Summary: This chapter will be one of two focus 'episodes' of Mike in Chicago. We'll also see a little bit more of Puck and Cassandra. I'm not writing about Santana just yet, just because I have some good plans for her once McKinley starts getting more involved with football and whatnot.

Note: Alvin Linden Walsh is played by Charlie Lubeck. The names of the Joffrey teachers are purely fictional.

September 16, 2012. Mike was already living large in the city of Chicago. His classes at the Joffrey Ballet Academy started a couple of weeks ago, on September 4. But prior to that, his parents had him move in a few weeks earlier, to give him time to adjust to the Chicago environment. He had a little shoebox apartment relatively close to the Joffrey academy center, but so far, he didn't have any friends.

As Mike was walking back to his apartment with two bags of groceries in his arms, he noticed a person around his age outside the apartment next-door to him.

"Hi," Mike said cautiously, unlocking the door to his apartment and setting the bags down over the threshold.

"Greetings!" he said with a hyper attitude. "I'm Alvin Linden Walsh. I'm a freshman at Columbia College Chicago."

Mike grinned. "I applied there! Well, actually, my ex-girlfriend did it for me." Tina was the one who sent in the applications to dance schools while Mike was still filing for Pre-Med programs.

"You're not attending it though?" Alvin asked interestedly.

"Nope. I'm from Lima, Ohio, and actually attending the Joffrey Ballet Academy here," Mike said with a smile. "Do you want to come inside?"

"Oh no, I wouldn't want to intrude," Alvin said graciously, but Mike beckoned him in.

Mike led Alvin in and began to shove all of the groceries into the refrigerator and cabinets. "The school's pretty cool. They really take dancing seriously. I'm just taking some basic ballet stuff, but next semester, I hope to be able to get into some hip hop and such," Mike said. "The thing is, I turned down a really great offer from Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York, and a couple of my classmates are there now."

"You miss them?" Alvin asked. Mike nodded. "I'm from Chicago, so I usually still get to see all of my friends. I can imagine how hard it must be for you, but Chicago's not so far away from Lima!"

Mike smiled. "Yeah, it's okay here, and I really love this city. The thing with Joffrey is that, with the adult classes, they're on a drop-in basis, and I'd really still like to get a major in something, so I'm going to Prairie State College just to get my liberal arts done."

"Smart move," Alvin said. "I'm actually looking to go into music or acting, so it was either this or DePaul University, which I didn't get accepted to."

The two talked about their new lives away from high school for a couple of hours, before Alvin had to get back to his apartment for an episode of one of his favorite TV shows.

Just as he left the door, Mike found a pleasant surprise awaiting him when he logged onto Skype.

"Hi Rachel!" Mike said with a huge grin.

"Hi Mike!" Rachel exclaimed. "It's so nice to hear your voice again! I'm actually hanging around outside the NYADA library. Kurt and I are trying to find an apartment, so he's away in Bushwick checking out a potential buy."

"Awesome!" Mike exclaimed. "I'm so happy for you folks. I'm in my little shoebox apartment in Chicago right now."

"Yeah, Kurt and I found this shoebox apartment in Manhattan, but for $1800 a month, we want to see if there are any other worthy purchases we can make," Rachel said, hinting at a little stress in her voice.

"So, what's up?" Mike asked. Rachel normally didn't call him on Skype.

"I need some advice. I'm in Dance 101 right now and my teacher is absolutely awful," Rachel said desperately.

Mike frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that!"

"Yeah," Rachel sighed. "We're supposed to be starting tango tomorrow, and I can only imagine how she's going to screw my life over with that one."

"Well I'm only taking ballet right now, but if you ever need any help, you know how to reach me," Mike said encouragingly.

They spent a few more minutes just talking about their dance classes, but it was already time for Mike to head on over to his.

There was always a lot of diversity in the adult classes, but Mike was actually quite impressed with the younger demographic that came today. A good percentage of them were college students, and, to Mike's surprise, Alvin had come in for the day, provided he paid a $15 fee.

