He had been trying for the past 20 minutes to just knock. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know if there was anything he could say to fix this. Fix them.

Vocal Adrenaline had parties all weekend, and then come Monday, they were right back into rehearsal for Nationals. Shelby had quit at their coach and their replacement was even more hardcore. If they thought rehearsals were hard before, they were nothing compared to the hell they were in now.

There were many things Jesse could appreciate about the New Directions. But the most would be how they were always there for each other. It didn't matter what drama had just occurred or what wrongdoing was done. They were always there.

Jesse missed that. He missed being a... true team. A family.

He raised his hand to knock and attempted to summon up the courage to finally do it. He would do it this time. He would. He would...

No, ugh! He couldn't.

Jesse paced nervously, threading his fingers in his wavy locks. That was when a car pulled into the driveway. Jesse stopped and looked over, his face illuminated by the headlights.

The car turned off and two angry figures made their way toward him. "You have ten seconds to get off my property before I pound your face in," Burt threatened, his entire expression hard as he eyed Finley's heartbreaker. He would make him pay for what he had done.

"You, Jesse. St. Sucks, need to leave. Now," Kurt ordered, his expression just as furious. "You don't want Finn to see you, or your brains will be spilled on the street."

Jesse gulped under their gazes. "I come in peace, I promise. I just need to see her-"

"Three seconds," Burt clenched his jaw, his hands balling into fists at his side. "Two. One-"

"What is going on here?" They stopped as Finn and Finley appeared in the doorway. "Burt? Is this guy bothering you?" Finn asked, glancing between the brown curls and Burt and Kurt's angry expressions.

But Finley could recognize those curls anywhere. "Jesse," she whispered.

Finn was suddenly seeing red, just as the Hummels. "You got some nerve showing up here," he growled, taking a threatening step toward him. Jesse whirled around, his eyes wide in fear as Finn marched over to him. If Burt and Kurt were made, Finn was murderous.

"Wait!" Finley cried, running after him and grabbed his arm before he could throw a punch. "Don't hurt him!"

"After what he did to you and Rachel? Are you serious?" Finn fumed, glancing between his sister and the traitor.

Finley nodded. "Stand down. It's ok." After a moment, Finn stepped back. "Why are you here, Jesse?"

"I need to talk to you," he told her. His eyes were pleading. Finley softened under them. She knew she could deny him nothing.

"Ok," she agreed.

"Wha- Finley, are you serious? No! He needs to leave! He's not allowed to hurt you again!" Kurt yelled, glaring at Jesse.

"Guys, it's ok," she assured her guys. "Jesse won't hurt me." Jesse hated that they believed he would. But their anger was warranted, he knew.

"He better," Burt clipped. He then walked up to Jesse, staring him dead in the eyes. It took everything in him for Jesse to not cower under his fury. "You hurt her, you die. Get me?" Jesse nodded quickly. After a moment, Burt stalked inside. Kurt and Finn followed slowly after, making sure to send Jesse another glare that told him they would help Burt make due on his threat.

The front door closed behind them, leaving Finley and Jesse alone. Neither said a word. Instead, they simply stared at each other.

Jesse took in her beauty. Her deep locks, her chocolate eyes. Finley Hudson was beautiful. Inside and out. She was the angel everyone knew her to be. An angel Jesse knew he didn't, and never would, deserve.

"Congratulations on Regionals," Finley broke the silence. "I saw a video. You were incredible." She lightly smiled at him, and her eyes shone with pride.

Even with everything between them, she was there, supporting him.

Jesse nodded in thanks. "Thanks. You were amazing too."

"Thanks," she mumbled, beginning to awkwardly fiddle with her hands.

"I, uh..." Jesse anxiously ran his fingers through his hair. Finley's fingers itched to weave her fingers through the soft locks. "Finley, I am so sorry. For everything." Finley was surprised. Not by the apology, but the emotion in his voice. He sounded... tortured. "I know there is nothing I can say that can fix what I did. I get you might ever forgive me. And even if you have it in your heart to, it might take a long time. But I am willing to wait. As long as it takes. I just need you to know how incredibly sorry I am."

Finley was touched by his admission, but it didn't erase all the pain she had experienced, that he had caused her. "You hurt me, Jesse."

"I know, and I will never forgive myself for that," he gasped. "That was the last thing I ever wanted to do. I had no intention of hurting you. I didn't expect to fall for you. Hell, I didn't think I'd like you so much."

"Oh," Finley hummed as Jesse rambled.

"No, crap! That's not what I meant!" He struggled to find the words. How could this be going down hill so fast? "I care about you so much, Finley. I miss you. I miss us. I miss your smiles that made me feel like literally glitter was exploding inside me and your laughs that sounded like angelic bells being chimed from the heavens and how you wave at everyone like the sun parting clouds on a rainy day and how you screech-

"I don't screech."

"Fine, squawk-"

"I don't squawk!"

"-When you're startled like a seagull flying through the ocean air and when you're embarrassed and you flush like the brightest tomato."

Finley co*cked her brow. "Is this supposed to convince me to forgive you?"

Jesse winced. "Yes?" After a moment, Finley giggled and a smile broke through. Glitter bomb, pop!

"You're silly." She laughed harder and Jesse didn't stop a smile of his own to overtake him. "I forgive you, Jesse."

He felt as if his heart had stopped. "You do?" He could scarcely breathe. She nodded. "I know I don't deserve your forgiveness. Hell, I don't deserve you."

"You don't!" Kurt yelled from inside the house. Finley grimaced with embarrassment.

"Take a hike!" Finn shouted with him.

"I know how to kill a man nine different ways with just my hands," Burt added casually. Finley felt her entire face redden.

"Understood, sir," Jesse called after them. Finley would bet Kurt's Gaga heels that were hiding- spying!- behind the front door the entire time. "So... does this mean I have another chance?"

Finley smiled softly. Jesse recognized sympathy in her eyes. "As friends, yes."

"Friends?" Jesse grimaced at the offensive idea.

Finley sighed. "Jesse, I care about you. But I can't just move past this." He nodded in understanding. He knew it was too good to be true. "Plus, you're going to UCLA in the fall. It would be too difficult."

"We would make it work," Jesse persisted. He had to try. He wouldn't simply give up. "You're worth it, Finley. You're worth everything."

"I know I am." She smiled, and even when breaking his heart, she was beautiful. "And maybe, one day, we can happen again. But that's not today."

Jesse took a steadying breath. Finley didn't want to hurt him. That was the last thing she wanted. But she needed to do this for herself. And Jesse knew that. And he admired her for it.

"All right. Friends. I think I can try that," Jesse grinned goofily. Finley grinned back. The grin then vanished, replaced with something more serious, more intense, more passionate. Finley felt a shiver travel down her spine beneath his gaze. "But know this. When that day comes, I will be here with open arms. Just say the word, and I'm yours."

"You mean that?" Finley asked softly. She dared to hope.

"With every beat of my heart, with every breath in my lungs. I love you, Finley Hudson. And I will wait for you. Because I love you." Finley gasped at the confession. Those three words and his lips and voice combined was her favorite thing in the world. "I love you, Finley Hudson. If there is anything you keep of me when I leave, let it be those three words. I mean them with my very soul."

Finley threw her arms around him. He was unprepared for the sudden force that knocked him, but he instinctively caught her in his arms. He pressed his nose into her soft hair and sighed as the scent of her floral shampoo flooded him. He soaked up her warmth, her comfort.

Finley Hudson gave the best hugs.

Finley soaked up the scent of his musk cologne. Her nose was buried in the softness of his hair. She had missed him oh so much. She was happy to be in his arms, and she never wanted to leave.

But, sadly, all good things must come to an end.

"Good luck at Nationals, Jesse," she mumbled into his ear as she reluctantly loosened her hold. "And at UCLA. You're a star. I have no doubts you will do amazing at both."

"Thank you," he smiled gently. He felt his eyes begin to well with tears. "And you with the New Directions and school."

"Thank you," she replied. Her own eyes began to water. She struggled not to tremble as she stepped back from him. "So, I guess this is goodbye."

"For now," Jesse whispered.

"For now," Finley echoed. "I'll see you around, friend."

"Think of me fondly when we've said goodbye, my angel of music," Jesse quoted. It felt like a dagger to the heart.

"There will never be a day when I won't think of you," she quoted back, her own heart seemingly breaking again.

But it was the right choice. For Finley. For Jesse. For any hope they had for each other. It was right.

"Goodbye, angel."

Finley held back her tears until Jesse's Range Rover was no longer in view. And Finn, Kurt, and Burt were there to help dry her tears.

There was no telling what that summer or the next school year could bring. But Finley knew, without a doubt, even with all the drama and the heartbreak, the past year had been the best of her life.

She never would have thought her life could be so happy. And she had her twin and the mysterious weed in his locker to thank.

Chapter 13: GLEE IS BACK!

Chapter Text

[ 2.01 - 2.02 ]

💛 Sam | "Billionaire" - Travie McCoy

❤️ New Directions & Mr. Schuester | "Toxic" - Britney Spears

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

"𝙐𝙋 𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙀. Come on. Focus. Ok. Hi. I'm Jacob Ben Israel, with Glee's Big Gay Summer with all the glee club dish you're dying to know."

"What?" Finley blinked as a camera was shoved towards her face. Finn quickly stepped in front of her to help, but that only allowed the nosy reporter to put his attention on the quarterback and his girlfriend, who was fixing up the collar of his shirt.

"Rachel, how do you respond to rumors you're incredibly difficult to work with?" Jacob asked, pushing a microphone to her.

"Well, as her boyfriend, I can answer that," Finn began to respond.

"We've been dating all summer," Rachel put on a big smile and faced the camera, excited by the attention.

"Rachel's what you call a 'controlist,'" Finn answered, resulting in a slap from Finley.

"I'm controlling. 'Controlist' isn't a word," Rachel corrected, putting the attention back on herself. "I'm controlling. Performing is my life. And, yes, do I have opinions about it? Does my need to express those opinions annoy my fellow glee clubbers?"

"Yes, yeah," Finn huffed. Rachel went silent and glared at him while the camera panned to him. Finn stared wide-eyed at the camera. "That was out loud, wasn't it?"

"Will Schuester. How do you respond to my blog post saying your glee club song selections sound like they come from a drag queen's iPod?"

Mr. Schue's eyes danced between Jacob and the camera. "Well, I try to do something for everybody. Uh, 25% show tunes, 25% hip-hop, 25% classic rock-"

"Confirm or deny the rumor that because you knocked up Quinn Fabray, you spent all your summer pool-cleaning money on a vasectomy."

"It's true," Puck replied coolly as he wiped the sweat off his body with a towel. How Jacob was allowed to film his news channel in the boys' locker room, no one knew. "It was the responsible thing to do."

"Is it also true you're suffering from a crippling depression because you're not over Ms. Fabray?"

"How has life changed since the birth of your bastard child?"

Quinn turned around slowly and faced the camera. "Well, I'm happy to be back and I'm ready to start fresh," she answered perfectly. "And I'm a lot less hormonal so there's not really any crying."

Jacob already moved on from Quinn as his eyes latched onto a new development. Santana noticeably larger and fuller chest. "How was your summer?"

"My eyes are up here, jewfro," Santana quipped as she glared witheringly at the reporter. "And it was uneventful."

"What can you say about the rumors the two of you are dating?" He shoved his microphone into Mike's and Tina's faces.

"Because we're both Asian? That's racist," Tina scoffed.

"Totally racist," Mike agreed.

"Did you know there's a forum on my blog that's begging you to stop rapping?"

"When will you glee clubbers accept the fact that people hate you-"

"Kiss it."

"-And think you're nothing but a glorified karaoke club-"

"Go away, go away."

"When exactly did you ink your sponsorship with Land's End?"

"When are you slated to make your triumphant return to the Shire?"

"How do you get the white on rice?"

"What did you do with all that breast milk?"

"Is it true that heartbreaker hunk and leader of rival glee club, who beat you in Regionals last year, Vocal Adrenaline, Jesse St. James, abandoned you and took off like the wind for UCLA?" Finley flinched as Jacob's voice came up behind her. She knew the reporter would find her sooner or later. She had hoped it would be later.

Finley took a preparing breath and faced the camera. "He didn't abandon me. He left for college," she corrected, shifting anxiously on her feet. Where was Mike or Puck when you needed them?

"Is it true he broke up with you because you refused to put out for him?"

Finley gasped in outrage at the question. "We never dated. Jesse and I are friends. And he would never do something so disgusting." She blanched in horror at the thought. Where was he getting all these insane questions and ideas?

"Is it true that you cried for a whole week when you found out your friend and former glee club member Matt Rutherford, whose only role was to sing and dance in the background so you hit the minimum member requirement and player on the football team, moved in the middle of the summer?"

The camera panned in on Finley's surprised expression. She blinked. "Oh. Yeah. That is true."

"And is it true that you and Rachel had a jello fight while in bikinis, and is there photo evidence you can provide?"

Finley scoffed. "What? No!" Yes. Blame Finn, who decided it would be an amazing idea to make 5 tins of jello. And then blame Puck for grabbing a handful and chucking it at Finley's face.

"And is it true-"

"Good talk. Bye!" Finley then raced off, her cheerio high ponytail bouncing behind her as she sprinted away from Jacob. She couldn't deal with any more questioning.

The truth was, Finley and Jesse were still friends. Jesse had ended up flying out early to California, so they didn't get to meet up over the summer. But they texted frequently, and called every Friday. Finley had spent the majority of her summer hanging out with the family, including Kurt and Burt, and the Unholy Trinity. She had lost her fair share of poker games to Lord Tubbington. She also helped Santana and Puck with healing from their summer surgeries.

She should have known. The first indicator that her last wish would not be granted was when Jacob Ben Israel thrusted the microphone into her face.

"These are comments from Jacob Ben Israel's most recent glee club blog," Mr. Schue told the group as they sat in the choir room for the first meeting of the school year. "Glee is a giant ball of suck."

"We get it, Mr. Schue," Kurt sighed. "Everyone still hates us. So what? So we're plankton on the high school food chain? Only difference now is that none of us really care."

"Kurt's right," Mercedes nodded in agreement. "We're a family. They can bring it all they want. None of it is going to break us."

"I'm really happy that you guys have bonded. The problem is that all this negative stuff is keeping other students from auditioning," Mr. Schue told them.

"Good," Tina shrugged. "Why do we need new members?"

"Well, since Matt transferred, we only have 11 members," Finley noted sadly, already missing her friend. She needed another guy bestie. Stat.

"And if we wanna go to nationals, if we wanna beat Vocal Adrenaline, we have to go from a small rebel force to a giant wall of sound," Mr. Schue said dramatically.

Finley sighed. "Mr. Schue is right, guys," she turned toward the group.

Rachel nodded in agreement. "You didn't see Vocal Adrenaline at regionals. They were epic.

We're gonna need more voices in order to beat them."

"Yeah, I'm with Finley and Rachel on this one," Finn backed them.

"Gross," Brittany grimaced as Finn's expression went all lovey dovey as he stood beside his girlfriend. Finley found it adorable how enamored Finn was with Rachel, but many thought otherwise.

Finley was reading in the library when she noticed a blur of bright blond Justin Bieber hair walk by. Intrigued, she shut her romance and followed the mysterious newcomer down the aisles.

And no, she was not spying. She was not!

Ok, she totally was. Don't tell Jesse. She would never hear the end of it.

But she had never seen hair that blond except for Brittany's. And that was no Brittany S. Pierce. And so she sleuthed down the aisle, making sure not to release any sound. She eyed his features. He was tall, about 6 feet. His eyes were a soft blue and his mouth seemed too wide for his face.

He turned the corner and showered the side of the shelf opposite of her. Finley made sure to hide behind a row of books. Her interest piqued even further when she began to hear the light vibration of a voice. "I wanna be a billionaire, so freaking bad," he sang softly under his breath. No one could hear him unless they were standing right beside him. And Finley was. Well... she was right in front of him. And she heard his soft voice. "Buy all of the things I never had. I wanna be on the cover of Forbes Magazine. Smiling next to Oprah and the Queen."

New member alert! Finley couldn't contain her excitement. She reached up and shoved the books out of the way, revealing her face behind the shelf to him. "You can sing!" She gasped.

"Woah!" He exclaimed, jumping in surprise. "Where did you come from?"

"Nowhere," she replied quickly. Too quickly.

His eyes then widened in realization. "Wait, were you following me?"

"What? Psh, me? No," Finley tried to wave him off, but as everyone knew, Finley was a terrible liar. He stared at her, not believing her for a second. Finley sighed. "Ok, fine. Yes," she conceded. "I'm not a stalker, I promise. I just got distracted by your blond Justin Bieber hair." His lips curved into a smile and the awkward news quickly washed away. Just like everyone else at McKinley, the boy fell for Finley's adorabless. She skipped away and appeared next to him in the blink of an eye. "I'm Finley Hudson," she introduced herself with a friendly smile.

"Sam Evans. And I know who you are. You're the quarterback's sister," he told her with a small smile.

"So, Sam, tell us about yourself," Finn smiled as he and the three other footballers in glee club, including Artie thanks to the new football coach, Coach Beiste, sat in the choir room. They were sizing up the kid as he stood before them with his swooshy hair and charming smile. Finn was the only one who seemed open to adding another guy. But Finley flashed her angelic smile and batted her kind eyes, and the guys caved immediately.

No one could resist batted eyes from Finley Hudson.

"My name's Sam Evans. I like comic books, sports. I'm dyslexic so my grades aren't that good, but I'm working on it," he told them with a quirked smile.

"Dude, your mouth is huge," Puck stared at him, "How many tennis balls can you fit in there?" Finley walked over to him and smacked the back of his head. "Hey!"

"Don't be rude," Finley scolded, making Puck sink in his seat.

"I don't know. I've never had any balls in my mouth," Sam answered honestly, seemingly oblivious to his word choice. "Have you?"

Puck's lips quirked upward as he tried not to laugh. Mike and him gave Finley a look, but her glare told them they should keep their mouths shut if they wanted to live. Finn smiled and turned to Artie. "I like this kid."

"I like his confidence," Artie nodded. "But the Beiber cut's got to go." Finn nodded in agreement.

"So, can you sing with that big mouth?" Puck asked him, resulting in another slap.

"I've never really sung in front of anyone before," Sam told them, getting a bit anxious.

"Dude, let me tell you, chicks dig singers," Puck told him, his attitude way more friendly.

"Give it a shot," Finley told him, walking over and grabbing him an acoustic guitar. "The boys will back you up. I promise," she said supportingly.

The boys nodded in agreement. "What song do you got in your back pocket?" Finn asked.

"Um... 'Billionaire?'" Sam answered while taking the guitar. Finley clapped excitedly and skipped over to the now vacant seats as the boys backed Sam. 💛

Finley watched with glee as Sam and the boys sang Bruno Mars's "Billionaire." Sam had an amazing voice. It had a boyish charm, but Finley had no doubt that with time and practice, his voice could develop into something deeper and richer.

By the end of the number, Finley had no doubts that they had a new member.

And she had no doubt that she had found her new best friend.

🎵

The rest of Finley's week went by swimmingly. She had English with Mike and Kurt again, which she was extremely excited about. She had some classes with Santana and Quinn, as well as some other glee club members. Finley made a point to talk to Sam every day, and by now, she could positively say they were friends. She loved new friends. And she adored Sam. Finn and him had gotten closer too, which Finley was super happy about.

The week had been drama free. At least it was until she turned the hallway Thursday morning to find a new hell had broken loose.

"You did this to me. You told Coach Sylvester about my summer surgery!"

"You get surgery when you get your appendix out. You got a boob job!"

"Yep! Sure did!" Finley began to sprint as she heard a loud slap echo through the hallway. Quinn was a genius slapper, but she could tell that that had been Santana.

"You can't hit me!"

"Sure, I can. Unless you got yourself knocked up again, slu*t!" Finley reached them right as Quinn slammed Santana into the lockers.

"Stop the violence." Brittany said weakly as she watched from the sidelines. Finley screamed as Santana pushed Quinn to the floor.

Luckily, it was heard by Mr. Schuester and he stepped between the girls as Quinn got to her feet. "Hey, hey, hey! What is this? What happened to us being a family?"

"Stop it!" Quinn cried as Finley grabbed Santana and attempted to pull her away.

"Oh, please. She has a family. She's a mother!"

"Walk away! And tighten up your pony before you get to class!" Quinn screamed after her while fighting against Mr. Schue as Finley finally was able to yank Santana away.

"What was that?" Finley demanded as she led Santana into an empty classroom.

Santana huffed and sat on one of the tables. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared out the far window. "I've been demoted and Quinn is replacing me as right-hand cheerio." Her voice was clipped and sharp, but Finley could see the disappointment in her face.

"I'm sorry, Santana," Finley told her earnestly. Even as head cheerio, there was nothing she could do. Whatever Sue said went. She padded over to her best friend and wrapped her in her arms. Santana relaxed into her embrace. Finley gave the best hugs. "If it makes you feel any better, the girls look really good." Santana's dad was a doctor, so she had the best-of-the-best surgeon.

The glee club watched as the clock struck 4:58 pm. It had already been a bad day with Quinn and Santana's brawl. And then came the news that Coach Bestie decided Finn was no longer the quarterback and promoted Sam to the task. And now this. They had been waiting for almost two hours, and no one had shown up to audition. Not even Sam. Finley was sad, but she and Finn both held hope that he would come around.

Rachel perked up from her seat, extremely energized for some unknown reason. Considering how quick she was to agree about the New Directions needing new members, the two hours of silence shouldn't have filled her with so much glee. "Hate to break it to you, but it doesn't look like anyone's gonna be joining us so I think we should just call it a day."

"We said 3 to 5. It's only 4:58," Mr. Schue appealed positively. Everyone started gathering their things and made their way toward the doors.

"Just wait. My buddy Sam's gonna try out. He totally idolizes me," Finn said confidently.

"He's my friend too," Finley reminded him. "He will. I know he will."

Kurt huffed. "Face it, Finn. You're no longer the quarterback. You're not the pied piper anymore. No one's gonna follow you around thinking everything you do is cool." Finn pouted as Kurt walked out, taking in reality check.

"What about the Sunshine girl?" Finley asked. Rachel had told her, Mercedes, and Kurt about a potential member earlier that week. "I thought you said she could sing."

"I guess she didn't want to hang out with us losers," Rachel shrugged before walking out. Something in her expression was a little too... happy at the prospect. Mr. Schue and Finley watched her warily as she walked out with Mercedes.

🎵

Remember when Finley had said she wanted no drama? That was impossible when you were friends with one psychotic Rachel Berry.

"Tell me this isn't true, Rachel," Mr. Schue demanded as she, Tina, Mike, and Finley stared her down. Mike and Tina had found out that Rachel had given Sunshine some... incorrect information about glee club tryouts.

"She could have died!" Finley glared at her. Seriously, what in her right mind thought that this was a good idea?

"I didn't send her to an active crack house," Rachel winced. As if that made it any better. "Besides, how did you guys find out?"

"The Asian community is very tight," Mike said.

"I just don't get it. You're better than this," Mr. Schue scolded her.

"No, she's an ambitious freak who will do anything to hold onto her power," Tina snapped.

"I just... I just love you guys so much," Rachel whimpered. Tina rolled her eyes while Mike and Finley shared an unimpressed look. "I was wrong before. I don't want any new members. I don't want anyone coming in and messing up our group dynamic. Tina, Mike, Finley, what if Sunshine can dance? Then your contributions to glee will be even more insignificant than they already are now."

"Hey! We sing too!" Finley protested, glaring angrily at her friend. She could care less about herself, but she would not allow Rachel to belittle Mike's and Tina's talent. "And you can't call dancing insignificant. You can't be on Broadway now without it. Chicago is built on dancing talent. That was really low, Rachel."

Rachel shrunk even more under Finley's rage. "I did this for your guys," she cowered, her voice small. Finley sighed with disappointment. Even she knew the undertones of Rachel's intentions. She was threatened by Sunshine and didn't want to ruin the "group dynamic," meaning Rachel and Finn getting all the duets and her getting the solos.

Sunshine ended up coming in during glee club and auditioned performing Dreamgirls' "Listen." Everyone understood why Rachel felt threatened. Sunshine was an amazing singer.

But Rachel's little stunt couldn't be forgiven. The group was upset to hear that Vocal Adrenaline had poached Sunshine, and she had joined their rival team. And Rachel was still the star of the glee club.

🎵

Finley heard Kurt groan beside her as Mr. Schuester wrote "Christopher Cross" in large letters on the white board. "All right. Who can tell me who Christopher Cross is?"

"He discovered America," Brittany answered. Finn nodded dumbly while Rachel shook her head.

"Pretty close, Brit. Nice," Finley praised, making Brittany smile.

"He did write an iconic chart topper, 'Sailing,'" Mr. Schue nodded.

Kurt slouched in his seat and leaned toward Finley. "I have a bad feeling about this lesson."

"Never heard of him. Don't wanna hear about him," Tina grumbled.

Mr. Schue ignored their complaints and passed out the music while lecturing. "Some people think of the term 'easy listening' as a bad thing, but I'm gonna let this music speak for itself. You guys love Gaga and The Rolling Stones, and you guys are really good at putting it all out there. But really good music can also be controlled and restrained. It doesn't have to attack an audience. It can let them come to you."

"How can you get caught between the moon and New York City?" Finn asked as he scanned the sheet music. "They're like 100 miles apart."

"Huh. True," Finley hummed. Finn could be slow, but he wasn't that slow.

Kurt raised his hand. "Mr. Schue, if I may? I think I speak for all of us when I say that it's not that we don't love the idea of spending a week on this silky-smooth adult contemporary. It's just that, as teens, this isn't the easiest music for us to relate to. However, there is a burgeoning Facebook campaign that has swelled over five members. The ardent demand? That this week, at the fall homecoming assembly, the McKinley High School glee club perform a number by, wait for it... Ms. Britney Spears."

"Yo, Spears is fierce, yo," Artie nodded in support.

"Yeah!" Tina cheered in agreement. The class was abuzz with excited chatter at the prospect.

Mr. Schue cleared his throat. "Sorry, Kurt. No," he refused. "No, I don't think she's a very good role model."

"But, Mr. Schue, we kind of grew up with her," Rachel argued.

"She's literally why I wanted to be a performer," Tina added.

"I don't want to do Britney," Britney mumbled, silencing everyone else.

"Why no Britney, Brittany?" Kurt questioned.

"Because my name is also Britney Spears," she revealed, surprising the rest of the group but Finley and Santana.

"What?" Mr. Schue blinked.

"What the hell is she talking about?" Mercedes asked.

"My middle name is Susan. My last name is Pierce. That makes me Brittany S. Piece. Brittany 'Spierce'," she explained. The group stared at her before sharing gawking looks. "I've lived my entire life in Britney Spears's shadow. I will never be as talented or as famous. I hope you'll all respect that I want glee club to remain a place where I, Brittany S. Pierce, can escape the torment of Britney Spears."

"Well, there you have it, guys," Mr. Schue grinned, happy Kurt's coupe failed. "It's been decided. No Britney. Sorry."

"Thanks, Brit. Thanks a lot," Kurt chided.

"Leave Brittany alone," Santana defended as she pulled Brittany closer to her. Finley slapped Kurt's leg, making him wince.

"Thank you for understanding," Britney mumbled, sharing a grateful look to her and Finley. "It's been a hard road."

"Um, can we move on?" Rachel perked, already over the attention Brittany was receiving.

"Yes," Mr. Schue nodded. "Let's talk about Michael Bolton."

Cue the groans.

🎵

The next day, Mr. Schue brought in Ms. Pillsbrury and her dentist boyfriend, Carl, to talk about dental hygiene. As soon as Carl walked in the room, all of the girls gaped at him. Carl was incredibly handsome. He oozed charisma and his teeth were perfect as he smiled at the group.

"All right, here's the deal," Carl addressed the group with a dreamy smile. "You chew this little capsule. If there's any plaque you missed, the dye will stick to it and turn your teeth blue."

"Can I just say that you are the hottest dentist I have ever seen?" Santana said while her eyes traveled down his frame.

Finley nodded in agreement, practically drooling over the guy. "You look like John Stamos."

"Yeah, I get that all the time," Carl smirked.

"Did you know that he once told me I was pretty on a plane once?" Finley told him. She never bragged, but she wanted him to know for some reason. "You're really pretty." Carl shrugged, but his grin showed how much he enjoyed the praise.

"No, like seriously," Santana continued, "you can drill me whenever-"

"Santana!" Ms. Pillsbury cut her off with a clap. "Ok, let's stay focused."

"It's rock and roll, Ems," Carl shot her a wink while handing out the capsules. "And besides, this guy," he pointed to Will. "Now, this guy's pretty easy on the eyes too, huh? And you know what. No matter how hard I tried, I bet I couldn't sing and dance like him."

"Ah, probably not," Mr. Schue smirked, sneaking a glance at Emma for her reaction. Finley didn't miss the awkward news between the two men, but she assumed it probably had to do with the little fling he and Ms. Pillsbury had the year prior.

"All right, let's take a look at those chompers, huh?" Carl told the group.

"Before we chew," Kurt raised his hand, "I would just like to alert Mr. Schue that there's been a new addition to the Britney Spears Facebook campaign."

"Sorry. The answer's still no," Mr. Schue rejected him. "Capsules, guys."

Finley placed her hand on Kurt's shoulder with sympathy before putting the capsule in her mouth. After about 30 seconds, Finley smiled her pearly whites. The rest of the group showed their dazzling smiles.

"Ah!" Finn gasped. Everyone's attention turned to Rachel, who's entire mouth was now blue.

"Oh my god," Kurt grimaced as he eyed her teeth.

"What?" Rachel rummaged through her bag for a mirror. "Ah! I don't understand! I floss between classes."

"Well, sometimes it's genetics," Carl reasoned.

"I think I might be better at brushing and flossing if I could see myself in the mirror," Artie winced while showing off his own blue mouth.

"There you go, bluetooth," Santana joked.

"I don't brush my teeth," Brittany said while showing off her own blue mouth. "I rinse my mouth with soda after I eat." Everyone gaped at the admission. "I was pretty sure Dr. Pepper was a dentist," she glanced at Finley and Santana helplessly.

"I got this, Em," Carl assured his girlfriend while walking over to Brittany. "With some deep bleaching, little scaling, you'll be good as new. All right, open up." Brittany showed him her smile. Carl grimaced. "Close." He gave Emma a humored smile and she swooned. "Close again," he ordered when Britney didn't.

🎵

Brittany had scheduled an appointment with Carl and came back with an elaborate story about her being Britney Spears and singing "Slave For You" with a snake. Santana had accompanied her to the next appointment, and then they both had a fantasy while under anesthesia of them singing Britney and Madonna's collaboration "Me Against the Music," where Brittany then met the real Britney.

Her once distaste for Britney turned into inspiration. Brittany was way more confident now and supported Kurt's Britney campaign. All week, Mr. Schue had rejected Kurt's proposal. But, for some reason, the day before the assembly, he had a change of heart. And he decided to perform with them. No one liked the idea of Mr. Schue performing with them, but no one argued at the chance to do Britney. Brittany was front and center as Brittany "Spierce" and the group created a performance in one night.

As students settled into the gym, the Unholy Trinity and their Guardian Angel did their warmups together while Mr. Schue went to talk to Ms. Pillsbury. Finley was also aware of how angry Sue would be about them performing Britney Spears, but it was Mr. Schue's call. Plus, she was dying to do Britney as well. She would just have to face Sue's wrath.

The speaker feedback whined as Principal Figgins stepped up to the mic. "Quiet, please, children. Quiet now. First, students who ate the ravioli today and are not up to date on their tetanus shots should see the nurse immediately." The crowd murdered awkwardly. "Welcome to our homecoming pep assembly. Because of last week's grisly train derailment, the Dulcimer club is on hiatus until further notice. But do we ever have a treat for you. Fresh off their last-place finish at the Regionals, please give it up for the New Directions."

The lack of clapping suffocated the room as the lights dimmed and everyone got into position. The opening notes to Britney Spears's "Toxic" began to play through the speakers. ❤️

[Brittany]

Baby, can't you see

I'm calling

A guy like you should wear a warning

It's dangerous

I'm falling

"I love Britney Spears!" Jacob yelled in the crowd. His eyes were on Rachel as she danced seductively with Finn.

[Finley & Santana]

There's no escape

I can't wait

I need a hit

Baby, give me it

You're dangerous

I'm loving it

Mr. Schuester then leaped onto the stage and took the center.

[Mr. Schue]

Too high, can't come down

Losing my head, spinning round and round

Can you feel me now

As soon as the beat picked up for the chorus, the crowd got excited. They began to stand up and dance while singing to the song. The group gained energy when they realized everyone was liking them.

"I wanna be that hot!" A larger girl in the crowd, Lauren Zizes, yelled.

Mike took center stage to dance, having come up with the choreography with Mr. Schue the night before. Everyone else backed behind him.

[all]

With the taste of your lips, I'm on a ride

You're toxic, I'm slipping under

With a taste of a poison paradise

I'm addicted to you

Don't you know that you're toxic

And I love what you do

Don't you know that you're toxic

"Take it off!" Jacob yelled from the crowd while seemingly squirming in his pants. "Yes!"

The crowd's cheers got louder as the group danced, swaying their hips and rolling their bodies seductively. Sue was simmering with rage as she watched the performance. She was waiting for any hint of arousal and teenage horniness in the crowd.

This was an outrage!

[Brittany, Mr. Schue, & Rachel]

It's getting late to give you up

I took a sip from my devil's cup

Slowly, it's taking over me

[Mr. Schue]

Too high, can't come down

It's in the air and it's all around

Can you feel me now

"Mr. Schue, let me be your Britney!" Lauren yelled again, making Sue's anger grow to an inferno.

[all]

With the taste of your lips, I'm on a ride

You're toxic, I'm slipping under

With a taste of a poison paradise

I'm addicted to you

Don't you know that you're toxic ([Santana] : hey)

And I love what you do

Don't you know that you're toxic ([Santana] : hey)

Don't you know that you're toxic

Everyone in the crowd was dancing, it seemed. Except for Ms. Pillsbury, Coach Sylvester, and Becky.

For the first time, the school was cheering the New Directions on. The group basked in the attention and praise.

This is why they did Britney. To shine.

With the taste of your lips, I'm on a ride ([Santana] : on a ride)

You're toxic, I'm slipping under ([Santana] : I'm slipping under)

With the of a poison paradise

I'm addicted to you

Don't you know that you're toxic ([Santana] : 'Cause I know that you're toxic)

The dancing had turned more sexual and provocative. The group was pretending to thrust into bowler hats while rolling their bodies.

"Oh! It's so sexy! It's so sexy!" Jacob screamed while trying to contain the excitement in his pants. He ended up grinding against his own hand in attempt to keep his desire at bay.

And I love what you do ([Santana] : hey)

Don't you know that you're toxic

[Santana]

With the taste of a poison paradise

[all]

I'm addicted to you

Don't you know that you're toxic

The dancing brought attention then to their chest and hip regions. How Mr. Schuester had allowed this choreography, no one knew. But they didn't care. The show was fun, sexy, and it was Britney!

"Mr. Schue, I want your babies!" Lauren cried.

Sue looked over to Principal Figgins, hoping he too was seeing the monstrosity of a performance unfold, but his eyes were shut and he was swaying to the music himself.

Intoxicate me now

With your loving now

I think I'm ready now

[Santana]

I think I'm ready now

The dancing had turned from thrusting into hats to now thrusting into each other. Santana was being bent down by Mike as he grinded against her while he brought his other free hand up to Finley neck. The same dancing was being done throughout the rest of the group.

Jacob was now crying out and thrusting at his own accord in the crowds.

[all]

Intoxicate me now

With you loving now

I think I'm ready now

[Santana]

Think I'm ready now

[all]

Intoxicate me now

With your loving now

[Brittany]

I think I'm ready

[Quinn]

I think I'm ready now

Jacob gave into his desire and squeezed the ass of the person in front of him. They turned around, revealing to be a very angry man. Jacob gulped right before a fist flew into his face.

Sue saw it happen. "It's a Britney Spears sex riot!" While Mr. Schue was finishing the last spin in the routine, Sue ran over to the closest fire alarm and pulled it down.

The ringing blared throughout the room and all the students screamed as they began running off the bleachers and out of the school. They made for the closet exit, which happened to be where Sue was standing. She no doubt got trampled by the new riot that was occurring. Jacob had to be carried out by other students.

Finley sat on her bed reading her latest romance novel- this time about a Scottish highlander and his new English bride- when her phone rang. It was her weekly call with Jesse! She scrambled to grab her phone off her nightstand and answered. "Hi!"

"How is my angel of music doing?" Jesse's velvet voice rang through the speaker.

Finely giggled bashfully. "I'm doing better now that I'm talking to you."

"What happened?" He inquired. "Some new drama this week?"

"Yep! According to Sue, performing Britney Spears at our pep assembly tonight inspired a sex riot. Also, Quinn and Santana had a fight in the hallway. Oh, and I am desperately wanting to ask Puck to take care of Jacob Ben Israel," Finley ranted.

"Yeah, I saw the blog posts. Sounds like a normal week at McKinley, if you ask me," Jesse chuckled. Finley laughed. He wasn't wrong.

"Enough about me, how is UCLA? Hopefully your English professor is nicer this week?" Finley asked.

Jesse groaned. "No. She failed my last assignment."

"Aw, poor baby," Finley pouted playfully. She did feel sympathy for Jesse, but she knew college courses were difficult and he needed to bring his a-game. Caramel High had let his poor assignments and lack of going to class slide because of Vocal Adrenaline, but this was the real world. His professors wouldn't cut him slack just because he was in the fall musical. "If you need any help, let me know. I'm pretty savvy with words."

"You once described an orange as 'orangy,'" Jesse said dryly.

"Words can be hard sometimes!" She attempted to defend herself. Jesse's laugh rang through the speaker. "Friends don't make fun of each other."

"It's called playful banter, sweetheart. You should be familiar with the term." Finley' s brain broke for a moment at the pet name. "Finley?"

"Huh?" She blinked, regaining her focus. "Oh, sorry. I, uh, I got distracted by, uh... something." Jesse's throaty chuckle sent shivers down her spine. She hated that he still had an effect on her. No, she didn't. But she hated the intensity of that effect.

"Sure," he said, though his tone indicated he had seen through her lame excuse. "And what of that boy you talked about last week? Pam?"

"Sam," Finley corrected. "And he's been avoiding me. Anytime I see him in the hallway, he runs away. He thinks glee will ruin his status." It will, though Finley and Jesse found no reason in stating the obvious. "I will break him. He will be in the glee club by Sectionals, I promise you that."

On the other side of the phone, Jesse was restraining himself from punching the wall of his dorm room. When Finley had told him about her desire to turn the boy into her new best friend, he had been clutching his phone so hard he was worried he would crack it.

Finley was allowed to date, just as he was. But that didn't mean he wanted her to. And Jesse did not like whoever this Sam-guy was. Based on how Finley described him, a blond Justin Bieber, he hated the guy. No one with Justin Bieber hair could be cute. And somehow, Finley found it was.

He knew she was partial to brunettes- as proven by Zac Efron, Ewan McGregor, and her million other crushes. But that didn't mean she was impervious to Hayden Christensen.

"We've talked enough about me. Tell me about the new developments for the fall musical," Finley said. The shift in topic helped Jesse come back to his own. His anger began to dissipate and he could finally think clearly.

"Funny you should ask. They revealed what it will be."

"What is it?"

"Moulin Rouge."

Jesse had to pull his ear away from the speaker as she squealed.

Chapter 14: GRILLED CHEESUS

Chapter Text

[ 2.03 ]

❤️ Mercedes, Tina, & Quinn | "I Look to You" - Whitney Houston

💙 Kurt | "I Want to Hold Your Hand" - The Beatles

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

𝙁𝙄𝙉𝙇𝙀𝙔 𝙒𝘼𝙎 𝙒𝘼𝙏𝘾𝙃𝙄𝙉𝙂 the newest episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians when Finn gasped aloud in the kitchen. Worried, Finley paused the show and went over to help him. "Hey, you ok?" She found Finn gaping down at something on the counter. She looked to see a grilled cheese sandwich. It was like seeing the face of god. "Wait, is that..."

Finn nodded. "Grilled Cheesus."

Finley slowly backed away. She was so not getting into that.

🎵

Finley was helping Burt out at the shop before school quickly when Kurt came in. "Hey, Dad. Hey, Finley."

"Hi!" Finley greeted cheerfully.

"Hey, that's my boy," Burt smiled. "You forgot your breakfast."

"Burt!" Finley scolded, playfully glaring. "You know, Suzanne Sommers says that skipping breakfast is suicide."

"Didn't you not eat this morning too?" Burt co*cked his brow knowingly. Finley shut her mouth and pretended to be busy, earning a small smile from Burt. He opened the bag. "What is this?" He glared into the bag as if it personally offended him.

"It's an egg-white wrap on a sprouted wheat tortilla, half a grapefruit, and a green drink," Kurt answered.

"Where's my usual breakfast?" Burt glowered.

"A co*ke and two Slim Jim's?" Kurt frowned.

"Yeah. My breakfast of champions," he nodded.

"Dad, you are not a kid anymore," Kurt huffed. "You have to start taking care of yourself."

Burt sighed. He knew his son was right. "I guess with enough hot sauce, this will be enough. Thanks. Hey, don't forget, Friday night dinner is 6 instead of 7 this week."

"I can't do this Friday," Kurt said. Finley and Burt froze. "A sing-along Sound of Music at the El Royale Theater. It's a once-a-year event."

"Last week you had to camp out early so you could be first in line for those Grey's Anatomy DVDs," Finley pointed out with a disappointed frown.

"Season 6," Kurt said. As if that made it any better.

"Ok, those Friday night dinners are a ritual in our family, one your mom started," Burt told him.

"I know, but I'm a teenager now," Kurt attempted to reason. "Friday nights are kind of important to me."

"They are to me too. Now, every Friday, we get to eat as a family," Finley told him, backing up Burt. "It's rare Finn doesn't ditch us soon after to hang out with Rachel or practice football with Puck and Mike."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Why are you making me feel guilty about this?" He then turned to his father. "I, of all people, know how important the relationship is between you and Carole."

"Those dinners are more than important. They're sacred," Burt told him. "Ok, the whole point of having something sacred is that it takes precedence over anything else you got going on."

"Sing-along Sound of Music is sacred to me," Kurt defended.

"What, you think I don't know that?" Burt exclaimed. "Ok, wasn't I the one who brought you that Maria bonnet when you were 6?" Kurt rolled his eyes and groaned. "Ok, this point is, if you start giving up stuff, like Friday night dinners, then you got nothing to hold on to. Let's face it, if we don't schedule it, then we don't hang out. If we don't hang out, then our lives, they just go right by each other. And we don't share very much."

"Kurt, last year you told me how much you wanted to spend time with your dad," Finley reminded him. Kurt glared angrily at both of them.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice clipped and short, "but I'm not missing something that I look forward to all year just for another dinner." Burt didn't let it show, but those words were like a sucker punch to the gut. "Maybe we could do it Thursday or something."

Burt shook his head in disbelief. "I gotta tell you, Kurt. I'm real disappointed in you." Kurt sighed and walked out, leaving Finley and Burt heartbroken.

"He'll come around. I'm sure of it," Finley attempted to lighten the mood, but it was no use. They knew that they would not be seeing Kurt tonight at the weekly dinner. Finley took one look at Burt's sad expression and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Burt sighed, allowing himself to enjoy her embrace. "It's his fault, and his alone. One day, he's going to regret missing these special moments." Burt sighed again in her arms. "You should get to school, kid."

Finley released Burt and nodded. She turned to leave, but stopped. "Burt?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. For everything." Burt's once upset expression softened as he stared at the teen. "I never had a dad growing up. Finn was closest to one I ever had, but he's still my brother." She began fidgeting with her hands nervously and Burt felt his heart melt. "I just wanted to tell you that Finn and I are so grateful for you and how you welcomed us into your life. For the first time, I finally feel like I have a father." It took everything in Burt to hold his tears at bay. He had never thought about having a daughter, but he knew the second Finley stepped foot into her room that he would do anything for her. He and Carole weren't married yet, but he already saw Finley as his. "I'm sorry if I'm overstepping, I understand that it might be way too early for things like that, but I just wanted you to know how grateful-"

Her voice cut off as Burt swooped her into a hug of his own. Finley felt her own tear as form and she clutched his mechanic suit tightly in her delicate hands. He smelled of smoke and machine grease, but she didn't care. Now, it was one of her favorite scents. It was the scent of Burt.

"Mr. Schue?" Finn raised his hand as the glee club meeting started. "I have something to say." Finley' s brows scrunched in confusion as her brother stepped to the front of the choir room. She had no clue what he could be talking about. "Something happened to me, and I can't really get into it, but it's shaken me to my core."

"Oh my god, he's coming out!" Puck gasped jokingly. Finley slapped his arm, making him flinch.

"Why, yes," Finn smiled goofily. "There is a man who has sort of recently come into my life." Kurt stared intently at Finn, same as the rest of the group as they waited for Finn to elaborate.

But Finley knew where this was going. "Oh, god. No," she grimaced.

"And that man is Jesus Christ." Everyone would have laughed at the horrified expression on Rachel's face if not for their own flabbergasted reactions.

"That's way worse," Puck grunted.

Finn ignored everyone's mixed reactions- glee, horror, surprise- and continued on. "I know there's others in here who dig him too." Quinn and Mercedes grinned. "And so I thought maybe this week, we could pay tribute to him in music. You know, pay tribute to Jesus." Finley could only stare at her brother. All this because of his "Grilled Cheesus?"

"Sorry, uh, but if I wanted to sing about Jesus, I'd go to church. And the reason I don't go to church is because most churches don't think very much about gay people," Kurt pointed out in disdain. "Or women. Or science." Quinn frowned.

"I don't see anything wrong with getting a little church in here," Mercedes chirped, thrilled at the prospect.

"I agree," Quinn nodded. "I've had a really hard year and I turned to God a lot for help. I, for one, wouldn't mind saying thanks."

"Thanks for what? That it didn't come out a lizard baby?" Santana quipped, still furious for Quinn ratting her out to Sue.

"Whenever I pray, I fall asleep," Brittany stated.

Finley raised her hand. "Doesn't the establishment clause possibly stop us from doing this? We are a sponsored school club. I don't think you can make us sing only songs about Jesus."

"Well, guys, maybe our song selections don't have to be about Jesus," Mr. Schue suggested. "We could do songs about spirituality." Not a bad loophole. That left a lot of wiggle room.

Finn zoomed in on Puck's unhappy expression. "You got a problem with Jesus?"

"Oh, I got no problem with the guy," Puck shrugged. "I'm a total Jew for Jesus. He's my number one hebe. What I don't like is seeing people use J-Money to cramp everybody else's style. 'Cause it seems to be that true spirituality, or whatever you want to call it, is about enjoying the life you've been given. I mean, I see god every time I make out with a new chick."

"What?" Finley blinked. Puck shrugged again, providing no further elaboration.

"Ok, ok, that doesn't make any sense," Rachel scoffed. "In fact, it's stupid.

"Are you calling Mr. Billy Joel stupid?" Puck posed. Rachel shut her mouth and glared at him. "I'd like to continue my streak of doing only songs by Jewish artists." Finn sat back down beside Rachel, who was staring at him with a heartbroken expression, as Puck began to sing "Only the Good Die Young" by Billy Joel.

Finley and Kurt were talking during French class when Mr. Schue and Ms. Pillsbury ran into the room. They beelined for the two, both of their expressions wide with fear and sympathy. Everyone muscle in Finley's body tightened at their faces.

Something was wrong.

"Can we talk to you outside?" Mr. Schue asked.

"Actually, both of you," Ms. Pillsbury said. Kurt and Finley shared a worried look before following them out to the hallway.

Their worlds tilted on their axis. Everything was a blur. Grabbing their things. Rushing to the hospital. Waiting while nurses buzzed around them. Finley and Kurt held each other as their tears fell. They had never felt so ill.

A nurse approached them about an hour later. Finley and Kurt shot up from the waiting chairs, bracing themselves for the shattering news. "Where is he?" Kurt questioned. "Is he dead?"

"No, he's alive." Finley gasped in relief and Kurt physically relaxed a bit. "But, I'm sorry. I don't have any more good news." Finley nodded.

"I want to see him," Kurt demanded, attempting to walk past the nurse.

"He hasn't regained consciousness," the nurse told the teens, lightly pushing Kurt back.

"I thought he had a heart attack," Mr. Schue said.

The nurse nodded. "Brought on my arrhythmia, which caused a lack of blood to his brain. That's what made him lose consciousness and what's keeping him comatose. We have him on lidocaine, but there's no guarantees they're going to work or what kind of damage was done to his brain by the lack of oxygen."

"I don't understand what you're saying," Finley stammered while Kurt began to shake in her arms. "When is he going to wake up?"

The nurse sighed. "I don't know."

Finley herself began to tremble, and Mr. Schue placed his hands comfortingly on the teens' shoulders. But it provided no relief at all. "Just take us to him, please," she demanded.

