CHAPTER ONE

AFTERMATH

GLEE CHOIR ROOM:

3:45 PM

William watched as the remaining Glee members walked into the classroom. Everyone sitting in there usual chairs. All eyes were clued to the empty chair – front row – center. "As we all know by now, Rachel has left, and will not return. As we all know by now, Rachel hasn't gone to the sister school of Dalton – but she's out of the country. As we all know by now, Rachel will not be returning to the States or Lima until she's eighteen. As we all know by now, Rachel may never willing return to Lima ever again."

Puck stood to his feet, "We all ready know this, Mr. Schue. We all know that we failed where Rachel was concerned. I know that I personally failed Rachel." He spat out in anger. "I should have protected her better."

"What about me? I was her boyfriend. Her best friend. Her first ever friend." Finn said from his seat next to Rachel's empty seat. He couldn't keep his eyes off from the chair that was now empty from the bubbly short brunette Diva. That Rachel would never ever again be sitting in that seat. It was still so surreal to him.

"You were never Rachel's true friend." A quiet but hard voice said from behind him.

Finn stood to his feet quickly and turned. "How dare you!" His fists clenched at his sides, and fire blazed in his eyes.

Quinn looked up into his eyes, "It's the truth."

"I loved Rachel." Finn breathed in and out. "She was my world."

"When it was convenient to you." Quinn calmly said.

"You should be the one to talk, Quinn! You made it your sole mission to destroy Rachel. Not just high school either." Finn yelled back.

"I never lied." Quinn shot back. "Rachel always knew where she stood with me. There was no lies on how I felt about her. I never used convenience in any part of my dealings with her."

3:55 pm

Finn made his way towards her, but found Sam stopping him. "Don't man." Sam softly said in his right ear.

"Rachel's only true friend is Puck." Quinn calmly stated.

"Only because he wants in her pants." Finn glared heatedly into his former best friend's eyes.

"If I just wanted to add Rachel to one of my conquest, then I would have bedded her last year when we were matched up for our mash up." Puck said in a calm voice. "If I just wanted to fuck Rachel then I would have succeeded then or even when she kissed me to get back at you."

Finn pushed Sam away from him and rushed and slammed into Puck's body. He started to hit any where his hands could find. He felt sick pleasure as his fist met Puck's jaw, chin, forehead, stomach. He suddenly stopped as a well placed rock slammed into his chest. He felt himself fall to the side in slow motion. "If you ever lay a hand on me like this again, friend, then I won't be responsible for my actions." Puck's harsh voice breathed into his ringing ear.

William finally got over his sheer shock at the violence that had taken place to pull Puck off of Finn. "I want you boys to be ten feet from one another." He glared into Puck's heated glare. "Now." He said. He watched in relief as Puck nodded and walked over and took a seat next to Quinn. He looked down at the stunned Finn. "I'm disappointed in you, Finn." He said and moved away.

Finn sat up and rubbed his chest. He got his ragged breathing under control. Slowly standing to his feet and facing his teacher. "I'm sorry for this physical attack that I had on Puck, Mr. Schue, I didn't mean to disrespect you. I should have waited until we were clear of school grounds."

Will glared into the teens eyes. "No Finn. The unwarranted attack was uncalled for."

"Unwarranted?" Finn spat back.

William held up a firm hand. "Enough Finn." He breathed a few calmly breaths. "Unwarranted. I will not allow violence to take place in my sight ever again!" He turned and looked at the rest of his kids, "That includes bullying, name calling, any thing that will harm another living breathing thing."

Quinn felt Puck's arm tighten next to her own. Slipping her right hand into his hand she squeezed that she understood how he felt. She felt him shift next to her and felt his breath before heard her words. "We need to talk baby Mama. Not here." She tilted her head forward slightly to let him know that she agreed with him.

