It was late afternoon and the sun casted its post-midday shadows in front of the dashboard as she pulled her car into the all too-familiar parking lot. With a quick scan of the surrounding grounds, immediately upon the engine coming to an eased stop in the respective spot, she knew that a dozen or so prepubescent boys would be in the midst of practicing their pitching and curveballs in preparation of spring's final games out on the fields behind that infamous dumpster to the left. Just a tad bit further down, behind the bleachers, it was evident that an abundance of scantily-clad, overworked and over-hormonal girls were calling drills and smoothing over a cheeky dance routine for about the umpteenth time that afternoon, in desperate need of a break 15 minutes ago, but probably not getting one for another hour from now. Yes, indeed she knew this scene. She knew this scene well.

But that was nine years ago. The "Top 4 at 4" countdown on the radio with a new Jamie Foxx song at number three indicated that rather quickly. In 2001, Jamie Foxx was notorious for cracking a joke or two onscreen and now he was recording dance floor hip-hop hits that told you to just "blame it on the ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-alcohol." That was also when creating a mixed CD for your car with songs you downloaded off of Napster was "cool". At the beginning of the new Y2K millennium, iPods were still a couple of years until their popular release. At the beginning of the monumental turn of the millennium, she was pulling out of this same parking lot at this same time of day in her mom's friend's daughter's hand-me-down 1989 powder blue Dodge Spirit. (Even the mere thought of that vehicle made her cringe with perpetual embarrassment.)

Today, however, she was 27 and instead driving a maroon 2011 BMW Z3 (with driver's side windows that actually open without having to open the door at the bank drive-though, thank God!), parking in a marked "Visitors" spot, as opposed to her reserved " Senior Class President" spot in the first row of the designated students' parking lot. Rather than attending one of the numerous extra-curricular afterschool activities and clubs she was a part of, she was her to tend to business of a different matter, for the first time in 8 years, 11 months, and 27 days.

The only difference that remained the same was the setting: McKinley High School. She had a gut feeling that even if she didn't ever return for another nine years, very little on the surface of this setting would further change. High school was high school, any way you slice that proverbial pie. Oh yeah, she thought to herself as she emerged from the car and securely locked the door from her keyless entry remote (the Dodge Spirit was lucky enough if it locked from the key directly inserted into the door), and she was still Alexia Carlfenso.

Somehow, Alexia didn't think that would matter much around McKinley's campus today. After all, it was nine years removed from her heyday of popularity and high academic and social status in high school. There was only one student remaining there today that actually knew of her reign as "Best All-Around" four years in a row, but only knew of it through countless stories and endless documented scrapbooks, photo albums, video recordings, and yearbooks- her half-sister, her junior of just about eleven years…Rachel Berry.

Alexia and Rachel had different mothers, but shared the same dad. Since Alexia was born before one of Rachel's fathers came out of the closet and expressed his homosexuality publicly (leave it to her mother to be the one person who decided to inform the whole entire South Shore of Long Island by taking out a sole outwardly-prophesying ad in the Lifestyle section of the New York Newsday to defame her father who was the Fine Arts director at SUNY Stony Brook), she was not born to a surrogate mother. When her dad left New York and moved to Lima, Ohio to be with his new, but now current partner twenty years ago, her "stepfather" treated her as his own as well. When they decided to have a baby of their own and combine their sperm in the turkey baster, Alexia's real dad asked his preteen daughter to never divulge who her biological father was to the new offspring. At ten years old, the "secret" served to be a fun and unique one, but the thought always occurred to her she should share the news with her baby sister eventually one day, especially since she met Rachel's biological mother before Rachel was even born. Her own mother thought the whole idea in itself to be "sick and twisted", and even though she moved Alexia to Lima to continue somewhat of a substantial relationship with her father, she only really developed a sisterly, bonded relationship with Rachel after she had moved to Florida for college.

