"I have great news!" Craig announced walking into the study room with his normal skip and a bounce.
"Is it that you're not wearing a costume?" Jeff snidely replied and was met with a unamused stare from his boss.
"Well firstly I'm glad to see everybody's back!" He gestured to Troy and Shirley who were both finally sat back in there own seats. Abed was staring at Troy and Annie took another opportunity to hug Shirley.
"Thank you Annie." Shirley smiled and addressed the group. "I'm glad to be back to take over my Sandwich shop which Britta, um, kindly gave her best shot at running." Britta smiled at Shirley lovingly as she didn't quite understand she was being kindly insulted.
"And I'm just glad to be back. I was in England when I got the call that Pierce wasn't actually leaving me any money. They have some crazy stuff over there. Like real-life toy soldiers, and these things called freddos and-" Troy began. Hawthorne wipes had been working on a law suit to get Troy bequeathment and after investigation had found no money left in Pierces name. Troy had decided he'd traveled enough and moved home to see his family and Annie had immediately contacted him to come back to Greendale, which he'd happily accepted.
"Anyway!" The Dean interrupted. "I actually wanted to let everybody know the exciting news. After a long and competitive rivalry, the government had decided that City college and Greendale need to stop all this silly nonsense and cooperate. Therefore they're running a program to get us more involved with each other."
"That sounds good!" Annie grinned.
"It is, Annie!" Craig was glad somebody was getting on board. "And it means teachers here at Greendale are going to be meeting with teachers from City college in their own field. Chang, you'll be meeting with some of the other math teachers."
"Awh man." Chang complained. He'd popped in to see everybody and was stood leaning against the sofa.
"And Jeffery, you'll be meeting with their professor of law." Craig continued. Jeff pulled a face,imagining a long meeting with a old grumpy man who would most likely bore the crap out of him.
"Frankie will email you the information, and she said to tell you all she is loving her knew office and will be around to greet you all shortly. Dean you later!" And with that he left the room.
"That sounds fun, Jeff." Annie said and was met with mutters of agreement from around the room.
"Yeah and you might actually learn something Jeff, unlike the people who take your class." Britta teased.
"Oh ha ha, and remind me again what blow off classes you'll be taking this year to become a shrink Britta?" Jeff mocked back.
"Hang on, shrink?" Shirley asked,confused. "Last I heard you were being a psychologist or a therapist or something."
"There's a position for a new school shrink here at Greendale. After a year, I can complete my course and Dean said the job is mine." Britta explained.
"Yeah, and I'm completing my degree and becoming a professor of criminology here." Annie added. "After my internship at the FBI, I feel I have a lot to offer students here."
"After this year, I'm becoming the new film teacher." Abed said, still not taking his eyes off Troy. Troy shuffled in his chair, a little uncomfortable.
"Oh that's nice." Shirley said. "And why all the sudden changes of heart?"
"Well, we were all so moved by Jeff's ideas for season, or year 7, about us teaching here, and that got us thinking. Abed and I have been talking all summer and we decided this is where we belong. We spoke to the Dean and he agreed!" Annie tried to smile at Abed but he wouldn't look at her. She glanced down, a little disheartened.
They'd been so excited planning this year together but now Troy was back, he'd not said more than a few words to her. She tugged at the edge of her floral dress, another suggestion for season 7 that she'd liked. The pant suits and formal wear from last year just didn't feel right. Even if she had to grow up, she didn't have to dress like somebody she wasn't.
"Abed, why are you staring at Troy?" Britta finally asked and Troy thanked her.
"Well, as all you should know by now, I have a tendency to freak out at the start and the end of each year. I'm worried Troy isn't really here and I'm just imagining him, so I'm hoping if I don't look away he wont disappear." Abed explained quickly.
"Aren't you worried I'm not real Abed?" Shirley asked, a little offended.
"Not really. You're return was a lot more inevitable. Spin offs rarely last."
"She didn't spin off Abed." Jeff pointed out while Shirley just looked confused.