"Welcome to the class!" Mike said, giggling at the site of Alvin in his tights.

"Well, I heard ladies love stuff like this," Alvin said. Mike had to suppress laughter from seeing the girls behind Alvin eying him with scandalous humor.

"Well, you're really going to like it here," Mike said.

"Alright class," the instructor began. She was a new hire to the school, Ms. Arlington. "Welcome to Joffrey Academy of Dance; I'm Debbie Arlington, and I'd like to welcome everyone who came to join us today. We will be going over the basics of ballet, again."

For the entirety of the class, they ran through basic drills, stretches, mirror exercises, and partner activities. Alvin was enjoying it, but Mike was so professional that the teacher would constantly point him out to the class as a good example.

Time was up, but the teacher called Mike back.

"Can I help you?" Mike asked.

"It's actually a matter of you helping me," Ms. Arlington said kindly. "You're very talented. I know you probably wanted to be cautious and take the basics again, but you really should skip ahead to the Intermediate class. You should take it at least twice a week, but I've already recommended you to that teacher, and you're in with no make-up necessary."

Mike grinned. "Thank you so much!"

"You're very welcome," Ms. Arlington said. "And work hard! I see the potential in you to be a part of our company."

Later that night at the apartments, Mike told Alvin of the feat.

"That's impressive!" Alvin said with an awestruck gaze. "But you really were amazing today. Everyone was looking at you to figure out how to do it right. Now the class is going to be at a loss because there's no pro in the mirror to look at!"

Mike chuckled. "Well, it wasn't that hard for me, but the Intermediate class might be a bigger challenge."

It was indeed. The teacher, Ms. Katherine Drury, had more challenging material to teach, and a lot of the dancers were very competitive against each other.

"Alright! Let's do this!" the teacher exclaimed. "5-6-7-8!"

The students ran through multiple exercises, and Mike was already beginning to feel the burn in his legs and the sweat soaking through his tank top.

"Stop! Stop!" the teacher exclaimed, walking through the room and assessing every individual's performance. When she came to Mike, she took two steps around him and eyed him from head to toe. "I have to say, I was fascinated to hear Ms. Arlington's recommendation for you to join this class. I really think you have what it takes to go professional, but you're going to have to stop worrying about what everyone else is doing and focus on doing your own routine to its highest accuracy."

Mike was relieved that this teacher didn't turn out to be some ruthless clone of Rachel's teacher, Ms. July. He smiled and thanked the teacher for her time, and departed.

Back at his apartment, Mike was poring over his English 102 papers, his Statistics textbook, a Biology lab report, maps for World History, and an Oral Communications study. Needing a break, he logged onto his Facebook and saw a photo of Joe, Tina, and Sam doing a Britney Spears number in the choir room. Mike smiled, shoved all of his work aside, looked up some musical accompaniment for one of his most favorite Britney songs, and belted it out, looking out his apartment window to the bright city lights of Chicago; his tentative home for the next four years.

{Video montage:

Verse 1: Mike looking at his old photos of Tina
Chorus: Mike dancing in Intermediate Ballet
Verse 2: Mike interacting with Alvin in Chicago the following night
Verse 3: Mike starting a Hip Hop class at Joffrey
Ending: Mike listening to his iPod while he's in bed in his apartment, concluding with his and Tina's prom picture on his bedside table}

Song: "I'll Never Stop Loving You" by Britney Spears

Oh, yeah
They say in this world, nothing lasts forever
But I don't believe that's true
Cause the way that I feel
When we are together
I know that's the way, I'll always feel for you

[CHORUS:]
From now until forever that's how long I'll be true
I will make you this vow and promise you now until forever
I'll never stop loving you

Then will come a day when the world stops turning
And stars will fall from the sky
But this feeling will last
When the suns start burning
But all I wanna do is love you
Until the end of time

[Repeat CHORUS]

It's gonna take more than a lifetime
To give you all the love (all the love)
Feels for you tonight

[Repeat CHORUS (2 times)]

Until forever
I'll never stop loving you


Life in LA was as sweet as could be. Cleaning pools, getting invited to play recreational football with some guys from the UCLA and USC, and dating the third-runner-up of The Bachelor was as amazing as life could get.