The two girls kept in close contact over the years, seeing each other paternal family reunions and flying Rachel down for extended weekends or to Alexia's premiers for her latest independent film. Now that Alexia was on an extended hiatus herself from Manhattan and Hollywood's acting scenes, she firmly decided that she was ready to settle down as a Kindergarten Teacher at William H. Taft Elementary on the outskirts of Lima and move back, closer to both her dad and stepfather to finally have a real, meaningful relationship with her little sister. She had only been moved in for less than a week when Rachel INSISTED (more like "demanded"- damn, that girl was more brash and abrasive that she ever was, EVEN when she playing a part that required her to be) that Alexia come and watch her afternoon Glee club practice on day. Since elementary school students were dismissed two hours after the high school students are, Alexia figured she could catch the tail end of Rachel and her "most perfectly and appropriately assigned solo for Regionals" and pick her up to catch a Yoga Bootie Bounce Class at the Y.

Looking down at her watch and realizing there was about thirteen minutes left to watch before some "portly, but rather pretty-faced if she lost some weight black girl named Mercedes who sung like a young Aretha" was practicing her lead in Mariah Carey's "I Don't Want to Cry" for the Solo and Ensemble portion of Regionals, Alexia entered the building and made her way directly past the front office towards the music room, just as she did when she was still enrolled as an underclassman.

Although she and Rachel possessed many of the same desirable genetic traits, the one desirable trait that was passed down to Rachel and skipped Alexia prior in the process was the single attribute that made Rachel shine brighter than any star in the Milky Way---the ability to sing! Alexia certainly could NOT sing her way out of a paper bag from Ms. Barbra Streisand herself, but chalked it up to the fact that Rachel needed to be blessed with at least one likeable, or even loveable, characteristic that positively set her apart from others. Alexia, on the other hand, was grateful to possess an abundance of all the characteristics her younger sister lacked, and was planning on making it her duty for however long she lived back in Lima to pass even a fraction of those attributes on to Rachel. And, just maybe, JUST maybe, as a small minute favor of her own, Rachel could quite possibly teach her to sing, even remotely a fraction of how well she does.

Rounding the corner by Principal Figgins' office, making a mental note to stop in and say hello to him after Rachel's glee rehearsal has ended, Alexia found herself in deep deliberation, trying desperately to remember which classrooms she sauntered by used to house which of her favorite teachers. She was only about three classrooms down the first hallway when she heard an oddly uncanny voice laced with familiar snarkiness and sarcasm call out to her:

"Well holy mother of thunder thighs of Richard's Simmons great past, I thought I wouldn't see your guinea mug around until well after you had been washed up and applying for an extra role on Flavor Flav's Flavor of Love! I mean, he did personally request an appearance by me in his first season, but I was involved in my own matters of the heart at the time. Anywho, how the hell are you, kid? I sure have missed your agile ways in this neck of the woods!"

Dressed in her trademark track suit in all its pressed and matching glory, complete with her "I eat iron nails for breakfast and spit them back out to nail the table with" attitude, there stood Sue Sylvester with a her half-smile she forces for the people she actually likes, which is only given in the rarest of occasions- this being one of them- Alexia's former Cheerios' cheerleading coach.

"Ms. Sylvester! It's so---" Alexia's greeting was abruptly cut off by Sue.

"I usually wait until the 10-year grace period following graduation to allow former students I actually can stomach and do like to call me by my first name, but I'll make a year early exception with you. Call me Sue."

Alexia embraced Sue in an air hug, the only kind of hug that Sue would allow from the students she actually could stomach and did like. "Okay, Sue. It's so great to see you! It's been forever.

"Surely it has." There Sue went again with her half-smile. She motioned to her office, running an energized hand through her own short blond, signature military trimmed locks. How Sue just always admired herself still so profoundly still amazed Alexia after all these years!"Come in. Tell me why you decided to come and plan an impromptu visit with me after all these years over a nice, cold protein shake. I have Caribbean Pineapple today."

