A/N: Thank you for the reviews!
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or any of its characters.
Rachel dismisses Finn as soon as possible and once the young man is far away from the room, she opens her laptop and turns it on, logging into Skype immediately.
Searching through her online contacts, she sighs in relief as she spots the person she was hoping to talk to online. Clicking on the username, she turns on her webcam and smiles at the screen as she spots a very familiar man on the other side of the screen.
"Hey pumpkin." The man smiles warmly, making her mouth twist into a smile as well.
"Hi daddy." She breaths. Hiram adjusts his glasses on his face slightly, frowning a little as the objects slips off his nose. "How are you?"
"I'm doing good, pumpkin. How are you? How is the new job there in the Big Apple?" He asks in interest, but she shrugs as an answer.
"It's quite alright. The place is amazing, the staff is very polite and the students are..." Her mind goes to a tall young man with a freckled nose and a shiny smile. "Interesting." She finishes, suppressing a small smile of coming out of her throat. Suddenly though, her face is taken over by a saddened expression as she asks:
"How is dad doing?" She bites her lip, and to that, her daddy sighs, rubbing his face.
"He is doing as fine as he could be, sweetie." Her father lets her know, sadness taking over his voice. "It's good that you're being able to get online every once in a while, though. He misses talking to you, but unfortunately, he has just been to group therapy, so the doctor thought he needed some rest right now. I'll make sure to call you later, so the both of you can talk privately, okay, sweetie?" She nods and bites onto her lower lip as she notices her father cringe a little.
"What is it, daddy?" She asks worriedly and when her father sighs and brings a hand to his eyes, she notices how he's wiping his tears away.
"H-he," She notices he's trying hard not to cry much. "He forgot who I was yesterday, Rae." He sniffs and Rachel's eyes soften and even though she wants to cry and she's feeling her heart breaking, she can't show weakness, not in front of her father, not when he needs her the most. "I was helping him shower and when I asked him something, he looked at me and it was like he didn't know me at all! He even asked if I was his nurse."
His face was wet with tears. "And when he remembered who I was, he was just so hurt that he'd even forget about me that he locked himself in the bathroom for hours, Rae. I was so worried that I kept knocking on the door through the hours, just to make sure he wasn't trying to-" But his words are choked into his sobs as he tries to pull himself together and her heart breaks in her chest.
"Oh, daddy." She murmurs. "It'll be alright." She wishes she could cross the screen, just this once, just so she could caress her father's face, comfort him, tell him it'll be okay, even though she isn't so sure about it either.
"I know, Rae, I know." Her daddy sniffs his nose on his sweater sleeve and she frowns, touching the screen lightly. She's so worried, but there's nothing more that she can do. "You know, your father and I are so grateful for you, sweetie." He tells her, a ghost of a smile forming on his chopped lips. Her daddy used to look so handsome, but now he's worn up from his husband's disease, just like she is. "You decided to postpone your Broadway dreams, a dream you've had ever since you were three just so you could help us afford your father's treatment. You're the best daughter in the whole world; I hope you know that, Rae."
She grins at her father, the tears welling up in her eyes. "Thank you, daddy. I'm sure you both would do the same for me if I needed so." She nods with a smile. She sees her father glance over his shoulder and frowns. "Daddy, something wrong?"
He shakes his head slightly. "Nothing, sweetie. Your father's doctor is just calling me. I'll call you later so you and dad can talk, okay? Love you, cutie pie." He blows her a kiss through the screen and logs off before she can reply.
She shuts the laptop and lets the tears fall free now.
Ms. Berry's class is the first one of the day.
He makes sure to adjust his uniform, letting it all tidy and fixed so that she doesn't think he's a slob or anything; he also brushes his hair and puts on some cologne for what it must be the first time in the year.
He sits near Rory and watches all of his friends' head turn around and stare at him strangely. He frowns and switches on his seat. "What's with all the creepy eyes?" He mumbles, opening his Musical Arts book and pretending to be reading it, trying to avoid the gazes upon him.
"Dude, are you wearing cologne?" Sam asks with a snigger, making him blush deeply, his ears burning.
"No." He lies through his teeth. "My mom bought me a new soap, okay?" He says, trying to shut them up, but he notices the subject hasn't been dropped yet as Rory wiggles his eyebrows at him.
"Oh, really? Did mommy also brush your hair?" He asks and all of his friends laugh at him, except for Finn, of course, who isn't finding this amusing at all. Finn flips him the middle finger and Rory pouts, pretending to be offended.
"Fuck you!" Finn exclaims. "I hadn't realized it was sin to shower now." He snaps and Artie smirks.
"Lay off Finn, guys." He says and Finn sighs, almost thanking Artie for his support, but before he opens his mouth, Artie continues. "He just wants to look pretty and witty and-"
"Good morning, class!" All their heads turn to face their new teacher, Ms. Berry, while she holds onto some of her books, which are way too large for such a petite woman like herself to hold.
