Rory always valued his time at William McKinley High School. Especially with his time in the New Directions. Sure, he did technically lie when he told Sugar that he was leaving, but he was desperate. He did return home though. Just for the summer, but he, at the last minute, decided to stay there. But he did try to keep in contact with some of the New Directions. Like Sam and Finn. He tried Sugar, but she was very hard to reach when in a whole other country.
For a while, he heard nothing. From any of them. He just sort of shrugged it off. It wasn't like he was given much attention when he was actually there anyway.
"Rory!" Rory's mother called, stretching out her arm towards him, phone in her hand. "Phone."
Rory grasped the phone.
"Hello?" Rory asked.
"Rory! Man, it's been a long time, hasn't it?" The voice on the other side of the line said.
"Sam?" Rory said, laughing under hi breath. "Um, y-yeah. It has been a long time. So how have you been? How's Glee?" Rory, despite his short time spent in the club, loved it dearly. So much so that he decided to create one in his own school back home. Though, not many people seem to be that much interested in it.
"Well, that's actually why I called you?"
"Sam, what's going on?"
"Could you come back to McKinley? Even for just a few days?"
Rory was speechless. Sam wanted him to return to McKinley. So many questions ran through his head. But he settled for one.
"Why?"
Sam sighed.
"Sam?"
"We're having a memorial."
"For who?"
"You mean you don't know?" Sam asked astonished, "Wow, you are really out of touch."
No answer.
"Who is the memorial for, Sam?" Rory was growing desperate. It must've been someone who was in the Glee club when he was in it, or else why would have Sam call him? He went through all of the possibilities in his mind. The one thing that he knew was that it wasn't Sam.
"Sam, please just tell me wh-"
"Finn." Sam interrupted. "It's Finn."
Finn. Even just the name brought back so many memories. He was his first friend in Glee. Heck, in McKinley. Because of him, he wasn't lonely. Because of him, he looked back on his times at McKinley fondly.
"What about Finn?" Rory asked, wondering what the blond was trying to say. Rory pictured Finn. And it was in that moment that he remembered that Finn had joined the Army to help honor his dad's name and change it from the dishonorable status it has. Rory paled. Finn was in the Army. What if he got hurt? And right now Sam was no help. In fact there was silence ever since Rory asked about Finn. So much so that Rory thought that Sam might have hung up.
"Sam? Hello?" Rory said. "Sam, are ya still there?"
Then Rory heard soft crying.
"Sam?!"
More silence and crying.
"Sam, please," Rory pleaded, "Tell what's going on….."
"Finn died."
Two words. Two words. That was all it took for Rory to feel as though his heart was ripped my his chest. Like the wind was knocked out of him. Like he was frozen forever. Like he was dead.
"Rory…?"
Rory then realized that he had dropped the then felt arms being wrapped around him. HIs mother. He knew her scent. Jasmine.
"Rory? What happened?" His mother asked, clutching the boy close to her, moving him so she can see him. She only frowned, seeing his tear streaked, red face. But it was his eyes that got to her. She loved those eyes. They were more expressive and bluer than her own. But right now his once happy bright blue eyes, were like ice.
Rory gratefully leaned into his mother's embrace, muffling his sobs with her cardigan. He gripped onto her arm, needing something to hold on to. To keep everything real. Because he needed to make sure that this was real.
"I have to go." Rory muttered.
His mother, moved him off of her shoulder, staring at him. She bite her lip.
"Where?"
"Lima." Rory choked back a sob, "I need to go back to Lima."
"Oh, Rory. I don't know if that's such a good idea." His mother said.
"I need to. A member of my family died."
"He wasn't-"
"Yes! He was." Rory boomed, wiggling out of his mother's hold on him. "They all were!"
"Where were they when you left?" His mother said. "Huh? Where were they when you went to that airport and went back home? Where were they when your visa expired? Or so you say."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I know that you lied about your visa." His mother stood up. "I just don't understand why you want to go back and get hurt all over again, Rory."
Rory stuttered, his mind racing. "But I am hurt! I need to see...to see them. I need to mourn Finn."
His mother was speechless. Her once tiny boy was willing to go back to a place that he both loved and hated to see the same people who didn't even see him fly off, even after spending a year with them. She wasn't saying to not go and mourn, by no means. But she didn't want Rory to be hurt as well. She remembered when he came home. He was so happy, but she could see that he was really sad that out of all the friends that he had told her about, none of them came to see him off.
"Go." His mother said, "Go Rory. But be careful. I don't want you to go through picking up the pieces again."
So Rory went back.
Rory didn't like plane rides. In fact he hated them. They were cramped. And he still couldn't wrap his brain around how a giant piece of metal and machinery fly and not crash. Plus with all those people out in the world wanting to cause harm and bringing bombs on planes.
Rory shivered and sucked in a breath.
He wished that he convinced his brother or someone to come with him. His mother offered, claiming that no one should go across the sea to a funeral alone.
But Rory told her that he would have the New Directions once he got into Lima. As for now, he was alone.
His first time on a plane was when he first came to Lima. But this time it was different. Rory was silent and stuck inside his own, which was probably the most dangerous thing he could do. Even when he got off the plane, he was still inside his mind, letting his thoughts tumble and piggyback off of each other.
