A/N: Okay, First I want to thank everyone who review. That means so much to me that you like my idea. Second, I am so sorry for making you guys wait two or three weeks for this chapter. All I can say is that I had some school stuff to do and didn't find the time to write. There is a plus side. I did outline the story till chapter five, so that will make writing easier and updated sooner. All I ask that you guys forgive me and please continue to read and review. Once again, this story is unbeta-d, still looking for one if someone would like to offer, so I'm really looking to you guys for mistakes till I have one. Also, if the pace is going too slow or too fast please let me know. Other than that guys please enjoy!
Chapter 2: Final Days
Walking down the halls of Mckinley was a different experience for Kurt, today. There was a mixed sense of relief and fear. Relief for this being his last day at the school and relief for not having to deal with the Neanderthals that made it their mission to torture him every day, but the fear overwhelmed his sense of relief when he finally reached his locker. The fear of that he betrayed his friends for hiding as much as he did from them, Fear of retaliation from Karofsky and his squad of heathens, and finally, the fear of failing. That fear scared him the most, though he wouldn't tell anyone. He kept his mask on as he began to take down the pictures that he kept on his locker. Most people kept pictures of girlfriends or boyfriends in their locker, but Kurt kept memories. He had pictures from last year, when they were a family, their victory at sectionals, regions, and them wearing the awful pajamas, all of them were smiling. As the pictures we're being taken down one by one, they began to transition to the present, most of them were him with Mercedes, Tina, and Quinn, a couple of them had Mike and Artie in the mix, and a scares few had Brittany and Santana with them. Only one or two had the entire group together, it was a reminder to him that the group was slowly falling apart.
'I was just the first causality of it' Kurt thought as he stared at one of the few pictures that had the entire group together. It was them at his and Finn's parent's wedding. They all had bright smiles on their faces. It was the last happy memory that they had together. He took special care of the photo and placed it, gently, in the Ziploc of other photos before he turned back to his locker and started clearing out the magazine clippings and collages that he made. He had just placed the last of the collages in his bag before a shiver ran down his back. He slowly turned around before he saw Azimo and a couple of other football players with slushies in their hands.
'Oh gawd, I knew something like this would happen. You don't get one of the football players expelled, especially someone like Karofsky, without consequences.' Kurt thought to himself as the group of hulking mass continued to get closer.
'Okay, chin up, eyes closed, handkerchief ready, and just remember not to open your eyes till you get to the restroom.' Kurt thought as he quickly grabbed his first two subjects notebooks and quickly shut the locker door. He turned to face them as they came within two feet of him.
"Hey there, fairy. Now I know you weren't gonna leave without your good bye present from us, now were you?" Azimo asked as he shake his slushie cup.
"As much as you would like to think that a heartfelt good bye would be what I want from you and your group, I really must decline on the pretense that it is my last day." Kurt began confidence strong in his voice, belying that he was actually putting on a front.
"So, if you'll excuse me gentleman, I must be heading to my first class." Kurt continued as he began to walk to the open path that was between the hulking mass of football players. The path was quickly cut off by Azimo.
"I don't think that's gonna happen. You see, you got my boy Dave in some shit that he didn't do. As far as I'm concerned, that makes you public enemy number one and as you can see a few of my guys think the same. So, what you're gonna do is stand there and get what's comin to ya!" Azimo spoke harshly as he push Kurt back against the locker. Kurt looked at the group dejectedly as he saw that they all had the same look of hatred on their face.
"Fine, let's just get this over with." Kurt sighed as he shut his eyes hard and awaited the sticky sting of the slushies.
"Okay, boys! Ready." Azimo shouted as the group surrounded Kurt, raising their slushies. Kurt's breathe hasten as he began to mental go over where the closest men's room was so he could quickly get the frozen treat out of his eyes.
"Aim!" Azimo shouted again as the group itched to throw the cups at the person responsible for their missing comrade. Kurt flatten himself against the wall hoping to save at least a bit of his clothes from the dye.
