DISCLAIMER: Angel/Buffy type people belong to Joss Whedon, Glee type people belong to Ryan Murphy and Co., and Bobi belongs to us. There is no owning of anything. Except for Bobi.

AN: Please Review. Seriously guys, we're fading here. Some positive encouragement or even a "you've beat this idea like a dead horse" comment would be nice.

Pink Elephants and the Chronic Lady

Mr. Schuester pulled me aside as I entered the choir room. "How are you?"

"Peachy."

"Really? You went to a place yesterday and ran off before we could process it."

"I processed it yesterday. Trust me; I spent quite a bit of time 'processing' it. Their deaths hurt and it always will. Singing isn't going to fix that. But thanks, Mr. Schue."

"In time it won't hurt so much" Schue put an arm around me turning us to face the classroom, "Until then you've got 13 people in this room willing to listen if you ever need to talk."

I nodded. Sure. I had shared something I'll Schue that but he was insane if he thought I would do the same with anyone else. I'm not like the others.

I plopped into my now official spot in the back row. With the guys, Matt on one side Puck on the other with Mike on Puck's other side.

I was going through my book bag searching for my iPod. I couldn't get through rehearsals without it, especially today. I didn't want to think about it anymore. I wanted all emotions to just go away.

I was interrupted in my rifling by a soft hand on mine, "Gonna wanna pay attention in a bit, babe, I'm- we're going to sing."

I shrugged, confused, "Okay, don't 'we' do that every day?"

"Not everyone, just the guys." Puck, Matt, and Mike stood.

I blinked. Didn't they sing yesterday? "What are you going to sing?"

"'Beth,' by KISS. It's for Quinn." He started to walk to the front of the room.

"That's my favorite KISS song." I blurted out. Okay, where did that come from?

He turned and raised an eyebrow, "You know enough KISS to have a favorite?"

"Spike made me listen to it on the drive from LA" I rolled my eyes. "Said I needed to be cultured"

He smiled a little. My heart jumped. All of the guys settled in front of the piano and started to sing.

I listened to Puck and the guys sing. It was sweet and lilting. So different from the other song. I didn't know they could do that. He didn't look up from Quinn. He sang to her and only her. They were the only two in the room.

I wasn't jealous. That's ridiculous. Quinn was carrying Puck's child. He should have feelings for her. And she should have feelings for him. They should be together even if she is giving up the baby. It only makes sense. We were friends. But I did miss it though. I missed that feeling. The innocence of knowing that there was someone out there for me. All I could see when I closed my eyes though was blood and gore. I wasn't going to put myself through that. Not again.

I couldn't bear to look at them anymore. I didn't want to know anymore. Wishing only made the pain hurt worse. I shook my head focusing on the wall over Mike's head. I just wanted things to be normal. I wanted to make Spike proud. I wanted Andrew not to get that sad look on his face anymore. I didn't want to be in this suffocating room anymore with Puck and his baby mama.

The thing is the only thing I could think of to make myself feel better was talking to Puck.

"Bobi, Bobi! Over here!" Matt and Mike were waving there arms like the dudes with the flashlights at airports. I almost didn't walk over. I didn't want to make friends anymore only to have them end up dead. Too late, a voice whispered sounding suspiciously like Spike/Gunn. Go be normal for once. I walked over and sat down at the table. One lunch couldn't hurt. They were good guys.

"Hey guys, what up?" I picked up my fork.

"We were just discussing the existence or non-existence of pink elephants." Mike took a drink of chocolate milk.

"And did you reach any sort of conclusion?" I ate some of whatever the lunch lady put on my tray. Chicken and noodles, I think. It looked more like something we found in a sewer once.

"I keep saying they aren't real. But Chang is insisting the contrary." Matt ate some of his food.

"Dude, I swear the last time I was at the zoo. They were there." Mike said after drinking some more milk.

"Ya need to stop seeing the 'Chronic Lady,' Mike." Puck said from behind me. He gave my shoulder a squeeze and sat down. I tried to play it cool. This heart flutter when he smiles isn't anything. I wasn't going to make the same mistake. Puck was just a guy, right? Right.