The nurse nodded and they followed him to Burt's room. Finley felt her lungs seize as she took in Burt's state. The monitor was beeping as it tracked his heart and vitals. He was still. So still. Too still.

"I need a minute," Kurt whimpered, his voice breaking.

"I don't think you should be alone," Ms. Pillsbury said softly.

"I won't be," Kurt snapped. He grabbed Finley's hand and squeezed tightly. "Finley will be here."

Mr. Schue and Ms. Pillsbury glanced between the two teens helplessly. "Please, just give us a moment alone with our father," Finley told them. The word has just slipped out. She didn't realize what she had said till after the word flew out. But it felt... right.

Everyone was shocked by the use of the word, but Kurt wasn't surprised. He saw their relationship. They clicked. Finley loved Burt, and Burt loved Finley. Burt was her father the second she stepped foot into her room.

"We'll be right outside," Mr. Schue told them before he and Ms. Pillsbury left them alone in the room. The only sounds were the consistent beeping of the monitor. It was the only thing keeping Finley from collapsing into hysterics. She walked over to the other side of Burt and lightly grabbed his hand. It was slack, which only made more tears form.

"Dad?" Kurt whispered as he stared down at his father. He grabbed his other hand gently. "Can you hear me? If you can hear me, squeeze my hand. Or Finley's. Just something." But there was no pressure, no movement. "We're holding yours right now. Just squeeze back. Come on, Dad. Just squeeze my hand."

Nothing.

🎵

Finley and Kurt had stayed the night at the hospital. They were the first in the choir room, and they were sitting silently together as everyone made their way inside. On behalf of Finley, Quinn had notified the group what was going on. Mike pulled Finley into a hug while Tina comforted Kurt. The rest of their friends provided a comforting hug or smile or hand as they took their seats.

"Hey, Kurt, Finley," Santana approached with Brittany beside her, lacking her usual bitchness and sass. "We're really about Burt's heart attack."

"Thanks, Santana," Kurt mumbled earnestly.

"I did a book report on heart attacks if you want to give it to the doctor." Brittany handed them a paper written in crayon. "I got knocked down an entire letter grade because it was written in crayon."

"Thanks, Bit. That was really sweet of you," Finley smiled weakly, taking the report from her.

Finn came stomping in, visibly upset. "What the hell happened? And where were you all night, Finley?" He demanded the two.

"My dad's in the hospital," Kurt answered.

"I know. My mom just called me. I feel like I'm the last one to know," Finn said angrily.

"It didn't occur to me to call you because he's not your father," Kurt snapped.

"Yeah, well he's the closest I'm ever gonna get, ok?" Finn fired back. "And why did Finley get to know right away?'

"I was with Kurt when Ms. Pillsbury brought the news. "I'm also really close with Burt."

"And I'm not?" Finn yelled, making Finley flinch under his anger. "I know it may not look like what everybody else has, but I thought we were sort of a family."

"Finn. You need to calm down," Finley ordered sternly. Finn then noticed how upset Kurt was by his words.

Finn sighed. "Look. I guess, I just... I didn't like overhearing other people talking about it in gym class." After a moment, Kurt motioned for him to take the free seat beside him. The three sat down as Mr. Schue walked in.

"Hey, guys," he greeted everyone. The energy in the room was low, for obvious reasons. No one could bring it in themselves to be peppy. Not at the time like this. "Our thoughts are with Kurt and with Finley, and I know it's sort of hard to really focus on anything else..."

"Mr. Schue?" Mercedes called. "I've been struggling trying to figure out what to say to Kurt all day. And I realize I don't want to say it, I want to sing it." She walked over to the center of the choir room. "This song is about being in a very dark place and turning to god. Tina, Quinn, can you help me out, please?" ❤️

Finley didn't hide her tears as Mercedes beautifully sang Whitney Houston's "I Look to You." Kurt sat silently as he tried to hide tears of his own.

Finley clapped quietly when the number finished. "That was beautiful, Mercedes," she smiled softly.

"Thank you, Mercedes," Kurt sighed. "You voice is stunning, but I don't believe in god. Neither does Finley."

"Wait, what?" Tina gasped.

"I'm an atheist," Finley nodded. The room gaped at the two.

"You've all professed your beliefs," Kurt said carefully. "I'm just stating mine. I think God is kind of like Santa Claus for adults. Otherwise, God's kind of a jerk, isn't he? I mean, he makes me gay and then has his followers going around telling me it's something that I chose, as if someone would choose to be mocked every single day of their life. And right now I don't want a heavenly father. I want my real one back."

"But, Kurt, how do you know for sure?" Mercedes pressured. She didn't understand how the two could feel that way. "How can you prove there's no god?"

"How can you prove that there is?" Finley fired back.

"You can't prove that there isn't a magic teapot floating around on the dark side of the moon with a dwarf inside of it that reads romance novels and shoots lighting out of its boobs, but it seems pretty unlikely, doesn't it?" Kurt argued.

"Is god an evil dwarf?" Brittany asked, confused.

"We shouldn't be talking like this," Quinn snapped with frustration. "It's not right!"

"I'm sorry, Quinn," Kurt apologized. "But you all can believe whatever you want to. But I can't believe something I don't. I appreciate your thoughts, but I don't want your prayers." The class was silent as Kurt stood up. "Finley?" He extended his hand. Without a second thought, Finley swung her backpack over her shoulder and placed her hand in his. The two walked out of the choir room, leaving the energy lower than ever.

🎵

The two walked into the hospital after school the next day to find Carole, Finn, Rachel, Mercedes, and Quinn praying at Burt's beside. Rachel had just finished what sounded to be Barbra Steisand's "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" When Kurt and Finley walked in.

"What's going on here?" Kurt demanded, clearly upset.

"We were just praying for your dad," Rachel replied, glancing nervously between Burt and the two friends.

"Rachel, Quinn, and I are taking turns," Mercedes explained. "We're from different demonizations and religions, so we figured one of them is bound to be right."

"That's actually really sweet-" Finley started to thank them, but Kurt cut her off with an ice-cold voice.

"I didn't ask you to do this," Kurt grit as he stared at his friends.

"Honey, I know you're upset about what's happening, I get it," Carole attempted to comfort him. "But friends help out, even when you don't ask."

"Mr. Kurt Hummel?" The accupanturist Kurt and Finley requested walked in.

"Dude, why didn't you just tell us you wanted to pray in Muslim?" Finn asked as he eyed the dark-toned woman. Everyone's attention snapped toward him.

"I'm not Muslim. I'm a Sikh," she corrected him.

"She's going to see if acupuncture will improve the circulation to Burt's brain," Finley explained.

"Amazingly, needles pierce the skin better than psalms," Kurt bristled. "Can you all please leave now?"

"We just wanted to do something," Rachel told him apologetically before exiting the room. Finley was touched by the sentiment, but she knew that wasn't what Kurt wanted right now. And she needed to be there for him.

🎵

Finley sat beside Kurt the next day as the glee club meeting started. "I know things have been pretty morose around here this past week, but I want to celebrate some good news for our little family. Let's hear it for Finn on getting back his quarterback job and leading the titans to a win in their second game of the season." Sam had been injured in the game, so Finn was instated as quarterback again. The room clapped for him.

"Yeah. Too bad that Sam kid had to have his arm basically ripped off for it to happen," Puck said. "But it's good to have you back in the saddle, brother."

Kurt got up from his seat and walked up to the front of the room, surprising everyone. "Mr. Schue, if I may? I wanted to thank everyone for your kind emails and queries about my dad. But for your information, his condition remains the same. I need to express myself, so with your permission, Mr. Schue, I've prepared a number for the occasion."

"Of course, Kurt," Mr. Schue nodded, taking a seat with the teens.

Finley gave Kurt a supportive smile and Kurt took a deep breath. "On the day of my mom's funeral, when they were lowering her body into the ground, I was crying. I mean, that was it. That was the last time I was ever going to see her. And I remember I looked up at my dad and I just wanted him to say something. Just something to make me feel like my whole world wasn't over. And he just took my hand and squeezed it. And just knowing that those hands were there to take care of me, that was enough. This is for my dad. The opening notes to The Beatles's "I Want to Hold Your Hand" floated through the room. 💙

[Kurt]

Yeah, I'll tell you something

I think you'll understand

When I say that something

I want to hold you hand

I want to hold your hand

I want to hold your hand

Oh, please, say to me

You'll let me be your man

And, please, say to me

You'll let me hold your hand

Now, let me hold your hand

I want to hold your hand

And when I touch you

And I feel happy inside

It's such a feeling that my love

I can't hide

I can't hide

I can't hide

Yeah, you got that something

I want to hold your hand

I want to hold your hand

I want to hold your hand

I want to hold...

Your hand

Tears trickled down his cheeks as he ended the beautiful and heartbreaking number. Finley got out of her seat and wrapped Kurt in a tight hug, which he accepted gratefully. They weren't siblings. Not yet anyway. But he knew that she was the only person who could truly understand how he was feeling.

And so he soaked up her comfort and her warmth. All they could do was hope. And pray.

🎵

Kurt was helping pin Burt's hospital gown on his shoulders while Finley organized the various flowers and cards sitting on the far table. It was no surprise Burt was well-loved.

"You never could dress yourself," Kurt chuckled weakly as he finished the last of the snap buttons. He sat down beside the bed and Finley sat on the other side. It had been a long week. The one solace they found was in the monitor's consistent beeping. "Mercedes took me to church," he admitted, surprising Finley. "It's funny, but when the choir was singing, this memory flashed into my head. Do you remember our first Friday night dinner after Mom died? You tried to make a chicken. I guess you wanted me to feel like there was something still normal." Kurt smiled at the memory. "You put it on the table, and you cut into it, and it was raw." Finley allowed her own smile to form, endeared by the memory. "And we both looked at each other for a second and cracked up before we remembered that we weren't supposed to yet." He stared at his father's still frame. "I'm sorry about the other day, Dad. I should have let those guys pray for you. It wasn't about me. It was about you. And it was nice." Kurt swallowed the thickness in his throat.

"We love you, Burt," Finley sniffled. "We miss our father. Come back to us."

"I don't believe in God, Dad. But I believe in you." Kurt whispered. "And I believe in us. You and me. That's what's sacred to me." Kurt began to cry, and Finley squeezed Burt's hand tighter while fighting back tears of her own. "And I'm so sorry that I never got to tell you that."

The twins froze as they felt the slightest bit of movement under their hands. They watched as his fingers moved ever so slightly. It was almost unnoticeable. But it was there.

"Dad?" Kurt gasped.

"Nurse Nancy!" Finley called frantically. Neither of them let go until the nurses forced them back. "Burt, we're here. Dad, we're right here. We're not going anywhere."

Chapter 15: KURT

Chapter Text

[ 2.04 - 2.08 ]

💙 The Warblers | "Teenage Dream" - Katy Perry

🩷 New Directions Girls | "Start Me Up" / "Livin' on a Prayer" - The Rolling Stones / Bon Jovi

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

𝙁𝙄𝙉𝙇𝙀𝙔 𝙒𝘼𝙇𝙆𝙀𝘿 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙊 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘾𝙃𝙊𝙄𝙍 𝙍𝙊𝙊𝙈 to deliver some devastating, and some fantastic, news. "Pucks' in juvie."

"It really was just a matter of time," Tina commented, resulting in a vicious glare from Finley that made her cower in her seat

"What did he do?" Quinn gawked.

"He drove his mom's Volvo through the front of a convenience store and drove off with the ATM," she winced as she answered.

Mostly everyone laughed. "And when is he getting out?" Rachel questioned.

"Unknown," Finley sighed.

"He might be the dumbest person, and that's coming from me," Brittany snickered.

"Guys! Let's have some sympathy!" Mr. Schue exclaimed, upset by their reactions.

"For a guy who put his needs before the team's? We need his voice and his bad-boy stage presence," Finn panicked.

"We can't look at this as a crisis," Mr. Schue told the group. "It's an opportunity."

"For what? Further embarrassment and humiliation?" Quinn snapped.

"No, actually," Finley chirped. Everyone blinked from her sudden change in tone. "For welcoming our new member, Sam Evans!" The group watched with surprise as Sam jogged into the room.

"How's it going?" He greeted, stopping beside Finley. "Hey, everybody. I'm Sam. Sam, I am. And I don't like green eggs and ham." Finley giggled at his joke, but no one else was amused.

"Oh, wow. He has no game," Santana groaned.

"Be nice," Finley scolded. Santana ignored her.

"Ok, this is going to be great!" Finn rejoiced. "You're not going to regret joining, Sam."

"Come sit with me," Finley beckoned Sam over to sit with her near Kurt and Mercedes. With Sam no longer being the quarterback, Finley soared in like a vulture. And with enough pleading and puppy eyes, Sam gave in and joined the New Directions.

Mr Schue then began the lesson for the week. "All right. Question for the group. What's a duet?"

"A blanket," Brittany answered.

"That's a duvet," Finley corrected her.

"A duet is when two voices join to become one," Mr. Schue carried on. "Great duets are like a great marriage. The singers compliment each other, push each other to be better." He badgered on about duets and its background before finally explaining the lesson. "So, this week, I want you to pair up and sing a duet. And, since you guys all seemed to love our little 'Defying Gravity' diva-off, I'm making this a competition."

"What's the winner get?" Mike asked as everyone got excited.

Finley came home after cheerios practice to find Kurt serving Burt dinner while he rested on the couch. He was free to be home, but he had to take it easy. Burt wasn't too pleased with that.

Many pairs had already been established for Mr. Schue's assignment. Rachel and Finn- obviously, Santana and Mercedes- the biggest threat, Mike and Tina, Brittany and Artie, and Finley and Quinn had decided to work together. Finley had wanted to work with Sam, but Kurt had managed to snag him first. Finley was prepared to interrogate why when she got home.

"Hey, kiddo," Burt greeted when Finley walked in. "Now that you both are here, how's school?"

"It's fine, I guess," Kurt answered. "There's this new kid, Sam, in glee club. He and I are singing a duet together."

Burt noticed the sadness in his voice. "Is that a problem?"

Kurt sighed. "Finn practically begged me not to."

"Why?" Finley asked, surprised. This was the first time she had heard of this news.

"He said it would ruin Sam's reputation," Kurt told her.

Finley looked away. In a way, Finn was right. It shouldn't matter. But it did.

"Well, this kid, Sam..." Burt gulped. "Does he play for your team?" It was easy to figure out what he was insinuating.

"Undetermined," Kurt answered.

"Oh," Burt nodded. "Maybe Finn has a point."

Finley gasped in shock at the words and Kurt gaped at his father with betrayal. "You're siding with him? After what he called me in our basem*nt?"

"I was talking to Carole," Burt said. "And you weren't totally honest with me. She told me that you had a crush on Finn and you weren't afraid to show it." Kurt scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Wait, what?" Finley gawked. This was the first she had heard of it. "Is this true, Kurt?"

Kurt abruptly stood up, glaring at the two. "So, a gay guy can't be friendly to a straight guy without it being predatory?"

"That's now what I was implying at all," Finley defended.

"Understand, most guys don't know how to deal with unwanted advances," Burt attempted to help explain.

"So, what, you're saying I shouldn't sing with this Sam guy because it might upset a couple hom*ophobes?" Kurt gaped. "I thought you said no one pushes the Hummels around."

Finley sighed, taking a seat beside Burt on the couch. "No one does. He's not saying that."

"I'm saying that maybe it's you who's pushing this kid Sam around, trying to take advantage of him because you're interested in him," Burt told him.

"Dad, Finley, you have no idea what it's like," Kurt gasped. "I am the only openly gay kid at school, in this town. I mean, why can't I walk hand-in-hand down the hall with a person that I like? Why can't I slow dance at my prom?"

Burt put down his bowl and beckoned Kurt over. "Come here." Kurt sat back down. "You think I don't want those things for you? I do. You know, until you find somebody as open and as brave as you, you're just going to have to get used to going it alone."

Finley reached over and grabbed Kurt's hand in hers. "And we're here for you to fall back on until you do find someone." Kurt sighed and the two teens relaxed on the couch beside their father.

🎵

At the end of the week, everyone had performed. Santana and Mercedes sang first and performed "River Deep - Mountain High" by Ike and Tina Turner. Finley was sure they were going to win. The two powerhouse vocalists were incredible. Tina and Mike performed "Sing!" from A Chorus Line, and were so fun to watch. Rachel and Finn had performed an... interesting number, "With You I'm Born Again" by Billy Preston and Syreeta Wright. It was... uncomfortable to watch, to say the least.

Kurt had ended up ditching Sam and sang with Finley instead and they did the fantastical number "Le Jazz Hot!" from Victor/Victoria. That left Sam and Quinn, who performed Colby Callait and Jason Mraz's "Lucky." They ended up winning the competition and went on their first real date at Breadstix.

And Kurt and Finley had finally learned Sam's big secret.

He dyed his hair.

Kurt knew that amount of blondness was unnatural! Finley was surprised to learn the truth. Especially that Sam was a natural brunet. Pretty crazy.

The next week, Mr. Schuester had decided the theme for the week was Rocky Horror. Unfortunately, the production was shut down by Principal Figgins and Sue Sylvester, but it was still fun while it lasted. Finley got to put on a cool maid costume with a curly-hair wig!

She sent a photo to Jesse and he was practically drooling.

Everything was back to normal. Sue was up to her usual schemes and the glee club was again thwarting them.

All was well.

That was... until....

🎵

"All right, guys, let's get down to business," Mr. Shue announced as Kurt and Finley walked into the choir room. Finley was holding Kurt's arm protectively as they sat down in their seats. Karofsky had scared Kurt again in the hallway, threatening him. It seemed he would never stop. "First, let's welcome back Noah Puckerman." Finley clapped at the return of her friend. "I hope your time in juvie has taught you a lesson or two about right and wrong."

"Are you kidding me? I ruled that place," Puck bragged. "All I did was crack skulls and lift weights all day."

"What a catch. I can't believe I ever let you go," Quinn rolled her eyes.

"And now, drumroll, Finn!" Mr. Schue exclaimed. Finn hit a book on his lap. "I have in my hand our competition for Sectionals next month." The room cheered. "First, the acapella choir from the all-boys private school in Westerville, the Dalton Academy Warblers."

Finley glanced around nervously. She had heard of Dalton Academy. They were good. Really good. They were the second best show choir in the state, Vocal Adrenaline being first. It seemed that no one else was aware of how worried they should be.

"Oh, ok," Santana grinned. "Like a million awesome gay jokes just popped into my head." She glanced at Kurt.

"And the other team to beat, the Hipsters, a first-year club from the Warren Township continuing education program," Mr. Schue told them. "Now, they are a glee club composed of entirely elderly people getting their high school GEDs."

"Is that legal?" Rachel questioned.

"How are we supposed to compete against a bunch of adorable old people?" Mercedes huffed.

"Are you kidding? Brittle bones," Puck smirked. "Give one of those ladies a pat on the rear, it'll shatter her pelvis." Finely grimaced at the image.

"Moving on," Mr. Schue said. "Since it seems to get you guys jazzed about Sectionals last year, I want to make this week our second annual boys versus girls tournament." The group cheered. "So, split up into two groups and figure out what songs you're going to sing." Rachel gathered up all the girls, and Kurt attempted to slide over to their side of the room. "Kurt," Mr. Schue called, stopping him. "I'm gonna say it again. Boys team."

Finley opened her mouth to object but Kurt shook his head, making her stop. He gave her a sad parting smile before begrudgingly sitting with the boys.

🎵

Finley was fuming as she and Kurt made their way to Mr. Schuester's office. He had called Kurt in to talk to him, not difficult to find out why, and she insisted on being there to stand up for him. Kurt didn't tell her, but he was thankful to have someone by his side. These days, it seemed Finley was the only one who was.

As Finley and Kurt walked down the hall, Kurt was suddenly slammed into the lockers. Finley screamed at the loud bang and whipped around to see Dave Karofsky sauntering past. She saw red. "What the hell is your problem?" She screamed, making his turn back.

"You talking back to me?" Karofsky challenged. "You want a piece of the fury?"

"I dare you," Finley growled as Kurt said, "the fury?"

"That's what I named my fist," he ignored Finley, putting his attention on Kurt.

"Well, with that level of creativity, you could become assistant manager at a rendering plant," Kurt quipped.

"I don't know what that is, but if I find out it's bad, the fury's going to find you," he threatened.

"Back off, Karofsky!" Finley yelled, getting in his face. She jabbed her finger into his chest and stepped protectively in front of Kurt.

"Aw," he feigned a pout. "You have your adorable little squirrel to protect you." Finley screamed in outrage once more. Karofksy chuckled as if she was the more adorable thing in the world. "You don't scare me, Hudson."

Finley smirked. "No. But I know who does." Then, from the top of her lungs, she screamed, "Finn! Puck! Mike! Sam! Help!" Karofsky's eyes widened in fear and the loud sound of feet pounding against the floor echoed through the halls. "You should run, Karofsky. Puck just got out of juvie, and he's itching for a fight." She left out the part that if Puck got caught in another brawl, he would be sent right back. But Dave didn't need to know that. "Run." Karofsky clenched his jaw before running away, leaving Finley and Kurt alone finally.

A moment later, the boys sprinted into the hall. "What is it? Are you hurt? What happened? Who threatened you? I'll kill them!" Finn panicked as he searched his twin for any sign of injury.

"If someone laid his hands on you, I'll gladly go back to juvie at the chance of knocking his teeth in," Puck spat.

"It was Karofsky," Finley sighed. "He was bullying Kurt again."

"We'll deal with him," Mike assured her while Sam watched Kurt with worry.

"Don't bother," Kurt sighed, making everyone turn in confusion. "It won't fix anything. He'll continue to go after me. If anything, you will just make it worse."

Finn was silent. Sam nodded in understanding. "You could talk to Mr. Schue," he suggested.

"We're actually on our way now to see him. He wants to talk to Kurt," Finley told them. "Speaking of which, we need to get going. Thank you for coming, boys. I'll see you later."

"Any time. Just say the word," Mike nodded. The rest of the boys did too. Finley smiled at them gratefully before pulling Kurt to head over to the choir room.

She was lucky to have those guys at her back. She knew that. She couldn't have asked for better. If only they provided Kurt the same amount of protection as her.

They entered Mr. Schue's office and Finley immediately recounted the previous moment's events. Mr. Schue glanced between them worriedly, and retrieved a cup of water for Kurt. "Is there anything I can do?" He asked.

"No," Kurt sighed, taking the cup. "This is my hill to climb."

Mr. Schue sighed. "Can I be honest?" Kurt nodded. "I think it's getting to you. Usually this stuff rolls right off your back. But lately, you've been belligerent, angry, pushing people away."

"Can I be honest with you?" Finley cut in. She glanced at Mr. Schue and Kurt, and they both nodded, allowing her to continue. "You, like everyone else at this school, are too quick to let hom*ophobia slide. It seems I'm the only person in this entire school that is even trying to help Kurt. He's getting harassed, bullied, hurt for goodness sake. This is partly your fault, Mr. Schue." He was taken aback, surprised by her angry words. He had never been confronted so honestly before.

"And your lesson plans are boring and repetitive," Kurt added. "Boys versus girls? That doesn't challenge any of us."

"You mean because I didn't let you join the girls like you wanted," Mr. Schue stated as fact.

Kurt sighed again. "To answer your question, yes. I'm unhappy. And, yes, being the only out gay kid at this school gets me down. But most of all, I'm not challenged in the least here." He grabbed his book and stood up. "Come on, Finley. Let's go home." She nodded and grabbed her own pink backpack before following him out. Neither made an effort to address the frown on their teacher's face.

🎵

Mr. Schuester ended up changing the rules a bit. He told the groups that the girls would perform songs from traditional male groups, and the boys vice versa. Finley glanced over at Kurt and was relieved to see a smile on his face.

Hopefully this would change things around a bit.

It turned out, not so much. When Kurt came to them with ideas, they turned him down and insulted him. They sent him off to spy on the competition while they came up with the number.

Finley was furious when she found out, but Kurt again told her not to interfere. When he asked if Finley would join him on his little spy adventure, Finley accepted immediately.

It seemed Jesse was right. She was spying too often not to. He would get a kick out of this.

And so, Finley and Kurt looked around in awe as they walked through the halls of Dalton academy. The walls were white and made out of marble. There was a dome with intricate black swirls prodding a skylight into the main foyer. There were mirrors and black railings with ivy patterns down the spiral staircase.

It was a pristine establishment. Everyone looked rich, everything seemed rich. Everyone probably was rich.

The two stuck out like sore thumbs. Every guy had on the Dalton Academy uniform, a navy blazer, red and navy striped tie, and slicked back hair. No one seemed to bat an eye at at the two's all black attire. It also didn't help that they were wearing some very obvious sunglasses while inside and on an overcast day. Or that Finley was a girl in an all-boys private school. Very subtle. Everyone was too busy rushing through the halls in the same direction to notice or care though.

Confused, Finley stopped a guy who walked right past them. "Excuse me." He turned and Finley's eyes widened at how cute he was. He had soft brown eyes and black hair gelled back. "Hi," she smiled warmly. "Can I ask you a question? We're... new." She grimaced at the lie, and the guy smiled, thinking her adorable. This girl was not an actress

"My name's Blaine," he extended his hand, introducing himself.

Finley took his and shook it, and then Kurt did the same. She noticed how Kurt's eyes widened in interest at the guy- Blaine. "Finley," she replied. "And this is Kurt."

"So, what exactly is going on?" Kurt asked, glancing at all the people rushing past them.

"The Warblers," Blaine exclaimed excitedly. "Every now and then they throw an impromptu performance in the senior commons. It tends to shut the school down for a while."

Finley gasped in excitement.

"So, wait, the glee club here is kind of cool?" Kurt asked, just as shocked as Finley was at the news.

"The Warblers are like rock stars." Blaine seemed surprised that the two didn't know how big glee was to Dalton. "Come on. I know a shortcut." He extended his hand, and Kurt placed his own in his.

"Let's go!" Finley gasped, already sprinting down the hall. "Blaine, come on!" Blaine laughed and pulled Kurt along as he and the two spies raced down an empty hallway. Finley didn't ignore how adorable the two looked together while holding hands.

Is that Cupid, she sensed?

Blaine led them to the room where the Warblers were loud with chatter as they moved furniture around to make room. "Oh, we stick out like sore thumbs," Kurt hummed, glancing between him, Finley, and the matching dressing of the boys.

"Well, next time, don't forget your jacket, new kid," Blaine scolded, reaching over to straighten one of the lapels of his blazer. "You'll fit right in."

"What about me?" Finley chirped.

Blaine laughed. "You're cute." Finley preened at the compliment. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

The Warblers vocalized as they began to sing the opening notes to Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream." It was all acapella, and it was incredible. Kurt gasped in surprise while Finley clapped excitedly as Blaine took center-stage. It seemed their new friend was closer to the Warblers than he seemed. In fact, he was the lead vocalist.

The Warblers did sycnorzhined choreography and sounded so beautifully together. Finley and Kurt were having too much fun watching to worry about the fact that this show choir, who was second in the entire state and one of the most acclaimed show choirs in the world, was their competition. Kurt watched in awe while Finley danced with some of the spectators. They twirled her around and she laughed as she was passed along the room. It was almost, if not just as fun, as dancing with Mike, Brittany, and Santana. She also didn't miss how Blaine's eyes barely left Kurt's the entire performance.

There were definitely some love arrows being shot.

The room erupted in claps and cheers once the number ended. "That was incredible! You guys are amazing!" Finley exclaimed as Blaine walked up to them. Her smile faltered when a few members of the Warblers then flanked him. "Oh no." She and Kurt froze as they stared at the guys. Finley leaned in towards Kurt. "We've been caught. Abort, abort!" She whispered, not so subtly.

Blaine laughed at her silliness. "Come with us." His voice was friendly, but the two were still nervous. The other two guys shot them friendly smiles, and Kurt and Finley warily followed them.

Blaine led them to a nearby cafe and sat them down at a table. They went over to order while Finley shuffled nervously in her chair. "Should we make a run for it?" She asked. "We could totally make a run for it. They don't know who we are."

"They know our names," Kurt pointed out. "Also, it's not hard to figure out considering your hair is in one of the most recognizable styles in Lima." She cringed when she realized he was referring to the iconic cheerio ponytail. Sue had gotten it trademarked just for that reason.

They both shut up when the boys came back. Blaine set down two cups in front of them. "Latte?" He offered Kurt.

"Thank you," Kurt nodded.

"Hot chocolate?" Blaine then offered Finley.

She grinned. "How did you know?"

Blaine shrugged. "You seem like someone who likes something sweeter."

"You assumed right," she nodded, taking the cup and sipping the rich goodness. "Yum. Thank you."

Blaine sat down across from them and the two other Warblers sat beside him. "This is Wes and David," he introduced.

"Hello," she smiled in greeting. The two boys smiled back. It wasn't hard to fall for Finley Hudson. All it took was a smile and boys fell at her feet.

"It's very civilized for you to invite us for coffee before you beat us up for spying," Kurt commented.

Finley gasped. "You just admitted we're spies! Don't do that!" The boys chuckled. It was obvious from the second they saw the two. The lack of uniform made it pretty obvious, and the black sunglasses helped. Plus, even Dalton Academy was familiar with the nationally-ranked cheerios.

"We are not going to beat you up," Wes assured them.

"You guys were such terrible spies, we thought it was endearing," David added, smiling at Finley.

She gasped in offense. "Hey! I'm a super awesome spy." David raised his brow. She huffed. "Whatever. I was an accomplice anyway. I didn't want to," she grumbled, earning another chuckle.

"Which made me think that spying on us wasn't really the reason you came," Blaine said, focusing on Kurt.

Kurt sighed. "Can I ask you guys a question?" They waited, allowing him to continue. "Are you guys all gay?"

The guys chuckled, and any possible hope in Kurt seemed to dissipate. "Uh, no. I mean, I am, but these two have girlfriends," Blaine answered.

"This is not a gay school. We just have a zero-tolerance harassment policy," David told them.

"Everybody gets treated the same, no matter what they are," Wes nodded. "It's pretty simple."

Finley looked at Kurt, and noticed how... surprised he was at the information. She saw the longing in his eyes. And the sadness.

It seemed Blaine did too. "Would you guys excuse us?" He asked the guys. They nodded and bid goodbye before exiting the cafe.

"I should call Jesse," Finley excused herself. She wanted to give Kurt and Blaine some time alone. She knew whatever Blaine was going to say would be important for Kurt, and he owed it to himself to see through it alone. "I'll be outside if you need me." Kurt gave her a small grateful smile. "It was lovely to meet you, Blaine. I have no doubt we will be seeing more of you soon."

"It was nice to meet you too, Finley," Blaine smiled. Finley gave Kurt a parting kiss on the cheek before walking out of the cafe, leaving the two alone.

Finley dialed Jesse and he picked up after a couple rings. "To what do I owe the pleasure, my angel?" His buttery voice purred through the speaker.

Finley felt her cheeks redden, but he didn't have to know that. "Insolent boy, brave young suitor," Finley teased, making Jesse chuckle. "Kurt and I just met the Warblers."

"Ah, yes. They were always good. But we were better," Jesse replied. She could hear the satisfaction in his tone. "What were you doing at Dalton Academy?"

"Um... watching them perform, duh," Finley said, wincing at the lie. She prayed Jesse wouldn't catch her.

"You mean spying?"

Dang it!

"No..." She grumbled weakly. Jesse laughed hard through the phone. She had no doubt he was doubled over in laughter. It seemed he loved basking in her embarrassment.

"You are such a spy," he accused. "A poor one at that too. Let me guess, they caught you right away?" Finley's silence told him the answer. "Why is everyone always sending you on spy missions? Wouldn't Santana or Mike be better? She's sneaky and Mike is swift on his feet."

"I never volunteer," Finley huffed in defense. "Someone always drags me into it. And I always say yes because I like helping people."

"You have the most generous heart." His tone was humorous, but she could hear the honesty in his voice.

"Thanks," she blushed. "Um, how is UCLA? Hopefully your English teacher is better? Also, you need to send me a ticket to Moulin Rouge. I would absolutely die watching you sing 'El Tango de Roxanne.'"

"Of course I'll send one. I want you there." Finley blushed harder, if that were even possible. "Everything is... difficult. It turns out school is harder than I thought. Who knew you needed to know trigonometry to do calculus?"

Everyone? But Finley didn't say that. "I'm sorry it's been so tough, Jesse. But I'm sure you'll get through it," she comforted him. "You can do anything you put your mind to. You just need to work for it. I believe in you."

"Thanks," Jesse sighed on the other end. There was a hint of defeat, but Jesse was a winner. She had no doubt that Jesse could figure everything out. And she would be there to support him, always a phone call away. "Any new ponzi schemes?"

She knew the switch in subject meant Jesse didn't want to talk about UCLA any further. And that was fine with her. She smiled. "Let me tell you what Lord Tubbington did yesterday. He had to call up his Capo friend to help him out..."

🎵

The girls were prepared. No supplements, no vitamin D necessary. They were all dressed in all black and leather get-ups. They had smudged makeup and wild hair, and they were ready to rock!

Finley had on tight black leather pants that Kurt approved of and a black tank knotted to show off her stomach. She had a black leather jacket on and borrowed a diamond necklace and earrings from Kurt. He helped do her hair in shaggy waves and put a Smokey eye on her with a bold red lip. She was biker-chic. She made sure to send a photo to Jesse, and he responded with high praise and some not-so-friend-like compliments that made her blush.

Rachel set up a smoke machine and Mr. Schue turned off the lights. Finn turned on some fans on the floor and the show began. The band slammed on the drums and the girls began their mashup of "Start Me Up" by The Rolling Stones and "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi.

[all]

Start me up

Start me up

The girls walked onto the makeshift stage in the choir room to their mics, and Rachel emerged from the smoke with a fierce hair flip.

[Rachel]

Oh, Tommy used to work on the docs

Union's been on strike

He's down on his luck

It's tough

Oh, so tough

The girls performed their rehearsed choreography. Kurt watched, his mouth agape, as the girls killed it. It was loud, it was fierce, it was awesome!

There was a lot of hairography, courtesy of Brittany.

[all]

Oh, we gotta hold on

Ready or not

[Rachel]

You live the for the fight when that's all that you've got

[all]

Start me up

We're halfway there

Oh, livin' on a prayer

Start me up

We'll make it I swear

Oh, livin' on a prayer

[Mercedes]

If you start me up

Kick on the starter give it all you got

You got, you got

I can't compete

With the riders in the other heat

Yeah, yeah

Finley and Santana stepped up for their part. Kurt took out his phone and Finley noticed a small smile grow.

She assumed the smile had to do with a certain dashing Warbler with an affinity for hair gel.

[Santana & Finley]

I'll make a grown man cry

I'll make a grown man give it a shot

[all]

Start me up

We're halfway there

Oh, livin' on a prayer

Start me up

We'll make it, I swear

Oh, livin' on a prayer

[Rachel]

Livin' on a prayer

There was an electric guitar solo, and the girls took the time to really flip their hair and trash their bodies, bringing in the rock and roll that the bands were so well known for. Finley grinned as she danced in front of her twin, who was jamming out to the music himself.

She could see the awe and pride in his eyes, which only made her smile grow.

[all]

Oh, we gotta hold on, ready or not

Ready or not

You live for the fight when that's all that you've got

Start me up

We've halfway there ( [Mercedes] : halfway there)

Oh, livin' on a prayer

[Mercedes]

Livin' on a prayer

[all]

Take my hand and we'll make it, I swear ( [Mercedes] : make it, I swear)

Start me up

Never stop

Start me up

Livin' on a prayer

[Rachel]

Take my hand and we'll make it I swear

[all]

Oh, we're livin' on a prayer

Livin' on a prayer

You gotta start me up

The boys cheered and Finley pulled Quin and Brittany into a hug while Santana and Mercedes embraced. "Ladies, very, very impressive!" Mr. Schue clapped. "What was it that made you guys choose those songs?"

Before Rachel could reply, Becky burst into the room and gave him a note. "Coach said to give you this," she told him before running back out. Finley had no doubt that Coach Sue was up to another one of her schemes.

🎵

"So... do you and Blaine text a lot?"

"Ah!" Kurt jumped at the voice. "Jesus! Don't scare me like that, Finley!"

Finley giggled as she matched her steps with his. Kurt was too busy making lovey dovey eyes at his phone to notice her as he walked through the halls. "What did he say?" After a moment, Kurt showed her the message.

Courage - Blaine

Before Finley could respond, Kurt was suddenly thrown to the side into the lockers. Finley shrieked and looked over to see Dave Karoskfy glaring at Kurt as he walked away.

Kurt was up and running after him before Finley could react. "Hey!" He screamed after him as he chased him into the boys' locker room.

Right as Finley reached the door, it was shoved open. She jumped back just in time before she could get hit. Karofsky stormed out, not daring to look at her or anyone. There was something in his eyes, though. Shame, perhaps? Guilt? Something.

Finley grabbed the door and ran inside to find Kurt against the lockers, clutching his lips. "Kurt! Oh my god, are you ok? What happened? Did he hurt you more? I'll kill him! What did he do?" Finley was panicking.

Kurt's voice was so faint she almost missed it. "He... kissed me."

She blinked. There was no way she had heard him correctly. "He, what?"

Kurt shook his head in disbelief. If she hadn't believed him before, the shocked and horrified expression on his face told the truth. And that meant that Karofsky, his bully, had stolen his first kiss. Something Kurt had been anxiously waiting for but patient with because, as Finley knew, it was supposed to be important. And like the horrible person he is, Karofksy stole it right from under him. "I'm so sorry, Kurt."

Kurt's eyes welled with tears, and his hands began to tremble. Finley could do nothing but pull him into her arms and hold him as he cried.

Her arms were the only thing holding him together at that moment.

🎵

After a long talk that night in Kurt's bedroom, they had decided to ask for help from the one person that truly understood what Kurt was going through. Blaine.

"Thanks again for coming," Finley said as she and Kurt led him through the courtyard's staircase into the school.

"Don't worry," he assured Kurt. "Just let me do the talking."

Finley spotted the familiar letterman jacket descending the top of the stairs. "There he is." She and Blaine turned to Kurt. "We got your back."

"Excuse me," Blaine intercepted him, blocking his path. Karofksy's eyes danced between Kurt, Blaine, and Finley anxiously. "Hey, lady boys, squirrel." Finley growled. Kafosky scoffed as he inspected Blaine. "This your boyfriend, Kurt?"

"We would like to talk to you about something," Blaine ignored him, approaching him calmly.

"I gotta go to class," he tried to push through the trio, shoving Kurt back against the railing.

"Watch it," Finley hissed.

Blaine stayed collected. "Kurt told us what you did."

"Oh, yeah? What's that?" Karofsky feigned ignorance. Finley and Blaine shared a look. It seemed this would be way harder than Blaine had initially thought.

"You kissed me," Kurt stated.

Karosfky scoffed and glanced around worriedly, probably to see if anyone had heard him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Blaine looked at him with understanding. "It seems like you might be confused, and that's totally normal." He began to walk away, and the three followed him. "This is a very hard thing to come to terms with, and you should know that you're not alone."

Karoskfy whipped around and grabbed Blaine's blazer before shoving him back against the railing. Blaine put his hands up in surrender as the metal rattled. "Do not mess with me!" He screamed in Blaine's face. But Blaine remained calm.

Kurt ran up and grabbed Karofsky, shoving him off Blaine. "You have to stop this!"

The footballer glanced between the trio before storming off.

Kurt was panting heavily and Finley grabbed his hand in comfort. She saw his eyes begin to water with tears. "Well, he's not coming out anytime soon," Blaine chirped, as if amused. He looked over and saw how rattled Kurt was over the whole ordeal. "What's going on? Why are you so upset?"

Kurt sighed. "Because, until yesterday, I had never been kissed," he whispered. "Or, at least, one that counted." Blaine nodded with understanding, and Finley began to rub light circles on Kurt's back in hopes of calming him.

"Come on," Blaine said, beckoning them. "I'll buy you lunch."

"Me too?" Finley asked, smiling hopefully.

"Of course," Blaine chuckled. Together, the three friends descended the stairs to eat.

🎵

"And that's why we're Team Edward and not Team Jacob." Finn resisted the urge to stab himself in the eye with a pen as Finley blabbered on about her affinity for vampires that glitter. He rummaged through his locker, praying the sounds of his stuff banging against the metal doors would drown out the voice of his lovable but so annoying twin.

It did not.

He gasped in relief when he noticed Kurt, Burt, and their mom approach them. Their parents had excited expressions on their faces, and Kurt's was wide-eyed in confusion. "Hi, guys!" Finn exclaimed loudly, so loudly Finley stopped talking in surprise.

Praise the lord and all that is holy.

"What's going on?" Finley asked the beaming faces.

"Is this one of those interventions?" Finn asked, his brows furrowed in confusion.

"If it is, it's for the three of us," Kurt replied. "They forced me to bring them to you."

"Ok, come on, tell them!" Burt exclaimed in excitement, glancing at the twins' mom.

"No, no, you-"

"We said in the car-"

"Come on. You, please."

Burt sighed with a smile. "All right." He faced the teens. "So, you know how I drive Carole to work every Tuesday?" Finley nodded. "Well, today, I drove here, and we snuck into that classroom where Kurt introduced us, very romantic of me, I might add." Finley's eyes widened as she understood where this was going. "And I-"

"He proposed!" Their mom screeched, jumping in excitement. "He proposed!"

"You stole my punchline," Burt laughed, grinning down at his fiancée.

"What?" Kurt gasped. Finn was staring at the couple while Finley was completely still.

"Wow, this just happened?" Finn asked quietly.

"Oh, Dad!" Kurt cooed as he inspected Carole's ring.

"We wanted the three of you to be the first ones to know," Carole told them.

"Yeah, after the kids in that home room," Burt chuckled. The two finally looked at the twins' reactions. Finn still had a blank expression on his face, but Burt didn't focus on that. Instead, he focused on the tears trickling down Finley's cheeks. "Finley, I know this is a big adjustment, but I love your mother. And I want to marry her. I'll treat her right, I swear. Tell me what's wrong, and I'll fix it. This is a good thing. I promise-"

"Does that mean you'll be my dad?"

Burt blinked as he processed her words. Then he finally noticed what her eyes were truly saying. The tears were happy. Burt felt tears of his own well. "Yeah, kid," he smiled. "It means I'll be your dad."

Finley then slammed into him, wrapping her delicate arms around his big shoulders. He caught her instantly and hugged her back. Carole watched with her own tears of happiness as she watched her further husband and daughter embrace. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. "Come on," Burt beckoned. "Family hug." They all joined in and Finley wiped her tears away.

"I'm so excited, and nervous," Carole told them once they all released each other.

"Don't be. Don't be," Kurt assured her. "This is just what I needed. I will take care of it from here." Finley cleared her throat loudly. "Oh, yeah, Finley too. I have a trunk full of wedding magazines hidden under my bed. I'm thinking of a russet and cognac theme."

"Those are colors, Finn," Finley helped her lost twin out. "Fall wedding colors. Autumnal.

"Yes, yes!" Kurt clapped in excitement.

"Nothing too extravagant, ok?" Burt attempted to calm them. "Gonna use whatever savings we have. We're spending it on the honeymoon. That's right! We're going to Waikiki. We're going to the hotel where they put the guest stars on Lost."

Finley looked at her twin. His voice was still as blank as it was before. "Finn, you haven't said anything."

"I guess I'm just kind of stunned," he said weakly.

"Hey, don't worry. I'm already looking for a bigger house," Burt assured. "One where everybody's going to get their own rooms."

"Come on, honey. Be happy for me," their mom pleaded.

Finn smiled. "I am, Mom."

"All right, listen, Kurt, Finley," he pointed to the teens, "you're the wedding planners. I want you both to take care of one thing. I don't care about the food or the booze at this party, but I want one heck of a band. I've been eating right, I've been exercising, and I want to boogie with Carole at this wedding. And I will boogie." Finley and Carole laughed as Burt attempted to dance a little bit, which ended up being more of an awkward body wiggle.

"All right. It's already taken care of, Dad," Kurt clapped. "I'm-"

"Ahem!"

"We're," he corrected at Finley's glare, "going to hire the New Directions as your band. Right? It won't cost you a cent. They're cheap, they're available. Long story short... you're having a glee wedding!"

🎵

The New Directions had been hired, and everyone was thrilled. After Burt's incident, the glee club had gotten really close to the Hummels. Finley and Kurt had figured out the decorations and the itenary and had sent it off for Finn to look over. Finley wanted to make sure her twin had some part in the planning, though very minimal. He was more in charge of music for the wedding than the aesthetic.

Finley walked over to Kurt to ask him about bridesmaid dresses, but stopped when she noticed something taped on the door of his locker. She gasped. "Is that a picture of Blaine in your locker?" She was practically vibrating from how excited she was.

Kurt sighed blissfully. "Yes."

"Ooh!" Finley did a little dance involving the shimmying of her shoulders, making Kurt go red. "Kurt and Blaine kissing in a tree. K-I-S-S-"

"Hey, I've been reviewing this itinerary, and I don't really get it," Finn said, walking over to the two. Finley stopped her teasing and Kurt sighed in relief. "Are we sure we should release 300 live doves indoors? Won't that get kind of messy?"

"That's why we feed them glitter, Finn," Kurt replied.

"Oh," Finn smiled at the thought while Finley just shook her head. "Well, look, I really want to do something special for the wedding and I want to take this opportunity to remind everyone that I'm, you know, a leader."

"I have the perfect idea," Kurt smiled. "After you walk your mom down the aisle to my dad-"

"Incredibly creepy," he mumbled, resulting in a slap from Finley.

"-And give your speech to the newlyweds, which I will write, although you're free to suggest overall themes, you and Carole will have a lovely mother-and-son dance in front of everyone," Kurt smiled. Finley glanced worriedly at Finn. She disagreed with some of Kurt's opinions and choices, but she knew that he would put together a beautiful reception. But writing Finn's speech was too much, even for her.

"That's a terrible idea," Finn grimaced. "Everybody knows I'm the worst dancer."

"Finn, trust me on this. I've planned weddings since I was two. My power rangers got married and divorced in so many combinations, they were like Fleetwood Mac," Kurt assured him.

"At least if I could pull it off, it would make me seem like a cool stud," Finn hummed. "Thanks! It's a plan." Finn was now beaming as he walked away. As long as Finn and Kurt were happy, she was happy.

"Oh!" She chirped. "I forgot that I need to ask Finn about the flowers. I'll be right back." She left Kurt at his locker and chased after her twin. It turned out Finn had no opinion on flowers, allowing Finley to do whatever she saw fit. When she returned to Kurt, he was no longer chipper and excited, like how she left him. She noticed a flash of red down the hall.

And she knew who that red belonged to.

She reached Kurt right as Mr. Schue did. "Are you ok?" He asked Kurt softly.

Kurt shook his head. He was trembling now. "No," he whispered.

It took everything in Finley not to scream in rage and chase after Karofky. But Kurt needed her. Her step-brother needed her. "Let's go to the principal. Come on." Kurt nodded and allowed Finley to take his hand. Mr. Schue followed the two into the office, where Sue was now residing as principal.

Kurt explained what had just occurred, and now it was Finley who was trembling, but from unbridled rage. "Did he physically hurt you?" Sue asked.

"No," Kurt replied.

"You said he shoved you before," Mr. Schue noted.

"He has," Finley nodded.

"I can't expel a kid for shoving," Sue told them. "He'll just say, 'I didn't mean to shove that kid. I tripped.' The excuse works like a charm. I use it all the time."

"He didn't shove me this time," Kurt sighed. "He just terrified me."

Sue sighed. "Lady, I can't suspend a student because he scares you. High school is a dry run for the rest of your life. It's rough. People can be mean."

"That's your advice?" Finley scoffed. "That's all you have to say?"

Sue understood Finley's reaction. Her family was getting hurt. But she couldn't help them in the way they wanted. "Finley, I was bullied my entire life. I grew up with a handicapable sister. I know very well how cruel people can be. Was it difficult? Yes. Did it make me stronger? You bet it did."

"But that doesn't mean Kurt should have to live with it." Sue saw how angry, how upset, how sad Finley was that Kurt was in this position. She understood it all too well.

"It's the fear that's the worst," Kurt said with a slight nod. "I never know when it's coming. I can't concentrate. I don't feel like I'm part of this school at all. I feel like I'm in a horror movie, where this creature follows me around, terrifying me, and there's nothing I can do about it? I mean, you don't know what's going on in this kid's head. You don't know what he's capable of."

Finley looked to Kurt in confusion, while Sue and Mr. Schue shared the same alarmed expression. "What does that mean?" Mr. Schue asked.

"Nothing," Kurt waved him off. "Maybe I'm overreacting."

"Lady, this kid lays a finger on you, you come straight to me and I will expel him faster than a Thai takeout place can read back your delivery order," Sue assures him, promise in her eyes. She would never admit it, but Finley knew that Sue had a soft spot for him. "Ok? But until that happens, and I'm genuinely sorry to say this, there is nothing legally I, or the school board, can do."

Kurt slumped in his seat. Finley sighed and extended her hand to him. She needed to get him to think about something, anything, else. "Come on. We're going to be late for rehearsal," she told him softly.

