DynamiX: The Second Generation of Glee
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee, but I do own a Tumblr blog! (gotta love shameless self-promotion)
A/N: Thanks for last chapter's feedback! Some warnings still apply, but enough rambling. Here's the Winter Finale!
Chapter 10 – All I Want for Christmas is You
The Vocal DynamiX were on top of the world. They had just won their first competition at Sectionals, and with Christmas right around the corner, nothing could bring them down. On the last day of school before the holiday break was to begin, the thirteen members of the group were seated in their practice room with director Beth Corcoran in front of them.
"Before we start our last meeting leading up to the holidays," said the teacher, "Anna Maria would like to make an announcement."
Beth stepped aside, and the girl in question rose from her seat to the front of the room.
"Thanks, Ms. C.," the girl began. She then looked at the group. "Alright, guys. As you know, my moms are getting married on Christmas Eve morning, and they're having a big reception dinner that night, complete with press and newspapers and all that crap."
"Anna Maria…" warned Beth.
"Sorry. All that stuff." She continued. "But anyway, my moms have decided to invite the Vocal DynamiX to perform at the reception dinner on Christmas Eve night."
While some of the group seemed very excited, others started grumbling over having to give up their holiday to "work."
Seeing this, Anna Maria amended her statement. "And let me add that it will be televised." This certainly seemed to change the tunes of the nay-sayers.
"Well you guys," Beth announced, walking back in front of them, "looks like we've got some Christmas songs to learn!"
Dirty.
That was the perfect way to describe how Cole Hudson was feeling. It was the end of the day, right after glee, and he was standing outside of the bathroom where he…encountered the saxophonist from Sectionals.
From the second that Cole left that bathroom that day, he felt ashamed. He let a guy that he had known for a maximum of four hours perform oral sex on him in a public place. That was the kind of thing that you'd see on one of those shows on MTV…or Jersey Shore: the Animated Series.
For a while, Cole even asked himself a tough question: was it rape? Had he been raped? He honestly wasn't sure when he went home that night. Over the course of the next few days, he reluctantly decided in his head that it wasn't rape. After all, he could have said no, right? At least...that's how Cole chose to justify it. But the pieces in his mind were just too mixed up for Cole to even put together.
He couldn't stop staring at the door; his mind went back to that day, and all of the feelings rushed back with it: Shame, self-humiliation, anxiousness, nervousness, curiosity, intrigue, enticement, desire, a need for more.
It was so bizarre. This one event brought forth feelings of pain and pleasure to the Hudson boy, and how any one event could do that to a person struck Cole as quite strange. For as guilty as he felt about what happened in that bathroom…he wanted to do it again…it was as wild as it was impractical...it was as foolish as it was fun...and in the strangest way possible...he liked it.
"Dude, are you gonna pee or what?"
Cole snapped out of his daze long enough to notice Trey Chang staring at him.
"Um…no, I…just got distracted, is all," he replied. "Let's go."
As they walked off, Cole noticed through his own nerves that the short boy seemed to be nervous himself.
"So, are you just leaving the glee room?" asked Cole.
"Yeah," he replied. "Needed to talk to Ms. C."
"So, you're officially out now, huh?"
Trey paused. "Not quite…I'm not exactly sure yet…I'll let you know in January."
Cole produced a puzzled look. "Okay…"
Brittany and Santana's friends had all agreed that since it was their day, the rest of the New Directions would be in charge of planning the reception. Therefore, on Christmas Eve morning, while the Lopez-Pierce family was at an undisclosed location getting married in privacy, Mr. and Mrs. Chang, Mr. and Mrs. Evans, the Misters Hummel-Anderson, and Mr. Hudson were in the large reception hall finishing the decorating as the first guests began to arrive. Mrs. Hudson, meanwhile, was happily sitting down and watching them.
"Hey Rach," said Sam, approaching her with a box. "Could you take this over to Mike?"
"No thank you, Samuel."
Before Sam could protest, Finn rushed over. "Uh, remember dude. She's still pissed at us for keeping Beth a secret, so as punishment, she's not gonna help us."
"So as punishment," whispered Mercedes to Kurt and Tina at the adjacent table, "we don't have to hear her bitch about how we're doing things wrong? I kinda like this."