He was about to get up and help her when the douchbag Noah Puckerman beat him to it. Noah, or "Puck", is one of the douchiest kids there on Fieldstone. He likes to hang out with some of the guys from the team, like Dave, Azimio and Rick the Stick, and their hobbies involve: vandalism, especially on school grounds, throw kids like Finn and his friends in dumpsters and flirt with every single breathing woman on Earth. It's all kinds of lame.
He watches in disgust as Ms. Berry beams brightly at the dude, thanking him and tucking a small piece of her hair behind her ear. He nearly vomits as Puck smirks and tells her it's not a problem, sugar.
Is he allowed to talk to the teachers like that? Probably not.
But Finn isn't allowed to playfully argue with the teachers about stealing his records, yet he did so, with Ms. Berry obviously, just two days ago.
"Well, anyway," she waves her hands in the air, oblivious to the stares she's receiving from the students. "As you may know, I'm Rachel Berry, or Ms. Berry, whichever you prefer, your new Musical Arts teacher. I am aware that some of you are not very used to having female teachers around, but fear not, I promise to be as serious and professional as many other teachers from here. Any questions?"
No one seems to have any doubts, so she goes on. "Good! Well, I have scheduled our classes for the week and as our first assignment, I will be doing something a little... Different with you guys."
She notices how all of them look amongst each other, nervous to be breaking their routine. "Oh c'mon, it will be fun." She smiles and when her eyes meet Finn's, he is most positively sure he'll do anything she wants him to, fun or not. "Follow me!" She says, leaving the classroom, leaving a bunch of admired students in the class.
They're standing outside at the patio, watching confusedly as Ms. Berry spins around the place, kicking some of the dirt of the grass off her shoes as she breathes in and out, smirking as all the students stand there, only admiring her.
"You guys have been too disciplined." She tells them simply, her hands resting on her hips as she looks at each one of them in the eye. "You've been learning about chemical equations, mathematical formulas, but where's the heart in all of that? Where's the passion?" The way the words slips off her mouth makes Finn melt a little, honestly. "There's no sure way to teach one how to do music. Music isn't something you do; it's something you feel, something you express." She beams at them and they all stare back at her like she's mad, except for Finn, who has a huge grin on his lips through the whole time.
"Come here." She tells them as she stands by a tree, hugging the wood tightly and the young boy wishes he could be a tree, just this once. "Shh, stay silent, all of you. Just be quiet and listen. Can you notice anything?" They stand still, none of them talking or nearly breathing, but failing to hear anything. She shuts her eyes and breathes in and out, a slow smirk spreading across her lips. "Can you hear it?"
They all shake their heads and her shoulders slump. Her expression is sadder; almost disappointed as she sighs and walks through the patio, until Finn raises his freakishly long arms and goes: "Ms. Berry? I think I can."
She looks at him like he has just said the most beautiful poetry she has ever listened to. "Really?" She smiles shyly and he smiles back at her.
"Yeah." He breathes, noticing how everyone is staring at him as well. "I hear the leaves brushing against the trees…" He gulps a little too loud as he hears some guys in the back chuckle at him. "I hear the birds singing… I hear the wind blowing…" He finishes, peaking through his eyes that he didn't even notice that were closed.
He finds his friends staring at him like he has just grown another head, the other guys laughing at him and calling him names from behind his back, but when he eyes lay on Rachel's, everything stops: she's looking at him like he's the most beautiful thing she has ever seen.
"Yes!" She squeals, clapping a little. "That's exactly it. Very good, Mr. Hudson, very good!" She seems happy. "You see class, that is true music." Ms. Berry smiles. "It isn't hard to find, yet is not easy to hear. You have to be quiet, you have to focus on the environment you are on in order to let the music float right through you. A fun fact: a few of the greatest musicians in the world practice - often, that is - meditation and you know why? Because it helps you focus on the environment, the sounds, the lights and the feelings that surround you and that helps you a lot in the music business, more than you can imagine." She looks down at her watch and turns her attention back to the students. "Children, as we've only got fifteen more minutes left, I shall lead you all towards the classroom so we can be through with our class today."
As they arrive at the classroom and each of the kids take their seats, Ms. Berry writes, in a pretty and feminine calligraphy, the words "Peter Pan" on the board and turns towards the students, explaining all the stuff about the musical she and Mr. Schue had once told Finn.
As she finishes, she tells the students that she has set a list on the hallway for the ones who would like to audition and tells them that the auditions will be on Friday at 4pm sharp and she tells them not to be late.
They leave the classroom, each one with their friends on their side as they chat while heading towards the next classroom.
"The new teacher is hot." Finn hears Puckerman say, earning a nod from his friends.