Kurt nodded and began to head out, but stopped at the door. He turned to Sue. "You know, when you call me 'lady,' that's bullying. And it's really hurtful."

"I'm sorry, I though that was your name," Sue said in complete seriousness. Finley and Kurt shared the same confused look. "As an apology, I'll allow you to choose from the following nicknames: Gelfling, Porcelain, and Tickle-Me-Doughface."

"Porcelain, Porcelain," Finley chanted lightly.

Kurt glanced at her before responding, "I guess I'll go with Porcelain."

"Ladies," Finley addressed the girls in the choir room. She and Rachel had called an emergency glee girls meeting. Santana had yet to show up, but they were limited on time so she had to get started. She could fill her in at cheerios practice later. "The Kurt-Karofsky bullying situation is getting way out of control. Kurt's miserable. He's losing weight-"

"And not in a good way," Rachel cut in. "And he's barely even fighting me for solos anymore."

"We've all been teased, but something about what Karofksy's going is so much worse," TIna nodded.

"We're all lucky to have boyfriends on the football team, as well as Finley's is friend with all of them. I say we band together and demand they confront Karofsky," Rachel explained.

"Ok, first of all, I'm not dating Sam," Quinn objected. "And, second of all, I think you personally just set the feminist movement back 50 years."

"Look, guys like Karosfky only respond to muscle," Rachel argued.

"So we're going to fight violence with violence?" Quinn asked.

"No," Finley denied. "Look, she's not saying that they should hit him. What we're saying is that we need to defend Kurt, and there's strength in numbers. He asked me to stay out of it, and I did. But not anymore."

"I'm confused," Tina looked over to Brittany. "Are you and Artie officially dating now?"

Brittany shrugged. "Deal with it." She then leaned in closer to Tina, but all the girls were silent so they could hear what Brittany was whispering. "When you guys fooled around, did he ever, like, just lie there?" Finley and Quinn shared the same blank expression.

Santana suddenly walked into the room with an upset expression on her face. "Why didn't you tell me we were having a glee girls meeting?"

"Rachel sent the invites," Finley answered while Rachel told her, "This is a meeting for glee girls with boyfriends."

"I don't have a boyfriend on the team," Finley frowned. She understood why Rachel hadn't sent the message along to her. Santana wasn't the nicest to her... or anyone really. And Rachel was right, Santana was currently single. But Finley didn't like that Rachel had purposefully left Santana out.

Rachel ignored her, giving Santana a pointed look that screamed smugness. She found happiness in leaving Santana out. "We're going to make them stop Karofsky from bullying Kurt."

"Ok, I'm dating Puckerman," Santana defended.

"You're getting naked with Puckerman," Quinn corrected. Santana rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. As if she already didn't have enough reason to be upset with Quinn, what with her being demoted to the bottom of the pyramid.

"Besides, Puck can't mess with Karofsky. He's on probation," Tina added. "If he gets in a fight with him, he'll be sent back to juvie."

Rachel nodded. "Yeah, so now, if you'll excuse us."

"Rachel," Finley frowned at her friend. She then grabbed Santana's hand, making her pause as she walked out. "Santana, you can stay. I'm sorry you weren't invited. You have a right to be here." No one else agreed with her sentiment, but Santana was her friend and no one wanted to argue with Finley.

"No, I'm going to go. I can tell when I'm not wanted." She gave Finley a small, grateful smile before turning to Rachel with a glare. "You're so on my list, dwarf," she scoffed before walking out of the room.

"Look," Rachel put the attention back on her. "If something bad happens to Kurt, and we didn't do anything to stop it, we'll never be able to live with ourselves."

Finley and the rest of the girls met up at lunch in the choir room. "So? Are they all in?" Finley asked everyone.

"Mike is," Tina nodded. "He's just as upset as the rest of us about Karofsky."

"Artie is too," Brittany tells her. "He says that he can act as a shield because Karofsky won't hit a kid in a wheelchair."

"And Sam?" Finley asked hopefully, turning to Quinn. She nodded. "Great! And Finn is definitely in. Right, Rachel?"

But Rachel didn't say anything. She had a dejected expression on her face and her arms were crossed over her belly. She was heartbroken. "I talked to Finn," she said quietly.

Finley didn't like the hesitance in her voice. Something was wrong. "And?" Tina probed.

Rachel clenched her jaw angrily. "He said he wouldn't."

Finley blinked, processing the awful news. "Finn said that?"

"Did he say why?" Quinn questioned, glancing worriedly between the two girls. Though Quinn was no longer dating Finn, she still considered him a close friend. And Finley was her best friend, and there was no question that his refusal would affect her badly.

"He said that Karofsky plays right guard and if he gets pissed then Finn will get sacked more times than Jay Cutler, which means that they're going to lose and Coach Beiste is going to make Sam quarterback," Rachel replied, her disappointment and anger evident in her tone.

Finley clenched her jaw as she tried to tame the anger flaming in her chest. "So being quarterback is more important than helping out our stepbrother." Her hands clenched into fists and Quinn eyed her worriedly as they began to tremble.

"Finley, are you ok?" She asked hesitantly.

Finley took a deep breath. She unclenched her hands and ran them down her cheerio uniform, smoothing out any nonexistent wrinkles. After a moment, she plastered on a cheerful, and extremely fake, smile. "I'll see you all at rehearsal. Excuse me." Then she walked out of the choir room.

Brittany and Quinn shared a worried look. Tina and Rachel watched, confused on why they looked so concerned. "Is she going to be ok?" Tina asked them.

The two blondes shook their heads. Quinn took the reigns on explaining to the girls. "Finley never gets angry. But when she does, it gets really bad. You guys heard about the warning she got last year?" Rachel and Tina nodded. "That was because she was being harassed by some pedo feeling her up in class."

"Oh my god, that's horrible," Tina gasped.

"That's what it took for her to finally react," Brittany told them. "But there's one thing that will drive Finley to Finn-level anger."

"Which is?" Rachel asked.

Quinn sighed. "When someone she cares about gets hurt."

In the hallway, Finley was on a rampage. The students cleared a path as she went past. They had never seen Finley so angry before. And they were all dying to see Finley Hudson, angel of McKinley High School, throw a punch.

Finn was confused as he saw the students part in the hallway, leaving a perfect walkway. Then he saw his twin storming down, all their eyes on her, toward him. "Finley, what's going on?" He asked once she reached him. There was no doubt in his mind that there would be steam coming out of her ears if that were possible. "Sis?"

"I cannot believe you, Finn," she snapped. Under his sister's anger, Finn cowered against his locker. This wasn't just anger. It was fury, unbridled rage. "Kurt is going to be our brother, and you still won't defend him? He's getting hurt!"

Finn eyed the curious gazes of everyone in the hallway. "Hey, can we talk about this somewhere private?" He asked, hating how everyone was scrutinizing him. "I don't need the entire school knowing our business."

Finley gawked at just how inconsiderate and... selfish her brother was being. "You won't even deny it."

Finn anxiously ran his hands through his hair. It seemed they would be figuring this out here and now. "Finley, I can do more if I stay on top. If I go after Karosfky, I could lose everything."

"You mean your position as quarterback," Finley spat, not trying to even hide the anger and bitterness in her voice.

"You don't understand, Finley. Kurt will be fine. He can handle himself. I mean, he's done ok so far, right?"

Finley shook her head, trying to wrap her mind around her brother's words. "Yeah, because Blaine and I have been there to protect him," she told him. "But Blaine is at Dalton and even I can't stop Karofsky." Finn felt his heart crack at the helplessness in her voice and her expression. "Finn, please."

Finn didn't know what to do. He was conflicted. A part of him understood how important it was for him to help Kurt. Rachel and Finley were right, they were going to be family after all. But was it worth jeopardizing being quarterback after he had worked and prayed hard for it? Was it fair to Kurt? Was that fair to Finley? Was that fair to him?

He braced himself as he addressed his sister with a heavy heart. "I can't, Finley. I'm sorry."

All of the anger seemed to rush out in one gasp. Finley staggered back as if his words hit her like a blow to the gut. Finn didn't want to hurt her, but he wouldn't allow himself to lose everything he had worked for. His life didn't revolve around Kurt. He had nothing to prove to anyone. Kurt could handle Karofsky on his own.

Finley took a few calming breaths, though they did nothing to repair the gaping hole in her heart from her brother's cutting words. She squared her shoulders and faced Finn, allowing her expression to fall completely blank. "You've made your choice. I respect that." Finn nodded in thanks. "But," she took another deep breath, allowing her expression to harden, "I hope you'll respect mine in that I want nothing to do with you, Finn."

"What?" Finn breathed, processing her words. "What do you mean?"

Her tone was stiff, robotic. It was far from the empathetic and emotional Finley that everyone knew and adored. This one was calm, collected, and cold. "You don't talk to me during school. You only talk to me at home if you need something. Otherwise, we are strangers. Got it?" She turned to walk away, but Finn grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to face him.

"Finley, you can't be serious," he gaped down at her. She was insane! What, he was now supposed to pretend that he and Finley weren't even related?

"I am." Finn let go of her and stepped back in shock. "Kurt needs me, needs us. And you've not only let me down, you've let him down." Finley then left her twin at his lockers, staring at her retreating figure with longing.

"Finley..." he called, but she had already turned the hall.

No matter what, no matter why, Finley had always been there for him. It didn't matter how upset she was, she was by Finn's side.

But for the first time, Finn wondered if that was the case anymore.

Chapter 16: FURTLY

Chapter Text

[ 2.08 ]

❤️ New Directions | "Marry You" - Bruno Mars

🤍 New Directions | "Just The Way You Are" - Bruno Mars

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

𝘾𝙊𝘼𝘾𝙃 𝘽𝙄𝙀𝙎𝙏𝙀 paid no mind as Finley walked past her into the locker room. She cornered Karofsky, the glee boys flanking beside her. He was putting on his belt when he noticed the gang before him. Finley and Artie were in front acting as a shield, Mike and Sam behind them. Puck watched from the sidelines. He couldn't afford to butt in, but if Finley got hurt, he would put himself in harms way.

"Stop picking on Kurt," Artie ordered.

"Do you mind? I'm changing," Karofsky snapped, sending Finley a warning look. He knew she knew, and he wouldn't let her expose him.

But Finley had no intention of doing so. She understood how important it was for Karofsky to discover and reveal the truth about himself on his own. She would never do such a cruel thing. She would, however, kick him in the balls if he threatened to hurt Kurt one more time.

"We're serious," Mike yelled. He reached over and slammed Karofsky's locker, forcing him to look at them.

Finley took a step forward, her eyes meeting his. Yes, she was a full foot shorter, but Karofsky held her gaze. "This is a warning. You're going to leave Kurt alone." Her voice was grave, threatening. Anyone else would have cowered beneath her. But not Karofsky.

"Look," Karofsky said while putting on his jacket. "If he wants to be a hom*o, that's up to him. But don't rub it in my face."

"We're not asking you," Finley growled.

"Yeah. We're done talking about this," Mike snarled. "Just back off, all right?"

"Look, you back off!" Finley screamed as Karofsky lunged. Mike pushed her back and Puck caught her just before she hit the ground. But because of that, Mike had gotten the hit. He slammed back against Artie, causing both of them to fall to the floor. The wheelchair toppled back and Artie landed with a pained grunt.

"Hey!" Sam shouted, lunging at Karofsky.

Finley untangled herself from Puck and ran to help Sam while Puck rushed over to Artie. "Artie, you ok?" Together, he and Mike helped Artie back into his chair.

Finley screamed again as Karofsky spun around and pinned Sam back against the lockers. "Finley, get back!" Sam ordered. She jumped back just in time. Sam mustered up some strength and threw Karofsky off him. Karosfky responded by punching Sam in the eye.

Finley screamed a third time and other players rushed in. They stopped as they took in the scene. Karofsky successfully stood on top of Sam and was delivering blow after blow.

Thankfully, Coach Bieste came running in. "Hey, hey, hey!" She yelled as she grabbed Karofsky and threw him off Sam. "Get up! Get up here! Get up!" Sam jumped to his feet and lunged at Karofsky, but Finley grabbed his arm and pulled him. Her touch was enough to get him to stop, but his fists were itching for a fight. "What the hell's going on here?" She looked to Finley for an answer.

She stood proud and tall as she faced Coach Bieste. "Protecting my brother. Come on, guys." Then she pulled Sam out of the locker room. Puck, Mike, and Artie followed after them.

Finley had helped the boys clean up in the boys' bathroom before heading the glee rehearsal together. Tina and Brittany tended to their boyfriends, and Quinn ran to the nurse to grab an ice pack for Sam. Kurt watched from the side, secretly touched by their efforts.

Puck held on to Finley, just as her brother used to do, in comfort. If it weren't for Mike, she could have gotten seriously hurt. But she still felt terrible that it had been Mike and Artie who dealt with the blow. She made no effort to acknowledge Finn, and she and Puck sat with Santana on the opposite side of the room.

"Dude was a wild animal!" Mike praised Sam as they all recollected the actions to the group.

"A manimal," Artie nodded while Tina drooled over her boyfriend.

"I'm so turned on by you right now," Brittany told Artie while stroking his hair.

"How bad does it look?" Sam asked, his jaw sore and throbbing from the hit. Quinn was holding an ice pack against his head where he slammed into the locker.

"It's pretty hot, actually," she commented, making him smile.

"You have no idea how hard it was for me not to jump into that beat down. Especially since he went after Finley," Puck huffed. Finley squeezed his hand understandably. Puck had his faults, but she had no doubt that he would stand up for Kurt if he could.

"Wait, he went after you?" Finn asked worriedly. His biggest fear was Finley getting hurt. If she had, he would regret more than he already did his refusing to help Kurt.

Finley shook her head. "Mike pushed me out of the way before he could. Puck got to me before anything could happen," she told them, sending Mike a grateful smile. "Thank you, Mike."

"Always. It would never be a question," he smiled back. They were close friends, and glee had only brought them closer. He, like the rest of the boys, would never let anything happen to Finley.

Santana turned to Finn. "Where were you, Finn?" Rachel and Finley turned to him with an expectant look.

"I was still out on the field, ok? I would have totally given him a beat-down if I had been there, though." Rachel nodded and smiled forcibly, trying to shield her boyfriend. That didn't stop Quinn's, Brittany's, Tina's, or Finley's disappointed expressions as he lied through his teeth.

"It shouldn't have gone down without you, Finn," Mercedes said. "You should have been leading the charge." Finley raised her brow at her brother, and he looked away with shame.

"Lay off Finn, everyone," Kurt sighed. "It isn't his problem. It's none of your problems, actually. But thank you for what you did. Especially Finley and Sam."

"Anything for you. Always," Finley told him. He smiled weakly, grateful that he had someone like her in his corner. Since they had become friends, Finley had always been there for him. This was just another time she had had his back. And he was eternally grateful for it.

Finley turned to Sam. "And, Sam? Thank you for defending my brother." Kurt's heart warmed at the endearment. But Finn's only ached.

Mike nodded. "Serious. An epitome of a leader." Sam smiled in thanks.

Mr. Schuester then walked into the room. His eyes widened as he took in the scene. "What's going on? What happened to Sam's eye?"

"He stood up to Karofsky," Quinn answered.

"All the guys did," Tina added. "Well, not Finn."

"Is everyone ok? Do we all need to go talk to Principal Sylvester?" Mr. Schue asked worriedly.

"No," Sam refused. "I got in a few good licks too, so we can just call it even. And maybe this will send a warning to Karofsky, telling him to back off Kurt."

Finley then noticed Kurt's tortured expression. "You ok?" She asked quietly. The rest of the club turned to see the torment on his face. He nodded and looked away. They all took it as a sign to move on.

"All right, guys," Mr. Schue sighed. "Let's take our places. We got a wedding to prepare for." Finley clapped excitedly and left Puck to join Kurt, who was taking out his wedding planning binder from his bag.

As he was flipping through the binder for the music section, he whispered something to Finley under his breath. "Thank you. For everything."

Finley wrapped her arms around him. "As I said. For you, anything."

Kurt and Finley had organized a dancing lesson for the... less coordinated men in the family. Though she and Finn were still on rocky terms, she would not allow Burt or Kurt to know, and especially why. "Thank you both for attending the Finley Hudson and Kurt Hummel wedding dance seminar," Finley said with a smile.

Burt and Finn shifted uncomfortably in their chairs. Mr. Schue and Principal Sylvester had allowed them to rehearse after school. Sue was too preoccupied with her own marriage... to herself... to care. How that would work, Finley had no idea. But as long as Sue was happy, the cheerios didn't die.

"Dad, you're going to have to pull off the first dance with Carole. And if Uncle Andy's 40th birthday party was any indication, you're gonna need some work," Kurt told his dad.

Burt blanched. "What are you talking about? My moves were great. Ok... it was the damn sangria. Affected my coordination."

Finley giggled and walked over, extending her hand to Burt. He took it and she pulled him out of his seat onto the floor. "Ok, we dance to the beat, not to the words. I'll practice with you, and Kurt will practice with Finn." Burt nodded and Finley positioned him to start a simple waltz. "Have you guys chosen a wedding song?"

"Yes. We're thinking 'Stairway' or some Bublé," Burt answered.

"Oh, nice choices! I love Michael Bublé," Finley grinned. Burt's hand was placed awkwardly on her back, so Kurt moved it to her waist.

"Ok, great," he clapped. "So it's basically one, two, three, four. Follow Finley."

"All right," Burt sighed, preparing himself mentally as Brad began to play a simple beat on the piano.

"Gentlemen leads on the left. Right, opposite of me," Kurt instructed. Finley maneuvered Burt in a simple four-step pattern while Kurt counted the beats. "One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. Ok, good. And back."

"Hey, look at me. I'm dancing, huh?" Burt grinned. "Look at that!"

"You're doing amazing," Finley nodded, smiling with him. As if she couldn't already be excited enough about this wedding, but seeing how in love and excited Burt was to marry her mom? Her joy skyrocketed.

"With how you're doing, I have confidence you'll be able to avoid stepping on Carole's and Finley's toes during your respective dances," Kurt said while watching his father with pride.

Finley stopped, causing Burt to almost trip over his feet. "What do you mean?" Finley asked, confused from his statement. "I'm dancing with Burt?"

Kurt nodded. "The father-daughter dance."

Finley's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh. I didn't know we were doing that." Burt eyed her expression, noting the mix of surprise and... happiness.

"Usually it's the bride dancing with her father, but this time it will be the groom dancing with his daughter. But it's the same thing," Kurt explained. "You're ok with that, right?"

Finley glanced at Burt and saw the love and adoration in his eyes as he peered down at her. Finley had never really known her father. She had always yearned for that relationship, that connection, that love that only a father can provide. And the one to provide them would be Burt. "Yes, I'm ok with that."

It took everything in Burt not to cry as he watched Finley. From the moment he met her, he had seen her as someone to love, protect, cherish. And now this angel of a being would be his daughter? His life could not get more perfect than this.

"Good. Now go on and practice yourselves. I'm going to work with Finn." Kurt shooed them off and walked over to Finn to help him. Finley and Burt got back into position and began practicing the steps as Brad began to play the piano again.

"Go on, Finn. No chickening out. I did it. You gotta do it too," Burt teased as Finn begrudgingly joined Kurt on the floor.

"You got this," Finley told him encouragingly. Finn perked at that. Though she was upset, and rightfully so at him, she was genuine. He was happy to even get a sliver of his sister back. She and Burt watched as Finn said something to Kurt before taking his hand. It was obvious he was uncomfortable. He was shifting nervously on his feet and he kept eyeing the door like he wanted to bolt. "Finn?" She called him worriedly, her and Burt stopping their dancing.

Suddenly, Kurt and Finn tensed at something in the doorway. Finley and Burt peered over to see Karofksy watching them. Her rage began to simmer as he did a feminine hand motion to insult Kurt.

Finley marched toward the door and Karofsky walked off. "That's right! Walk away like the coward you are!" Finley yelled after him as he turned the corner. Her hands were trembling as she turned back to the boys. Burt had not only seen the hand motion, but watched her reaction. And he knew something was wrong.

"What the hell was that?" He demanded, looking to the teens.

Kurt refused to meet his gaze. "It's nothing, Dad."

"That was not nothing, Kurt," Finley snapped. Kurt's eyes were pleading to her, begging her not to make a scene in front of his father, but Finley would not comply. Enough was enough. She had hoped Sam's beating would have done something, but it seemed even Karofsky didn't take the hint. "That was not nothing."

Burt met Kurt with the same rage that Finley had. "That guy was making fun of you. What the hell's his name?"

Kurt didn't reply. "Tell him, Kurt," Finn whispered. Burt caught it.

"Tell me what?" He demanded, his gaze whipping between the teens.

"Tell him, or I will," Finley threatened. Kurt's eyes widened in fear, but he knew that he had no other choice. He hadn't wanted Burt to know about any of this, but Finley would no longer cover for him any longer. She had reached her wits end, and there was no way out of this.

"His name's Dave Karofksy," Kurt admitted. "He's been harassing me for a few weeks now."

"Harassing you how?" Finley had only seen this level of rage once in Burt's eyes. It was when Jesse had shown up at their house.

If anything, Burt was only more murderous now. And Finley would happily join him in his reckoning.

"Just shoving me and giving me a hard time," Kurt shrugged as if it was nothing.

Finley eyed the expression on Kurts' face. He had been covering this for months now. Kurt had always gotten picked on at school as the only openly gay and flamboyant character he is, but Karofsky's abuse had extended to physical measures. But that expression on Kurt's face...

He was hiding something. There was more. And Burt picked up on it too.

"There's more. There's something else you're not telling me, telling us," Finley accused, crossing her arms in distress. She had thought she had known everything that had gone down between Kurt and Dave. But if there was something he was hiding, then there was no telling how violent his abuse had become.

Kurt gulped. "He threatened to kill me."

"What?" Finn gasped. "You gotta be kidding me." He glanced back to see Burt's and Finley's reactions, but they were already sprinting out of the choir room. "Burt! Finley!" He and Kurt shared the same frightened expression before chasing after them.

Burt followed Finley down the halls. When she found Karofsky about to turn another corner, Burt ran ahead of her. He grabbed Karofsky by his letterman jacket and slammed him against the wall. "What-"

"Like picking on people?" Burt grunted as he held him down. "Why don't you try me?"

"You think you can get away with threatening to kill my brother?" Finley shouted, more furious than she had ever been in her life. "You sick, twisted, pathetic excuse for a man!" Finley screamed and lunged for Karofsky, but an arm wrapped around her waist and yanked her back. She growled as Finn clutched her tightly against his chest, holding her in place. She screeched and clawed at his arm, but he wouldn't let go. "Let me at him, Finn! He can't do that to Kurt!"

Finley hated violence. But being best friends with Santana Lopez had its perks.

Like the ability to go all Lima Heights on a sorry ass.

"Burt, stop!" Finn ordered while dragging a fighting Finley away.

Kurt reached his father and grabbed into his arms, pleading. "Please, you're sick. Come on." After a moment, Burt released his grip on Karofsky. Karofksy eyed the family nervously before running off. When Burt calmed down, so did Finley. She stopped resisting against Finn and he released her.

Finley ran to Kurt and he wrapped her in his arms. She clutched him tightly, tears now falling down her face. "How could you not tell me about this?" She whimpered while trying to calm herself down. "Oh, Kurt." He didn't have a reply, so he simply held her.

Burt gaped at his son as he found his mind again. How could Kurt not tell him about this? That he was being harassed, abused? Burt had never felt so tortured before. "So you've been going through this all alone?" He asked his son, his voice breaking. It made Kurt's heart seize.

Kurt shook his head. "It would be worse if I was. But Finley has been protecting me. As best as she can, anyway."

"I just wish it was enough," she whispered, her voice too thick with emotion to speak any louder.

Burt's heart warmed at the fact. His son hadn't been alone because Finley, his new daughter, was there to protect him. She may as well be the reason Kurt is still standing in front of him today. But Finley was soft and small. It was no surprise that she couldn't take on someone as big as Karofsky. But there was someone who could.

Burt turned to Finn. "What have you been doing while this was all going on, huh?" Finley looked to her brother, an accusing glare on her face. And Burt instantly knew what it meant.

Finn had done nothing.

"Come on," Finley released Kurt and grabbed Burt. "We're going to Principal Sylvester."

🎵

Burt, Kurt, and Finley were sitting on the couch in Sue's office while Dave and his father sat in chairs in front of her desk.

"So it seems the situation has reached a boiling point," Sue said as she processed the news Burt had just delivered.

"You're damn right it has," Burt snapped.

"Nothing happened," Karofsky shook his head, acting as if he was innocent. Finley had never loathed someone more.

"I'll tell you what happened," Burt seethed. "Mr. Karofsky-"

"My name's Paul," Dave's father told them.

"Paul, your kid threatened the life of my son," Burt said, his anger evident and showing no sign of diminishing. Paul's eyes widened at the news.

"Porcelain, is that true?" Sue asked Kurt. He nodded.

"That's not true," Karofsky denied. "I didn't say anything."

"That's what he said," Kurt stated, staring dead at Karofsky. "He said he would kill me if I told anyone."

"If you told anyone, what?" Sue questioned.

Finley and Kurt shared a knowing look before glancing at Karofsky. There was a pleading look in his eyes. And Finley and Kurt knew that no matter what Karofsky had done, they would not reveal his secret.

"Just that he was picking in me," Kurt lied.

Karofksky sighed, out of both relief and anger. "He's making all this stuff up!"

Finley scoffed. "Oh, is that right?" How could he look Kurt in the eye and deny everything?

"Hold on a sec," Paul butt in. "You have been acting differently lately, Dave. You used to get A's and B's. You're talking back, you're acting out, and now we're sitting here." He turned to his son. "So let me ask you, why would Kurt make that up?"

Dave shrugged. "Maybe he likes me."

Finley gasped in outrage, the fire inside her burning to an inferno. "Oh, you cowardly-"

"I think we're wasting our time here," Burt cut her off before she could finish her insult. Kurt put his hand on her thigh, telling her to stop. She bit her tongue as she shut her mouth, but she didn't take her glaring gaze off of him. Burt turned his attention to Sue. "It's your job to protect people."

"Couldn't agree more," Sue nodded, surprising Finley and Kurt. She turned to the Karofksys. "After hearing both sides of the story, you are hereby expelled. I will not have one student threatening the life of another." Finley felt Kurt relax underneath her and she grabbed his hand in hers in comfort and hope. "You don't think this is fair, you can appeal to the school board. You'll leave campus immediately."

Karofsky glanced helplessly between everyone, but no one had an ounce of remorse. He had brought this on himself. Paul nodded. I appreciate your time." He then led himself and Karofsky out of the office. As Dave walked past Kurt, he shook his head as if he was the one who had ruined his life and not the other way around. But Kurt and Finley felt no sympathy.

Burt stood up from the couch, and Finley and Kurt joined him. "Thank you," he told Sue.

She nodded. "Enjoy your wedding."

🎵

The day had finally come. Carole and Burt were getting married!

The ceremony was taking place in a ceremonial hall made out of deep-honey colored wood. Kurt had picked it because the colors matched his color scheme. Guests were already seated in the rows with the alter down the middle.

Rachel went off to help Finn with his bow tie. The glee club were acting as the bridesmaids and groomsmen. Kurt was the best man and Finley was the maid of honor.

Kurt had chosen deep red satin for the dresses. Finley's dress reached her mid-thigh. It was an a-line, cinching her waist and flowing out at her hips. She had chosen a sweetheart neckline with thin straps. The rest of the girls had their own variations of neckline and sleeve length. Finley had her hair down in waves with the front locks pinned up and behind. Flowers matching the centerpieces she and Kurt had picked out adorned her hair, making her look like an autumnal goddess. She paired her outfit with some black strap heels. She had sent a photo to Jesse, which he had praised and swooned, making her blush.

What Finley was most excited, and most fearful about, was her bestowed duty of walking Burt down the aisle. Kurt would then walk her mother out and the ceremony would start. Burt and Carole were getting ready in separate rooms. Kurt was off tending to them while Finley finished getting ready. She had seen her mother in her dress, and she almost ruined her makeup as she tried and failed to hold in her tears.

When it was time, Finn made his way down the alter as the beginning notes of Bruno Mars's "Marry You" began to play through the room. ❤️

[Finn]

It's a beautiful night

We're looking for something dumb to do

Hey baby

I think I wanna marry you

Finn pointed to Rachel as she entered, his goofy grin wide as he watched his girlfriend.

[Rachel]

Is it the look in your eyes

Or is it this dancing juice?

Who cares, baby

I think I wanna marry you

Quinn and Sam walked down together, doing a fun dance jive then circling each other. They were both smiling and getting close as they sang.

[Quinn]

Well, I know this little chapel on the boulevard we can go

No one will know

[Sam]

oh, come on girl

[Quinn]

Who cares if we're trashed, got a pocket full of cash we can blow

Shots of patron

[Sam]

And it's on, girl

The rest of the bridesmaids and groomsmen walked out coupled in lines, dancing and singing joyously.

[Brittany & Artie]

Don't say no, no, no, no, no

Just say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

And we'll go, go, go, go, go

If you're ready, like I'm ready

[all]

'Cause it's a beautiful night, we're looking for something dumb to do

Hey baby, I think I wanna marry you

Is it the look in your eyes or is it this dancing juice?

Who cares, baby, I think I wanna marry you, oh

Finley and Kurt then made their debut together before they would be walking their parents. Finn smiled as he watched his sister and soon-to-be stepbrother dancing and singing together. Finley and Kurt had always been close, and seeing them like this? They only showed the strength of their family.

[Finley]

I'll go get a ring, let the choir bells sing like, ooh

So what ya wanna do?

[Kurt]

Let's just run, girl

If we wake up and you wanna break up, that's cool

No, I won't blame you

[Finley]

it was fun, girl

The rest of the wedding party joined them on the aisle once more and they all danced their way toward the alter. Everyone in the peers were smiling and singing and dancing in their seats to the performance.

[all]

Don't say no, no, no, no, no

Just say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

And we'll go, go, go, go, go

If you're ready, like I'm ready

Finn got into his position at the side of the alter, the rest of the lee club lining up in their respective places. Finley and Kurt then skipped back down the aisle.

'Cause it's a beautiful night, we're looking for something dumb to do

Hey baby, I think I wanna marry you

Is it the look in your eyes or is it this dancing juice?

Who cares, baby, I think I wanna marry you

The two friends disappeared and a moment later, Finley reappeared with Burt on her arm. She's twirled as Burt jived awkwardly down the floor, having the time of their lives. Finley was clutching onto her new father's hand the entire time.

Just say I do

Tell me right now, baby

Tell me right now, baby, baby

Finley and Burt then stood at the alter and turned toward the aisle. The rest of the guests followed their gazes to see Carole and Kurt emerge. Finley gasped as she watched her beautiful mother dance her way down the aisle.

She was glowing with excitement and she didn't take her eyes off Burt.

Finley and Finn shared a proud, tearful look. Their mother was so stunning, so radiant, so happy. It was the happiest day.

Just say I do

Tell me right now, baby

Tell me right now, baby, baby, oh

It's a beautiful night, we're looking for something dumb to do

Hey baby, I think I wanna marry you

Burt ran down the aisle and grabbed his future wife, pulling her onto the alter with him. They could not wait another moment to get married.

Is it the look in your eyes or is it this dancing juice?

Who cares, baby, I think I wanna marry you

Finley grabbed Kurt's hand while Finn and them shared a joyous look across from them. The cheers quieted and Finley and Kurt tried and failed to keep their tears at bay as the ceremony started.

"Please be seated," the minister announced. Carole handed her bouquet to Finley and placed both her hands in Burt's. She stared up at him with so much love in her eyes, it made Finley's heart squeeze. "We usually start with a prayer. But a two certain young wedding planners, who shall remain nameless," Burt and Carole gave Finley and Kurt knowing looks," was afraid that some in attendance might fall asleep."

"We didn't say that..." Finley whispered to Burt beside her, making him and Carole chuckle. It was right for them to, as Brittany was being shaken awake by Santana.

"So, instead, I'm going to let Burt and Carole tell you in their own words why they've invited you here today," the minister smiled.

Burt nodded and faced the crowd. "I'm not really known for having a way with words." He releases Carole's hand and fiddles with his own nervously. "Um... You know, when you're a kid, adults will tell you a lot of things. But one thing they neglect to mention is how sad life can be. I lost somebody I loved very much. But Kurt, he lost his mom." Kurt squeezed Finley's hand, and she squeezed his back in comfort. Carole glanced at her twins, feeling a similar heartache at their own situation.

"And that killed me. You know, we got by, but looking back, I want to apologize to you, Kurt. What we were living just... wasn't living. You know that saying that when god closes a door, he opens a window? Well," Burt chuckled, "sometimes, out of nowhere, he'll do you one better and he'll kick a whole wall down." Everyone, including the kids, smiled at the sentiment. Burt then turned back to his future wife and gazed lovingly into her eyes. "He grabbed me by the shoulders and he pointed me towards this woman right here. And he said, 'There she is. Go get her.'" The only thing stopping Finley from breaking into an emotional mess was Kurt and Finn, who were watching right with her as their parents professed their love. "You're everything, Carole. Words can't describe you. You're everything. And I will love you till the day I die."

It wasn't just the love that touched Finley, it was the devotion, the vow. She had always known, but in this moment, Finley had never been so certain that her little family would be ok. And that was because of Burt and Kurt.

"Ok," her mother gasped, collecting herself from the moving speech. "I'm lucky. Most women, when they get married, they get one man. I get two." She glanced at Kurt with motherly love. Just as Finley and Finn had become Burt's children, Kurt had become Carole's. "One of you saved me from my wardrobe," she then turned her attention back to Burt, "and the other one just saved me. Kurt, you are an amazing person. I'm not only getting a friend, I'm getting a friend."

Carole then turned back to her son, who was smiling proudly behind her. "Finn, I know you were resistant at first, but I am so proud of you. I've watched you grow into a man. But I think I'm most proud that you've become a bother to Kurt." Finley watched as her twin's smile subtly dropped. But Kurt had no malice in his own expression, only gratitude. Kurt had a big heart, and Finn had his flaws, but that didn't erase all the good times. She could only hope that Finn would find a way to make up for the bad ones.

Her mother then turned to her. "And Finley, my darling angel. You welcomed Burt and Kurt with open arms, and you were the one to officially make us, well, a family. Before Burt and I even got engaged, you and Kurt were already like brother and sister. It was beautiful to watch your relationship with him, and with Burt, grow. Your support means the world to me."

"And to me too," Burt joined in. "That first night when you moved in, I immediately felt it in my heart that you were my daughter. You have been a blessing to this family, and Kurt and I are so grateful for your kindness and love. And now, you don't just have one man to protect you, you have three." Finley didn't even try to contain her little cry at the endearing words. "I'm not only gaining a wife, but I'm gaining a new son and daughter. And my vow to your mother extends to both of you."

Kurt held Finley to his side as Carole and Burt embraced each other once more. "We are five people becoming a family," Carole said as she reached out and grabbed Finn's hand in hers. Burt grabbed Finley and Kurt's clutched hands on his own, connecting them together.

A united front. A family.

"Ok," the minister smiled as Carole and Burt released the kids to hold each other once more. They both laughed and sighed happily. "Burt, do you take Carole-"

"You bet I do," Burt cut him off, making everyone laugh.

"And do you, Carole, take this man-"

"Oh, yes, I do. Yes, I do!" The crowd laughed again as the couple exchanged rings. The minister didn't even get to tell them they may kiss, as Burt already had his lips on Carole's. Everyone cheered and Finley and Kurt held each other tighter in each other's arms.

Kurt, Finley, and Finn watched from the center table as their parents danced their first dance on the floor. Mr. Schue and the band were on a stage behind them, singing Norman Gimbel's "Sway." Finley and Kurt smiled encouragingly as Burt danced the four practiced steps with Carole. There was an obvious expression of concentration on his face as he and Carole moved around the floor.

"Burt's doing amazing! They look so cute," Finley whispered excitedly to Kurt, who was sitting beside her. The kids couldn't stop themselves from grinning as the number finished with Burt swooping Carole into a dip.

Everyone clapped as Burt and Carole went back to their seats. "And now," Mr. Schue announced through the mic, "I'd like to introduce one of the best men. Finn Hudson." Everyone clapped again as Finn took the floor. One of the waiters handed him a flute of champagne and he faced the crowd.

"Hi," he smiled. "Thank you. Best man. Right. Uh..." Kurt glanced at Finley nervously. He had written a speech for Finn, but he worried that the quarterback was going to go off-script. And that, he did. "Well, I want to propose a toast to my mom, who is so awesome. I mean, somehow, even without one in the house, you taught me what it means to be a man." Carole was touched by the sentiment. Finley and Kurt were on the edge of their seats, waiting to hear what else their brother would have to say. "In glee club, uh, whenever two of us got together, we got a nickname. Rachel and I are 'Finnchel.' Rachel and Puck were 'Puckleberry.' And today, a new union was formed. And though it may be a throuple instead of a couple, it still counts. 'Furtly.'" The crowd laughed. Finley watched her brother as her chest bloomed with warmth. Kurt felt the same as he watched from beside her. "You and me, man," Finn smiled. "We're brothers from another mother. And, quite frankly, no one else has shown mean as much as you about what it means to be a man. And over the past few weeks, uh, some stuff's gone down, and I haven't manned up like I should have. My sister has been more of a man than I have." Finley was listening in apt. It seemed Finn finally found where his loyalties lie. "From now on, no matter what it costs me, I got your back. Ok? Even if it means getting a slushie in the face every now and then." The crowd chuckled.

"You and Finley put this wedding together all by yourselves. So, as a thank you, I had the glee club put together a number in your guys' honor." He then walked up to Kurt and extended his hand. "You're going to dance it with me, dude."

"No," Kurt shook his head weakly. Finley tried to get Kurt up, but he wouldn't move.

The rest of the glee boys made their way to the floor and performed Bruno Mars's "Just the Way You Are" for the two new siblings. 🤍

[Finn]

Oh, her eyes, her eyes

Make the stars look like they're not shinin'

Her hair, her hair

Falls perfectly without her tryin'

She's so beautiful and I tell her everyday

The girls then ran up and joined them. Santana and Brittany ran over to Finley and pulled her out of her chair. Finley tried to pull Kurt along, but he refused. Finley shrugged and joined her friends on the floor, joining in serenading her new brother.

Oh, I know, I know, I know

I'd never ask you to change

If perfect's what you're searching for

Then just stay the same

So, don't even bother asking if you look ok

You know I'll say

Finn walked over to Kurt and offered his and once more. This time, after a dramatic eye roll, Kurt took his hand and allowed himself to be pulled onto the floor.

[all]

When I see your face

There's not a thing that I would change

'Cause you're amazing

Just the way you are

Rachel shoved Kurt and Santana shoved Finley towards Finn and Mike. The two footballers grabbed them. Finn danced Kurt along the floor while Mike pulled Finley into his arms and spun her around, making her squeal with delight. The rest of the group danced around them in a circle.

And when you smile

The whole world stops and stares for a while

'Cause girl, you're amazing

Just the way you are

The boys released the two friends and Finn yanked his twin and his new brother into a tight hug. It was acceptance, joy, apology.

A representation of their new family.

[Finn]

The way you are

The way you are

Girl, you're amazing

Just the way you are

The siblings released each other and Finn and Finley ran up to grab their parents, who were watching from the wedding table. Finn grabbed their mom and Finley yanked Burt onto the floor.

Finley grabbed Kurt's hand and the three of them danced in a circle while Finn danced with Carole.

[all]

When I see your face

There's not a thing that I would change

'Cause you're amazing

Just the way you are

Kurt, Finley, and Burt released each other. Burt then walked over to Finn and they exchanged a handshake saying that all was forgiven.

It was the start of a new beginning.

Burt then reached for his wife and pulled her into his arms to dance. Finn beckoned Rachel, who joined him, and Finley and Kurt danced with each other.

And when you smile

The whole world stops and stares for a while

[Finn]

'Cause girl, you're amazing

Just the way you are

Yeah

Finley's cheeks ached from how hard she was smiling. As the reception continued, Finley danced with all of her friends, ate a ton of food, and sang with her friends on the floor.

Everything was perfect. Was there really any doubt it would be? Kurt and her had planned it after all.

And when everyone went home and Burt and Carole went up to bed, the new siblings laughed and talked as they stayed up in Kurt's room, buzzing with anticipation and excitement at what was to come.

🎵

The Hummel-Hudson family, minus Finn, sat in Principal Sylvester's office, raging at the news she had just given them.

"This is absolutely unacceptable!" Carole snapped.

"This psycho threatens my kid's life, and some school board, made up of a bunch of people I've never met, tells me there's nothing I can do?" Burt seethes. Finley and Kurt sat between them on the couch, clutching each other's hands as they processed the news.

Karofsky was returning to McKinley.

"Oh, they could do something about it. They just decided not to," Sue shrugged, seemingly apathetic. "No one reported witnessing him being violent, and there's no way to prove that he threatened you with violence."

"I can file one," Finley objected. "I'll do it right now. I've seen him slam Kurt against the lockers."

Sue raised her hand up, halting her. "It won't do anything now. The school board issued a verbal warning to Karofsky, and that's where we stand.

Kurt shook his head violently. "I can't go back to being terrified all the time. I jump every time a locker slams shut. I flinch whenever I turn the corner." His voice was small, only emphasizing the true fear he felt at the prospect of Karofsky returning. "I don't feel safe at this school."

"Kids who bully, for the most part, have been bullied themselves," Sue told them. "And I, for one, don't flatter myself that that behavior can change. Now, this kid Karofsky isn't going to all of a sudden be nice to you, and I won't stand by, unable to do anything about it." The family sensed there was something more. "Effective noon tomorrow, Figgins is back in charge, as I have tendered my resignation as principal in protest." The family's eyes widened as they took in the news. "I can't help you behind that desk, but I can be an extra pair of eyes out in those hallways. Someone ought to have your back."

The gesture was surprisingly caring... and genuine. Sue never was one to show her soft side. It only came out with two people- Becky and Jean. Finley was grateful that her care had extended to her new brother.

"That means a lot, Coach. Thank you," Finley told her gratefully.

Sue shrugged nonchalantly. "Besides, I miss my office. This room smells weird. I can't shake the feeling that I'm inhaling a lot of dead skin."

Of course. Sue could never hold a sentimental mood.

The family walked out to the hallway. "Well, I guess I should enjoy the rest of my day before the terror starts anew," Kurt sighed. "I'll see you at home." Kurt then left Finley and their parents as they watched him walk down the hallway and disappear around the corner.

"What should we do? We have to do something," Carole muttered as she wiped a stray tear from her cheek. "We can't allow Kurt to live in fear again."

"I just want to get rid of that Karofsky kid. Who dares get off hurting my son?" Burt snapped, his brows furrowed as he tried to control his anger.

"We can't get rid of Karofsky," Finley sighed. "The only way to ensure Kurt's safety is to get him... out..." Her voice trailed off as a new idea formed in her head.

She didn't like it. Not one bit. But if it meant keeping her brother safe? She would do anything.

"That's your idea face," Carole stated as she and Burt watched their daughter. "You have an idea. What is it?" They waited expectantly for her to share.

Finley sighed again. "I may have a solution. But it's a difficult one."

Burt waved her worry off. "Whatever it is, we will deal with it. Anything for Kurt. Now what is it?"

In her heart, she knew this was the right thing for Kurt. No matter how much it would hurt her, hurt their friends, hurt the glee club, it was the best solution.

"Kurt could transfer to Dalton Academy."

Chapter 17: UNDER THE MISTLETOE

Chapter Text

[ 2.09 - 2.10 ]

💙 The Warblers | "Hey, Soul Sister" - Train

❤️ Santana | "Valerie" - Amy Winehouse

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘾𝙃𝙊𝙄𝙍 𝙍𝙊𝙊𝙈 was lacking obvious cheer as Mr. Schuester walked in to start the week's lesson- preparing for the upcoming Sectionals. Finley stood by Kurt's decision to transfer to Dalton Academy, but that didn't stop her from feeling a deep ache in her heart for her new brother. Finley was sitting with Brittany and Santana in the back of the room. Quinn was with Sam, and Finn was sitting beside Rachel as always.

"Mr. Schuester," Rachel announced excitedly as he walked in, immedietly standing from her chair and raising her hand. "I have an announcement. I have selected the perfect moving ballad to launch our performance at Sectionals." Finley noticed Santana and Brittany immedielty check out- and rightfully so- and she saw Quinn roll her eyes. It was no surprise that Rachel still focused on her and her boyfriend, even in difficult times like this.

"Me first," Mr. Schuester told her. "Two things: first, our competition at Secitonals are you classic stool choirs, great voices but they don't move. Now, if we're going to beat them, we need to do or what they can't- dance." Rachel's grin immedielty falls, knowing that Mr. Schue was not going to pick her and Finn considering Finn danced like he had two left feet. "Which is why I've decided to feature Brittany and Mike Chang's sweet moves for our performance!" The room errupted in cheers, minus Rachel and Finn. Finley and Santana clasped Brittany's hands, and Finley grabbed Mike's in her other in support. Brittany and Mike were beaming with joy at the opportunity to finally be center-stage.

"Wait, they're gonna dance while I sing my solo?" Rachel gawked in both appall and disagreement.

"You're not getting a solo for this competition, Rachel," Mr. Schue told her bluntly. Rachel fell into a slump, her worst nightmare coming true.

"Finally!" Mercedes grinned. "So what song do I get to sing?"

"I was thinking that the winners of our duet's competition would take the leads," Mr. Schue said, turning his attention to Quinn and Sam. The blonde couple froze in surprise, while Rachel scoffed

"Ken and Barbie?" She made no effort to hide her anger. "Are you trying to throw this?"

"You used to be just sort of unlikable, but now I pretty much feel like punching you everytime you open your mouth," Quinn muttered not so quietly.

"I think it's a wonderful idea," Finley said happily, smiling with pride at her friends. "You both are going to do amazing." Quinn and Sam sent her grateful looks while Rachel sent Finley her own nasty glare. Finn was bummed about not getting a solo, but he wasn't one to step on his other member's toes- unlike his girlfriend.

"Ok, listen, I have talked the talk about everyone in here feeling special for over a year now," Mr. Schue told everyone. "And, frankly, I haven't walked the walk. I mean, we have got a lot of talent here, and I'm going to highlight it."

"Do something!" Rachel hissed at Finn. Finn glanced around the room, lost. He was disappointed, understandably, but Rachel was beyond pissed. And he was not looking forward to the earful he would receive if he at least didn't attempt to do something.

Mr. Schue gave Rachel a look, her hissing heard by everyone in the room. Finn spoke up awkwardly. "Look, I'm all for pumping up the team, making everyone feel special, but that's for practice. You don't take the star quarterback out before the big game." Rachel nodded in agreement. Finley felt bad for her brother, she knew how much he adored performing and he was proud that he was the front man of the group, but she agreed with Mr. Schue showcasing her friends that were less in the front.

"Easy to say when you're the star quarterback," Tina retorted.

Finn rolled his eyes. "This isn't just about me. This is about the team," he argued weakly. Even Finley rolled her eyes. Now, that was complete bull crap.

"You are such a hypocrite!" Santana snapped, having heard enough.

"Like you even know what that means," Rachel fired back.

Her tone only fueled Santana's rage. "It means that your boyfriend is full of crap, hobbit."

Rachel whipped around to face Santana. Finley froze at the pure hatred on Rachel's face. She understood Rachel's obsession with being a star, but it angered Finley to see how... shallow she was. It was obvious Rachel would do anything to get her way, even stepping on others she deemed to care about to get there. "You know what? Ever since the wedding, you've been up my butt and I'm sick of it!"

"Come on, Rachel, she's not worth it," Finn mumbled in a weak attempt to settle her down. It did not work.

Santana's brows raised, and Finley knew that whatever Santana was going to say would completely alter everything. "Oh, really? Because that's not what you thought last year in the motel room." The room was silent at the news. Finley's eyes widened in shock, and her jaw dropped when she saw the look of resignment on her twin's face. "That's right, Yentl. Your sweetheart, he's been lying to you. Because he and I totally got it on last year."

The expression on Rachel's face would have been heartbreaking to witness if she had not put everyone down only moments ago. Even so, Finley felt sympathy for her. Finn had not told her anything about his tryst with Santana last year, but she knew it must have occured around when Jesse and Rachel had plans to finally do it. While Rachel lied about having done it with Jesse, it seeemed Finn had lied and had gone through with it.

Finley caught a ride home from Santana after cheerios practice, avoiding her twin, and attacked Kurt as soon as she saw him in the kitchen. "Tell me all about your first day? How are your teachers and your classes? Was everyone nice? How was Warblers practice? Did you see Blaine at all? Tell me everything!"

"Woah, woah, ok, slow down, girl!" Kurt chuckled as Finley jumped with excitement. She had had a not so great day with all the drama in glee club now, so this was a good reliever. "It was surprisingly pleasant. Everyone was very welcoming."

"That's so great. I'm so happy for you, Kurt," Finley beamed. She then noticed the cage sitting on the dining room table. "Um, Kurt, what is a bird doing in our house?"

