Whew! I tried all late last night/early this morning to post this early as a surprise and fanfic wouldn't allow it...so here it is...at least it's not late.

I own my errors and my imagination, but not Glee, no...sigh...not glee...

Enjoy!

Quinn leaned awkwardly forward in her chair, sitting across from her in one of the hard plastic chairs was Maxwell Barrett. She hadn't learned anything from his file that she didn't already know. She did know from his body language he didn't really want to be in her office, but maybe he understood that Mr. Hurston was going easy on him considering he was fighting his first day.

"So, Max...?"

"I don't understand what the principal feels I could possibly gain from a discussion with you, Ms. Marr."

She gaped at him for a moment and then chuckled. "Definitely Rachel..."

"You know my Mom?"

"Knew. We went to high school together, we were both in Glee Club.."

"She use to tell me all about Glee club, she said it was her starting point to stardom..."

"Yes, she was definitely our star." Quinn smiled a little lost in her memories.

"Not anymore though, Mom's never going to sing again."

"I know it may seem that way now Max, but if your mom loves singing even half as much as she use to singing will always be a part of her life."

"You don't know! She said she won't anymore, she can't!" He crossed his skinny arms across his chest. "Mommy said that she was completely alive singing and now she just.." He broke off into a loud sob.

"Hey," she reached out a hand to touch his shoulder, "it's okay to be angry, okay? It's not okay to fight at school though, we have to find a more constructive way to channel those feelings..."

"That boy..."

"Anthony?" Quinn supplied.

"Yeah, he's a bully and we'll my Mom she abhors violence, but Mommy she said that it was only right to protect myself."

"I understand, but that's what teachers are here for..."

"Yes ma'am." Max hung his head and wiped at his eyes.

"Tell me Max, what do you like? What interests you? Do you sing as well? Play the piano...?" She asked remembering what she'd read about Dawn Barrett.

"No! I don't play anymore, you can't make me!" The boy looked up frantic with tears standing in his eyes.

"Calm down, it's okay, I'm not in the business of forcing kids to play." She smiled trying to make him more at ease. "I...I just want to help, okay?"

Max nodded slowly, sniffling.

"Hey, Max, it's going to get better, you have to believe that, and if you want to talk anytime my door is always open." She smiled again rubbing his arm reassuringly.

"H-h-hey M-mm-max," The small blonde boy from yesterday approached him in the lunch line, "d-do you wa-wanna s-sit wit us?"

"No." Max answered taking his tray to an empty table in the middle of the cafeteria.

Max began to eat his macaroni and cheese and warily watched the other children. In the far right corner he could see Anthony Adams eating with a bunch of bigger, stupider looking boys. The older boy noticed him watching them and shook a meaty fist at him. He didn't like fighting, but the boy seemed like he wouldn't be happy unless he was beating him up, well he really didn't want that to happen.

He looked to his left and saw the young kid, Stutters, sitting at a table with one companion, a taller, tanner girl with dark hair. The curly head boy whispered something to the girl and then pointed at the him. The girl smiled and waved happily when she saw him looking. He ducked his head down fighting the urge to wave back.

When he looked up again the table was empty. He sighed loudly, he didn't need friends, didn't want them. He chew harder on his food, suddenly angry at himself.

"Hey, Dean said you needed friends..." The girl from before sat to the left of him and Stutters...Dean sat to his right.

"He's wrong, I don't need anyone." He grunted.

"My mama says, everyone needs friends..."

"...and my mom says your mom is an elf, does she make cookies? I like cookies! Or does she make toys? I like toys too!"

"My mom is not an elf!" He gritted out, his cheeks reddening.

"Um...Lee..? Shhhhh. Ma-maybe if we-we're all friends the-then you won't b-be l-l-lon-on-ely." Dean said smiling.

"I toldya, I don't want friends, leave me alone!"

"B-b-but..."

"I don't care." Max slammed his fork down and pushed back from the table. "Please, just leave me alone." He rose and stalked out of the cafeteria.

Upon exiting the cafeteria Max wandered the halls trying to calm himself. He felt bad for yelling at those two, but he didn't want to be bothered and they weren't getting the hint. He wandered around until he found himself once again outside of Ms. Marr's office.

He knocked lightly on the door and waited.

"Come in..." He heard her voice and opened the door.

"Hey Max." She smiled when he entered the office.

"Ms. Marr, can-can you tell me more about when my Mom was younger?" He asked taking a seat. He didn't know what possessed him to ask, but all of a sudden he really wanted to know.

"Um...ok, Max, but when the lunch bell rings you have to go back to class, deal?"

He sighed. "Deal."

In the next chap...things are gonna get crazy for a sec, but bare with me it's all part of my plan...

Ink