"Abed, you've got nothing to worry about. I moved back in. I've signed up for classes. I'm back for good. Okay buddy?" Troy assured him and Abed finally looked away.
"Okay." And they did their special handshake, something they'd been doing pretty much none stop since Troy's return. Annie was getting a little frustrated hearing all the clapping in the apartment, but she was just so glad that Troy was back that she didn't mind. Besides, the apartment was surprisingly less quiet now that Britta had moved out. She'd found a nice apartment she could afford with her bartender job which was going well much to everybody's surprise.
"Can we wrap this meeting up now?" Chang whined. "I had a class to teach 20 minutes ago."
"Fine. I declare this meeting of the maintain Greendale committee over." Annie announced and Chang quickly scarpered. Abed and Troy quickly starting talking about redecorating their bedroom while Shirley and Britta started to catch up. Jeff checked his phone and saw an email alert.
"Hey." Annie said quietly.
"Oh hey." Jeff replied and the conversation lulled. They hadn't really spoken since she'd left.
"Look, about last semester.." Annie began but Jeff interrupted.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking and I shouldn't have said what I said." Jeff admitted.
"Right. I think we both just had a case of what Abed would call 'finale panic' and we did something silly. Friends?"
"Friends." Jeff said and bought her in for a hug, catching Abed's eye. He must have heard them mention his name. Jeff squeezed Annie tight and couldn't help but feel oddly different. He dismissed the feeling immediately.
"I'd better go, I just got an email from Frankie saying my meeting with the City College law teacher is now. Oh. And she said to tell you she hopes your ring binder is as fantastic as last year." He added to Annie who smiled and reached into her bag, pulling out a purple fluffy folder with a large yellow star on the front.
As Jeff strolled into the room, he was prepared for the worst possible situation. A collection of elderly men as offensive as Pierce who would demand to spend the day talking about laws he didn't care about.
However he was not prepared for what he actually discovered when he entered the room. A single, stunning women was sat at his desk in an empty classroom. She had red hair and a freckled hair, wearing red lipstick to match her red shirt. Jeff glanced down to get a quick glimpse of her very flattering tight skirt as she bounced up to shake his hand.
"You must be Jeffery Winger, I'm Sammy Davis from City College." She chirped.
"Jeff, nice to meet you. You are not what I expected at all." He couldn't help but say. She laughed as he pulled up a chair and sat at the opposite side of the desk she was .
"Thank you. Most people like of old boring men when they think law. No offense."
"None taken. So,what are we supposed to even talk about in these meetings?" Jeff asked and she quickly grabbed her bag.
"Lots of things! I think this whole idea is just fantastic, I have so much wisdom to share about teaching law, and I can't wait to hear what you have to tell me as well." She pulled out a neon orange folder. "Sorry, I like colors." Opening it, Jeff noticed immediately how organised it was.
"Wow, my friend Annie would adore you." He commented and she thanked him.
"I thought we could start by talking about our different starter activities, then tests, levels of homework, techniques of marking class management. Then maybe curriculum?" She listed off and Jeff was impressed.
"You really like this, don't you?"
"I really do. Teaching had always been a love of mine. Isn't it yours?"
"Ur, honestly no. I was a lawyer, but I got disbarred when they found out I faked my college degree. So I became a student at Greendale, earned a degree but found out I didn't really like being a lawyer anymore. Came to Greendale to sue it but ended up getting a job here and saving the place." Jeff explained.
"That's impressive." Sammy commented. "But at least now you've found you're passion."
"Yeah..." Jeff said weakly.
"I always think if you're going to do something, you should do it properly, you know?" She reached out and gently stroked Jeff's arm. He glanced down at it and she moved it away quickly.
"Sorry, I've been looking for an excuse to do that since you walked in. Man, you are just all muscle." She shrugged and turned some pages in her folder and excitedly began to tell Jeff her best activities for starting a lesson and to his surprise he enjoyed hearing about them. After a while he starting taking notes. She eventually stood up and started writing on the board and it soon turned into a real lesson. It lasted 2 hours and Jeff felt like he'd learnt just about everything he would need to know about teaching.
