Mr. Finn Hudson,
We would like to thank you for your application for the position of Woodworking and Auto-Mechanics Teacher at William McKinley High School.
We have reviewed your application extensively and would like to offer you the position, starting this coming school year (2018-2019). Please inform us of your decision as soon as possible.
Congratulations Mr. Hudson.
The brief email in Finn Hudson's inbox had the young man screaming and whooping in delight, scaring his step-father in the auto shop's office next to him.
"Calm down Kiddo," Burt Hummel told his son, who promptly stopped his little happy dance, "now what's this all about?"
Finn's eyes danced with excitement as he proclaimed, "I got the job!" He squealed, "the one at McKinley!"
Burt squealed so high that Finn suddenly understood where his brother Kurt Anderson's counter-tenor vocals came from. After quickly replying to the email, the graduate called his mother who also cried with joy. Then his brother in New York, having to pull his phone away from his ear as several loud shrieks flooded through the receiver.
Whistling to himself as he walked home after work, Finn Hudson felt more alive than he had in years. He was coming back home.
The details were ironed out over the next few weeks as he prepared for his first lot of classes – two sophomore, a junior and three senior as well as a freshman homeroom class. A lot for the freshly graduated teacher, but Finn was confident he could handle it. During his first full faculty staff meeting he learned a lot of the teachers he knew in high school were gone, but basketball coach Aster Pupumund and his wife remained, as well as his much-hated geometry teacher Nancy Bleithman, the popular mathematics teacher Mr. Gurgius and the ever-confusing Lane triplets. At least they were all married with different last names now. Not that he could remember said names let alone even tell them apart.
Finn's first day would end up being, put simply, crazy. His homeroom was filled with drama obsessed girls, two popular cheerleaders whom Finn was pretty sure were closeted lesbians, three jocks picking on a dude with one arm and a goth girl who reminded Finn so much of Tina Chang that he had to remind himself he wasn't in high school anymore. They were a handful, so he was glad that his first actual class was a senior bunch that listened to him and didn't squabble like the ibis roaming the lunch areas. Pity his next sophomore class made him yell for the first time in his teaching career, so he was more than happy to find a kindred spirit in the teacher's lounge during lunch.
"Brad!" Finn cried as he saw the familiar older man pouring himself a cup of coffee.
The pianist looked at the young man in confusion, "Mr. Hudson," he acknowledged gruffly.
"How are you?" Finn asked politely, excitement at knowing someone overtaking him.
"Fine. What are you doing here?" Brad eyeballed him brusquely.
Finn's grin widened, "I'm the new auto-mechanics and woodworking teacher," he replied.
"So, you've come back here?" His tone was harsh. But then again Brad never really like McKinley.
The taller man shrugged, "was offered the job."
"Well, have fun then," Brad walked off, clearly not interested in further conversation. So, not quite a kindred spirit then. Slipping over to the coffee machine Finn grabbed a mug and made himself some tea to the disapproving glare of several other teachers. Maybe he should pretend he's British… although he'd never actually met a British person besides Rory Flanagan or his new brother in-law's realistic but still fake British accent.
His thoughts were interrupted when a voice piped up, "so you don't like coffee?"
Knowing better than to pretend to a co-worker, Finn simply answered no. The other man hid a small smile as he pulled out a small sachet of hot chocolate powder, adding it to his own mug of hot water.
"Hot chocolate?" Finn asked in amusement, "now why did I never think about that?"
The other man shrugged, "thought of it in my third year of teaching as it looks more like coffee than tea does. Andre Spicer, the new school principal," he introduced himself with an offer of his hand.
Finn shook it firmly, "Finn Hudson, the new auto-mechanic and woodworking teacher."
"Fresh out of college too. Do you like mechanics and woodworking?"
Finn nodded, "my step-dad owns Hummel's Tires and Lube, worked there while I was in high school and after when I still wasn't really sure. I studied to be an English teacher but the only positions available here were for maths, arts, auto-mechanics, and woodworking or the principal," he added with a glint of humour.
"Give yourself a few years," Andre laughed back as Finn shuddered at the thought of the paperwork involved in being principal, "so why'd you chose McKinley?" The current principal asked his colleague.