"Fir..." Azimo started to say before someone squeezed passed him and another player.
"There you are, Kurt! Coach said for me to bring you to her." Becky Jackson said as she grabbed Kurt's sleeve.
'Oh Thank you Gaga!' Kurt thought to himself as he let himself be lead by Becky.
"Hold on there, Becky. I'm sure Coach Sylvester can wait just a few more minutes for Lady here. We were just asking him which of these slushies, here, was his favorite?" Azimo spoke, trying to charm little Becky. Becky look around the group and saw that they all had the same slushie.
"Uh-Uh!" Becky spoke as she shook her head.
"Come on, Becky just a minute." Azimo tried again, his anger rising a little bit.
"Coach told me to bring him to her now, and that if any of the football players were trying to do anything to him, that I was allowed to cut them and then report them to her." Becky spoke seriously. The group of players looked to each other and knew that when Becky was serious about something that she wouldn't stop. They, also, knew that Becky was a no trouble area, less they wanted to incur Sue Sylvester's wrath.
"No, not a thing." Azimo spoke as he and the other players started to back away. His eyes glaring into Kurt's saying that it wasn't over. Kurt let out the breath that he was holding as the football players were leaving.
"Come on, Kurt." Becky spoke as she pulled on Kurt's sleeve. "We can't keep coach waiting."
"Becky, don't take this the wrong way, but you're my savior." Kurt spoke as he followed Becky to Sue's office.
"Just doing my job." Becky spoke as they reached Sue's office. Kurt's mind filled with every possible scenario that could possibly warrant him as Becky opened the door.
"I brought him coach, just like you wanted." Becky cheered happily as she and Kurt entered the room.
"Thanks, Becky!" Sue spoke happily as she grabbed her megaphone. "You deserve a treat. Here you go. Go yell at some unsuspecting freshmen."
"Thank, coach!" Becky spoke as she, gratefully, hugged the megaphone and made her way back to the door. "See you later, Kurt."
"Bye, Becky." Kurt spoke to her as she closed the door. He stood there in silence, waiting patiently for the one person, who had helped him the most, to finish what she was doing.
"Have a seat there, Porcelain. This shouldn't take long and then you can be on your merry way to your sing-a-long station." She spoke as she raised her head from her journal. Kurt cautiously went to the chair that she had indicated.
"Coach Sylvester, I can't tell you how it much it means..." Kurt started to speak before Sue raised a finger, stopping him.
"Stop right there, Porcelain. I'm sure you were about to say how much that you love me for getting you into that fancy school, so fast. Too be honest, I really don't care how much it meant to you. All I know is that I had to call in favors from all over the state, as well as, federal government to secure you a place there with a full ride." Sue started as Kurt sat there listening to every word she was saying.
"Coach Sylvester, I completely understand that you called in many favors. I assure you that I will make you proud." Kurt spoke sincerely as he watched her.
"And I'm sure you will. Based on the fact that I essentially own you, now, and that every Friday, that you come back to spend with your family, you'll be meeting with me in the gym to give me a status report and preparing yourself for the next year's Nationals. Also, if you even think about refusing me, I'll have you hogtied to the nearest flag pole, slathered in a multitude of condiments and left to the wolves." Sue spoke with a straight face. Kurt was looking right into her eyes and saw the determination that were held with him. He knew that she didn't make idle threats.
"Fully understood, Coach Sue." Kurt spoke after swallowing the lump in his throat.
"Good!" Sue cheerfully replied as she wrote on a slip a paper. "Here's you a hall pass. Now, get to class."
"Yes, Coach Sue." Kurt quickly replied as he took the hall pass and headed for the door, stopping right in front of it. "Coach Sue, just one question. May I ask why did you do all this for me?" Sue froze in the middle of writing in her journal and looked up to him.
