Hear You Me,
Written by WickedSong.
Disclaimer : I do not own Glee, it belongs to FOX.
Will Schuester looked at the glee kids, all assembled, all united, all ready to go out there and prove that they could take the competition at Sectionals this year as they had every year before. There had been a lot of hard work, a lot of fighting and a lot of issues but in the end they had always been brought back to the same conclusion. They were a family and sad as it was, it was the most horrible event that had taken them to that and was the reason they were so together now.
It was a chilly Autumn morning, the beginning of November and the kids were still squabbling as preparation for the school musical began to take top priority and the performances were due to begin in just under two weeks. Everyone had been practicing to the best of their abilities and the show was looking as if it was going to be amazing, one of the best, Figgins had declared, that the school had produced.
There was still the issue of Mercedes and Santana deferring to Shelby's rival club, something that Will couldn't blame the other woman for but he had been trying to persuade them to come back for the last couple of weeks to no avail.
Until Quinn had arrived in his office that morning, with the reason why the members of the club who had left would come back, the reason that changed everything really. He didn't like it though, he hated it, despised why it had to happen that way. He had no doubt in his mind that if they could they would have given up any Sectional or Regional or National compeition in order to get back what had been lost.
Will took his seat in the middle of Shelby and Emma as the kids, all dressed in their costumes, guys with white ties and black suits, girls with black dresses, similar to the Nationals outfits, also piled into the seats beside them. After all that had happened, Will and Shelby had decided to team up and direct the New Directions together, due to the fact that Shelby had decided to quit her job at McKinley and move back to New York, feeling that although Puck and Quinn had eventually come to terms with Beth being there, it wasn't the right time for either of them to be there. She would be leaving during the winter holidays, enough time for Puck and Quinn to say goodbye to their child.
Sugar Motta had also joined New Directions, Will remembering his acceptance of any members and had been vocally mentored by Shelby and even though she still wasn't decent, she had improved tremoundously from the beginning of the year. A transfer student from Ireland, Rory, had also joined at the end of November, as he was staying with Brittany on his exchange programme. That brought the club over what they needed to perform and he was glad for it. But again, what they wouldn't give...
"Are you positive, Quinn? How did you even find out?"
"I got a phone call, last night." The blonde haired girl had tears in her eyes and obviously she was going to give in any minute now and cry. Will brought a chair over to beside his own and gently led Quinn to it. She sat down. "Why would I even lie about something like this?" She sounded offended.
Will shook his head and realised his own breathing was shaky. "I'm not saying that. I'm just-I'm just-I'm just-" He fell onto his own seat, shocked, stunned and wondering how on earth he was meant to tell everyone. "I never thought anything like this would happen."
Quinn shook her head. "Nothing like this is ever meant to happen." She looked to the side, and a few tears fell down her face. "I'm going to see the nurse. I don't even know why I came into school today."
She stood up and though she was shaky on her feet, walked to the door as calmly as she could, leaving a shocked Will to look at the papers on his desk, aimlessly.
Everyone was doing a mixture of things. Some fidgeted, some had their heads bowed, some, it even looked, were crying. All except Rory or Sugar. Of course they knew what had happened, as did everyone in the glee club but they couldn't understand it or even try to. They sympathised, even Sugar, who wasn't the most tactful girl Will had ever had to teach, but neither could know what kind of bond was there and was effectively broken.
As the other teams began to sing, high energy, upbeat classics and modern hits, Will ran through the setlist in his head. While the solo was sure to be to the judges tastes he wasn't completely sure about the group performance but after hearing the reasons for the club wanting to perform it he couldn't say no and neither could Shelby. They were very good at the song, excellent but he didn't want their emotions to hinder them, but all they could really do was improve on it.
Shelby had assured him that it was for the best and only served to show the growth in the group.
With a heavy heart, Will walked in to glee rehearsal later on that day.
"Well, Mr. Schue's here and Quinn's still not shown up," commented Kurt. "I hope she's alright."
Will had his back turned to the group and didn't want to turn around because the tears gnawing at his eyes were becoming too hard to contain and he was too scared of breaking down right in front of them there and then but he had to turn eventually.
Staying in this position, head down, hands on piano, pretending to look at music would never erase what had happened, would never turn back the clock and stop it.
"Do you think one of us should go look for her?" Puck asked, sounding concerned for her.
"Quinn went home," Will said quietly, back still turned to the group."She, uh, wasn't feeling well."
"She looked pretty upset in Math, but I thought it was just because of everything that had gone on with," Rachel began, and continued quietly, "Shelby." The tension in the room could be felt especially when Puck also tensed up at this.
"No, it's nothing like that. It's...I guess I can't hide the truth from you, guys." Will turned around now, and he was aware of the tears in his eyes, and he looked at them all, and these were his students, the young men and women he had seen come from a small five piece group to this. To people who had been to Nationals and back, who had faced great adversity for just being who they were.
"Mr Schue, what is it?" Finn asked, concern in his voice, and this causing it to become louder and more urgent. He could obviously tell that the news being delievered would not be of the good kind.