As much as she would have loved to sit and shoot the breeze with the lady who once told her right after the Cheerios had won their eighth national championship that year under her direction as Head Captain that she could continue grooming her for a co-coaching position upon graduation that same year, she knew she didn't have the time. She also knew she was skeptical in even considering to do so after she had to tell Sue that her future plans did not involve staying in Lima and teaching at her alma mater. Alexia had goals, lofty ones at that, and she was certainly not going to become a statistic like the majority of her graduating class, who stayed back to attend thirteenth and fourteenth grade at Lima Community College, married at 19 and 20, had three children by 25, and never left. Things were different for Alexia, she had goals she accomplished and stuck to her master plan. She had returned here by personal choice almost a decade after leaving, so in no way did she fall into that same category.

Just a couple of doors down, from her own office, McKinley's guidance counselor, Emma Pillsbury, rose from her black plush desk chair and slowly crept over to the door to see what had graciously lifted Sue from usual less-than-cheery disposition. Sue NEVER smiled around these hallways, unless she was basking in the a fresh championship win from the Cheerios or attempting to be successful in yet again sabotaging the Glee club and their ever-so-devoted and passionate director, fellow colleague and Spanish teacher, Will Schuester. Oh, Will. Just the simple thought of his name invoked feelings in Emma that for some reason were only reserved when she heard his name, spoke his name, or like this instance, thought of it. She hated that he unknowingly had not the slightest iota of an idea that just the sheer utterance of his name held such a captivating spell over her. I will NOT think of him. I will…See! I was trying to convince myself to not think about him and I just had to use that wrong verb- will. New verb, hmmm…Emma intensely searched for an equally valid grammatical correction. I CAN not think of him. Emma smiled a victorious smile to herself when she substituted "can" and just about forgotten why she had risen from her chair in the first place. She took about three steps outside her office doorframe and realized if she stepped any further, she would be faced with hiding behind the hallway garbage can that stood by the wall next to her office. There was no way in hell she would let her mysophobic self be within six inches of that filthy receptacle, especially when she was not armed with the proper grim-fighting gear. Nothing Sue was saying could be that important to compromise her need for constant cleanliness. That's what Emma was telling herself when she could have sworn she heard Sue end her final sentence with the last name "…Carlfenso." Just when Emma was beginning to rid her mind of Will, a renewed sense of anxious dread filled the pit of her stomach, sending a wave of nervous nausea over her. On second thought, maybe she SHOULD have moved a little closer to that garbage can after all. It couldn't be Alexia Carlfenso. There is no way! Emma took her mind back to the post-graduation party at Daniel DiRocco's parents' clubhouse in June of 2001. Alexia guffawing at the fact that Emma decided to stay living at her parents' house and attending college locally , at least for the first couple of years- the best course of action to deal with her condition, as to not exacerbate it. That girl made it quite obvious that she would never return back here, come hell or highwater! That girl was her best friend since preschool. And, now that girl is back in Lima, and Emma is determined to do whatever it takes to find out why, because in the latter part of their friendship, until they parted ways after graduation from high school, Alexia almost always seemed to have an ulterior motive.

Emma slowly walked back to her desk, closing the door and drawing the blinds behind her, not that it matter much since the surrounding walls were really large, oversized windows. Moving her journal off her desk (she had been keeping a journal since Sue gave her that "fantastic" advice about standing up to Will. At least the journal was a much more successful idea) she cleared a small area to place the McKinley High School year book from the class of 2001 she grabbed off her mahogany bookshelf. Times change. People change. Time changes people. Maybe she should give Alexia the benefit of the doubt. After all the history they shared. All the memories, both the good and the bad…they all came flooding back to her as if they happened just yesterday with one single turn of the page.

Back in the hallway, Alexia was doing her best to cut short Sue and her trip back down memory lane, at least for the time being. If she didn't get to the music room within the next minute or so, predictability served that Rachel would be out scouring the halls, pulling her in there herself. That was certainly not the entrance Alexia wanted to make upon her return the school that was once her domain.