"I don't know why Berry's fathers deemed it necessary to send her to Japan to escape from McKinley. There are sister schools to Dalton here in Ohio. So what if Berry is like two hours away – like Kurt – she would have still been part of New Directions." Santana spat out with raw anger in her voice. "What her fathers did was wrong. Plain wrong."

"It was their decision." Will sighed. He fully agreed with Santana on this one. She wasn't getting a fight out of him on this one. But it was Rachel's parents decision. Although Shelby had cried into his chest several times that her voice was not heard. The Berry men just didn't want Shelby to have any decision making in Rachel's life. At all.

Even after Rachel reached full adulthood – the Berry men simply didn't want Shelby to be part of Rachel's life. It's sad that Rachel didn't know the full truth of this. He prayed that he would have a chance to inform Rachel of her father's decisions – and plans concerning her mother. Rachel had a right to know.

Rachel would be eighteen in less then a year. She would be legally considered an adult. Will made a promise to himself to help Shelby in informing Rachel of her fathers hatred towards Shelby. That Shelby actually loved Rachel – always had, and wanted to be part of her life. He hoped that it wasn't too late for Rachel to accept her mother. But that didn't mean he wanted Rachel to hate her fathers – not by a long shot. He just wanted Rachel to have all parents love in her life.

4:05pm

"They should have talked to Mr. Hummel." Brittany said. She turned and looked wide eyed at Finn, "Did they? Did they hear that the sister school to Dalton was the best in the entire USA? That Rachel would never be threaten there. That she would be safe?"

"Yeah; they talked with Burt, but they were having none of it. Both the Berry men had fire in their eyes as they claimed that Rachel was no longer safe in America. My mom made sure that Shelby was also part of the discussion. Shelby even suggested some schools in Columbus. But the moment that sentence was out of her mouth both Berry men grew even more hard and stubborn. They said that Rachel was going to be safe and that was final. They said Japan was the safest place for their daughter." Finn's eyes grew fiery "As if being alone in a strange country is safe for Rachel! Hello, if there is one hint of unrest between America and the Japan – Japan would jump at war with us. How is that safe for Rachel?"

Puck felt Quinn stiffen next too him. He scooted closer to protect the blond. He had all ready formed his plans of action – but he decided to revise a few of them to include the blonde. He knew the moment she first spoke that she was fully on his side. He had placed his trust in his baby Mama once and for all time.

"I'm tired of listening to all of this talk. If we aren't going to practice today; then I'm leaving." Quinn stood to her feet stiffly. She walked down the stairs and paused at the side of the empty chair that was Rachel's. "At least I never lied too you." She whispered. Her hand resting on the back of the blue chair. She felt Finn hand on her arm.

Puck had stood to his feet as soon as Quinn started her descent. His jaw tightened as he saw Finn's hand on Quinn's arm. "I would remove that hand if I valued it, Hudson." He growled under his breath.

Finn kept his hand on Quinn's arm. Standing to his feet he glared into Puck's angry eyes. "You all ready stole Quinn from me, my baby from me, Rachel from me. You don't -"

Puck's hands were clenched at his sides. "Didn't it ever get through your thick pea sized brain that I never stole Quinn and Rachel from you! That they freely came too me?" Licking his chapped lips, "That given a choice every singe time – they valued my company more than yours Finn Hudson."

4:10 pm

"Go to hell Noah." Finn seethed.

"Tell me Finn, do you know Kurt any better now that he's your step brother?" Puck's chin jetted out.

"We are still in the learning process that a new mixed family is in." Finn said with a shrug.

"Even Kurt would much rather be around me than you. He never even had a crush on me like he had on you." Puck's eyes slanted. "Get your hand off Quinn, now."

Quinn kept her eyes on Rachel's empty seat. She wasn't pay any attention to what was going around her. All she thought of, and saw was Rachel. "Why are you staring at me?" Rachel looked up in surprise to find Quinn staring so intently at her.

"I wasn't staring, man-hands." Quinn said in a hard voice.