"Are you alright?" asked Emma, as she took Will's hand in her own. She had gotten a lot better and was receiving help for her OCD but she was still apprehensive about things such as hand holding but she could sense Will needed the support.
"I'm just worried for the kids. I mean, look at 'em."
Emma gave a small look down the aisle and could sense both the camadrie but also the inherent sadness. Yes, there were some areas where her conseuling was ineffective but there were others where everything was as clear as day.
"They'll be fine," she said to him, giving his hand a quick squeeze. "They...They're stronger than you think."
"Yeah, but it's only been a month, Em," Will argued. "Who's to say they're over it."
"They're not," she answered, retracting her hand from Will's and turning to face him, lowering her voice a little more since the other people around them were trying to watch and listen to what was happening on the stage. "But they will be. One day. It's not going to happen quickly. It never does because you can pretend all you want that you're okay but it's going to take some conseuling before they can make peace."
Will sighed. "I know." He wiped his eye hastily and when Shelby also gave him a smile he returned it.
He also looked down the line, to find Rachel with her head on Finn's shoulder, Kurt and Blaine holding hands, while Quinn and Mercedes held hands, their former friendship blooming in the wake of what had happened.
"Tell me it's not true."
Kurt looked at Mercedes and closed his locker door over gently. He was tired and emotionally worn out, having not slept the entire night before and now he had Mercedes confronting him about it, something he had been hoping he wouldn't have to deal with.
They hadn't properly spoken since she had left the club and it was because they had both been too stubborn to bridge the gap.
"Mercedes, I-"
"No, Kurt, don't 'Mercedes' me, I just need you to tell me it's not true, that's all," she demanded, her fist clenched, her eyes watering.
Kurt could tell that she knew what he was going to tell her was bad and that he could sugarcoat it all he wanted but that didn't stop the undeniable truth from hitting her, from hitting any of them.
"I wish I could but I can't."
"Yes you can." Her voice was breaking now, and she was desperately pleading with him.
That was when he knew it was bad. It was Mercedes. She was strong when everyone else wasn't. She was a pillar of strength. She didn't plead for anything.
Kurt took her hand and she didn't resist. "Come on," he said to her, "we need to go see Ms. Pilsbury." He used his free hand to wipe tears from his own eyes, while he led her down the hallways, feeling as if he had to be the strong one this time. This was tearing him apart inside right now but it was going to be even worse for her.
As the group before the intermission, and before them, ended, the New Directions clapped before Will and Shelby got them all out of their seats and to the green room backstage.
"We all know why we're here today. To win the Sectionals title for the third time and to advance to Regionals," began Will as he looked at them all. "But this year, we know that there's more to it. Two years ago, you sat here with no songs and a year ago you were all so close to turning against one another. This year we're even more of a family than before."
He nodded to Shelby, feeling a sob choke at his throat. She nodded and stepped forward. "Kurt, you'll start on stage, remember? You'll be fine, you deserve this solo," she said to the boy, and smiled at him brightly, trying to keep the team's spirit high. "For the group number," she felt her own sadness rise, "it's all about remembering what brought you to this point and however hard it is, I want you to remember who you're doing it for."
Everyone looked at each other, all remembering that there and then. The person who this was for and the importance they had had, even if they hadn't known it at the time.
The lights flashed, the signal that it was nearly time for them to go on.
In their own mini-groups they all left the room, but everyone still held hands in a sort of chain, the unity clear between them. Will had to give a small smile.
"We're here today to honour the memory of Samuel Evans. He was a son, a grandson, a brother, a nephew, a friend whose companionship will be sorely missed."
Mercedes looked distractly at the funeral programme, at the sea of black in front of her, and then back at the picture on the front, with 'Samuel Evans, 1995-2011', emblazoned under it, the cruel reminder of what had happened, of what could never be brought back.
"Death should never be looked upon with sadness and instead we should strive to remember the kind of person, Samuel, or Sam as everyone I believe called him, was. He was a kind soul, caring, loving, who spent his final months helping his family in whatever ways he could. We should look at it as he has ascended to the next great adventure."
She didn't want to think of him ascending onto the next great adventure. No, she wanted him here. She wanted him alive, not cold and bloodied, not a shell of what he was. Not broken because of some idiot who couldn't resist running a red light.
Mercedes let out a sob as she thought about it and felt Quinn's hand on her shoulder and Kurt's hand in hers, tears flowing down her face.
They had offered to drive down to the funeral with her along with Finn and Artie. Kurt had asked Puck to fill in for him as Krupke in West Side Story until they were back and Mr. Schue had offered to chaperone the small group to the funeral, something the parents had agreed to, seeing the way that it was affecting their children. Of course, the entire club would have came if they had had the choice but opening night was the same night and there were no proper understudies for either Rachel or Blaine's roles, the same with Santana or Mike so nothing could be done for them.
Quinn felt an overwhelming flood of sadness. Sam had been her boyfriend and while she had had no lingering romantic feelings for him, he had still been one of her closest friends and it had been she who had been called by his parents and then she who had been forced to tell Mr. Schue, and in turn the glee club. Kurt also felt the same. He had helped Sam and his family. He had grown close to them. Sam had been one of his closest friends.