"I've got twenty minutes and twelve competition videos from 1997-2001 with your name on it. What could be more important than visiting with your favorite, well everyone's favorite, Cheerios coach?" Correction, "only"cheerleading coach. Granted, Alexia did admire Sue for her discipline and success, but as the years progressed and she became typically older and wiser, she realized that Sue did it all for the wrong reasons, but she dare never tell her that, at least right now when she was in a time crunch.

Eight minutes left now. Alexia announced her exit, "As enticing as it sounds to sit here and reminisce, I promised my sister that I would watch her glee practice."

Glee? Sue's ears perked up at the mention of her group's nemesis. Don't tell me Schuester is recruiting alumni again? We saw how fantastically that worked out when the resident slut, April Rhodes showed up. At least that one could sing. Sue was dumbfounded at her remark, but more dumbfounded at what out-casted nimrod from "NO" Directions could be related to such a talented and decently respectable girl. She didn't give out compliments often, so that was the best she was going to get from her. I'll get more information if I play nice, Sue reminded herself. In her best phony concern, she asked "So, which one of McKinley's finest tone deaf screech machines is your sister?"

"Rachel Berry."

Sue practically spit out her Caribbean Pineapple protein shake all over her once golden girl. "Rachel, huh?"

"Well, half-sister, to get technical." Okay, the half part explains some of it. "It was so good to see you, Sue. I'm back in town now so we will definitely have to catch up."

Before Sue could mutter a response, Alexia was sprinting past lockers and classrooms until she dropped dead in her tracks. What she heard was literally music to her ears, so she instantly knew the music room was behind the next door.

She peered through the window at first to see who this amazingly smooth masculine voice was coming from. It struck has a style similar to a combination of Justin Timberlake meets Michael Buble, strong and vibrant, with a slightly sweet edge. She mostly was anticipating and expecting it from one of her sister's peers, because nine times out of ten, glee club was instructed and directed by females, at least when she was still in school.

Following the striking chords on an electric guitar, this hypnotizing voice belted out flawlessly: "She's got a smile that it seems to me, reminds me of childhood memories…where everything was as fresh as a bright blue sky…."

Looking for some Axl Rose wannabe sophomore, Alexia hummed along with the song.

"Now and then when I see her face, it takes me away to that special place. And if I stare too long, I'll probably break down and cry…"

Moving closer to the door, she could finally make out the male figure responsible for this mesmerizing ear candy. Although his back was turned to her, Alexia liked what she saw, and the way her heart unexpectedly fluttered in response confirmed it. A man of average height, but nicely- muscularly defined, enough to proportionately fill out his periwinkle and white pinstriped button down shirt, with his sleeves rolled up to just rest on his toned forearms. Preppy and clean-cut exuding a look of conservativeness mixed with and endearingly dorky quality, she giggled aloud at the fact of how mismatched this song fit this guy's style, but he sung it as if it were second nature to him. As he turned around during the chorus of "Sweet Child of Mine", she noticed how although a five o'clock shadow could be approaching at this time, he looked so freshly shaven and his gorgeous dimples stood out even more had there had been any scruff. With a head of dreamy light brown curls and crystal green eyes that she could imagine herself staring into for hours on end, her daydreaming had begun to take her to a place with an unidentified man she hope to soon meet in a matter of seconds, making her temporarily forget the real reason for her intended visit.

That is until Rachel's obviously agitated face obstructed her view, knocking her back to reality. There in the window, stood her sister, less than pleased with the fact Alexia was just now arriving to her practice. The elder girl flashed an apologetic smile and as the door swung open, Alexia could only wonder what the rest of this afternoon would bring her…

As well as the handsome, dimple-faced crooner was also wondering, whose interest was surely piqued after he swung around to hear the door ajar at the conclusion of his final note.

With a visitor from the past who might possibly be a resident of the future, the current occupants of Lima, Ohio were about to realize that life as they knew it, of the students and faculty alike, was most certainly about to change…

For the better or the worse? That rightly so, may be the question.