Today, Puck got a job cleaning a community pool where a bunch of college kids happened to be partying.

Walking around the pool, wearing only a pair of swimming shorts and sunglasses on his head, Puck pulled every leaf and paper out of the pool.

"Hey, you're Noah Puckerman, right?" asked a particularly pretty brunette in a tiny bikini. Puck recognized her from a teen club in LA.

"Yeah," Puck said flirtatiously. "Just moved here a couple months ago from Ohio."

"We were wondering if you'd like to come to a sorority party later on tonight," the girl said.

"No can do," Puck said with a sarcastic sigh. "I got a date with the third runner-up of The Bachelor," he stated.

The girl frowned and scowled and splashed back into the pool to join her friends. Another random dude swam up to Puck's end of the pool.

"'Sup?" he asked. "Hey, since you're pretty much our servant for the day, do you think you could plug in the radio or something?"

"Yeah," another swimmer said. "Quite frankly, swimming isn't that excited without some good music up in here."

"No can do," Puck repeated, loving his constant negative response to their every demand. "Radio's broken."

"Then who's guitar is that up on the lifeguard shack?" the first guy asked, pointing to the guitar, out of its case, hanging over the lifeguard's high chair.

"Mine," Puck said.

"Then why don't you play it?" asked the first girl again, who was seemingly eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Well, if you want me to, I will," Puck said with a wink. He plopped his net onto the cement and hopped onto the tower. Slinging the strap over his head, he turned back to the swimmers, who looked like a school of fish swarming in to catch some bait. "Any requests?"

They all barked out a random selection of songs, but Puck, craving a soda, noticed the cooler full of sodas at the other end of the pool. Beginning to strum away, Puck started to sing.

{Video Montage:
Starts out with Puck singing, then people climb out of the pool and start adding in some percussions and vocals, and then everyone is out of the pool partying at the pool until night.}

Song: "Soda Pop" by Britney Spears

Ooh-Ooh
Ah, here we go now
Oh

Like a great boy, all my other women are insoles
We're thinkin 'bout the great expedition as popped we chose
[Britney & rapper] So here we come, throwing here
Throwing here all on the scene
Though we go
On and on
Come, come follow me Britney
Yeah
Mm-hmm, soda pop, watch it fizz and pop
The clock is tickin' and we can't stop (can't stop now)
Mm-hmm soda pop, bop, shu-bop
The clock is tickin and we can't stop
We might start riding to the music tonight
A clever way to get by, oh
The pops keep flowin' like its fire and ice
So give it a little blind, ooh
Mm-hmm soda pop, watch it fizz and pop (mm-hmm)
The clock is tickin and we can't stop (now)
Mm-hmm soda bop, bop shu-bop shu-bop
The clock is tickin and we can't stop
Ooh-Ooh
We have a plan, we have a definite plan
To level the vibes (vibes)
To level vibes again (ooh-yeah)
See
Where ya ba-do for a superlative self, oh yeah
A wicked time to the end, oh yeah, so
Mm-hmm soda pop, watch it fizz and pop (ooh)
The clock is tickin and we can't stop (can't stop)
Mm-hmm soda pop, bop, shu-bop shu-bop
The clock is tickin and we can't stop
So much pop we're losing, sittin watchin the clock
So turn the tables baby, let's go over top (take it to the top now)
No one else will do
I'm waiting for you
So me what'cha got, just take a pop shot
And we will never stop shu-bop, shu-bop
yeah, mm-hmm
The clock is tickin and we can't stop
Mm-hmm soda pop, bop, shu-bop shu-bop
The clock is tickin and we can't stop (can't stop)
Do it like we never have before (before, before, before)
And lovin it til we drop (we drop, ah, we drop yeah)
We'll flex tonight until they break down the door (oh yeah)
The party won't ever stop
so
Mm-hmm soda pop, watch it fizz and pop (no, uh yeah)
The clock is tickin and we can't stop (stop no)
Mm-hmm soda pop, bop, shu-bop shu-bop
Mm-hmm soda pop (no) watch it fizz and pop (oh)
The clock is tickin and we can't stop (can't stop)
I bet you we can pop like we've never popped it before
Why we keep comin back dor more and more for sure (sure)
It's cool Britney when we get down on the floor yeah
And we go
On and On until the break of dawn
Mm-hmm soda pop, watch it fizz and pop
The clock is tickin and we can't stop (ah, can't stop, no)
Mm-hmm soda pop, bop, shu-bop shu-bop (ooh yeah)
The clock is tickin and we can't stop
All we gotta do is just
Mm-hmm soda pop, watch it fizz and pop (oh yeah)
The clock is tickin and we can't stop
Oh, we're on the bend
Mmm, uh-oh