"Be careful, Mercedes," warned Tina, "or else, she may send you to a crack house."
"You know, Finn," Rachel told her husband as Sam walked off, "it's not like I would have overreacted about the news. I've accepted my relationship with Shelby years ago, and Beth is of no concern to me."
Finn nodded apologetically. "I know. I was just afraid you'd feel weird that your sister was teaching the kids."
"Shelby isn't my mother, and therefore, Beth isn't my sister. It's as simple as that. I'm fine."
Finn noted that the woman didn't seem angry at all when saying that. It was just a fact that she had accepted. No false pretenses, no inclinations of manipulation. She was genuinely fine…or at least, content. He made a note to himself that their conversation was far from over.
"That's great, Rachel," Kurt said, walking over with Tina.
"And we are sorry about not telling you until now," Tina added.
"Really you two, I'm okay. I understand that you were just trying to protect my feelings. However, watching you all do all the work while I just relax is enjoyable." Suddenly, the tone of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin" interrupted Rachel, who turned to Finn. "Honey, is that your phone?"
The tall man smiled giddily. "It's Schue's personal ringtone! Cole taught me how to do that! Be right back."
Finn walked off to take his phone call and passed Sam and Mercedes. Their daughter Lucy was nearby, playing on her own cell phone.
"Based on Rachel's smile, it looks like we're in the clear," noted Sam.
"That's good," sighed Mercedes. "I'm still worried though. With Beth coming today, how do you think Quinn will react?"
"Well, who says she even needs to know that Beth is here?"
"Isn't that a little deceitful?"
"We didn't tell Rachel," countered Sam.
Mercedes frowned, knowing that he was right. "True. But I don't like lying to people, Sam. You know I hate being that kind of person."
The woman grew quiet and reflective for a moment, thinking back to how she had reunited with her now-husband in high school and how she had crushed another man in the process. Though she loved her husband dearly, Mercedes had always felt a little guilty for cheating in order to be with him.
Sam took his wife's hand. "You're not that kind of person," he told her, knowing what she was thinking. "You are smart and beautiful and talented and caring...and," he put on a cheesy grin, "you're one of my favorite wives."
Mercedes laughed and slapped him before pulling him into an appreciative kiss…that lasted for about three seconds before they were broken apart by a shrill:
"AUNT LUCY!"
The Evans couple turned to see their daughter run towards and give a giant hug to "Aunt Lucy", otherwise known as Quinn Fabray-Puckerman.
"You know," whispered Sam to his wife, "I still find it weird that we named our only daughter after my ex-girlfriend."
"She was my sister before you dated her, now hush up."
Mercedes gave Sam a playful shove and went to hug her surrogate sister.
"Quinn, it is so good to see you!"
"Oh, you too, 'Cedes!"
Sam smirked. "Hey Lucy."
"Your kid is the only one that can call me that, Evans," the blonde joked before giving him a quick hug.
"Where's Puck?" he asked.
"He and Markie and over with Finn," she replied, pointing in their direction. Puck's Mohawk had long been shaved of. His son Mark, or "Markie" as he was often called, was in-between the adult men.
"How is Markie?" asked Mercedes.
"He's doing good. Enjoying senior year. I just wish he'd take those damn spikes out of his hair…but I guess raging high school hair runs in Puck's side of the family."
"What about your Pepto Bismol dye job in senior year?" Sam quipped snarkily.
"Aunt Lucy, you dyed your hair pink!" asked Lucy.
Quinn looked from her namesake to her namesake's father. She deadpanned, "Thanks Sam."
"Wow, they're just like Cameron and A.M.," Lucy noted cryptically.
"Where is Cameron?" Quinn asked. "And the rest of the kids?"
"We sent them to the store to get some last minute things," answered Mercedes. "They should actually be back any minute."
As if on cue, they all heard a resounding voice: "Hey, the Puckermans are here!"
While most of America assumed that Brittany and Santana were getting married in a secretive location, they were actually doing the whole thing in their backyard. After all, it was the last place that people would expect.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join Santana Marie Lopez and Brittany Susan Pierce in matrimony."