"Wow. That was eye opening." Jeff said, clearly shocked. "Thank you so much."
"We'll carry it on next time." Sammy smiled, packing away her files into her bag. "And maybe you can thank me some time over...drinks?" she said confidently and left the room, leaving Jeff is a state of confusion.
As Jeff sat down with the rest of his group he couldn't help but smile at the familiarity. With Shirley and Troy back, not to mention the reassuring absence of Chang, it felt good. It felt right.
"What are you smiling about?" Shirley asked as he starts to eat.
"What? Nothing." He said too quickly to sound believable. Everybody's eyes were suddenly on him.
"Come on Winger, spill the beans, did you finally punch Leonard in the face?" Britta asked.
"Can we drop it guys?" Jeff argued.
"Oh my god, its a girl!" Britta exclaimed "I know that look, its always a girl!"
"Its not a girl, its none of your business." Jeff declared but nobody believed him. Instead they all started debating over who it was to Jeff's annoyance.
"Classic start of year vibe Jeff. A love interest." Abed commented quietly.
"Annie, dear, would you mind accompanying to the bathroom? Even since you all cleaned up Greendale, I can't tell where anything is. I used to rely on smell." Shirley explained and Annie got up to join her. They walked together to the bathroom in comfortable silence.
"Come here girl, let it out." Shirley said the second they entered, pulling Annie in for a hug.
"Shirley, what are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about Jeff and his new women. When I left, you two were looking like you were gonna... You know.."
"No! I mean it's weird. Last year, before I left for DC, he kissed me." Shirleys mouth dropped open. "But.. I feel bad because it didn't feel right. And now, its different. I feel bad that I don't feel bad. Its crazy. Its like, I've liked Jeff so long I think somewhere along the way I stopped and just carried it on from memory. Like, I wanted to like him so I told myself I did. Is that bad?"
"No dear, it's a good thing. You can both move on." Shirley patted her arm and they calmly left the bathroom.
"I'm so glad you're back Shirley."
"Me too."
"Troy?" Britta said as the familiar face walked into the class. He looked older obviously, but his hair was still the same length as always and he wore the same clothes. Still, maturity suited him. He looked up from his phone and grinned.
"Hey Britta. I didn't expect to see you here." Britta was embarrassed but with all the History between her and Troy, it wasn't too bad.
"I want to improve my knowledge. Figured this class was the best I'm going to get. What are you doing her?" He took the seat next to her. Last year the school had started running a world issues and politics class, but Britta has refused to attend, saying she didn't need it.
When shed moved out of Annie and Abeds, she'd realized something, and that was that there was nothing wrong with asking for a little help. They'd taken her in from a tent on schools campus and didn't care at all. So maybe her parents were helping them do it, but they still helped her. She needed to be big enough to ask for help when she required, so this class was going to help her.
"I saw a lot of these kinds of things on my travels, and Levar Burton started teaching me. Man that dude is smart. But yeah, guessed this class would be an easy credit for me." He thought for a moment. "Hey, if you need me to help you study, I'd be happy to."
Normally Britta would have said no but instead she politely accepted the offer just before the professor walked in. Quietly she leaned over to Troy.
"I've missed you." Troy looked pleasantly surprised.
"You too."
"What was that?!" The teacher pointed directly to Troy and yelled, staring at him without blinking.
"Nothing." Troy said quickly.
"That's right nothing, now get down on the floor and give me 20!" He barked. Troy didn't move, hoping he was kidding. "NOW!" Troy fell to the floor and started doing press ups while the teacher raised his leg and pushed his foot onto his back. Britta's mouth fell open in shock.
"My name is professor Douler and I'm teaching intro in world issues and politics. Can anybody tell me what this boy did wrong?" Nobody put their hand up. "He disrespected my authority. And in this class, I am the leader. You do not disobey. Understood?" The class muttered an reluctant agreement.