Everything was thrown away into trash and recycling bins, and cars were leaving the facility one-by-one.

"That was really fun, Noah," said the girl.

"Yeah, and I was thinking we were gonna be stuck with no entertainment," the second guy laughed.

"Glad to be of service, folks," Puck said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting with the third-runner-up of The Bachelor."

"That's the fifth time you've told us that," the first guy retorted.

Puck merely laughed, climbed up onto his motorcycle, and revved on over to meet with the girl at his new apartment.

Puck opened the door and deposited all of his belongings inside. He began to clean everything up. She was due to arrive in just five minutes so they could go out to dinner. But, just as Puck was stashing a few beers into the refrigerator, his cell phone rang. He walked over, expecting to see the caller ID as the girl, but instead it was none other than "Mr. Scheu."

Hesitantly, Puck lifted the phone to his ears. He was excited to hear back, of course, but whenever someone from school called, it usually meant he was in trouble. "Hello?"

"Noah!" Will greeted happily. "I know it's almost 7 PM in LA, but I kinda need to ask you a favor."

Puck smiled. "Nice to hear your voice again, Mr. Scheu! And sure, how can I help you?"

"I don't know how to tell you this…" Will said hesitantly.

"What?" Puck asked, not understanding.

"Has your dad ever told you about any other family members?" Will asked nervously.

"Hm… Well, other than me and my sister, no," Puck said. "Why?" he asked suspiciously.

"We have a new student at McKinley. He had an amazing audition, but he had a bit of an attitude, which makes me nervous to accept him into New Directions," Will explained.

"Well, Mr. Scheu, I think I might have known by now if I had an evil twin. Well, I guess both of us would have been evil, but—"

"Puck, his name is Jake."

"And?"

"Puckerman."

"What"

"Jake Puckerman."

"My name is Noah."

"No!" Will said intensely. "The kid's name is Jake Puckerman."

Puck dropped the phone the moment his doorbell rang. He picked the phone off the ground, whispered a "be right back in a few seconds" into the speaker, and dashed over to the door. He opened it, and there stood his date for the evening.

"Hi! Ready to—"

"Sorry," Puck said apologetically. "We're gonna have to reschedule this for another night. I'll call you later. Family emergency."

Surprisingly, the girl looked understanding. She nodded, tightened her jacket around her body, and walked away.

Puck, meanwhile, slammed the door shut and went over to the phone.

"Mr. Scheu, are you there?"

"Yeah," Will said.

"So um…." Puck said slowly. "What do you need me to do?"

"Would it be asking too much for you to come to Ohio? Jake's made it perfectly clear that he's not willing to change. He thinks the way he acts is alright. I think hearing from you might do some good to him. You have the same dad, Puck. You must be able to relate to him somehow."

It was true. Puck had gone his entire life, feeling like he'd never had a real father. In fact, last time he saw his dad was when he was giving him rent money. He was no dad. This poor Jake kid must have had to deal with the same pressure. Puck took in a deep breath, and spoke into the phone, "I'll be there tomorrow."