The affair, unlike the upcoming reception, was very small and simple. Other than a single floral arch that canvased the future wives, there were no other decorations.
"In the years that they've been together, their love and understanding of each other has grown and matured, and now they have decided to live their lives together as one."
There were only eight people in the backyard: Santana, Brittany, their respective parents, Anna Maria, and the officiator, Joe Hart.
"Seeing Brittany and Santana together has taught me that love goes beyond gender, race, or any other factors. And to be able to officially bring them together is truly an honor."
The two women briefly smiled at Joe before resuming their smiling at each other.
"Santana and Brittany have written their own vows. Santana?"
Anna Maria, who was standing behind both of her mothers, handed Santana a small index card. The woman glanced at it quickly before speaking.
"Britt…you know more than anyone how hard coming out was for me in high school. I'll admit…I was at my bitchiest." They both laughed a little. "But you were always there for me. Even when you were with Artie, you still cared about me…even if I couldn't quite see it back then."
Santana gulped, emotion already taking over. But she pressed on. "I know that I'm not the easiest person to get along with…but when I'm with you, I feel like I don't have to worry about anyone else's opinions of me. Because at the end of the day…as long as you're happy, I'm happy. Brittany, I love you so much, and I promise to spend the rest of my life proving that to you."
Having read Santana's vows earlier that day, Anna Maria recognized the end of her speech, so she then handed a second index card to Brittany.
"People think that I'm stupid. And I know that I'm not…but every now and then I feel like I am." Brittany started to hold her head down with slight unhappiness when Santana grabbed her chin softly and looked into her eyes. The blonde smiled and continued.
"And when I do, you always make me feel better. Like you just did a second ago." They both chuckled. "You didn't even say anything, and I feel like seventeen times happier. That's why I love you. You're awesome, and I know that you'll always be there for me. You're my best friend."
Tears were now streaming down both of their faces, basking in the moment, when Brittany quickly added: "And you're great in bed. Like really great."
"You too, babe."
A couple of hours later, the newly married Santana and Brittany Lopez-Pierce entered the grand reception hall to a booming applause, and soon the party was in full swing. Complete with food, photographers, television crews, and a DJ. It seemed that everyone in Ohio (and then some) was in the one room…well, almost everyone.
"Where the hell is Beth!"
It was Anna Maria, the daughter of honor, who had screamed this. She and the rest of the Vocal DynamiX were in one corner of the room. Having been appointed the official wedding planner, the Latina was under enough stress. But their director not being present was just one push too far.
"Our first set is scheduled to start in thirty minutes, and she's not even here!" the girl continued. "Who's gonna lead us now?"
Julia Hummel-Anderson went in front of her. "Honey, please calm down. Everything will be fine."
"The hell it will!" the girl exclaimed. "People are complaining about the damn brisket not being cooked long enough, the damn paparazzi won't stay out of my way, I'm trying to keep Mami's damn promise of not punching anybody, and now the damn glee teacher's a damn no-show!"
"Damn," Cameron sarcastically commented. The Lopez-Pierce girl gave her one of her darkest glares before punching Cameron in the shoulder.
"SON OF A BITCH!"
"Maybe she's just stuck in traffic," Steph said, trying to soothe Anna Maria as Cameron was being soothed by Julia.
Mike Chang walked to the group. "Guys, I just got a call from Beth. She came down with a bad stomach virus this morning. She was gonna try and make it, but she's just too sick to leave."
"Of course she is!"
Cameron, still rubbing his shoulder, turned to Cole. "Dude, calm your hag!"
Cole rolled his eyes, but he went to the girl anyway. "A.M., everything's gonna be okay."
"Don't Cole! Nothing is working out today! I swear I'm gonna bust a freakin' cap in someone's—"
"Chillax Shorty!"
Anna Maria turned around to the source of the deep voice that had spoken to her, and her eyes landed upon the tall, spiky-haired high school senior…and one of the few people that she was intimidated by.
"What the hell do you want, Markie?"
Except today.
"I don't want anything," Mark Puckerman replied, holding his hands up in surrender. "Just trying to relax my girl."
"So I'm your girl this week?" she answered with attitude. "Not Pam or Brenda or Chandra?"
