A little something I put together today when I was bored during a lecture and needed out of my head ;) In other news I've FINALLY gotten my hands on season 3 of Glee so soon the sequel to Relocated will be on its way ;)
The Warblers were just sitting around in the Warbler Hall. No one said a word and they all looked depressed except for Sebastian. He stood by the window and looked happy and satisfied and just pleased with himself. It was dark outside and the only light in the room came from the big lamps in the roof. The entire room felt… stuffed and as if there wasn't enough air. Quite of few of them got reminded of how the air usually is before a thunderstorm breaks loose.
David though felt as if he was being suffocated by guilt, he and Thad had the same feeling. They felt guilty about what happened to Blaine and also… about the fact that they hadn't only let him and Kurt down… they had let Wes down. Wes had left the Warblers telling them he was sure the two of them and their new council member would raise the Warblers high, take them to nationals and sing their hearts out with joy and passion… and with their new lead singer. The two of them had stared at him and demanding an explanation but all Wes had done was wink at them and "walk out of their lives". Well… their lives on the council anyway. They had tried to bug him about it but not until school started up and they realized Blaine was gone did they understand what he meant.
Like all other chairmen before him Wes Montgomery had left a letter, which was to be opened on the first Warbler practice. In it he had written who he thought should get a spot on the council and who he thought should be the male lead. Wes had written for Fred to join the council and had written that he wanted new leads. He recommended Jeff, Nick, Thad, Trent, Fred and David. But he also wrote that if he had to choose just one boy it would be Nick… to the astonishment of said boy. He had burst out that he thought Wes didn't like his voice… as to which David and Thad explained that he did… they didn't at first… not until his voice actually started getting better and better. Nick had shone with pride long after that day… until Sebastian showed up and ruined it all by making himself captain and lead singer.
Right now Nick looked deep in thought and he was. He was thinking on how he could possibly turn back time and make sure Wes was born one year later… which would lead to him still being there. Beside him sat Jeff looking a bit pale. Jeff prided himself in one thing, he knew when something bad was going to happen and he had that feeling right now.
"Something bad's about to happen", he whispered to Nick and Thad. "I can feel it."
"What kind of bad", Nick asked, he'd learn a long time ago not to question Jeff's intuition. "Not the 'teacher-will-know-we're-pranking-them-bad right?"
"No… I… I'm not sure. It's like… it feels like something utterly terrifying is going to happen."
"Like when Kurt was angry at Blaine for ruining his scarf", Thad asked.
"I… no… worse."
"Worse", Nick said a bit too loud. "How can anything be worse than that?!"
"I don't know", Jeff said.
"I know something that's worse", Thad whispered, pulling their discussion down in volume again. "An angry Santana Lopez is worse."
"No… well I mean yes but…"
"Can you please just tell me what you're talking about", Nick said loudly. "What's going to happen?"
Now all the other Warblers, except Sebastian, were looking at them. Nick blushed a bit and grinned sheepishly. Thad only cleared his throat and Jeff still looked pale, the boys that knew him felt worried in an instant. Suddenly the lamps in the roof died and Nick squeaked in surprise and Thad smiled at Jeff.
"This what you meant?" he asked.
"I… no… I mean I don't know I", Jeff began but then they all heard it. A rasping sound, as if something heavy moved over the floor. Trent tried to lit the lamps with the button by the door… but nothing happened. The Warblers felt terrified and suddenly a voice said:
"Let there be light."
And a fire lit up in the fire place. The Warblers all stared in shock at the fire and then in the direction of the voice they'd heard. They saw someone sit in the middle seat of the council table. He had his legs and feet rested on the table and his arms behind his neck. The boys looked at his face and some of them paled in terror.
"Uh oh", David said. The person looked at him. The light from the fire only lit up half of his face but all Warblers that had been there last year recognized that impassive looking face.
"Uh oh", the person said and crossed his arms over his chest instead. "That is a weird way of greeting a former member of this club and one of your friends David."
"I… I… I", David stuttered out.
"Now", the person said and stood up, clasped his hand together behind his back and started to walk around the table slowly. "Can someone explain to me why a certain Noah Puckerman of McKinley High's New Directions found it suitable to give me these?"