"Yeah, she has a tight little body." Azimio agrees and Finn just wants to punch the guy's throat, seriously, what a dickhead. "She ain't pretty though. Didja see the nose on that chick? It was like it was taking over her face." He laughs and his Neanderthal friends agree with him, laughing as well.
"Although I appreciate you having enough focus on my class to be able to judge me and my physical features," Ms. Berry's voice echoes through the hallway, making all the students turn around in shock as she continues. "It is not polite to bark about a teacher like that and if you ever disrespect me again, I will get you into such trouble, boy, that not even your rich daddy will be able to get you out of it, do you understand?" She spits bitterly, the side of her mouth turned into a smirk as she notices Puckerman and his friends turn pale in fear.
"Yes ma'am." They all say together and she smiles, brushing right past them.
"Good, now go to class! I am sure you have a bunch of other teachers to judge! Chop, chop, and chop!" She says cheerfully and Finn is left with a smirk on his lips because Ms. Berry has just become the most awesome teacher ever.
Puckerman approaches him one day in the showers, which is kind of weird because not only he's naked, but because it's Puckerman.
"Yo, Finnegan!" He says, tapping his back and Finn cringes.
"It's Finn." He says with an annoyed tone that he hopes the dude catches and leaves him alone. He doesn't.
"Yeah whatever, listen…" Puckerman continues. "As you probably know, I'm not the brightest kid around here…" Finn snickers because well, duh and Puckerman doesn't seem to like that, as he narrows his eyes at the taller boy. "But I really do need to graduate, I gotta make my momma proud dude, she works hard enough to keep me in this school, so I can't screw this up." Finn's features soften a little. "And you know, I heard you and your dorky friends say something about joining Ms. Berry's play, so I was wondering if you could…" He mumbled the last words so low that even Finn, who was standing right by him, couldn't hear.
"What was that?" He asks with a frown and Puck sighs.
"I was wondering if you could help me. I need to be in that play and I have some awesome vocals, man, but I don't know shit about technique and those things, man." He says, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Could you maybe help me rehearse or something like that? I know I've been an asshole for you and your friends for like, a while now…"
"Forever, you mean." Finn says, not fearing his words this time.
"Yeah but, I need you guys and… And if you help me get in the play, I promise I'll stop picking on you." He says and Finn looks at him like he has just grown a second head. "I'm serious, dude. A Puckerman may be a lot of things, but we keep our promises. If you sing with me on the auditions and we get in, I'll leave you and your friends alone for the rest of the year."
Finn analyzed the situation, going through the pros and cons in his head and sighing. "I want you to promise me that you'll keep your word until the end, Puckerman."
Puck's face breaks into a wide grin. "Yeah, totally!"
"No, no, I'm going to make you sign it down, I'll make a video and an audio record of you saying that, just to make sure you'll stay true to your word." Puck nods and shrugs.
"Sounds fair. Not even I trust myself sometimes." He chuckles and Finn laughs along with him.
"Okay, cool. But hey dude, if you want to sing with me, you have to put yourself into it. We have to rehearse, you can't say shit about me or my friends while I'm teaching you stuff and I'll choose the song." He smirks, proud of his conditions and Puck grips his hand, shaking it.
"You've got yourself a deal, Hudson."
After three days of rehearsing for hours and hours straight, Finn and Puck are ready for the audition of their lives. Well, sort of.
Puck had kept his word through the whole process, which surprised Finn a lot. The dude does have a lot of potential, his voice is great and he can play the guitar amazingly, just like Finn totally kills with the drums. They make a good due, he figures.
So, when they're at the audition, Puck seems nervous and Finn frowns, tapping his back. "You okay, man?"
"Yeah." Puck shrugs lightly, though his expression maintains the tense features. "I just… What if I don't get in, dude? What if I fail school? My mom is gonna kill me." He sighs. "I don't wanna be a loser like my dad."
"Man, it's the beginning of the year. You have plenty of time; if you study hard and work your ass off, I'm sure you'll graduate just fine." Finn grins and when they call their names towards the stage, he gets up and throws a playful punch on Puck's shoulder. "C'mon, let's kick some ass."
Puck grins, getting up and heading towards the stage. On the directory table (or whatever the teachers are calling it), Ms. Berry, Mr. Schue and Artie are staring at them, and apparently, his friend manage to get to be the director, like he had early planned. Good for him.
"Name, age, part you're auditioning for and what you're singing." Artie tells them.
"Um, Finn Hudson and Noah Puckerman; 17 years old, we are auditioning for Michael and George Darling respectively." Finn glances over at Puck, who nods at him. "Oh! And we're singing R U Mine by the Arctic Monkeys." Finn says, sitting behind the drums and watching as Ms. Berry's mouth twists into a smirk.
