To say that William and the Ginger came back strange is an understatement. Not to mention those losers who might have earned Sue Sylvester's esteem. They did survive proving that they are more than the rest of these bottom feeders. That's the only reason that I, the great Sue Sylvester, have been paying any attention to them. Back to the two so called adults, they don't eat in the teachers' lounge any longer. They chose to continue non professional association with the students and even I can only hold off Figgins for so long.
I walk into William's office without knocking. He is alone, unusual for this new much more submissive him. Usually one of his Gleeks will accompany him. Come to think of it they follow the Ginger as well.
"Sue" he greeted warily but with a smile.
"William" I responded. "You're without your usual fan club, this makes things easier."
The Spanish teacher blinked in confusion, "My fan…oh, you mean Kurt and Noah. They're just making sure Emma and I are adjusting alright." He shrugged like it wasn't that unusual.
"They're checking up on you? Come on William surely you your hair gel infected brain doesn't think that's the correct order of things."
"They were in charge. When Emma and I were incapacitated…"
"Yes, yes I know. You and the Ginger took a couple of lumps and Porcelain and Mohawk stepped up. It's all very touching your back where the world makes sense again you can drop the clichés. Start behaving less like a pal and more like a teacher."
William's eyes looked from side to side, deciding. "It was worse than we told them. Kurt said we shouldn't admit to anything but somehow I feel like I can trust you. The bumps you talked about caused some amnesia. I still can't really remember everything. The infection that took Emma's fingers," Ginger had come back missing a pointer and a ring finger on one hand, "left her comatose for several weeks. I can't go back to acting like a teacher if I don't remember how. It's coming back but very slowly."
I blinked; even the great Sue Sylvester couldn't have predicted this. Before I could process any more the female midget burst through the door. "Sorry, Will, class got let out late. Do you have any more questions I can answer?"
To my surprise she was completely lacking in the arrogance that had characterized her, even with her return. Like a mask dropped. She stopped when she saw me. I recognized the look, she was sizing me up. Apparently I rated something because she poked her head out the door and asked Other Asian to fetch Porcelain. Then she closed the door and continued to watch me warily.
"Rachel, what's wrong?" William asked.
She smiled tightly at him, "Nothing, Will, I just figured Kurt was the best person to explain things." He didn't look convinced but she simply smiled. Within minutes Porcelain had arrived though William was looking steadily more agitated.
Watching the baby faced teen calm down my nemesis was a strange experience, even to someone as worldly as I. I could only watch as he actually sent William into the Choir room with the female midget. With a pinched worried face he turned back to me.
"What was that Porcelain?" I asked far more kindly than most students thought I was capable of.
The boy sighed, "How much did he tell you?" He asked in lieu of answering.
I smirked, "enough, now why don't you explain before I get a few other interested parties."
Porcelain looked briefly panicked then visibly forced himself to calm. "Only if you agree to go to no one with this"
"And if I don't agree?"
The boy shrugged, "Then I don't tell you. Any one you could tell will just write things off as your usual ranting. Agree or I won't say a word."
"Very well, you have Sue Sylvester's word."
Porcelain closed his eyes and breathed, clearly steeling himself for something that I would have overcome easily. He checked to make sure that William was occupied with the hobbit "Mr. Schuster…didn't survive the crash."
Again the boy surprises Sue Sylvester, I don't enjoy being surprised. "As a lie it is so poor you deserve to be drawn and quartered for sheer stupidity, doubly so because I believed you to have potential."
Porcelain climbed a bit in my esteem when he didn't wilt under my scrutiny. I could read no lies on his face or in his tone. "We buried our teacher after he spent four days comatose. We know that he popped, not just pictured but popped, one of his lungs. I can remember the death's rattle so clearly in the other that I sometimes think I hear it. Two days later he walked into camp disoriented, an amnesiac he didn't even know his own name. It took the six weeks that Emma battled her fever for him to begin to get any memories back. He still doesn't remember most of his years as a teacher. You're great enemy doesn't exist right now, all that's left is a man who trusts you."
I stopped myself from jumping. "What?"
Porcelain shrugged, I could see through his act but I'm not sure many would. He was clearly watching my reaction. Against my will I was curious as to what he would do if my reaction was less than favorable. "He trusts you. On his recommendation I'm letting you in on the secret, especially since it's good to have an outsider. You can't tell anyone."
The words, phrased as an order, outraged me. How dare that singing reject of a Gleek order me around? I puffed up, "I think I will. This certainly is something the principle would be interested in." I hissed then I really looked at Porcelain, no I really looked at Kurt for the first time since they returned. It was then that I realized to my surprise that William wasn't the only real change.
The look his eyes was something I could recognize. Something I saw in the mirror every day. Pure ruthlessness of an order I have only seen in myself. Something in me could identify with this new Kurt Hummel. "You won't" he repeated firmly, "because now you're interested. You want to know what happened to us and why we've kept the act up. You'll help keep Will safe because we are the only ones with the answers to want."
I am impressed, I can admit it Diary that I had been so neatly maneuvered. I stood, not wanting to give anything away. "I came to warn William. Figgins is getting uneasy with the way he's been acting. Shape him up or you'll be exposed." With that I left in true graceful fashion.