He turned his face so all of it was illuminated by the fire in the fireplace. The boys that knew him gasped because they saw the black-eye, busted lip and busted eyebrow… there was still blood there.
"Oh my God what happened", Nick asked in terror and started to roam through his bag for his medical kit, you had to have one around when you knew boys like Jeff.
"I don't believe I told you to ask questions", the boy that had just arrived said. "Did I?"
"Who the fuck are you", Sebastian said angrily. "You can't just-"
"If I won't your opinion I'll ask for it", the guy said, his voice like ice. "Now answer the question."
"Which one", Trent asked carefully and the guy turned to him looking furious.
"Why is it that when I went to William McKinley High to say hello to Blaine and Kurt does one Noah Puckerman stop me in the hallway, demand to know if I'm a Warbler and then sees it as suitable to punch me in the face over and over again before throwing me out the door?"
The Warblers all looked at each other.
"Uh", David said.
"Wow David really an intelligent and suitable answer", the guy said and rolled his eyes. "But I can't imagine that being the best or correct answer to this, do you?"
"Yes… I mean no, no you're right but-"
"So what's behind this hostility from the New Directions then and why was I so briskly abused when trying to find my friends?"
"It's", Nick began but Sebastian sent him a death glare and he shut up.
"It's", the guy urged. "Come on Nick I'm not psychic or a mind reader. I know you have some common sense, so tell me."
"I", Sebastian glared at him again so Nick shut his mouth again. The guy looked between Nick and Sebastian… well the Warblers and Sebastian. Every Warbler that tried to say something got a glare from him. So the guy decided to try one last person…
"Thad", he said sharply. "Tell me what's been going on here."
It wasn't a question and they all knew it, there was no way that kind of tone meant it was a question. Thad sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"I", he began but then sighed. "We kind of messed up and… well…" Sebastian shot him a death glare and Thad looked up, about to speak, but when he saw that glare he shut his mouth again and looked at his feet. The new guy nodded.
"I see, we'll never get this thing clear this way", he said. "Excuse me boys." Then he briskly stalked forward, grabbed Sebastian by the collar and calmly pulled him to the door – while Sebastian complained and tried to fight him – pushed him out and locked the door behind him.
"Now you can tell me", the guy said and turned to them with his arms crossed. The boys all gaped at him and he rolled his eyes. "Close your mouths you are not goldfishes."
Over a dozen plops were heard as their mouths closed at the exact same time and the guy cocked an eyebrow… the injured one and blood started pouring again.
"Oh for the love of", he began and pressed a hand to it. Nick hurried over with some cotton and handed it to him. "Thanks Nicky… now speak."
"Well", Nick said as his friend put the cotton towards the wound. Nick sighed. "We've messed up… We've messed up bad Wes."
Wes looked at him, narrowing his eyes.
"What's been going on", Wes demanded to know and the Warblers told him… they told him about how Sebastian met Blaine that time and what happened afterwards.
When they told him about Sebastian stealing the idea to use MJ at regionals Wes growled and the boys flinched back. He threw the cotton aside and took a towel that Nick offered him and pressed it against his wound… his nose didn't start bleeding again thank God. But the cuts and bruises on his face… and the black-eye made all the boys terrified.
Wes had always been the one to protect the Warblers and was the nicest guy any of them, except the freshmen, knew. That someone would just beat him up for no other reason than him being a Warbler was just plain wrong… and nothing he deserved.
"Then what happened", Wes spat. "I can't believe that's the reason I got 'attacked'."
"Um", Thad said and Wes narrowed his eyes at him. Thad hurriedly told him about the sing off… and the slushie that turned out to have rocksalt in it… and about Santana being slushied too. When Wes heard that he twitched and they all got curious why he did. But then he just turned around and walked up to the door. He unlocked it, threw it open and then turned to the Warblers.
"I'm ashamed to have ever called myself a Warbler", he said and stalked out.
David ran after him and grabbed his arm. Wes gave him a glare that scared David into letting him go. David knew what an angry Wes was like so he let him go… Wes would come back to them… but first he needed to calm down and to find Klaine… and talk to them too. But for Wes… there was no word to describe the hurt he felt after hearing about his friends' betrayal. As he sat in his car he hit the steering wheel and then held a hand to his eyes as he cried.