"Open your textbooks and tell me what is the problem with rebels." Troy finally counted to 20 and was released and allowed back on his chair. Britta was outraged. Their new class teacher was insane.
As Jeff waltzed into his new class, he thought about what Sammy had said to him, about passion. He'd been good at being a lawyer because he was passionate about it. Was Greendale really that bad that he would just do the bare minimum constantly? Was teaching just bad because he expected it to be?
He glanced up and was surprised at what he saw. The class was near full but the front room was taken up by the people he cared most about. Shirley and Abed both gave him the thumbs up, while Annie was still preparing her notes and recorder. Troy and Britta sat together at the end and smiled cheerily at him.
"Good afternoon class, I'm Mr Winger, your teacher for introduction to law. I hope you've all got your books purchased and your notebooks ready." He gulped, knowing full well he didn't have a lesson planned in the slightest. He then spotted a head of red hair at the back corner. Sammy was sat there, quietly observing. He panicked. Then remembered something.
"In essence, being a lawyer is really no different from teaching. You stand in front of your peers,pace a little, ask them questions they may not know and eventually try and convince the room, no matter what, that you are right. It doesn't matter what you say. I could stand her and attempt to convince all of you that we have a law against owning cats." He paused to look at Britta's face which was as expected, horrified. "And if I'm passionate enough, I might be able to. Passion is essential in law. It's essential in everything. Without passion, what's really the point?" He glanced at Sammy who was grinning. It was very cute.
"I'd like to begin with a starter activity, please turn to the person sitting next to you. Now I want you to tell them the worst thing you can think of that you've done. A secret maybe. Now for your partners crime I want you to write everything you could think of that might have lead to that event. For example getting drunk. Find a motive. Find why they did it. See what drove them." Jeff actually smirked at his class, who were all getting on with their activity nicely, except Sammy who was simply looking proud.
At the end of the class, Sammy left first as she didn't need to pack anything away. She strolled up to Jeff and patted him on the arm again.
"Thanks for the lesson Winger, I learnt a lot. See you next time." And she left as Jeff said goodbye. He watched her walk down the corridor. Shirley squealed.
"That's the girl! Jeff, is she a student?" She said disapprovingly.
"No! She's only a few years younger than he. And she's not any girl. She's the law professor at City College, she's a lady." Shirley gave him a nod of approval as the rest of the class began to filter out.
"OooOoh! Jeff's got a crush!" Annie teased, yet again surprised at how little it bothered her.
"No I haven't. Shut it you lot!" He whined, sounding like a high schooler.
"Good for you Jeff." Abed said among all the teasing. Annie turned to him as they were walking out the classroom.
"Hey Abed, I've barely got to talk to you today."
"That's okay. I've mostly been in the film department all day." He explained.
"Right. We could always go to that ice cream place we were talking about over summer? If you wanted to catch up?" Abed smiled and nodded while Annie turned to Troy.
"Did you wanna go get ice cream Troy?" She offered, but he shook his head.
"Sorry I'm beat. I'm gonna head back to our place. See you guys later."
"Okay." Abed said and they did their handshake. "You still wanna go?" Abed asked Annie and she laughed.
"Yes Abed, let's go."
Jeff watched his friends head off down the corridor and smiled to himself. He couldn't have imagined a better season 7 if he'd tried.
Hello! Thanks for reading my first ever Community fanfic. It's going to be a long multi chapter, each chapter is going to be in essence an episode. I'm trying to write each of them like they are an episode of season 7, with the breaks being new scenes to say. It's set in the canon universe, so I'll be referencing lots of old episodes and have lots of the classic jokes in there :)
The next chapter is over 8k, and will be posted tomorrow, after that it will be regular updates. I'm afraid I'm English, so some of my wording or spelling may be slightly different. I'll be looking up the American details for community college and everything, so hopefully it will be as accurate as I can be!
Reviews would be really appreciated! Thanks!