Disclaimer: I don't own "Independence Day" or Glee.

Note: Okay, I know I already did a Martina McBride song, but this one works so well in Mercedes' voice. This was the hardest one for me to write in terms of what people were thinking during the song. So, I'm sorry if this chapter does not live up to the ones before it. Oh, and review! Button down below!

"Mercedes, we haven't heard from you so far. Do you have anything to contribute to our project?"

"Well…I do remember my Mama singing this song all the time when I was younger. I think I still remember the words. It's called "Independence Day", by Martina McBride."

"Let's hear it, then," Mr. Schue said, allowing the diva-in-command to have the spotlight.

Mercedes threw her shoulders back and walked with confidence to the front of the room. "Okay, here goes," she said, taking a deep breath. Mercedes, although she'd never admit it, always got a little nervous before performing, especially if it was a solo.

Well she seemed alright by dawn's early light
Though she looked a little worried and weak
She tried to pretend he wasn't drinkin' again
But daddy left the proof on her cheek

Quinn winced, remembering when her father had slapped her across the face upon finding out that she was pregnant. She had not seen her father since. She stopped to think for a moment if she missed him. Why shouldn't she miss him? He was her father, after all. Yet, he'd kicked her out of the house, leaving her with nowhere to go. He'd cheated on her mother, forcing her to kick him out of the house. It was all just a vicious cycle, now, wasn't it?

And I was only eight years old that summer
And I always seemed to be in the way
So I took myself down to the fair in town
On Independence Day

Kurt settled back in his chair. Sure, the "eight years old" stung a bit, as that was the age when he lost his mother, but at least this song wasn't so bad. It certainly wasn't as emotional for him as the other songs had been. In fact, Kurt was not even feeling an emotion out of this song at all. Nope, Kurt wasn't feeling anything right now. He was determined to get through one school day without freaking out or crying. And so far, he was doing a damn good job at it.

Well, word gets around in a small, small town
They said he was a dangerous man
But mama was proud and she stood her ground
She knew she was on the losing end

Kurt felt blessed that his parents had hardly ever fought. They were very much in love while his mother was still alive, and Kurt had seen it every day. He saw the way they looked at each other with the stars in their eyes. He saw how his mother lit up around his father, how the three of them had made such an ideal family, even if he and his father weren't as close then as they were now. Kurt wished that one day, he'd find the same type of love that his parents had held for each other. But he knew that this could never be so. He could never find love like that, for it was rare, and it only came to those who were deserving. Kurt decided that he did not deserve it.

Some folks whispered, some folks talked
But everybody looked the other way
And when time ran out, there was no one about
On Independence Day

Everybody always looked the other way with Kurt. They all saw the abuse happen with Da-, but they never did a thing about it. They always turned a blind eye to the gay kid who was getting the crap kicked out of him in the corner. They always whispered and talked about it, but they never actually helped him. And when time ran out, no one was around. No one was around to witness the horrors that Kurt went through.

Let freedom ring
Let the white dove sing
Let the whole world know that today
Is a day of reckoning

Kurt tried not to think about what had happened to him. Instead, he focused all of his attention on his best friend, Mercedes, and her incredible singing voice. She was singing her butt off up there, he thought to himself, and he loved it. He only wished that she'd open her eyes sometimes and see the pain that he held, that she would do something to help him, instead of never being around when he needed her most.

Let the weak be strong
Let the right be wrong
Roll the stone away
Let the guilty pay
It's Independence Day

Let the guilty pay, indeed. Kurt wished with every fiber of his being that he could let the guilty pay, else, that someone else would. But he knew he could never tell, as he would surely be killed by That Person. If only there was some way, any way, that he could win, that good could triumph over evil, but this was not a fairytale. Kurt could not win against the monster, the dragon, the villain that lurked in the shadows waiting to snatch him.

Well she lit up the sky the 4th of July
By the time that the fireman had come
They just put out the flames and took down some names
And sent me to the county home

Mr. Schuester looked over at Kurt to see how he was doing. When he'd left him yesterday, he'd still been clutching on to Santana for dear life. He was getting worried about the fragile boy that looked like he could break into a thousand pieces at any moment. He could not detect a single emotion on Kurt's face, which sent him into an even deeper worry. He'd have to talk to someone about this. But who?

Now I ain't saying it's right or it's wrong
But maybe it's the only way
Talk about your revolution
It's Independence Day

Emma, Mr. Schuester decided. I'll talk to Emma about this. After all, she is a guidance councilor. It's her job to talk about this kind of thing. Besides, it'll give me an excuse to talk to her. Now, I know she's married to Carl. But she won't be for long, not at the rate she's going. No, I expect that Emma Pillsbury will be single before she knows it. And when she is, she'll be crawling right back to me.