Kurt and Blaine were at Blaine's watching movies and relaxing. Blaine was still feeling a bit odd after his surgery and Kurt had promised to stay with him to comfort and calm him. None of them could believe the Warblers could stoop so low. That they could just let Sebastian hurt their friend and then walk away. That's what hurt the most, at least for Blaine, the slushie had hurt like hell but the betrayal he'd felt had hurt far worse.
Kurt was also hurting about it, he hadn't known the guys as long but it still hurt him something terrible. Both boys wished that Wes was still there. With him at Dalton nothing of this would have happened in the first place! Wes would never allow something like this to happen… not in a million years. Kurt found himself wishing Wes was back at Dalton, with him, Blaine and all Warblers… that things could get back to how it was before between them. But that wasn't possible… you couldn't turn back time. Suddenly there was a knock at the door and Blaine's mother stuck her head in.
"Blaine dearest", she said. "You have another visitor."
"Who is it?" Kurt asked for Blaine.
"Well…" she smiled. "You will both glad to so him… and worried."
"Excuse me", Kurt said confused. The woman left with a tiny smile and then the door opened again and Kurt and Blaine stared.
"Hi guys", Wes Montgomery said. "Long time no see?"
"WES!" Blaine shouted happily and held his arms open. Wes walked over and pulled him into a hug, a hug Wes hurriedly pulled Kurt into so that he was hugging both of them and they hugged him. The two younger boys suddenly started to cry. Wes smiled a bit and held them close.
"Hey darlings don't cry", he said feeling his body get warm with the love and friendship they showed him, not the coldness of the other Warblers' betrayal.
"I'm so happy to see you", Blaine sobbed. "I've missed you so much!"
"Oh Gaga I never knew how much I would miss our mother hen", Kurt sobbed and Wes chuckled.
"Well I've missed my chicks too", he said and felt them chuckle against his neck. "Okay seriously, don't do that… it tickles." Blaine sniffled and smiled, while Kurt snorted. Both found that Wes still smelt the same, vanilla, coffee and cinnamon, and that they felt soothed and protected by that.
That's when Blaine felt something warm and sticky get onto his cheek. He moved a hand up and felt at it. He put his hand back down and his uncovered eye widened.
"Wes you're bleeding!" he exclaimed and pushed back. As did Kurt and they both took a first good look on their friend and both gasped. His eyebrow was bleeding… again, his lip had a cut in it that wasn't bleeding, he had small cuts and bruises all over his face and a black eye.
"Oh my God", Kurt said and got out of the bed. "Stay. There." He hurried into Blaine's bathroom to get something to tend to Wes' wounds with.
"What happened?!" Blaine asked and let his fingers run over a bruise on Wes' cheekbone. Wes chuckled.
"All I can say is that I'm glad you got protective friends at McKinley", he said.
"Someone at school did that to you", Kurt shrieked as he got back to them.
"Yes."
"What happened", Blaine asked as Kurt started to clean Wes' wounds.
"Well", Wes said. "I have about a week free from NYADA and decided to come and visit you guys and then head up to Westerville. So…"
He'd driven to McKinley hoping to catch Klaine while at Glee Club. He hadn't counted on not knowing where the choir room was. He started to look through the school to find someone he knew from New Directions or better… finding Klaine. He had somewhat hoped to find Santana. He had bonded with the girl and become good friends with her, they mostly texted or spoke over the phone. But he couldn't find her or Klaine, but then – when he was close to the exit – he saw Noah Puckerman by a locker and smiled. He walked over.
"Hi", he said and Puck turned to him and looked deep in thought, as if he was trying to place him.
"Hi", he said hesitantly.
"I'm looking for Kurt and Blaine."
"Why?"
"I want to talk to them."
"Why?"
"Well they are friends of mine, from Dalton and-"
"Wait", Puck said and closed his locker with a bang. He looked angry. "You're one of the Warblers right?"
"Yes I am but-"
He didn't get any further because Puck punched him square in the eye and Wes stumbled backwards. He then felt Puck grab him by the shoulders.
"I'll teach you for coming here asshole", he shouted and punched Wes over and over again. The older boy was too shocked to do anything… and he didn't want to do anything because he didn't know what was going on. What had the Warblers done? He felt a punch cut his eyebrow and blood started pouring. It was already pouring from his nose and lip. He went to the floor after another punch and got up gingerly.