Rachel sighed, "I wish you would just call me by my name." Her head tilted. "Why is it so hard for you, Quinn, to call me by my first name? I find it no problem calling you Quinn. You don't hear me calling you Fabray. I don't even use the most common first letter of your name, Q. I find that very insulting too you."

"Stop rambling treasure trail." Quinn growled. "I don't need a long speech on you calling me by my first name." Sighing, "Which I never really gave you permission too by the way."

"I like your name, Quinn." Rachel simply smiled. "I am not going to call you anything else. We are both too young to be calling you Miss. Fabray. We are not living in the century that we have to address each other that formerly."

"Shut up." Quinn sighed her forefingers on the bridge of her nose in frustration. "I don't even know why I'm talking to you man, treas - …. Berry." She relented at last.

"Rachel." Rachel sighed. "I think I'm not going to answer too any other name from you, Quinn, expect for my christian name."

"Then you won't be talking to me ever again huh man hands." Quinn smirked down at the short Diva. Blinking rapidly as Rachel's image faded from her minds eyes.

"I said remove your hands from Quinn now." Quinn came too at Puck's tone. She looked down at her arm and found Finn's giant hands around her forearm. "What the hell." She breathed out as she tried to jerk her arm out of Finn's gripe.

Finn turned his hurt eyes onto hers. "Quinn, don't see what Puck is doing? He's trying to turn you against me. I can't allow that too happen. I all ready lost Rachel for all time."

4:15 pm

"Not due to Puck." Quinn breathed out the pain that she was feeling on Finn's hold. "You lost Rachel all on your own."

Finn barked in laughter. "Don't listen to Puck brain washing, Quinn. You know that only lies come out of Noah Puckerman's mouth. He lied to you that day that he managed to get his dick inside you. He lied when he said he wanted to raise Beth. He lied when he said that he would always be there no matter what after you gave Beth to Shelby."

Quinn whimpered in pain.

That was all it took for Noah Puckerman. He rushed down the remaining steps and put his hands on Finn's neck. He squeezed. "If you don't let Quinn go, right this second, Finn, then you'll be a dead man!" He locked eyes with his former best friend.

Finn sneered and tightened his hold on Quinn's arm.

"LET HER GO NOW!" Rachel's face suddenly appeared behind Puck's right shoulder.

"Rachel!" Finn cried happily. "You came back to me."

"Let Quinn go, Finn. You are hurting her." Rachel's hard eyes bored into his own.

"You don't understand. I'm trying to protect Quinn from Puck." Finn cried out.

"You are hurting her." Rachel looked down at his hand on the pale arm. Finn followed suite. "Oh my God." He breathed as he quickly unwrapped his arm from Quinn's pale arm. He saw the red marks where his fingers had wrapped themselves around the thin arm. The marks that would soon turn into a bruise.

4:20 pm

Quinn moved quickly away from the boys. Her eyes wide in sheer shock. She wrapped her right arm across her chest, while moving her left up to protect it. "It's not safe here anymore." She whimpered.

Mercedes was in front of her, and pulling her into a tight hug. Quinn laid her head on her shoulder and let out a few sobs. She felt the other girl's hands tighten on her back. Mercedes glared at Finn over Quinn's head. She promised herself that she would personally teach that boy the right way on how to treat a woman. How dare he hurt Quinn!

Sam wanted to go over and comfort his girlfriend – but his inner sense knew that right at this moment another male would have freaked Quinn out. He never wanted to hurt Quinn intentionally. He simply watched as Quinn got the support and comfort that she needed from Mercedes. He had wanted to go and beat the shit out of Finn – but he found that it wasn't his place too either. It was between Puck and Finn.

"Hey girl." Mercedes softly said. "Let's get you out of here okay." She gently led Quinn from the stunned and silent classroom. She shot a glance at Puck over her shoulder and saw the boy simply shove Finn backwards. He turned his back on everyone and followed them out of the classroom. "How about we go back to my home."