"Graduated here in 2012, came back the next year to help out with the glee club after I was discharged from the army – shot myself in the foot by accident," the two men laughed at the incident as Finn continued, "then decided I wanted to become a teacher, to help inspire the kids to be the people they want to be like my own teachers," he replied truthfully, a small hint of sadness as he remembered that William Schuester no longer taught at McKinley, having transferred to an arts school in Chicago to become their principal.
Andre smiled at him, "sounds like some good people."
Finn nodded in agreement before picking up his mug and excusing himself from the lounge to finish preparing for his next class.
The young teacher sighed in exhaustion as his last class of the day left. It might only be the second week but goodness Finn was tired. Rowdy teenage boys who just wanted to muck around but not learn anything made him want to go back in time and personally apologise to every single one of his teachers. But still he pushed through that day and the next and before he knew it he was beginning to earn their respect. But by bit, but it was coming. Then he received an email from Principal Spicer wanting to meet with him.
Popping his head into the secretary's office he checked in with Donna Lethbridge who, like Mrs. Rose, was still working hard at keeping McKinley running. She sent him in and the new teacher sat somewhat nervously in one of the chairs at the large desk.
Andre walked in, placing a steaming mug of tea in front of Finn as he settled down opposite him, "I have a mission for you," he started abruptly, causing the young man to raise his eyebrow, "I recall you telling me the other day you were a member of the glee club here at McKinley and helped out after you graduated," the principal paused to look at Finn, who remained open, "and I'd like you to reboot the club again. McKinley needs more arts programs, more non-athletic programs really but I'd like to start with the glee club."
Finn nodded, "if I may ask why glee?"
Taking a deep drink of his own hot chocolate Andre replied simply, "I read a plaque in the auditorium yesterday that read, glee is about joy or something. This school needs more joy. School is a place of learning and discovery, and I'd be damned if any student left this school without a sense of purpose and a sense of self-worth. Those are the greatest things we can teach these kids and if that old lady in the plaque is on the right track then a glee club would most defiantly help some of the kids."
Smiling widely Finn nodded, "I'd be happy to restart the glee club." He stood up, shaking Andre's hand, "thank you, Andre. Glee helped me to grow a lot as a person. It's, nice to know that it can keep doing that again."
"You're welcome," Principal Spicer replied with a twinkle in his brown eyes as Finn headed out, "oh and Finn, feel free to convert computer lab three into a choir room." He turned back to his notes as Finn felt his eyes water momentarily. Computer lab three was the old choir room, Andre must have caught him in there on Thursday when he wandered in after school, simply to experience the joy of times past.
He finished the rest of his classes with a spring in his step so bouncy he was sure would cause his two left feet to trip on but that didn't matter, glee was back home at McKinley!
Finn got to work that very afternoon, rearranging the room of how he remembered it. Then he excitedly printed up some flyers and sign-up sheets, placing them up around the school. Then he called Kurt with the big news. Gods he loved his little brother but he certainly knew how to make a man's ears bleed. Then he grabbed the Lillian Alder plaque from the auditorium, and put it back on its hook next to the door, promising the woman that she'd never be moved again. She was home again.
He should have seen this coming, Finn thought to himself the next day. This was a high school after all, and anyone who'd remember there ever being a glee club was long gone, so of course, his sign-up sheets would have inappropriate fake names on the like ass-hole butt-head and Fucks mothers. Of course, his flyers would be defiled and graffitied. This was Ohio, the bigot state. Gods he should have seen this coming. He'd mention it to Burt that evening who'd level-headedly tell him to keep his head high and that the kids who need glee would come out like he did, but in that moment of despair, he phoned Kurt in the middle of his Wicked revival rehearsal. His brother listened to him rant and rave and scream and would tell him that sucks because that was what Finn needed then and there. Kurt would tell him to wash the slushie out of his hair as soon as possible or it'd stain his scalp (Finn had yet to see a slushie thrown at McKinley) along with his clothes.
"Glee sucks dick," a voice behind him stated brusquely as they read aloud one of the tags on Finn's Join Glee flyer. It was Brad again.
"Yeah, I don't think the kids are too keen on the idea," Finn commented dryly as he pocketed his phone.
Brad remained stone-faced, speaking gruffly again, "they'll come around. You all did." He walked off, leaving Finn to replace the sheet with a clean one as he decided to head home for the evening.
The idea to announce the club on assembly later that week caused any respect Finn had with his students disappear quickly, especially within his homeroom. Even the shy goth Mei wanted nothing to do with him. And she couldn't even sing as he noted sourly when he checked with the school's music teacher Ryan Olsen.