"Puck", he said but was only grabbed by the collar, marched up to the door and thrown out so hard he lost his footing on the stairs and tumbled down them. He hit the concrete, but luckily didn't slam his head onto it.
"And don't you ever fucking come back here", Puck yelled.
Wes looked up to see Puck slam the doors shut. He got up gingerly by holding onto the rail of the stairs. He got to his car and leaned his head back to stop the blood flowing out of his nose. What the hell was going on here? Why would Puck just attack him? Wait… he attacked him after he realized Wes was a Warbler… what had the Warblers done? There must be something going on here he hadn't heard about.
There was only one way Wes was ever going to get an answer… and that was driving to Dalton and face his Warblers. It was darkening fast outside and he knew it would be fully dark when he got there and he knew exactly how to catch their attention. There was an old escape tunnel that was used during the probation time, Dalton had – sadly enough – housed a few smugglers back then.
He could use that secret door to get inside and cut the power from there too. He also knew how to make the fireplace come to life without really touching much. There was gas fueling it so with one switch he could start a little fire. That would get their attention and hopefully he'd get an answer.
"And I got my answer", Wes said as Kurt took care of his eyebrow. "Well… at least their side of the story."
"I can't believe Puck attacked you", Blaine said.
"I can", Wes said. "You're his friend and all he knows is that the Warblers hurt you something bad and how was he supposed to know I graduated?"
"You take the prize you know that", Kurt asked and finishing his work. "Puck beats the crap out of you and you still defend him."
"I don't defend his methods… just his protectiveness over the two of you", Wes said and took Kurt's hand, giving it a squeeze in thank you. Then he turned to Blaine and took his hand too. "Now tell me your side of the story."
And they did. When they were done Wes agreed to go with Kurt to McKinley tomorrow to tell the New Directions and get a plan going on how to save the Warblers. But the younger boys could see that something seemed a bit off with Wes and after much prodding he confessed to feeling really hurt about what his Warblers had done… how they had betrayed his trust in them… and he confessed to have cried. The rest of the night the boys spent watching movies… until they all fell asleep on Blaine's bed.
The New Directions were sitting in the choir room talking about what had happened since the sing off. Puck told them how he had promptly thrown out a Warbler that had come there to probably hurt Kurt and Blaine again and they praised him for it… well most of them scolded him when he told them that he'd beaten the dude up first. Finn, Sam, Artie and Santana liked that but the others didn't.
"They hurt one of us so I hurt one of them, what's the big idea", Puck defended himself. "The douche is gone now anyway and it will be a lesson for the Warblers. They'll know not to mess with us."
"Kurt told us he didn't want anyone to get hurt", Mercedes snapped at him. "He wanted us to be better than that Puck, to take the high road."
"Yeah well… the guy pissed me off just waltzing up to me as if nothing was wrong."
"Nothing was wrong", Kurt said from the door and they all looked up at him. Kurt looked furious. "Not when it came to him anyway Puckerman!"
"What are you talking about dude", Finn asked.
"Get in here", Kurt called over his shoulder and walked into the room, his arms crossed and an angry look on his face. After him an Asian boy walked in, he was a year or so older than them… an Asian boy with bruises and small cuts all over his face, an Asian boy with a taped eyebrow, a busted lip and a black eye.
"Oh my God", Santana exclaimed.
"What the fuck are you doing here", Puck shouted. "I told you to never come back!"
"You did this", Santana yelled at him.
"Uh… yeah?"
"He's the Warbler you beat up", Santana questioned.
"Yes. Ow!" Santana had slapped him across the face then she stalked over to the Asian boy and threw her arms around his neck.
"Nice to see you too Santana", he said and hugged her back.
"Shut up you're hurt", she said and glared at the wall behind him, not wanting anyone to see her teary eyes.
"I am… but I'm okay. It was all a misunderstanding."
"I don't get it", Puck said standing up. "This douche-bag is a Warbler so I beat him up! What's the big idea?!"
"He's not a Warbler now you idiot", Kurt snapped at him and Santana glared hatefully at Puck. "Wes graduated last year!"