"He's a canary. Each new member of the Warblers is assigned to take care of him to carry on the Warbler legacy."

"Oh, how fun," Finley hummed as she inspected the cute bird. "Good thing Burt works at a tire shop and not a coal mine, huh?" Kurt chuckled lightly at the joke. "So," Finley turned away from the songbird, "have they taken notice of all your amazing vocal talent and put you front and center for Sectionals? Though, I'm not ashamed to admit that Blaine is positively dreamy, both in his looks and his buttery voice. Don't you agree?" She saw a twinge of pink flutter on Kurt's cheeks.

She's doing Eros's work, let her tell you.

Kurt decided to ignore the second half of her inquiry. "Not yet, but they have auditions tomorrow for solos and major parts. I'm hoping I can impress them enough."

"You're going to do amazing," Finley told her brother with a supportive smile. "Believe me, with Kurt Hummel in the lineup, it's going to be almost impossible to beat us."

"With Kurt Hummel in the lineup, it's going to be impossible for you to beat us," Kurt corrected. The two siblings engaged in a stare-off for a few moments before bursting into a fit of laughter.

At least some things never change.

🎵

The next day, everyone was waiting for Rachel and Puck to show up for glee rehearsal. Tensions were high and the awkwardness was suffocating. Finally, after a few minutes of waiting, Santana broke the silence. "Where's Puck? I haven't seen him since yesterday. I need him to get me a churro."

"Ooh, me too," Finley nodded.

"My guess is he'd rather quit Glee club than lose Sectionals. I can't blame him," Mercedes shrugged. "Our set's going to be real light on the Mercedes."

Tina sighed. "I'm telling you, if the Warblers win Sectionals, it's only because we gave them Kurt. We should not clap."

"If we loose we should throw possums," Brittany pitched.

"Guys, no," Finley sighed, disappointed at her friends' lack of sportsmanship. "Kurt is our friend and we are going to support him..." Finley voice trailed off as Rachel entered the room with a thick piece of duct tape on her mouth.

Finley and everyone guessed it had something to do with the fact that Santana had been the one to get Brittany's and Mike's singing solo.

Finley was very proud and excited for her friend, and Santana would be singing one of her favorite artist of all time- Amy Winehouse. With Britt and Mike's moves and Santana's voice, they were going to burn down the house.

Mr. Schue rolled his eyes with annoyance at her dramatics. "Rachel, what are you doing?"

She pointedly sat on the opposite side of the room, the furthest away from Finn, and peeled back the tape. "I'm not doing anything. You've silenced my talents. I'm merely protesting." Then she patted the tape back over her mouth. Even Finley didn't hold back her glare at Rachel's selfishness. She then peeled the tape back again. "My talents are wasted in this club. My star shines too bright and I think you're threatened by it."

Mr. Schuester had had enough. He slammed his sheet music on the piano, making Finley jump in her seat. He whipped around and faced Rachel in a rage. "Take that off! I'm tired of this, Rachel!" Rachel froze as he stalked towards her. "You have a terrible attire, you're a lousy sport, and it is not ok anymore!"

"Well, I'm upset!" Rachel yelled back with just as much ferocity. "I'm furious about this! About a couple of things, actually."

"I'm sorry you're disappointed, but you know, you could also make the choice to be happy that we're a part of a glee club that is bursting at the seams with talent." He then turned to the rest of the group. "There's an awful lot of 'me' talk going around. 'What's in it for me?' 'What solo am I going to sing?' Now, when we go to Sectionals, just as Finley said, we're going to be good sports. We'll cheer on the Hipsters, on Kurt, and the Warblers. And if they win, we will congratulate them because that's who we are."

Puck then walked in with a girl Finley recognized. "Puck, where have you been?" She asked worriedly. She took in his appearance- a grey hoodie and a slumped aura. He refused to look at anyone, he kept his gaze to the floor as if in shame. "Are you ok?"

"I found him in a porta-potty," the girl told everyone.

Finley gasped in horror. She wanted to run up and hug him, but she had no desire to inhale the disgusting fumes. "What happened?"

Puck finally met her gaze. "I was trying to find Kurt's replacement for Sectionals. My teammates, including f*cking Karofsky, found out and decided to beat me up. They dragged me out back and locked me in. I was trapped in that porta-potty for 24 hours." Finley shivered in both horror and disgust at what her poor friend had gone through. "Lauren, here, found me and saved me. So I asked her if she wanted to join. I have to say, she kinda rocked my world."

It was no surprise what kind of rocking Puck was referring to. Santana's face was scrunched in appall, and Finley just blinked as she processed what he had said.

"Ok, guys, um..." Mr. Schue glanced at everyone before turning to Lauren. "Looks like we're back in business. Let's all welcome our newest member, Ms. Lauren Zizes." Finley and some of the other members clapped in welcome. Mr. Schue extended his hand to Puck. "Puck, nice work. We owe you one."

🎵

Kurt did not win a solo, but Finley didn't let that get Kurt down. The rest of the week, the siblings went on on normal. Finley told Kurt all about the Rachel-Santana- Finn drama, and Kurt told her all about the different workings of Dalton Academy.

Before they knew it, Sectionals had arrived. The two groups were seated as the Hipsters performed first. They sang "The Living Years" by Mike + The Mechanics and they were actually really good.

Finley was seated next to Rachel, and the two sat excitedly as the Warblers made their way to the stage. Finn and Rachel were still on thin ice, but the two girls were ready to support their friend. "For our second performance of the program, from Dalton Academy in Westerville, the Warblers!" The harmonized voices of the accapella group echoed throughout the theater as they began to sing the opening notes to Train's "Hey, Soul Sister." 💙

[Blaine]

Hey, hey, hey

[all]

Tonight

Hey, hey

Hey, hey

Hey, hey

Hey

Blaine took center-stage as the rest of the Warblers, including Kurt, backed him with vocals.

[Blaine]

Your lipstick stains

On the front lobe of my left-side brains

I knew I wouldn't forget you

And so I went and let you blow my mind

[all]

Let you blow my mind

[Blaine]

Your sweet moonbeam ( [all] : sweet moonbeam)

The smell of you in every single dream I dream

I knew when we collided

You're the one I have decided

Who's one of my kind

[all]

One of my kind

Finley didn't miss the little looks Blaine and Kurt shared throughout the performance. Blaine was front and center, and Kurt flanked his left side. Every so often, Blaine would glance back at Kurt, and Finley swore she could see hearts in Kurt's eyes. He could deny all he wanted, but Finley knew.

Hey, Soul Sister

Ain't that Mr. Mister on the radio, stereo

The way you move, it ain't fair, you know

Hey, Soul Sister

I don't want to miss a single thing you do

Tonight

Hey, hey

Hey, hey

Hey, hey

[Blaine]

Just in time

I'm so glad you have a one-track mind like me

You gave my life direction

A game show love connection

We can't deny- y- y

I'm so obsessed ( [all] : so obsessed)

My heart is bound to eat right out of my untrimmed chest

I believe in you

Like a virgin, you're Madonna

And I'm always gonna want to blow your mind

The New Directions weren't suprised that the Warblers sung perfectly. All their voices blended seamlessly together, and Blaine's voice was like velvet stroking their brain. Ther was no doubt that it would be a tight competition. It could easily be the Warblers as it could be the New Directions who won this Sectionals.

[all]

Hey, Soul Sister

Ain't that Mr. Mister on the radio, stereo

The way you move, it ain't fair, you know

Hey, Soul Sister

I don't want to miss a single thing you do

Tonight

Hey, hey

Hey, hey

Hey, hey

[Blaine]

The way you can cut a rug

Watching you's the only drug I need

So gangster, I'm so thug

You're the only thing I'm dreaming of, you see

I can be myself now, finally

In fact, there's nothing I can't be

I want the wold to see you be

With me

Hey, Soul Sister

Ain't that Mr. Mister on the radio, stereo

The way you move, it ain't fair, you know

[all]

Hey, Soul Sister

I don't want to miss a single thing you do

Tonight

Hey, Soul Sister

I don't want to miss a single thing you do

Tonight

Hey, hey

Hey, hey

Hey, hey

Tonight

Hey, hey

Hey, hey

Hey, hey

Tonight

The performance ended and Finley was the first to stand up and the loudest to clap. The Warblers soaked up the applause and Kurt made sure to send Finley a grateful smile before walking off the stage. Blaine had seen Finley too- it was kind of hard not too considering she was basically screaming- and waved at her before following Kurt.

Mr. Schue was wide-eyed, realizing just how difficult this competition was going to be. The rest of the group felt it too. It would be difficult to beat the Warblers, but they had to try. He was right about one thing. The performances had amazing vocals, but lacked in movement. Brittany and Mike were the New Directions' time to shine.

The New Directions made their way to their green room to prepare. If Finley thought the tension was thick before, she was suffocating in it now. Just as last year, they were dealing with the outcome of Finn's relationship...

"You told Kurt?" Rachel burst in, glaring at Finn.

"About Finn and Santana?" Mercedes asked. "No. I think I told him."

"Wait, what?" Finley blinked. People knew about Finn and Santana?

"Who told you?" Rachel demanded.

"Me. I think Brittany told me," Quinn said. "Or maybe it was Puck."

"Yeah, it was me," Puck nodded.

"Everybody knew about this but me?" Rachel exclaimed in outrage. She was too blinded by hurt to notice the suprised expression on Finley's face.

"Pretty much," Tina nodded. "Well, Finley didn't know."

Rachel turned to see Finley's jaw slack as she gaped at the group. It was fairly obvious sweet, innocent Finley had been kept out of the loop for a reason. She was too good, too pure for this kind of deceit. That and she was too enamored with Jesse at the time to take notice in Finn's personal affairs.

"Nobody tells you anything becuse, A, you're a blabbermouth, and B, we all just pretend to like you," Santana rolled her eyes, seemingly unaffected by everything collapsing around her.

"That's not true," Puck interrupted. "I kind of like her."

"Me too," Finley added, forming at the animosity. Sure, Rachel had her faults, and there were many, but she also had her moments.

Finn had heard enough. He was sick and tired of Rachel's behavior toward him. Not only was it affecting them and their relationship, it was affecting everyone else's. And they coudn't have that, especially before they were about to perform. "Look, Rachel, when this all happened, you were dating another guy so you don't really have the right to be pissed at me about it, ok? And fine, I shouldn't have lied to you about it, but to be honest, that isn't what you care about. You care about the Santana of it all."

Finley found the entire argument to be nothing but a nuisance. Rachel had the right to feel upset, but she had no right to make everyone else miserable because she was feeling insecure and hurt about her relationship. They were minutes away from performing, and her yelling at Finn was not helping anything!

"Oh, who are you right now?" Rachel shouted, Finn's words doing nothing to calm her rage. "You know what? You guys are going to have to find somebody else to mindlessly harmonize with because I'm not going onstage with him!"

"Make that two," Artie joined. "I'm not going out with Brittany."

"Me either!" Tina added. Both the partners felt very insecure what with Brittany and Mike spending so much time rehearsing their choreography.

Ok, Rachel, Finley understood. But Tina and Artie? It was just dancing for crying out loud! She had had enough.

"Enough!" She yelled, making everyone freeze. Finley Hudson was absolutely pissed. "Listen to yourselves! Think back to where we were last year, in this room with no set list, no choreography, no chance in hell of winning, but we did win. Because we did it together." Finley was never one to take on the leadership role in the glee club, but it seemed that Finn was unable to step up to the challenge, so Finley took it upon herself. As head cheerio, she knew how to pull the group together. "Look, I don't care how much we all hate each other. All I want is for us to go out there and sing together. We get up there, and for 6 minutes, remind ourselves that we're not alone." The lights began to dim, signaling it was time for them to go on. Finley sighed. "All right, showtime!"

Finley's speech had inspired the everyone for the time being to put their issues aside. It was time for them to perform!

The New Direction began to harmonize and Sam stepped out from the back of the theater, beginning to sing "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes . Quinn joined him and the two sang as they made their way down the aisle toward the stage. Their chemistry was palpable and Finley couldn't help but smile as their hands continued to brush against each other and their faces got incredibly close as they sang.

When the song ended, the music transitioned toward the upbeat snare of Amy Winehouse's "Valerie," and Mike and Brittany made their way to the center. ❤️

[Santana]

Well sometimes I go out by myself

And I look across the water

And I think of all the things

Whatcha doin'

And in my head I paint a picture

'Cause since I've come on home

Well my body's been a mess

And I miss your ginger hair and the way you like to dress

So won't you come on over

Stop making a fool out of me

So why don't you come on over, Valerie

Mike and Brittany danced across the stage, doing elaborate lifts and spins and jumps, impressing the audience.

Valerie

Valerie

Valerie

Did you have to go to jail

And put your house on up for sale

Did you get a good lawyer

And did you have to pay that fine

That you've been dodging all the time

Are you still dizzy

'Cause since I've come on home

Well my body's been a mess

And I miss your ginger hair and the way you like to dress

So won't you come on over

Stop making a fool out of me

So why don't you come on over, Valerie

Valerie

Valerie

Valerie

Mr. Schue had been right about showcasing dancing in their performance. Brittany and Mike's moves gave the New Directions a wow factor. Santana's amazing singing helped as well. She had fun dancing around the stage while singing her beloved Amy.

Well sometimes I go out by myself

And I look across the water

And I think of all the things

Whatcha doin'

And in my head I paint a picture

'Cause since I've come on home

Well my body's been a mess

And I miss your ginger hair and the way you like to dress

So won't you come on over

Stop making a fool out of me

So why don't you come on over, Valerie

Valerie

Valerie

Valerie

Why don't you come on over, Valerie

The number ended and the crowed errupted in cheers. Brittany and Mike even got their own standing ovation. It was the right choice to showcase Mike and Brittany with their incredible talent.

Because that talent was how the New Directions won their second Sectionals.

🎵

Finley skipped around the christmas tree in the center of the choir room. It was Finley's favorite time of the year- Christmas. And the New Directions always went all out to celebrate it.

She was sitting on Puck's shoulders as she placed the chipped star on the top of the Christmas tree. "Hey guys, what's this?" The glee club turned to see Mr. Schuester in the doorway of the room.

"Oh, we're trying to get into the Christmas spirit, Mr. Schue," Finn answered while Puck let his sister down. "Christmas is totally my favorite holiday. And check out this awesome tree. I found it on the side of the road. It must have fell off some guy's car."

"And the ornaments?" Mr. Schue asked warily.

"The guy next door finally killed off his elderly mother," Santana answered with a shrug. "When they carted him off, they left the house wide open, so... I think she was a holiday hoarder."

"Uh..." Mr. Schue blinked, processing what she just said with such casualness. "And the presents?"

"I lifted them from a display at the mall. But don't worry, they're empty," Puck assured him.

"Do you like it?" Finley asked while admiring their workshop tree.

Mr. Schue sighed at her adorable expression. "Guys, I appreciate the effort, but this isn't what Christmas is supposed to be like."

"For us it is," Mercedes frowned. "This tree is like a mascot for the glee club. We won Sectionals two years in a row and according to everyone at this school, we still suck."

Finley winced as she remembered the horrid story Mercedes had recounted only earlier that week of her, Tina, and Mike getting slushied in the hallway. "I'm pretty sure they just added food coloring to real slush from the parking lot," Mike mumbled.

"You can eat that, you know," Lauren added unhelpfully.

"No," Mr. Schue sighed. "I am not going to let you guys throw yourselves a pity party! Look, I am the first one to say that things haven't exactly turned out how I would have liked them to this year." Finley knew he was referencing how Ms. Pillsbury had gone to Vegas with her boyfriend Carl and came back married. "But Christmas is all about being grateful for the things that did."

"I thought that was Thanksgiving," Puck said to Finley.

"It can be both," Finley shrugged.

"And this year," Mr. Schue continued, "glee club is going to lend a hand to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Children and Youth Program right here in Lima."

"That's a wonderful idea, Mr. Schue," Finley praised, excitement flowing through her. She had volunteered a few times there herself. The kids were always excited to see her, though that might be due to the fact that she always brought toys with her when she visited.

"How are we going to do that?" Rachel asked warily. Though she was Jewish, she always participated in the Christmas activities with the glee club.

"The only way we know how. By singing about it!" He answered. "We're going to go classroom to classroom, caroling, to raise money for McKinney-Vento."

Finley's excitement dimmed a bit. The idea was great in theory, but she, just like everyone else, knew that they would not be well-recieved by the McKinley public.

"Classrooms in this school with, like, students in them?" Tina gaped, frozen in fear at the idea.

"Well, if there are no students in them, there will be no one to put money in the collection box while we sing," Mr. Schue answered at her silly question.

Finley and Quinn shared the same horrified look. "We're gonna be killed," Quinn mumbled.

Though Finley's faith had wavered, her twin's had not. "No, guys, it's Christmas, a time for miracles. We gotta try this."

Inspired by her brother's confidence, Finley's faith returned. "Finn's right," she nodded in agreement. "So, let's start rehearsing!"

How bad could it possibly be?

🎵

It turned out that it could be pretty bad. The glee club had performed in one of the classrooms, and not even a minute into their song, they had various profanities screamed at them. The teacher even threw a shoe at them.

The group was now wallowing in the choir room while stringing popcorn for their new tree. Well, Finley was. Everyone else was eating the popcorn rather than helping her.

"I can't believe that that teacher let those students speak to us like that," Rachel gawked.

"I can't believe she threw her shoe at us," Puck added.

"I guess we're done caroling," Tina sighed while taking one of Finley's finished popcorn strands and draping in on the tree.

Finn groaned at the pity. "No, come on, guys. We can't let what just happened ruin our Christmas spirit. Mr. Schue got us this beautiful tree to inspire us. We're going to practice now and gear up for round two tomorrow."

"Pretty soon, no one will bully us," Brittany hummed. "Santa Claus can do anything, and this year, I asked for the glee club to stop getting picked on."

"Thank you for that, Brit," Finley told her friend gratefully. Finley then took in the gaping expressions on the other members. It seemed Finley and Santana were the only ones aware that Brittany believed in Santa Claus.

Lauren turned to Finley. "She's kidding, right?" Finley shook her head.

"Guys, this is serious," Artie said, bringing everyone's attention but Brittany to him. "Listen up. Brittany still believes in Santa Claus."

"You cannot be serious," Mercedes deadpanned.

"Last week, Brittny believed a comb had magic powers," Sam said, proving what Artie said was plausible. "This is kind of a pattern."

"Brittany's going to find out sooner or later," Quinn sighed.

"Ok," Lauren huffed. "Someone needs to break the news to her." Finley was horrified at the idea.

"Don't look at me. I'm cruel and all, but that's just hard-core," Puck frowned.

"Right?" Artie nodded. "That's my point!"

"Woah, no," Finley interrupted. She would not allow this conversatoin to go on any further. "Hear me out. Remember how when you were a kid, how excited you would get when you would think about Santa Claus? How awesome it was? Christmas was the highlight of the year. Why wouldn't you want to keep someone's world magical for a little while longer?" Her words resonated with the group, and she relieved that she could keep Brittany's childlike joy and innocence- at least in this aspect- a little while longer.

The group could tell from her words that she also had a plan. "How?" Mike asked.

"I might know how," Artie smiled. "Yes, I've got it all figured out." And everyone else listened in as he told them about his plan to keep Brittany's belief in Santa alive.

🎵

Finley smiled as Brittany squeezed her hand in excitement as they moved up the line. To Artie's idea, everyone had brought Brittany to the mall to meet Santa at the workshop display. They found the way Brittany's eyes lit up in childlike wonder to be adorable.

One of the elves was walking past them in line when Brittany stopped her. "Can I be honest?" She told the woman. "I don't understand the difference between an elf and a slave."

"Brit, no," Finley pulled Brittany back as the woman frowned and walked away. In her peripheral, Finley saw Quinn beckon her over. "I'll be right back," she told Brittany, who's gaze was now transfixed on the Santa cosplayer, and made her way toward the rest of the group.

"I am not sitting on that guy's lap," Quinn huffed. "Santa's laps are always really warm, and it's creepy."

"We all have to sit on Santa's lap," Artie frowned. "If Brittany sees we still believe, it'll make her strong enough to withstand all the Santa naysayers in the world."

"Which is everyone over the age of 6," Sam retorted.

"I'm pretty sure this isn't going to work," Tina said skeptically while staring at the Santa. "That guy doesn't even look like Santa." She was referring to the obvious melanin in this Santa's skin that the various and well-known portrayals of Santa never had.

Finley waived off everyone's worry. "Trust me. All she's going to see is the suit. She wants to believe in him."

Artie nodded. "Mercedes, get up there." Mercedes rolled her eyes as Finley gently nudged her.

"Go, Mercedes. Go, Mercedes, go," Brittany chanted as she took her seat on Santa's lap. Then the rest of the group went while Brittany watched with joy.

Finley had just finished her turn of asking Santa for him to keep an eye on Kurt for her, trying to hold back her grimace and erase the memory of something hard brushing against her thigh in the Santa's pants. She plastered a bright smile on her face as Brittany walked up for her turn.

Before she went up, she leaned towards the ear of the elf she had spoken to before. "Just remember, you have rights." Finley cringed at the sentiment before joining the rest of the group to watch.

"Ho, ho, ho," the Santa greeted as Brittany sat on his thigh. "What's your name?"

"Brittany," she answered with a smile. "You've gotten really tan."

"That's because at the North Pole, there's a hole in the ozone layer," he answered smartly.

Brittany laughed. "You're amazing." Finley and Santana smiled at their friend's innocence while everyone else gawked at the exchange. Knowing that Brittany still believed in Santa was one thing, but watching it with their own eyes was something else. "I know you're really busy, so I only want one thing for Christmas. Do you see my boyfriend over there?" She pointed at Artie and he waived. "For Christmas, I want him to be able to walk." Suddenly, everyone's expression dropped. "You can do that, can't you, Santa?"

Artie was shaking his head violently while Finley could only stare, slack-jawed. The Santa looked helplessly to them. "Sure... I'm on it," he told Brittany confidently.

"Thanks, Santa," Brittany grinned.

Finley came home to find Kurt humming "Baby It's Cold Outside" while organizing his skincare products at his vanity. Kurt was only ever this light and airy when he was feeling twirly. And Kurt only felt twirly when he was flushed, she knew.

Finley pounced like a tiger. Kurt screamed in surprise as she grabbed his shoulders and forced him to meet her gaze. "Spill. Now."

"Jesus, Finley! Don't care me like that! This is ridiculously expensive French perfume!" Kurt glared at her while setting down a small glass bottle in his hands onto the table.

Finley waved off his distress, not allowing herself to get side-tracked. She eyed the expression on his face carefully. His cheeks were flushed and he had this little quirk on his lips that she recognized. It was the same quirk that appeared the last time she talked about a certain Warbler.

Kurt slumped slowly in his seat under her scrutinizing gaze. He felt his cheeks blush even more when a Cheshire-like grin of intrigue and knowing grew on her face. "Something happened with Blaine, didn't it?"

It was frightening how well Finley could read him at this point.

Kurt knew it was best just to give in. Finley could be relentless when she wanted to be. "Maybe..."

Finley's eyes lit up like she had just seen Zac Efron in the flesh. "Tell. Me. Everything. Now!"

Kurt couldn't help but be giddy as he remember the moment he and Blaine had shared earlier that day. "We were alone in the practice room, and we just ended up singing 'Baby It's Cold Outside' together. It was..."

"Romantic?" Finley guessed while wiggling her brows suggestively.

"Magical," Kurt hummed with content.

Finley's smile softened as she took in her brother's expression. The softness, the innocence on his face. "You like him." It wasn't a question, it was a fact. After a moment, Kurt nodded. "I'm happy for you, Kurt. Blaine is really great."

Kurt sighed, allowing uncertainly to cross over his expression. "I don't know if anything is actually happening there. We're friends, but does he see me as something more?"

Finley hated his insecurity. She grabbed Kurt's face gently in her hands and forced him to look into her eyes. "Blaine would be a fool not to."

Her words helped wash away some of his nervousness, and Kurt smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Finley." He was done talking about his own love life- or lack thereof- so he switched the conversation to her. "So... any words from a certain curly-haired beau?"

Finley shrugged, her good mood seemingly evaporating. "I texted him a few days ago, and he still hasn't gotten back to me. But he's busy with school and the musical, so it's understandable. Plus, finals are right after the holidays and UCLA is hard enough as it is."

Kurt saw the sadness in her eyes when Finley talked about Jesse's missing presence during the special season. He rose from his chair and walked over to his bed before pulling Finley into his arms. She relaxed in his embrace as they laid on his soft comforter together.

"Forget about boys. Who needs them?" Kurt said playfully, making her smile. "All you need is family anyway."

"You're right, Kurt. Who needs a boyfriends? Pshh, not us." The two siblings giggled as they allowed any and all tension to leave their bodies.

"In case I haven't said it yet, merry Christmas, Finley," Kurt told her softly.

Finley tightened her hold on her brother and sighed happily. "Merry Christmas, Kurt."

🎵

Finley whimpered in Puck's arms as she took in the scene. Well, the lack of Christmas scene that once decked the choir room. All the lights were torn down and their tree was cut to nothing but a pile of broken branches and dead bristles. All the presents were stolen, leaving only ripped wrapping paper in its wake.

"They took everything," Mercedes said, her voice devoid of emotion, as Mr. Schue walked in and took in the room.

"Including all of the Secret Santa gifts we were gonna give to the homeless kids," Tina sighed.

"Only further proof that everyone in this school hates us no matter what we do," Rachel snapped.

Mr. Schue's expression turned angry. "It's not the school. It's Sue. She did this."

"It wasn't Sue," Brittany frowned. "It was Santa." Finley froze in Puck's arms and everyone's attention turned to her. "He said a light was out on the tree and he'd fix everything. Just let him do his thing."

Sue had pulled a Grinch on the Brittany. But no one else could verify the idea.

"Ok..." Mr. Schue said warily, eying Artie who was subtly shaking his head, telling him not to say anything else. "Are you sure Santa was a boy and not a girl, Brittany?"

Brittany smiled at the silliness of his inquiry. "I swear on my life. Santa's a boy. Everybody knows that."

"It was probably one of the boys on the football team," Rachel whispered to Mr. Schue.

He frowned. "I guess it wasn't Sue."

Finn hated the lack of spirit in the once cheerful room. He would not let his favorite- Finley favorite- holiday be ruined. "So our tree is gone. So our presents are missing."

"Santa's probably fixing any dents of chips as we speak," Brittany attempted to help the situation.

Finn took a deep breath, ignoring her. "All around the world today, way worse things have happened to poeple than this. Sorry, but I'm not going to let this get us down. 'Tis the season."

"I agree," Mr. Schue nodded. "Come on, guys. Let's clean this up."

Finley's had perked at her brother's speech, and a brilliant idea came to her head. Finn noted that her once sad expression was replaced with her idea-face. "Guys, it's obvious we are never going to be able to reach our fellow student peers. But... there is a whole other demographic that we have yet reached out to. Teachers, staff, faculty. Adults! Yes, there was that one teacher who threw a shoe at us, but let's forget about her. Teachers love the holiday season, and I have faith that we can rally them through Christmas cheer. Together."

Everyone else's somber expressions turned to hopeful smiles.

🎵

Brittany had lost her faith in Santa for a bit after her wish for Artie to walk, so the two decided to go home. Everyone understood and met them with empathy. Brittany's magical world had cracked, and there was no way they could fix it.

With the help of Mr. Schue, the glee club stood in the teacher's lounge after school. He had rallied all of the teachers, faculty, and staff, and they were all now watching the teenagers with interest.

"Hey," Finn greeted everyone. "Uh, so we're your students. All year long you've suffer through dealing with us." The teachers murmured in agreement. "I imagine having some of us in your classes would slowly chip away at your hopes and dreams until the world felt like a never-ending nightmare of pain..."

Finley winced at her brother's tangent. "Finn, get to the point," she whispered to him while lighting smacking his side.

"Right," he nodded. "Uh, anyway, we're here today to help raise money for children that have a lot less than we do. And I know some of us have had a hard Christmas. But what we've come to learn is that no matter how tough things get, there isn't anything that more Santa or a couple of jingle bells can't cure."

The glee club then sang carols for the room, gaining smiles from the teachers as they relished in the christmas cheer.

They gained a lot of money in donations from the teachers, and the glee club made their way back to the choir room with a new skip in their step.

Finley stopped in her tracks, everyone almost crashing into her from behind, as she took in the scene.

Brittany and Artie were already waiting in the room. And Artie was... standing. He had a machine that supported his legs, allowing him to stand. And to slowly walk.

"Oh my god!" Brittany squealed in awe as they witnessed Artie stand.

Artie grinned with excitement. "It's called a ReWalk. Some guy in Israel invented it. I can't use it all the time, but... Check me out." Artie pressed a button on his wrist, and the machine began to move his legs in a walking motion. Soon, he was slowing taking his first steps.

"Where did you get it?" Finley asked, her cheeks now hurting from the heartwarming scene.

Brittany was practically jumping with joy. "We went home, and it was sitting under my Christmas tree."

"How the hell did you afford that thing?" Sam asked, gawking.

Brittany shrugged. "I didn't buy it. I didn't know what it was. I thought it was a Transformer."

Artie then leaned toward Finley and Santana and whispered to them, "I assumed her dad got it for me, but he has no idea where it came from. He went to take a long poop, and when he came back, it was there." Santana and Finley shared the same awed look.

"So if no one we know bought it for you, then..." Rachel couldn't find any resonable explanation as to what could have occured.

"Santa brought it," Brittany smiled.

"Santa," Mercedes gasped.

Artie nodded with a smile. "Santa."

Finley and Santana held each other's hands with joy as Artie stood before them with the widest smile they had ever seen. "A real Christmas miracle," Quinn nodded.

Then they all watched with glee as Artie began to walk around the choir room.

Finley was walking the long way back to the Hudson-Hummel house. Sue had organized a get-together at Mr. Schuester's place where she returned all the decor and presents she had stolen. It had been a wonderful night of games and fun as they all relished in each other's company.

The couples then put up a mistletoe in Mr. Schue's living room and took turns kissing underneath it. Finley adored all the love surrounding her, but she couldn't deny that she felt something missing. There was a gap in her heart, though she couldn't tell from what. She had first felt it when Finn had put up the mistletoe, and it had only widened when everyone started kissing. First it had been him and Rachel. Then Tina and Mike. Brittany and Artie. Then even Sam and Quinn shared a light peck. Puck had kissed Finley on the cheek, but it wasn't the same.

Something was missing. A certain someone.

She hummed "White Christmas" to herself as she made her way through the silent streets of Lima, her black heels clicking on the pavement. The night was cold, and even her multiple layers of clothing didn't stop herself from shivering. It had begun to snow at some point during Mr. Schue's get together, so her dark hair was now decorated with flecks of snow. She didn't mind though. She loved the snow and was thrilled that she would have a white christmas.

Finley turned onto her street. Kurt had gone off the spend some time with Blaine, with Finley practically shoving him out the door, and Finn had left to hang out with Rachel. Carole and Burt were out having a date night, leaving Finley all alone for the next foreseeable few hours.

Finley was slowing making her way toward the front door when she noticed a figure standing before her. Her mouth broke into a large grin and she squealed with excitement as she ran right into his arms. He caught her easily and lifted her off the ground, pushing his face into the softness of her hair.

"Angel," he breathed into her neck, his warm breath brushing against the sensitive skin and causing shivers to travel down her spine.

"Reindeer," Finley giggled in return, relishing in his embrace. He laughed aloud, making her giggle even more. He slowly set her back on her feet, but he didn't release his hold on her. "How are you here, Jesse?"

"I was able to catch a flight at the last minute," he grinned as he peered down at her. "I just had to see you." He had missed her beauty and delicacy. Her full, soft lips that he had dreamed about almost every night. Her deep brown eyes and rosy cheeks. The smell of her floral shampoo drove him wild.

"I'm glad you did," she beamed. She felt the gap in her heart close and everything just felt... right. The wind then picked up, causing her to shiver. "Come inside." She dug her house key out of her pockets and opened the front door, inviting him in. They chucked off their coats and took off their snow-covered shoes. Burt luckily had the heat on, so Finley was able to strip the rest of her layers off.

For the glee get-together, she had worn a simple empire-waist red dress that fell to her mid-thigh. It had a sweetheart neckline and puffed shoulder sleeves. She had worn insulating black tights to protect her legs. She kicked off her black heels, establishing the height disparity Jesse adored so much.

Finley, finished with taking off her jackets, turned to Jesse. She couldn't stop the blush from traveling to her cheeks. She always knew Jesse was gorgeous, but seeing him in the flesh before her was another experience.

He had shucked off his designer shoes, leaving him in a nice pair of black slacks. He had a white cashmere sweater on, and underneath showed a hint of a navy shirt, it's collar peeking out from the sweater's neckline. His curls sat lucisouly atop his head, a stray strand brushing his left brow. And his scent. Oh, god, his scent. Finley was getting lost in the musk, woodsy, masculine smell of his cologne. And his eyes, she could get lost in those for hours. Their ocean blue that she missed oh so much.

After a moment, Finley shook herself from her St. James- daze. "I'm going to make some hot chocolate," she told him, her voice soft.

"Sounds wonderful," Jesse smiled, making her feel like her insides would melt. "Lead the way, angel."

Finley nodded and beckoned him to their kitchen. Jesse stood underneath the doorway, refusing to follow her all the way in for some reason. She shrugged it off and began heating up some milk and digging out the hot chocolate powder that Kurt had brought. Ghirardelli, meaning it was the good stuff.

They were both silent as she prepared their drinks. There wasn't much new to talk about considering they texted all the time and had their weekly calls. The silence didn't bother them in the slightest. There was something so calm, so mundane about the two of them now. Jesse was one of the only people that Finley felt she could be in silence with and still be completely comfortable. All she needed was his company to be happy. And he felt the same about her.

There was something so domestic about the scene. Perhaps it was the way Jesse watched her every movement, noting every shift in her balance and every lock of hair that swayed down her back. He watched her like a husband admired his wife after a long day of work without her.

After a few more minutes, the hot chocolates were ready. Finley poured the hot drinks into matching mugs and turned to Jesse. She noted that he still hadn't moved from underneath the doorway. It intrigued her.

She motioned for him to come in, but he stayed put. She frowned, making Jesse's smile grow. She motioned for him again, but he didn't move. Her frown turned into a pout, her lips pursed. Jesse's gaze zeroed in on them.

Finley had painted her lips red for the get-together, the color matching the red of her dress. A red that was currently driving Jesse wild. It had been long, too long, since he had kissed her plush lips, since had tasted her. Ever since his first taste that last night before everything crumbled underneath them, he had been longing to feel her lips against his once more.

Finley hadn't noticed where Jesse's eyes or thoughts were and simply thought he was engaging in a staring match. And so she stared right back at him, determined not to break. Her eyes were twitching, begging her to blink, but she wouldn't. Not before him.

Unbeknownst to her own ideas, Jesse swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. He then jumped as Finley shouted, "Aha!" He finally broke his gaze from her mouth to find her grinning victoriously at him. "You blinked. You lost."

He blinked, purposefully now, realizing that while he was getting lost in her ruby lips and dirty fantasies, she was getting lost in competition. He found that adorable. Yet again, he found everything about Finley adorable.

He then smirked, crooking his finger and beckoning her to him. "Then come and claim your prize." Finley warily walked over to him, unsure of what prize he was referring to.

When she reached him, she gasped as Jesse suddenly gripped her waist and pulled her chest flush against his. "What... Jesse, what are you doing?" Her breath was shallow, her senses being overwhelmed by the scent of his addicting cologne once more. Once again, she was lost in the haze of Jesse St. James. Instead of answering with words, Jesse then glanced above them. Finley followed and froze.

Jesse St. James was slick. Finley hadn't noticed, but at some point that day, someone had hung mistletoe from the kitchen doorway. And Jesse had been standing beneath it the entire time. And now she was too.

"Oh," she mumbled, her mouth agape as she looked back at his face once more. Where his smirk once rested was now replaced with an animalistic hunger that Finley felt in her soul. Jesse's eyes had darkened and his Adam's apple bobbed as he stared down at her. Her own throat suddenly felt parched. And the only thing to quench her new thirst was him.

"I'm going to kiss you, Finley," Jesse told her, his voice raspy.

Finley's already weak breath hitched. "Friends don't kiss..." Her voice was barely above a whisper. She knew that she shouldn't give in, she shouldn't kiss him. But she also knew that if he did, she would do nothing to stop him. She didn't want to.

"You and I both know we can never be 'just friends,'" he told her. She held her breath as Jesse slowly lowered his face to his. She gasped as his soft lips caressed her own. His fingers tightened their grip on her waist and Finley reached up and wrapped her own in his luscious locks.

The initial softness of their kiss disappeared, and Jesse groaned as he began to devour her. Finley was helpless against him as he forced his tongue into her mouth- not that there was much, if any, resistance to begin with. The heat and wetness of his tongue dancing with hers sent waves of desire through her. She gripped his hair tighter and he groaned again.

His hands then disappeared from her waist and hooked under her thighs. She gasped as he lifted her off the floor, and her legs instinctively wrapped around his hips. Her back was pressed against the wall, allowing Jesse's assault of her mouth and senses to harden, becoming more desperate and intense.

All she could think about was him. His soft hair, his delicious lips, his buttery voice, his deep eyes.

Jesse ripped his mouth off of hers and he began to pepper kisses down her neck towards a certain pulse point near her collarbone. Like the shameless hussy she had become, Finley couldn't stop herself from grinding against his defined chest. She shivered with desire and need as her core grinded against him.

Being alone, there was nothing stopping her from allowing her moans and whimpers to echo loudly through the house. And Jesse never wanted to hear her stop. They were music to his ears. He found intense pleasure in the fact that he was, and had ever been, the only one to make those sweet noises fall from her lips.

With another groan, he slammed his lips against hers once more. Finley sighed with contentment and one of her delicate hands fell from his hair and rested on his cheek.

The kiss had turned into something sweeter, calmer, but still just as passionate. Adjusting his balance, he held her weight up with his hips and one of his arms while the other wove itself through her soft hair.

He couldn't get enough of her. And he never would. Jesse St. James knew deep within his soul that there would never be a day where he didn't long for Finley Hudson.

Her smile. Her laugh. Her voice. Her moans. Her scent.

Her.

Finley sighed happily and broke their kiss, leaning her head against the wall. There was a satisfied grin on her face and her eyes were dazed over, her mind still replaying the passionate scene. Jesse carefully brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face, admiring her beauty.

Her red lipstick was now smeared and smudged all over her face and neck. He had no doubt his own lips matched hers. Her hair was roused from his intense grip, and her chest was heaving as she took deep breaths. The top of her dress had ridden down, revealing the edge of the red lace bra and her glorious chest.

Jesse's own desire was causing a painful pressure in his pants, and he had to conjure images of her brother Finn naked to calm himself.

Once Finley finally calmed down, her eyes wandered over to the mugs still sitting on the kitchen counter. She let out a soft giggle. "I think our hot chocolate is cold now."

Jesse couldn't wipe the grin off his face even if he tried. "Worth it."

And for the next few hours before the rest of the family came home, Finley and Jesse cuddled on the couch together, sipping their now-cold hot chocolate as they watched Christmas movies. There was no more kissing to be had. The two just cherished each other's company.

It had been the best holiday yet. Something shifted between the two "just friends." And they were both content to let it prosper.

But Cupid had other plans...

Chapter 18: STUPID CUPID

Chapter Text

[ 2.11 - 2.13 ]

🩷 Finley | "Stupid Cupid" - Connie Francis

💙 The Warblers | "Silly Love Songs" - Paul McCartney

💚 Sam, Artie, Puck, & Mike | "Somebody to Love" - Justin Bieber

❤️ Jesse | "El Tango de Roxanne" - Moulin Rouge (2001)

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙂𝙄𝙍𝙇𝙎 𝙋𝘼𝙉𝙏𝙀𝘿 as their number finished. Cheerios practice was always a workout, and the newest choreography Sue had created involved a lot of dangerous stunts, including mountain biking and sparklers and a hoola-hoop of fire.

Sue cleared her throat and said through her megaphone, "I'm bored." The girls slumped as they tried to figure out what was wrong with the routine. It was the most stunt-filled one yet, and Coach Sylvester still wasn't satisfied. How? "Ladies, I am at a loss. Finley, please remind me of how I single-handedly put cheerleading on the map."

"In 1979, you directed a made-for-tv movie about the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaderes called The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders," she answered.

"That is correct. And in the meantime, what's changed?" Sue asked.

"Personal grooming habits?" Quinn suggested.

"What's changed is I have completely lost interest, and ladies, I blame you," she glared at all of them. "Becky, more silicone falsies."

"Got it, Coach," she nodded before running off.

"You will each enhance your bust with an additional pair of chicken cutlets in an attempt to add some jiggle to what is the most boring routine I have ever witnessed," Sue ordered the girls.

Quinn felt the need to interject, hating the new development. "But, Coach Sylvester, this is the most elaborate routine the cheerios have ever done. We're shoo-ins at Regionals next week, and the favorite to win at Nationals."

"Yet I am still so very bored!" She yelled through the megaphone, making all the girls wince. "Even things I used to think were hilarious. Cause in point. Sandbags," she referenced Santana. Finley grimaced at the mean nickname. "Slap yourself with a chicken cutlet." Santana sighed and slapped herself. "Now slap Brittany." She did. "See? Not even a chuckle."

"The problem is you keep trying to make a bigger spectacle," Quinn argued. "No matter how hard we try, we can't make the routine work unless you find a way to make it interesting for you. You have to find a way to top yourself."

Sue reflects on her honesty. "Q, you may just have a point." Quinn smiled at the praise. "But to be sure, slap yourself with a chicken cutlet." Finley grimaced from beside her as the slap echoed through the gym.

🎵

The next day, the cheerios gaped on the field at Sue as she caressed her newest investment. A freaking cannon.

"Ladies, my 'Suclear' weapon," she smirked with delight. Finley's stomach dropped, already disliking whatever Sue was planning before she had even heard it. "Becky." Becky walked up and smashed a glass bottle against it, showing the weapon's imperviousness. "Brittany. Climb on up." Sue's smile did not match the rest of the cheerios'. Especially Finley, Quinn, and Santana, who were now afraid for the life of their friend. "Congratulations. You're going the stunt for the big competition."

Finley saw in the corner of her eye the pale fear on Brittany's face. "I don't wanna die yet," Brittany whimpered as she glanced at the cannon. "At least not until One Tree Hill gets canceled."

Sue's smile dropped, showing how pissed she was that Brittany was not willing to comply. "Fine!" She snapped, and two cheerios brought over a dummy dressed as Brittany, including a blonde wig and a cheerio uniform on it. "To put your toddler-fist sized mind at rest, we'll do one final test run." Finley grabbed Brittany's hand in support, hiding their clutched hands behind their skirts from Sue, in support as she stared in horror as Sue stashed the dummy in the cannon.

Sue huffed in frustration as she walked past the girls to the cannon's control panels. She then pressed a big red button.

The Brittany-dummy was ejected from the cannon in pieces, the boom so loud it hurt their eardrums.

Brittany was a moment away from pissing herself, the only thing keeping her steady being Finley's grip on her, which was now white as she clutched Brittany in horror.

Sue hummed and turned to the girls. "Any of you speak German? I may have to read the owner's manual."

Brittany noticed the dummy's head had landed at her feet and picked it up. "Don't worry," Quinn assured her. "I'll talk to Mr. Schue and take care of this."

🎵

But the matter would not be fixed.

Sue somehow managed to change the date of the cheerleading regionals to the same as the football championship. The McKinley Titans were competing and the football team and the glee club were performing at half-time, including one Dave Karofsky. She ended up giving the glee girls an ultimatum for refusing her cannon-plan: go to cheerleading regionals but be kicked out of glee club or skip regionals and be kicked off the cheerios.

It was a tough decision. The Cheerios and the New Directions were their lives, and they didn't want to throw either one away. But they had to.

The glee club had hosted a dress rehearsal of the half-time show in the auditorium, and the cheerio girls were now taking off their special effects makeup in the girls' bathroom while discussing their dilemma.

"Zombie camp was funner than I expected," Brittany said while wiping off the teeth bites on her cheek. "And the glee club together with the football team, it's like a double rainbow. A zombie double rainbow." Finley smiled at her comparison.

But Quinn's mind was elsewhere. "What the hell are we going to do? If we go to our cheerleading competition, then we miss the half-time show, and we're out of glee club. I'm torn."

"Me too," Finley sighed. She knew what Finn and Kurt would tell her to pick, but she wanted to make the decision for herself. She loved cheerleading and she loved performing both. How could she pick between the two?

Like Troy Bolton- sports or music?

"Well, I'm not," Santana replied.

"I'm Brittany." The girls ignored her comment, used to their blonde friend always being a bit lost in conversation.

"Couldn't help but overhear your conversation." The girls turned to see Coach Sylvester reveal herself from one of the bathroom stalls.

"What were you doing in there?" Quinn asked defensively.

"Enjoying the eavesdropping afforded me by the Swiss time peace regularity and utter silence of my 2 pm ninja poops," she replied while washing her hands. "Well, I typed these up for your ladies, requiring your signature tendering your resignation from the glee club." She handed each of the girls a paper. Finley frowned as she read the document. "Oh, and Brittany, here's a note for you, handwritten in crayon from the human cannon saying how much it misses you."

The drawing was truly in crayon with drawings of crying eyes, rainbows, stars, and the broken dummy. In the center read "miss you."

Finley gasped in horror and took the so-called "note" from Brittany and hid it under her own form. "Coach, that cannon is going to get Brittany killed!" Finley cried, genuinely fearing for Brittany's life. Sue was ruthless, and there was no doubt she would feel no remorse for forcing Brittany to do the horrendous stunt.

Quinn nodded in agreement. "Is it really worth it just to win a stupid national championship?"

Sue snarled. "Seventh consecutive stupid national championship," she corrected with rage in her eyes.

"This is ridiculous," Quinn shook her head in incredulity.

"You had quite the year last year, Q. And as I recall, you didn't have such a good time out of that cheerios uniform," Sue reminded her. "Ladies, I am giving you the chance right now to choose once and for all where your true loyalties lie. Choose the cheerios, or choose the glee club."

"How the hell could you do this?" Finley was talking to Quinn at her locker when it was slammed shut. She jumped in surprise and they glanced to see Finn glaring at them with betrayal.

Quinn rolled her eyes and grabbed Finley's hand, attempting to pull them away from him. But, of course, Finn would not let them and instead followed them down the hall. "Oh, don't get all up in our faces, Finn. What were we supposed to do?"

"Uh, quit cheerios?" Finn answered. "Coach Sylvester is awful to you guys."

"It's not about Sue," Finley attempted to explain calmly. "We love cheerleading and being on the cheerios. We've been on it together for basically three years, Finn. You can't blame us for being loyal."

Finn clenched his jaw, showing his deep fury for the situation. "What about being loyal to your friends, Finley?" She didn't have an answer to that. "And don't forget who was there for you the last time she dumped you on your ass, Quinn! Us! Glee club!"

Quinn whipped around to face him. "And you don't think that I feel awful about that?"

"You don't need to be a cheerio to be cool," Finn told her, softening his voice.

Quinn rolled her eyes. "Oh, you're so naive. This whole school is about labels."

Finn scoffed. "Wow. I never realized you were so freaking weak."

Finley was angry that Finn could say something so mean. He knew Quinn, what was important to her. Yes, he had the right to be mad, but how dare he judge her choice and her reasoning. Before Finley could defend her friend, Sam grabbed Finn and forced him to turn around and face him. "What did you say?" He glared at Finn, angry at him for insulting his girl.

"All the cheerios quit glee club," Finn explained.

"So why are you yelling at my girlfriend about it? And your sister, man?" Sam snapped, stepping up to him.

"I'm yelling about it because I'm the leader of this team," he replied, upset that Sam wasn't taking his side.

"Well, maybe it's time for a change at the top," Sam gritted.

Finn balked at the threat. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"This is kind of hot, actually," Quinn whispered to Finley. Finley only nodded, liking how Sam was standing up for them and their choice.

"It means that maybe the reason that everyone hates us is because we need some new leadership!" Sam snapped. "Face it. You've had your feet in both worlds for a year and never been able to bring them together. Maybe someone else could."

Finn scoffed in offense. "What, as in maybe you?"

"As in yes," Sam nodded.

Finn, never one to back down from a challenge, sized him up. "Maybe we should settle this right now."

Sam then lightly punched his arm. "Bring it."

Finn retaliated by shoving him back by his shoulders. "Brung." Sam then did it back to him. "You want some more of that?" Finn shoved him again.

From the sidelines, Finley and Quinn shared looks, hers of fear about the squabble intensifying, which it was as the shoves got more forceful, and Quinn's from annoyance. "Really, guys?" She called, her and Finley stepping back to avoid getting hit.

Before it could completely go to sh*t, Mr. Schue intervened. "Hey, hey! How many fights do I have to break up this week? Now calm down! And get back to glee club. Come on." He forced Sam to start moving and glanced back at Finn before making his way back to the choir room.