Why did stuff like this have to happen?
As the service ended, any last respects were to be paid and once Kurt, Quinn, Mr. Schue, Finn and Artie had all stood silently by the coffin, individually and said any last words, words she couldn't hear, Mercedes was painfully aware it was her turn.
She placed her hand on the wood and traced it with her hand. She felt her knees wobble slightly but she wouldn't let it deter her from what she had to do.
"I'm so sorry," she said quietly. "I don't think I ever said that. I don't think I ever got in contact and apologised. I said you and me, we were, we were 'so June', didn't I?" She gave a humourless laugh, full of regret. "I was just angry and Shane was right there and I thought I was over you but I wasn't, was I? I thought by saying that I could pretend you meant nothing to me but you did. You meant- will always mean- something to me, Sam. I-I-I love you."
She felt a hand on her shoulder and wasn't sure who it was but she was still glad for the comfort, as she continued.
"I quit glee club as well. I thought I deserved my moment in the spotlight and maybe I do, but, but, I guess I shouldn't have been as demanding about it, should I? Look at me, asking you questions." Another laugh, full of heartbreak, was given. "Shelby started a new one. I don't even know if you knew who she was. But I don't think it's gonna work out. If Mr. Schue would have me back, I think I'd go. I didn't realise until they said you were-until I found out," she tried to make her voice even but it was hard with every emotion entering it, "how much we all care for each other."
"Mercedes, we'd probably better get going," whispered Quinn, still with her hand on her friend's shoulder.
"Yeah, I know, one more minute though. Please," she asked.
Quinn nodded. "We'll be outside."
Mercedes only nodded and then placed both her hands on the coffin. "I'll miss you. I know it's true. I'll miss your smile and the way you acted so dorky and just everything. I always thought there'd be a second chance but I guess there's not. Not all the time. I'll move on but I promise I'll never forget it. I'll never forget you. I love you, Sam Evans."
She said a prayer, a long one, for Sam, for his family, for his mother, father, his sister and brother and then walked out the church, hugging Quinn and Kurt, and Finn and Mr. Schue and Artie and not realising, until they were holding her up, how much she needed to fall to her knees.
Kurt's solo went well, the entire auditorium erupting into applause at his voice but then it was time for the hardest part of this competition. Their second song, chosen specially by the group in remembrance. Finn stepped forward.
"There's no one in town, I know, you gave us some place to go, I never said thank you for that, thought I might get one more chance."
As Finn stepped back, Quinn stepped forward next, singing the next line.
"What would you think of me now, so lucky, so strong, so proud, I never said thank you for that, now I'll never have the chance."
Tina and Artie harmonised for the next section, with everyone providing the backing vocals, but emotion being present in every one's facial expressions, their movements. The entire room was captivated.
"May angels lead you in, hear you me, my friends, on sleepless roads, the sleepless go, may angels lead you in."
As the guitar played, the group danced, until Kurt stepped forward.
"What would you think of me now, so lucky, so strong, so proud, I never said thank you for that, now I'll never have the chance."
Puck and Santana took the harmonies in the next part.
"May angels lead you in, hear you me, my friends, on sleepless roads, the sleepless go, may angels lead you in."
The girls and the guys alternated lines for the next part, singing the 'may angels lead you in' back in forth to one another in their groups until they continued dancing, a soft dreamy movement.
Mercedes finally stepped forward, her voice restrained but powerful, emotive but understated.
"And if you were with me tonight, I'd sing to you just one more time, a song for a heart so big, God couldn't let it live."
Everyone stepped back, until they all walked forward, one by one, singing the song, holding hands. By the end of this they were all standing in a line, gently singing the words to the audience who had, from what Will could see, tears in their eyes.
"May angels lead you in, hear you me, my friends, on sleepless roads, the sleepless go, may angels lead you in, may angels lead you in, hear you me, my friends, on sleepless roads, the sleepless go, may angels lead you in."
The lights darkened on the stage and the group all bowed their heads, in silence, even though there was deafening applause surrounding them. They all hugged, all cried together silently as they made their way off stage.
Mercedes looked up before she walked into the green room to be greeted by Will, Shelby and Emma, and silently said another prayer, telling Sam that that was for him.
And she hoped, no, she knew that somehow he heard her.
I am ready for everyone to attack me for this and trust me, no one hates me more than myself at this moment because of this. But the song came on my iPod and I just couldn't get this plot out of my head. Trust me, in my world he wouldn't die but...in my writing, he did, if that makes any sense. I do not own the song btw, it's by Jimmy Eat World and called Hear You Me.
A little b/c for after the story though; once they got back from the funeral (I know, I'm sobbing myself, ok, could hardly get through a section of this without taking deep deep breaths) Mercedes broke up with Shane because despite him being an okay guy she didn't think it fair to be with him when she still had feelings to deal with. I wanted to put that in the story but it didn't fit so here it's here.
So it's not hope you enjoyed because who enjoys reading about Sam Evans of all people dying but I hope you thought it was well written and a good structure and stuff like that. Trust me, I did not enjoy writing it and it was perhaps the longest and most emotionally draining thing I've ever written.
WickedSong x