Puck adjusts the guitar strap on his shoulder and brushes his fingers against the strings, smirking as he feels a wave of confidence rushing through him. Finn smirks and taps on the drums.
"One, two, three, go!" He watches as the band begins with the instrumental and he waits for his cue to enter the song, his voice taking over the room.
"I'm a puppet on a string
Tracy Island, time-traveling diamond
Could've shaped heartaches
They've come to find ya fall in some velvet morning"
Puck joins, playing the guitar while he's drumming and singing.
"Years too late
She's a silver lining, lone ranger riding
Through an open space
In my mind, when she's not right there beside me…"
Finn is madly drumming as he joins Noah in the song, their voices mixing with perfect harmony.
"I go crazy 'cause here isn't where I wanna be
And satisfaction feels like a distant memory
And I can't help myself,
All I wanna hear her say is - are you mine?
Well, are you mine?
Are you mine tomorrow?
Are you mine? Or just mine tonight?
Are you mine? Are you mine?"
Finn takes the next part by himself, singing with everything he has while he drums, his forehead already covered in sweat.
"And the thrill of the chase moves in mysterious ways
So in case I'm mistaken,
I just wanna hear you say - you got me, baby
Are you mine?"
Puck kills his guitar solo, his fingers expertly brushing, tugging and playing with the guitar as Finn drums along, giving the beat to the song. Finn continues to sing after Puck finishes the guitar solo, singing by himself.
"She's a silver lining, lone ranger riding
Through an open space
In my mind when she's not right there beside me
I go crazy cause here isn't where I wanna be
And satisfaction feels like a distant memory
And I can't help myself,
All I wanna hear her say is - Are you mine?-"
They sing the last part with perfect harmony, their young voices mixing perfectly.
"Well, are you mine?
Are you mine tomorrow?
Are you mine? Or just mine tonight?
Are you mine?
Are you mine tomorrow?
Or just mine tonight?"
They let the instrumental blend into their voices and make them fade away as the song finishes. They're standing breathless on the stage, both of them staring at each other with grins all over their faces and Finn even sends Puck a thumbs up.
"That was awesome, guys!" He hears Mr. Schue say, clapping excitedly. "I've seen your acting skills on the previous audition, but this? Blown away!" He says, with a hand resting on his chest as Ms. Berry claps with a huge grin.
"Yes! You were both incredible, congratulations boys!" She smiles. "While I enjoyed the whole performance, particularly the drumming," She smirks at Finn, who turns into a deep shade of red. "You're both aware that this is a musical, right? There won't be any rock and roll, or anyone dressed in tight jeans playing the guitar, or-"
"Yes, Ms. Berry." They say finally, breaking her speech. She seems taken aback at first, but smiles, nevertheless.
"Okay, good. I have no further questions for you guys! Well, the list comes out Monday, first thing in the morning, and you should check it!" She tells them and tells them they can leave now.
As they leave the auditorium, Finn is taken back by Puck's arms wrapped around him in a hug, making him jump back a little. The shorter boy smiles lightly and speaks up.
"Thanks, man. You know, for helping me and believing in me." He seems uncomfortable. "No one has ever done that before." He throws another punch at Finn's shoulder. "By the way, if you tell anyone about that hug, you're dead." Puck chuckles and walks away, leaving a very shocked Finn behind him.
Well, shit. Puckerman isn't a complete asshole.
The list comes out on Monday, at 8am sharp. Finn and his friends are chatting by the locker and he is the first one to see Ms. Berry walking towards the board and place the list there. Finn shoves Sam on the shoulder to get their attention and they all smile, walking towards the list.
Puckerman is standing there as well, apprehension clear on his face as he waits for the small crowd around the list to leave so he can read as well. He glances over at Finn and discreetly shares a fist-bump with him, wishing him good luck with no words.
Finn approaches the piece of paper hanging on the notes board and breathes nervously, reading through the names eagerly.
Rory Flanagan… Peter Pan
Noah Puckerman… George Darling
Finn Hudson… John Darling
Sam Evans… Michael Darling
Michael Chang, Rick Nelson, Matt Rutherford … Lost Boys
Holy crap, holy crap.
He did it. He actually did it! He's in the play! And all of his friends are also in the play and Puckerman won't be bullying them anymore and holy crap, he feels so good right now…
He goes towards his friends and talk to them, even tapping Puck on the back as the dude smiles and thanks Finn, and even though no one else seemed to notice, he could see Ms. Berry standing against her classroom door, a small smile formed on her lips.
He waves at her and she waves back with a grin, mouthing him a congratulations and showing him her thumbs up, nodding in approval.
It's when she giggles at his silly expression and enters her classroom that he realizes how much he likes her.
No, Finn Hudson doesn't just like her. He realizes, also, that he is pretty screwed because let's face it.
He has a crush on his Musical Arts teacher.
Tbc.