Finn sighed and glanced at the girls one more time before following. "Hope to see you there."

But none of the cheerios showed.

🎵

The Mckinley Titans were losing.

A few of the players had quit the team earlier that week, refusing to participate in the half-time show. Rachel, Tina, and Lauren signed up for the football team to ensure the game could go on. Tina ended up getting hurt in the second quarter, and the team was losing faith.

The only faith they had left was for the half-time show. And Finn knew what had to be done.

He ordered Sam to fill in his position as quarterback and Puck to fetch the missing football players, then ran off to grab the cheerleaders.

Starring at the death machine, the Unholy Trinity and their Guardian Angel gaped up at the cannon as they were preparing to leave for cheerleading regionals.

"I'm gonna die," Brittany mumbled, her voice empty.

Santana attempted to ease her worries. "It will be worth it." Unhelpfully.

"Hey!" The girls turned to see Finn sprinting over to them.

"What are you doing here?" Finley asked, surprised to see him. "The game is still going on. You should be on the field."

"Stopping you from going to Sue's regionals competition," Finn answered. "You guys gotta come to the game with me."

Quinn gawked at him. "Haven't you been paying attention? If we're not cheerios, we're nothing.

"You think that, but it's not true," Finn shook his head. "You joined cheerios to be popular, but you joined glee club because you loved it. Sue doesn't care about you guys. She's fine killing Brittany. Tell me honestly. If you didn't think it would hurt your reputation, which would you choose?"

Finley didn't care at all about her reputation, but in her heart, she knew which one she would rather choose. "Glee club," she replied, smiling softly at her twin. Brittany nodded in agreement behind her. Finn smiled back gratefully then approached Quinn.

"I know you. And you don't think you are, but you're strong enough to do this," he told her. There was a look of understanding passed between them. As well as something... more. And it seemed that Finn and Quinn picked up on it. But Finley was none the wiser, not noticing the new flames growing in their eyes.

After a moment, Quinn smiled. "Ok."

Finn blinked in surprise. "Ok?"

Quinn nodded. "Ok," she confirmed.

Grinning widely now, he turned to the last cheerio. "What about you, Santana?"

Santana smiled. "Screw her. She put me on the bottom of the pyramid."

"Come on! We've only got a few minutes." Finn grabbed Finley's hand and they moved to rush over to the field when Sue stopped them.

"No time for a fivesome, ladies," she called. Finley grimaced at the thought and released her brother's hand. "Bus leaves in five."

Quinn was the one to answer. "We quit cheerios."

Sue frowned. "You can't quit cheerios. It's blood in, blood out. Now get your sweet little cans on that bus."

"But we still quit," Santana told her.

Sue was now shaking with rage. "But you're my stars! If you leave, I have no performance! Finley, you're my captain! Is there nothing you have to say about that?"

Finley glanced at her friends before shrugging. "Sucks for you." Then the five ran to the field.

🎵

After Christmas, Valentine's Day was one of Finley's favorite holidays. She loved everything about love. Her favorite books were romances, after all. So she was obviously thrilled when Mr. Schue wrote the four-letter word on the board at rehearsal.

"All right, guys. I have one word for you," he told the group as he drew a heart around it. Brittany raised her hand. He called on her.

"Is it love?" She asked, grinning. "Totally gonna graduate now!"

"Nice job, Brit," Finley praised, ignoring the blank looks from the rest of their friends.

"Valentine's Day is coming up, so for this week's lesson, I want you guys to pick a partner, because you're gonna sing to them what you think is the world's greatest love song," he told them. The couples all glanced at each other, and Mercedes rolled her eyes. "Yeah, find a song that communicates all the things that love means to you. Now, partner up."

Finley adored the assignment, though she did not know who to pair up with.

"Mr. Schue?" Finn raised his hand. "I just wanted to point out that, for the first time, an entire week has gone by without any one of us getting slushied." Everyone clapped for the accomplishment. "I think the fact that I led the football team to an accomplished championship might have something to do with it," he added, mumbling. "Fact is that I'm the closest thing that this glee club has to a celebrity right now-"

"The Angel of McKinley High, Finley Hudson, is literally your twin," Puck pointed out.

"-And just like a famous athlete," he ignored Puck and continued, "I wanna give to a charity. You guys." The class frowned, a bit insulted. "So I'm setting up a kissing booth for a dollar a smooch and donating the proceeds to glee club to help us-"

"Don't even act like you're trying to help this glee club out," Mercedes interrupted while rolling her eyes once more. "You just want to kiss a bunch of girls."

Finn nodded in acknowledgment. "I know it seems that way. And to ensure it's not, I am going to have a girl there too so that guys can also participate," he smiled.

Mercedes, unimpressed, raised her brow. "Who?"

Finn didn't have an answer. Unbeknownst to anyone, he and Quinn had secretly kissed after the halftime game. And he was desperate to kiss her again. But with Sam in the way, they couldn't. So he concocted this plan to get her to kiss him again.

He glanced around the group, hoping anyone would come to his defense. No one helped. His eyes landed on his twin, who was sitting in her seat and fiddling with the hem of the pale pink dress she had worn that day. Praying she would forgive him, Finn answered. "Finley!" Finley gasped and stared at her brother in appall. She opened her mouth to argue, but the plea in his eyes made her pause. "Finley agreed to be the girl. Guys are just lining up to kiss her. We'll raise so much, me as the star quarterback and her as the most popular girl in school."

Everyone turned to Finley, who was now glaring at her twin so harshly he shivered in fear. He knew he would have to do something big to make this up to her. "Finley, is that true? You're doing the kissing booth?" Mike questioned.

With everyone's eyes on her, Finley struggled to find a way out of the situation without hurting her brother. When her brain came up with nothing, she sighed heavily and nodded. "Yep," she replied dryly, her tone showing her reluctance. She smiled, and though it was impossibly strained, it convinced everyone. "A dollar for a kiss from the Hudson twins. Fun. Yay."

Puck whistled. "Sweet," he smirked.

Finley rolled her eyes playfully at him. "You've already kissed me, remember? Seventh grade? Santana too."

Santana smirked as everyone gaped at her. "Finley's kisses are worth a million bucks. However, I've kissed Finn," she added. "And can I just say, not worth a buck." Mercedes laughed at that. "I would, however, pay $100 to jiggle one of his man boobs."

"Do you ever get tired of tearing other people down?" Finn asked, annoyed at her constant mockery.

"No, not really," she smiled.

"Because you always just seem to be meddling in everybody else's business."

"Oh, please," Santana rolled her eyes. "You guys love me. I keep it real, and I'm hilarious."

"Actually, you're just a bitch," Lauren quipped.

The class oohed and ahhed as Santana faced her. "Ok, I'm sorry. You've just got eyes for my man."

Puck frowned, glancing between the two girls. "Ok, first of all, if I'm anyone's man, I'm Finley's. I take her out once a month for ice cream so repay her for all the food she buys me."

"Love you, Puck," Finley blew him a kiss, making him smile.

Santana, hating that he wasn't siding with her, turned away and crossed her arms. "And Finn is right. All you ever do is insult us," Quinn said. "Three weeks ago, you said you were disappointed that I didn't have a lizard baby."

"Five minutes ago, you said Mr. Schue belonged in a twelve-step program," Tina added.

"Wait, what?" Mr. Schue blinked.

Santana shrugged. "You're addicted to vests."

"The truth is, Santana," Rachel butt in, "you can dish it out but you can't take it. Ok, maybe you're right. Maybe I am destined to play the title role in the Broadway musical version of Willow, but the only job you're ever gonna have is working on a pole!"

The group murmured again when Santana didn't have a response. After a moment, she got up from her seat. "Fine."

"Santana," Finley called before following her out, worried for her friend. Brittany followed moments after.

They found her crying on the floor, and the two girls attempted to help soothe her. "Maybe try rocking back and forth. People do that in movies," Brittany suggested.

"No," Santana shook her head, her face pinched as she cried. "Because I just try to be really, really honest with people when I think that they suck, you know?"

That night, Kurt called Mercedes and Rachel for a ladies night. They all met up at Rachel's house and Kurt immediately launched into a rant about the day he had.

Apparently, Blaine had a crush on a guy working at the GAP and he wanted to sing for him. What sucked about the whole ordeal was that not only did Kurt like Blaine, but he thought Blaine liked him back.

Rachel was braiding Mercedes's hair while Kurt were eating some pizza that they ordered in. "Did he ever actually say you two were dating?" Rachel asked warily.

"Well, not in so many words," Kurt shrugged.

"Well, did he put the moves on?" Mercedes asked.

"No," he pouted. "But we were always singing duets, and he was always smiling at me." Rachel and Mercedes shared a look. "Oh my god, I made the whole thing up in my head, didn't I?" Kurt moaned with embarrassment.

"But he knew your coffee order," Finley argued in an attempt to help. Also, she was an avid Klaine shipper so the news of Blaine's crush was sad. "It's a very specific order. Sometimes even I have trouble remembering it."

"Rachel know Kurt's order too," Mercedes pointed out. "Listen, we've all been there. At least I have. With you."

"I know exactly what you mean," Rachel nodded. "I mean, if Finn thinks that he's just gonna walk out of my life, he's wrong because I'm gonna go up to that kissing booth tomorrow with a $100 bill, and he's not going to be able to make change." Finley and Kurt were taken aback by her determination, but not surprised. "And then he's going to be forced to kiss me 100 times, and when his lips touch mine, I'm telling you, he's gonna feel it."

"Hey," Mercedes called. "We're supposed to be giving Kurt advice. Remember?"

"Yeah," Rachel sighed. It was difficult for her to not turn basically everything into the Rachel-Berry-show.

"You are going to the GAP attack though, right?" Finley asked. That was what the Warblers had named Blaine's serenade.

"Should I?" Kurt asked nervously.

"Yes!" Mercedes nodded. "Scope out the competition. See what this guy's like. You know, you two are both so guy crazy," she pointed at Rachel and him. "Yeah, look at me. I don't have a date for Valentine's Day, and I could give a rip. The three of us are divas- Sorry Finley- Look at our idols: Whitney, Barbra, Patty LuPone." Finley didn't mind. She knew she would never be a diva. It just wasn't in her nature. She would never be as flamboyant as the other three, and that was ok. "They all became stars while they were single. They took all the pain and loneliness, and they put it into their music. People can relate to it. Everybody feels lonely. Harnessing this pain is why they became legends."

Rachel's eyes widened in realization. "Why has this never occured to me?"

"Sometimes you have to choose between love and talent," Mercedes shrugged. "And as far as I'm concerned, we all need to fly solo for a while." She thought for a moment. "Except Finley."

Finley's frowned, confused as to why she was being called out. "Me?"

Mercedes nodded. "Who knows? That kissing booth may help you find someone. If you kiss a hundred frogs, one of them is bound to be a prince."

Kurt's eyes widened at the news. "Wait, you're doing the kissing booth?"

Finley slid down Rachel's bed, hoping the pillows would swallow her whole. They didn't. After a moment, she grumbled, "Finn is making me."

Rachel and Mercedes smiled at her cuteness. Kurt's brow was raised as he eyed his new sister. "And what did a certain someone have to say about that?" Finley sunk even further. "Is he ok with you kissing other guys after your mini make out in the kitchen?"

Finley gasped and sat up, quickly grabbing one of Rachel's pillows and hitting him in the face, making him cry out. "Shut up, Kurt!" She raised the pillow to hit him again.

"Wait, who is he talking about?" Rachel demanded, making her freeze. Only her family and the Unholy Trinity knew about Finley's little Christmas rendezvous with Jesse, and she had wanted to keep it that way.

"No one," she answered quickly, blushing.

It wasn't that she was ashamed of him or anything. And what Rachel would think didn't worry her- she was too obsessed with Finn to care much. But she had wanted Jesse to remain, well, hers. She didn't want any outside opinions to ruin what they had- whatever it was they had.

When the girls realized she and Kurt wouldn't spill, they sighed. "Fine. Have your secrets," Mercedes rolled her eyes playfully.

"Are you guys, like, together?" Rachel questioned.

"No," Finley answered honestly. "We're just friends."

"Friends who make out in the kitchen?" Kurt raised his brow. Finley hit him again with the pillow. "Ok, ok, fine! I'll stop. Just know that when he finds out, he won't be pleased."

"We aren't dating," Finley reminded him. Her voice was smaller though, more unsure. "I'm free to kiss whoever I want. Just as he is. Plus, it's for the glee club. He can't possibly fault me for that." Rachel, Mercedes, and Kurt all shared a knowing look. Any sane guy would be upset to learn he had to share Finley Hudson. They wanted to argue, but based on the distant look on her face, they let it go.

"It's so nice to be around girls for a change," Kurt sighed. The girls giggled, Finley's issue set aside, and pulled Kurt into a big hug.

🎵

The line for Finn was almost as long as the line was for Finley. Every guy wanted a kiss from the Angel Finley Hudson. She had made it well known that she would not do anything more than a peck on the lips, and no guy was to try anything more unless they wanted the quarterback's fist in their face. But that didn't deter any of the boys at all. Even just a peck from Finley Hudson would be a dream.

What surprised Finley was when Quinn placed a crisp dollar bill on the table. Finley looked at Sam, who was standing behind his girlfriend while eyeing Finn, a questioning look. Why would Quinn be at the kissing booth? She was dating Sam. Finley glanced up at her twin to see him smile at Quinn.

What on earth was happening?

"Hold on, I wanna see this," Sam demanded, stepping aside.

"Pervert," Finn said, glancing at him with confusion.

"I'd prefer 'chaperone' and also 'boyfriend,'" Sam corrected, slightly glaring at him. Finley didn't know what kind of game they were playing, but she wanted no part of it.

Before they could kiss, she clocked out for the time being, eliciting disappointed sighs from her own line of suitors. "I'm going to go check on Kurt. See how the GAP attack is going. Yeah. Ok, bye." She then ran off to go... anywhere but there. As she was making her way down the hall, her phone began to ring. She was surprised to see Jesse's name flash on the screen. They had only ever called on Fridays. It was the middle of the school day on a Wednesday. She picked up, "Hello?"

"Tell me why on the McKinley social pages there are dozens of posts from guys saying that they kissed you." He was upset, angry even. Jesse had never been upset with her, ever. Finley didn't like it.

She explained carefully, "Finn forced me to do a kissing booth with him to raise money for glee club. The kisses are nothing more than a peck. Finn is making sure they don't try anything."

She heard Jesse breathing heavily, as if trying to catch his breath, through the speaker. After a moment of silence, he spoke. "You do realize this is like a big slap in the face, don't you?"

Finley gasped in shock. "Pardon me?"

"I thought Christmas meant something to you, Finley. It was a special moment for me. And then seeing you kiss not one, but hundreds of guys? It's really hurtful. Do I really mean so little to you?" She could hear the hurt in his voice, and she understood it. She really did. But she was also upset in her own right.

She and Jesse weren't a thing. Hell, they had only ever shared two kisses ever. He had the right to feel upset and even hurt, but he was acting like she had done something wrong.

"You do mean something to me. But it's not your place to shame me for participating in the kissing booth," Finley told him, her tone soft but firm. "I'm allowed to kiss whoever I want, Jesse. I don't owe you exclusivity. And our kiss? That was because of the mistletoe. If it wasn't there, I wouldn't have done it." She knew that the words hurt him, and they hurt her as well, but they were the truth. She would not have kissed him without the conveniently-placed mistletoe. "We're just friends, aren't we?"

She heard his sharp intake of breath and guilt washed over her. She never wanted to hurt him, but she needed him to understand where she was coming from. "Yeah. We are," he said. His voice was cold, distant. "I gotta go." Before Finley could even reply, the call disconnected.

Valentine's Day had always made Finley happy. But for the first time, the love surrounding her felt suffocating.

🎵

On Friday, Finley and Finn were standing in the center of the choir room with envelopes of cash in their hands.

Finley hadn't spoken to Jesse since the call, and she was hoping that he would for their weekly-scheduled call tonight. She knew she had hurt him and she was hoping the few days allowed him some time to think and calm down.

Finn had woken up not feeling great and Finley made sure to stay at least 6 feet away from him at all times.

"Well, I did it," Finn told everyone, his voice weak and face pale. His eyes were fluttering, as if he could barely keep them open. "I kissed every girl in the school and raised $324 for the glee club."

"And I kissed every guy in school- minus the one who had mono- multiple times, and raised $683," Finley smiled as she handed Mr. Schue her envelope.

"All right, Finn, Finley, thanks," Mr, Schue told them gratefully while eying Finn's obvious poor wellbeing. "That will pay for our ticket to nationals. Thanks you two." The room clapped, except for Quinn who was also looking quite pale. Santana noticed. "Now I believe it's time to hear what the world's greatest love sing means to our dear Finley Hudson."

The room clapped as Finn sat and Finley took center-stage. "Since we have an odd number of people without Kurt, I have decided to simply perform for myself." The band began to play the opening notes to Connie Francis's "Stupid Cupid." Taking after Mandy Moore in The Princess Diaries, Finley began to perform. 🩷

[Finley]

Stupid Cupid you're a real mean guy

I'd like to clip your wings so you can't fly

I'm in love and it's a crying shame

And I know that you're the one to blame

Hey hey, set me free

Stupid Cupid stop picking on me

Finley was wearing a white sweater and a pink skirt with frills that fanned out, giving her the perfect adorable and innocent Cupid look. She danced around the room, twirling around and flipping her hair.

Once Brittany and Santana figured out her choreography, they jumped up and joined her, dancing in the back as she sung.

I can't do my homework and I can't think straight

I meet her every morning 'bout half past eight

I'm acting like a lovesick fool

You've even got me carrying your books to school

Hey hey, set me free

Stupid Cupid stop picking on me

You mixed me up for good right from the very start

Hey now, go play Robin Hood with somebody else's heart

You got me jumping like a crazy clown

And I don't feature what you're putting down

Well since I kissed her loving lips of wine

The thing that bothers me is that I like it fine

Hey hey, set me free

Stupid Cupid stop picking on me

Tina then jumped up in her seat, Mike with her, and began dancing with them. Rachel and Mercedes joined in, then soon Puck and Sam. Everyone was dancing except for Finn and Quinn, who were sitting sickly in their seats.

You got me jumping like a crazy clown

And I don't feature what you're putting down

Well since I kissed his loving lips of wine

The thing that bothers me is that I like it fine

Hey hey, set me free

Stupid Cupid stop picking on me

Hey hey, set me free

Stupid Cupid stop picking on me

Finley then curtsied as everyone cheered and clapped for her. "Great job, Finley. Well done," Mr. Schue praised." And now, Ms. Tina Cohen-Chang. Come on up."

Everyone else took their seats as Tina walked up. "Is anyone else really hot?" Finn mumbled. "It's really stuffy in here."

"This one is for you, Mike. Happy Valentine's Day," Tina smiled at her boyfriend. She then began to sing "My Funny Valentine" from Babes in Arms. It was quite lovely. That was, until she began sobbing from being overcome with love for Mike, causing her to call to the floor. To say it was painful to watch would be an understatement. Finley and Mike hurried over to help comfort her on the floor.

"Wow, ok," Mr. Schue blinked. "That was... powerful."

"I love you, Mike Chang," Tina sobbed.

"Almost too powerful," Mr. Schue mumbled.

Finn then raised his hand. "Mr. Schue, can I be excused? I don't feel well."

"Me either," Quinn added, her voice just as nasally and dead as his. "I feel sick."

Santana's eyes practically lit up at the occasion. "Let me guess," she grinned. "You have a sore throat, your glands are swollen, and you're feverish."

Finn nodded. "Yeah, yeah, which is why I need to go to the nurse."

"It sounds like you have mono," Santana said knowingly. "Otherwise known as 'the kissing disease.' But you know what really helps spread it? A little tongue. Which is weird because it sounds like Quinn here has it too."

"I was there when they kissed. It was just a peck," Sam defended. He a bit confused as to how it could have hit the two so badly if it was just a peck. And Finley was confused on how either of them had gotten it in the first place. Unless Finn or Quinn had kissed the poor guy with mono, they shouldn't have gotten it.

"So how about we stop talking about tonguing, and Finn and I go to the nurse?" Quinn suggested, slowly getting up. Finn joined her and the two walked out to go to the nurse.

"You know what? I think that is a capital idea," Santana grinned, loving the outcome of her little ploy.

Santana had figured out that Quinn and Finn had a little thing going on, and she wanted to prove herself right. So she kissed the guy with mono and then went to Finn at the kissing booth. The mono didn't affect her. She had already had it too many times to count so she was basically immune.

That evening, Kurt had invited the glee club to come to Breadstix to see the Warblers perform. The restaurant was decked out for Valentine's Day with red and pink decorations hung everywhere.

Kurt had informed Finley that the GAP attack didn't work and that he confessed to Blaine about his own feelings. Alas, he and Blaine would remain friends, per Blaine's request, but Finley was hoping nonetheless that Klaine would eventually happen.

She and Rachel had snagged a booth and Tina, Mike, and Mercedes joined them. Kurt walked up to the mic, which was red for the occasion. "Testing, one, two, three. All right! So, happy Valentine's Day, everybody. For those of you Breadstix patrons who don't know who I am, I am Kurt Hummel. And welcome to my first ever Lonely Hearts Club dinner. Whether you are single with hope, in a complication situationship, or madly in love and are here because I forced you to come out and support me, sit back and enjoy. And to all the singles out there, this is our year."

Finley smiled as Kurt joined Blaine and the Warblers onstage. They began to harmonize, singing the opening notes of Paul McCartney's "Silly Love Songs." 💙

[Blaine]

You'd think that people would have had enough of silly love songs

But I look around me

And I see it isn't so

Oh, no

Some people want to fill the world

With silly love songs

And what's wrong with that?

I'd like to know

'Cause here I go again

The couples were sitting together, enjoying the show. Puck blew Lauren a kiss, which she waved off. Tina and Mike were cuddling in the booth. Brittany and Artie were watching and dancing in their chairs. Sam was home while Quinn recovered at her house. And Santana chose to sit alone.

I love you, I love you

I love you, I love you

Finley couldn't help but let her thoughts wander to Jesse. He had yet to contact her, much less call her. It was clear he was still upset about the kissing booth.

It shouldn't bother him so much. They were just friends, after all.

Love doesn't come in a minute

Sometimes it doesn't come at all

I only know that when I'm in it

It isn't silly

no, it isn't silly

Love isn't silly at all

I love you, I love you

Ah, I can't explain

The feeling's plain to me

Say, can't you see?

Ah, he gave me more

She gave it all to me

Now, can't you see?

The room burst into cheers and the Warblers bowed. Finley didn't miss the little gazes Kurt and Blaine shared.

With a sigh, Finley took out her phone and gave in.

---

Angel: Happy Valentine's Day. Hope we can talk soon.

Reindeer: *read*

---

🎵

The next week, Sam walked into the library to find Finley studying. He sat down beside her, grabbing her attention. "Hi, Sam. What's up?" She asked, smiling her angelic smile. Even Sam Evans was not immune to the charm of Finley Hudson.

"I just confirmed our date night with Quinn and she seemed off," he told her worriedly. "Actually, things have been weird since Quinn got mono a couple weeks ago."

"Yeah, I noticed it too. She's been a bit distant," Finley noted. She wasn't the only one who had been seemingly distant the past few weeks.

Sam nodded. "Everyone keeps telling me that she must have kissed Finn, but I believe it when she told me what really happened."

Ah, yes. Finn and Quinn had said that she had saved his life by giving him CPR after he choked on a gum ball. It was still a mystery how they got mono, but Finley had let it go at that point. She saw no reason not to trust either of them.

"Do you think something is going on?" Finley asked.

Sam shrugged. "I know she's into me. I just get the feeling that I'm losing her. I can't let that happen. Quinn's the best thing that's happened to me since I got to this school." Finley quirked her brow. "Besides you, of course." Finley's smiled returned. "Anyway, but how?" He then raked his hands threw his blond Justin Bieber hair. "Of course," he suddenly smiled, his eyes lighting up as he got an idea. "My dad always said there are two ways to get a woman to love you: take her hunting and rock and roll. I know what I have to do!"

"And that would be?" Finley questioned, confused as to where he was going with this.

"Who's more rock and roll than Justin Bieber?"

Finley's brows furrowed in confusion. "Justin Bieber isn't rock-"

"No one." Finley shut her mouth. It seemed Sam was dead set on heating that Bieber-fever.

🎵

Sam had performed Justin Bieber's "Baby" for the group, and Finley had to admit that even she was falling for his charms. As was Quinn.

The next day, Artie, Mike, and even Puck came in with new Justin Bieber hair and a hoodie to complete the look. What was most confusing was how Puck was wearing a toupee in order to get the hair.

"Sweet Jesus. Who bought tickets to crazy town?" Mercedes groaned as the boys walked in.

"All right. Looks like the guys here are ready to give us their anthem," Mr. Schue told the group.

"Hey, everybody," Sam greeted, flipping his hair. "We are the new and improved The Justin Bieber Experience, and we think this song is an anthem because everything Bieber does is epic."

"Truth!" Artie preached.

"Anyway, this song, like all the songs I sing, is for my girlfriend, Quinn." He smiled and pointed at her. Finley was happy that they were doing better. Though it only made it more painful that Jesse had still refused to contact her at all the past few weeks. But no matter! Sam and Quinn were doing better, and that was great. 💚

The boys went into a performance of Justin Bieber's "Somebody to Love." There was various hair flipping and fun dancing. Their voices blended together beautifully and they pulled out that Bieber-charisma. Their respective partners were swooning, as well as those who weren't with one of the boys.

Finn saw how Quinn, Rachel, and Finley were swooning over the Biebers, and he seriously didn't get it. To him, Justin Bieber was this puny boy singer. He didn't get girls' obsession with him.

When the show ended, the girlfriends ran over to their boyfriends. Rachel and Finley walked out together, giggling about the performance, only further confusing Finn.

Unbeknownst to them, Santana stayed back.

🎵

"And that's why Carlisle Cullen is a daddy." Sam would rather throw himself off a bridge into the fiery flames of hell than listen to one more word about those damn glitter bloodsuckers come out of Finley's mouth. She was lucky she was so adorable and so friendly that he hadn't just completely just turned and walked away.

Ok, that was a lie. Finley was the first friend he made at McKinley. Not only that, but she was as sweet as sugar and a cutie pie. He would never do something like that to her. But lord did he want to.

Sam wanted to cry tears of relief when someone finally approached them, praying that would cause Finley to just stop talking about the sparkly doctor. But when he saw who it was, he decided he would rather have listened to Finley. "Hey. Do you think I could borrow one of your t-shirts to use as a smock tonight at Color Me Mine? I kind of have a thing for wearing my boyfriend's shirts."

The only look Finley could use to describe Sam's expression was betrayal. "We're not going to Color Me Mine," he told her shortly. "And I'm not your boyfriend." Quinn immediately frowned, confused from where his actions were coming from. Finley watched from the side, just as confused. Sam then shut his locker and grabbed Finley's hand to drag her away.

Quinn followed. She was hurt by his actions. "Wait, why?"

Sam stopped and turned around to face her. "Because you can't look me in the eye right now and tell me that you didn't make out with Finn." Finley gasped at the news and looked to Quinn, praying she would refute it.

Quinn's eyes widened, and Finley and Sam knew that she couldn't. Her voice was small, breaking, as she said to him, "I want to be with you, Sam." It was a final attempt to keep him, and a weak one at that. Her doe eyes might have worked in the past, but not anymore.

Sam smiled weakly. "Forget it, ok? No harm, no foul. Oel ngati kamaeie." Finley and Quinn both blinked at him, confused at what he was saying. "Crap. Santana told me to stop speaking Na'vi."

"Oh, Avatar," Finley hummed, recognizing the term from when Sam told her about the movie a couple months ago.

"Since when is Santana telling you what to do?" Quinn asked, her eyes welling with tears.

"Since she became my friend after telling me what you did," Sam replied. "Come on, Finley." He tugged on her hand, and Finley did nothing to stop him as he pulled her down the hall. Away from Quinn.

Finley was still reeling from the news. Quinn and Sam were both her friends. She would always be there for Quinn, but, god, cheating again? First on her brother with his best friend, then on the sweetest guy with said brother?

Finley knew Quinn had gone through a lot, and there were a lot of complex feelings floating around. But cheating again? It seemed Quinn would never learn.

But Quinn was not who she needed to worry about right now. Sam had pulled Finley into an empty classroom and released her hand. Finley shut the door quietly as he went over to one of the tables and just sat. He looked so sad, dejected, like a kicked puppy. Finley's heart hurt for him.

She walked over and sat beside him. She placed her hand on his back and rubbed slow circles, hoping it provided even an ounce of comfort. "I'm sorry, Sam," Finley told him softly. "You didn't deserve that at all."

Sam let out a long sigh. His shoulder dropped, as if finally collapsing under the weight of the situation. "Thanks," he told her, grateful for her empathy. "I just can't believe it, you know? Quinn meant everything to me. And I thought I did to her. But, I guess not."

Finley didn't know what to say. On the one hand, Quinn was her friend and Finley would always want to protect her. But on the other hand, it was her job as a friend to make her face her shortcomings. And what Quinn did was horrible and so wrong. So Finley decided to just be there for Sam. That was all friends needed to do. Be there. And she would be.

After a few minutes of just soaking up her comfort, Sam spoke again. "I'm not angry. I'm just drained from the whole thing. I didn't realize how much this was affecting me."

"Understandable," Finley nodded. "This entire situation is completely messed up."

Sam chuckled. "Yeah. It is."

Sam didn't know what to think of Quinn now. She would always have a special place in his heart, and he would always care for her and wish her the best. He wasn't angry, somehow. He felt defeated. He didn't like that.

He didn't want to throw himself a pity party any longer. Here Sam was, sitting in an empty classroom, with Finley freaking Hudson at his side. He would not allow himself to wallow. He had to pick himself up. And he knew exactly how. He only hoped Finley would be open to it.

Finley had been watching Sam, and she smiled as she saw the gears turn in his head. He had a similar expression to her own when she had an idea. "What are you thinking?" She asked excitedly.

Sam looked at her and allowed his eyes to roam down her body. Brittany had started a new clothing trend, and Finley was supporting her by following just that. She was in a soft pink carousel sweater with a white collar poking out underneath it. She had on a pink plaid mini skirt with a pair of white tights underneath. She had pink ballet flats on and a pink headband on top of her head. She looked adorable, as always. But the look only added to her charm.

Finley blushed as his eyes traveled down her form, but she didn't shy away. She had to admit, Sam was a good looking guy. She had always thought so. Plus, he was super nice and adorably dorky. And he could play guitar, which Finley found very attractive. He was the total package.

"So..." Sam drew out the word, "how is that guy of yours doing after the whole kissing booth thing?"

Finley glanced away, but Sam saw the sad look that washed over her face. "We've been better," she said, her voice small. Her expression was nothing compared to the sadness in her voice. It broke Sam's heart to see her so heartbroken.

But that loss could be their gain. Sam carefully approached her with his idea. "Finley, you know you're the sweetest, kindest, most intelligent, and most beautiful girl in the entire world, don't you?" Finley met his gaze again and blushed at the compliments. Sam smiled at how he was able to lighten her mood, even just a bit. He continued, "Not to mention you're an amazing dancer and have an angelic voice. Seriously, you're the total package."

"Thanks, Sam," Finley giggled bashfully. Sam was gleeful that he had broken the sadness that had cast a dark shadow over her a few moments ago. "You're smart and kind and talented and gorgeous too." Sam preened at the return of affection.

Before he could talk himself out of it, he just asked the question. "Will you go out with me?" Finley's eyes widened in surprise and there was a slight hitch in her breath. "You're an amazing friend, Finley. Like, the best friend anyone could ever have ever. And I think we could be really good together. We just have to try. So, what do you say? You, me, Breadstix tomorrow after school?"

Finley searched for her mind for any reasons why she should say no. She didn't find any. Well, she didn't try that hard, but no matter!

Finley smiled. "I would love to."

🎵

Jesse's head throbbed as he shut his textbook. It wasn't that late on the west coast, only about 7 pm. It had been a tough week of musical rehearsals, not to mention the catastrophe that was his grades.

Jesse hated struggle. Everything had always come easy to him since he was little. Was that due to his parents' coddling him as their favorite child growing up, or perhaps Caramel High's assistance in helping push him through school? Who could say? The struggle was... foreign to him.

Dancing, singing, performing, they had always come easy to him. Yes, he practiced and perfected his technique and skill for hours on end every day, but it was as easy to him as breathing. But math? It was like he was asked to calculate the number of stars in the galaxy! Hell, that would be easier than whatever his teacher has been lecturing about for the past semester.

Not only was his education in shambles, so was his personal life. And by that, he meant the one person he could always count on to be there for him.

Jesse was glad his roommate was over at a girl's dorm for the night, meaning he could wallow in his own misery privately. His muscles ached as he stood from his desk chair and walked over to his bed where his phone was charging. It had been hours of studying. He deserved a break.

He opened his phone to see multiple notifications under the subject "Finley Hudson." Jesse kept tabs on Finley, Vocal Adrenaline, and the other various show choirs back home on social media. He had alerts set up for certain taglines, including anything to do with the New Directions, Vocal Adrenaline, and, of course, Finley Hudson. She often showed up in glee and cheerios news. It was rare she was involved in scandal. The media didn't have much to say negatively about her. She was an angel afterall. Jesse sighed to himself as he opened Jacob Ben Israel's latest blog post.

---

NEW COUPLE ALERT

Bieber footballer Sam Evans and cheerleader and teen mom Quinn Fabray break up amidst cheating scandal involving quarterback Finn Hudson and mono. Yikes!

While Ms. Fabray wallows in self hatred, Sam Evans has found himself a new girl. And who is this new lady? The one and only angel, Finley Hudson!

The couple was spotted at Breadstix a few hours ago sharing a meal and cuddling in a booth. The couple has neither confirmed or commented on their relationship. Once they confirm they are official, this will be Ms. Hudson's first official boyfriend.

---

There was a photo of Sam and Finley on their date. His arm was slung over her shoulder and their faces were extremely close. She was laughing at something Sam said. Probably one of those impressions that Finley told him he found hilarious.

Jesse took one glance at his obviously dyed blond hair and Justin Bieber cut and decided he had never loathed someone more than he loathed Sam Evans. He had never liked this Sam ever since Finley told him about meeting the guy in the library. Then he joined the glee club, putting him on edge. It was such a relief when Finley told him he and Quinn were dating. He should have never stopped viewing him as a threat. The moment Finley was out of Jesse's clutches, he swarmed in like a hawk and snatched her up. Away from him.

And it was all his fault. He had pushed her away. With that stupid f*cking kissing booth.

Jesse knew Finley was right. He obviously had the right to be mad, but they weren't officially anything. She was free to do anything with whoever she wanted. She didn't owe him anything.

And that f*cking hurt. And now he was furious. His blood was boiling, his rage simmering. And there was only one way he knew to release all his anger.

Luckily, the theater was empty for the night. It was one of the only nights where no late rehearsals were scheduled. He was alone. Jesse headed to the electrical stage and set up his favorite sequence in Moulin Rouge. The lights went red, save for a single spotlight in the center. Jesse was still in the same outfit he had worn during rehearsal earlier. A black button down and black slacks. The heels of his black shoes clicked as he walked to the spotlight.

He looked out to the empty, dark theater. The room began to fill with the growing sound of violins. Intense, squeaking, passionate, hurt. Angry. He took a deep breath and allowed the emotion of "El Tango de Roxanne" to fill his veins. ❤️

[Jesse]

Roxanne

You don't have to put on that red light

Walk the streets for money

You don't care if it's wrong or if it is right

There was an animalistic growl in his voice. He allowed his hatred for Sam Evans to fuel him.

Roxanne

You don't have to wear that dress tonight

Roxanne

You don't have to sell your body to the night

His eyes upon your face

His hand upon your hand

His lips caress your skin

It's more than I can stand

Jesse then poured his heart, his soul, his hurt, into his voice.

Why does my heart cry?

Feelings I can't fight

You're free to leave me, but just don't deceive me

And please believe me when I say I love you

His head was spinning. His brain was pounding. He did not realize how much emotion, feeling he had. Finley was the only one to ever make him feel so deeply. It was excruciatingly painful.

He took a deep breath, preparing for himself to completely shatter.

Why does my heart cry?

Feelings I can't fight

You don't have to put on that red light

Roxanne

His chest heaved as he tried to calm himself. He suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion overwhelm him. He fell to his knees and hung his head low. He felt like crying. It would be only moments before he did so.

That was until he head a slow clap echo throughout the theater. He looked up to find Sarah, the director and a senior graduate at UCLA, making her way down the aisle. She was smiling as she approached him. "That was brilliant, Mr. James. Bring exactly that to the show next week, yeah?"

Jesse could do nothing but nod. He had not even realized when she came in. He was so engrossed in his pain and the song he had not seen her. "I will," he said finally.

Sarah nodded and turned to leave, but paused and glanced back. "Oh, and I have that extra ticket you asked for. Do you want it now?"

Jesse thought for a moment and made a decision. "No."

Chapter 19: TROUTY MOUTH

Chapter Text

[ 2.14 - 2.16 ]

❤️ Rachel Berry | "My Headband" - Rachel Berry

🩶 New Directions | "Tik Tok" - Ke$ha

💛 Holly Holiday | "Do You Wanna Touch" - Gary Glitter

🩵 The Celibacy Club | "Afternoon Delight" - Starland Vocal Band

💜 Rachel Berry | "Only Child" - Rachel Berry

🩷Santana Lopez | "Trouty Mouth" - Santana Lopez

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

𝙁𝙄𝙉𝙇𝙀𝙔 𝙃𝘼𝘿 𝘽𝙀𝙀𝙉 𝙄𝙉 𝘼 𝙎𝘼𝘿 𝙈𝙊𝙊𝘿 for the past week. It had all started when she saw in Instagram post from the UCLA theater department about opening night of their show Moulin Rouge starring freshman ingenue Jesse St. James. It seemed that Jesse had canceled her ticket.

The department had released a clip of him during his performance of "El Tango de Roxanne," and though she was heartbroken he hadn't invited her, she was so proud of him. He was meant for the stage. She had sent him a text telling him exactly how proud she was, and just like all the others she had sent in the past few weeks, they were left unanswered.

She didn't know how to fix things between them. What hurt even worse was that it seemed Jesse had no desire to. He wanted nothing to do with her.

Luckily, Finley couldn't focus on Jesse St. James 24/7 because Regionals were coming in steadily. That morning, Finn had told Finley that Rachel had written a new song she wanted him to listen to. He invited her along, and she of course said yes. Finley was humming a Taylor Swift song while she and Rachel waited for Finn in the choir room. Rachel was at the piano while Finley was dancing to herself when Puck walked in. "What's up my hot little Jewish-American princess?" He greeted Rachel with a glint in his eye.

Rachel recognized the tone in his voice immediately. "What do you want, Puckerman?"

Puck sat next to her on the piano and leaned in. "Word on the street is your dads are out of town and you're all alone in your house."

"They are on the Rosie O'Donnell cruise," Rachel told him. "Who told you that?"

"This is the kind of information a guy like him tends to know," Finley answered with a shrug.

"So, uh, party this Saturday?" Puck asked hopefully. "I'll bring the beer ball. It's a mini-keg."

Rachel scoffed. "Forget it."

Puck frowned. "Oh, come on. Just the glee kids. We're losing our minds, all stressed about Sectionals and stuff."

"Regionals," Finley and Rachel corrected at the same time.

"Besides, you just want a place to have sex and get drunk," Rachel said while staring at him pointedly.

"Yeah," Puck smiled. "There's a word for that. A party."

"No," Rachel refused, shaking her head. "No! My dads left me alone in my house because they trusted me to be responsible."

"They left you alone because you suck and are a total bore," Puck corrected.

"Hey, not nice!" Finley scolded him with a frown. He just shrugged and walked out. Finley knew every word he said rang true, but she didn't want Rachel's feelings to be hurt.

As Puck was walking out, Finn walked in. "Hey," he greeted the girls. "How's the songwriting going?"

"Hey," Rachel smiled while Finley walked over and hugged her brother in greeting. "It's going amazing. I think I might have a really big hit, which is why I wanted you to come by." Finley coughed. "Both of you," Rachel corrected. "I wanted you both to hear it." Rachel stood up and Brad replaced her at the piano.

"Oh, yeah, cool," Finn smiled and nodded. Rachel then awkwardly walked over to Finn and pulled him into a hug. Finley stepped back and looked anywhere but them. It seemed Rachel forget that there were other people in the room. "What was that for?" Finn asked when she finally released him.

"To break the tension. We were boyfriend and girlfriend, Finn. It's silly for us to pretend like we aren't comfortable around each other," Rachel told him.

"Yeah, totally," Finn nodded.

"I know that we have unresolved feelings, but like my two new role models Carole King and Gerry Goffin, I think It's Important we put them aside and stay focused on our mission, which is just to write an amazing song to win Regionals with," Rachel said.

Finn smiled, though his eyes were a little blank. "Well, I have no Idea who those people are." Finley giggled to herself. "But I'm on board. Let's hear it."

Finley grabbed stools for her and her twin and they waited excitedly to hear what Rachel had in store for them. "Yes, Rachel. What do you got?"

"It's a little rough," Rachel warned the twins. "But I think It's really special." Finley smiled supportively as Brad began to play some light notes on the piano. Rachel then took a deep breath and began to sing. ❤️

[Rachel]

There you rest

With all the rest

Of my accessories on my nightstand

Finley blinked, confused. Had she heard that correctly?

You're red or yellow

And like a good fellow

Sometimes you get lost in my mess

But when schoolgirl pigtails won't do

And I need to control my do

You're the only one I can count on

My headband

Finley could not believe what she was listening to.

You're my headband

Wrapped right around my melon

You're a product like Magellan

Finley almost gasped in relief when Finn cut Rachel off, making her stop. "Hold on, hold on. is this song about your headband?"

Rachel nodded very seriously. "Yes. It's called 'My Headband.' They say you should write about what you know." Finley had no words. It was almost as difficult to process as "Run, Joey, Run." And was an extremely uncomfortable pill for everyone to swallow.

"Well, uh, it's really..." Finn stammered as he tried to find a way to respond.

"Interesting?" Finley offered, wincing at her poor choice of wording. She winced again when she saw Rachel's expression fall.

"Yeah," Finn nodded in agreement. "But it's not emotional or, like, good." Finley smacked his arm.

"It sucks," Rachel huffed.

"Yeah," Finn said, earning another smack from his twin.

"How do I compose a song like Joni Mitchell or Carole King? They've lived," Rachel frowned.

"Well, maybe if you want to be an artist like them, you should do a little living," Finley suggested with a small shrug.

Rachel's eyes widened with realization. "You're so right. I mean, even now, it's Alcohol Awareness Week and we're supposed to sing songs about the dangers of drinking and I've never even had a drink."

"Wait, seriously?" Finn asked, Incredulous. "That's why I never got past second base." Finley smacked him a third time.

Rachel then walked past them. "Where are you going?" Finley asked.

"To find Puckerman," Rachel responded with excitement. "You know, my journey from little princess to 'natural woman' begins this Saturday night. At my house."

🎵

Finley couldn't help but gape at the large portrait of Rachel hanging above them as they descended the stairs into her basem*nt. Bossa Nova music was playing and got louder as she, Finn, Blaine, and Kurt followed Rachel down.

"Welcome," she greeted the four with a smile. She was wearing a floor length night gown in a mint green that looked like it was from the 1800s. "Kurt, Blaine, I wasn't expecting you guys."

"I told Kurt and Blaine. I hope that's ok," Finley told her. Rachel nodded, happy more people were at her party.

"Finley and Kurt have been blackmailing me ever since they saw my browser history," Finn mumbled. Finley smiled her Innocent angelic smile, and Finn's gaze softened a bit at his sister. That didn't take away the bitterness he felt towards the fact though.

"I'm totally off the clock right now, Rachel," Blaine assured. "I'm not a Warbler. I'm just Blaine. I'm not even wearing my uniform."

"That would be pretty odd if you did," Finley noted.

"So, this is your dads' Oscar room," Kurt said as he looked around the basem*nt.

"Yes. They transformed our ordinary basem*nt for our famous annual Oscar parties," Rachel beamed with pride.

"Is that a stage?" Finley pointed as she looked around. Sam noticed her attendance and stopped stopped talking to Mike to wave.

"I like to give impromptu performances for our neighbors sometimes," Rachel replied. Quinn then suddenly walked by. "Hey, girlfriend! Having fun?"

Quinn glanced over to see that Finley had made her way over to Sam and were now cuddling and whispering adorably to one another. Sam said something and Finley burst into giggles. Quinn felt her stomach tighten at the sight. "Yeah. Awesome party..." She then walked in the opposite direction of the new couple.

Finley didn't plan on drinking, so she stayed with Sam while Rachel went over the drinking rules with the boys. She was giggling and smiling as Sam's hands traveled down her waist towards her hips. He pulled her in closer and buried his face in her neck.

"You guys are disgustingly adorable," Tina smiled as she and Mike watched the two.

"Thanks," Finley blushed, not used to the new attention on her. She had never had an official boyfriend before, and ever since Sam and her confirmed their relationship for Jacob Ben-Israel, everyone had been looking at her with a newfound interest. They watched her with even more longing, probably thinking they now had a chance with her. And they watched Sam with envy and jealousy. She often saw how guys would size Sam up as they walked together in the halls. She didn't love the attention, but she did like being with Sam.

"You guys are great together," Mike told them with a happy smile. "Treat her right, man," he then told Sam. "Or me and the rest of the boys are coming after you."

"Mike!" Finley hissed, embarrassed that he was going protective-brother on Sam, but he only chuckled.

"If I ever did do something to hurt her, I would welcome it," he told Mike. "I expect nothing less. I would do the same."

"Aw, you guys," Finley blushed more. Secretly, she loved how protective all the guys were of her. She knew that if she ever called them in the middle of the night with a body in her trunk, they would say nothing, just simply take care of it for her. And that was one of the reasons why she loved them all.

Finley jumped when Rachel suddenly yelled, "Let's party!" The vibe of the party completely changed. Brittany blasted "Like a G6" by Far East Movement and Puck brought out various bottles of liquor from a cabinet. Everyone dug in.

Finley laughed as Sam danced with her while drinking from his solo cup. Finley didn't mind as long as he didn't get too crazy. Buzzed-Sam wasn't hard to deal with. All he wanted to do was cuddle and hold her while dancing.

Eventually, Sam wanted to get more liquor so Finley left him to find her brothers. Finn was watching everyone with an amused smile on his face. As Finley approached, so did Kurt who was dancing. "Are you both not drinking?" He asked the twins when he noticed their easy expressions.

"No," Finn replied. "Designated driver."

"I don't drink," Finley answered. "But I assume I'm also going to end up driving Santana, Brit, and Sam home. What about you?"

Kurt shakes his head. "I'm still trying to impress Blaine. Can't get too sloppy." They all glanced over to see Blaine completely hammered and whipping his hair back and forth. "Clearly he doesn't have the same concern."

As if he was summoned, Blaine waddled over to the siblings. He slung his arm around Finn and kind of hung off him. "Hey! It is so cool that you, Finley, and Kurt are brothers and sister! Right? Like, brothers and sister! Wow! You're so tall!"

Finley giggled. "You having fun, Blaine?"

"Yeah!" Blaine nodded, completely out of it. "This is the best party ever!" Blaine began to fall and Kurt luckily caught him. They walked off together, Blaine hanging off of him when Rachel walked up. Finley then noticed Sam motioning for her so she left the two alone.

"Hey, babe," Sam greeted her with a loopy smile. His speech was slurred and his eyes hazy, but he still managed to keep his balance. He pulled Finley to his chest and rested his head atop of hers. Since she was so short, his head rested perfectly. "Have I mentioned how pretty you are?"

"Once or twice," Finley giggled, enjoying the praise. While Sam continued to slur compliments, she looked around the room. Everyone was falling into their normal drinking patterns. Santana was being all weepy and sobbing into her solo cup- hysterical drunk. Quinn and Lauren were screaming Insults at Puck- angry drunks. Brittany was dancing in her bra and shorts, her shirt long forlorn. Artie was tossing dollar bills at her while she danced- stripper drunk. Mercedes and Tina were cackling at something Mike just said- happy drunks. And then she took notice of how Rachel was basically hanging off of Finn- needy drunk.

Finley put her attention back on Sam, who was now swaying off beat to the club music blasting through the speakers. Finley allowed him to grind against her, very Magic Mike-esque, and danced with him. She was whipping her hair back and forth while singing to the fun lyrics. Being with Sam was definitely more fun and less stressful than...

Thankfully, Rachel distracted her before she could finish her thought. "Let's spin the bottle! Who wants to play spin the bottle! Spin the bottle!"

Everyone gathered around in a circle to play and Rachel placed an empty wine cooler bottle on a chessboard in the center. It was funny forcing people who would never usually kiss have to suck face. Finley couldn't stop giggling when Sam's landed on Brittany. She was one of their main cheerleaders as they leaned across the circle and kissed.