"Puckerman, maybe this isn't the best time to try and get back with your ex-girlfriend," said Cameron.
"What, so you can get back with her instead?" countered Mark.
"Haven't you heard?" answered the biracial boy proudly. "I'm taken now!" He pointed to Julia smugly, keeping his eyes on Puckerman.
"You mean by the girl who's giving Schuester goo-goo eyes?"
Cameron looked at his girlfriend, and indeed, she was staring at college freshman Corbin Schuester with interest.
"Jules!"
"Sorry!" she insisted. "You know I've always had a bit on an unattainable crush on him! It's like one of those tragic love stories from the 1940s!"
"Said the girl to her new boyfriend," whispered Trey to Steph.
"HELLO! Back to me!" screamed the Latina. "On top of all this other garbage, I've got to deal with my stupid no-good ex-boyfriend and a glee club without a director!"
"How about this, A.M.?" intercepted Mike. "I'll take charge of you guys with Beth away. It's not like I haven't lead you before."
"Yeah, A.M.," agreed Steph. "People are having a good time. You don't have anything to worry about."
The girl finally began to relax a little. Whether it was because she was actually relaxed or because she was just too tired to care anymore, no one would ever know.
"So, after this," piped up Mark, "you wanna go make out for old times sake?"
"Okay, somebody get him away from me."
"Well, hey there, Pretty Boy!"
Cole Hudson literally dropped his cup in the punch bowl. There was no way…it couldn't be him…he turned around, and sure enough, Jack stood behind him with a grin.
"J-Jack!"
"Never thought I'd see you again. This is quite a nice surprise."
"What are you even doing here?"
"I was invited," Jack said plainly. "You're jumpier than the last time I saw you. Everything alright?"
"I had my first sexual experience with you after knowing you for only a few hours, and now I have no idea how to talk to you or rationalize any sense of normalcy in my life, even though I still sort of like you, as much it goes against my better judgment," Cole thought.
"Everything's fine," Cole actually said.
"Good," Jack replied. "Cause you know how cute I think you are."
Cole couldn't help but smile, but then it recoiled. "Seriously, though, what are you doing here?"
"Well, I—"
"Hey, glasses! Who the hell are you?"
Cole and Jack turned to see an angrily frantic Anna Maria walking towards them holding a clipboard.
"Beg pardon?" the boy asked.
"I said, 'Who the hell are you?'" the girl repeated quickly. "Part of my responsibilities is keeping gate crashers like you out of this private party, and I have no idea who the hell you are. You'd better be on my list."
"Well, let's see." He took the clipboard from the girl without a second thought.
"Oh, I know that boy did not just snatch something from me. He knows my Lima Heights relatives are in this room, right?"
Jack, meanwhile, rolled his eyes and showed her a spot on the paper that rested on her board. "See, I'm right here," he clarified. "Right where it says 'Artie Abrams and Guest.' I'm the 'and Guest.'"
Anna Maria looked at Jack and then turned around to see the wheelchair-bound Artie Abrams, a former member of the New Directions, who was talking to Cole's father.
"Well…you do look like Wheels…I guess you check out. But I've still got my eye on you."
And she left without another word. Cole, meanwhile, was speechless.
"You're Artie's son!"
Jack held out his hand. "Jackson Michael Abrams, at your service!"
"Normally, you learn the person's last name before you screw around with them," Cole couldn't help but think to himself.
Instead, he said, "Finn Hudson's my dad, and we see Artie on a semi-regular basis. How didn't we know that you were his son?"
"I asked Dad that on the ride up here," responded Jack. "Apparently, the last time I saw you guys was when we were like three. Every time our parents have met up since, it was without us."
Cole shook his head. "This is so weird."
"Yeah…" Jack trailed off. And then, "So, you wanna go hit up the bathroom right quick?"
"Jack! Are you serious!"
"It's a wedding!" the Abrams boy insisted. "That means love…and other stuff!"
Cole whispered, "We are in public."
"We were in public the last time, too," Jack whispered in Cole's ear. Cole shivered, either out of fear or lust. Jack assumed the latter and continued. "Come on, Cole. Don't act like you don't want it."