Thankfully, Rory was able to get through the whole thing. He gathered his things and exited the plane. He didn't bring much, just enough clothes for a week or so. He even had a place to stay. He was once again staying at Sam's place.
"Rory!"
Rory turned, slipping out of his own thoughts, looking around at the airport.
"Rors!"
Rory grinned, seeing the familiar blonde. Rory went over to him and gave his a hug. It felt good to see a familiar face. Especially after the long 7 hour flight that he had to endure.
Despite the grave circumstances that lead Rory to coming back to McKinley, he was more than happy to see Sam. And Sam seemed just as happy to see him.
"Sam Evans, it's very nice to see ya." Rory said. He then realized what he had just said and winced, "I mean, it's nice to see you again, bu-"
"But not like this," Sam said solemnly, "I know Rors. I didn't want to see you this way either. But now that you're here….." Sam trailed off, giving the Irish male a huge grin. "How would you feel about a little reunion?"
Rory entered the halls of McKinley once again. He was surprised by how much of the school's layout he was able to remember. Even if he was completely lost his first week or so of actually going to school here.
He then stopped short, causing Sam to bump into him.
" 'm sorry." Rory muttered. He didn't turn to face Sam, as his eyes were stuck on what was in front of him. Finn's locker. The candles and pictures and stuffed animals littered the area surrounding it. Even if Finn wasn't a student here no more, his presence was very much felt and here.
"It's fine." Sam whispered, "It's beautiful, isn't it?"
Rory nodded.
"Tragic too."
Rory bit down on his lip.
"Rory!"
Rory felt arms wrap around him. Tina and Blaine both hugged the ex-exchange student.
"How've ya been?" Rory asked, seeing as a few other unfamiliar faces joined them.
"Alright." Blaine said, "How are you?"
Rory wasn't sure if he should answer honestly or just lie like Blaine has. Rory wasn't born yesterday and the jeg leg wasn't wearing him down more than it usually does. Blaine wasn't 'alright', as he put it. Rory could see that Blaine's big brown eyes were filled with sadness and a little red rimmed around the edges. But Rory shouldn't be the one to judge, as he was probably looking just as bad as he felt.
"Fine."
"Plane ride okay?" Blaine asked.
"Alright, let's just stop beating around the bush." Sam said suddenly. "We all know that we're lying." Sam sighed, turning away from Finn's locker. "Let's be honest, please. If not for me, for Finn."
That caused both Blaine and Tina to slink away slightly, drawing closer towards the others that he didn't know.
"I'm sorry." Sam whispered, "I just can't take the lieing."
One of the girls coughed, catching Blaine's attention.
"Oh, yeah. Rory, these are the newest members of the New Directions." Blaine then pointed over to the small group of the five people that he didn't know. "Marley." Blaine pointed to a girl with blue eyes and light brown hair, who smiled sadly at Rory. "Jake." A boy with darkish skin, who looked an awfully lot like Puck raised one hand, as the other was holding the hand of Marley, when Blaine said his name. "Ryder." Another boy with sandy hair smiled over at him. "Unique." Another smile. Though the next person didn't smile at him. "And this is Kitty," Kitty didn't smile or even really acknowledge him. It almost reminded him of Santana.
"Nice to meet you all." Rory once again winced, "Well, y'know, not like this…." He muttered.
"We know Ireland." Kitty snapped to which Blaine stared over at her. Yep, she was definitely like Santana. So much so that even the nicknames were the same. Well, almost Santana liked to call him a lot of things, Ireland was just one of the ones she used when she was in a good mood. And that wasn't often.
"Um, let's go see Mr. Schue," Sam said, grabbing Rory's attention. "He'd want to see you, Rors." Sam then lead him down the hall and into the choir room. Not that he needed help finding it. Rory knew where the choir room was, as he had some of his best and worst memories in that room.
When Rory entered the room, a million memories were thrown at him and despite himself, he found himself smiling.
"Rory!" Sugar jumped up from where she was sitting.
"Leprecan!" Brittany yelled around the same time.
The two girls ran over to him, both of them wrapping their arms around Rory, hugging him. He smiled and mumbled, "Top 'o the morning." Which was how he used to greet Brittany whenever he saw her, even if it wasn't morning, which sometimes confused her.
The two let Rory go as a few others came over to greet him. It was then that he noticed how everyone was here. Well, mostly everyone. It was nice to see everyone, despite the terrible reason why everyone was together.
Mr. Schue then walked in, and grinned.
"I thought I heard the voice." Mr. Schue went over to Rory and gave him a small hug. "Nice of you to join us, Rory."
"It's nice to see everyone." Rory said, going over to his usual seat. The others around him sat down as well, all facing Mr. Schue. Because the nice little reunion is over and it's time to get to why they were all really here. For Finn Hudson.
"Okay, guys. I'm going to open up the floor to anyone who wants to sing. Sing to Finn. Sing about Finn. Or just sing to let out feelings." Mr. Schue said, "Anything."
Silence. No one knew what to say. Or what even to sing. How do you sing about someone who was so special?