The kids in the ND that had been glaring at the Warbler stopped glaring when they heard his name. More than once had Blaine and Kurt told them about him and how things would've been different if he had been there still.
"Oh shit", Puck said and ran a hand over his face.
"That's putting it mildly", Wes said and smirked a bit. "But don't worry Puck, we're cool."
"Are you crazy", Santana yelled at him. "Why are you cool with him?! He beat you up!"
"Because he cares about Kurt and Blaine and wanted to protect them", Wes said and looked at her and then Puck. "And that means a lot to me… thanks Puck."
"Uh… you're welcome?" Puck said hesitantly.
"What are you doing here", Finn asked Wes. "Are you here to help us get even with the Warblers?"
"Not exactly", Wes said and got out of Santana's arm. "Kurt wants you to take the high road so I won't stop him… but what happens afterwards will be between Sebastian and me."
"What are you going to do", Kurt asked him and Wes smiled.
"Return to Dalton and wait for the Warblers to come back from McKinley."
"They're coming here", Artie asked. "Why?" Kurt told them his plan and Wes smiled when the ND jumped onto the idea at once. He was happy Blaine and Kurt were at a place where they were so protected and cared about. When the plan was done and Kurt went to call the Warblers Wes gave him and Santana a hug before leaving.
Wes was sitting behind the council table in the exact same position as the evening before and he was absentmindedly spinning a pen around and around with his fingers, while he waited for the Warblers to return.
He had had a little chat with the principal, played the tape Santana had slipped him and told him everything he knew of Sebastian Smythe. The principal told him that he had been keeping his eyes on Sebastian and had gotten quite a few complaints about him, but nothing that could get him expelled… until now. But he promised Wes to wait until after regionals to expel him, so that the ND could get the chance to beat him and the Warblers fair and square. The rest of the Warblers would get long detentions and calls would be made to their parents, which Wes was thankful for.
The principal also gave him permission to reestablish the Warbler council and to inform Sebastian that all privileges and power he had at the school would be no longer… to tell him that his words meant nothing anymore and that there was nothing he could do about the whole thing. The principal also asked Wes if he could stay at Dalton for the rest of his short break and guide the council back on track and to make it very clear to Sebastian that Wes Montgomery wasn't going anywhere. Wes couldn't wait.
And he didn't have to wait long. The doors were open so he could hear Sebastian talk as they walked towards the choir room. Wes smirked and pretended to read the book he had on his lap, while twirling the pen around absentmindedly.
"You guys are all going to pay for this", Sebastian was saying. "You're not so tough now that we're back at Dalton, are you? You will never sing solo again Nick and after we crush the New Directions at regionals I swear I'll kick all of you jerks out and find new guys to join. We will win and then you are all gone. In fact, Trent, I'm thinking of kicking you out right now!" The last he said while he entered the room.
"Ha! I'd like to see you try", Wes scoffed and Sebastian stopped dead in his tracks seeing the young man sitting in his Warbler practice room reading a book, while twirling a pen.
"You again", Sebastian yelled angrily and the Warblers came in behind him about to take their seats, but when they saw Wes they froze… those that knew him that is.
"Did you want something", Wes asked without looking at Sebastian.
"Get out of my Warbler practice room", Sebastian ordered but this guy that he had only met once before kept on reading and not even looking at him. He acted as if Sebastian hadn't even spoken. "I said get out!"
The guy just turned the page of his book.
"Didn't you hear me", Sebastian yelled. "Get out!"
"Wow must be a very big fly if it makes so much noise", the guy said and Sebastian stalked over to him and tore the book out of his hand and slammed it onto the table. The guy looked at him… looking bored.
"Did you want something Sebastian", he asked.
"I told you to get out of my practice room."
"Last time I checked it belonged to the Warblers, and once a Warbler always a Warbler, even in my case. So you can't throw me out."
"Excuse me?! Who the hell do you think you are?!" The guy gave him a look and his eyes turned cold like ice. He threw the pen aside, stood up and said:
"I'm Wes Montgomery chairman of the Warbler council three years in a row. Lead singer for one year before taking up the role as chairman. Former student council president, former head boy, former prefect and former student represent of the school board and well-known among the boys at the school and held in high regards by the teachers of the faculty."