"Jack…I don't even know you."
"Again, that didn't stop you last time."
"Well, it should have!"
Jack sighed, pushing up his glasses. "Fair enough, Hudson. I'm not in the business of messing around with dudes against their will…don't get me wrong, I mess around. But it's all totally consensual."
Jack gave an uncharacteristically cheesy grin that caused Cole to actually laugh. What was this boy doing to him?
"Let me show you something, Cole." Jack grabbed Cole's arm and pulled him into a corner of the room where no one could see them. He then took Cole's hand and placed it on the front of his own pants.
"This," Jack stated, nodding at the piece of himself that Cole was now literally holding, "is what you do to me. So I'm gonna go to the bathroom. If you're not there in five, I'll handle it myself…but if you show up…"
He paused and pulled Cole into a quick, yet passionate, kiss of lust and desire, Cole's hand never leaving the front of Jack's pants. The saxophonist slowly pulled back and finished his statement. "…then you can do whatever the hell you want to me."
He patted Cole's cheek lightly and left for the restroom. Cole's mind was at war as he slowly left the corner and re-entered the party. Once again, he had a decision to make. Jack Abrams was incredibly attractive…for someone who chose to sport the hipster look. And he was just as charming, if not incredibly forward, almost to the point of pushy. And yet…Cole was entranced by the boy.
Now Cole may not have projected it as obviously as a typical teenager, but the Hudson boy was very curious about sex. And while he and his father had started talking some more…sex was not a topic that he was willing to bring up. As sexually curious as he was, actually vocalizing the fact seemed too awkward for him. Maybe that's why he liked Jack so much…he knew exactly what Cole was thinking.
Or maybe Jack was just a horndog.
And maybe Cole was just a subtler horndog.
"Dude!"
Cole looked ahead as Trey and Cameron walked over to him.
"My dad wants us to meet up in ten minutes. We're gonna start the first set soon," Trey informed him.
"Um…yeah okay," Cole said, his mind clearly on something else. "Hey listen, I've gotta go to the bathroom, so I'll just meet you up there."
He started to leave, but then turned back around to the others. "And…it's a number two; so if I take a while, that's why. I guess that three bean salad didn't agree with me or something."
"Dude, we don't need the play-by-play!" Cameron insisted, covering his ears.
Cole, meanwhile, was already gone.
"So Shorty, you wanna make out now?"
Anna Maria sighed without even having to look behind her. The Vocal DynamiX had just finished their first set of songs—a combination of Christmas classics and love songs—about five minutes ago, and the group had begun to disperse.
"For the fifth and final time, Markie," grumbled Anna Maria without moving, "hell to the freaking no."
The spiky-haired senior swiftly moved in front of her and pouted. "Why not? Don't you miss me, baby?"
"I miss using you for cheap jokes," the Latina admitted. "But now that Cameron and Julia are dating, my arsenal has gotten a lot larger, so the void's been filled."
She walked over to a table where the rest of her friends were seated, and Mark quickly grabbed a seat next to her. The girl rolled her eyes.
"So, what'd we miss, guys?" Mark asked, ignoring his ex-girlfriend's ire.
"Oh nothing," Steph answered casually. "Just yelling at Cole for missing the first song."
"Once again, Steph," Cole droned, "that three bean salad really got to me. I apologize for my intestines."
"Again Cole," interrupted Cameron, "no play-by-play."
Suddenly, Finn Hudson approached with two other people at his side.
"Hey guys!" he greeted. "You remember Artie Abrams, right? He was in the New Directions with us."
Anna Maria looked curious. "You're the guy that did my mom Brittany, right?"
Artie smiled proudly. "Yes ma'am, I am."
"Dude!" Mark, Cameron, and Trey exclaimed in a very "bro-like" manner.
Julia sighed. "Seriously Cameron?"
"Sorry Jules," her boyfriend smirked. "Maybe you should let Corbin Schuester console you."
"Touché," responded Julia, slapping him playfully before he put his arm around her.
Mark gave Anna Maria a strange look. "Did they just have a fight?"
"I think so," she whispered back. "Camlia is a strange relationship."
"I am so glad that Camlia is catching on!" smiled Julia.