"Dude, I don't touch the stuff Ryerson gets. My dealer's so much better." Mike said. He finished his food.

"We gotta go talk to the coach about the B-17 Bomber." Matt said as he stood.

"What's that got to do with basketball?" I took a drink of my juice. "It's a plane." But they'd left already.

"It's a defensive play we just learned." Puck scooted closer and stole some of my food. Oh, that wasn't going to fly.

"Hey!" I stole some of his. Puck poked me in the side. I yelped "Don't do that." I slapped his hand away.

"Ticklish, Killer?"

I shrugged, "Maybe." He slid from the table and leaned over. Please tell me he didn't.

When he sat back up, I asked, "What was that?"

"I wanted to see what underwear you were wearing," and scooted back in took and bite, "Ya like Dr. Pepper, huh?"

"Today, anyway." I pushed my tray away done. It may not taste like it was from the sewer but my stomach couldn't handle the imagery anymore. "Hey, I have a question."

"That doesn't sound good" Puck grabbed for my tray. I had always known where I stood in the crew. We all had a place in our little world. I helped keep a look out in LA, but in Lima, things were muddled.

"I just think I need to know about you and Quinn." I didn't belong with Spike and Illyria. I didn't want to belong in the Glee Club, but Puck didn't really care about all that. Puck didn't care one way or the other it seemed who I was or what had happened. It was nice.

"Why?" He dug into my discarded tray. Because I think I'm falling for-Whoa, where did that come from? No, there would be no falling for anything. I just need to find out if there was a thing. Cause if there was a thing then I would deal with that.

"Because there's a thing."

"I care about her." He shrugged while he took the biggest bite of food known to man.

There had to be more to it than that, "She's having your baby. Of course, you have care for her. But what are you doing with those feelings?"

He swallowed, "Look, I thought I loved her. But she was my best friend's girl. They write songs about that shit. I ain't no deadbeat dad though. I'm going to take care of her." The bell rang. He grabbed both trays. "Both of them"

I was at my locker after lunch. I gave a quick look at my phone. A missed call, five minutes ago, Andrew. I took a quick look around the hall. No teachers. Or demon coaches.

I flipped it open and dialed. "BOBI. Is that you?"

"Yes. What's up?"

"I was so worried when you didn't answer."

"Why? I'm at school. Can't always answer. Did you need something?" I saw something down the hall.

"I was told to call you. You're at school." Andrew fished around for something to say, "So how is it going? Is Glee fun yet?"

"It's fine. The guys sang a KISS song earlier." Quinn was pulling Puck off some cheerleader. "I have to go back after school."

"Sounds fun. You want cookies or rice krispies for a snack when you get home?"

"Um, Rice krispies." Quinn yanked Puck around by his jacket sleeve. She was strong for a pregnant chick.

"Kay, have a good day. See you at home."

"Bye." I hung up. I got my Spanish things and strolled past the couple on the way to class.

"Because your child wants chocolate, Puck. Just get the damn granola bar"

"Okay, preggers, calm your big butt down." Quinn started to hit Puck on his back and shoulders as he went to do her bidding.

That's right Bobi, Puck wasn't a deadbeat. He loved Quinn, I told myself. You're probably just the first girl who said no. A challenge for the hormonal boy. I shook my head. Spike wanted me to be normal, which meant friends, right? Puck was a friend, that's all there was.

"Now, that we know you can sing, are you going to participate?" Rachel Berry asked later in Glee. I was sitting in my chair. I'm sorry, what?

"How do 'we' know I can sing?" I stood angry. Deep breath, no need to resort to violence, yet.

"I saw you sing with Mr. Schuester yesterday. You were very good. Rough around the edges, but lots of soul." She looked a little worried. Probably because I had my jaw and hands clenched at my sides.

"That was private. Between me and Schue." I walked were she stood by the piano. "Raspberry, I want you to know something. I could kill you. No one would find the body." I was in her space now.

"What's going on here?" asked Schue as he came across the room to pull me away from Berry.

"I was just asking Bobi if she was going to participate today on account of she sang with you yesterday."