Finley, sitting next to Sam, went next and hers landed on Santana. Everyone cheered even louder as she shared her second kiss with her friend. The guys were especially enthusiastic at the fact, except Finn who hated seeing Finley kiss anyone. Funny considering the fact that he had pimped her out recently for his kissing booth.

Rachel followed and ended up having to kiss Blaine. Finley saw how worried Kurt got when that occurred, but Finley didn't think anything of it. The two ended up signing a fun duet of "Don't You Want It" by Alcazar. Overall, the party turned out to be really fun.

And just as Finley suspected, she had to take Brittany, Santana, and Sam home. She was happy to get them home safe and noted how adorable and clingy Sam was when he was drunk. Finley hoped the hangover wouldn't be too bad the next day, but seeing how much he drank, she knew it was a weak prayer.

She was happy with Sam, she found. She was comfortable. Sam was the sweetest guy and an amazing boyfriend. The two had yet to kiss, and even drunk, he had not tried anything on Finley other than being overly affectionate which she found endearing.

They were perfect together. So why did she feel like there was something missing?

🎵

Finley woke up bright and early Saturday morning. She and Burt had been planning on making a brunch breakfast for the past week.

Finley was great at baking, but cooking? Let's just say that she had never attempted to cook an egg after accidentally cooking a frittata in a sauce pan. Criminal according to Kurt, apparently.

Finley was tasked by Burt to make waffles while he would tackle the more cooking aspect. But when it came to cooking, even together, Finley and Burt only made up half a brain cell.

"Hey, Kurt! Come give me a hand with these eggs!" Burt yelled, leaving the kitchen to grab the missing child. Finley followed after, wondering why it was taking Kurt so long. Kurt was the most punctual out of everyone in the house.

"I'll be down in a minute!" Kurt replied, his voice muffled from the distance.

Burt's brows then scrunched as he read the recipe book. "Finley, what the hell is a shirred egg? is that the same thing as a scrambled egg?"

Finley shrugged, having no clue that was even a word. "Maybe it has shir in it?"

"What is that?" Burt blinked.

Finley blinked back. "I actually don't know."

"Oh, god," Burt groaned. "We need Kurt ASAP." Finley nodded in agreement, and together the two went up the stairs to forcefully make Kurt help them. They opened the door and walked into Kurt's room, finding him hiding under the covers. "Hey, what's this? I thought you were going to teach Finley and I all about brunch."

"I'll be down in a sec," Kurt said, showing himself by leaning away from his vanity hidden by one of the walls.

Finley and Burt glanced at him, then at the bed, then back at him, then back at the bed. "What..." Finley mumbled to herself as she and Burt tried to make sense of what they were seeing. Finley then jumped as the lump of blankets on the bed moved. "Ah!" She and Burt then gaped as a sleepy Blaine Anderson with frizzy hair sat up.

"Oh, where am I?" Blaine sighed, his eyes blinded by the light. Finley giggled to herself, finding it all amusing. It seemed not only was sweet Blaine hungover, but he had slept in bed with Kurt.

Burt had a different reaction. "Oh, uh, I'm sorry. My bad," he stammered, glaring at Blaine.

Finley, sensing rising frustration and discomfort in Burt, tugged on his arm and pulled him out of the room. "We'll be downstairs. Come down when you're ready." Burt didn't say one word as they descended the stairs. He was lost in his own little world, and Finley was beginning to worry. Finley decided to make some waffles as there was no chance Burt would be able to function properly until Blaine left.

Kurt and Blaine finally came down and Kurt took him home. Finley made sure to send Blaine home with some of her waffles, which he graciously accepted. Burt didn't say one word to either of the guys.

When they left, Finley approached Burt with the gentleness of a approaching a wild horse. "Burt..."

Before she could any more, he held his hand up, making her stop. "Don't." Finley frowned but followed his wishes. It would seem actually seeing Kurt with a guy was more difficult in practice than in theory.

"Ok..." Finley said carefully. "Well, if we're not doing brunch, I'm going to head down to bookstore. is that ok?" Burt just nodded. "Do you need anything while I'm out?" Burt just shook his head. "Ok, then." Finley walked over to Burt and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Enjoy the waffles." Then she grabbed her key and left Burt to his raging mind.

🎵

The group panted as they finished their number of Jamie Foxx's "Blame It On the Alcohol" for Mr. Schue in the auditorium. Finley had found the number especially fun and acting drunk was definitely a new thing for her.

Her friends were exceptionally good at it, it seemed. Yet again, they all know what it was like to be drunk, so of course they knew how to act like they were. It was so realistic. Finley was very mpressed.

From the seats, Mr. Schue clapped as everyone relaxed. Finley skipped over to Sam, who was lounging on a booth from the set. He was wearing sunglasses and was leaning most of his weight on the seat. Finley giggled as she sidled up beside him. She tried to take the sunglasses off his face, but he swatted her hands away, refusing to take them off. Finley giggled softly, assuming he just wanted to look cool.

What she didn't know was that the rest of the group has guzzled down bloody Mary's before the performance to deal with the effects of their drinking that past weekend.

"Well done, you guys!" Mr. Schue praised, making his way toward the stage. "You always bring it with the singing and dancing, but what I was really impressed with today was your acting. I truly thought that some of you guys were drunk."

"Thanks, Mr. Schue," Finley chirped, happy at the compliment.

"We take our craft serious," Artie nodded, seeming a bit dizzy.

"Problem Is, that song is great, but it kind of glorifies drinking, don't you think?" Mr. Schue said. "I mean, we're supposed to sing about the dangers of alcohol for this assembly."

"Well, good luck finding a song that does that," Mercedes shrugged, her words slurred a bit. Finley frowned at her, surprised by Mercedes's seeming lack of focus.

"Mr. Schue?" Rachel stepped forward. "First of all, that vest is very cute. You are all kinds of awesome." She stomped over to Mike and put her weight onto him, kind of hanging off of him. "But, second, maybe there's really no songs about the dangers of drinking because there's really none as long as you have a proper designated driver." Mr. Schue frowned at her argument. Finley then watched with confusion as Rachel then flirted with Mike and dragged her fingertips along his lower abs, which were exposed as she scrunched his shirt in her first. "Have I ever told you how great you are?"

Finley quickly ran over to Rachel and pulled her off of Mike while Tina grabbed her boyfriend, sending a mean glare at Rachel. Finley noticed how much weight Rachel was putting on her, and her breath smelled weird.

"Well, yeah, drunk driving is dangerous. Any of you guys ever heard of alcohol poisoning? Yeah, it kills about 400 people every year," Mr. Schue told them. Santana suddenly began crying. "Santana, are you crying?"

Finley helped Rachel into Finn's arms and then quickly went to console her friend. "Santana, are you ok? What's wrong?"

Santana waved her off, wiping her tears. "I'm ok. I'm ok," she sniffled.

"You're such a hypocrite," Quinn glared at him. "You drink. Most adults do."

Mr. Schue's brows raised, surprised by the teens' reactions. "I have a beer every now and then, but I don't get drunk.

Puck shrugged. "We're just saying this is a waste of time. We're totally aware of alcohol. We see adults drinking it and having fun. Every commercial in NASCAR is for beer," he pointed out.

"Ok, enough, guys," Mr. Schue ordered, disappointed at the conversation. "Look, tomorrow, come with your thinking caps on because we're going to spend the entire day brainstorming Ideas for songs to sing at this assembly."

At his dismissal, Finley helped Sam off the stage. She slung his arm over her shoulder and helped him maintain balance. "Sam, are you ok?" She asked worriedly. Sam was a well-coordinated guy generally. Why was he so out of it? He also had a similar smell to Rachel, though his was covered by a more masculine cologne than Rachel's perfume. Sam nodded sloppily, his head pounding.

None the wiser, Finley helped him back to the choir room. Everyone else was in a similar funk. She would have questioned everyone's odd actions if she had the time, but she then remembered she told Burt she would help him at the shop after school. Finley waved goodbye to her brothers, who both didn't seem to see her, and ran out to head over to the shop.

🎵

Finley then found out what had caused everyone to act so weird at rehearsal earlier that week as she watched Rachel hand out red solo cups. Brittany had been nervous for the performance, as well as everyone else, and Rachel then said she had something to help take the edge off.

"Never fear, teammates," Rachel assured everyone. "It's broadway tradition for nervous performers to take a shot of whisky before going on to calm their nerves and to mask the scent of bad dental hygiene." She then brought out a jug of some dark purple liquid that Finley decided she wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole. "In that tradition, I have mixed us a playful show biz co*cktail of what was left in my dads' liquor cabinet. There's some brandy. Vermouth, Port wine, and Scott in here and also a little bit of kool-aid and crumbled up Oreos." Finley tried not to puke at the solution and pushed the cup Rachel offered her away.

Santana took a sip and grimaced. "Oh my god. This tastes like cough syrup."

"There's also cough syrup," Rachel added, taking a swing of her own.

Finley gaped at her friends with appall. She then saw her own brothers down some of the disgusting drink. She turned around to talk to Sam about the entire ordeal, but he had already downed his own drink. "Sam, what are you doing?" Finley squeaked, slapping the empty cup away from him. "Drinking at school? During the alcohol awareness assembly?"

Sam shrugged, seemingly unbothered. He was already beginning to feel a bit buzzed. "Everyone else had some."

Finley groaned. "Oh, this is so not going to end well."

The New Directions got into their places, Brittany front and center as Principal Figgins announced them. "And now, performing the hit single 'Tik' and also 'Tok' by rapper Ke-dollar-sign-ha, the New Directions." 🩶

[Brittany]

Wake up in the morning feelin' like P Diddy

Grab my glasses, I'm out the door

I'm gonna hit this city

Before I leave, brush my teeth with a bottle of jack

'Cause when I leave for the night, I ain't comin' back

I'm talkin' pedicure on our toes, toes

Trying on all our clothes, clothes

Boys blowing up our phones, phones

Drop-toppin', playin' our favorite CDs

Going out to the parties

Tryin' to get a little bit tipsy

The crowd cheered at the fun song, making the New Directions smile. This was the first assembly where they were being well-perceived.

Finley watched everyone worriedly, knowing some Intense choreography was coming up. it would not do to well on their stomachs.

[all]

Don't stop, make it pop

DJ, blow my speakers up

Tonight, Ima fight

Till we see the sunlight

TikTok on the clock

But the party don't stop, no

Oh, woah, woah-oh

Oh, woah, woah-oh

Don't stop, make it pop

DJ, blow my speakers up

Tonight, Ima fight

Till we see the sunlight

TikTok on the clock

But the party don't stop, no

Oh, woah, woah-oh

Oh, woah, woah-oh

Brittany pulled Rachel aside, her stomach turning. "I don't feel good."

"Power through it," Rachel told her, pushing her back to the center of the stage.

[Brittany]

You build me up

You break me down

My heart, it pounds

Yeah, you've got me

With my hands up

You've got me now

You've got that sound, yeah

You've got me, woah

[all]

You build me up

You break me down

My heart, it pounds

Yeah, you've got me

With my hands up

Put your hands up

Put your hands up

Everyone's dancing was off. There was a sluggish-ness to it. Finley knew that Mr. Schue's trained eye could probably see it as well.

Brittany then sunk into the splits, making the crowd cheer.

[Brittany]

Now the party don't start till I walk In

[all]

Don't stop, make it pop

DJ, blow my speakers up

Tonight, Ima fight

Till we see the sunlight

TikTok on the clock

But the party don't stop, no

Oh, woah, woah-oh

Brittany then hunched over and threw up on Rachel as the number ended. The auditorium went silent, the music having ended. Rachel then ran off the stage.

Finley tried not to gag as she ran over to Sam and helped him stay on his feet. He was already swaying from dizziness, and she prayed he didn't throw up on her. Santana then faltered and threw up on herself, making the crowd gag at the wretched smell.

Brittany looked out to the crowd. "Everybody, drink responsibly."

🎵

After that disaster of an assembly, the glee club, as well as most of the school, stopped drinking. Principal Figgins actually thanked the glee club and Mr. Schue for the performance, thinking Brittany and Santana throwing up was a setup. After having a talk with the kids, Mr. Schue and everyone else was on good terms with alcohol.

Burt had also talked to Kurt about boundaries and the dangers of drinking. Kurt had made sure to clarify that he, Finn, and Finley didn't drink at Rachel's party. As far as Burt knew, the three didn't drink it all. Finley decided to keep the truth to herself, not wanting to out her brothers. She did give them, as well as Sam, a stern talking-to about drinking at school, though. They cowered like puppies as she scolded them for an entire hour.

And now, she was sitting with Kurt and Rachel who were meeting up with Blaine at their normal coffee shop. Rachel had got it into her head that Blaine and her would become a power couple after their "explosive kiss." Finley and Kurt were 99% Blaine was gay, but Blaine found himself questioning his sexuality after that drunken kiss. So, much to Kurt's dismay, he helped Rachel plan to plant another one him. Finley came along as emotional support for Kurt in case Blaine decided he wanted to be with Rachel. It was definitely an interesting situation.

"So, you said he comes this way at 3:30?" Rachel confirmed as she anxiously awaited for the Warbler.

Kurt nodded. "Like clockwork for his post rehearsal medium drip."

"I just can't wait to lay one on him," Rachel babbled excitedly. Finley shared a hesitant look with Kurt as she then applied some lip balm.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Finley voiced, not wanting either Kurt or Rachel to be hurt.

"Rachel, I don't mean to scold, but I don't want you to get hurt," Kurt added, shifting nervously in his seat. "There's no victory for me either way."

"Who cares about you?" Kurt and Finley blinked at Rachel's disregard for anything they just said. "I may get a new boyfriend who can keep up with my vocally and, in the future, give me vaguely Eurasian-looking children." The siblings had no Idea how to respond to that.

Luckily, they didn't have to because Blaine had walked in the door. "There he is. Dreamy as ever," Kurt sighed, smiling slightly as he watched Blaine walk up to the counter. Finley couldn't help but smile herself at the lovestruck expression on her stepbrother's face.

Rachel's face flashed with determination. "Ok. Wish me luck."

"Good lu-" Finley's well wish was cut off by Kurt placing his hand over her mouth. They watched with bated breath as Blaine turned and Rachel planted her lips on his.

"Huh," Blaine hummed. "Yeah. I'm gay." Finley and Kurt let out sighs of relief. "100% gay. Thank you so much for clearing that up for me, Rachel." Finley had no idea how Rachel was taking this. "Save my space in line, will you? I got to go to the restroom." Finley and Kurt approached Rachel once Blaine left.

"That was hard, wasn't it?" Kurt asked her, hiding his glee.

Finley and Kurt were surprised by the look of awe on Rachel's face. "Are you kidding? That was amazing. I am speechless."

Finley blinked. "Huh?"

"I just had a relationship with a guy who turned out to be gay!" Rachel explained excitedly.

"I don't think that counts as a relationship," Finley said, but Rachel ignored her.

"That is songwriting gold! Ok, I have to go compose, but thank you!" She kissed Kurt on the cheek and grinned at Finley before running out of the coffee shop.

The first thought to immediately pop into Finley's mind was that she needed to tell Jesse. Then she remembered that she couldn't. He was Ignoring her. He had been ever since Valentine's Day. It hurt that he didn't want to talk to her.

What hurt even more was how badly she wanted him to.

Rachel had left Kurt and Finley to save Blaine's spot in line. "What just happened?" Kurt asked aloud, his mind reeling from what just occurred. His voice had shaken Finley out of her thoughts about Jesse. Or, rather, lack of Jesse.

Finley, unable to even process anything at this point, just shook her head as if to clear any thoughts of it. "At this point, the only thing I care about is that Blaine is gay." That lovestruck smile then returned to Kurt's face, and she noticed. "So that means you need to tap that ass."

Kurt gasped in shock. "Finley Hudson!"

Finley just shrugged. "Look at that hottie boom-body, Kurt. You were thinking it. I was just brave enough to say it." Kurt then flicked her forehead, making her gasp dramatically as if he had just shoved her. "Just for that, I'm taking the rest of your facial cleanser."

"I knew you were the thief!"

🎵

Finley had walked into school hoping it would be just a normal day. But, of course, with the New Directions, that would never happen. So the New Directions were sitting in the choir room, gaping at Brittany while Artie sat wide-eyed, looking as if his world was ending.

"All right, folks. Regionals is in a week, so it's time to get deep into our set list," Mr. Schue announced as he walked in to start the meeting. His steps faltered as he took in Artie's expression. "Artie, are you ok?"

"My life is over. How am I supposed to support a baby?" He then turned to Brittany. "How could you not tell me about this?"

"Wait, Brittany, are you pregnant?" Mr. Schue asked worriedly.

"Definitely," she answered apologetically. "I'm so sorry, Artie. I didn't want to upset you. I thought I could surprise you when it dropped him off." Finley, like the rest of the group, paused at her wording. "I'm pretty sure it's a boy."

"Um, Brit, babies don't get dropped off," Finley told her softly, sharing the same confused expression as everyone else in the room. "Have you been to a doctor yet? That's the only way to be sure."

The glee club has seen the results of a teen pregnancy before, and they did not want Brittany to have to face the same struggles. Finley, of course, would support her. From helping Quinn, she knew she could provide a good support system for Brittany if she needed. But something was off about the way Brittany was talking about her baby.

Brittany shook her head, seemingly dumbfounded at the question. "I don't need to go to a doctor. I just need to look outside my window." Finn's brow raised at the fact. "Three days ago, a stork built its nest on top of my garage." Mercedes sighed in relief. "I'm not stupid. It's obviously getting ready to bring me my baby. I know where babies come from."

Rachel was gaping at Mr. Schue, bewildered at what Brittany had just said. Quinn and Santana were staring at Brittany, their mouths agape. Sam was shaking his head at her naïvety. Mike and Tina were sharing a look. Puck and Lauren were whispering to each other. Artie was getting shaken out of his stupor. Mr. Schue was calming his racing heart. And Finley could do nothing but blink, her mind completely broken.

🎵

The next day, everyone was confused as Mr. Schue wrote "sexy" on the whiteboard.

"I really hope that's not a requirement for Regionals because with Berry in those tights, we don't stand a chance," Santana quipped dryly.

"No, this Isn't about Regionals. I'm less worried about that right now and more worried about the fact that it's become clear to me that some of you have been lacking when it comes to an understanding the... the uh... the Intricacies of... adult relationships," he explained. "Yeah, anyways, along with preparing for our Regional next week, I wanna spend the week educating ourselves about some of these... Intricacies."

Rachel frowned. "Is this the appropriate forum for that?"

Mr. Schue sighed. "Look. Whenever we had Issues in the past that are on our minds or giving us problems, it's always helped us to sing about it. So, this week, I have Invited a special guest. Ms. Holiday!"

Finley and most of the group cheered as Holly Holiday, the Infamous substitute, sauntered in. "Hola, clase!" She made her way to the center of the room. "Ok, so, sex. it's just like hugging, only wetter."

"Yeah, it Is," Artie hummed.

Finley, who was sitting next to Sam, glanced at him hesitantly. She and Sam hadn't even kissed yet. God knows Sam wanted to, but she just hadn't found the right time. Sam knew Finley wanted to go slow, so he was waiting for her to make the move first. He didn't want to pressure her in any way. But having to sit in a lesson about sex? Yeah, that was definitely not the most comfortable place to be.

"Ok, let's start with the basics," Ms. Holiday continued. "Finn? is it true that you thought you got your girlfriend pregnant via hot tub?"

"I have always been dubious," Finn muttered.

"And Brittany, you think that storks bring babies?"

"I get my Information from Woody Woodpecker cartoons," Brittany smiled.

"Well, that's all gonna end right here, right now. Because, today, we are gonna get under the covers, all together, and get the ditty on the dirty," Ms. Holiday grinned.

"I'm so turned on right now," Puck mumbled, prompting Finley to lean over and smack the back of his head.

"Uh, what about those of us who choose to remain celibate?" Rachel asked, referencing her and Quinn who were in the celibacy club together.

"Oh. Well, I admire you. Although I think you're naïve and possibly frigid, I do admire your choice," she told Rachel, making her frown.

"I think this is a good time for a song," Mr. Schue cut in.

"Oh! Yes, ok!" Ms. Holiday smiled. "Rule number one: every Intimate encounter that you're ever going have in your life is going start with a touch. Hit it!" 💛

She then sang Gary Glitter's "Do You Wanna Touch." Finley, Santana, and Brittany ran up to join her in dancing. They were all in their own jackets, Santana purple leopard, Holly in leather, Brittany in cargo, and Finley in suede. They made an effort to show off their chests and toned figures as they danced, and soon, the rest of the group got out of their seats and joined in the fun.

As she finished, Sam had pulled Finley into his arms and nuzzled his face into her neck, making her giggle. She was well aware that Sam was eyeing her cleavage but she didn't care. Every time with Holly Holiday was a fun time.

"So, just remember, whenever you have sex with someone, you're having sex with everyone they've ever had sex with. And everybody's got a random."

Finley shook Sam off, suddenly feeling a bit queasy. "Wait, what?"

🎵

Later that week, Brittany and Santana had performed "Landslide" by Stevie Nicks with Ms. Holiday. There was something unspoken in the performance that everyone caught but no one fully understood.

Finley had a bit of an Idea, though. She was well aware of the late cuddling- often sans clothing- that Brit and Santana did together. But it wasn't her place to comment on it so she kept it to herself. She knew that once Santana figured herself out, she would let everyone know, label or not.

Now, the New Directions were in the auditorium as Quinn, Rachel, Ms. Pillsbury, new member Puck, and her fiancé Carl were to perform. Ms. Pillsbury was the president of the celibacy club, and when she heard about how Holly was educating the kids about sex, she was upset. She believed sex was too serious a topic to talk to teenagers about while Holly believed that information was power. Mr. Schue allowed her and the celibacy club to perform a song as a counter argument to Holly's.

Most of the glee club immediately figured out what the song was about and were watching with awed and humored expressions. Brittany was jamming out in her seat. Finley was holding Sam's hand and trying to conceal her laughter in his shoulder as the four performed. Mr. Schue and Ms. Holiday made no effort to hide their own laughter, though. It seemed even Carl got confused at the song as they sang. 🩵

[Carl]

Gonna find my baby

Gonna hold her tight

Gonna grab some afternoon delight

[Puck]

My motto's always been

"When it's right, it's right"

Why wait until the middle of a cold, dark night?

[all]

When everything's a little clearer in the light of day

And we know the night is always gonna be here anyway

[Ms. Pillsbury, Quinn, & Rachel]

Thinking of you's working up my appetite

Lookin' forward to a little afternoon delight

[all]

Rubbin' sticks and stones together makes the sparks Ignite

And the thought of lovin' you is getting so excitin'

Skyrockets in flight

Afternoon delight

Ah-ah-ah-ah-ahhh

Afternoon delight

Brittany stood up and started clapping. Everyone else joined her awkwardly, though no one stood up. Finley was wiping her tears from laughing on Sam's sleeve. Yes, she was pretty clueless about a lot of things, but even she found the Irony in the situation. It seemed Carl did too.

"Hi!" Ms. Holiday raised her hand. "Um, Holly, here. So, I'm a little confused. Isn't this a strange song for the celibacy club to sing?"

Ms. Pillsbury chuckled, unaware. "But why? It's so wholesome. It was written during the Bicentennial to celebrate America and fireworks."

"No," Ms. Holiday corrected. "It's about sneaking out for a nooner."

Sam couldn't help but grin as he walked out of the locker room to see his lovely girlfriend waiting for him. She was sitting on the floor against the lockers with a book in her lap. She was so engrossed in her book that she didn't sense Sam walk up to her.

That was something Sam found so charming about Finley, her love of books. She always had a romance book in her bag, and when she would read, she would get a concentrated look on her face, completely tuning out the outside world.

"Hey," he greeted softly. His voice snapping her out of her concentration, Finley looked up and smiled dazzlingly at Sam. "Let me guess. Billionaire boss?"

Finley chuckled as Sam offered his hand and helped her to her feet. "Close. Forbidden office romance." Sam kept his hand in hers and together they walked out to the parking lot. Finn had gotten a ride from Puck so she and Sam could go out after their workout. "So..." She hummed. "That performance today was really interesting."

Sam laughed at the memory. "Yeah. I'm surprised no one corrected Ms. Pillsbury's mistake. You could see Carl connect the dots, though."

"It was a great number. Not the right number, but a great one," Finley nodded. They approached the Hudson twins' car and Sam opened the driver's door for her. Finley smiled gratefully and got in. Sam then walked around to the other side and put his gym bag in the backseat with their backpacks, then he got in the passenger's side. "So, how do you feel about Breadstix?"

"Sounds great." Sam and Finley sang along as the newest Taylor Swift song played on the radio. When Finley parked at the restaurant, Sam got out and opened Finley's door before she had finished unbuckling her seatbelt.

She giggled as she took Sam's extended hand. He was always a gentleman around her, and it made her giddy. She had never been treated so preciously. He placed his hand on her lower back as they walked in. They sat at a booth and put their orders In, cheesy pasta and a salad to share between the two.

Sam had been sitting on the opposite side of the booth, but once the waitress left, he moved to sit with Finley. She scooted toward the wall to make room for him and blushed when he rested his hand on her thigh. "Hi," she smiled shyly.

Sam found her blush Incredibly beautiful. "Hi," he replied, grinning widely. "So, how was your day?" He removed his hand and slung his arm over her shoulder, tucking her into his side. She sighed and relaxed into his arms, resting her head on his shoulder. He was wearing his letterman jacket, providing a nice cushion on his shoulders for her.

"It was good. I got an A on my English essay," she told him.

"Congrats. I know you worked really hard on it. Well deserved," Sam praised.

"Thanks. How was your workout?" She asked.

"Great. I'm working on those gains." He made the point of flexing his other arm, though she couldn't see the muscles from underneath the jacket. "Feel them."

Giggling, Finley reached over and squeezed his bicep. She gasped, feeling how defined the muscle was. "Wow." Her blush returned, finding his muscles Incredibly attractive. Sam eyed her expression and smirked.

"Does that turn you on, Finley?" He asked, leaning in toward her. He dropped his voice, the sultry of it sending a shiver down her spine. His warm breath fanned her face, sending ripples of pleasure through her.

"I find your body pleasing, yes," she answered, only able to muster a whisper. "You're very attractive, Sam."

"So are you," he smiled. He had never gotten to close with her. Every time they had a moment, it was often Interrupted by either Kurt, or Finn, or someone needing Finley. She was often in high demand.

Anytime they were at the house together, Burt watched Sam like a hawk. He was Finley's first boyfriend, and after the disaster of Jesse, he needed to make sure that his daughter wouldn't get hurt again. So he was suspicious of Sam, to say the least. With Burt watching them, it was fairly obvious no kissing could occur. Not if Sam wanted to keep his balls Intact.

Sam gently cupped her cheek, gazing deeply into her eyes. Her breath hitched at the sensation of his calloused, yet somehow soft, fingertips. His other arm reached around her waist, the warm hand searing against her thin top. Finley had worn a pink tank top underneath a white fluffy sweater paired with some light wash jeans, pink fuzzy socks, and tan Ugg slippers. Now that she wasn't wearing her cheerios uniform every day, she wore adorable dresses and outfits. Her cuteness only made Sam want her more, as well as every other guy in school. Though they all appreciated the spandex of the cheerleading uniform, Finley always glowed in her own clothes.

Sam slowly slipped his hand underneath the fabric of her tank top, gently caressing her soft skin underneath. Finley gasped at the sensation, causing her to lean in closer to Sam. She rested her hands on his chest and gripped his jacket. Her hair was down, cascading over her shoulder and down her back. Now even closer, Sam was overwhelmed by the floral scent of her perfume. Sweet, just like her.

"Finley," he whispered with desire, causing her blush to deepen. She looked so breathtakingly before him, like a fresh fruit ripe for the taking. His eyes then landed her lips plush, cherry-glossed lips. "Can I kiss you?" He held his breath as he awaited her answer.

Finley noticed and her gaze landed on Sam's own lips. They were soft, she knew. He was always applying chapstick, so she knew they would feel nice against hers. Her last kiss was Jesse, and she was dying to replace the now sad memory. And, she would not lie to herself, she wanted him to kiss her. "Yes."

Finley sighed with content as Sam's lips pressed against hers. They were as soft as she knew they would be. It was an Innocent kiss. Sam made no move to deepen it, and Finley didn't either. It was nice.

Sam's brain was exploding. He was kissing Finley Hudson, and it was Incredible. He knew she wasn't too experienced, and respecting her desire to take things slow, he kept the kiss PG. Her lips were soft and gentle, and she tasted like sugar and cherry lipgloss. Delicious. He groaned lightly into her mouth, and she responded with another content sigh. It was sweet, just like her.

The two broke apart when their server walked up to the table with their food. Finley blushed and refused to look her in the eye, mumbling thank you as she set down their dishes on the table. Sam couldn't stop grinning, which the server found adorable. When she left, Sam relaxed his hold on Finley and motioned for the food. "Let's dig in. I'm starving. You first, Madame"

Finley smiled softly, still processing the kiss, and served herself. She made no effort to kiss Sam again, and he didn't try with her. They enjoyed each other's company as they ate, shifting their conversation toward glee club and the upcoming Regionals.

While Sam talked about his ideas for their set list, Finley let her mind wander a bit. The kiss had been nice. Really nice. But... it was different than when she had kissed Jesse. There was something... missing when she kissed Sam. She didn't understand what, though.

Sam was very attractive, and she knew and appreciated his looks. He was charming and kind and the best boyfriend. They had quickly become McKinley's top couple. She really liked Sam.

So why was she questioning that kiss?

🎵

Finley was walking out of the library when Santana rushed past her in tears. Worried for her friend, Finley turned around and followed her. She found Santana taking solace in an empty classroom, crying by herself. Finley slowly walked in and shut the door, leaving the two alone. "Santana? What's wrong?"

Santana wiped her tears away, sniffling as Finley approached her. "It's nothing," she waved her off.

Finley frowned, hating that her friend was so upset. "You can tell me anything. You know that, Santana. I'm always here for you." Her friend nodded. "But I also understand if being here for you just means a shoulder to cry on." Santana didn't respond, so Finley pulled her into a hug. Santana immediately latched on to her and began weeping into her shoulder. "Oh, Santana. Everything is going to be ok. Whatever it Is, I'm here for you. Always."

After a few minutes, Santana calmed down. She released Finley and looked anywhere but at her as she unveiled her deepest secret- one she had only come to terms with moments ago. "I told Brit that I'm in love with her." Finley kept her face neutral. It wasn't very hard, her having known about all of their not-so-secret rendezvous. Finley had suspected something might come out of their hookups. Besides Finley, Santana was the most protective of Brittany. But Finley was protective of everyone. Santana had only one soft spot, and it was for her.

And based on Santana's weeping now, she knew how her confession worked out. "And she doesn't love you back?" Finley asked softly.

Santana still refused to meet her gaze, too heartbroken and ashamed. "She said loves me, but she also loves Artie and she won't f*cking leave him." Her eyes began to well again with tears at the fact. "I just don't understand why she's choosing him. I thought I meant more to her than that."

"She loves you, Santana," Finley assured her gently. She knew Santana was just hurt, but Finley understood where Brittany was coming from. Things have always been a bit complicated for Brit, and this situation must be so utterly confusing to her. Finley was sure Santana understood that too, but she was hurting from the rejection. "You mean so much to her. With time, this will all be sorted out. Brittany and you will figure out your relationship. I'm sorry this is all happening. The entire ordeal must be so confusing and painful."

Santana nodded, sniffling. "It's pure agony." She walked over to Finley and sat on a desk beside her, finally meeting her gaze. "You've felt this way before, right? When Jesse was with Rachel? Yeah, that was all a ploy to mess with us before Regionals, but you guys had real feelings." A wave of sadness washed over Finley at the mention of his name. "How did you handle it all?"

Finley shrugged, attempting to push down the emotions aching to be set free. "Honestly, I bottled it all up Inside of me. It wasn't healthy at all. Until Puck noticed and cracked me open, I was an utter mess. I was suffering in so much pain, and the only thing that helped was him listening to me as I poured out everything I had been withholding. Only then had I really began to cope at all." Finley smiled, a small ray of sunshine peaking through the dark clouds. "Sometimes all you need is a friend. Like Puck was for me, I am to you if you ever need one. Always."

And through her pain, Santana was finally able to break a smile.

🎵

"Ok, so I really took all of your notes from "My Headband" to heart and I really tapped into my pain for this second song. So come and sit down." Finley and Finn followed Rachel into the choir room where Brad the piano player was already waiting for them. The twins took their seats and Rachel placed a box of tissues into Finley's hands. "These are for you both, just in case. It's pretty emotional. Don't be afraid if you need to."

Finley and Finn shared a blank stare and she put the box into his hands. Finley was unsure of this new song, but she had hopes for Rachel and her abilities. It couldn't be worse than "My Headband," right? 💜

[Rachel]

You've got just one egg

You're not going to make an omelet

Flying just one way

You're not going to make a jet set

Sister, brother, wherefore art thou?

No need for bunk beds in my bedroom now

Oh, she was so, so wrong.

Oh, damn you, Dads

Why did you settle for only me?

I'm an only child

More than enough for them, but not enough for me

Only child, only child, only child

The only Berry on my family tree

Finn and Finley stayed silent as they processed what they just watched. Rachel smiled proudly at her number. "It's called 'Only Child.'"

"Yeah, I got that," Finn said, smiling brightly. Too brightly. "It's better than 'My Headband,' that's for sure."

Finley frowned at the opinion. "No way. 'My Headband,' was superior."

Finn shrugged, agreeing to disagree with his twin. "But it still feels like you're just playing scared," he told Rachel. "You're only dealing with the easy pain. You gotta get to the hard stuff. That's what's relatable to everybody."

Rachel tensed at the advice, hating the subtle dig at her craft. "I'm perfectly capable of accessing my pain! I cry every time I sing a solo."

"Exactly," Finley nodded, supporting her brother. "When you sing, we can feel it. You just have to go Inside of yourself to wherever the singing comes from and write from there." Finley smiled supportively while Rachel pouted, obviously upset at their reactions to her work. "I have to meet Sam. I'll see you both later." Finley waved them both goodbye and walked out, leaving Finn and Rachel alone. She paid no mind to Quinn, who was spying on the two from outside the door.

🎵

The New Directions were upset by the news Mr. Schuester had just delivered. Finley was already in a bad mood. That morning, Kurt's canary from the Warblers Pavarotti died. She promised to help him plan a ceremony to honor him.

Then, Finley opened her locker this morning to find it stuffed with dirt, causing it to completely fall all over her and ruin her outift. Luckily, Rachel had a yellow cotton flare skirt stored in her locker, so Finley could change out of her soiled leggings. Sam had lent Finley a spare clean shirt he had tucked in his gym bag. It was huge on her, but she tied a not in the front to tighten it around her waist. Sam liked how she looked in his clothes. Finley was thankful she had friends to help her. Sue always liked to play dirty.

And now this. Sue, in her longstanding war with the glee club self-titled "World War Sue," had sabotaged the New Directions once again by taking their opportunity to sing My Chemical Romance- one of the top contenders for their set list.

"So, what are we gonna do now?" Mercedes wondered aloud.

"I think we should write original songs for Regionals," Rachel pitched.

Santana rolled her eyes at the suggestion. "All those in favor of voting Rachel down a second time?"

The twins didn't raise their hands while everyone else did, but what surprised them was Quinn standing in support. "No, I think Rachel is right. This team works best when we push ourselves and do something different."

"That's true, but if all the other teams are doing amazing songs, we're not gonna be so good," Mercedes voiced her worries.

"You're right. We're not gonna be as good. We're gonna be better," Quinn said confidently. "We won't be using other people's words or music. It'll be our own. Our own heart, soul, not just our voices. We have a really talented songwriter in our midst," she looked at Rachel. Finley begged to differ, but she kept her mouth shut. She hoped Rachel could find a breakthrough in her writing, and fast. Because songs like "My Headband" and "Only Child" were not going to cut it. "Rachel, I was thinking maybe you and I could write a song together."

"I'm with Quinn and Rachel," Finn said in support. "If these two can agree on something, it's probably an Idea worth considering-"

"Wait, wait, so suddenly you two are writing the music for Regionals?" Santana asked, hating the Idea already. "No way. I think that everyone should get a chance to write a song."

"Santana's right," Finley nodded in agreement. "We can do this."

Mercedes, like everyone else, smiled at the teamwork. "What do you think, Mr. Schue?"

Mr. Schue smiled. "I think we're doing original songs for Regionals."

🎵

Finley had came into school with a better mood the next day. Her locker didn't have dirt or any other Sue-sabotage. Kurt was in a better mood because he was picked to sing a duet with Blaine at Regionals. Finley was so excited and proud of him. The news had instantly lifted her spirits.

They were talking with Mike when Mr. Schue came up to the group with a stack of books. "All right, guys. Let's hear it for our first songwriting seminar." Everyone clapped excitedly. "While Quinn and Rachel are hard at work, we're gonna try to write an anthem of our own. Now, these are rhyming dictionaries for all of you."

Santana raised her hands as he began passing them out. "Mr. Schue? Tina and I have been already working on a song that I wrote."

"Really? That's amazing," Mr. Schue grinned in surprise. "Can we hear it?" Santana nodded and she and Tina walked to the center of the room. Finley was excited to see what genius her friend had come up with.

Tina sat at the piano while Santana took off her white jacket and stood front and center to perform. "This is a song that I wrote for Sam. It's called 'Trouty Mouth,'" she smiled.

Finley's smile Immedietly vanished. Sam's too. "Wait, what's it called?"

Mike leaned over. "Trouty Mouth," he answers unhelpfully.

Finley and Sam shared unhappy looks, but secretly, Finley was dying to hear the song. The notes started out slow, giving the song an almost jazz-like feel. 🩷

[Santana]

Guppy face

Trouty mouth

Is that how people's lips look where you come from in the south?

Finley had to admit, the song was catchy. Beside her, Sam was fuming.

Grouper mouth

Froggy lips

I love sucking on those salamander lips

Sam touched his lips self-consciously. Finley shook her head, assuring him that his lips were not relatable to a salamander's.

Wanna put a fishhook in those lips, so cherry red

If you tried hard enough

You could suck a baby's head, whoo!

Sam had had enough. "Ok, can we stop?" He snapped, refusing to listen to the harassment any longer. "Stop with the mouth jokes."

Santana, angry that she had been Interrupted, glared at him and crossed her arms. "Sit down. I'm not finished."

"Yes, you are!" Sam cried. "Mr. Schue, we're not going a song at Regionals called 'Trouty Mouth.'" Finley began rubbing circles on Sam's back, calming him down a bit. The bit wasn't funny.

Ok, it was a little funny. But she would always support her boyfriend first.

"You know what? I have to agree with Sam on this one," Mr. Schue said. "But such a good first effort. I just don't think it's got the epic feel we need for Regionals."

"Trouty Mouth. Froggy lips!"

"Shut up, god!" Finley giggled as Sam covered his ears hid his face in his knees. The two were sitting in her bedroom. Burt made the two promise to keep the door open. He was in the garage, but he kept coming back in the make sure nothing nefarious was going on between the two. Kurt was rehearsing with Blaine for their duet at Dalton, and Finn out grocery shopping with Carole.

"I'm sorry," Finley apologized weakly, though sincerely. "It's just so catchy. Guppy face. Grouper mouth- hey!" She glared playfully as Sam stole the book out of her lap and tossed it behind him to where she couldn't reach it. "I was reading that! They were finally giving into their obvious desire to kiss each other after being friends for years, Sam!"

Sam smirked at her adorable pout, making her lips look extra plump. He decided he wanted to taste them. Finley noticed the hunger grow in his eyes and she blushed. Sam pressed his lips to hers and she immediately kissed him back. He groaned and tangled his fingers in her hair. Finley kept her hands on his face and neck, kissing softly.

Making out with Sam was fun. Nice.

Sam's head was becoming cloudy with need. Fueled by desire, one of his hands began to wander down her neck, stroking her back, then clutching at her waist. He deepened their kiss, earning a surprised gasp from her. His tongue slid into her mouth and brushed against hers gently.

Finley made a startled noise, and Sam began to pull back when she tentatively leaned into him. He groaned again and clutched her against him, his fingers digging into her soft skin. Kissing Finley like this was euphoric.

Finley liked the way Sam kissed her. She did. And she had no problem with Sam deepening their kiss. Really. in fact, she had no feelings for or against it at all...

Sam's hand traveled from her waist to her bare thigh, Rachel's skirt riding up. The warmth of his palms startled her and she froze. Sam paused, noting her reactions. He hesitantly pulled back and looked into her eyes, as if searching for something.

Finley didn't know what to do. She had no problem with Sam's wandering hands at all. She was enjoying herself, yes. So why did Sam stop?

Something then clicked in Sam's brain. "This Isn't working, is it?"

Finley's brows scrunched with confusion. "What? What do you mean?"

It seemed Sam knew something she didn't. "This. Us." Finley began to shake her head profusely. "You're an amazing girlfriend, Finley. The best one ever."

"And you're the best boyfriend ever," Finley frowned, still confused as to where this was coming from. "You're one of my best friends, Sam."

"And you're one of mine," Sam smiled sadly. "And that's why we're not working." Finley was still so confused. "There's something missing. A certain passion."

"I don't understand," Finley said. "I like kissing you, Sam."

"I know you do. And I like kissing you too. But that's all you feel when we do. Nice." Finley opened her mouth to object, but she realized that he was right. Sam sighed as he watched the look of realization dawn on her. "It's all right, Finley. I'm a big boy. I can handle rejection." Finley was relieved to now understand her confusing thoughts about Sam, but this discovery opened up something sadder within her. Sam's eyes widened with panic as her eyes began to glisten. "Finley, I'm sorry. We don't have to break up. I just think it's for the best, but we won't have to. I just want what's best for you."

Finley sniffled and smiled gratefully at him. That was one thing she loved about Sam. He was so selfless, so caring. "It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

Finley gulped, mustering up the courage to voice her new fear. "I don't want to break up if it means we can't be friends anymore," she whispered.

Sam's own eyes began to tear up as he took in Finley's afraid and hopeless expression. She was worried she would lose him, and that broke his heart. He reached out and pulled her into his embrace. She rested her head on his chest and clutched at his arms like a lifeline. "You'd never lose me, Finley. Never." She could hear the truth ring through his words, and she relaxed into him with relief. Sam was happy to know that he had comforted her in some way. "This is the right thing to do. For both of us."

Finley looked up to meet his gaze. "So, you're breaking up with me?"

"We'll call it mutual," Sam smiled softly.

Finley nodded and cuddled deeper into his chest. "Can I still keep your shirt?"

Sam chuckled. "Of course. I'm still your best friend, Finley. That will never change."

"I love you, Sam."

"I love you, too."

The two stayed cuddled up until Sam had to leave to help his mother tend to his younger siblings. Sam had hoped that things would work out with him and Finley, but he wasn't upset by their split. He would never truly lose Finley, nor would she ever let go of him anyway.

The next morning, the news had been broken to Jacob Ben-Israel. And Finley Hudson was officially on the market again.

🎵

Over the next few days, more of the group presented their written songs. Puck had written one for Lauren called "Big Ass Heart" in an attempt to win her over. It did not. Mercedes wrote one called "Hell to the No" with hints of Inspiration from Aretha Franklin's "Respect."

She has just finished her number when Mr. Schue hesitantly refused it. "That song was amazing, but I'm just not sure that it's right for Regionals." Mercedes glared at that.

"Mr. Schue," Santana raised her hand, "I wrote another verse of 'Trouty Mouth.'" Sam wrote down "hell no" on the back of his notebook and flashed her, which Santana saw. She also saw the text from Finley on her phone a moment later, asking her to send her the newest lyrics.

The only thing that changed between Sam and Finley was their relationship status. They still hung out all the time and teased each other. There was no awkwardness or hard feelings. It was a clean split, and the two were back to being the best of friends.

At least now Finley felt less guilt about singing "Trouty Mouth" 24/7.

"No, no, no. Guys, just think about it," Mr. Schue shook his head. "What's your favorite song of all time?"

"My Headband," Brittany answered.

"Alanis Morrisette's 'You Outta Know,'" Santana said.

"'What's Going On,' Marvin Gaye," Puck added.

"'Dear John,' Taylor Swift," Finley said.

"And what are all those songs about?" Mr. Schue asked everyone.

"Headbands," Brittany answered.

"True," Finley hummed.

Mr. Schue ignored them. "All these songs come from a place of pain. The greatest songs are about hurt. And that's the side of yourselves I want you to get in touch with."

"That should be easy. Coach Sylvester tortures us for no reason and tries to get the entire school to hate us," Artie told everyone.

"Yesterday, she filled Brit's and my locker with dirt," Santana nodded. "And she did it to Finley earlier this week."

"Ok, ok, slow down." Mr. Schue ran to the whiteboard.

"Yesterday, she literally threw sticks at me," Mercedes told him.

"Ok, what else?"

"She called the Ohio Secretary of State saying she was me and that I want to legally change my name to Tina Cohen-Loser," Tina replied.

After processing the news, he wrote "loser" on the board. "How does that make you feel?"

"Well... at first it hurts, but then it mostly makes you wanna win," Finn answered.

"Guys," Mr. Schue smiled. "I think you may have just found your song."

🎵

The New Directions had won Regionals with their original songs, and they were officially on the road to Nationals!

It was a bittersweet victory for the twins. Their win meant Kurt's loss. But he was proud of them and made sure any traces of guilt were washed away as he celebrated their accomplishment.

And now, Finley, Kurt, and Blaine were burying a bejeweled casket in the park. While Sam and Finley were breaking free, Blaine and Kurt had finally gotten together. Kurt had told her after Regionals and she quite literally screamed so loud that Burt heard ringing in his ear.

She would always be the #1 Klaine shipper, and the original.

Finley watched the Pavarotti's casket disappear underneath the dirt as Blaine and Kurt shoveled. "Farewell, Sweet Prince," Kurt sighed.

"I'm so sorry, Kurt," Blaine said. "I know this is really upsetting for you."

"We're here for you, Kurt," Finley told him earnestly. "Pavarotti really was a great bird."

"This reminds you of your mom's funeral, doesn't it?" Blaine asked.

Kurt sniffled. "The casket was bigger, but yes." Finley lightly chuckled at the dark humor. "It's not just that, though. Honestly? I'm upset that we lost at Regionals." Finley knew the comment wasn't a dig at her. Kurt was just voicing his feelings, and she would never fault him for that.

"The competition season's over, but we'll still get to perform," Blaine pointed out in an attempt to make him feel better. "We do nursing home shows all the time. And do you know how many GAPs there are in Ohio? Tons."

"Yeah, I just really wanted to win," Kurt sighed. He then placed a rose on top of the shoveled dirt. Finley then placed a yellow one with it to honor the fallen singer.

"You did win," Blaine smiled. "And so did I. We got each other out of all this. That beats a lousy trophy, don't you think?" Finley rolled her eyes at the mention of said-trophy, knowing it wasn't lousy at all.

Blaine reached out his hand and laced his and Kurt's fingers together. The two smiled lovingly at each other, happy to finally have each other so deeply.

Kurt jumped in surprise when he heard the loud click of a camera. "Finley!"

"Sorry," she winced. "It's your first official boyfriend. I promised Mom I would document it- Hey, give me that back! it's my only camera!"

Chapter 20: PROM

Chapter Text

[ 2.20 ]

🖤 Finley & Jesse | "Rolling in the Deep" - Adele

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙒𝙀𝙀𝙆𝙎 𝙒𝙀𝙉𝙏 𝘽𝙔, and lots of drama unfolded.

Brittany and Artie broke up. Quinn and Finn got back together. Ms. Pillsbury and Carl ended their engagement.

Kurt rejoined the New Directions, thanks to Santana's scheming. And she's now dating Karofksy, apparently. Santana and Brittany's relationship still hasn't been defined. At the moment, they're barely even friends.

Quinn, Santana, Lauren, and Finley were nominated for junior prom queen. Finley didn't care about the title, so she left the campaigning to the other three. She was still grateful for the nomination, but told everyone to vote for one of her other nominated friends.

Sam and his family had been having a rough time at home financial-wise and were forced to move into a motel. Finley was the first to find out, and she had helped out in any way she could. Without cheerios practice, she had more free time. Quinn and Kurt eventually found out and helped out as well, and Sam was eternally grateful for his friends. When everyone else finally learned the news, they all rallied around Sam and helped him out.

Sam and Finley's relationship was as good as ever. His siblings were confused about the logistics since they were so young. They loved Finley and were sad to learn that she and Sam weren't together anymore, but after being reassured nothing was changing between the two, they were happy. As long as Finley came over and played with them, they didn't care if Finley and Sam were dating or not.

As Nationals approached, so did prom. With it only a week away, the glee club was stressing about prom queen voting and finding outfits.

"I've been to Ann Taylor, Loft, Filene's Basem*nt, and like six Forever 21s, and I cannot find a dress that fits. I'm gonna be forced to make my own dress for prom," Lauren ranted as she, Santana, Brittany, and Finley walked into the choir room for rehearsal.

"Don't. You'll look poor," Brittany told her.