"Anyway," Finn interrupted, "this is Artie's son, Jack. I figured you guys could keep him company."
Trey spoke up. "Aren't you the sax player that Cole had a crus—ouch Steph, why the heck did you punch me!"
Artie looked up at his son. "Kid, you gonna be alright?"
"Yeah, Pop. Go have fun with your Nude Erections."
The second the adults left, Jack bent down to Cole's ear and whispered, "'Cause we sure had fun with ours."
The Abrams boy took a seat beside Cole, who eyes now bulged out nervously. Why did Jack always go for the sexy, yet completely inappropriate, ear whispering?
"Yo Hudson, you alright?" Mark asked.
It took Cole a couple of seconds to recover. "Y-yeah. Jack just told me a dirty joke is all."
"You know Jack," Julia observed, "the rest of the legacies of the New Directions have all kept in touch over the years. How is it that we are just meeting you?"
"Well, my pop said that we did meet before," Jack explained, "but we were all too young to really remember. As to why we haven't seen each other since then…just blame my bitch of a mother."
"Oh yeah, they're getting divorced, right?" asked Cole.
"He knows this dude's family history?" quipped Mark.
"I bet they're doin' it," Anna Maria whispered back jokingly. After all, Cole Hudson would be the last person to sleep with a complete stranger.
"Yeah," said Jack, responding to Cole's question. "Her job makes her travel a lot, so we were always on the go. But now that they're over and done with, me and Pop may be settling down in one spot."
Cole looked a little nervous…Jack wouldn't be "settling down" nearby, would he?
Eventually, the table of eight people began to break off into separate conversations. Cameron and Julia were discussing next semester's set list, Anna Maria was absentmindedly allowing Mark to speak to her while playing a movie in her head, and even Jack and Cole were having a non-sexually related conversation about Jack's interest in the saxophone.
Steph and Trey, on the other hand, were awkwardly staring at their plates. Ever since the incident at Sectionals with Anna Maria's comment about their "relationship," they had been a bit strained.
"So…," Trey began. "Have you thought about it?"
"About what?"
"You know what. You and me."
"Trey…"
"Just look around, Steph," Trey said. "Everyone's got somebody: Cam's got Julia, and Cole's in love with the creepy hipster dude. And we all know that A.M. still has the hots for Puckerman. You and me are meant to be!"
"Because we're the only ones left? That's not a very valid reason, Trey."
"All I'm saying is that we should at least try it out! I mean, we owe it to ourselves to give it a shot. We're already great friends."
"And what if dating screws us up?" commented Steph. "You're right. This year, you and I have grown a lot closer as friends. If we date and break up, everything's just gonna be so awkward for all of us!"
"Julia and Cameron are taking the risk. Why don't we?"
"I don't know—"
"Just one date. If you don't like it, we can pretend it never happened. What do you say?"
The Hudson girl let out a nervous breath. She then looked at Trey's hopeful eyes and couldn't help but notice that he did look sweet asking her out so suddenly.
"One date," Steph repeated. "And if even one of us agrees that it's too weird, then we stop."
"Cool beans."
They both sighed with feelings of relief and anxiousness at the same time, when suddenly…
"Congratulations!"
Steph and Trey jumped in shock at Julia, who had screamed out.
"I am so happy for you two!" she continued. "Cam, we can double date now!"
Trey started to stutter. "Wha—what just—"
"Dude, we all just totally heard you ask her out," Mark laughed. "So lame man!"
"At least Trey's girl said yes," Anna Maria burned. The Puckerman boy shrunk into his seat embarrassedly.
Trey leaned over to Cameron. "Seriously though, how much did you hear?"
"Everything after she started looking into your eyes," smiled Cameron. "And you should know that I only take Jules to the finest places, so if you're trying to double, start saving up."
Trey turned back to Steph. "You weren't trying to keep this a secret, were you?"
Steph shrugged. "It would have only been a matter of time anyway. We're the New Directions' kids. Gossip is in our blood."
Trey laughed. "So where do you want to go on our first date, then?"
"Hold on Romeo," Cole growled, already in overprotective brother mode, "Just know that I will kick your ass if you screw her over."
A whisper. "You are so cute when you're angry."