"Well, other than that fact that I can't stand Will, aka sponge hair square chin, and would love nothing more than the utter demise of his glee club by seeing one of his best singers join one of their rivals. What I hate more than Will winning is seeing injustice come to others. Now call me a crusader if you want, but I'm just doing what comes natural to me. But, if you're looking for a more specific reason, it's because only a few people saw a part of me that I don't usually let people see easily, that or I viciously assault them till they forget it. So consider yourself one of the lucky few that I decided not to physically maim you." Sue replied with a smile. Kurt shivered at the thought at possibly being maimed.
"Thanks, Coach." Kurt cautiously replied as he opened the door and made his way out of it.
"Oh, and Porcelain," Sue spoke, stopping Kurt as he was halfway out the door. "If you tell anyone, I'll deny it and sue you for defamation of character. Understood?"
"Yes, coach." Kurt gulped as he answered slowly shutting the door between the two of them.
(Later that day)
"He's late!" Mercedes spoke as crossed her arms as she walked from the piano back to her seat.
"That's not much of a surprise. He's probably looking through his hidden stash of vest and picking it out for tomorrow." Santana spoke as she texted on her phone.
"He has a hidden stash? Is it like where I had the treats the troll under my bed gives me?" Brittany asked in her usual incoherent way.
"Not exactly sweetie." Santana speaks sweetly while patting her on the shoulder.
"Still, you would think as the supervisor of the club, he would be here precisely on time or earlier. Especially since it's Kurt's last day." Rachel spoke as she strode into the room in her prideful way.
"Yeah, well it shouldn't be Kurt's last day. He shouldn't be leaving at all." Finn spoke gruffly as he sat with the rest of the glee boys.
"I still say we should go beat the crap out of Karofsky. A good ass kicking is all he needs and I'm sure he'll lay off after Puckzilla gives him the thrashing he deserves." Puck exclaims as he shadowboxes the air.
"Yeah, and you'll end up back in juvie and we'll be down another person for sectionals." Mercedes reminds him.
"Well, even without Puck, The rest of us could at least be Kurt's bodyguards." Mike tried to reason.
"Really, have you boys even thought this plan out all the way?"Quinn questioned accusingly. "Artie's in a wheelchair and Sam got a black eye the last time he went up against Karofsky. It's essentially three against the rest of the football team and probably the hockey team. Does that sound like the odds are in your favor?"
"So, just because they have more guys doesn't mean we can give up!" Finn shouted as he got up from his chair.
"It's not giving up it doing.." Mercedes started to say as Finn cut her off, which then caused Quinn to start on him which got Sam involved. It soon had almost all the glee kids arguing with each other except for two people, silently sitting on separate sides of the room. It took only a couple of minutes of the arguing for one of the two, to quickly rise from their seats and stand in the front of the room.
"WILL ALL OF YOU SHUT UP!" Rachel screamed as loud as she could. The room was soon very quiet. The whole group staring at the girl as if she grown a third head.
"Now I know I'm usually full of wonderful and brilliant ideas to make this club great, but everyone is arguing over something we don't have control of. This is Kurt's life. We can't control anything about he decides over and he's decided to leave us for the sake of his safety." Rachel spoke passionately, looking into everyone's eyes. "I, for one, respect his choice and chosen a song to sing that reflects my feelings on this situation." Rachel spoke as the group returned to her seats. Once everyone was seated, Rachel nodded to Brad to begin playing the piano. Brad starts to play a soft melody that was accompanied with one of the jazz players on the guitar. Rachel looked up at the group, her eyes filled with unspoken emotion.
We were strangers starting out on our journey
Never dreaming what we'd have to go through
Now here we are and I'm suddenly standing
At the beginning with you...
Rachel sang looking directly at Kurt as she sang. Her hands raising in her own theatrical way. She continued to hum the melody as she saw the look in Finn's eyes, she shook her head a bit, letting him know that she wanted him to sing the next verse. He slowly got up from his seat as he started to sing.