"You're up for queen. You can't make your own prom dress," Santana grimaced. "Prom is like our Oscars. It's like the most important night of our lives."

"What about getting married?" Lauren asked.

"Oh, you can get married as many times as you want. You only have one shot at your junior prom," Quinn cut in.

"What are you guys talking about?" Mercedes asked as she found her seat.

"Prom dresses," Finley answered.

"Thank god I don't have to worry about that. I'm not going," Mercedes said, crossing her arms.

"Why not?" Kurt asked.

"Because nobody's asked me," Mercedes replied, grumbling.

Mr. Schuester grabbed everyone's attention, beginning the day's lesson. "All right, guys. Prom."

"Please tell me we're not going songs about prom," Sam groaned.

"Nope. We are the prom," Mr. Schue told them with a smile. "Figgins has asked us to perform."

"Let's do 'Run, Joey, Run,'" Rachel suggested, making everyone blanche at the thought.

Mr. Schue ignored her. "Now, I know this isn't Ideal with Nationals coming up, but we really don't have a choice. And we could really use the money. But I know that prom is a special rite of passage. I wanna make sure that all of you guys get a chance to enjoy the dance too. So, we're gonna stagger the performances so that each and every one of you has a lot of time to dance with your dates."

Mercedes stood up. "Excuse me," she said quietly before walking out of the choir room. Finley and Sam shared a worried look for their friend.

"Is she ok?" Mr. Schue questioned.

"Mercedes doesn't have a date for prom," Quinn answered.

"So? I don't have a date," Brittany shrugged. "I'm just gonna dance, then all you're dates are going to Ignore you and come dance with me. So your dates are really my dates."

"I'm gonna go talk to Mercedes," Finley said, jumping out of her seat and walking out.

Kurt stood to join, but Rachel stopped him. "No. Let me." Kurt sat back down and Rachel followed Finley. Together, they approached Mercedes. "Hey." Mercedes glanced between the two girls and nodded in acknowledgment.

"You know, I don't have a date to prom either," Rachel told her gently.

Mercedes sighed, allowing her real hurt to show through. "You know, I know that I talk a good game about not needing a man, and I don't. I just really wanted to take a date to the prom. I want the dress. And the guy. The damn corsage." Finley's heart broke at the hopelessness in Mercedes's voice.

"Somebody still may ask you," Rachel said weakly.

"It's this Saturday," Mercedes pointed out. "You know, I just wanted to be Cinderella. Just for one night. One night where a guy would look at me under those corny crepe-paper streamers and say, 'You look so beautiful.' Then he'd grab my hand and ask me to dance. Isn't that what prom is supposed to be about?"

Finley hated seeing Mercedes so sad. She was going to fix this. And she already had a plan forming. "You're not going to prom alone," she told Mercedes, determined. "You'll go with me and Sam. And Rachel. You both can join us. We can be a group of four." Rachel smiled, liking the Idea.

"That's depressing," Mercedes sniffed, unconvinced.

That evening, Finley pulled Sam by his hand on the stage in the auditorium where Rachel and Mercedes were waiting. "Is this a surprise party or something? Because my birthday was last week," Sam said as he allowed himself to be dragged.

Finley giggled at his silliness. "I know, Sam. I celebrated with you, remember? I brought the chocolate cake?"

"Oh, right." Sam smiled at the memory. "Thanks again for that, by the way. It was a great birthday."

"To answer your question, no. I actually have a proposition for you," Finley told him. "Well, me, Rachel, and Mercedes." She nodded for Mercedes to explain.

"We were wondering if you'd like to go to prom with us. All of us," Mercedes asked.

"Kind of like a four-way date, but not the dirty kind," Rachel explained. "Finley said you guys were going as friends, and we were hoping you would be open to adding more friends to that mix."

"So? What do you think?" Finley asked, her eyes pleading.

Sam wasn't going to say no anyway, but those eyes sealed the deal. "That sounds great," he said worriedly. "But I barely have enough money to take Finley, and she's paying for most of the stuff. I don't know how I'm going to take three."

"Don't worry about that," Rachel assured him, she then held up a stack of cash the girls had all contributed to. "This is our prom budget."

"You're going to have to borrow a suit from your dad and Rachel and I are going to buy $5 dresses down at the goodwill, and we're gonna make our own corsages from my mom's garden," Mercedes explained the plan.

"And we can walk to prom and then use what's left to get the $8.99 all-you-can-eat pasta special at Breadstix," Rachel added.

"I already bought my dress months ago with Mom and Kurt, so all my money in here is going to just us," Finley told him, beaming with excitement. "So... Will you go with us? All of us?"

Sam smiled at the three girls, his heart so full that they wanted to experience this with him. "It would be an honor."

🎵

"And that's why the first Twilight movie will always be the best one." Mike had already ditched the conversation, having heard enough about the vampire franchise from his girlfriend. He didn't need to hear Finley's rambling on it too. Artie, however, was intrigued by the conversation. He agreed himself that the blue tint of the film added a unique perspective to the viewer during the film.

Their conversation got cut short when Puck walked up to them. "Hey, Finley, Artie," he greeted them. "So, since you don't have a date to prom now, I was hoping you could help me out with Operation Punch and Judy." Finley rolled her eyes at Puck, but he was focused on Artie. "Every year at McKinley, they crown a king and a queen at the prom. But there's a shadow world, a dark community of trouble makers that crown the prom anti-king."

"You're planning on that being you?" Artie asked skeptically. Finley was confused as well.

Puck nodded. "My street cred's in the gutter. If I actually win prom king with Lauren, I'll never be able to rebuild my reputation as a lovable but dangerous miscreant. I have to spike Coach Sylvester's punch."

"No, Puck," Finley whined. "If she catches you, she's going to kill you."

Artie was intrigued. "What does this have to do with me?"

"I'm prime suspect #1. Coach Sylvester won't let me within 10 feet of that bowl," Puck explained.

"Shocker," Finley mumbled.

Puck ignored her and continued, "When she grabs me, I'll create a diversion with my sweet dance moves. She'll be mesmerized, hypnotized by my love dance. That's when you'll sneak in behind us and pour a bottle of him in the bowl. Awesome, right?"

Finley raised her brow, unimpressed. "That is the worst plan I have ever heard."

Puck swatted her back, making her roll her eyes. "So, are you in as my assistant badass?" He asked Artie, his eyes shining with hope.

Artie grimaced apologetically. "Look, I'm sorry. While I admire your bad-boy villainy, and, yes, long for the day when I'm similarly cool, I don't think spiking the prom hooch will impress Brittany enough. There's gotta be a sure fire way for her to both forgive me and accept my prom proposal. There's gotta be." Artie then rolled away, leaving Puck and Finley in the hallway.

Finley turned to Puck and gave him her best serious face. "Listen to me, Noah Puckerman. Do. Not. Spike. That. Punch bowl. Got it?" All she got in response was a smirk, and then he sauntered off. Finley shut her eyes and groaned. "Stupid boys." With a huff, she then made her way to the auditorium.

She was familiar with the members of the audiovisual club, and they had booked the auditorium for that afternoon. When Finley has asked if she could come in for a bit and rehearse some songs for prom, they gladly let her. No one could say no to Angel Finley Hudson.

When she walked in, she greeted everyone and set up her things at the piano. The club was working on some sets for their latest project. "Thank you all again so much for letting me practice here. If I'm ever too much of a bother, please let me go and I will gladly leave. Feel free to kick me out whenever."

The president of the club who she knew through her science class, a dorky guy named Henry, waved her off. "Please, stay as long as you need. We'll let you know if anything comes up. You're always welcome, Finley." Finley smiled gratefully at their friendliness. "So, what are you gonna work on?"

Finley took out her sheet music and showed them. "I may possibly sing this song at prom."

"Adele. Nice," Henry whistled. "You want some feedback or anything?"

"That would be amazing, actually," Finley nodded. "If it's no trouble."

He shook his head. "None at all. Right, guys?" He looked at his other club members and they all nodded, smiling supportively at Finley. "Take it away, Ms. Hudson."

Finley giggled at the formality and walked over to the piano. She sat down on the bench and took a deep breath before singing the opening lines to Adele's "Rolling in the Deep." 🖤

[Finley]

There's a fire startin' in my heart

Reachin' a fever pitch and it's bringin' me out the dark

Finley opened her mouth to sing the next line when a voice she hadn't heard in months echoed through the auditorium, smooth as always.

[Jesse]

Finally, I can see you crystal-clear

Go ahead and sell me out, and I'll lay your ship bare

There he was in all his glory, standing at the auditorium's entrance in the audience. Finley felt her heart skip a beat.

See how I'll leave with every piece of you

Don't underestimate the things that I will do

There's a fire startin' in my heart

Reachin' a fever pitch and it's bringin' me out the dark

Finley's heart began to beat faster and faster as Jesse began making his way toward the stage. She didn't know what to do, what she should do.

He was staring at her so intensely, she felt as if his eyes were burning holes into her skin. His voice had a certain growl. It was driving her crazy with its madness.

The scars of your love remind me of us

They keep me thinkin' that we almost had it all

The scars of your love, they leave me breathless

I can't help feelin'

Jesse jumped, and he was suddenly on the stage. Finley's hands began to tremble as he got closer and closer. Then, he was right in front of her, his eyes staring deeply into hers.

She didn't know what to say, or even if there was something she could. So she sang.

[both]

We could have had it all

Rollin' in the deep

You had my heart inside your hand

And you played it

To the beat

He looked good. Really good.

Finley shut her eyes to try and block him out of her system, but them she was overwhelmed by the familiar scent of his musk cologne. It was so purely Jesse that she had to open her eyes, unable to withstand it any longer.

Even after all these months, he still had this affect on her.

[Jesse]

Throw your soul through every open door

[Finley]

Count your own blessings to find what you look for

[Jesse]

Turn my sorrow into treasured gold

[Finley]

Pay me back in kind and reap just what you sow

[both]

Yeah, we could have had it all

We could have had it all

It all, it all, it all

It had been months since he had seen her face, held her hand, caressed her skin, inhaled her scent.

And now she was there, in front of him, looking as angelic as ever. His angel of music.

After months of no contact, he was dying to touch her. He extended his hand out to her, praying she would allow him to intwine their fingers once more.

He tried to cover up his hurt, knowing he well deserved it, as she turned her back on him and instead getting out of her seat and walking to the far side of the stage. Walking away from him.

He couldn't help but follow her, and soon he was standing so close that his breath brushed against her neck. He was surrounded by her floral perfume, and he wanted nothing more than to bury his nose into her soft hair.

[Jesse]

Aye!

[both]

You could have had it all

Rollin' in the deep

You had my heart inside your hands

Finley finally tuned around and met his gaze, her deep brown eyes gazing into his ocean blue. She was every bit as beautiful as he remembered.

And you played and you played and you played and you played it to the beat

The two just stared at each other, gasping for air. The atmosphere was cackling with tension, with anger, with... desire.

Jesse then slipped into one of his charming smirks. "It's good to see you again, Finley."

At the sound of her name falling of his tongue, her throat went completely dry. "Jesse," she whispered. She cleared her throat, gaining more confidence, though not much under his stare. "What are you doing here?"

The two sat in the audience as to not be overheard by the audiovisual club. Finley was sitting in a seat while Jesse faced her by balancing on the tops of the seats a row below. After him breaking the news that he was kicked out of UCLA and listening to him rant all about their no-class-skipping policy, Finley felt a bit more comfortable around him. Though not by much. There was still that heaviness in the air. Resentment clung to her as she stared at the man who had refused to acknowledge her existence for months.

Once he finished explaining his school situation, Finley asked again more pointedly, "What are you doing here, Jesse? Here, back in Lima." She needed answers.

"I came back for you, Finley." He was gazing so deeply into her eyes that she felt like their ocean was swallowing her whole. She shook her head to pull out of his stupor. "What I did to you... that's my one great regret."

Finley refused to let his soft gaze penetrate the wall she had been building for months against Jesse St. James. She would not allow herself to fall for his charms. Not again. "Which one? The one where you transferred schools and joined our glee club just to betray us in the end? Or the one where you got angry at me for doing something I had every right to do, and then gave me the silent treatment for months without considering my feelings at all? I mean, one day you were telling me that you loved me, and then the next you and your team were inexplicably throwing eggs at me. Well, at Rachel. One hit me though."

Jesse shut his eyes, his guilt clawing at him. Her voice was so cold to him. Any warmth she had once exuded was gone in his presence. And it was all his fault. If he had truly lost Finley, it was all his own doing. And he would be forced to live with that.

"I know. I know," he sighed. "I traded love for a fourth consecutive national championship. It was a bum deal. For a first, maybe, but for a fourth, no way." Finley couldn't stop the small smile that grew on her face at the weak joke.

When she noticed that Jesse saw her smile, she immediately replaced it with a frown. "And for your silent treatment?" She asked, raising her brow.

Jesse shifted his weight to better face Finley. The movement caused his knee to brush against one of hers, and she quickly moved it out of the way. Jesse noticed but made sure not to react though it made him sad. "I've come to make amends." He waited for Finley to yell, scream, shout, hit him. But she didn't. She didn't say anything. Her eyes narrowed with suspicion, but her silence felt like a cue for him to continue. "So... what are you doing for prom?"

Finley shook her head in disbelief. "You know about that?"

"Of course I do," Jesse nodded like it was just a fact. "And that you don't have a date."

Finley's brows rose in surprise. "Keeping tabs on me now? I figured, considering how you've treated me the past few months, that you had cut me out completely from your life. And how do you even know that?"

"You and Sam broke up," he said, as if it answered the question.

Finley rolled her eyes and stood up, making Jesse's anxiety spike. He had hoped, prayed that their reunion would end with her accepting him as her date. Oh, how wrong was he was. "Thanks for stopping by to see me, Jesse. I hope your stay in Lima is enjoyable." She then walked out, leaving him alone in the audience. He watched with deep regret as his heart disappeared in the white light of the exit.

He had lost her. God, he was such an Idiot.

"You're an Idiot." It seemed others agreed. Jesse glanced back to see the audiovisual club watching him with disappointment. One guy in particular was standing with his hands on his hips and was shaking his head down at him. He must be their leader or something. "We have a good enough Idea of what you put Finley through last year through Jacob Ben-Israel, as well as the entire school. None of us like you here, you know."

Now Jesse was angry. Not only was fate, her family, and her friends against him, but all of McKinley? Winning her back would be harder than he thought. "No one asked you," he glared at the club.

The club leader rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Look, Jesse St. James, if you want Angel Finley Hudson back, you need to do more than just show up out of the blue after she and her ex break up hoping she'll take you back. That's pretty pathetic, man." The rest of the club murmured in agreement.

"You're pathetic," he retorted like a child. Then he stomped out of the auditorium.

If Finley wasn't going to let him in, he needed another way. He had broken into their group once before. He could do it again.

He stopped when he saw another familiar face standing at her locker in the hallway.

He could do it the same way as he did before. Rachel Berry.

🎵

Finley was agitated as she and Finn caught up to Rachel in the hall. Mercedes had just told her the news, and Finley was none too pleased. Neither was Finn at the prospect.

"So, I heard a nasty rumor that Jesse St. James is back in town," Finn said innocently as the twins flanked her sides.

"And I also heard that he is going to be your date," Finley then said, gawking in disbelief. "You let him join our prom-on-a-budget with Sam and Mercedes without consulting me, the one person who you should have asked first?"

Rachel shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal, making Finley only more upset. "He's gonna be in town for a while, and he asked if he could come. I'm not sure what's going to come of it. Also, I assumed you would say no."

"Of course I would say no," Finley snapped, glaring at her. Rachel winced at her fury.

Finn stepped in, taking a more gentle approach to make her see reason. "Look, I just don't trust him. Everything between Finley and Jesse aside, don't you remember what he did to you?"

Rachel then stopped and whipped around to face the twins. "You can't tell me what to do anymore, ok?" She snapped. "If I want to take Jesse, or anyone to prom for that matter, it stopped being your business when you broke up with me." She then turned to Finley. "And having an extra guy there will allow Sam more time to spend with you and Mercedes since he doesn't have to worry about me. Mercedes gets more of her Cinderella fairy tale than before."

One thing that did lighten her spirits about prom was that Blaine was going. With Kurt.

The Hudson-Hummel children were sitting with Blaine and Burt in the living room to discuss the logistics. "So, you think it's cool if I jam with you guys at prom?" Blaine asked for the tenth time.

Finley rolled her eyes and smiled. "Yes, Blaine. Of course you can join us."

"Yeah, totally," Finn agreed.

"Good news, boys and girl," Burt said. "My buddy Enzo from the tux rental shop is giving you half off." Finley clapped with excitement, happy plans were already beginning to work out. "So, what are you gonna go with?"

"I'm going simple," Blaine answered. "Black, thin-lapel collar, very discreet."

"Hot," Finley grinned, making Blaine chuckle.

"Know what I wore to my prom?" Burt asked. "I wore a power-blue tux with a ruffled shirt, and a big velour bow tie. Looked like Tony Orlando."

"Who?" Finley blinked.

"Was that a designer?" Blaine questioned, also unaware of who Burt was referring to.

"No," Burt answered, smiling at the memories.

"No need for half off my outfit." Kurt then emerged from the hallway wearing a black dropped suit jacket paired with a mid-length black skirt and skinny dress pants underneath. He had on a white collard shirt and a black bow tie underneath, as well as suspenders. On his feet were a pair of knee-high black leather boots.

"Because half of it is already off?" Burt joked.

"My ensemble is an homage to the recent royal wedding and the late Alexander McQueen," he answered seriously. "I had to make it myself. There's simple nothing off the rack that is suitable for the young, fashionable man in Ohio," he huffed."

"Dude, that rocks!" Finn praised. "It's like gay Braveheart."

"I absolutely am obsessed with this," Finley gaped in awe. She loved Kurt's sense of style, and this was just so Kurt. It was everything and then some. Genius is what it was.

"Thank you," Kurt preened. He then spun around to show Finley, making her clap as she admired the ensemble.

Burt then sighed. "I don't like it." The kids frowned.

"Of course you don't like it," Kurt scoffed. "It's not finished yet. I think it still needs, like, a sash or maybe some beads."

"Sparkles!" Finley gasped. "Sparkles and pearls and shiny things!" Kurt nodded at the Idea/

"I'm not gonna stop you from wearing it, but I gotta be honest, I think you're trying to stir the pot a little bit," Burt said. The energy in the room suddenly darkened. "I think you're trying to get some attention."

"Exactly," Kurt nodded at the dumb statement. "What's the point of dressing up? I mean, that's why some guys wear the tails with the top hat and the girls wear the hoop skirts. Blaine, help me out here."

Finley and Finn shifted uncomfortably in their seats on the couch as Blaine grimaced. "I think your dad has a point." Kurt stared at Blaine in surprise. "I think what he's trying to say is that we just don't want to give anyone a reason to cause any trouble." Finley and Finn had to admit, Burt had a point.

"There's a lot of bad people out there, Kurt. And they're a lot worse than this Karofsky kid. And all they're looking for is a match to light under their fire of hate." Finley watched with an aching heart as Kurt's once excited expression fell to disappointment. "Now, of course, I want you to be yourself. But... I also want you to be practical."

Kurt glanced at everyone, his eyes landing on Finley last. He saw the support in her eyes, and it gave him strength. "Ok, I have done everything right. Now, Blaine, I understand that, after what you've been through, you're worried. But prom is about joy, not about fear. So I'm wearing this suit. I worked hard on it, and I think it's fantastic. And if you don't want to join me, I completely understand."

He then left the room, and Finley soon followed after, leaving the boys to sit and think.

🎵

Finley couldn't stop smiling as Kurt applied the finishing touches to her makeup. Sam, Mercedes, Blaine, and the rest of the family were waiting downstairs. Finley knew that Finn had to leave to pick up Quinn soon, but Kurt would not be hurried.

He was wearing his bespoke ensemble, and Finley was glad. It was so perfect for him, and he was so proud of it. She would not let anyone dim his shine. He was practically glowing, he was so happy to wear it.

"And, done!" Kurt put down the highlighter he was dusting on her cheeks and the two looked at his vanity mirror to admire his work.

Finley couldn't help but gape at her reflection. Kurt had kept the makeup natural per her request. Her had dusted a shimmery nude pink eyeshadow on her eyelids, and put a thick mascara that made her eyes pop. A faint blush kissed her cheeks and the highlight sharpened her cheekbones while also making her appear more angelic with its glow. She had a beige pink lip with a shimmery lip gloss on top. She looked beautiful. She felt beautiful.

Finley jumped from the vanity chair and pulled Kurt into a tight hug, making him grunt at the impact. "Thank you, Kurt. It's perfect."

"Of course," he preened at the praise. "The soft makeup really brings attention to your natural beauty. It's soft and sweet, just like your hair and your dress and your shoes and your jewels and, well, you." Kurt then for her hair and fluffed it out. He had curled soft curls into her hair that cascaded down her back. They were more natural than the tight curls she had when she was on the cheerios, but they would still hold for the night. He then took her hands in his and stepped back to scan the rest of her ensemble.

She had gold jewelry on with light pink gems on them. She had a pair of sparkling studs on her ears, and a gold necklace with a small gold flower in the center of her chest. She had a simple gold wring that looked like a vine on the middle finger of her right hand. All of the jewelry was borrowed from her mother, who was thrilled to lend them.

Carole and Kurt had also helped Finley pick out her dress from a sale at a local boutique. It was a light pink dress made out of chiffon with spaghetti straps and a v-neckline that showed a hint of her chest, but not too much that Burt would have another heart attack. The dress was fairly simple. The fabric had faint flowers on it, but they could only be seen if you got really close and had a light. It had a floor-length, a-line skirt with a thigh split that hit halfway above the knee. To show off her toned legs, Kurt had chose a pair of 3-inch pale pink, thin, scrappy heels for her to wear.

Luckily, Finley loved heels, so there wasn't an issue.

Kurt sighed dreamily as he stared at his beloved sister. "I think it's time to show everyone." Finley nodded, excited yet a bit nervous to see their reactions. "This way, milady." Finley followed Kurt down the stairs and made her wait so he could introduce her.

Kurt walked into the living room to see everyone waiting excitedly. "Finally! is our girl ready?" Burt asked, impatient to see his daughter.

Kurt nodded excitedly and motioned for the staircase. "Gentlemen, Carole, and Mercedes, may I present to you, our angel Finley."

Her heels clicked on the wood floor as Finley walked into the living room. She was smiling as she did a little twirl, showing off her outfit. "So? What do you think?" She watched as both her parents eyes suddenly began to tear up. Finley began to panic. "What's wrong? What is it? Does it look bad?" She began to search for what could be causing them to cry.

"No, no, no!" Burt shouted, making her jump in surprise at his urgency. "No, sweetie. You look... you look beautiful."

Finley blushed as all of her previous anxiety vanished. "Really?" She asked shyly, glancing at everyone else.

Carole nodded, her hands now wiping at the tears falling down her cheeks. "Baby girl, you are so beautiful. I have dreamed of this moment. I just can't believe..." Finley rushed up to her mom and pulled her into a tight hug. Her hug only seemed to spur on more tears. "My babies are growing up. Soon you'll be getting ready for your senior prom, then your graduation, then leaving for college- oh god!"

"Mom!" Finn exclaimed. "Slow down! Let Finley breathe!"

Carole realized that she was basically squeezing the living breath out of her daughter and released her. "Sorry, sweetie. I'm just feeling really emotional right now."

"It's ok, Mom," she assured her with understanding. She then turned to the rest of the group. "So... Finn, Blaine, Sam, Mercedes, thoughts?"

"Wow, sis. You look gorgeous," Finn praised, feeling his own heart flutter with emotion.

"Thanks, Finn," she beamed. "You look really good too." Finn, just like Blaine and Sam, was wearing a simple yet clean black tux.

"Thanks," he grinned. "Well, I gotta go pick up Quinn. I'll see you guys there." He waved goodbye to everyone and pressed a quick kiss to Finley's cheek before heading out the door.

"You really are stunning, Finley. A vision," Blaine agreed, smiling warmly at her. "Every guy will be so incredibly jealous of Sam."

Finley giggled and rolled her eyes. "Please. If anything, they'll be jealous because I have this model on my arm." Finley than grabbed Mercedes's hand and spun her, making her laugh. Mercedes was in a strapless purple-fuscia gown with rhinestones all over the front. "You look amazing, Mercedes."

"You too," Mercedes told her. "And we have our dashing man beside us." She motioned for Sam to join them. "So, what do you think, Sam?"

Sam couldn't stop staring at Finley. She looked so beautiful, so sweet, so perfect. He was so lucky that she would be on his arm that night. "Absolutely beautiful, Finley. You are... so freaking beautiful."

She blushed even redder at his praise. "Thank you, Sam." There would also be that connection between them, but it was nothing more than platonic now. But even he had the ability to make Finley blush. It was his charming good lucks, that's what.

Kurt and Blaine had taken a hundred photos for Carole while the trio talked. Once they were done, the parents made sure to get a hundred more. Then they were off to Breadstix.

They three walked in to find Jesse and Rachel already at a booth waiting for them. Rachel had decided that it would be best if she and Jesse got ready on their own. Much to Jesse's disappointment, Finley had agreed.

He sat, silently stirring with anxiety, as he and Rachel waited for the rest of their prom group to show up. He had Ideas of what Finley would look like when she walked in the door. Stunning, of course. Perhaps a blue dress, or a red one, or a purple one. Maybe she would have white on like a blushing bride, or a black like a devious swan.

When she walked in, he felt the breath leave his lungs. She was every bit as beautiful as he dreamed, and then some. The pink was so... her. She looked so precious, so delicate, like a flower and its petals.

He finally regained some of his senses, though just barely, as she, Mercedes, and Sam approached the table. He masked his anxious, and frankly desperate, state with a relaxed and cool persona. He wouldn't let Finley see how worried and insecure he was. To win her back, he needed confidence.

Thankfully, Rachel broke any awkwardness that could immediately rise as the trio approached. "Mercedes, can I just say that you look fierce in your dress?" Rachel praised.

Jesse smiled in agreement, staying chill. "Totally, Mercedes."

"And you, Finley! You are so gorgeous. That dress was made for you," Rachel gasped, staring at her friend. Rachel also had on a pink dress, but it was mid-calf length and had no straps." Jesse couldn't stop staring at her if he tried. She shone so brightly, all he could see was her.

"Thanks," Finley said bashfully. "Kurt did the alterations to make sure it fit perfectly."

"Hey, what about me?" Sam pouted playfully.

"Handsome," Rachel replied. Finley nodded in agreement, making Sam grin with delight. He motioned for the girls to enter the booth, and Finley slid in.

Their booth was curved to fit the five of them. Jesse was on the edge, Rachel beside him, luckily providing a barrier. Finley was sat in the middle, Sam then Mercedes slid in. "You both look smoking," he complimented the trio, trying to avoid looking at Finley. He failed.

"You're damn straight we do," Mercedes nodded.

"Seriously, though, Jesse, what do you think of the bolo tie? Pretty cool, right? I saw it in Springsteen on the cover of Tunnel of Love album wearing it," Sam asked.

Rachel attempted to smile, but it came out more like a grimace. Mercedes looked away, making sure Sam couldn't see her face. Finley was suddenly very interested in her ring. Jesse tightly smiled, not wanting to offend Sam since that would upset everyone, even though seeing him sitting so close to Finley made him want to burn the city to ashes.

"Dude, that was like 20 years ago." Finley glanced up quickly, sending him a quick glare. The message was loud and clear. Don't mess with Sam. The energy had become awkward. He chuckled nervously and turned the conversation toward a more genuine topic. "I'm really sorry to hear about what happened with your family, Sam."

Finley and Sam shared the same surprised look, then turned back to Jesse. Rachel explained. "I hope it's ok. I sort of filed Jesse in on what was going on."

Before Sam or Finley could say anything, Jesse nodded, "of course it's ok." Finley raised her brow, unimpressed with his actions and for even thinking it was appropriate of him to bring up Sam's situation. "Sam has nothing to be ashamed of. I know how tough it is out there." Finley noted how Sam shifted uncomfortably beside her, embarrassed. What had been only bitterness toward Jesse had turned to anger. He had no right to even know about Sam, much less speak on it. Finley clenched her jaw, holding in the words she was dying to spit at him, and grabbed Sam's hand in comfort. Mercedes rubbed his shoulder as well, helping Sam relax a little, but not much. "I couldn't even get a job as one of those singing waiters at Johnny Rockets. But, I've got an Idea." That intrigued the group. "They say that the best time to start any business is during a recession." Finley blinked at the falsity of the statement. "I don't know why, or even what a recession is, but it's my understanding that we're in one."

Finley raised her brow, unimpressed. Rachel's expression was the opposite. She gaped at Jesse like he was a genius. "He's so smart. I can't believe he flunked out of college," she told the trio.

He would know what a recession was if he actually went to class, Finley thought to herself.

Jesse continued, "So, I was thinking, what are the two things that I'm great at? Show choir and destroying the competition. So, what if I open up a dance studio where I could act as a consultant for show choirs looking to get that extra edge." Rachel practically melted beside him, as if the words coming out of his mouth were intelligent prose.

"Do you think there are enough show choirs to keep you in business?" Mercedes asked, skeptical of the Idea.

"Of course there are. That's a brilliant Idea!" Rachel gasped. "You could be like the show-choir whisperer."

Jesse and Rachel laughed while the trio stared at them awkwardly. "Or he could just become a show choir director," Finley mumbled loud enough for Mercedes and Sam to hear. They both nodded in agreement. She Ignored how her chest seemed to tighten as his laughter rung beside her.

"I'm sure we can get Mr. Schue to hire him," Rachel said excitedly. "That's how we could beat Vocal Adrenaline."

Before the group could react, Quinn and Finn walked up. "Hey, guys. You look amazing!" Quinn complimented, smiling widely. "And don't forget to vote for Hudson-Fabray tonight."

"You look stunning, Quinny-bear," Finley gasped, taking in the stunning ensemble of her friend. Quinn wore a blue dress that sparkled in the light with tule straps and an a-line skirt. "You look like Cinderella."

"Thanks, Finley. You look amazing yourself. An absolute princess," Quinn praised. "Can I count on your vote?"

Finley shrugged. "I'll see how I feel when I get my ballot." Quinn tightly smiled, but nodded in acceptance. She didn't want to make Finley choose between her friends. She hoped having her twin as her running mate would tip the scales a bit.

Finley then looked at her brother to see him grinning smugly at Jesse and Rachel. "Hey, Jesse. What'd you order? Scrambled eggs? I know you usually like them served on people heads." Rachel stared in horror at Finn's dig, but Finley couldn't help the giggle that slipped through. Finn's grin only grew at her reaction.

Jesse maintained his cool, though inside he was absolutely raging. Not only was he being forced to be subjected to Sam and Finley's obvious connection, but now her brother was here insulting him. He turned to Quinn, helping calm him down. Though only a bit. "Quinn, you look stunning. The ghost of Grace Kelly," he complimented. "Let me know if you get tired of your boyfriend stomping on your little feet all night. I'll be more than happy to cut in." Finley's eyes widened at his own roast.

Luckily, Mercedes stepped in. "Ok, hush, you guys. You're totally ruining the vibe. Quinn, you look got. Finn, you look handsome. I love you guys, but get lost. We'll see you there." Quinn nodded and pulled Finn away, him staring daggers back at Jesse. "Ok, this is gonna be off the hook."

"Who's ready for some prom?" Sam added excitedly.

"Yes!" Finley cheered, raising her hand in a cheer. Her hand was still in Sam's, so the went up together. Jesse's eyes locked on their embrace, and he filled the fire inside him simmering again. instead of releasing each other, they set their interlaced hands on the table for the entire world to see.

Jesse wanted nothing more than to scream and lunge at Jesse from across the table. But making a scene would only upset Finley and result in them getting kicked out of Breadstix. Not only would it make it harder for him to get Finley back, but he didn't want to ruin her big night. The last thing he wanted to do was ruin her prom.

And so he sat there, grinding his jaw and smiling stiffly though the pain and anger as Sam and Finley laughed with each other and chatted with their friends. Finley never addressed Jesse directly, but would always listen to him replies in conversation.

Because that was just who she was. The kindest, purest soul.

After dinner, which had lightened up thanks to their light conversations, the group went to prom. Sam, Artie, and Puck were the first act up for the night, so Finley hung back with Mercedes while Jesse took Rachel to the dance floor. The two girls had fun as h they danced without a care in the world.

Kurt and Blaine showed up about halfway through the number, and the girls made their way over to them. To finish the song, Kurt took Mercedes in his arms and Blaine pulled Finley to him. Finley was having a blast! Mike and Tina had joined them for a bit, humbling all their own dance moves. Finley was thankful Brittany was busy dancing closer to the stage. She would make all of them look like fools.

When Sam finished his number, he joined the group of four and they all danced together as friends, having the time of their lives. Finley had seen Artie and Puck sneaking about, and had decided to Ignore them. If Coach Sylvester murdered them, they would be the only ones to blame.

After Finley's number of singing Taylor Swift's "Love Story" to the crowd, prompting the school to cheer for as if she was the internationally famous pop star, Sam met her on the dance floor. "You were amazing, as always," he complimented.

"Thank you," Finley beamed. "You can never go wrong with Taylor Swift." Mercedes was talking to Santana to the side, leaving Finley and Sam alone.

Sam smiled warmly and extended his hand. "Would you accept my offer for a dance, charmed lady?"

Finley giggled as his silliness. She placed her hand on his. "Of course, my good sir. I would be the most honored." Sam swept her into his arms and placed both of his hands on her waist, leaving Finley to reach up and wrap her around his neck. The number being performed was another upbeat, romantic song. It wasn't a slow dance, and they didn't treat it as one. They were jumping and singing and just being best friends.

But Jesse didn't see it that way. His eyes narrowed in on Sam's hands placed on Finley's delicate waist. And he wanted to pummel Sam's face into the ground.

He felt Rachel's arms stroke his chest, and he broke his gaze away to see her beadily smiling up at him. He plastered on a smirk, hoping she didn't see the pain and anger in his eyes. He placed his own hands on Rachel's waist and made sure his grip was extra secure. From his peripheral, he saw Finn and Quinn dancing. He could kill both Hudson birds with one stone.

After a couple more songs, it was Rachel's turn to sing. She had chosen to do a slow dance number, singing Christina Perri's "Jar of Hearts." Blaine offered his hand to Kurt, and the couple made their way to the floor.

Sam looked between his two dates, wondering what was he to do? Finley smiled graciously and stepped back. "I've already had my turn to dance with THE Sam Evans." Sam grinned and extended his hand to Mercedes. She gingerly took it, mouthing "thank you" to Finley before being pulling into the dance floor for the slow dance.

Finley couldn't stop smiling as she watched her two friends dance. She had hoped she could give Mercedes a good prom. She wanted her to have a fun time. And it seemed she was. That was all Finley could ask for.

Suddenly, the energy around her shifted to something suffocating. And the scent of a familiar cologne floated in the air. "You're not dancing with your date?"

Finley shook her head, avoiding his gaze. "He's also Mercedes's date. And they are dancing. No issue, here."

Jesse hummed, making Finley shuffle with nervousness. At least at dinner she had Rachel as a barrier. But Rachel was now on stage singing, leaving Jesse and her alone. "I hope you're having as much fun as I am. Rachel really is amazing. I regret everything I did to her last year."

"That's good to hear. She deserved an apology," Finley said shortly. She glanced beside her, and was met with a smirk. It made her uneasy. Gone was the easy-going guy at dinner. No, this was darker.

"We look good together, don't you think?" He asked, feigning nonchalance. But Finley saw the calculated gleam in his eye. "We are the epitome of enemies-to-lovers. Rival show choirs, competitively talented, gorgeous. Rachel and I are perfect for each other." Finley Ignored the wave of sadness that washed over her at the image. She and Jesse dancing, holding each other, gazing deeply into each other's eyes. It made her sick. "Just like you and Sam."

The comment confused her. "What do you mean?" Finley questioned, glancing back at him and Mercedes on the floor. "Sam and I are just friends."

Jesse quirked his brow at the word. He wholeheartedly disagreed based on the display of deep affection the two had exhibited all through dinner. "If that's what you want to call it, then sure."

Finley was annoyed at his vague yet prying questions and comments. "What is that supposed to mean?" She demanded, turning to face him, giving him her whole attention.

Jesse shrugged, as if he didn't care that he was upsetting her. He was hurting, and he wanted her to hurt too. "Just that I've heart that before. 'Just friends.' Apparently that label means nothing to you, as you seemingly throw it at every guy and then bleed them dry before moving on to the next."

Finley gasped, hurt by his cruel words. "I didn't take you for granted, use you, then throw you away. You know that, Jesse. I care about you."

Jesse scoffed, allowing his words to flow freely. "Fooled me before." She had stomped on his heart, and then she had thrown Sam at him all night. He was too angry to think rationally. It was like he was out of his own body, taken over by some evil spirit.

Finley felt tears prick her eyes at his coldness, his vile accusations. He was making her out to be a heartless monster when she was anything but.

...Right?

"You're being mean." Her voice wavered as she tried to hold back her tears. She didn't want to cry in front of him. She didn't want him to see how much he affected her. How weak he made her.

To deal the final blow, Jesse leaned in closely to her until his breath kissed the sensitive skin of her ears. "And you're a damn good actress. Make sure to mention me in your thank you speech at the Oscar's." Tears trickling down her soft cheeks, Finley ran out of the dance.

Blaine, Brittany, and Tina were performing when Quinn reunited with Finn on the dance floor. She noticed how Finn watched Rachel and Jesse. They were laughing and smiling as if they didn't have a care in the world. It made Finn mad. And then Quinn told him how she had found Finley only moments ago.

Finn saw red. He marched over to Jesse and pulled him off Rachel. "What did you do to Finley?" He demanded, yelling over the loud music.

"Nothing," Jesse denied, glaring at Finn for interrupting. "Finley and me is none of Y.B. Your business."

"Well, that's my sister so, yeah, it's my f*cking business!" Finn yelled. Quinn put her hand on Finn's arm in an attempt to calm him, but he was too angry. "And back the hell away from Rachel!"

Jesse scoffed. "This isn't your girlfriend, so beat it, MJ." Finn then pushed his shoulder in warning. "Don't push me," Jesse snapped. He then shoved Finn's shoulders, making him step back.

Finn shoved back harder, making Jesse falter back a few steps. Quinn attempted to pull Finn back, but he would't have it. Not after what he saw, what he learned. He would not allow Jesse to hurt two of the most important girls in his life.

Jesse shoved him back hard. Finn shoved harder. They kept shoving until Finn had had enough and swung his fist.

"Finn!" Luckily, his name being screamed distracted Finn enough for his fist to slow. Jesse dodged it, though just barely. Jesse gaped in surprise that Finn would go so far as to actually punch him. Finn's eyes were locked on his twin who had saved him from pummeling Jesse St. James into the ground. Her makeup was washed off and her hair was messier than it had been earlier. Her eyes were rimmed with red and her face was a bit blotchy from crying.

Coach Sylvester suddenly grabbed Finn. "Prom is over for you, Sugar Ray! You too, Marvelous Marvin!" She grabbed Jesse and began dragging them away. "You're out! Let's go!"

"Wait! But Finn and I are nominee for prom!" Quinn cried as she watched Sue force her date away.

"Sucks for you, sister!" Sue yelled back. Rachel and Finley shared the same horrified looks over what had just occurred. What Finn could have done. What he would have done if Finley hadn't stepped in.

Finley just shook her head at Rachel before turning away to comfort Quinn. It was her fault Jesse had been here after all.

The two best friends didn't exchange words, neither knowing what to say. Finley lost her motivation to dance and Quinn had lost her date. Finally, after an agonizingly long time, it was time to announce prom king and prom queen.

"Attention," Principal Figgins called into the mic. "Will the candidates for king and queen gather on the stage?" Quinn and Finley walked up together, then joined by Santana and Lauren. On the opposite sides lined the king candidates- minus Finn. "The votes are in. This is the moment you've all been waiting for where we announce our junior prom king and also prom queen. Roll the drum please." The band's drummer did. Principal Figgins opened the letter in his hands. "And this year's junior prom king is... David Karofsky!"

Everyone clapped, and some even cheered, as Dave stepped up to the center of the stage and accepted his crown. Santana leaned over Finley and smirked at Quinn. "You suck so bad, Quinn. I'm gonna win!" Quinn Ignored her, instead smiling gracefully at the crowd.

The crowed quieted. "And now, your 2011 McKinley High prom queen with an overwhelming number of write-In votes is... Kurt Hummel?"

The crowd was silent. Finley, Quinn, and Santana shared flabbergasted looks as a spotlight was put on Kurt in the crowd. Kurt glanced around, his eyes wide like a doe's in fear. Then he sprinted out of the dance.

"Kurt? Stop! Kurt!" Blaine shouted, running after him.

Finley ran off the stage and followed them. "Kurt, wait! Kurt!" The door slammed behind her and she and Blaine followed him as he ran through the halls.

"I have never been so humiliated!" Kurt sobbed, his face red from tears and embarrassment.

"Stop! Kurt, just stop," Blaine pleaded. Kurt did and the two caught up to him.

Kurt faced them. The broken expression on his face broke Finley's and Blaine's hearts. "Don't you get how stupid we were? We thought that because no one was teasing us or beating us up that no one cared, like some kind of progress had been made. But it's still the same."

"Kurt..." Finley whispered, her heart breaking for her brother as he cried.

"It's just a stupid joke," Blaine attempted to ease the pain.

"No, it's not," Kurt snapped. "All that hate, they were just afraid to say it out loud. So they did it by secret ballot. I'm one big anonymous practical joke!"

Finley slowly walked up to him and cupped his cheeks. She gently brushed his tears away with the pads of her thumbs, her eyes welling once more at seeing her brother in such a state. "Show them you're not a joke," she told him. "Walk back in there and show them that they can't hurt you. That their hate holds no power."

Kurt shook his head aggressively in refusal. "I can't go back in there. No way."

"Kurt-"

"No." Finley sighed but nodded. She would respect Kurt and stand by him, no matter what. She just wished they she could help somehow. The three friends stayed in the secluded hallway, allowing Kurt time to think and process.

"Do you want to go?" Blaine offered after some time. "We don't have to go back in there."

Kurt shrugged. "Wasn't this prom supposed to be about redemption? About taking away that lump you head in your throat from running away? if we leave, all it's gonna do it give me a lump too."

Finley watched as determination flickered in Kurt's. "So what do you want to do?" She asked, smiling softly.

After a moment, Kurt answered. "I'm gonna go back in there and get coronated." Finley's smile turned into a full grin, so very proud of her brother. Blaine's expression mirrored hers. "I'm going to show them that it doesn't matter if they are yelling at me or whispering behind my back. That they can't touch me, that they can't touch us, or what we have." He then took Blaine's hands in his.

"Are you ready for this?" Blaine asked. Kurt nodded.

Finley walked down the quiet streets of her neighborhood. She was barefoot, her heels in one of her hands while her other held her dress off the pavement.

The night had certainly been... eventful. But there were some really good memories made. Blaine and Kurt had gone back to Blaine's house to hang out. Finn was nowhere to be found. Rachel and Quinn left together. Sam and Mercedes has left together. Finley had sensed some type of spark formed, and she was happy for her friends. Sam and Mercedes would be really good together.

The night had been fun, but Finley was ready to sleep. Dancing in her heels made her feet hurt, ands she was exhausted. She was dying to rest in a hot shower then flop onto her bed before passing out on her fluffy blanket.

She was knocked out of her daydreaming when she noticed a familiar figure waiting at her front door. She held her head up as she approached. His posture immediately straightened and he ran his hand through those honey curls that she adored so much.

She stopped when she was about 10 feet away from him. She stared coldly into his apologetic eyes. "Why are you here, Jesse?" He opened his mouth to reply, but Finley raised her hand, making him pause. "And if you're here to say that you're sorry once again, then you can leave. I've listened to enough of them already." When he didn't say anything in response, Finley walked past him towards the front door. "Goodnight, Jesse."

She grabbed the handle to open the door when his words made her stop. "I'm an Idiot." He held his breath, waiting to see if she would leave. She didn't. "I was angry when I watched you and Sam together. I was jealous out of my mind. I wanted nothing more than to touch you, hold you, but I couldn't. And it was all my fault in the first place. I was angry at myself, and I took it out on you. That wasn't fair of me. I said cruel things to do, made you cry, hurt you..." Jesse took a deep breath, trying to reign in his emotions. "I don't expect you to forgive me. And if you want me out of your life completely, then I will leave you alone. I promise. I'll be out of your life for good." Finley felt her heart seize at the prospect. "But if you let me stay, then I will spend the rest of my life trying to make everything up to you. I know I never will, but I will work every day to be someone who deserves you. Lover, friend, or any relationship you want with me. Because even being just an acquaintance is better than not being in your life at all."

Finley was no stranger to Jesse's bursts of passion, but he still managed to stun her every time. This was no different. "Why were you upset about me and Sam? He and I are just friends," She questioned. She was genuinely confused. She and Sam were friends. It was simple as that.

"Friends who were in a relationship till about two weeks ago," Jesse corrected, allowing his bitterness to slip through. "It was obvious you guys are close and, I don't know, seeing you guys so comfortable with each other kind of drove me insane with jealousy," he shrugged. "Seeing what I could have had If I wasn't such an ass."

"You were an ass," Finley nodded. "You uninvited me from your show."

Jesse's face pinched with guilt. "I had just found out that you and Sam were dating, and I just... I couldn't face you again. I was hurt, and I was angry at myself. I regret it. You should have been there."

"I understand, Jesse. All of it." Jesse felt an invisible weight lift off his shoulders, sagging with relief. "I want to make it perfectly clear, here and now, that Sam and I are just friends. Yes, we have an undeniable chemistry, but we will not be dating again. it was fun, but that was it. I couldn't feel anything deeper, visceral. He knows that as well. Our break up was mutual, and we both agree that we're better off as friends."

Jesse nodded, accepting what she was saying. "Thank you for explaining it all to me. You didn't have to."

"I know," Finley shrugged. "But I wanted to make sure everything was clarified so that we can move forward."

"Move forward as what, exactly?" Jesse asked warily, hope sparking within his chest.

"As friends again to begin," Finley replied. Better than nothing at all.

Jesse smiled genuinely for the first time in months. "Friends." Coming back to Lima was the best decision he had ever made. Now he had Finley back, and he vowed to himself he would not let her go again.

Chapter 21: JESSE ST. SUCKS

Chapter Text

[ 2.21 ]

💜 Finley | "Enchanted" – Taylor Swift

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

"𝙉𝙀𝙒 𝘿𝙄𝙍𝙀𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉𝙎. I would like to introduce you to our new show choir consultant, Jesse St. James."

Rachel and Finley were the only ones who clapped. Everyone else wondered what on earth was going on through Mr. Schue's mind.

Finn frowned. "I don't trust this guy," he grumbled, glancing at his twin in the chair beside him and his ex seated in front. "How do we know this guy isn't just going to trick us into doing something stupid so his alma mater wins." Some of the other members nodded in agreement, eyeing Jesse with rightfully placed distrust.

"I don't need to do much to get you to do something stupid, Finn," Jesse retorted. The group murmured at the burn. Finley refused to look at either of the guys.

"Guys, Jesse is just a consultant. I still make all the calls," Mr. Schue assured. "Now, I have all the confidence in the world in you guys. I just think we could use all the help we can get, because this is it. We've been working so hard for two years for this moment. And that moment is finally here." The group looked at the big letters spelling "Nationals" on the white board, and determination filled them. "I was talking with Jesse and he agreed that we should continue with our successful trend of doing original songs for the competition. I was thinking of doing one group number and one duet."

Before anyone could react, Finn said aloud, "Rachel and I should sing the duet. We killed it last year at Regionals with 'Faithfully.'"

"Yeah. It killed us. We lost," Quinn said, her jaw clenching with anger at the suggestion.

"May I?" Jesse asked, to which Mr. Schue nodded. "There are many talented girls in this group that we can use. But, Finn, it's best if you sit this one out." Finn shuffled in his seat angrily. Finley put her hand on his arm in an effort to calm him. "Fact is, most of the other guys here are better singers. And Mike Chang, who can't even sing, can at least dance." Finley glanced worriedly between Jesse and Finn. She did not want another fight to break out between the two. "You kind of sing and dance like a zombie who has to poop."

Everyone else but Quinn, Rachel, and Finley tried and failed to hide their amusem*nt to the review. "You see what I'm talking about? This guy's a jerk!" Finn cried in outrage. It seemed his hatred for Jesse St. James would only grow brighter.

"Jesse, maybe you could be a little gentler with your advice," Mr. Schue told him.

Jesse blanched at him. "Gentle? I'm sorry, I didn't realize we were training for the 'good try' ribbon at Nationals. I thought we were in it to win the whole damn thing. And there's only one way we can do that."

"Poison darts?" Brittany suggested. Everyone ignored her.

"The Vocal Adrenaline strategy is simple: identify your best performer and build the entire performance around them," Jesse explained.

"So, what does everyone else do?" Mercedes questioned.

"And who's our star performer?" Puck added. Everyone waited expectantly to hear their coach's answer.