"We're the future, and you're just some YouTube joke."

Those words hurt. Badly.

Cassandra dismissed the class half-an-hour early, completely ashamed of that irrational rant of Schwimmer's.

Those few words brought back so many bad memories. Cassandra could remember how ecstatic she was when she landed that role. It was her first Broadway show. She had been working so hard for it. And it was all flushed down the toilet because of one man's cell phone. Well, in hindsight, she didn't have to threaten the man with a baseball bat, either.

But it was absolutely ridiculous that one bad mistake can determine the rest of your future. After the debacle, Cassandra was forced to get advanced degrees in dance and teach at NYADA, where she had to go face-to-face with so many promising faces that she knew would have long and flourishing careers, unlike herself.

Schwimmer, on the other hand; admittedly, yes, Cassandra did pick on her to get her prepared for the world of criticism and scrutiny in the Broadway world. The girl has the look, she has the diverse talent, and after today, Cassie knew she has a voice. But she would need a huge attitude adjustment. Talking back to directors, even if it's just rolling your eyes, won't get you far in your career. Schwimmer probably had a history of being the top girl in whatever music club she was in at her high school in Iowa, or West Virginia, or wherever she was from.

Cassie was using her Thursday prep trying to come up with a good routine for her 400-level dance class; you know, for those students who actually survived through their first three years of NYADA.

However, Schwimmer's rendition of "Oops! … I Did it Again" was continually running through Cassie's mind. She had always loved Britney Spears. Cassie was always able to relate to her. Always being knocked down because of mistakes she made in the past. The only difference was that Britney was always able to rise above and become successful again. After all, she was now a popular judge on The X-Factor USA. Cassie, on the other hand, was stuck in the world of post-secondary education; doomed to spend the rest of her life in an insignificant classroom, when all of her students were out on stage, living their dreams.

Cassie walked over to her radio and tapped the 'play' button.

{Video montage: It starts out with Cassie dancing on her own in the studio, followed by her running a rigorous routine with the NYADA seniors, walking through the halls of the school, getting weird looks from other faculty and students, and finishing off dancing on her own in the studio.}

Song: "Piece of Me" by Britney Spears

I'm Miss American Dream since I was 17
Don't matter if I step on the scene
Or sneak away to the Philippines
They're still gonna put pictures of my derriere in the magazine
You want a piece of me?
You want a piece of me...

I'm Miss bad media karma
Another day another drama
Guess I can't see the harm
In working and being a mama
And with a kid on my arm
I'm still an exceptional earner
And you want a piece of me

I'm Mrs. Lifestyles of the rich and famous
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. Oh my God that Britney's Shameless
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. Extra! Extra! this just in
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. she's too big now she's too thin
(You want a piece of me)

I'm Mrs. 'You want a piece of me?'
Tryin' and pissin' me off
Well get in line with the paparazzi
Who's flippin' me off
Hopin' I'll resort to some havoc
And end up settlin' in court
Now are you sure you want a piece of me? (you want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. 'Most likely to get on the TV for strippin' on the streets'
When getting the groceries, no, for real..
Are you kidding me?
No wonder there's panic in this industry
I mean please...
Do you want a piece of me?

I'm Mrs. Lifestyles of the rich and famous
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. Oh my God that Britney's Shameless
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. Extra! Extra! this just in
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. she's too big now she's too thin
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Miss American Dream since I was 17
Don't matter if I step on the scene
Or sneak away to the Philippines
They're still gonna put pictures of my derriere in the magazine
You want a piece of me?
You want a piece of me...
You want a piece of me?
I'm Mrs. Lifestyles of the rich and famous
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. Oh my God that Britney's Shameless
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. Extra! Extra! this just in
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. she's too big now she's too thin
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. Lifestyles of the rich and famous
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. Oh my God that Britney's Shameless
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. Extra! Extra! this just in
(You want a piece of me)
I'm Mrs. she's too big now she's too thin
(You want a piece of me)
Oh yeah
You want a piece of me