No one told me I was going to find you
Unexpected what you did to my heart
When I lost hope you were there to remind me
This is the start...
Finn sang as he took Rachel's hand in his. His emotions pouring out of him as Rachel started to, softly, sing the verse her voice reaching the same volume at the end of the verse.
And Life is a road and I want to keep going
Love is a river I want to keep flowing
Life is a road now and forever
A Wonderful journey...
The whole group clapped smiling, forgetting everything they were arguing about. The only thought that the group had at this moment was that the song fitted the situation perfectly and that they should be singing together. Their voices soon joined Finn and Rachel's, harmonizing quickly.
I'll be there when the world stops turning
I'll be there when the storm is through
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you...
The group continued to sing as the all gathered together, Kurt continued to sit there, looking at the only group of people he could genuinely call friends. He knew that they would continue to be his friends no matter what happened. This song proved it to him. He saw Mercedes switch spots with Rachel and knew his best friend was about to belt out her soul.
We were strangers on a crazy adventure
Never dreaming how our dreams would come true
Now here we stand unafraid of the future
At the beginning with you...
Mercedes sang her emotions out non-stop. Pouring her song with each note as Finn sang the last two lyrics with her, while the rest of the group began the chorus.
And Life is a road and I want to keep going
Love is a river I want to keep flowing
Life is a road now and forever
A Wonderful journey...
I'll be there when the world stops turning
I'll be there when the storm is through
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you
Kurt couldn't, finally, stand it and got up out of his seat and took his spot beside Mercedes singing with the rest of the group, pouring his heart into the song as he didn't want them to see him cry as he would've have probably done, if he kept standing there. The group never saw Mr. Schuester entering the door behind them, stopping in the frame as he heard his glee kids sing. He saw the same spark that he first saw within the group when it first form. He couldn't help, but smile and think that this would be a great song to sing for sectionals.
I knew there was somebody somewhere
Like me alone in the dark
I know that my dream will live on
I've been waiting so long
Nothing's gonna tear us apart...
Rachel sang showing why she was a star in the making. Her mind swarming with memories of her and Kurt, how similar they were, and that the only reason they weren't such good friends was her competitive spirit. Her hands out to her side, whiling sing, as she gave Mercedes a run for her money as she belt out her own soul.
And life is a road that I wanna keep going
Love is a river, I wanna keep flowing
Life is a road, now and forever, wonderful journey
I'll be there when the world stops turning
I'll be there when the storm is through
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you...
The group sang the whole souls out as loud as they could wanting everyone to know what they had was special and that no one could take it away from them. Tears welling up in some of the girls eyes, even Kurt was misting a little. Mercedes leaving Kurt's side just for a second to stand up front waiting for what she knew what would be the one lyric that only she could do.
"Life is a road that I wanna keep going on
Love is a river, I wanna keep going on...
"Starting out on a journey..."
The group quieted as Mercedes put her church choir skills that she was well known for and belted out the last lyric.
I'll be there when the world stops turning
I'll be there when the storm is through
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you
The group finished the song, tears going down Tina, Mercedes, Rachel and Quinn faces as they. Santana fanning herself trying to stop herself from breaking her ice queen shell. Brittany went quickly to Kurt's side and was hugging One of the only boys that didn't treat her like a piece of meat. The boys of the group were patting Kurt's shoulder and messing up his hair, showing that they were gonna miss him in their own way. Kurt was just soaking everything in as much as he could, knowing that this feeling would have to last him for a long time. The group quickly turned around as they heard clapping, seeing that Mr. Schuester was behind them.
"Great job, guys! I'm sure that song will kill everyone at sectionals as well as keep Kurt's spirit here alive." Will spoke as he looked at the group of teens, a smile on his face.
"How about we wrap up early, under the circumstances, and get something to eat. A little Bon Voyage for Kurt?" Will asked causing the group of teens to smile and agree, picking up their bags and heading out of the room.
To Be Continued...