Quinn just stared into Noah's compassionate eyes from her place on the other girl's shoulder. "I actually need too speak to Puck in private, Mercedes."

Mercedes nodded and stepped away. "You know that I'm here for you." With that she walked back into the classroom.

"Come on baby Mama." Puck held out his right hand for her to take. When her hand slipped into his he sighed in relief. He gently led her down the empty hallway towards the parking lot.

4:25 pm

"Finn you have two months of detention. Plus you will be meeting with Mrs. Howell every morning before school, and every afternoon after school. I will be calling a meeting with your mother and step father as soon as it can be arranged. I am going to highly recommended that you are enrolled in an anger management program." Will said with fire in his eyes.

"What? Why?" Finn stared wide eyed at his mentor.

"You laid a hand on a woman. You physically fought with Puck." Will stated.

"I know I was wrong with how hard I was holding Quinn. I freely admit that. But why isn't Puck getting chewed out. He punched me also." Finn angrily protested.

"Puck only punched you when you were clearly trying to kill him." Will said.

"I never tried nothing of the sort, Mr. Schue you are just over reacting." Finn slammed his hand against his right thigh. "Okay; I admit it wasn't the wisest choice to start a fist fight in school. I should have waiting until I was off school property to beat Puck up. Be he was hitting me also." He looked around at the remaining Glee clubbers. "You all saw."

The kids remained stonily silent.

"I'm suspending you from Glee club for one month, Finn." Will concluded his punishment for Finn.

Finn's eyes swung back to his mentor. "What the hell! You freaking need me. I'm your leading man. Granted now that Rachel is no longer here – we need to find a new leading lady. No help in that fact. But, Mr. Schue you need me to work with my new leading lady."

Will sighed, "You are no longer leading man, Finn. I have all ready decided to name Puck as the new leading man."

"That's a joke." Finn laughed. "You know that you can't win any competition without me as leading man. I'm going to have a hard time now bring my full A game now that Rachel is gone. But I am the captain of the New Directions; as such; I need all my leadership power to push the team to their own A game. But I'll succeed, Mr. Schue."

"You are no longer our captain, Frankenstein." Santana snorted from her seat. "You never were our captain."

"You voted me as captain to put an end to Rachel's tyranny." Finn patiently explained to Santana.

"You got it all wrong, Frankenstein," Santana rolled her eyes, "As always."

"None of you wanted Rachel to be captain. If I didn't jump in – then we wouldn't have Glee anymore." Finn slowly spoke – as if he was talking too a two year old.

"We wanted to get one off of Rachel. Which we had succeeded." Santana spoke. "But you were never captain of New Directions. You never stepped up to be co-captain. Rachel did all the work for New Directions. She came up with all the ideas on the fundraisers that we needed too do to get more money. She was the one who came up with the set lists." She looked over at Will. "Isn't that right Mr. Schue."

"I'm not denying that." Will nodded his head. "Without Rachel, I would have been screwed with coming up with a proper set list." He frowned. "I should have told her that, and thanked her for all her hard work." He sighed.

"So I was played." Finn hissed.

"You finally got it." Santana smirked leaning back in her seat.

"Finn, you are no longer welcomed here. Please take yourself to Mrs. Howell's office. She'll be talking to you, and calling your parents and setting up the meetings." Will said with finality in his voice.

Finn looked at his mentor and sighed. "Yes sir." He bowed his head and left the Glee club.

Sam looked at the clock. It read 4:45. A solid hour went by and all this drama. He lowered his eyes and wondered when all the drama would finally end.

END CHAPTER ONE

Author's Note: No, Finn is not going to be the one main bad guy of this story. Finn actually isn't the bad guy here. He just has some pressed in anger that he has to come too term with. His story line is separate from the whole zero tolerance of violence that William McKinley High School is FINALLY going through.