Let freedom ring
Let the white dove sing
Let the whole world know that today
Is a day of reckoning

Santana exchanged a glance with Kurt. He won't tell, she thought. Somehow, Santana trusted this boy, and Santana never really trusted anyone, except maybe Brittany and Mr. Schuester. But Kurt…Kurt, Santana could trust. She had confided to him in a moment of weakness, and now she had entrusted him with not one, but two of her darkest secrets. God, what is wrong with me? She thought, mentally slapping herself across the face. Suddenly I'm trusting Kurt Hummel? Jesus.

Let the weak be strong
Let the right be wrong
Roll the stone away
Let the guilty pay
It's Independence Day
Roll the stone away
It's Independence Day

The class whooped and hollered at Mercedes' rendition of the song, which, like all of her solos, had been amazing. Even Rachel applauded enthusiastically, and she was Mercedes' biggest rival in the club! Mercedes bowed and strutted back to her seat, as if to say "and THAT…is how you do it." Mr. Schue gave a few notes to the diva-in-command, and then promptly dismissed the kids, desperate and wanting to get to Emma.

He ran down the halls to her office, knocking on her door and entering casually.

"Oh, hello, Will," she said in her soft voice.

"Uh, hey, Emma. Can…can I talk to you for a minute?"

"I was just about to leave," she replied. "Can it wait until tomorrow?"

"Not really," Will said honestly.

She sighed. "Well, sit down, then." He did. "What is it?"

"I'm worried about a couple of the glee kids," he started. "Specifically, Kurt and Santana."

"Why are you worried about them? They're such strong kids."

"Well, it all started when Kurt asked Artie to sing a song with him the other week. 'Love the Way You Lie', by Eminem and Rhianna."

"Ooh, that's a racy song. Very racy."

"Uh, yes. Anyway, there's a lyric in that song that goes 'but it's alright, because I like the way it hurts'. And Emma…you should've seen the way Kurt's eyes lit up when he sang that. It made me very uncomfortable." She nodded. "And then Kurt suggested that we do a domestic violence awareness project, because it's domestic violence awareness month. Who was I to say no? So the kids began coming up with some great songs. 'Concrete Angel', 'Tell Me Why'…I sang 'Alyssa Lies'…but Kurt…he wasn't taking it well."

"What do you mean?"

"Just the way he reacted to some of the songs. He walked out on the group when Tina was singing 'Concrete Angel', claiming that it reminded him of his mother. He had some sort of panic attack flashback during 'Alyssa Lies', and started screaming 'no, no,' at the top of his lungs, curled up into a ball and everything. He told me he had had a flashback to the night his mother dies, but I don't know, Emma."

"Well, what else has he done that has been…out of sorts for him?"

"Yesterday, Santana began to sing a song that was supposed to be a solo. But halfway through it, he got up and started singing with her. They ended up holding onto each other and crying hysterically. I've never seen them speak to each other, let alone acknowledge each other like that. And the other day, Finn brought this to my attention," he pulled out the burnt photo. "A burnt photo of Kurt, but all that's left are his eyes."

Emma examined the photo. "Oh, my. And Finn doesn't know who did this?"

"No one knows," Mr. Schue admitted.

"You, uh, you mentioned Santana's been acting weird, too. What's up with her?"

"She's been crying a lot lately, too. She's also been alternating between staring at Brittany and not being able to look at her at all. I'm thinking that something is going on there, but I have no idea. She won't tell me anything."

"Okay, so they've both been crying a lot, and there's this…burned photograph. I'm not sure what to say, Will, I'm not an expert, but I'm assuming that Santana has probably been abused in the past, and that it's affecting her again now. She's also probably in love with Brittany, but knows that she's dating…Artie, right? So she's probably conflicted about how to act upon this. As for Kurt, I'm also going to guess that he's been abused in the past. I'm not sure if it's by his father or another family member, though. I could be wrong, and it could be someone else who has caused him pain. But both of them are definitely suffering from some sort of severe emotional trauma."

"Oh, God," Will muttered. "Emma, what can I do to help these kids? They're such great kids, with amazing talent and potential to succeed in the future."

"Um, well, I could always talk to them, if you'd like. Maybe they'll feel more comfortable talking in here, where they know I can't break the confidentiality rules."

"Would you, Emma? I'm getting really worried about them."

"Of course. Send them down to me tomorrow."

"Thanks so much for listening, Emma."

"Anytime, Will. You know how much I love the kids."

He got up and left without really saying goodbye. He never liked saying goodbye to Emma. He wished that she'd never married Carl, and that she was his.

But Emma wouldn't be his.

And Kurt would never be Da—'s.

The flames would never allow such a thing to happen.