Shit. Sebastian paled a bit. He knew of Wes Montgomery, who at Dalton didn't? He was like a God to most of the boys and that… that frightened Sebastian. Not even he had that kind of effect on people and it freaked him out!
"Don't you come in here and call this place yours Sebastian Smythe", Wes went on walking towards him and Sebastian couldn't stop his feet from moving backwards. "If someone owns it between the two of us it's me. I can have any boy in this room dance like a ballerina if I tell them or aske them too. That's the kind of respect they have for me.
They know what I tell them is the right thing to do because they know that I care about them and everyone else and outside this school. And seriously can't understand how they forgot that so easily but I am willing to use this gavel", he took it up from the table. "and hit that knowledge into them.
Lose that scared kid look you have going on unless you are a just a little kid afraid of a monster. I am not here to beat you up even though my hands really want to. You have destroyed everything the Warblers stand for. You have clouded their judgment and ruined their reputation forever. Furthermore… you have hurt your fellow Warblers and Dalton students as well as students of other schools.
Your principal was not pleased and you are going to be expelled after regionals." Sebastian paled. "And frankly I think that is too kind on you. Had I been fully in charge you'd be behind bars already, but it's not for me to decide. But what is for me to do is to tell you that you are no longer captain or lead singer of the Warblers, you are no longer on any sport teams and any privilege you've had at this school is no more. See yourself as a freshman Smythe for you are at the bottom of the food chain here. And I am at the top."
Sebastian's back hit the door. He had backed all across the room with Wes following him.
"You", Sebastian said a bit pale. "You don't scare me." Wes laughed and Sebastian startled in fright. Wes' laugh was cold.
"Oh Smythe you are a funny little thing", Wes said and smirked. "If I don't scare you… how come you are shaking like a leaf and your hand is trying to find the door handle so that you can run out of here?"
Wes never got an answer to that because Sebastian's hand found the door handle, his feet kicked into gear and he ran out. Wes just shook his head and turned to the Warblers.
"Let's get down to business gentlemen", he barked sternly and headed towards the council table. The boys hurriedly took seats around the room and watched him, what Wes didn't know was that Kurt was spying on him from the door.
He had to smile. The whole scene in front of him reminded him of a mama bird coming back to her nest and all her chicks crowding around her for food. The Warblers crowded around Wes looking eager to start working… and to start getting back into his good graces. Kurt knew that if someone could get the Warblers to get a grip it was Wes Montgomery.
Kurt smiled and looked at the portraits that hung on the wall just outside of the Warbler hall. It was pictures of Warbler chairmen from the founding of the school until today. Wes was the only one that appeared more than once and if there was someone that really was captain of the ship that was the Warblers… it would always be one Wes Montgomery.
Kurt could swear that when he looked into the choir room again he saw it transform into a galleon, a large, multi-decked sailing ship used primarily by European countries from the 16th to 18th centuries, out on the open sea. Wes stood behind the ship's wheel dressed like a captain while the Warblers were all scurrying around doing various shores over the ship.
Kurt closed his eyes for a bit and opened them again and saw Wes informing the Warblers on proper behavior and how to handle Sebastian in the future. But when the sun hit Wes he was dressed as a captain again and Kurt decided that three hours of sleep was not good for his imagination. With that he left to find Blaine, but the picture of the ship would follow him for a while.
Year 1625
"Ready to set sail captain", deckhand Nick Sullivan called to his captain saluting him. The other deckhands where waving at their families and friends standing on the port. The big ship was about to set sail. Sea captain Wesley Montgomery on the galleon the Warbler nodded.
"Steer us starboard mister Mitchell", Captain Montgomery told the man standing by the wheel. "Take us out on open sea." He walked up so that he could watch every man on deck and then looked up at the man at the top of the mast. "How does she look Mister Clearwater?"
"Clear skies as far as I can see captain", Thad Clearwater called down. "Three meter waves at the most out there but they are few and far between captain."
"Good", Captain Montgomery said. "Mister Mitchell… take us home and hold the course steady."
"Of course captain", David Mitchell said. "You can count on me."
"I know", the captain said and smiled fondly, watching his men work to the get ship to sail smoothly towards her goal. They could reach it, together and he knew it.
The End