"We're gonna have auditions to find out," Mr. Schue answered. "I'm gonna post a sign-up sheet this later this afternoon." Everyone got excited at the prospect of being the center. Finley met Jesse's gaze, and he smiled, making her blush.

"Mr. Schue, don't you think this is kind of not our style?" Finn objected.

"Normally, I'd agree with you, Finn, but this is big time," Sam turned to him. "I think we should listen to Jesse."

"Finley, what do you think?" Finn turned to his twin.

Finley shrugged. "There's no harm in trying it out, right? It gives the rest of us a chance to share our talents individually."

"Exactly," Jesse nodded, thrilled that he had her support. Finn gawked at his sister's betrayal, but Finley was already talking to Santana beside her on what they planned to perform.

🎵

Kurt and Finn found Finley crying in an abandoned classroom the next morning. She had just learned the most devastating news. Finley had learned that Coach Sylvester had kicked Becky off the cheerios. She had met with her, demanding an explanation. It was then that she had learned that Jean had passed away the previous morning.

Finley had only visited Jean two weeks ago. She had told Jean all about her plans for prom with Sam and her anxiety around the upcoming Nationals. The loss was shocking and sudden for her, and she could not imagine the grief Sue was experiencing. Jean was the most important person in her life, and now she was gone.

Finn and Kurt were saddened by the news. They had not known Jean personally like Finley had, but they both understood the pain of losing a family member. Together, the siblings made a quick trip to the store before carefully walking into Sue's office. "Coach Sylvester?" Kurt called.

Sue was sitting at her desk deep in work. She glanced up as the siblings entered. Her expression was cold. "We brought you some flowers and stuff," Finn said. Kurt was holding a small vase of peach-colored flowers. Finn was holding a stuffed cat toy. Finley was holding a box of chocolates in one hand and a personal box of tissues in her other. "We're sorry for your loss."

"Put them over there with the rest. There were more arrangements but I had to throw some of them out. I'm allergic to pansies," Sue told them, motioning to her windowsill. Her voice was dethatched, empty in a way. "I don't mean that as a swipe at either of you," she said to the boys. "So, why did you bother doing this?" Sue rose from her chair and walked over to the window peering into the hallway. "Buying me flowers, comforting me after I've actively made your life a living hell? And enjoyed doing it. Did Hudson, here, force you to join her?"

"We both know what it's like to lose someone really close to you, just like Finley," Kurt told her gently.

"Well, we sort of do. Our dad died when we were babies," Finn added, glancing at Finley who was quietly crying beside Kurt.

"Yeah. Their dad's dead, and my mom's dead," Kurt explained.

"So how do you think you can help me?" Sue questioned. "Are you here to tell me how to deal with this?"

"Not at all," Kurt shook his head.

"Because if I was being honest with you, Eddie Munster, Herman Munster, Finley," she glanced at them individually as she named them, "I don't know how to deal with this. I can't go back into that nursing home and start sorting through Jean's things. And I won't plan a funeral."

Finley whimpered at the word, and Finn tucked her to his side while she dabbed her tears away with a tissue. "Have you told your mother yet?" Kurt asked.

"As far as I'm concerned, she said her goodbyes to us years ago," Sue said, her voice clipped. "If you all would really like to help me, you might start by explaining why it was her time and not mine. She's the sweetest person I've ever met. And as the three of you can attest, I'm probably the meanest. So how come I'm the one still standing here talking to you?"

Her voice was now accusatory, but not at the siblings. More like at god or some spirit that had the divine power to control what was life and death. It was a demand. She needed to know, why Jean? Sweet, lovely, wonderful Jean.

"We need to help her," Finley announced to the New Directions. Kurt and Finn had explained the tragedy, which Mr. Schue was already aware of. Though Nationals were right around the corner, Finley was willing to beg for her friends and teammates' compassion and empathy. "She's overwhelmed and she needs us to help her."

Santana scoffed. "Seriously? I'd like to put the 'fun' back in 'funeral' just as much as the next girl, but why would the glee club help Coach Sylvester plan a service?"

"We're not doing it for Sue. We're doing it for her sister. For Jean," Finley said. She saw the unwillingness to help in her friends' faces, but she would not let them pass this by.

"She's just like us, guys. She's been an outsider and an underdog all of her life. We, of all people, should celebrate that," Finn told everyone.

"Can I say something?" Jesse cut in from his seat on the far right side of the classroom. He was leaning back casually with a folder in his hands. Finley did not like the bored tone of his voice. "When someone dies, yes, it's a tragedy, but it's also a part of life. And you can't let death put your life on hold." Rachel nodded in her seat, making the siblings upset. "Now, I don't mean to be blunt, but I don't think you should be planning a funeral the same week you should be focusing on a setlist for Nationals."

Kurt did nothing to hide the disgust on his face. Finn was about to burst out in anger, but his twin beat him to it." Seriously?" Finley shouted. Jesse was alarmed by the rage in her voice. "You're serious?"

Jesse hated when Finley's anger was directed at him, but he stood by what he said. "Actually, yes, I am." Finley gasped with disbelief at his lack of empathy. "Do you know what Vocal Adrenaline is doing right now? They're in their third week of 24-hour-a-day rehearsals. They're on an IV drip. That's how hard they're working. Do you know what happens in Vocal Adrenaline if someone dies during a number? They use them as a prop, like Weekend at Bernie's."

Finley wanted to scream. "No," Finn snapped. "Thanks for your input, Jesse, but we're helping Sue with the service for her sister." Jesse frowned with disappointment, and it only grew when he realized Finley would refuse to look at him. "Rachel, you said I needed to be more of a leader of this club. Well, here it goes. I'm making the call. We're doing this." Finley smiled proudly at her brother. From the side, Mr. Schue did as well.

🎵

It was the day of auditions. Jesse and Mr. Schue were sitting in the crowd with their papers and clipboards. Mr. Schue leaned over to Jesse so his mic wouldn't catch his words. "I'm still not convinced that this is the best idea," he voiced. "I don't want any of the kids to feel like they're losers."

"That's a crucial part of the process," Jesse hummed. "You see, I took a class at UCLA in judging for reality TV shows, so I'm totally ready to give feedback that's both blistering and unhelpful. It was a really good class. I learned a lot." Mr. Schue was not convinced as he sat back in his seat. "We're ready for the first contestant," Jesse then announced into his own mic.

Finley clapped for Santana encouragingly as she walked onto the stage. "My name is Santana Lopez and I will be singing Amy Winehouse's 'Back to Black,'" she said confidently. The music began and Santana sang wonderfully at the microphone.

Her determination was ever present on her face. She wanted to win, and badly. She held the rasp of Amy in her voice, only impressing Finley more. She knew Santana was talented, wildly. But seeing her in action was always an experience.

When her number ended, Mr. Schue clapped while Jesse wrote something on his pad. "Fantastic, Santana!" Mr. Schue praised.

Jesse then spoke. "Thanks so much for coming in." Finley and Kurt shared the same confused look.

Santana voiced their own thoughts aloud. "Wait, that's all you have to say? You spent the entire performance scribbling notes," Santana said angrily.

Jesse sighed. "Well, if you really must know, I was simply writing down that I don't think your performance went very deep into the emotional truth of the song."

Santana felt her rage boil. "Oh, is that so? Well I happen to have some feedback for you-"

"Thanks, Santana! That's all we need!" Mr. Schue cut her off in attempt to shut her down.

"I'm about to go all Lima Heights!" Santana seethed before walking off the stage. She brushed past Finley, too upset to talk to her. Finley looked past her actions, knowing it was just because she was upset about being rejected.

Kurt then walked onto the stage, and Finley turned her attention to him. "Hello. I'm Kurt Hummel, and I'll be singing 'Some People' from Gypsy." The number was flamboyant, not in the props, but in his expressions and tone and body movement. It was so Kurt Hummel.

When the number ended, Mr. Schue clapped for him. "Well done, Kurt."

Jesse then went next. "Kurt, you do know that song was meant to be sung by a woman, right?"

"Yes, I'm aware," Kurt nodded. "And the glee club dealt with that whole boys-singing-songs-meant-for-girls. It's kind of old news."

Jesse hummed. "So you must know that that song was done to great fanfare by such Broadway legends as Merman, Lupone, Bernadette. Those are some awfully big heels to fill, and I'm just not quite sure that you nailed it." Kurt's lip tightened and his obvious displeasure was all over his face. He then walked off the stage. Making sure Jesse saw his upset expression. "Usually, at this point, the reality show would go to commercial. Then we would take a break to regroup and get touch-ups done on our makeup. So, I'm gonna hit the little boys' room. You're doing a great job though. I really think you should comment more. Don't be shy." He patted Mr. Schue's back condescendingly before walking out.

Together, Finley and Kurt walked back into the choir room, which was acting as a waiting room. "Jesse St. James totally Jesse. St. sucks! He said I shouldn't be singing girl songs. I make my living singing girl songs," Kurt shouted angrily as he took his seat.

"I think the winner of four show choir championships might be able to give us valuable insight," Rachel said in defense of Jesse.

Mercedes, who was sitting beside her, rolled her eyes. "We know you're in love with him, Rachel, but do you have to be so obvious?"

Finley's stomach pinched at the statement, but she feigned apathy. She felt nothing for Jesse St. James. Absolutely nothing. Rachel and him can date. Whatever. She didn't care.

"Don't use the fact that Jesse and I once had feelings for each other as an excuse for my inevitable win," Rachel replied snarkily.

"Correction- you had feelings for him. He had feelings for Finley and he made breakfast on your head," Kurt deadpanned.

Rachel frowned at Kurt and Finley refused to make eye contact with Rachel at the fact. "Look," Rachel snapped, "we both appreciate the integrity of show choir too much to soil the competition. He's just going to vote for whoever is best."

"That would be me," Santana interjected. "You guys can fight over who's second all you want because I kicked that song square in the balls."

"You did, Santana. You were incredible," Finley praised. Santana preened at the compliment, but the others just rolled their eyes at Finley's kindness.

Santana smirked with confidence. "I'm so gonna win this thing."

Mercedes then stood up, ready for her audition. "No bother warming up, Rahcel. I'm about to go out and wrap this thing up like a Christmas present."

"Good luck, Mercedes!" Finley shouted behind her, earning another eye roll from Rachel. Rachel began warming up her voice, her singing after Mercedes, so Finley took out her phone and messaged her backup, making sure they were ready to perform.

After a few minutes, Rachel got up to leave for the auditorium. Finley took it as her sign to get changed and prepare herself. Not that she hadn't been preparing mentally the entire time.

"Hey," Kurt called before she left. "Good luck," he smiled supportively. "You're going to do amazing. I'll be cheering you on."

"Yeah, you got this, Finley," Santana added with a smile of her own. "I mean, you have to compete against me so that should rattle every bone in your body and make you tremble with anxiety, but you'll be great competition for me."

Finley knew that Santana's comment wasn't completely serious, and her fr3einds support gave her an ounce of confidence. "Thanks, you guys." She then made her way to the auditorium.

Mercedes was wailing the final note of her number- "Try a Little Tenderness" by Ray Noble Orchestra. Rachel was watching from the side with a frown on her face. Finley ignored her and clapped from backstage for her friend. Mercedes was a powerhouse vocalist. The competition would be close.

"Wow, Mercedes! Just, wow!" Mr. Schue clapped. "You know, seeing you up there brought me back to the first time you auditioned for glee club. You were great back then, but you were just amazing now. Thank you for singing that, and thank you for reminding me where we started. And where we're going to now: Nationals."

Mercedes preened at his kind words. "Thank you, Mr. Schue. I couldn't have done it without you," she responded humbly with a grateful smile.

But that smile dropped as Jesse opened his mouth. "You're not a star. You're just a girl who can really sing."

Mercedes's expression blanched with offense. "Excuse me?"

"I don't think you want this badly enough, Mercedes," Jesse said. Finley could hear the honesty in his voice. He was speaking as a mentor, as an expert. His advice wasn't coming from a cruel, vengeful place, it was true, insightful advice. "How many times did you practice that song?"

"Practice?" Mercedes questioned, like she had never heard the word before in her life. "No, I feel my material and I sing with emotion. I'm in the moment, Mr. St. James." Her voice was snappy, angry. "I don't need to practice."

Jesse lightly scoffed at her overconfidence, her arrogance. She acted like he hadn't won four national championships- the exact competition they were competing for. He knew what he was talking about. "Actually, you do," he insists. "And how long did you work on that choreography? Oh, wait, there was none." He paused to let that point sink in. "You're lazy, Mercedes."

"Not too lazy to come up there and let you taste my fist!" Mercedes yelled threateningly into the mic. She was staring daggers at him. If looks could kill, he would be on the floor.

Jesse continued on with his criticism, undeterred by Mercedes's aggression. "Whoever gets this solo is gonna have to work on it day and night. You think you're ready for that?"

"I do," Mr. Schue chimed in.

Jesse shook his head, "I don't." He then glanced at Mr. Schue, then back at Mercedes, and shrugged. There was nothing left to say. He made his points, and he stood by them.

Finley admired how Jesse observed and analyzed the performances. And though his delivery was a bit hostile, and the reactions were incredibly so, he gave really good advice. He would make a good show choir coach. He knew his stuff.

Mercedes dragged the mic stand off the stage and Rachel took her place, now her turn. "I hate him," Mercedes grumbled as she passed Finley. She grimaced in apology before turning to watch Rachel.

"Hi, my name is Rachel Berry and I'll be singing the most difficult song I've ever sung." Rachel's back was straight, her shoulders back, as she addressed Jesse and Mr. Schue with confidence.

"Great. What song?" Mr. Schue asked.

"Barbra's closing number to my favorite movie, Funny Girl," Rachel answered. She then performed "My Man" with impeccable skill and such intense emotion that tears trickled from her eyes and down her face as she sang. Finley had an idea of who she was singing about- the boy whom she shared a womb with.

Kurt, Mercedes, and Santana had slipped into the audience, and watched as Rachel sang. "She may be difficult, but boy can she sing," Kurt mumbled, his own eyes watering from the performance. Santana and Mercedes didn't reply, but they agreed with him. No one could deny that Rachel was impressively talented.

When the number ended, she gasped as she got ahold of herself on stage. Kurt stood on his feet and clapped for her. "Bravo!" Santana glared and yanked Kurt back down to his seat. Finley clapped from behind the curtains for her as well, as she was always blown away by Rachel's heartfelt performances. Mr. Schue clapped his hand over his heart, moved by her performance. Jesse was stoic beside him, his face impossible to read.

"I have to be honest," Rachel held her breath as Jesse spoke, "that was brilliant." She sighed with relief at the compliment. "I can tell that you rehearsed diligently. The strength to which you can express emotion is impressive, and your vocal talent is unparalleled. But just as I told Mercedes, you lacked choreography. As moved as I am, that won't win at Nationals. Vocal Adrenaline won every national title with their vocal talent and intricate choreography, both perfected to the T. No matter how deeply the emotion resonates with you or the audience or the judges, you can't just sing and cry and expect to win Nationals. Next!" Rachel was frozen, completely taken aback by the critique. She was crushed. More tears fell from her eyes down her cheeks, this time from her own sadness.

In the crowd, Mercedes and Santana smiled. Finley was the only one left. With Jesse's words to Rachel, they had more confidence.

Backstage, Finley was now pacing back and forth. Rachel was arguably the biggest competition. If Rachel wasn't good enough, how could she ever be?

Finley froze as she felt a familiar hand rest on her shoulder. "Hey," Mike said softly, having just come in from the dance studio. "You're going to be great. We've practiced all week. You've got this number down to the T."

Brittany walked up beside him and nodded in support. "Yeah, Finley. Your idea was genius. Dancing and acting out the song is something we haven't really done before when it didn't have a clear storyline. I, for one, am very excited to play the other lover."

"And I'm very excited to play the main lover," Mike smiled. "Or is Finley the main lover?" Brittany shrugged.

"I'm just anxious," Finley sighed. Her palms were sweaty and her heart felt like it was going to fall out of her chest. She grimaced with disgust and wiped her hands on her fancy dress.

"We're ready for our last contestant," they heard Jesse call. Finley was a bundle of nerves as she walked into the stage. After the chilling past reviews from Jesse, being the anchor audition was ever the more stressful. With the stress of finals, as well as planning Jean's service, she was tightly wound with the weight of Nationals being just around the corner.

Jesse kept a straight face as she made her way to the center of the stage, but his heart was beating incredibly fast. Finley was in a floor-length dress made of a soft fabric that flowed with her movements. It was a soft lilac and had ruffles that added to the dress's flow. The top was held by thin spaghetti straps that felt into a deep v neckline. There was a split that hit her upper right thigh, showing off her toned legs and a pair of rhinestone heels. She was a vision.

Behind her, Brittany and Mike flanked her sides. Mike was in a loose button-up shirt and black pants. Brittany had on a dark purple mini dress that had a tight halter top and an a-line skirt.

"Hello," Finley's soft voice rang through the mic. "My name is Finley Hudson and I will be performing Taylor Swift's 'Enchanted.'"

Jesse covered his growing smile with his palm. Of course she would do Taylor Swift. "Finley," Jesse called, "in your head, are you singing to anyone in particular?"

Finley blinked at the question, and her mind conjured up an answer. But she would not dare say it aloud. "Not really," she lied.

But Jesse saw right through her. He could read her like a book. And he knew what her true answer was, even if she wasn't brave enough to say it. "Oh," he hummed, feigning cluelessness. She held her head high, keeping strong eye contact with Jesse and Mr. Schue. The beginning strums of the guitar began to play. 💜

[Finley]

There I was again tonight

Forcing laughter, faking smiles

Same old tired, lonely place

Walls of insincerity, shifting eyes and vacancy

Vanished when I saw your face

All I can say is, it was enchanting to meet you

Finley then glanced back at Mike and a look of longing appeared on her face. Mike had a matching look, the two friends acting together. Mike slowly began walking toward her with a small smile, and they held each other's gaze.

Your eyes whispered, "Have we met?"

'Cross the room your silhouette

Starts to make its way to me

Finley and Mike then began to circle each other, her dress flowing behind her like waves. Jesse's eyes followed her, completely entranced by her beauty and angelic movements. She moved with grace, with elegance, as she sang so sweetly.

The playful conversation starts

Counter all your quick remarks

Like passing notes in secrecy

She then turned back to face him and Mr. Schue, and Mike made his way to Brittany.

And it was enchanting to meet you

All I can say is, I was enchanted to meet you

Her face was suddenly overtaken with a big smile as she approached the first chorus. Jesse couldn't help but smile with her.

As she sang, Mike and Brittany danced in the background. Their movements were more contemporary with hints of waltz. They danced like a couple in love, helping pull the piece together.

This night is sparkling, don't you let it go

I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home

I'll spend forever wondering if you knew

I was enchanted to meet you

Brittany and Mike broke apart and Mike set his gaze back on Finley.

Finley's then focused her gaze on Jesse. His face was bright with enjoyment and something she could only describe as wonderment. She felt the invisible pull between them, and she found herself singing, not for him, but to him.

The lingering question kept me up

2 AM, who do you love?

I wonder 'til I'm wide awake

Finley broke their gaze and met with Mike and began pacing before him while he watched her. She acted as if she was singing to Mike, but in her heart she was singing to Jesse.

And now I'm pacing back and forth

Wishing you were at my door

I'd open up and you would say

"Hey," it was enchanting to meet you

All I know is, I was enchanted to meet you

Finley then began twirling and dancing gracefully around the stage, her dress floating around her, as she sang. She made sure to keep her gaze either on Mike and Brittany, who were now dancing as she went into the second chorus, or on Jesse.

All of her nerves were now gone. She was simply enjoying performing, her energy and emotion evident in her voice. She had captured Jesse and Mr. Schue's attention, even with the dancing behind her. Her stage presence was strong, the judges noted.

This night is sparkling, don't you let it go

I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home

I'll spend forever wondering if you knew

That this night is flawless, don't you let it go

I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone

I'll spend forever wondering if you knew

I was enchanted to meet you

Entering the guitar solo, Finley then ran over to Mike and Brittany, and together they danced their perfected choreography. Mike grabbed Finley's waist and twirled her around in the air while Brittany danced around them.

Mike then set her down and began waltzing her around the stage, Brittany watching as part of the act like a scorned lover.

When it was time for Finley to sing the bridge, she ripped herself away from Mike and stumbled a few steps back. An expression of both pain and hope crossed her face and Brittany began stalking towards Mike.

This is me praying that

This was the very first page

Not where the story line ends

My thoughts will echo your name

Until I see you again

Fully immersed in the emotion and the act, Finley held her hand out toward Mike and Brittany, who were now posed like a couple. It looked as if Finley was singing to them, like a lost love.

These are the words I held back

As I was leaving too soon

I was enchanted to meet you

Finley kept her body facing Mike and Brittany just as they rehearsed, but her gaze went back to Jesse. She tapped into the longing and feeling locked deep in her soul.

And Jesse heard the truth in her words.

Please don't be in love with someone else

Please don't have somebody waiting on you

Please don't be in love with someone else

Please don't have somebody waiting on you

Finley then spun to face the seats, and Mike and Brittany continued on with their rehearsed choreography as they fell into the chorus again.

The spotlight was on Finley, and her presence captured their attention as she stood center stage.

This night is sparkling, don't you let it go

I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home

I'll spend forever wondering if you knew

This night is flawless, don't you let it go

I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone

I'll spend forever wondering if you knew

I was enchanted to meet you

Mike and Brittany stopped dancing behind her as she sang the final lines of the song, her gaze locked on Jesse. Jesse held his breath as he was touched by the final words.

Please don't be in love with someone else

Please don't have somebody waiting on you

As soon as the number ended, Jesse immediately stood to his feet and began clapping loudly. He had a wide smile glowing with admiration and pride. Mr. Schue joined him and clapped while Finley, Mike, and Brittany took a bow.

"Enchanting," Jesse praised into the mic. "Emotionally moving, strong vocals, creative choreography. The storytelling of both the dance and your own voice and movements really brought the number to life. This is something never really seen in show choir. Flawless. I have nothing but the tip of my hat."

"Ok, I love you, Finley, but this whole thing is rigged," Santana shouted from her seat.

"Hold on, Santana," Mr. Schue motioned for her to calm down. "Like I said before, I made the final call here."

"Well, then, make it," Mercedes snapped impatiently.

Mr. Schue stood up in his seat, and Finley shuffled nervously on her feet. He looked upset. "Out of respect to you all, I'm going to take a couple days and consider all the results. Now, I will let you all know by Friday. Great job, everyone." And with that, the auditions were over.

🎵

Kurt, Finn, and Finley were at the nursing home helping Sue go through Jean's belongings. Finley was trying with all her might to keep her emotions in check, but she couldn't stop the few stray tears from trickling down her cheeks. Sue avoided them all, choosing to instead read through paperwork.

"We sorted Jean's stuff into piles. Over there are some old magazines and newspapers that you can just toss out," Kurt told her.

"And this is stuff you're definitely going to want to keep. Photos and stuffed animals," Finn adds. "And this third pile is stuff that we don't really know what do to with." Finley sniffled from beside Finn and wiped another stray tear away.

Kurt reached over for another item. "Pom pom," he said while holding it out to Sue.

Sue took one glance at it before returning to her paperwork. "Toss it. It's not worth anything." She sounded empty. She felt empty. Without Jean, she was empty.

"Are you sure?" Kurt asked before setting it aside.

Finn then picked up a VH tape. "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," he read the label.

"Oh, I love that movie," Kurt hummed.

"You take it," Sue said, her voice short and clipped. "It's probably worn out."

Finley finally found her voice, having not spoken a single word the entire time. "It was her favorite movie," she told them, her voice cracking from emotion. "She watched it at least three times a week."

Sue then stood up, setting her papers down. "Just toss it all out."

The siblings stared at her. "What?"

"You heard me. It's all junk," Sue snapped. "I'll take this stuffed animal." She reached into the stuffed animal box and pulled out a toy bear. "Jean's had this since she was six. Everything else, just toss it out. I don't need it."

"But there are memories here," Finn said warily, concerned for her seemingly apathetic feelings towards the entire situation.

"I'm not short on memories of my sister, so..." Sue shrugged.

The siblings shared the same worried expression. They didn't want Sue to be closed off about Jean. Jean should be celebrated and honored and remembered. "I know what it's like to lose someone," Kurt told her gently. "When someone dies, it hurts."

"Very astute, Porcelain," Sue said coldly. "That's a little nugget of wisdom I'd really like to jot down."

"Coach Sylvester, we're just trying to help you-" Finn attempted to speak but she cut him off.

"You know what, Cottage Cheese? You're not helping. You're actually making things worse. So do me a favor and take all this stuff to the dumpster on your way to the rehearsal for whatever treacly ballad you're planning on using to ruin my sister's funeral." She then turned to leave.

"Why did you agree to this, then?" Kurt demanded, now frustrated with her lack of gratitude or empathy or any emotion really. "If you hate us so much, then why are you letting the glee club plan the service?"

"I was afraid no one would come." The siblings froze at her curt, and extremely honest, reply. "Jean didn't know a lot of people. I figured, with the glee club there, at least she'd have a full house." Sue then walked out the door. The siblings shared the same expression.

They knew what they had to do.

🎵

Finley smiled softly as Sue walked in and took in the room. Finley, Kurt, and Finn had reached out to everyone that had a connection to Jean. Sue was right. Jean deserved a full house.

In the room, ready to honor and remember sweet Jean, were workers from the home, other residents and their families, the glee club, and others Finley knew had been touched by Jean's loving heart.

Sue and Mr. Schue walked down the aisle towards the front benches, and Finley, Kurt, and Finn stood to greet her. "What do you think, Coach Sylvester?" Finn asked, motioning to the dais behind them. Jean's coffin lay with paper mache mushrooms and large candy pieces inspired by the film. Kurt and Finley had made them themselves. There was even a chocolate fountain. Sue's eyes were wide as she stared at them.

"You told us that Willy Wonka was Jean's favorite movie," Kurt explained.

"The way you described Jean made her sound so special, and Finley attested to that, so we wanted her funeral to be special also," Finn told her.

Finley smiled as memories of her and Jean laughing and talking floated through her mind. "Something to capture and express the joy of her life, rather than the sadness of her death," Finley said softly, her own heart still hurting from the loss. "Jean touched so many hearts, mine included. So incredibly special. She deserves to be remembered as such."

"It's lovely." The twin's relaxed, the weight of the fear of Sue finding the ceremony to not celebrate Jean to the extent that she deserved, suddenly lifted off.

"Let's sit," Mr. Schue said, guiding them all to take their seats in the front row. Once they settled down, the ceremony began.

"Welcome," the pastor greeted everyone, "to the most unusual funeral that I have ever attended. Which makes sense because Jean was the most unusual person that I had ever had the pleasure to spend every Sunday for the last 30 years with. I think that Jean's sister Sue would like to say a few words."

Sue stood up and made her way to the front, situating herself behind the podium beside Jean. She took a harrowing breath, glancing at the dais, before beginning. "I miss my sister." Her voice was shaky, raw, heartbroken. "Every night at 10:00 or so, she used to call me on the phone. And when I asked her why..." she took another deep breath, "she'd tell me that her body told her..." Sue then began to cry softly, and Finley's, as well as others in the crowd, began to tear up with her. "She wanted to hear my voice." Sue needed a moment to compose herself. Will noticed and walked up to the podium beside her, offering unspoken support. Sue could not finish, too overwhelmed with sadness, to continue.

So Will did for her. "I miss my sister. The smell of her shampoo, the way she could always convince me to read her another book. When you love someone like I loved her, they're a part of you. It's like you're attached by this invisible tether, and no matter how far away you are, you can always feel them. And now, every time I reach for that tether, I know there's no one on the other end and I feel like I'm falling into nothingness. Then I remember Jean. I remember a life led with no enemies, no resentments, no regrets, and I'm inspired to get up out of bed and go on. I miss my sister so much. It feels like a piece of me has been ripped off. Just one more time I want to hold her. Ten more seconds, is that too much to ask? For ten more seconds to hold her?" His voice wavers, his heart aching for Sue and what she's going through. "But I can't. And I won't. And the only thing keeping me from being swallowed whole by sadness is that Jean would kill me if I did. So, for now, I'm just gonna miss her. I love you, Jeanie. Rest in peace."

Sue and Will took their seats, and the glee club stood and walked to the side of the room. Finley sniffled and wiped a tear she had missed before addressing the room. "This was Jean's favorite song. She asked me to sing it with her every time I saw her. This is for you, Jean." The glee club then sang "Pure Imagination," a song from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

When the number finished, Sue made sure to meet Finn's, Finley's, and Kurt's gazes. "Thank you," she whispered with great gratitude. Jean was honored perfectly, the ceremony every bit as sweet and wonderful as she was.

🎵

"Ok, action."

Jesse spun to face the camera, putting on his best tv show host persona. "Well, it was a touch competition, but here's the dope. Santana? Too mean. Kurt? Too controversial. Mercedes, I said it twice and I'll say it again, lazy b-o-n-e-s. Rachel, talented but bested by her emotions. Finley is the clear winner." Jesse smiled proudly as he remembered her stunning audition, and her stunning voice and face and hair and everything else that was just so perfect about her.

Brittany flicked the camera over to Mr. Schue, who was sitting beside him with an upset expression on his face. "I'm really not comfortable having this conversation taped," he told both Jesse and Brittany.

Jesse shrugged. "Well, I can't practice judging a reality show without a camera. It's like practicing skiing without skis." He then made sure to smirk sexily at the camera.

"I've totally done that," Brittany commented.

"Ok, can you turn that thing off?" Mr. Schue snapped. "Just... off... the off switch is right there."

"Yeah, I know how to turn it off. Thanks," Brittany replied shortly, stopping the recording. "Jesse, maybe you can come on Fondue for Two and judge my cat," she offered.

Jesse nodded, thankful for the offer. "Rock and roll."

Mr. Schue was fed up with all this nonsense. "To be honest, Jesse, the more we talk about this, the more uncomfortable I feel about all of it. It just feels like I'm telling one of my children they're my favorite."

Jesse didn't understand his hold-up with the entire ordeal. "That's what my parents told me," he shrugged. "In front of my siblings. Sure, some might say that it led to my brother's whippet addiction and my sister's bulimia, but my parents owed them the truth." If he wanted the New Directions to win Nationals, he needed Mr. Schue to understand that it was cut-throat, kill or be killed.

Mr. Schue sighed. "You really think picking Finley means we'd beat Vocal Adrenaline?"

Jesse could do nothing but answer honestly. "It's in the bag."

That afternoon, Finley perked when she sensed him enter the auditorium. "Jesse?" She turned to see him smiling at her.

"That's sweet," he pouted. "You remembered the masculine click of my designer boots."

Finley chuckled at his silliness- or complete seriousness, as it was Jesse St. James- and walked over to meet him on the stage. "Why did you ask me to meet you here before the list goes up? Is this good news, or is it bad?" Finley would accept whoever won with grace, but she was anxious to know if she had lost to anyone after her audition.

"Finley." The way his lips caressed her name still sent little shivers down her spine. "I did you wrong these past few months, and I came back to make that wrong right. And I came here to tell you... that you're going to be the featured soloist at Nationals in New York."

Finley blinked, processing what he had just said. "Wait, what?" She gasped. "How do you know? Did Mr. Schuster tell you?" Finley didn't want to get her hopes up, but the excitement was already building.

Jesse made a knowing face. Let is suffice to say that I was very involved in the decision."

Finley didn't stop herself from squealing in joy. Without thinking, she jumped into Jesse arms- he caught her, of course. He would always catch her- and hugged her arms around his neck tightly. "Oh, this is incredible, but I feel bad," she sighed, meeting Jesse's gaze. His brows furrowed in confusion at her mixed reaction. "Everyone else worked so hard. Now they're just going to hate me. Especially Rachel."

Jesse shrugged. "Rachel sort of already does," he points out. "She often feels threatened by you, if you hadn't noticed. I mean, I dated her for months and it was plain as day. She always needed the spotlight to be on her."

"Ah, and while that is very frustrating, the iconic number 'Run, Joey, Run,' was born from said need for spotlight, so is it really that bad?"

Jesse laughed as she trolled him for the god-awful video. It seemed he would never escape it. He didn't mind though if Finley found humor and comfort in it. "Come on," he chuckled, setting her on her feet, and internally kicking himself for releasing her so soon, "I think the list is posted."

"Saved by the list," Finley joked. "Personally, I think you were incredible in 'Run, Joey-'"

"Race you!" Jesse yelled, turning on his heel and running away. Finley couldn't help but laugh as she chased after him into the hallway.

Run, Jesse, Run.

Her and Jesse's amusem*nt ceased when they read what was posted on the bulletin board by Mr. Schuester.

---

URGENT MEETING TODAY.

CHOIR ROOM 3:30

---

Finley, Santana, Mercedes, Kurt, and Rachel waited anxiously in the choir room with the rest of the club for Mr. Schue to finally announce who won the solo for Nationals.

Jesse was seated in the front of the room, anxiously waiting as well. He had no idea what Mr. Schue was doing. If he had changed his mind and gone with any of the others, he would be livid. Sure, Finley would accept defeat with grace, but he sure as hell wouldn't.

When Mr. Schue finally entered, Santana spoke. "Ah, Mr. Schue! Thank god you're here to put these trolls out of their misery. Can you just announce my win so I can get on with teasing the losers?"

Kurt rolled his eyes at her arrogance. "I heard your performance, Santana. This is mine, and you know it."

"See, Jesse?" Mr. Schue glanced back at him. "This is the kind of infighting and 'me first' aptitudes that I wanted to avoid."

"What you call 'infighting' I call 'motivation,'" Jesse retorted. "And this is just the beginning. Once we get to Nationals, I'll have them willing to kill for that solo." That comment made Finley uneasy. Of course she would work her tail off to perfect her number if she won, but she didn't want to develop the blood-thirsty attitude that Vocal Adrenaline does. Nor does she want to become a target for Santana. She is quite scary when she wants to be.

"No," Mr. Schue states. "I changed my mind." That grabs everyone's attention. Finley's excitement deflates, but she waits to hear what Mr. Schue has to say. "We're going back to what got us here, original songs sung by the entire club. We're a team, and we're best when we work as one.

Jesse shook his head in appall at the decision. "You're going to lose."

Mr. Schue shrugged in response, not caring for Jesse's help anymore. "Whatever we do, we're gonna do it together." Jesse pursed his lips and winced apologetically to Finley. Finley smiled, telling him that she was ok with the decision. There would be other solos.

"Actually, Santana, you did pretty good," Kurt leaned in and admitted to her.

"Thanks," she smiled. "You guys were all pretty dope too. Even Rachel." She rolled her eyes at herself as she complimented her.

Rachel was surprised by the compliment, but accepted is gratefully. "I wish I could sound like you do, Santana. How do you get that raspiness?" She asked.

"So nice," Santana hummed. "I smoke cigars."

Finley couldn't help but grin at their friendly exchange. Perhaps Mr. Schue did make the right choice.

Beside her, Jesse was frowning as everyone grew excited at the new game plan for Nationals. Not only did he believe Finley deserved to perform that solo, but he knew they were going to lose. He didn't want that for Finley.

Once rehearsal ended and Jesse offered to drive Finley home, which she accepted, he made his opinions known. "It's really ok, Jesse. It's a lot of pressure anyway. I'm happy with Mr. Schue's set list."

"You deserved it, Finley. I'm sorry I got your hopes up." He felt especially guilty about that. She was so excited, so proud of herself, when she thought she was going to win the solo. He hated that he had given her that hope for it just to be snatched out from under her.

"Like I said before, Jesse, it really is alright," she assured him. They were now pulled into the Hummel-Hudson house's driveway. With the car in park, Finley took Jesse's hands in her own and forced him to meet her gaze. "I am not upset at all. At all. You understand?" After a moment, Jesse sighed and nodded. "Good," she hummed, dazzling him with her angelic smile. She was a vision, in sweats and in gowns alike. He simply watched her, a soft smile on his own face. Finley noticed and blushed under his soft gaze. "What is it?" She asked, her voice coming out a whisper.

Jesse's smile grew. She was so adorable, so beautiful. And she smelled heavenly, like roses and sunshine. Every time she smiles at him, he feels like he's being bathed in sunlight. "Nothing," he responded with a light shrug.

Finley huffed, pouting her lips. Jesse wanted- no, needed- to bite those lips. Her brows were scrunched, and desire ripped through him. She was extremely sexy when she was frustrated, even playfully. "Seriously, what is it? Is there something on my face?"

Jesse's expression then darkened, shifting from adoration to full desire. Finley sensed the change of atmosphere and her throat suddenly dried. Her throat bobbed and her eyes landed on his own parched lips.

Tension cackled between them as their heart beats sped and their breaths shortened. It was too much. Jesse had already been tortured enough the past few days. He would not resist any longer.

Finley whimpered as Jesse's lips pressed against hers. Any sense of control he had left was completely shattered at that helpless noise from her throat. His hands twisted into her dark locks and tightened their grip, eliciting another moan from her. She was puddy in his hands.

It had been so long, too long, since Finley had felt his lips against hers. She drank him in like he was an oasis in the vast desert. Her own hands pressed against his chest and began scratching helplessly at his shirt. She was rabid, unhindered, wild beneath him. She allowed her desire to control her thoughts, her actions. And Jesse loved it.

Finley knew she could never be "just friends" with Jesse St. James, that it was silly of her to set that relationship when she continually broke it down every damn time.

Jesse St. James was irresistible. She craved him like a vampire craved blood.

A loud honk suddenly blared, scaring her so hard that Finley shrieked and jumped, breaking their passion. She and Jesse looked to find that it was his elbow that was pressing on his own car horn.

Finley's lip gloss was smeared all over her face, Jesse's mouth matching. Her hair was disheveled, and she was panting heavily, looking so delicious, so wanton before him. It was a sight to behold. Finley Hudson, the perfect angel of McKinley High, so desperate and aching for him.

She cleared her throat and attempted to comb down her rumpled hair, returning to her senses. "I should, um..." Her voice was weak, raspy, as she calmed herself. "I'm going to go inside. Yeah, I'm going." She unlocked the door and stepped out, leaving Jesse alone with his thoughts. Before she shut it behind her, she smiled softly, making his heart melt. "Goodnight, Jesse."

"Goodnight, Finley," he said back. She shut the car door and he waited until she was safely back in the house before pulling out of the driveway with a joyous grin on his face.

Jesse St. James was getting Finley Hudson back.

Chapter 22: THE BIG APPLE

Chapter Text

[ 2.22 ]

🩵 Brittany & Artie | "My Cup" – Brittany S. Pierce

🖤 New Directions | "Pretending" – Finn Hudson

❤️ New Directions | "Light Up the World" – New Directions

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

𝙁𝙄𝙉𝙇𝙀𝙔'𝙎 𝘾𝙃𝙀𝙀𝙆𝙎 𝙃𝙐𝙍𝙏 from smiling as she stood in the center of time square. They had made it. It was time for Nationals.

Rachel and Finn were taking in the sights with awed expressions, and the rest of the group was sitting on the time square steps. Finn and Quinn had broken up, as Finn figured out that his heart wanted Rachel. She figured she would give the two of them some space so she joined her friends on the steps. "A year and a half ago, the New Directions were nothing but a group of six misfits stumbling their way through a horrific rendition 'Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat.' Now here we are, at the top of the show choir heap. Nationals!" Kurt squealed with excitement.

"I want to hit up Central Park, get my frolic in," Tina said excitedly.

"I wanna throw stuff off the Brooklyn Bridge," Puck said.

"I really want to go to that singing diner," Finley chirped.

"Guys, hold on," Finn interjected. "I mean, we still have two songs to write."

"Yeah, you'd think we would have figured out our setlist weeks ago," Finley hummed.

"Ok, Mr. Bossy Pants," Kurt rolled his eyes. "But I think we have some time for a tune before we leave. Start spreading the news!"

Everyone smiled and joined in singing "New York, New York" with Kurt. "I'm leaving today. I want to be a part of it. New York, New York!"

Rachel walked up with an excited expression on her face. "Hey, guys. I have news. To celebrate our impending win at Nationals, I got us all 13 tickets to Broadway's longest-running show ever, Cats," she bragged. Brittany cheered at the fact.

"I thought it was Phantom," Finley whispered to Kurt, to which he nodded.

Quinn's face pinched. "You might want to check the dates on those tickets, Rachel, because Cats closed about 11 years ago."

Rachel looks down at the tickets in her hand and grimaced. "He did seem crazy. He charged my credit card by swiping it through his butt crack."

The New Directions had been working for hours in their rooms on new songs and were now presenting them to the group. Puck was playing the guitar while Brittany and Artie swayed in the front of the room to the beat. 🩵

[Brittany]

I got you in the palm of my hand

Wanna put something hot in you

So hot that you can't stand

[Artie]

That you can't stand

[Brittany]

Gonna take you to my lips

Empty out every last drop

So thirsty for what's in ya, baby

That I can't stop

[Artie]

That I can't stop

[Brittany]

In the middle of the night, I'm in bed alone

Don't care if you're glass, paper, styrofoam

When I need some water, baby

[both]

Coffee or gin

You're the only thing I wanna put them in

My cup, my cup

Saying what's up to my cup, my cup

More of a friend than a silly pop, my cup

You know what it is

Saying what's up to my cup-ah!

Saying what's up to my cup-ah!

Saying what's up to my cup-ah!

Finley cheered supportively and clapped with everyone else, who had a mix of confused and amused expressions on their faces. "Hold on, are you singing about a cup?" Tina questioned.

"Yeah, totally," Brittany smiled.

"I love it," Finley chirped. "Way better than 'My Headband' or 'Only Child'- sorry, Rachel." Rachel frowned. "That's going to be stuck in my head for weeks, just like 'Trouty Mouth.'" Santana high-fived her and Sam frowned too.

"We gotta get out of here," Quinn sighed, moving to grab her coat.

"Wait, no, no, no," Rachel objected. "Mr. Schue gave us explicit instructions."

Quinn nodded, "To write a song. And our problem is that our only inspiration are mattresses and bathroom cups."

"Quinn's right," Puck said in agreement, setting down his guitar. "We're in the artist capital of the world. Poets, musicians, actors, playwrights. Every dreamer that's ever lived has passed through this city. And if we want our dreams to come true, we need to be out there with them, not stuck in here." Everyone but Finn and Rachel nodded in agreement.

"Guys, I don't think this is a good idea," Finn voiced with concern. "I mean, we still got those songs to write. If we don't write them, we're gonna lose."

"No," Lauren exclaimed. "They're right. Can't you hear the city calling you?"

"We don't need to write songs for Nationals. New York's going to write them for us," Quinn smiled.

And so the glee club explored New York City, finding inspiration in The Big Apple.

🎵

Quinn was in a bad mood. Finn had taken Rachel out on a date in the dazzling city the night before, and Quinn had shut down. Santana had let her attitude slide the previous night, but she was now hogging the bathroom and Santana had reached her breaking point.

"Quinn, quit hogging the bathroom!" Santana yelled as she banged on the door once more. "I needs to repencil my eyebrows on!"

Finally, the door opened and Quinn stepped out. "It's all yours," she said, her voice tired.

"Everybody's already in the other room working," Santana pointed out, her, Brittany, and Finley confused as to why she hadn't left the room yet.

"Oh, yeah? Is Mr. Schue in there?" Quinn called, her tone becoming a bit nasty. "'Cause I think I'm gonna tell him that Rachel and Kurt keep sneaking off."

"You can't do that. He'll have to suspend them," Brittany objected.

"And there goes our chances at Nationals," Finley added, frowning at Quinn's apathy to the entire situation.

"Darn," she said unconvincingly.

"You know what?" Santana snapped. "We get it. You're pissed about Finn dumping your sweet ass. Get over it!"

"I don't want to get over it, ok?" Quinn yelled, making them jump back at her sudden outburst. Finley put her hand on her shoulder to calm her down. She knew that Quinn was upset over Finn, of course she would be, but she didn't realize how hurt she really was.

"The only person that you're sabotaging here is yourself," Santana said.

Quinn broke. "I don't care about some stupid show choir competition!" She screamed in Santana's face, ripping herself away from Finley.

"Well, you should!" Poor Brittany and Finley were caught between the two. "Because this is the one chance that we have to actually feel good about ourselves!"

Quinn's eyes began to water. "Aren't we supposed to be the popular girls?" She said, her voice croaking as her emotions flooded her. "So why can't we have our dreams come true? She has love. Tina has it. Even Zizes hooks up." Santana and Brittany avoid making eye contact, and Finley is silent beside Quinn, her mind turning to a certain someone. Quinn, exhausted from her outburst, took a seat on the edge of her bed. Santana and Brittany sat beside her while Finley stood in front, facing her. "I just want somebody to love me," she confessed. She began to weep, and Brittany and Finley brushed her hair back and wiped her tears away.

"I think I know how to make you feel better," Santana sighed, feeling for her friend.

"I'm flattered, Santana, but I'm really not that into that."

Santana's eyes widened at what she was referring to. "No, no! I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about a haircut."

"Yes, totally," Brittany nodded in support.

"A good change," Finley smiled. "So, Quinny-bear, what do you think?"

🎵

The next morning, Finley was beside Quinn and her new haircut as New Directions stood in the middle of the theater lobby for the ever-waited competition of their lifetime. The room was abuzz with chatter as people made their way to their seats. "We made it!" Rachel exclaimed with excitement. "We're one of the top 50 show choirs in the nation. Tomorrow, 10 will move on to the showcase where they'll vie for the National Championship!"

"That was a lot of exposition," Finley hummed.

"We've so got this!" Kurt cheered.

"Ok," Mr. Schue faced them. "Usually I'm pretty cautious about getting your hopes up, but honestly, guys, I think we got a really good shot at winning this thing." He grinned and the group cheered. "Everyone, put your hands in the middle. One, two three..."

"New Directions!"

The group then found their seats inside and the competition began. After a couple hours, it was finally their turn. And they were ready.

While the New Directions were preparing on the stage, in the audience, Jesse took his seat beside Will Schuester. "I couldn't stay away," he smiled. Will smiled back, and together, the two watched the group perform.

"And now, from William McKinley High in Lima, Ohio, the New Directions!" The crowd applauded and Rachel and Finn revealed themselves as the curtains rose. Finn had written a beautiful ballad for them to perform called "Pretending." And the two ex-lovers were singing together, every raw emotion evident in their voices and movements. 🖤

[Rachel & Finn]

Face-to-face and heart-to-heart

We're so close, yet so far apart

I close my eyes, I look away

That's just because I'm not ok

But I hold on, I stay strong

Wondering if we still belong

Will we ever say the words we're feeling?

Reach down underneath it

Tear down all the walls

Will we ever have a happy ending?

Or will we forever only be pretending?

Keeping secrets safe, every move we make

Seems like no one's letting go

And it's such a shame 'cause if you feel the same

How am I supposed to know?

Oh!

Rachel and Finn sung beautifully, pouring their hearts out on that stage. Finley watched her brother with pride. They could actually win this thing!

The rest of the New Directions then walked out and joined them on the stage.

[all]

Will we ever say the word we're feeling?

Reach down underneath it

Tear down all the walls

Will we ever have a happy ending?

Or will we forever only be pretending?

[Rachel]

Pretending

[Finn]

Pretending

[Rachel & Finn]

Pretending

It was like it was in slow motion, how it occurred. Finn and Rachel were gazing deeply into each other's eyes and the distance between them slowly closed.

Everything went silent as the two locked lips and kissed on stage.

Rachel and Finn then broke apart, but the audience was silent. Finley shared the same horrified expression as the rest of the group. In the audience, Will and Jesse were gaping with dread at the scene.

"Was that scripted?" Jesse asked worriedly.

Mr. Schue sighed. "No." He then stood up and began clapping, hoping to break the awkward moment. Slowly, the audience joined in, but it was quiet.

Thankfully, the notes for their next song in their setlist began. Rachel and Finn quickly made their way to their spots with the rest of the group for their next original song, "Light Up the World," a number with a steady drum beat, upbeat guitar, and intense dance choreography. ❤️

[Santana]

Hey, hey, hey

You and me keep on dancing in the dark

It's been tearing me apart

never knowing what we are

[Finley]

Hey, hey, hey

You and me keep on trying to play it cool

Not it's time to make a move

and that's what I'm gonna do

[Artie]

Lay it all down

[Brittany]

Got something to say

[Artie]

Lay it all down

[Brittany]

Throw your doubt away

[Artie]

Do or die now

[Brittany]

Step onto the plate

[Artie]

Blow the door wide open like

[Artie & Brittany]

Up, up and away

[all]

Let's light up the world tonight

You gotta give up the bark and bite

I know that we got the love, alright

Come on and light it, light it up

light it up tonight

The crowd cheered and clapped as they enjoyed the number. The once awkward atmosphere created by Finn and Rachel's kiss was replaced with energetic excitement and fun.

[Finn]

Hey, hey, hey

You and me turn it up ten thousand watts

Tell me why we gotta stop

I just want to let it rock

[Artie & Tina]

Hey, hey, hey

You and me keep on tearing at the road

Like we don't know where to go

step back, let me take control

[Artie]

Lay it all down

[Brittany]