Hello there!
These are just some AND/TND drabbles. I mentioned them in the AND epilogue. It won't be updated regularly, but we'll see. Some stories will take place in A New Direction (2028-2031) or The Next Direction. Some will involve songs and others don't. (I think a lot will involve songs, I mean, they're glee kids after all). Some will be about the entire A New Directions and other will be about certain (friend)ships, but we'll see.
Some will even be about the New Direction members since they, of course, also exist in this universe.
Well, enjoy.
This story takes place in A New Direction in 2029, aka a year after the main story. It involves the entire A New Directions, including Marley.
Here we go!
The Bonds We Break
The glee club starts to get very irritated by Tyler's obsession with Don't Stop Believin'.
Marley thinks they need their own anthem to represent A New Direction.
'Don't Stop Believin' yeaaaaah'. "Tyler!" everyone groans when they hear his ringtone. Tyler dramatically rolls his eyes. "I really don't understand your aversion towards that beautiful song," he says and Carla smiles while shaking her head. Why did they ever start dating?
"It's not an aversion, Ty, you know that,' Mea pipes up, "You are allowed to listen to the music you like, but we all agree with what Mercedes said two years ago."
"I'm not saying we should sing it," Tyler says. Wrong move. Everyone basically explodes on him, but he can see they're not angry.
"Tyler please," Karina shouts.
"How is he even allowed here?" Jace snorts.
"Tyler, you asked us guys to sing it… two days ago," Kevin adds and Damian, Timothy and Miles hum in agreement.
"You ask Mrs. Rose daily," Kate smiles mockingly.
"I am so done with this damn song and all because of you," Lulu sighs, "Go feel the guilt."
"You asked us to perform it acapella!" Gloria says and gestures to herself, Phoebe and Alice.
"Guuuuuys, I get it. I'm a little bit-" "too much" "- yes, thank you Jace. I might be a little bit too much-" "You definitely are." "Goddamn Jason, I get it," Tyler throws his hands in the air, "I am obsessed with this damn song and proud of it."
He glares to his phone. "Well, now I missed it," he picks it up and makes his way to the door, "Be right back."
Marley enters the room a few seconds after. "Why the weird faces, guys? It's a beautiful sunny day." "Mrs. Rose," Mea starts, "Honestly, Tyler still wants to cover Don't Stop Believin' and I - we – are getting sick of it."
"It's so over-used," Karina says. Marley nods, because she agrees with them. Don't Stop Believin' is the song that symbolizes the New Directions.
But…
This isn't the New Directions.
Tyler re-enters the room. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Rose," he greets Marley absently. Marley stands up and picks up a marker. She writes something on the board.
'ANTHEM'
"Mrs. Rose, I don't know if you remember, but it is Ballad week," Miles points out.
"I know, Miles, but I already have my assignment for next week," Marley says and others look confused, "I know it's not, well, normal for the glee club, but I think this is really important. A New Direction needs its own anthem."
"I propose-"
"SHUT UP, TYLER!" everyone yells before Tyler can even finish and it vaguely reminds Marley of something that happened during Christmas time.
Or didn't it happen?
"Tyler, I understand why you love Don't Stop Believin', I do too," Marley says, "But like I said, we need an anthem for A New Direction. Don't Stop Believin' will forever be the anthem of the New Directions and the alumni sings it with pride- I do too.
Now, I'm not saying you don't sing it with pride, because you do, but like I said, it's the anthem of the New Directions. We aren't the New Directions."
"We're better than that," Alice jokes and others hoot.
"Exactly," Marley points to Alice, "That is why we need our own song. We need our own song we sing together with pride. And that's your next week's assignment. By the end of the week, we'll have our own anthem and we will perform it in the auditorium."
"Don't You (Forget About Me)?"
"Overdone."
"This Is War?"
"Nice one, but too angsty."
"Young Volcanoes?"
"Pass me another slice of pizza, Miles."
"That's a good one."
"I'm not quite a fan of it, to be honest."
"Timmy, love, you only listen to musicals."
"And that's why I suggest La Vie Boheme."
"NO."
"Why not?"
"Kings and Queens?"
"Isn't that from the same artist as This Is War?"
"Harlem? Why can't we just decide, guys? We all are at Karina's place because we want it sorted out."
"Carry On?"
"Isn't that one sad too?"
"I don't know."
"To Build A Home is one that sounds sad. Carry On is about courage."
"Kate, stop quoting your idols."
"We already did Bonfire Heart."
"Little Talks?"
"I Like It Like That?"
"We can't decide, Jesus fucking Christ."
"Oooooh, Carla is swearing!"
"Phoebe, you've been awfully silent."
"Yeah, stop staring at your phone."
"Shut up, Glo. I think I got one."
Friday, the members of A New Direction are standing in the auditorium. Marley Rose is sitting behind the desk in the audience. She has no idea about the song choice.
The light goes on and Phoebe steps forward.
For those days we felt like a mistake,
Those times when love's what you hate,
Somehow we keep marching on.
Alice is next.
For those nights when I couldn't be there,
I've made it harder to know that you know
That somehow we'll keep moving on.
Tyler is next and the others sing back up.
There's so many wars we fought,
There's so many things we're not,
But with what we have,
I promise you that
We're marching on
(We're marching on)
(We're marching on).
Carla takes over while the others and Tyler keep singing background
For all of the plans we've made,
There isn't a flag I'd wave,
Don't care if we bend,
I'd sink us to swim,
We're marching on
(We're marching on)
(We're marching on).
Jace and Timothy sing the next verse
For those doubts that swirl all around us,
For those lives that tear at the seams,
We know we're not what we've seen,
Mea and Kevin dance around each other while Mea sings the next part.
For this dance we'll move with each other.
There ain't no other step than one foot
Right in front of the other.
Miles takes a step forward.
There's so many wars we fought,
There's so many things we're not,
But with what we have,
I promise you that
We're marching on
(We're marching on)
(We're marching on).
Kate stands next to him and reaches for his hands. She sings the next part.
For all of the plans we've made,
There isn't a flag I'd wave,
Don't care if we bend,
I'd sink us to swim,
We're marching on
(We're marching on)
(We're marching on).
All the girls continue to sing while the guys do the ooooohs in the background.
Right, right, right,
Right left
Right, right, right,
Right left
Right, right, right,
We're marching on.
The drums disappear and Damian sings
We'll have the days we break,
And we'll have the scars to prove it,
We'll have the bonds that we save,
But we'll have the heart not to lose it.
The drums are back. Lulu looks around to meet her friends' eyes and sings.
For all of the times we've stopped,
For all of the things I'm not.
Karina sings the next part. She's improved a lot.
We put one foot in front of the other,
We move like we ain't got no other,
We go where we go, we're marching on.
Kevin sings
There's so many wars we fought,
There's so many things we're not,
But with what we have,
I promise you that
We're marching on
(We're marching on)
(We're marching on).
Everyone starts singing and Gloria belts her heart out.
Right, right, right,
Right left
Right, right, right,
Right, left,
Right, right, right,
We're marching on.
We're marching on.
We're marching on.
Right, right, right,
Right left
Right, right, right,
Right, left,
Right, right, right,
We're marching on.
Marley gives them a standing ovation. "Now, that is what I'm talking about!"
END
The song is Marchin' On by OneRepublic