I growled at her. "Sit down, Bobi. Rachel that was a private thing between the two of us. Not meant to be shared-"

Schue started lecturing. I turned my iPod on. I was done with this. Raspberry wanted to invade my privacy? Fine, let's see if I ever do anything for her. I continued to rant to myself for a bit until the girl with the clear bubbles came in, bubble-less. Huh? What was going on? Where was Kurt? And the other guy? The stupid, tall one. Fish, Scale, nope, um-Finn.

Something wasn't right. I got up and walked out of the choir room.

When I got to the hall, I saw the Jacket King and his top minion shoving Kurt into a wall of windows. He said something but I wasn't close enough to hear.

I closed in, in time to hear the Black guy Mio or something say he was going to hit Kurt first.

"You're not hitting anyone," I said at the same time as a male voice does. I turned to see Finn wearing a red plastic dress. Huh. That's different.

"Oh my God." Kurt took in Finn's outfit.

"Is he wearing a red rubber dress or am I trippin'" First in Command asked

"I wanna thank you Kurt. You made me realize I got a lot to learn. The reason I'm here now in a shower curtain is because of you. And I'm not going to let anyone lay a hand on you."

"Me either. Didn't you douches learn your lessons last time?" I said as I took another step closer.

Karofsky scoffed, "Oh really dude cuz I'm pretty sure we can take both of you." I presumed he left out Kurt in his assessment of who would actually be fighting. Whatever, I was looking for a good fight. I started to bounce on the pads of my feet.

"Yeah but can you take all of us?" I heard Puck's voice say. The rest of Glee walked toward us.

"Ok I get it. I took Biology. We done disturbed the freak hive. The worker freaks trying to protect the queen freak" replied Minion Numero Uno.

"Next time we'll bring some friends too" Fucker with the Jacket said as he and his buddy left.

Schue came out from where ever he was hiding and started lecturing everyone about coming together and beating the other glee clubs at Regionals.

I wanted to talk to Kurt. He had to understand what just happened could have been prevented.

"You know there's nothing wrong with being yourself as long as you know how to protect yourself" I started once I reached him.

"Those goons are harmless" Kurt shrugged.

"Seemed like they got real close to harming that pretty mug of yours" I said as everyone started moving back toward the choir room.

"But they didn't" He looked longingly over at Finn. "Thanks by the way. Didn't really expect you to come to my rescue." But he expected Finn to rescue him? Another story for another day.

I flapped my hand in casual acceptance. "People aren't always going to be around to scare them off."

We stopped walking.

Kurt shrugged, "No, but it's worth a few bruises to know I'm better."

I looked him in the eyes. "It starts with bruises and ends with bodies in gutters, I know. You will always be better than them even if you learn to block a few punches." We started to walk again. This time in silence.

I didn't want him to get hurt. Kurt might not always be my cup of really brightly colored tea but I didn't want the innocence on his face to disappear altogether. He would have to get hard and mature faster than the others but Kurt should be able to keep that last shred of innocence. I had lost mine.

"You can teach me?"

"It won't be easy," I said honestly. We had reached the choir room door. Everyone else had started to resume his or her seats.

"Nothing ever is" he said and walked to his chair.

I walked past and said, "Don't I know it."

I sat down between Puck and Mike. Schuester was still lecturing. "We're coming together as a team. That's how we'll beat Vocal Adrenaline."

"What took you guys so long?" Puck whispered. The group was getting settled in seats on the risers.

"Nothing. We were just talking and got distracted" I shrugged.

"What do the two of you have to discuss?" Puck looked surprised.

"I wanted to know what kind of face wash he used" I lied. I didn't know how Kurt would feel about me telling people about our plans. He didn't need to know. None of you business stalker. Puck didn't need to know. Didn't need him mucking up this too. I didn't want him to see that side of me. Kurt needed protecting. Puck wouldn't be inclined to help.

"Oh, okay." Puck redirected his attention to Matt.

He had brought out a deck of cards and mouthed, "Texas Hold 'Em?"

"I'll deal," I said and grabbed the cards from his hand.