Finn sighed as he sat down in the middle of the choir room, the memories of what felt like a lifetime ago washing over him as the young man wondered how William Schuester had managed to scrounge together twelve misfits to form the New Directions.
A sharp knock on the choir room door interrupted Finn from his thoughts, "Rachel!" He looked up in surprise at the slender woman standing in the doorway, "what are you doing here?"
"I've come home. For a little bit. But before I explain all that," the beautiful brunette grabbed the teacher's hand and led him out the door and down the hallway.
"Kurt has such a big mouth," she started speaking quickly, "and he told us all the drama you were having with recruiting new students and disapproving staff members - at least Sue Sylvester is gone thank the Lord – and all that on top of being a new teacher but I thought you could use some of my expert advice so I came back," she continued to ramble, "not that I came back just for this my dads are celebrating their big fortieth wedding anniversary celebrations…"
"Rach," Finn interrupted the blabbering star, pausing in his tracks, "thank you. I really appreciate you coming to help me," he smiled sincerely at her as Rachel pulled the giant onwards down the hall.
"Oh, don't thank me yet," she grinned as she dragged him into the auditorium, sitting down in one of the plush red chairs, "now I was thinking about all of the students in McKinley and who would even be interested in a glee club and I realised. They're there, just waiting in the wings too shy to come out onto the stage because of the judgement they'd face. Believe it or not, high school has gotten a lot worse since we were in school, but anyway it reminded me of some people who have helped shape me as a person and helped me to grow up into the star I am today."
Finn raised an eyebrow at her, "and who are they?"
His child-like naivety made Rachel's movie star smile sparkle as she replied, "the ones I met in glee. I thought you might need reminding of that," she said gently as the stage light all switched on, causing the new teacher to spin around.
Finn stared wide-eyed at all the people gathered on the stage, all the New Directioners from years past were all there. He gawked at Rachel, "you brought everyone here?"
She grinned at him, "even Rory and Matt," she giggled as she pointed out the now-grown and confidant Irishman hugging Brittany next to a dread-less Joe and the now beared jokester beside Tike.
Looking out over the small crowd Finn noticed Blaine sitting at the piano, his fingers beginning to fly with Puck and Sam's guitars as Rachel slowly began to do what everyone in that room did best: sing, "I drank champagne with kings and queens, the politicians praised my name." She smiled at her friend as Finn took over.
"But those are someone else's dreams, the pitfalls of the man I became," Finn sang as Ryder began to drum and sing.
"For years and years, I chased their cheers."
Jake threw an arm around Kitty's shoulders as he continued, "a crazy speed of always needing more."
"But when I stop, and see you here," Sam sang, his hand flying as he played his guitar.
"I remember who all this was for," Mike held his arm out to Finn as if to invite the two onto the stage.
Racing down to the stage with Rachel, Finn sang, "and from now on, these eyes will not be blinded by the lights!"
"From now on, what's waited 'til tomorrow starts tonight!" Kurt threw his arms around his brother as he joined in.
Artie wheeled over, "it starts tonight, and let this promise in me start."
Matt's clear tenor voice rang out, "Like an anthem in my heart," he threw his arms around Finn, the two men having changed a lot since they last saw each other.
"From now on, from now on, from now on!" Puck sang, Finn joining in as they held the last one as everyone started to dance.
The alumni all joined together, their voices all blending once more, "and we will come back home, home again!"
"What's waited 'til tomorrow starts tonight! It starts tonight!" Blaine's voice rang out from where he sat at the piano.
"Let this promise in me start," Rory threw his arms around Finn, the once shorter Irish lad now standing near level with Finn.
"Like an anthem in my heart," Joe sang as he and Sugar danced together excitedly.
"From now on!" They all cheered, continuing to sing and dance,
"And we will come back home
And we will come back home
Home again!
From now on
From now on
Home again!"
Inspired by his friends, Finn placed up new sign-up sheets, taking Quinn Fabray's suggestion to put fake names on a couple of them to make it seem as if people were interested while ignoring Lauren Zizes's idea of blackmailing students into the club.
Now all he had to do was wait.
AN: SYOCs seem like a lot of fun so I thought I'd try it, even if they are a dime a dozen right now. I figured it'd be a great way to explore doing longer chapter stories.