"Damn it, Jack!"
Towards the end of the night, the Vocal DynamiX were standing at the front of the room one final time. At the microphone was Mike Chang.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Mike announced softly, "leading the Vocal DynamiX in their final song of the night is Miss Anna Maria Lopez-Pierce."
The crowd applauded and Santana and Brittany smiled brightly as their daughter took Mike's place in front of the piano. Then, the pianist began to play a very familiar tune.
ANNA MARIA:
For you, there'll be no more crying.
For you, the sun will be shining.
And I feel that when I'm with you, it's alright.
I know it's right.
(The Vocal DynamiX behind her begin harmonizing vocals as Anna Maria continues lead and do so through the rest of the song.)
To you, I'll give the world.
To you, I'll never be cold.
'Cause I feel that when I'm with you, it's alright.
I know it's right.
And the songbirds are singing like they know the score…
And I love you, I love you, I love you…like never before…
(Forgetting all of her troubles and stresses over the evening, Anna Maria's focus was now solely on her two mothers, who were beaming at her.)
And I wish you all the love in the world.
But most of all, I wish it from myself.
And the songbirds keep singing like they know the score…
And I love you, I love you, I love you…like never before…
Like never before…
Like never before…
The lucid piano tones slowly faded out, and the room began to cheer loudly for the Latina, who was now going to hug her teary-eyed mothers. In their eyes, there had never been a more beautiful tribute.
Taking advantage of the audience's distraction, Steph turned to Trey. "So, I guess this is your last performance with Vocal DynamiX, huh?"
Trey gave a mysterious look. "I'm not too sure…I'll let you know when school starts up again."
Before she could question him, however, Cameron's voice rang through the microphone. Julia was right beside him as he spoke. "Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Cameron Evans, and I'm one of the captains of Vocal DynamiX. Next to me is the lovely, talented, beautiful, funny, charming, sweet, confident, sophisticated, brilliant, fierce—"
Anna Maria screamed from her spot beside her mothers, "Wrap it up, Trouty Mouth!"
As the audience laughed and Cameron's face presented a combination of anger and embarrassment, his girlfriend took the microphone from him.
"And I'm Juila Hummel-Anderson, the other captain," she finished for him. "And on behalf of the Vocal DynamiX, we'd like to thank Senator and Mrs. Lopez-Pierce for allowing us to perform at their wedding reception, and we wish their entire family the best of luck for the future."
The room applauded one final time, now turning to the Lopez-Pierces. When the silence ended, Cameron took the microphone and continued their scripted thank-you speech.
"We'd also like to thank the director of our glee club, who unfortunately couldn't make it tonight, Ms. Beth Corcoran."
Julia and Cameron may or may not have continued thanking people, but Quinn Fabray-Puckerman would not have had any idea. Did he really say "Beth Corcoran?" It was probably a coincidence…she was probably just overreacting. Quinn turned to her husband, and he looked just as concerned as she did. They were clearly thinking the same thing. Was it her?
Quinn began to look around the room at all of her friends. Most of them were either looking at their desserts or at the children at the front of the room. She noticed, however, that Rachel and Mercedes, who were sitting beside each other, had similar looks of worry. Rachel spotted the blonde woman staring at them and seemed to silently alert Mercedes that they were being watched. When the two women looked at her, Quinn knew.
Hooray for cliffhangers!
I had fun writing this one. A lot of this was difficult to piece together, specifically the Brittana wedding and the Jack/Cole scenes. By the way, if you guys notice any plot inconsistencies or anything weird, please let me know. While I promise that nothing is over once more, I could have easily missed something.
I'm gonna start posting some interludes soon. Just some general mini-chapters to tie you guys over while I piece together the actual story from here. Unfortunately, I can't promise when the next real chapter will be up, but I'm looking forward to writing it and seeing what you all think!
And if anybody has a Tumblr, follow me! I'm TC-Harper. See you when I see you! (and Merry-Not-Really-Christmas!)
FEATURED SONG:
"Songbird" by Fleetwood Mac
In the Upcoming Interlude: Set after "I'm Coming Out" - After talking to Cole, Finn Hudson seeks wisdom from a reliable source.